'Hidden Face' Korean Movie Ending Explained And Full Story

The super successful Spanish thriller The Hidden Face (2011) has already been remade as many as three times. First it was Bollywood – Murder 3 (2013), then Turkey – The Other Side (2017) and then Mexico did it with Perdida (2019). Each of the remakes has tried to add something new to the story while keeping the basic premise intact. Quite naturally, South Korean director Kim Dae-woo had quite the tough mountain to summit with the onus of making another remake. But going by how spectacular Hidden Face has turned out, it is safe to say that the Koreans have not only nailed the assignment; they have, in fact, bettered the original. That’s a tricky thing to say, though, as without the original, this wouldn’t have existed. But the erotic angle in the Korean Hidden Face is something that was not in any version before, including the Spanish one. And dare I say that is what upped the game here and made it what it is. In this article, of course, we’re going to discuss the ending of Hidden Face and what it means for each of the three main characters.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In The Movie?

There are two ways I can lay it down for you—one, discussing it as the narrative progresses from the opening scene. Or I can summarize things in chronological order in an attempt to draw a clearer picture for you. Since this is an explanatory article, I feel I should do the latter. My apologies if you were expecting the former, but I am certain this is still going to work out for you. So here we go.

Su-Yeon and Mi-Ju were pupils of the same music teacher. They used to learn cello together, and during those formative years, they fell for each other. Su-Yeon, however, belonged to a rich family who were most certainly not comfortable with homosexuality. Her mother, from what we can see in the movie, seemed quite overbearing. So the two of them had to keep things hidden. A secret room inside the music teacher’s house made that a good deal easier. Not only were they into each other, but there was also a clear sign of them partaking in slavery/submission kink—where Su-Yeon was the dominant one—and both enjoying it. Years went by, and they continued their romance. When Su-Yeon went abroad (I’m assuming to pursue higher studies), Mi-Ju went to the teacher and bought the place for them. The teacher told her that she already knew about them and was aware that they used to fool around in the secret room. Mi-Ju was really happy as she and Su-Yeon were going to live together in their own house, all wild and free. But Su-Yeon betrayed Mi-Ju by casually letting her know that she’d met this guy, Sung-Jin, and was going to marry him upon returning. The reason behind her decision was more about the head than the heart; she wanted to fit into society well. It is not hard for us to deduce that same-sex relationships are not something Korean society warms up to, and given Su-Yeon belongs to a higher class, being with Mi-Ju would have made her life difficult. Because Su-Yeon, in general, appears to be someone who can’t do without a lavish lifestyle, and for that, she needs access to her family’s financial power. 

The day Su-Yeon returned to Seoul, Mi-Ju went to see her at the airport. Su-Yeon didn’t appear to be happy seeing Mi-Ju, while the latter said she came mainly to hand over the keys to the house. That was obviously an excuse, as Mi-Ju clearly wanted to see the woman she loved. They also have a conversation about the key (to that secret room). Days went by, and Su-Yeon settled into her new life with Sung-Jin, but he was visibly unhappy—which had to be due to the fact that Su-Yeon liked women, something she’d hid from him. The man was a soft-spoken conductor who struggled quite a bit to make his name. He was also not of the same social stature as Su-Yeon; it was she who approached him, though, and there’s a scene in the movie where he says that he wouldn’t have made a move on her. Sung-Jin’s frustration stemmed from the embarrassment he felt in the face of Su-Yeon’s family, especially from her mother. Even his job as the conductor at a top orchestra happened because of Su-Yeon’s family connection, although there shouldn’t be any doubt about the man’s talent. One might wonder why Su-Yeon felt jealous when she saw Sung-Jin and the female violinist of the orchestra share a light moment, but I believe she never wanted Sung-Jin to slip away from her grip. The reason she was with him in the first place was to maintain a normal, sustainable life, and it would have been a hindrance if he was unfaithful. But Su-Yeon knew it was happening. So she needed to do something in order to make Sung-Jin care for her. Randomly going away for three days, making Sung-Jin realize how much he needed her, was the best idea she could come up with. And with the secret room, she had the perfect place to stay. The room also allowed her to watch over their bedroom and see Sung-Jin suffering without her, so it was a foolproof plan. The only person she decided to tell this to was none other than Mi-Ju, who she trusted the most. We even see Su-Yeon admitting that Mi-Ju was the only person she ever truly fell for. What she didn’t think about was the fact that she broke Mi-Ju’s heart. I bet she didn’t see Mi-Ju going all diabolical by changing up keys so that Su-Yeon gets stuck inside the room. 

Sung-Jin and Mi-Ju hit it off

Hidden Face opens with Sung-Jin watching a video of Su-Yeon where she’s telling him that she’s going away and it’s her fault that their relationship didn’t work. This is a video she recorded before going into the secret room, and if someone looks closely, Mi-Ju’s hand is visible in the video, which plays a very important part in the story. Sung-Jin, however, doesn’t notice it, and he’s expectedly distraught—more so because the orchestra now has to bring in a new cellist. In fact, it is Su-Yeon’s mother who insists Sung-Jin hire a new cellist, as it is affecting the rehearsals. The orchestra is supposed to perform on stage pretty soon; naturally, having a cellist is mandatory. Su-Yeon’s mother is also fed up with her daughter’s antics, as she has always been a brat. Realizing there’s no other option, Sung-Jin decides to try out someone who has come for an audition. It is, of course, Mi-Ju, who says she knows Su-Yeon as they used to learn cello from the same teacher. Thanks to the non-linear narrative, neither the audience nor Sung-Jin has any idea about who she really is and what she has done at this point, which ensures an exciting cinematic experience.

