Lee Sun Bin, Yoo Jae Myung, And More Unveil The Chaos Behind CSAT Question-Setting In “Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng”

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 OCTOBER 2026 —

According to Soompi, the comedy film “Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng” unveiled a set of new stills on October 12, 2026, ahead of its nationwide theatrical release scheduled for October 28, 2026.

The release of the stills is noteworthy because the film offers a rare glimpse into the usually concealed process behind Korea’s College Scholastic Ability Test, commonly known as the Suneung. By depicting the question‑setting headquarters sealed off for 40 days and the committee’s effort to produce “problem‑free” items, the movie highlights the pressures and interpersonal dynamics that shape a national exam.

Soompi reports that the story follows Maeng Bo Ram, who unexpectedly joins the team responsible for creating the CSAT questions due to an administrative error. As a Korean language teacher from a rural area, she is thrust into a high‑stakes environment where the committee works in complete secrecy to draft questions free of typos or ambiguity.

The film frames this setting as a comedy, using the teacher’s earnest enthusiasm to explore the clash between newcomers and seasoned exam writers.

In the newly released stills, Maeng Bo Ram is shown raising her hand and openly voicing her opinions in front of veteran committee members, a gesture that underscores her bold, outspoken attitude and contrasts with the more reserved demeanor of the older writers.

Another still captures Na Eun Mi, played by Hwang Bo Ra, a Korean literature professor who lives and breathes fashion, clasping her hands in admiration as she gazes at a screen displaying a Korean language question she has written for the CSAT. Meanwhile, Professor Ye, portrayed by Jung Soo Young, an aesthetics professor who studied in France, is seen explaining something with animated hand gestures.

The stills also introduce veteran question writer Kang Ji Hye, acted by Lee Jin Hee, who has served on the CSAT question‑setting committee five times and appears deep in thought while reviewing a colleague’s question. Park Kyung Tae, portrayed by Kim Young Min, the head of the CSAT review committee, is depicted reuniting with his longtime rival Moon Joo Yeol, played by Yoo Jae Myung, who heads the Korean language question‑setting committee.

In one image, Moon Joo Yeol abruptly rises from his seat to engage in a tense argument at the meeting table, while Go Jae Bong, acted by Kim Kyung Min, a philosophy professor, cautiously glances to the side.

Additional stills feature Hwang Si In, portrayed by Lee Joong Ok, a schoolteacher and poet who won a literary award for a debut poem, and Ki Jun Soo, played by Jeon Seok Ho, an evaluation institute employee noted for his workplace social skills.

One particularly striking still shows Moon Joo Yeol wearing a stern expression as someone presents him with a pack of ginseng juice, which the source describes as his secret weapon. Another image captures the committee members passionately exchanging ideas in front of a whiteboard, a visual that the article says highlights the film’s central question: whether these strong‑willed individuals can collaborate to create “problem‑free” questions within the 40‑day deadline.

According to Soompi, “Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng” will hit theaters nationwide on October 28, 2026. The article was published on October 12, 2026, and originates from the entertainment outlet Soompi.