The punches of actor Ma Dong Seok — once beloved for their brute force — are now being met with indifference. Critics and viewers alike are calling them emotionless, effortless, and soulless — mass-produced like factory goods.

Ma Dong Seok’s latest film 'The Holy Night: Demon Hunters' (directed by Lim Dae Hee), which he produced, co-wrote, and starred in, was released on April 30th to coincide with the extended holiday season in Korea. The film centers on a group of demon hunters taking down a cult that has thrown the city into chaos — a plot that resembles his hit 'The Outlaws' series, which was also based on real-life crime cases. Ma had big plans for the film, intending to expand it into a broader intellectual property encompassing webtoons and games. In the end, however, it turned out to be an empty shell — full of ambition, but lacking substance.

The movie was completed back in September 2021 but sat in storage for nearly four years before finally being released. The production promoted it as the “original” occult action film, downplaying comparisons to 'Exhuma' (2024), which was filmed more recently but drew over 10 million viewers. Ironically, The Holy Night failed to achieve even a fraction of 'Exhuma'’s success.

According to the Korean Film Council on May 6th, the film attracted just 85,679 viewers during the peak of the holiday on May 5th, ranking fourth at the box office with a cumulative audience of 585,023. Its break-even point is around 2 million, a figure that now seems out of reach.

Initially, expectations were high. Ma had declared a break after 'The Outlaws 4' and was returning with a new project, raising hopes among fans. On opening day, The Holy Night shot to first place — a testament to the so-called “Ma Dong Seok effect.” But it lasted just one day. From May 1st, its rank steadily dropped — from second to third, then down to fourth — and audiences began to turn their backs.

Word of mouth has been devastating. While the film’s pre-release “pre-egg” rating at CGV stood at 98%, its post-viewing “golden egg” rating plummeted to 71%. Viewer reviews were scathing:

“Is this a horror film or just a noisy mess for kids?”,

“More like Unholy Night,”

“My husband fell asleep. I did too. Let’s just meet again in ‘Silent Night,’”

“Feels like I paid to watch a YouTube skit,”

“Even Ma Dong Seok needs a reboot — this is creative laziness at its peak,”

“Worst script, worst acting, worst directing,”

“It was painful to watch. Please don’t make a sequel.”

Even advance ticket sales have collapsed. Despite its promising premise and bankable star, The Holy Night had just an 8.2% reservation rate as of May 6th, ranking sixth overall. With Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning releasing on May 17th, the remaining screens will likely be reallocated, and the film is expected to exit theaters without reaching the one-million mark.

Many attribute the failure to Ma Dong Seok’s complacency. After basking in the success of The Outlaws 2, 3, and 4 — all of which crossed 10 million viewers — his storytelling seems to have fallen into a lazy formula. The Holy Night follows the same predictable setup: a powerful villain is introduced, and Ma’s character defeats them with his fists. The story is thin, the CGI cheap, and the characters underdeveloped. Only actress Jung Ji So, who plays the possessed Eun Seo, shows any real effort.

Despite this setback, Ma is pressing forward. He’s currently planning 'The Outlaws 8', with 'The Outlaws 5' already in production and slated for release next year. However, The Holy Night has left many viewers wondering if they should expect more of the same. If Ma Dong Seok wants to continue drawing crowds, he may need to revisit the sincerity and originality that brought him success in the first place.

SEE ALSO: 'Holy Night: Demon Hunters' leads box office ahead of official release