After watching Holy Night Demon Hunters, I found myself reflecting on the increasing number of South Korean films tackling the subject of exorcism. Over the past four years, interest in this theme has surged. With titles like Exuma and Dark Nuns (review links), it’s worth considering how they might be thematically connected—and where Holy Night Demon Hunters fits into that larger picture.
Written and directed by Lim Dae-hee, this film marks an ambitious directorial debut and may well be the start of a new franchise. There are elements that work, and a few questions that linger. What I didn’t realize going in is that the movie is based on the web comic Holy Night: The Zero, which helps clarify the backstory for some of the characters—especially Ba-Woo (Ma Dong-seok, who also served as executive producer) and Joseph. Both are orphans, but while Ba-Woo becomes a detective (imagine a mix of Blade and Batman), Joseph enters the priesthood. Although Joseph doesn’t appear in the live-action film, his influence is deeply felt.
The story kicks off when Ba-Woo’s team—known as “The Holy Night”—takes on a case involving a string of people driven to madness. They soon uncover a doomsday cult preparing to summon a specific devil. It’s up to this unlikely trio—a powerhouse brawler (Ba-Woo), a cameraman (Kim Gun), and a mystic (Sharon)—to stop the possession of a human vessel.
Lee David and Seohyun play Kim Gun and Sharon, functioning like a Robin and Batgirl duo, but with their own distinct skills. As the investigation leads them across Seoul, they discover that devil worshippers have infiltrated all layers of society, quietly hunting for a perfect host. That turns out to be Eun-seo (Jung Ji-so), whose normal life unravels following the death of her mother. Her descent into darkness begins off-screen, but the consequences are fully realized. When her sister, Jung-won (Kyung Soo-jin), notices dramatic shifts in behavior and conventional therapy fails, she turns to the Holy Night team for help.
At its core, Holy Night Demon Hunters is about the search for faith. The film suggests that salvation comes through belief in God and dedication to one’s spiritual path. But there’s an underlying tension between these Christian ideals and older spiritual traditions. Here, evil isn’t portrayed in vague or metaphorical terms—it’s personalized and literal, represented by a specific demonic force that corrupts Eun-seo’s soul.
The film also explores the personal demons of its protagonists. Ba-Woo’s emotional scars, Sharon’s crisis of faith, and Kim Gun’s unsettling discovery about his father’s ties to the cult add depth to the narrative. Understanding these arcs is easier with knowledge of the web comic, which helps fill in some character gaps not fully addressed on screen.
I ended up watching the film a second time before writing this review. It’s a dense story with layers of mythology and symbolism that warrant a closer look. While it can be enjoyed as a standalone supernatural thriller, it’s even more rewarding when considered alongside other Korean works exploring spiritual warfare. What sets this film apart is its willingness to expose “the devil you know”—not just in terms of supernatural threats, but in how characters confront their own inner darkness.
3 Stars out of 5
Holy Night Demon Hunters Movie Trailer
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