Forgotten

Set in late 1990s Seoul, Forgotten follows Jin-seok, a nervy young student who moves with his parents and his older brother into a new house. The house itself seems to breathe with a pulse, doors creak, rooms rearrange, and whispers echo in hallways. Jin-seok's grasp on reality frays as inexplicable disturbances touch each family member, gnawing at their confidence that their move signals progress. While the adults soothe him and try to keep up appearances, a shadowy past they hoped to forget starts leaking into their present. The kid's paranoia is not just fear; it hints at buried secrets that maybe explain their new home's hostility. The film keeps revelations in check, heightening suspense without revealing everything at once.

Directed by Chang Hang-jun with a screenplay by Lim Sun-ae, Forgotten channels Korean thriller traditions through a restrained, character driven approach. The film balances domestic anxieties with chilly mystery, leaning on atmosphere over loud dash cuts, and benefits from careful casting and a sharp visual sense.

The film pulled in roughly 9.97 million dollars worldwide, a solid figure for a Korean thriller released in 2017. Its earnings reflect steady interest in tightly wound family mysteries that balance psychological tension with procedural elements, appealing to genre fans beyond Korea and suspense audiences worldwide.

Forgotten stands out in the crowded pool of late 2010s thrillers for its late 90s Seoul setting and the way it treats memory and parental pressure as part of daily life. Kang Ha-neul's Jin-seok drew particular praise for restraint and emotional clarity, elevating scenes in small apartments and quiet hallways.

Critics noted the film's careful pacing and strong performances, using the fragile family dynamic to explore fear as a distortion of memory. It closes with a sharp reminder that memory can bite back when a family tries to forget, leaving questions about truth behind for audiences everywhere.