There is a myth at a boarding school for girls that involves a set of mysterious stairs: If, as you make your way up the 28 stone steps, a 29th stair appears, you make a wish. If you're very lucky (and those around you are equally unlucky) the ethereal fox will grant that wish.

Desperate, perpetually ridiculed psychopath-in-training Hye-ju begs the fox to make her lose weight so that her peers will accept her into their clique. Meanwhile, two ballet students who start off the best of friends become far too competitive while vying for the same role in a production. Then when a girl dies, a secret crush is revealed, and things turn all...well, Single White Pet Exorcist as the story lines become intertwined.

Like the previous entry in the series (Memento Mori), Wishing Stairs is less about the jump scenes (although there are a couple here) and more about the relationships between these girls, as well as the cruelty we are all capable of inflicting upon each other. However, unlike its predecessor there is an ever-increasing uneasiness throughout the film, although most of that is achieved simply through An Jo's remarkable performance as Hye-ju. She masterfully walks an incredibly fine line, drawing us deeper into her madness while avoiding overacting by just this much. Oh hell – she ends up worse than William Shatner with a ham in each hand, but she's twisted and disturbed and damned fun to watch.

Also noteworthy is the sound. Used to good effect, it at least once elicits a decent scare, while a strange distortion of the voice lets the viewer know just who has had their wish granted by the fox.

Unfortunately, for a film that had been slowly building to a screaming, nail-biting climax, the third act is confusing and surprisingly boring. Too many girls have had too many wishes granted, and some of those people aren't who they appear to be. The film tries hard, but the sudden influx of elements become cluttered and don't quite gel. A shame, because until about an hour and ten minutes in, this was shaping up to be the best of the series. As for now, that title remains firmly with Whispering Corridors 2: Memento Mori.

Pros: Nice cinematography. Doesn't fall into the same brightly-lit trap as other Korean horror films do; “Wishing Stairs” makes good use of light and shadows. Interesting mythology and setup...
Cons: ...becomes too busy and boring by the end as your mind begins to realize it can't sort through everything and just shuts down.
Review Rating: 6 out of 10 eerie paintings of pissed-off girls.