Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
천박사 퇴마 연구소: 설경의 비밀
Hanja
千博士退魔硏究所: 雪景의 祕密
Literal meaningChun Doctor's Exorcism Lab: The Secret of Snow Scenery
Revised RomanizationCheonbaksa Toema Yeonguso: Seolgyeongui Bimil
Directed byKim Seong-sik
Screenplay byPark Joong-seop
Based onPossessed
by Fresh and Kim Hong-tae
Produced by
StarringGang Dong-won
Huh Joon-ho
Esom
Lee Dong-hwi
Kim Jong-soo
CinematographyYang Hyun-suk
Edited byLee Kang-hee
Music byNene Kang
Production
company
Distributed byCJ Entertainment
Release date
  • September 27, 2023 (2023-09-27)
Running time
98 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Box officeUS$14.6 million[1][2][3]

Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman (Korean: 천박사 퇴마 연구소: 설경의 비밀) is a 2023 South Korean dark fantasy action film directed by Kim Seong-sik, based on the webtoon Possessed by Fresh and illustrated by Kim Hong. It stars Gang Dong-won, Huh Joon-ho, Esom, Lee Dong-hwi, and Kim Jong-soo. The film depicts a fake exorcist who can't see ghosts but solves the case with ghost-like insight, and is commissioned for a powerful possession case.[4][5]

It was released theatrically on September 27, 2023, coinciding with Chuseok.[6][7]

Plot

[edit]

Dr. Cheon and his assistant In-bae arrive at a wealthy household to perform their usual exorcism scam. As always, Cheon shakes his bell (which never rings) and delivers a convincing performance to complete the job and secure a golden toad statue. Back at the office, they store their ritual items and mark the location on a map. A desperate woman named Yoo-kyung offers them 50 million won upfront to investigate her haunted hometown of Goecheon. Despite initial hesitation, the money convinces Cheon to accept. Upon arriving, they find the village shrouded in unnatural fog, full of funeral homes, and a deeply eerie atmosphere. At Yoo-kyung's home, her terrified younger sister is locked away, seemingly possessed.

Cheon tries to reassure everyone by shaking the bell again, but this time, it rings for the first time ever. Shocked, Cheon repeats the motion and the bell continues to ring, confirming a real spiritual presence. When he confronts the sister, the entity inside lashes out violently, breaking the bell and activating the broken half of a sacred sword called the Chilseonggeom. The possessed girl attacks Cheon, and the spirit attempts to jump into Yoo-kyung, but is repelled by a mysterious force. Cheon uses the sword to destroy the ghost, and in doing so, shatters a bamboo spirit vessel belonging to the dark shaman Beom-cheon, who now realizes Yoo-kyung is a threat.

Beom-cheon's followers report the incident and plan to retrieve Yoo-kyung's spiritual eyes, which allow her to see reversed spells and spirits. Cheon reflects on his past: he inherited spiritual talent from his grandfather, a shaman who once tried to save Cheon's missing younger brother using a talisman. However, Beom-cheon interrupted the ritual, resulting in the deaths of both the grandfather and the brother. Determined to stop Beom-cheon, Cheon became a self-taught shaman. Later, when Beom-cheon tries to steal Yoo-kyung's eyes by possessing her, Cheon intervenes, driving the spirit out and recovering another talisman from Yoo-kyung's sister's pillow.

Cheon seeks help from a divine shamaness to locate the other half of the magical trap called Seolgyeong. With Yoo-kyung's spiritual sight, they identify reversed spell markings, which allow them to burn a talisman tied to Beom-cheon. The shamaness reveals that Beom-cheon has long hunted powerful shamans to gain divine power and that Cheon’s grandfather nearly succeeded in sealing him. With directions to Mount Yongwol where the remaining Seolgyeong is hidden, Cheon and Yoo-kyung head off, while Beom-cheon learns of their movement and lays a trap.

