'Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng' tackles high-stakes drama of Korea's CSAT

Director Lee Yong-jae selected the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) as the focal point for his feature film "Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng" due to the exam's immense significance in Korean society. The CSAT holds such importance that it has the power to disrupt transportation and disrupt daily life throughout the nation. Addressing a theater audience in Seoul following the film's premiere, Lee emphasized that the CSAT is a matter of interest to every citizen.

He believed that the story would captivate audiences due to its widespread relevance. Regardless of one's place in society, Lee argued, various aspects of the CSAT can be observed. As a newcomer to directing, Lee found that confining the narrative to a single location helped streamline production, saving both time and resources.

The film "Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng" is a comedy centered around Maeng Bo-ram (played by Lee Sun-bin), a language teacher at a small-town high school. By mistake, Maeng finds herself appointed as the test developer for the CSAT, a role handed to her as a result of an administrative oversight. Once inside the test development facility, a closed environment where the team members are cut off from the outside world for a period of 40 days, Maeng becomes entangled in a series of chaotic conflicts with ambitious professors.

Amidst the competitive atmosphere, Maeng strives to maintain her composure and fulfill her unexpected responsibilities.