Directed by Cho Young-joon, the Murderer Report Korean movie is a close-quarters psychological thriller that places the audience inside a tense confrontation between a serial killer and a journalist. The film stars Cho Yeo Jung as Baek Seon-ju, a struggling journalist desperate for a scoop, and Jung Sung Il as Lee Yeong Hun, a psychiatrist claiming to be a serial killer who announces a new murder.
- Title: Murderer Report (2025)
- Hangul: 살인자 리포트
- Genres: Thriller
- Director: Cho Young-joon
- Release date: Sep 5, 2025
- Country: South Korea
- Running time: 107 min. (1 hr. 47 min. 20 sec.)
- Filming period: July 17 , 2023 – Sep 27, 2023
After much deliberation, Seon-ju agrees to interview Yeong Hun in a hotel suite. During the interview, Yeong Hun makes the shocking confession that his murders began as a form of therapy for his patients. As the dialogue continues, Seon-ju senses danger and tries to escape, only to hear Yeong Hun warn that “if she stops the interview now, another person will be killed.”
The movie is structured entirely around the interview, creating a confined space that heightens psychological tension. By focusing on dialogue and the back-and-forth between Yeong Hun and Seon-ju, the film examines complex questions: if someone suffers a terrible crime and the perpetrator avoids proper punishment, can the victim truly forgive? And if the victim enacts “private sanctions” or revenge, could they find healing or return to normal life?
Lee Yeong Hun, both a psychiatrist and a serial killer, justifies his actions by claiming he punishes perpetrators for the sake of their victims. While this rationale may seem plausible, the story shows that Yeong Hun, once a victim himself, becomes a perpetrator under the guise of therapy. The film constantly challenges viewers: from a third-person perspective, Yeong Hun is a killer, but could the victims themselves refuse his offer to eliminate the perpetrator?
The reliance on a single location and limited characters puts the weight of the film on the performances and direction. Cho Yeo Jung and Jung Sung Il deliver powerful, concentrated performances that carry the narrative and keep audiences engaged despite the slow pacing and theatrical format. Their acting proves why they are considered “actors to trust.”
While Murderer Report is not a traditional crime thriller, it is an intense psychological study. The film sometimes leans heavily toward the serial killer in the power dynamic, which may reduce suspense for some viewers. Despite this, it consistently raises ethical questions relevant to real-life situations, allowing audiences to confront moral dilemmas about justice, revenge, and forgiveness.
Overall, Murderer Report is a psychological thriller that prioritizes dialogue, ethical exploration, and actor performance over conventional cinematic thrills. Thanks to Cho Yeo Jung and Jung Sung Il, the movie succeeds in immersing audiences in a tense, morally complex scenario.