Anyway, the moment Mi-Ju and Sung-Jin meet for the first time, something happening between them becomes an inevitability. He is already lonely and sad, and she knows exactly what she’s doing. The romance looks quite natural to us though (as the movie is purposefully deceiving its audience), from Sung-Jin offering to drop Mi-Ju to asking her out to dinner to taking Mi-Ju home for a drink. Their physical chemistry, though, seems absolutely scorching—which kind of proves that Mi-Ju is a bisexual; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been possible. However, that’s not the only reason for the romance between these two working; both of them coming from humble backgrounds also has a lot to do with it.

What is more important here, though, is the fact that Su-Yeon is helplessly watching everything unfold with her own eyes. Her only way of contacting the outside world is the bathroom mirror which has a microphone installed, that works like an old telephone device (both ways), but Mi-Ju cuts that away too—in such a way that Sung-Jin is still able to see everything, but her voice doesn’t reach the outside anymore. Mi-Ju does let Su-Yeon know that she was right about having a life that has social acceptability. But now that she has had a taste of it, it’s her who’s going to have it, and Su-Yeon has to rot to death in the secret room.

But how long can this possibly go on?

What Mi-Ju didn’t consider was that it was too big of a truth to never come out. Su-Yeon’s disappearance is a big deal, and once her family realizes that this is not exactly a childish act (the likes of which she’s quite notorious for), they get pretty serious about it and involve the police. That doesn’t lead anywhere, though, as the police fail to find anything and also conclude that Sung-Jin is totally innocent (which is, indeed, true). But remember that hand in the video? After watching countless times, Su-Yeon’s mother finally notices it and shows it to Sung-Jin. And he instantly recognizes whose hand it is, given that by now, he is very much familiar with every bit of Mi-Ju—if you know what I mean. Confronting Mi-Ju about it seems like a natural choice, and that’s exactly what Sung-Jin does, but Mi-Ju plays it smart by feeding him half-truths. Apparently, it is Su-Yeon who has asked her to ‘fill in’ for her, and Mi-Ju has no idea where Su-Yeon went. That doesn’t hold up for long as Sung-Jin soon realizes that Su-Yeon is stuck on the other side of the bathroom mirror. This could happen thanks to Su-Yeon being able to turn on the hot water from the other side—earlier there’s a scene where Sung-Jin rushes to the toilet hearing Mi-Ju screaming. We later realize that it was Su-Yeon who was trying to throw a curveball at Mi-Ju by putting on the water. Anyway, just when Su-Yeon is hoping for her rescue by the man she was going to marry, Sung-Jin backs down. His concern now is that Su-Yeon caught him in the act with Mi-Ju. So he goes to Mi-Ju, who finally confesses the truth but appears quite nonchalant about the whole thing. She even blames it on Su-Yeon, who is literally surviving on expired instant noodles that too, uncooked, and has also given up by now. Convincing Sung-Jin to not free Su-Yeon also comes easy for Mi-Ju, as he’s already torn with the whole thing—and also the fact Su-Yeon is probably going to destroy him for getting intimate with Mi-Ju once she comes out. 

Does Su-Yeon Die?

I was wondering how this was going to end. Letting Mi-Ju get away and Su-Yeon dying would have been way too dark. Su-Yeon somehow getting out and Mi-Ju getting caught by the police would have been too basic. That’s why the ending mattered the most, and this was where Hidden Face stood out. 

There’s one thing you all need to take into account. Had Sung-Jin not made Mi-Ju open the door after getting paranoid over the text messages he (and Mi-Ju) received, Su-Yeon would have died for sure. The texts were sent by Su-Yeon’s mother, who was rightfully suspecting Sung-Jin and Mi-Ju. We don’t get to see how the woman reached that conclusion, but I am willing to let that slide. So Sung-Jin, wrapped in paranoia and guilt, forces Mi-Ju to finally open the door and rescue Su-Yeon from there. Once they’re inside, one look at Su-Yeon makes it clear that she never sent the text—Mi-Ju already was convinced, as she knew there’s no network inside the room. What Mi-Ju didn’t expect was Su-Yeon attacking her, even in such a feeble state. Her attempt to convince Sung-Jin to keep Su-Yeon inside the secret room also fails, as he decides to save Su-Yeon, leaving Mi-Ju behind. We don’t see Su-Yeon and Sung-Jin closing the door, with Mi-Ju still inside, but the ending scene of the movie confirms that.

What Does The Ending Really Mean?

Despite Sung-Jin wanting to go to the police, Su-Yeon chooses to not do that. She also threatens the teacher—who knew everything about Mi-Ju and her and the secret room—to make sure the old lady never says a word. Sung-Jin also becomes pretty much a puppet of Su-Yeon, which used to bother him so much once upon a time. All this might feel strange, but then you see Su-Yeon visiting the secret room and indulging in an erotic romp with Mi-Ju, and everything makes sense. The room is now neon-lit and also well-stocked with food (for Mi-Ju, of course), which is a clear hint at what’s happening there. Mi-Ju also seems to be perfectly okay with the whole thing—with her being a ‘slave’ of Su-Yeon. The eroticism here is the key, which is actually keeping both of these two women going. Su-Yeon clearly doesn’t have anything romantic or sexual for Sung-Jin, but thanks to this, she now gets to be with Mi-Ju. And for Mi-Ju, she did the whole thing in the first place because of her getting betrayed by Su-Yeon. Her first choice was always submission, both emotionally and sexually. So ultimately, both of them are actually getting what they wished for. The same can’t be said about Sung-Jin, though; he has to deal with the situation that he has got himself into. 

Hidden Face’s ending is not one you can call a happy one, but I’m not sure if this is categorized as a tragedy. It is definitely something to ponder over; I guess that’s exactly what the director wanted.

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