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Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman

Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman

Fate has chosen him, evil will hunt them!

202398 minMidcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Director
Kim Seong-sik
Starring
Gang Dong-won, Huh Joon-ho, Esom, Lee Dong-hwi

For generations, the eldest son of the village has been the protector, but the current heir, Dr. Cheon, is a fake exorcist who doesn't believe in ghosts. Using his penetrating insight into people's minds, he performs fake exorcisms and resolves cases brought to him. However, Yoo-kyung, a client who can see ghosts, approaches him with an offer too tempting to refuse. With his assistant In-bae, Dr. Cheon heads to Yoo-kyung's house, and gets involved in a series of strange phenomena. As they delve into the mysteries there, they uncover the secrets of a talisman known as 'Seolkyung'...

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman streaming on Hi-YAH! via The Roku Channel, Pluto TV (free), The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman?

Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Fun.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman worth watching?

Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman's Midcredits score is the 47th percentile of all films, from 4.5K ratings across 4 sources. 46% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

47th percentile

Better received than 47% of films

48th percentile among Crime48th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)47th
Approval (how many liked it)46th

61 /100

47th percentile of all films

48th percentile among Crime49th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

46% liked it

46th percentile of all films

47th percentile among Crime48th percentile among 2020s
46% rated it 7–1054% rated it 1–6

Critics 70% · Audience 76%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

84th percentile

4.5K ratings across platforms

79th percentile among Crime84th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$28K
Domestic gross$84K
Worldwide gross$15M

81st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A supernatural action-comedy that leans into Korean mythology with stylish visuals and energetic set-pieces.

Fans praised

  • strong lead performance with moral complexity
  • seamless blend of supernatural horror, action and humor
  • impressive VFX, cinematography and practical fight choreography

What stands out

Cinematography82

dynamic camera movements and striking single-color shots

Effects and spectacle80

stunning VFX ghosts, practical action and car crashes

Acting78

praised cast chemistry and lead's grey morality

Atmosphere78

spine-tingling supernatural world with shamanic vibes

Characters72

relatable protagonist and terrifying demon antagonist

Tension72

terrifying encounters with demons and ghosts

Humor70

effective comedic beats within action-horror

Plot and story65

slow start but engaging supernatural quest narrative

Watch experience

What is Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film balances supernatural horror with action-comedy exuberance, treating its fantasy world seriously while enjoying its own spectacle.
The rideThe commission sets up a tense middle section as the possession escalates, with lighter moments punctuating the dread.
StructureThe story follows a conventional linear progression from the initial case, through investigation and quest, to the final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers entertained, energized, and thrilled by the supernatural action.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

Why this archetypeDr. Cheon, a fraudulent exorcist, is hired for a genuine possession case and must confront a powerful evil mage, leading to a quest for a mystical talisman to imprison it.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% (this title) · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsTruth · 4% of filmsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates the line between fraud and genuine belief, as the fake exorcist's identity is tested by a real case of possession.
StanceThe film questions the boundary between belief and fraud without settling it, focusing on Dr. Cheon's personal journey.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingA Korean city where fake spiritual practitioners operate alongside real supernatural forces.

Content guide

Is Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman okay for kids?

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK12
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • South Korea12
  • SingaporePG13

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman?

Cast

Gang Dong-won
as Dr. Cheon
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Huh Joon-ho
as Beom-cheon
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Esom
as Yoo-gyeong
Lee Dong-hwi
as In-bae
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kim Jong-soo
as President Hwang
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Park So-yi
as Yoo-min
Park Jeong-min
as Fairy shaman
Lee Jeong-eun
as Madam
Cho Yi-hyun
as Second grade
Kim Jisoo
as Korean traditional fairy

Crew

Directed by

Kim Seong-sik

Edited by

Gang-hee Lee

Produced by

Hyun-sik Kim

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Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

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