'The Priests' sequel 'Dark Nuns' prepares to take on demons early next year

From left to right, director Kwon Hyeok-jae, actors Moon Woo-jin, Lee Jin-wook, Jeon Yeo-been and Song Hye-kyo attend a press conference held on Dec. 16 at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. [NEWS1]
"Dark Nuns,” a standalone sequel to "The Priests" (2015), one of the standout releases in Korea's occult film genre, is poised to send chills down the spines of genre enthusiasts on Jan. 24.

Directed by Kwon Hyeok-jae, the film follows two nuns who go to great lengths to save a boy possessed by a powerful evil spirit and a skeptical priest who doubts the existence of demons and finds himself at odds with them.

“Sister Yunia, the character I will be playing in the film, is a resolute nun trying to perform a forbidden ritual to get rid of the evil spirit haunting a boy,” said Song Hye-kyo during a press conference held on Monday at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul.

"I felt a lot of pressure after 'The Glory' (2022) received so much love and attention. However, this encouraged me to explore new genres.”

“Dark Nuns” marks Song’s return to the silver screen after 11 years, with her last film release being “My Brilliant Life” (2014).

From left to right, actors Lee Jin-wook, Song Hye-kyo, Jeon Yeo-been and Moon Woo-jin pose for a photo at a press conference held on Dec. 16 at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. [NEWS1]
“I’m proud to give this film to the audience as a special present, as I bent over backwards to show my best in the film,” Jeon Yeo-been said.

Actor Jeon portrays Sister Michaela, who decides to help Sister Yunia while being driven by curiosity.

"Michaela is a nun who initially doubts the existence of evil spirits as a pupil of Father Paolo but eventually assists Sister Yunia as her curiosity is ignited.”

“My primary focus in my acting was on the reactions, body language and expressions of my eyes, as I aimed to convey the tension and energy Michaela experienced during her time with Yunia," Jeon added.

Actor Jeon Yeo-been, left, and Song Hye-kyo attend a press conference held on Dec. 16 at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. [NEWS1]
Hee-jun, the boy possessed by a wicked spirit is portrayed by 15-year-old actor Moon Woo-jin.

“The first person that came across my mind was Park So-dam, who played a similar role in ‘The Priests.’ I felt so much pressure, as I was worried about whether I would be able to give the same level of energy,” Moon said.

A still from "The Priest" [CJ ENTERTAINMENT]
Lee Jin-wook, known for Netflix thriller “Sweet Home” (2020) and "Squid Game" (2021-) season two, which is slated to be released on Dec. 26, takes on the role of Father Paolo, who is unsure about the existence of evil spirits.

“Paolo is a character who opposes exorcisms, advocating instead for medical treatment,” said Lee.

“I focused on portraying how and why this character ended up being so stuck with such a belief.”

Poster of occult film ″Dark Nuns″ [NEW]
In addition to the esteemed actors' devoted acting performances, elements like the characters' religious attire and the Latin prayers they recite contribute to the film's atmosphere and mise-en-scène.

“Throughout the entire film, I will be wearing clerical garb. While dressed in the clothing I was able to immerse myself in the character,” Song said.

“We had to express our feelings while flawlessly reciting the Latin prayers. So, I practiced the prayers every moment.”

“I think the clerical habit was a great representation of the character I played in the film, who seems rigid on the surface yet aspires, deep inside, to have more freedom,” Jeon said.

A still from "The Priest" [CJ ENTERTAINMENT]
On top of the unique lines the actors needed to learn, the film featured remarkable scenes, such as an exorcism performance that they had never experienced in previous films.

“My body stiffened from time to time as I felt every emotion that served as the stepping stones to the climax of exorcism,” Song said.

Director Kwon Hyeok-jae speaks during a press conference held on Dec. 16 at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. [YONHAP]
Since the film is a sequel to "The Priests," which garnered commercial success during its release and over 5 million admissions, director Kwon expressed excitement as well as concerns.

“As a fan of ‘The Priests,' who respects director Jang Jae-hyun, I didn’t want to dent his reputation,” Kwon said.

"The Priests" was helmed by Jang, widely known for “Exhuma.”

“There are some factors that link the two films, such as the concept of the 12 demons and more.”

“However, our film diverges from the prequel, showcasing two nuns with unique traits as they attempt to engage in the forbidden activities of exorcism,” Kwon added.