(continuing from interview ①) The film Salmokji: Whispering Water has become a hot topic as a Korean horror film that surpassed 3 million viewers in 23 years. It turned out to be an achievement exactly one year from the crank-in date, starting from an eerie shoot where cell phones didn't even work.
Recently, the film Salmokji: Whispering Water (director Lee Sang-min, provided/distributed by SHOWBOX, produced by The Lamp) surpassed 3 million viewers and is enjoying box office success. The last time a Korean horror film surpassed 3 million viewers was an impressive 23 years ago, when the 2003 film A Tale of Two Sisters drew about 3.1 million viewers. As of the morning of the 12th, Salmokji: Whispering Water recorded a cumulative audience of 3,037,403 and still occupies a top spot in the domestic box office. OSEN met with Park Eun-kyung, CEO of the film's production company The Lamp, to hear behind-the-scenes stories about the film.
Recalling that "Salmokji: Whispering Water" was unusually fast from planning, CEO Park Eun-kyung said the project began with "a first draft coming out in February last year." She said, "The day the film surpassed 3 million viewers, on the 10th, was exactly the first day of last year's crank-in. It rained that day, so even though it was the first shoot we only shot three cuts and stopped; at the time I felt, 'Oh, what now.' But a year later the mood turned, like a reversal, and I was thrilled."
She said, "At the actual filming location cell phones didn't work. You had to go to the very end of the road where cars could enter to barely get a signal, and in modern society having no cell service at a location where you still had to do night shoots and underwater shoots was terrifying in itself. I can only say everyone got through it with sheer fighting spirit," and laughed, "later someone even set up an antenna where one person could get a signal."
The film's beginning stemmed from CEO Park Eun-kyung's desire for the horror genre in September 204. CEO Park Eun-kyung said, "While watching a horror film one day I suddenly wanted to make a horror film. We've done a lot of human dramas, and I wanted to diversify the genres we do."
She said, "Personally, it's hard to call myself a horror film maniac, but when I'm stressed I find them fun and refreshing. I think horror is the smallest unit of fantasy. It's a genre that lets you create a distinct fantasy and world with a relatively small budget. Above all, audiences believe it. That's something only the horror genre can achieve. There's a strange power that lets people comfortably enter that setting," she said emphatically.
She added, "You inevitably worry about what people should watch in theaters, and horror is a genre you can all enjoy together in an enclosed space, screaming without anyone saying anything. Also, because it touches on instinctive human emotions, it has worldwide appeal, not just in Korea."
The relationship began when CEO Park Eun-kyung, who had served as a juror at the Chungmuro Film Festival, was impressed by Lee Sang-min's film Dolleemchong. "It was simply a story about a shaking gun, but it had a horror feel that was so interesting," she said. CEO Park said, "I actually don't often sign first-time directors. You're responsible for a person's life and I don't know what help I could give. But I thought we should make a horror film and proposed working with director Lee Sang-min."
At first, CEO Park Eun-kyung proposed a story about Salmokji: Whispering Water and a twin reservoir. But director Lee Sang-min cut it off at once, saying, "It's not interesting." CEO Park laughed and said, "I was actually grateful. Then you can tell me to do something more interesting. After spending about a year together, a first draft came out in February last year and the current structure of Salmokji: Whispering Water was born."
Although the relationship grew deep over time, from the first draft to crank-in, and from release to box office success, Salmokji: Whispering Water swiftly saw the light of day in just about a year. Considering that horror films traditionally open in the summer, this achievement is even more remarkable. On working and deciding quickly, CEO Park Eun-kyung said, "It was important that Salmokji: Whispering Water had to start shooting in the summer. And I try to make the decisions I can as quickly as possible. I often read directors' scripts the same day. Being fast isn't always right, but people ask me a lot of questions because they don't fully trust me, so that's the way it is."
Nevertheless, she said, "Even so, Salmokji: Whispering Water was unusually fast. There was no moment of hesitation. It was almost strange. Because I had a lead time with director Lee Sang-min, it may have sped things up. Many of the staff had worked together before, so thanks to that everyone trusted one another and was able to work quickly."
(to be continued in interview ③)<
[photo] The Lamp, provided by SHOWBOX.
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