In 2025, 'My Daughter is a Zombie' (directed by Pil Gam-seong, provided/distributed by NEW, produced by Studio N), which is currently sailing smoothly as the highest-grossing Korean film, reveals the behind-the-scenes of its special makeup.
The comic drama 'My Daughter is a Zombie,' about a doting father who entered secret training to protect his daughter, who has become the last remaining zombie in this world, will unveil the behind-the-scenes of the special makeup for his zombie daughter.
In the film, 'Soo-a' (Choi Yoo-ri), who has become the last remaining zombie daughter on earth from 'Jeong-hwan's' (Jo Jung-seok) only teenage daughter, captivates the audience with her charming yet fierce appeal, which is both scary and oddly poignant, differing from the terrifying figures seen in typical zombie films. To perfectly transform into the zombie daughter 'Soo-a,' Choi Yoo-ri underwent high-level special makeup over a period of 300 days from pre-production to shooting, spending two hours each day. The completed makeup was divided into four stages according to the flow of the story and the character's emotional changes, adding more detail. It was not an easy process, but Choi Yoo-ri silently endured all stages to immerse herself in 'Soo-a,' demonstrating incredible concentration and earning admiration from director Pil Gam-seong and the production crew, even receiving the praise that 'the most adult on set is Choi Yoo-ri.'
Meanwhile, to complete the lifelike zombie visuals, the makeup team developed custom lenses specifically for 'Soo-a.' The existing special lenses were the size of a 500 won coin, making long-term wear difficult, so they commissioned a U.S. company to develop custom lenses that significantly reduced the burden of wear while achieving similar visual effects. In particular, to express 'Soo-a's' gaze, which changes according to her situation and emotions even in a zombie state, various concepts of lenses were separately created, and after testing all the lenses, they were able to select and utilize the lenses suitable for each scene.
'Bam-soon' (Lee Jeong-eun), who gained attention for her unprecedented synchronization, also went through a high-level special makeup process akin to a zombie to portray a character older than the actual actor's age. They adopted the most lovable visual while preserving the charm of the original through numerous makeup tests across various age groups. Lee Jeong-eun also underwent a two-hour makeup process for each shoot, transforming into 'Bam-soon,' the character who is akin to a grandma who rips faces. Additionally, the makeup for 'Dong-bae' (Yoon Kyung-ho) as 'Thor' was essential. Although it was a comic situation, the production team believed that if the quality of the makeup deteriorated, the humor might diminish, so they meticulously paid attention to every detail from wigs and makeup to costumes, resulting in the creation of the 'number one laughter button' of 'My Daughter is a Zombie,' 'Dong-Thor.'
'My Daughter is a Zombie,' the number one box office film this summer, is being screened enthusiastically in theaters nationwide.
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