Although controversial, Murder report is the boldest and most compelling 18+ Korean film of 2025, a masterclass in tension, dialogue and human psychology.
A chilling story in a locked room
Director Jo Young Jun creates a minimalist yet unnerving psychological thriller that takes place entirely within a single hotel room. There are no car chases, no blood, no weapons, just two people and a terrifying conversation.
Veteran journalist Seon Ju (Jo Yeo Jeong) receives an invitation from Yeong Hoon (Jung Seong Il), a psychiatrist who claims to be a serial killer. She agrees to an “exclusive interview”, unaware that it will turn into a battle of wits that blurs the line between truth, morality and madness.
Every breath, every look, every pause becomes a weapon. Director Jo turns stillness into suspense, the silence becomes deafening and the conversation seems a slow and elegant knife that screws deeper with every word.
Action that commands every second
Like a two-character play, the entire film is performance-based and both leads deliver tour de force performances.
Jo Yeo Jeong, known for her unforgettable role in Parasitereinvents herself as a hardened but tormented reporter. His eyes move from curiosity to terror, then to resolution, mirroring the film’s descent into moral chaos.
Jung Seong Il, with his calm tone and creepy smile, embodies a killer who doesn’t need violence to scare. His voice and logic alone dismantle Seon Ju’s emotional armor and ours. Together they create a dangerous chemistry, where every line of dialogue seems like a spark that could ignite the next explosion.
Because it’s the most amazing 18+ movie of 2025
Despite the limited setting and budget, Murder report captivated audiences, grossing over $2.5 million globally and attracting 360,000 viewers in South Korea within weeks of release. Critics have praised Jo Young Jun’s essential narrative, a philosophical “psychological dissection” of two souls: one seeking truth, the other seeking moral justification through evil.
The film avoids crime thriller clichés and instead questions human ethics on what defines justice, and when does the truth become another form of sin? Moviegoers leave theaters shaken, their moral compasses tremble.
Divide the audience, provoke reflection
Not everyone agrees on its brilliance. Some call it “a philosophical masterpiece”; others dismiss it as “too static” OR “overly dependent on dialogue”. The ending, ambiguous and disturbing, even divided the public for some, is a devastating revelation; for others, an unfinished confession.
But this is precisely its power. Murder report he does not seek universal approval. It requires interpretation, discomfort and conversation, something few films, especially independent ones, achieve in today’s market.
A new kind of fear born from silence
Unlike typical horror films that rely on sound and spectacle, Murder report weaponize silence. It forces viewers to confront the monster of human nature, making them complicit in the psychological game. When the screen goes black, you don’t hear the screaming, just your heartbeat.
Murder report it deserves an 8/10 conceptually bold, brilliantly acted and thematically rich. While not flawless in pacing, it provides an unforgettable experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
In a year crowded with commercial blockbusters, this quiet, conversational film proves that true horror doesn’t need gore, just the truth laid bare.
And that’s why Murder report is undeniably the most controversial 18+ Korean film of 2025: a chilling mirror that reflects not the monsters, but ourselves.
Sources: K14
