7. A Horror Film That Features a Fox Spirit
The kumihois a nine-tailed fox that appears in many classic Korean folktales. It is similar to the Chinese huli jing, the Japanese kitsune and the Vietnamese hồ ly tinh, which are ancient creatures that live on the flesh of humans and often shapeshift into female form.
As the film begins, Yeo-hwa is banished fby the queen. She walks the wilderness with her baby. Bandits attack her, killing the baby — by stomping it to death — and as she escapes, she drowns in a lake. However, the fox spirit raises her and takes over her body, using it to seduce and destroy men. Back in the kingdom, Yeo-hwa’s husband wants to save her, but he is being seduced by the queen.
This was picked up by Shaw Brothers and distributed in Hong Kong. It has some really cool wirework fights as well as a near-genre jumping feel.
Director Shin Sang-ok is, of course, the same man who was taken from his country to make Pulgasari and then, after escaping, came to America to produce all of the 3 Ninjas movies and direct 3 Ninjas: Knuckle Up. Life’s weird.
You can watch this on YouTube.
