A press screening and news conference for “Salmokji,” directed by Lee Sang-min, was held Tuesday afternoon at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul. Lee attended with cast members Kim Hye-yoon, Lee Jong-won, Kim Jun-han, Kim Young-sung, Oh Dong-min, Yoon Jae-chan and Jang Da-a.
The film follows a production crew that heads to a reservoir to verify an unexplained figure seen on road-view imagery, only to encounter a series of strange events. Starting from an everyday digital tool, the story shifts into the psychological pressure of an isolated setting.
Lee said he wanted to maximize fear rooted in place. “I’ve always loved horror films, and my previous short films were also in the horror genre,” he said. “I wanted to amplify the fear a space can create. I focused on the ‘water ghost’ because I thought it could show an original image.”
He said the goal was not just to watch fear unfold, but to make audiences feel as if they are inside it. “From the planning stage, I hoped viewers would feel ‘experiential horror,’ as if they were being bewitched by a water ghost,” Lee said, adding that the film uses devices unique to the creature, including appearances and reflections on the water’s surface.
He also expressed confidence in a ScreenX version produced in postproduction, saying distortion in scenes such as the road-view sequence would heighten immersion.
Cast members said they were drawn by the script and the project’s distinctive energy.
Kim, who said she has long enjoyed horror films, described the shoot as exciting. “The script was so fun, and I really wanted to challenge myself with the character,” she said. “I think it will remain a good part of my career.”
Jang, making her screen debut, plays Se-jeong, a character who meets a shocking end. “It was a completely different character from me, so acting out the dramatic emotional changes was a big experience,” she said.
She added that the final scene became “much more horrific” than what was on the page, and said she went into filming prepared for what she called a “terrible death.” “It wasn’t easy, but the staff and I worked as one, focused on making the scene come out well,” she said.
The production’s atmosphere also drew attention, with cast members recounting unusual experiences on set.
Kim Jun-han said staff members reported seeing an unidentified young child, and that sensor lights at their lodging turned on and off on their own. “I thought, maybe that means the film will do well,” he said with a laugh.
Underwater filming was described as a key element supporting the movie’s finish.
Lee Jong-won said he trained ahead of time for an action sequence that required him to dive deep underwater to save someone. “Acting underwater wasn’t easy, but I did my best,” he said.
Kim Young-sung and Oh Dong-min said their on-screen “brother” chemistry helped ground the story’s fear in realism.
Recalling an underwater shoot in subzero wind chill, Oh said Kim would shiver between takes but snap into character as soon as action was called. Kim credited Oh’s emotional performance for helping him stay immersed through the final scene.
Lee said he sees horror as a form of entertainment for younger audiences, noting a recent atmosphere of Gen Z moviegoers returning to theaters after the box-office success of “The Man Who Lives With the King.”
“I also used to relieve the stress of exam periods by watching horror films when I was a teenager,” Lee said, recalling enjoying them with friends as a kind of courage test. “Horror films have a charm — after you scream, you feel refreshed when it ends.”
He said he hopes students facing midterms will use “Salmokji” to blow off stress and enjoy what he described as a Gen Z-style “courage test.”
“Salmokji” is scheduled for release in April.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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