Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng Locked In for 40 Days: The Funniest Exam Camp in Korean Cinema

Imagine being sealed off from the world for 40 days, all to write exam questions that nobody can argue with. Now imagine you only got in by mistake. That’s the…

By Reetam Bodhak

October 12, 2026

2 min read

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Imagine being sealed off from the world for 40 days, all to write exam questions that nobody can argue with. Now imagine you only got in by mistake. That’s the delightfully chaotic setup of Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng, a new Korean comedy that just dropped fresh stills ahead of its release.

What Is ‘Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng‘ About?

The story follows Maeng Bo Ram (Lee Sun Bin), a Korean language teacher from a small provincial town. Thanks to an administrative error, she lands on the team that creates Korea’s College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), also known as the Suneung. You can read more about the exam on Wikipedia’s CSAT page.

The question-setting headquarters is sealed off for 40 days, and the committee works in complete secrecy. Their goal is “problem-free questions,” meaning no typos and nothing open to dispute. That’s a lot of pressure for one bright, outspoken newcomer.

Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng: Film Overview

Detail	Info
Title	Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng
Genre	Comedy
Lead	Lee Sun Bin as Maeng Bo Ram
Setting	CSAT question-setting headquarters
Lockdown period	40 days
Release date	October 28, 2026 (nationwide, Korea)

Meet the Committee

Actor	Character	Quick Take
Lee Sun Bin	Maeng Bo Ram	Enthusiastic teacher who speaks her mind
Yoo Jae Myung	Moon Joo Yeol	Head of the Korean language committee
Kim Young Min	Park Kyung Tae	Head of the review committee, Moon’s longtime rival
Hwang Bo Ra	Na Eun Mi	Fashion-loving literature professor
Jung Soo Young	Professor Ye	Aesthetics professor who studied in France
Lee Jin Hee	Kang Ji Hye	Veteran who has served on the committee five times
Kim Kyung Min	Go Jae Bong	Philosophy professor
Lee Joong Ok	Hwang Si In	Schoolteacher and award-winning poet
Jeon Seok Ho	Ki Jun Soo	Evaluation institute employee and workplace social-skills master

What the New Stills Reveal?

A bold newcomer. Bo Ram confidently raises her hand and voices opinions in front of seasoned exam writers, a nice contrast with the veterans.
A rivalry reunion. Moon Joo Yeol and Park Kyung Tae are longtime rivals. In one still, Moon stands up mid-meeting for a tense argument.
A secret weapon. Another still shows Moon with a pack of ginseng juice, which the film frames as his secret weapon.
Brainstorm chaos. The committee gathers at a whiteboard, hinting at the central question: can these strong-willed people work together within 40 days?

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