They may not receive much attention when discussing Korean film, but Korea has become a fertile ground for visual effects firms, not just because of the vibrancy of its domestic output, but also because of its excellent IT infrastructure and technological education. Previously, these studios would solely work on Korean titles; however, this changed in the 2010s, when the majority of them began to obtain jobs for Chinese productions. Another game-changer appeared in Netflix, along with an army of other streaming services looking for Korean content. While it is now more common to see top-tier visual effects in TV series, traditional VFX studios are also looking for other ventures such as 3D animation, video games, or immersive experiences. This week, we look at four of the studios that are now leading the Korean industry. 

4th Creative Party

www.4thparty.co.kr

​(Image: Netflix) 

Okja (2017) by Bong Joon-ho

4th Creative Party, founded in 2009 by the original founders of the previous VFX studio EON Digital Films, is widely regarded as one of the leaders in Korean visual effects, best known for their long collaboration with the two most well-known Korean directors in the world, Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook. Their senior visual effects supervisors are responsible for the effects displayed in Oldboy (2003) and The Host (2006), and the company developed a name for itself in Asia for its abilities to build and animate monsters, as seen in The Tiger (2015). Their expertise prompted them to collaborate on Netflix's first Korean feature, Okja. Despite their limited involvement, with the final modeling and animation for the super pigs done by the US-based company Method, which was responsible for the animals in Life of Pi, 4th Creative Party's assistance was still crucial. They were in charge of not just the early visual concepts for the super pigs, but also the majority of the other visual effects that could be seen in the film. And their collaboration with Bong isn’t ending any time soon, as they are currently gearing up to produce their first 3D animated feature together. 

(Image: CJ ENM) 

Decision to Leave (2022) by Park Chan-wook

The studio's work on Park's newest is an excellent illustration of why this filmmaker always returns to them. For this drama about a police detective who becomes involved with a lady he suspects of being involved in the murder of her husband, the full extent of 4th Creative Party's ability had to be mobilized to help Director Park Chan-wook to portray the film's key themes. This contribution may be noticed throughout the film in a variety of subtle yet meaningful details. For example, mist was virtually added in multiple scenes in order to illustrate the confusion of the main character. A lot of symbolism can be seen in the final moments as well, with a mound of sand and surrounding rocks on a beach recalling the mountains seen earlier in the film, or with the waves breaking on a beach seemingly drawing the profile of the elusive woman, played by Tang Wei, when seen from above. But CGI also allowed Park to indulge in his characteristic playful and unpredictable transitions, such as when a light bulb fades into the image of a statue's eye.

WestWorld  

www.westworld.co.kr

(Image: ENA)

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) by Yoo In-shik 

WestWorld was founded in 2018 by VFX supervisor Son Seung-hyeon and swiftly rose to prominence. With their long-running relationship with Netflix that started in 2019 with the horror series Sweet Home, they are now a key player in the area. For the legal drama series Extraordinary Attorney Woo produced by cable channel ENA, WestWorld was asked to conjure up the whales and other aquatic animals that the main character imagines flying in Seoul’s sky or in a courtroom at various points during the plot, typically when she elucidates a case. Despite the fantastical nature of these visions, they still had to look as realistic as possible, including accurate light reflections and shadows, so they wouldn’t stand out too much. But more importantly, these creatures and their movements had to reflect the character's emotions at that point in the narrative. 

(Image: Netflix)

All of Us Are Dead (2022) by Lee Jae-gyu & Chun Sung-il

Because of the enormous quantity of CGI required by this sort of tale, Netflix's zombie breakout catastrophe series was the ideal showcase for the youngest of the VFX firms presented here. Aside from the usual hordes of undead creatures rushing through streets and corridors, and bodies stumbling and falling like ragdolls, the studio also had to remove all the blue screens used for the many sets built in studio, such as the rooftop of the school where some surviving students gather to await rescue. Perhaps more surprising, the animals and bugs that appear in the show are also entirely made in CGI, just like the drones that appear in some episodes.

VA 

www.vastudio.co.kr

(Image: Netflix)

Hellbound (2022), by Yeon Sang-ho

Previously known as Mofac, this firm pioneered visual effects in Korea, helping to establish the country as a leader in this industry. Created in 1994, it has notably worked on Park Chan-wook's breakthrough title JSA Joint Security Area, Tidal Wave, and Roaring Currents in Korea, and it has successfully entered the Chinese market, particularly by working on multiple projects by Tsui Hark and John Woo. In the Netflix series Hellbound, directed by Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho and based on a long-running project he had since 2002, the world is forever changed when a supernatural entity announces the date and time of people’s condemnation to hell and three demoniac beings start to enact them exactly as announced. VA was tasked with the design, modelling, animation, and integration of these otherworldly creatures.

Dexter Studios  

www.dexterstudios.com

(Image: CJ ENM)

The Moon (2023) by Kim Yong-hwa

Dexter Studios, allegedly the company with the largest market share in the Korean VFX market, was founded on the initiative of film director Kim Yong-hwa expressly for the CGI demands of his sports comedy drama Mr. Go, which follows a gorilla taking up baseball. While the film did not meet commercial expectations, it served as the perfect business card for the then newly established VFX firm because it was co-produced by China, and Dexter swiftly developed to become one of the most sought-after companies for effects-heavy Chinese blockbusters. Kim's most recent production, the space-set catastrophe action film The Moon, heralded a new direction for the company. Dexter had previously worked on Space Sweepers, but for this key project, which was supposed to be anchored in reality, they went one step further by building their own virtual production studio. This technology consists of a wall of LED panels that can display a CGI background with a perspective that matches the camera's position, all computed in real time, allowing for a better and easier integration of these effects and more flexibility in camerawork. Particular effort was made to make explosions and crashed physically accurate and to reproduce the type of lighting that could be observed on the surface of the Moon.

(Image: CJ ENM)

Parasite (2019) by Bong Joon-ho

You may be wondering what moments in Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning Parasite required such cutting-edge technology. In reality, the picture would very certainly not have been feasible without CGI, as the two primary settings in the story were custom-built expressly for the film to match exactly what Bong had envisioned. Regardless of the production's budget, creating the Park family's villa from scratch would have been not only expensive but also pointless. That’s why only the first level's facade and the garden were created in real life, while the remainder of the home, including the second floor, was added in post-production. Similarly, to shoot the scene in which the protagonists' semi-basement flat is flooded, an entire neighborhood was erected at the Goyang Aqua Studio, just northwest of Seoul, so that they could precisely manage the water levels. Blue screens put all around the set allowed them to later seamlessly insert streets and stairways to give the impression that it was shot on location.