Director Yeon Sang-ho's new film "Face" has entered the global box office trajectory. Since its release on the 11th of last month, the film has recorded a cumulative audience of 940,000, approaching the milestone of 1 million viewers. As of October 2nd, "Face," pre-sold to 157 countries worldwide, is preparing for its full-scale overseas release. Positive reactions from international media continue, drawing concentrated attention to the film.

"Face" tells the story of visually impaired seal engraving artisan Lim Young-gyu and his son Lim Dong-hwan as they unravel the mystery surrounding the death of their mother, buried for 40 years. The film had its first encounter with local audiences when it opened in North America and Taiwan on the 26th of last month. "Face" is scheduled to be released sequentially in the 157 countries where it was pre-sold.

International media have been praising "Face." In a special feature covering the buzzworthy films of the 2025 Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals, TIM Grierson of Screen Daily described Yeon Sang-ho's new work as "a delicate mystery in which an adult son uncovers the truth about his mother's death decades ago." Another critic noted, "Yeon Sang-ho takes a completely different path in 'Face,' proving that a great story can be told without flashy devices." Additionally, some reviews mention, "The film begins as an intriguing mystery but soon develops in a despairing direction, leaving a shocking aftertaste."

The story of "Face" leaves a deep impression and offers room for various interpretations. The first memorable scene is the initial interview about the mother, Jung Young-hee, who returned as skeletal remains after 40 years. Lim Dong-hwan receives a call from the police station and goes to the mortuary, confronting the mystery of his mother. The empty portrait at the funeral and stories about his mother's face from his maternal relatives convey the dual mysteries of Jung Young-hee's death and her face to the audience.

The second notable scene is an episode where Jung Young-hee tries to reveal the dark side of Baek Joo-sang. Jung Young-hee discovers the secret of Baek Joo-sang, who is called an angel for always smiling and paying wages on time. Her righteous actions evoke anger toward the evils tolerated by the era of the 1970s, eliciting sympathy and empathy from the audience.

The final memorable scene is the fifth interview between Lim Dong-hwan and Lim Young-gyu. Lim Young-gyu clearly conveys the message Yeon Sang-ho wants to deliver through the line, "Beauty is respected, ugliness is despised." Kwon Hae-hyo dominated the scene with his outstanding character analysis and irreplaceable acting skills.

A key point of interest in the film is Park Jung-min's ability to portray two roles. He plays both the young Lim Young-gyu in the 1970s and his son Lim Dong-hwan in the present, moving back and forth between the two time periods. Park Jung-min overwhelms the audience with detailed performances that capture the characteristics of both characters. Shin Hyun-bin plays a character whose face is not revealed, adding to the mystery and leading the narrative. Shin Hyun-bin stated, "I found the fact that my face is not shown to be rather interesting. I thought, as an actor, when else would I get to take on such a challenge, so I decided to participate."

"Face" is receiving positive responses from audiences with its sharp thematic consciousness and solid storytelling. Attention is focused on the film's global box office performance.