The worlds of the living and dead collide in Jo Dong Oh's action fantasy epic
The Restless. Presenting harrowing, yet beautiful visions of an ancient reimagined Korea and a timeless purgatory, the film enchants with its sweeping action and romance and aesthetic splendor. Having previously served as assistant director for
Musa, Jo already has experience with period epics, and
The Restless surpasses its predecessor in visuals and grandeur, employing state-of-the-art special effects to create majestic landscapes and striking action scenes that earned the film Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects trophies at the 44th Daejong Film Awards. Popular television starlet Kim Tae Hee (
Love Story in Harvard) makes her feature film debut here alongside Jung Woo Sung (
Daisy).
In the waning years of the Shilla Dynasty, the land is ravaged by chaos and violence, as demons roam freely amongst the people. Born with the ability to see ghosts, Yi Kwak (Jung Woo Sung) joins the royal squad to help battle the demons and the corrupt court. A failed coup, however, leaves all the members but Yi Kwak dead. While hiding in a shrine, he happens upon the entrance to mid-heaven, where souls reside for 49 days before reincarnation. There he meets So Hwa (Kim Tae Hee) who greatly resembles his deceased lover. So Hwa, who guards the gates between the mortal realm and mid-heaven, is thrown into danger when an army of restless spirits attempts to return to the land of the living. Yi Kwak comes to her rescue, only to discover the army is led by his former squad comrades.
