Revelations is a 2025 South Korean mystery thriller written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho, co-written with Choi Gyu-seok, and based on their original webtoon of the same name. The film premiered on Netflix on March 21, 2025.
The film centers on a pastor who believes he’s been divinely called to punish criminals, all while grappling with his own inner demons and a strained marriage. Parallel to his journey is a detective haunted by visions of her sister, who was kidnapped and tortured by the same sadistic assailant the pastor is now pursuing, mistakenly believing his own son had been taken. The killer, obsessed with the ‘one-eyed monster,’ evaded justice and was released, free to repeat his past crimes.
At first glance, Pastor Sung Min-chan doesn’t seem capable of harming anyone, after all, he’s supposed to be a man of God. He’s portrayed as charming, charismatic, yet unsettling, deeply insecure, and emotionally complex. Beneath his religious devotion lies a fragile psyche shaped by delusion and moral ambiguity. Convinced that God has given him a revelation, he believes it’s his divine duty to act, blurring the line between righteousness and madness. As the first half of the film unfolds, his distorted beliefs begin to consume his reality. In the second half, the narrative shifts, Lee Yeon-hee, a police officer officer investigating the disappearance of a young girl. Haunted by flashbacks of her own sister’s abduction and tragic suicide, she emerges as another compelling and emotionally layered character.
The film’s religious themes, along with the writer’s intended message, come through clearly: that we must take responsibility and accountability for our actions, we can’t simply hide behind faith or religion. Revelations is provocative, thought-provoking, and intense, with solid production quality and strong character development. However, it’s not without flaws. The narrative can feel uneven, the pacing is a slow burn, and for viewers who aren’t already fans of Korean cinema, it may struggle to hold attention. The film’s atmosphere is dark, gloomy, and relentlessly somber, mirroring the emotional state of its characters which, while fitting for the story, can feel heavy at times.
As a whole, Revelations is a well-acted but emotionally exhausting film.
