The studio is expected to help local production companies save significantly on time and costs

A new film studio designed for shooting water-based scenes opened in a central South Korean city on Thursday, officials said.

Studio M is located inside Studio Cube, the country's largest filming studio in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, where the 2021 global megahit Squid Game was shot. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and its affiliate, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), said they opened the new facility with a ceremony after nearly two years of construction.

This photo provided by the Korea Creative Content Agency shows an exterior view of Studio M, a multipurpose water-based filming studio that opened on Sept. 21, 2023, inside Studio Cube, a state-run filming studio in Daejeon, 140 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) 

They said the new studio contains a 30.4 by 20.9 meter tank with a depth of 1.2 meters, which will allow the indoor filming of extensive water-based scenes, such as large-scale naval battles and maritime disasters. Dry set scenes can also be filmed when water is not used.

In addition to the water film studio, the authorities plan to build a "virtual studio" equipped with a LED wall and in-camera VFX at the Studio Cube by 2025 for use by smaller drama and film production companies.

This photo provided by the Korea Creative Content Agency shows an interior view of Studio M, a multipurpose water-based filming studio inside Studio Cube in Daejeon, 140 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) 

Once the virtual studio is complete, Studio Cube will become the country's only multipurpose studio filming studio where dry, water-based scenes and virtual scenes can also be shot. Ministry officials expect the high-tech facilities to help local production companies save significantly on time and costs normally spent on oversees filming and post-production work. 

Studio Cube, a state-run filming studio in Daejeon, 140 kilometers south of Seoul, is seen in this photo provided by the Korea Creative Content Agency. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) 

By Shim Sun-ah