Cheon retrieves the remaining half of the Seolgyeong despite powerful illusions. With the Chilseong Sword fully restored, he battles Beom-cheon but is soon overpowered and loses the weapon. Though Cheon is wounded, reinforcements arrive to distract Beomcheon. Temporarily blinded and delayed by explosions, Beom-cheon is finally sealed by the completed Seolgyeong's chains, which extract his soul. The ritual is completed when the sealing script is read in reverse, erasing Beom-cheon's spirit for good. In-bae offers Yoo-kyung a spot on their team, and Cheon nods in agreement.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Gang Dong-won, Lee Dong-hwi and Esom confirmed their appearance in July 2022.[10] The all main cast was confirmed on September 19, 2022.[16]

Filming began on September 14, 2022.[8]

Reception

[edit]

As of October 14, 2023, the film has grossed US$13,152,259 at the local box office and accumulated 1,831,185 admissions from 796 screens.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2023". KOFIC. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  3. ^ "Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman (2023)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 29 October 2023.Edit this at Wikidata
  4. ^ [공식] 강동원, 가짜 퇴마사된다…'빙의' 크랭크인 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Jo Ji-young (September 19, 2022). [공식] 강동원, '검은 사제들' 이어 다시 한번 퇴마물 도전..영화 '빙의' 출연 확정 [[Official] Kang Dong-won, after 'The Black Priests', once again challenging the exorcism... Confirmed to appear in the movie 'Possession']. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2022 – via Naver.
  6. ^ Kang Hyo-jin (August 8, 2023). 강동원 '천박사 퇴마 연구소', 올 추석에 본다 '9월 개봉'[공식] [Kang Dong-won's 'Chun Doctor's Exorcism Lab', to be seen on Chuseok this year 'September release' [Official]] (in Korean). Spotify News. Retrieved August 8, 2023 – via Naver.
  7. ^ 조, 지영. [공식] 강동원표 오컬트 '천박사 퇴마 연구소' 9월 27일 개봉 확정. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  8. ^ a b Lee Nam-kyung (September 19, 2022). 강동원 출연확정, 허준호→이솜 캐스팅…'빙의', 9월 14일 크랭크인(공식) - 열린세상 열린방송 MBN [Kang Dong-won confirmed to appear, Heo Jun-ho → Esom casting… 'Possession', crank-in on September 14 (official)]. Maeil Broadcasting Network (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2022 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Han Hae-sun (July 8, 2022). [단독]'믿보 빌런' 허준호, 영화 '빙의' 출연..강동원과 싸운다 [[Exclusive] 'Reliable Villain' Heo Jun-ho to appear in the movie 'Possession'... Fighting with Kang Dong-won] (in Korean). MT Star News. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Naver.
  10. ^ a b Park Sol-yi (July 7, 2022). [단독] 이동휘X이솜, 영화 '빙의' 출연...강동원과 호흡 [[Exclusive] Lee Dong-hwi X Esom to appear in the movie 'Possession'... Breathing with Kang Dong-won] (in Korean). TV report. Retrieved July 7, 2022 – via Naver.
  11. ^ Kang Hyo-jin (September 19, 2022). 빙의' 강동원·허준호·이솜·이동휘, 캐스팅 완료 '14일 크랭크인 [Possession' Kang Dong-won, Heo Jun-ho, Esom, and Lee Dong-hwi, casting completed 'Crank-in on the 14th'] (in Korean). spoTV News. Retrieved September 19, 2022 – via Naver.
  12. ^ Lee Yoo-min (August 22, 2023). '천박사' 가장 기대되는 강동원의 컴백[종합] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  13. ^ 양, 유진. '천박사' 윤병희X주보비X박경혜, '밀수' 이어 올추석 극장가 장악 예고. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  14. ^ a b c d Kim, Bo-ra (September 19, 2023). 천박사' 박정민·지수→이정은·박명훈 왜 나와?…강렬한 하드캐리(종합)[현장의 재구성] ['Doctor Chun' Park Jung-min, Ji-soo, Lee Jeong-eun, Park Myung-hoon Why me?...Intense hard carry (synthesis) [reconstruction of the scene].] (in Korean). OSEN [ko]. Retrieved September 19, 2023 – via Naver.
  15. ^ 양, 유진. 블랙핑크 지수에 박정민까지!…'천박사 퇴마 연구소', 역대급 특별출연진 화제. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  16. ^ Jo Ji-young (September 19, 2022). [공식] 강동원, '검은 사제들' 이어 다시 한번 퇴마물 도전..영화 '빙의' 출연 확정 [[Official] Kang Dong-won, after 'The Black Priests', once again challenging the exorcism... Confirmed to appear in the movie 'Possession']. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2022 – via Naver.
[edit]