Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning
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| Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 퇴마록 |
| RR | Toemarok |
| MR | T'oemarok |
| Directed by | Kim Dong-chul |
| Written by | Lee Dong-ha |
| Based on | Toemarok by Lee Woo-hyeok |
| Starring | |
Production company | Locus Animation Studios |
| Distributed by | Showbox |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | US$3.3 million[1] |
Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning (Korean: 퇴마록; RR: Toemarok) is a 2024 South Korean adult animated supernatural action film directed by Kim Dong-chul. Produced by Locus Animation Studios, the film is based on the novel Toemarok by Lee Woo-hyeok. The film stars the voices of Choi Han, Nam Doh-hyeong, Jung Yoo-jung, and Kim Yeon-woo.
| Character | Korean[2] |
|---|---|
| Park Woon-gyu | Choi Han |
| Lee Hyeon-am | Nam Doh-hyeong |
| Jang Jun-hoo | Jung Yoo-jung |
| Hyun Seung-hee | Kim Yeon-woo |
Production
The film was produced over a six-year period by a team of 680 individuals. Its story focuses on adapting the first chapter of the first volume of Toemarok (lit. 'A Record of Exorcism'[3]), with the team wanting to emphasize the bond between the four lead characters.[4] Real natural landscapes and buildings were used as the basis for animating the setting. The team deliberately excluded the use of artificial intelligence during the film's production.[4]
The film was directed by Kim Dong-chul, with animation produced by Locus Animation Studios. It stars the voices of Choi Han, Nam Doh-hyeong, Jung Yoo-jung, and Kim Yeon-woo.[2] The film's ending theme song is "Beastmode", performed by Monsta X.[5]
Release
The film premiered at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June and the 57th Sitges Film Festival later that year.[4][6] The film, distributed by Showbox, premiered in South Korean theaters on February 21, 2025.[7]
Finecut began shopping the film to international distributors at the 2024 European Film Market.[8] Just prior to the 2025 European Film Market, Finecut announced distribution deals for Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Japan.[6] The film was also sold for release in North America.[9] Viva Pictures released the film in American theaters on October 17, 2025.[10]
