[Limelight] The Woman Who Becomes a Devil at Night... Why Does the Unemployed Man Protect Her?

The New Film by Director Lee Sanggeun, "The Devil Has Moved In"
A Stronger Focus on Virtue Than Love
"I Wanted to Portray Altruism Beautifully"

The film "The Devil Has Moved In" tells the story of a young, unemployed man named Gilgu (Ahn Bohyun), whose life takes a turn when he helps a neighbor in his apartment building. The person in need is Sunji (Im Yoona), who has just moved into the unit below. While Sunji is quiet and gentle during the day, she transforms into a completely different person, possessed by a devil, every dawn. Struggling to care for his daughter alone, Sunji's father, Jangsu (Sung Dongil), asks the seemingly innocent Gilgu to become Sunji's guardian. Through warm attention and consideration, Gilgu gradually opens up Sunji's hardened heart.

Movie Still Cut from "The Devil Has Come"[Photo by CJ ENM]

The foundation of this novel premise lies in the creator's own experiences. In a recent interview with Asia Economy, director Lee Sanggeun shared, "There were times when I unintentionally sensed changes in my neighbors while riding the apartment elevator. In particular, it felt strange to encounter a woman during the day who looked completely different from how she appeared at night, especially if I had seen her drunk and unable to stand properly. I wanted to reflect daily life and evoke empathy by drawing on curiosity about neighbors, the unique spatial characteristics of apartments, and the awkward situations that arise between neighbors."

To enhance relatability, the film blends a variety of genre conventions, including comedy, romance, and mystery. Director Lee explained, "I experimented with this approach because I thought it best suited the story. Rather than drawing clear boundaries between genres, I tried to let them mix and overlap."

However, it's difficult to say that the film truly breaks down genre barriers. In fact, the distinct elements of each genre do not mesh seamlessly, giving the impression that a series of isolated episodes are simply arranged in sequence. From the outset, the repeated depiction of Sunji's bizarre behavior and Gilgu's protective actions leaves little room for genuine genre blending.

Movie 'The Devil Has Come' Still Cut
[Photo by CJ ENM]

The lack of conflict between characters also makes it hard to expect any real tension. In particular, Gilgu is so excessively compliant that he rarely causes any friction. Addressing this, director Lee explained, "This was a deliberate choice to beautifully portray altruism. While Gilgu's tendency to constantly watch for Sunji's reactions may seem insignificant, in reality, it could reflect our own efforts to live sensibly and properly."

For this setup to be convincing, the film would have needed to develop Gilgu's relationship with Sunji during the day more fully, since his ultimate motivation for becoming her guardian is love. However, most of the movie focuses on Gilgu's interactions with the devil-possessed Sunji, and even the climax centers exclusively on this dynamic. As a result, the ongoing relationship between Gilgu and Sunji inevitably feels unnatural.

Movie 'The Devil Has Moved In' Still Cut
Photo by CJ ENM

Perhaps director Lee's true interest lies closer to "virtue" than to love or heartbreak. As in his previous work "Exit," the protagonist once again prioritizes the well-being of others over his own interests. He laughed, saying, "When I write a script, my own experiences and desires seem to naturally come through."

"I once saw a quiet friend become a hero at a middle school retreat by performing a flashy dance. When I got home, I secretly practiced the dance moves in front of the mirror. I believe everyone has such desires. If these desires manifest as helping others, nothing could be more beautiful."