Mad Sad Bad 2014
Stitching together three distinct short films helmed by Ryoo Seung-wan, Han Ji-seung, and Kim Tae-yong, *Mad Sad Bad* (2014) is a haunting 3D omnibus that plunges into the shadowy corners of modern anxiety.
Director: Ryoo Seung-wan
Cast
David Lee
Seung-ho (segment "Ghost")
Park Jeong-min
B-Gen (segment "Ghost")
Sohn Su-hyun
Yeowoobi (segment "Ghost")
Park Doo-sik
Man (segment "Ghost")
Kwak Do-won
Teacher (segment "Ghost")
An Kil-kang
Seung-ho's father (segment "Ghost")
Hwang Byeong-gug
Head of Department (segment "Ghost")
Kim Dong-young
Yang A-Ri (segment "Ghost")
Park Ki-woong
Yeo-wool (segment "I Saw You")
Nam Gyu-ri
Shi-wa (segment "I Saw You")
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mad Sad Bad (2014) about?
*Mad Sad Bad* is a trio of short films that explore pain through horror and fantasy lenses. The stories move from a claustrophobic city to a misty forest and finally a futuristic wasteland, each testing how far characters will go to escape their suffering.
Who directed Mad Sad Bad?
The anthology was co-directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, Han Ji-seung, and Kim Tae-yong, three prominent voices in Korean cinema.
Who stars in Mad Sad Bad?
The ensemble includes David Lee, Park Jeong-min, Sohn Su-hyun, Park Doo-sik, and Kwak Do-won, with veteran actor An Kil-kang rounding out the cast.
Is Mad Sad Bad (2014) worth watching?
With its bold visuals and anthology structure, *Mad Sad Bad* offers a stylish but uneven ride. Fans of Korean horror-fantasy will appreciate the directors' experiments, though the tone and storytelling may feel uneven compared to traditional features.
How long is Mad Sad Bad?
The total runtime of *Mad Sad Bad* is 117 minutes, roughly one hour and fifty-seven minutes of anthology cinema.
🎥 Trailer
About Mad Sad Bad (2014) — A Korean 3D horror-fantasy anthology that dives into modern dread
Stitching together three distinct short films helmed by Ryoo Seung-wan, Han Ji-seung, and Kim Tae-yong, *Mad Sad Bad* (2014) is a haunting 3D omnibus that plunges into the shadowy corners of modern anxiety. Each episode unfolds in a different space—urban sprawl, dense woodland, and a dystopian tomorrow—where characters grapple with pain and fantasy collides with harsh reality. The directors harness 3D imagery not for spectacle, but to visualize transient escapes: fleeting dreams, hallucinations, and coping mechanisms that blur the line between escape and surrender. Beneath the genre-blend of horror and fantasy lurks a raw examination of contemporary alienation, where every relief feels as fragile as the glasses perched on a subway passenger's face.
The anthology's uneven tone mirrors the fractured emotions it portrays—one moment a quiet ache, the next a sudden jolt—leaving viewers to question whether catharsis is possible or if we're all just chasing illusions. The visual experiments, spearheaded by Korean cinema heavyweights, transform everyday settings into uncanny landscapes where sorrow festers like a bruise. Short but intense, *Mad Sad Bad* lingers like a muted echo, daring us to look away—or stare a little longer.
