Acacia (2003 Film)

Acacia (Korean: 아카시아; RR: Akashiya) is a 2003 South Korean horror film directed by Park Ki-Hyeong. The film centers on the psychological and supernatural tensions that arise within a family following an adoption.

Plot

The story follows a married couple, Mi-Sook (played by Shim Hye-Jin) and her husband Do-Il (Kim Jin-Geun), who have struggled to conceive. Despite initial hesitation from Mi-Sook, the couple decides to adopt a young boy named Jin-Sung (Moon Woo-Bin) after Mi-Sook becomes drawn to a painting he created at an orphanage. Initially, the family dynamic is stable, but the situation shifts dramatically when Mi-Sook unexpectedly becomes pregnant and gives birth to a biological son.

As Jin-Sung begins to feel alienated by his parents, he develops a strange obsession with an acacia tree located in the family's garden. Tensions escalate when Jin-Sung overhears his mother discussing the possibility of returning him to the orphanage. Following his subsequent disappearance, a series of unsettling and horrifying events begin to plague the household.

Cast

The film features the following primary cast members:

Shim Hye-Jin as Choi Mi-Sook
Kim Jin-Geun as Kim Do-Il
Moon Woo-Bin as Kim Jin-Sung

Additional cast members include Jung Na-Yoon (Min-Ji), Kim Mi-Kyung (pregnant mother 2), Park Woong (Professor Kim), Min Hye-Ryeong (Do-Hee), Maeng Bong-Hak (hospital manager), Park Sang-Hyuk (intern 1), Jeong Gi-Seop (intern 2), and Jung Hee-Tae (Sung-Joon).

Scene from the film Acacia — A scene from the film Acacia.

Production

Acacia was directed and written by Park Ki-Hyeong. The cinematography was handled by Oh Hyeon-Je, Park Young-Bong, and Lee Chul-Oh. The film was released in South Korea on October 17, 2003, with a runtime of 104 minutes.