Holy Night: Demon Hunters (2025)

📽️ Holy Night: Demon Hunters (2025)

Overview
Holy Night: Demon Hunters (Korean: 거룩한 밤: 데몬 헌터스) is a South Korean action‑horror film written and directed by Lim Dae‑hee and produced by Ma Dong‑seok (Don Lee). The movie follows a secret demon‑hunting trio known as the “Holy Night” that ventures into supernatural chaos unfolding across Seoul 

🎬 Plot Summary

Set in modern-day Seoul, the city is besieged by a series of ritualistic murders, possessions, and ritual sites linked to a devil-worshipping cult called the Black Mass. Standard law enforcement fails to contain the rising darkness, prompting a desperate appeal to a rogue trio called the “Holy Night” 

This elite team includes:

• Ba Woo (Ma Dong‑seok): A hulking former special forces operative who fights demons with brute physical power 

• Sharon (Seohyun): A serene and focused exorcist whose rituals and spiritual insight guide the team 

• Kim Gun (Lee David): The brains behind the operation—setting up traps, documenting their cases, and neutralizing arcane defenses 

A psychiatrist, Jung‑won (Kyung Soo‑jin), whose younger sister Eun‑seo (Jung Ji‑so) becomes possessed, enlists them when conventional medicine fails. Tracking signs of demonic influence, they uncover the cult’s plan to use Eun‑seo as a vessel for Asmodeus, a powerful demon. In a climactic confrontation in an underground cathedral, Ba Woo mixes his own body with demonic energy to aid Sharon’s exorcism. The demon is banished, the cult dismantled—but a post‑credits sequence hints at a new emerging threat .

🌟 Cast & Characters

• Ma Dong‑seok (Don Lee) as Ba Woo: The alpha fighter of the team, mixing brute strength with spiritual duty Seohyun as Sharon: The exorcist whose calm faith anchors the trio

• Lee David as Kim Gun: Tech‑savvy and analytical, the team’s strategic support 

• Kyung Soo‑jin as Jung‑won: A neuropsychiatrist thrust into the supernatural world 

• Jung Ji‑so as Eun‑seo: Jung‑won’s younger sister, whose possession triggers the horror 

🎥 Production & Release

• Filming began on June 28, 2021, and wrapped by September 12, 2021 

• A prequel webtoon, Holy Night: The Zero, launched on Naver Webtoon in October 2024 

• Released theatrically in South Korea on April 30, 2025, by Lotte Entertainment. It also screened at the Shanghai International Film Festival on June 13, 2025

• Rolled out in limited U.S. release on May 2, 2025 

💵 Box Office

Domestically in South Korea, the film grossed approximately US $5.2 million, ranking 7th among Korean releases in 2025 .

🧠 Critical & Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer: based on 8 reviews:

  • Audience and critics noted strong energy and dynamic action sequences centered around Ba Woo and Sharon 

• Positive reviews:

  • 25YearLaterSite praised the lead’s charisma and called it “a divine punch to the horror genre”

  • But Why Tho? highlighted Seohyun and Jung Ji‑so’s performances, stating the film "throws everything familiar with the exorcism genre against the wall" but remains “fun” 

• Mixed/Negative reviews:

  • Critics from CityOnFire labelled it a “sloppily made hodge‑podge of tired exorcism tropes” despite praising the action sequences 

  • Bounding Into Comics described it as “a punchier version of Constantine” but noted issues with pacing, character development, and CGI 

🧩 Analysis

Holy Night: Demon Hunters pairs Ma Dong‑seok's action-star magnetism with a unique horror premise—fighting demons with fists and faith. While the chemistry between the lead trio (particularly between Ma Dong‑seok, Seohyun, and Jung Ji‑so) stands out, critical consensus flags rushed storytelling, inconsistent CGI, and underdeveloped side characters .

Its brisk 92-minute runtime packs visceral action and genre-mixing energy but leaves narrative threads and character arcs underwoven .

Nevertheless, it has already sparked interest in future expansions—be it sequels or spin-offs via the prequel webtoon world

✅ Final Verdict

• What works: Ma Dong‑seok’s charisma; intense and varied action; standout performances by Seohyun and Jung Ji‑so; fresh genre hybrid.

• What falters: Inconsistent VFX quality; scattered storytelling; under-utilized supporting cast.

For action-horror fans, especially those drawn to punch-heavy exorcism fare and folklore-tinged revenge tales, Holy Night: Demon Hunters offers a bold and entertaining watch—even if it's not without its flaws.