Acclaimed South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, renowned for blockbuster hits like "Train to Busan" and the Netflix series "Hellbound," has embarked on a bold creative experiment with his latest film "The Ugly." The movie, released on Thursday, was produced with an ultra-low budget of just 200 million won (approximately $150,000), representing a dramatic departure from his previous big-budget productions that typically cost around 20 billion won ($14.6 million).

Despite its modest financial scale, "The Ugly" has already demonstrated commercial viability, attracting 310,000 viewers within its first five days of release and easily surpassing its production costs. However, Yeon remains humble about the achievement, expressing gratitude to his collaborators who worked for minimal or no compensation. "Even though the break-even point has been reached, I still feel indebted to the cast and crew who worked without pay or for minimal wages," Yeon told the Hankook Ilbo. "To truly repay that debt, maybe 10 million admissions would be enough."

The film's production process showcased the power of creative collaboration and efficiency. Yeon worked with a lean crew of approximately 20 people, completing the entire shoot over 13 sessions across three weeks. Critics have praised the film's technical quality despite its limited resources, highlighting the team's ability to maximize their creative output within strict financial constraints. Most remarkably, the cast, including lead actor Park Jeong-min, joined the project without even reading the script, motivated by their loyalty to Yeon and faith in the source material.

Park Jeong-min, who plays dual roles in the film, explained his motivation for participating: "I didn't expect any profit. I took part because I'm a fan of the original work." This sentiment reflects the project's grassroots appeal and the respect Yeon commands within the industry. The collaborative spirit extended throughout the production, with team members making personal sacrifices to bring the director's vision to life.

"The Ugly" adapts Yeon's own 2018 graphic novel of the same name, demonstrating his versatility across different media formats. The story follows Dong-hwan, portrayed by Park Jeong-min, who is the son of visually impaired calligrapher Im Yeong-gyu, played by Kwon Hae-hyo. The narrative centers on Dong-hwan's investigation into the mysterious death of his mother, Jung Yeong-hee, portrayed by Shin Hyun-been. The film explores the complex connections between her disfigured face, which had long been mocked by acquaintances as monstrous, and the truth behind her tragic death.

Yeon revealed that the story originated from a profound social question: "During Korea's rapid growth in the 1970s, what did we exploit, and what did we lose?" This thematic foundation reflects the director's continued interest in examining the human cost of societal progress, a recurring theme in his work that resonates with contemporary Korean experiences.

The journey to bring "The Ugly" to the screen was marked by persistence and creative adaptation. Originally conceived as a feature film, the project initially struggled to secure traditional backing from investors and production companies. After several failed attempts to adapt it for the screen, Yeon first published the story as a graphic novel in 2018. This alternative approach allowed him to develop and refine the narrative while maintaining creative control over his vision.

Yeon drew inspiration from renowned Asian auteurs, including Japan's Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Taiwan's Edward Yang, who had successfully created landmark films with modest budgets. "I realized that even with little money, you can still create something engaging, whether it's a YouTube video my daughter watches or a program like 'Unanswered Questions' on SBS," Yeon explained. This revelation opened new possibilities for independent filmmaking and challenged conventional assumptions about the relationship between budget size and creative quality.

The director also offered a thoughtful critique of Korea's commercial film system, suggesting that the industry has become too focused on broad appeal at the expense of artistic distinctiveness. "For more than a decade, investment and distribution companies have been trying to make films that appeal broadly without sharp edges," he observed. "But as all culture moves toward fandom-driven consumption, works without distinctiveness will struggle to survive." This analysis reflects broader changes in media consumption patterns and audience preferences.

To manage the ultra-low budget effectively, the production team implemented innovative cost-cutting strategies that transformed potential limitations into creative advantages. They compressed the filming schedule and limited shooting locations, turning their small crew size into an asset for quick decision-making and flexible operations. "We often joked that we were getting addicted to this method," Yeon said. "It felt like working in a club, holding meetings and making quick decisions. It was fun, not difficult."

The success of "The Ugly" comes at a crucial time for Korea's film industry, which has struggled with stagnation since the pandemic began. Theater attendance has been slow to recover, and traditional financing models have faced significant challenges. Yeon believes this difficult period presents an opportunity for fundamental change and creative innovation within the industry.

Looking toward the future, Yeon advocates for bold experimentation and creative risk-taking among Korean filmmakers. "Korean cinema must evolve into new forms," he stated. "If creators have stories they want to tell, they shouldn't fear experimenting – whether in film, YouTube, or any other medium." He positions "The Ugly" not as a definitive solution to the industry's challenges, but as proof that alternative approaches can succeed. "A film like 'The Ugly' may not be the final answer, but it can prove that other possibilities exist," he concluded, suggesting that the project serves as an inspiring example for other creators seeking to tell their stories outside traditional commercial frameworks.