A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

Kim Jee-woon wrote and directed A Tale of Two Sisters, a psychological horror-drama film released in South Korea in 2003. The film is based on the folktale Janghwa Hongryeon jeon, which has been converted to cinema multiple times throughout the Joseon Dynasty. The tale revolves around a newly released mental hospital patient who goes home with her sister, only to be confronted by horrific occurrences involving her stepmother and the spirits who haunt their home, all of which are linked to a terrible past in the family's history.

Many consider 'A Tale of Two Sisters' to be one of the most polarizing psychological thrillers to come out of Korea. The story revolves around two sisters, one of whom is released from a mental facility on the same day as her stepmother's brother and his wife arrive at their remote estate. The sisters' birth mother's spirit stalks them as they begin their acclimatization back in the house. Director Kim Jee-Woon manages to carve out enough screen time for the characters to vent their sorrow in a tight tale, resulting in a picture with enough terrifying moments to keep you up at night.