Three leading production designers who shaped contemporary Korean cinema

Contemporary Korean cinema has frequently been praised for its striking visuals and aesthetics, and it would not have achieved the fame it does today without the help of artists who meticulously attend to every visual detail. These creative visionaries are in charge of creating the immersive worlds that captivate audiences all over the world, and their role is critical in interpreting the director's intent and translating it into backgrounds, props, settings, costumes and accessories.

However, this profession did not emerge until much later in Korea. Until the early 1990s, assistant directors were in charge of creating all visual elements for scenes, from props to set designs. During the filming of Blue in You (1992), the first "art director" appeared, and the film's aesthetic merits quickly convinced the rest of the industry to follow suit. The Korean Film Archive is currently hosting a temporary exhibition titled "Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds," and to commemorate the occasion, we delve into the works of three outstanding production designers who have been pivotal in shaping the visual aesthetics of contemporary Korean films and are featured in the exhibition: Ryu Seong-hee, Cho Hwa-sung, and Han A-reum.

Ryu Seong-hee: The Power of Symbolism in Backgrounds

(Image: Netflix)

Mask Girl (2023) by Kim Yong-hoon

Ryu Seong-hee's name is synonymous with outstanding production design in Korean cinema. Her contribution has left an indelible imprint on a number of critically acclaimed films. In 2023, she collaborated with director Kim Yong-hoon on Mask Girl, a Netflix series about a white-collar woman who moonlights as a masked live streamer. Ryu Seong-hee's work has greatly contributed to making each episode its own cinematic experience, as they each take on a different genre to form a grander narrative. Among the main locations, the protagonist's office was designed to resemble an oppressive environment that depersonalizes people, whereas she expresses herself fully in her bedroom.

Decision to Leave (2022) by Park Chan-wook

Ryu's work helps to distinguish Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave from other works in the thriller genre. The plot revolves around Seo-rae, a mysterious woman whose true intentions remain largely unknown to us until the very end. As the main character, a detective, visits her apartment after her husband's mysterious death, the setting can provide additional clues about her life. The furniture is all made of wood and has a traditional look to it. The wallpaper in the kitchen, where Seo-rae often spends time alone, creates a visual illusion in which it is difficult to distinguish between mountains and waves. These turn out to be the two main motifs of the film, symbolizing Seo-rae and the detective’s relationship.

The Handmaiden (2016) by Park Chan-wook

Her work on The Handmaiden (2016) with director Park Chan-wook demonstrated her ability to transport audiences to a bygone era. Park decided to swap the original setting in Sarah Waters' novel Fingersmith, Victoria-era Britain, for 1930s Korea, when the country was ruled by the Japanese (1910-1945). With much of the country's modernization/westernization changes occurring during that time period, it was critical to represent that ongoing process by blending Western influences and Korean sensitivities in the mansion where the majority of the narrative takes place, and Ryu's exquisite period design nailed it. The bedroom of Hideko, the young lady the protagonist was hired to serve, is a prime example of the difficult balance that was achieved. Despite the use of cold colors, it had to feel welcoming, as well as exude elegance and innocence while giving off a sense of sensuality that foreshadows the two characters' burgeoning relationship. Ryu’s contributions to this project earned her the Vulcan Award for Technical Artist, an independent award given to a technician for their work on a Cannes official selection film.

Cho Hwa-sung: Hitting the right balance between historical accuracy and artistic vision

Han-san: Rising Dragon (2022) by Kim Han-min

Cho Hwa-sung, known for his ability to create immersive cinematic worlds, has played pivotal roles in several successful Korean films. His recent collaboration with director Kim Han-min on Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022) demonstrated his ability to work on large-scale projects while maintaining historical accuracy. The film, set during the Japanese invasion of 1592, had to recreate the Hansan naval battle, which tipped the war in favor of Koreans who were defending their country. Cho wanted to heighten the immersion by conducting extensive research to determine the appropriate color and thickness of the wood planks that would have been used for the warfare ships. At the end of the day, what matters is the director's intent, and so Cho settled for a simpler look for the Korean ships and an extravagant appearance for the Japanese navy to highlight the lopsided forces in presence and uneven odds of victory. He also had to be inventive for the iconic turtle ships since records were lacking and so went for a hybrid form that would feel like it could be maneuvered with ease.

The Drug King (2018) by Woo Min-ho

Cho used a lot of space and color to show the slow but irreversible evolution of the character in this story about the rise and fall of a smuggler who became the biggest drug dealer in 1970s Korea. Song Kang-ho's character, the protagonist, is shown embracing American fashion and culture in a way that few of his peers did. Whereas his first home with his family was a cramped dependency of a church, the one he moves to once he has become a successful businessman is a decent brick house adorned with bright colors. But as he becomes even wealthier but more isolated, he moves into a much larger house, which feels more like a prison he built himself, dominated by cold white marble that reflects his face.

The Age of Shadows (2016) by Kim Ji-woon

Despite the fact that he was working on this project concurrently with The Last Princess, both of which are set during Japanese colonization, Cho had both of them stand out. The idea behind The Age of Shadows was to make black and blue the dominant colors while making every other color as dark as possible. The film's main set piece is a train heading to Korea, where a group of Korean independence fighters attempt to smuggle in a bomb while becoming increasingly aware that one of them is a spy sent by the Japanese. Cho had to represent the location as a luxurious place where the main characters would feel out of place, which makes them even more confused by the whole situation. The chandeliers and other lamps were specifically designed to cast dancing points of light on the characters' faces as the train shook in order to visually represent the tension of this moment.

Han Ah-reum: The art of getting the smallest details right

(Image: Netflix)

Gil Bok-soon (2023) by Byun Sung-hyun

Han A-reum is a rising star in the production design world. His recent Netflix production, Gil Bok-soon (2023), with director Byun Sung-hyun, captivated audiences with its concept of a parallel version of Seoul. He reinterpreted famous downtown Seoul landmarks in his own unique way to create an uncanny feeling in the audience, unable to recognize the Seoul they know. The southern side of the city is depicted as highly developed, whereas the northern side has devolved into a slum.

Kingmaker (2022) by Byun Sung-hyun 

This historical political thriller based on the life of a real-life Korean president demanded a lot of imagination as well, but this time to recreate Korea as accurately as possible in the 1960s and 1970s. The story follows the rise of a local labor activist from the countryside to the highest office, and Han and the director wanted to symbolize this progression through the various campaign headquarters the politician uses throughout the film. For example, when he is in Mokpo, a trade port on the southwestern coast, his office is naturally installed in a warehouse. The floorplan was designed to give a sense of theatricality and warmth when he finally joins hands with the man who will be instrumental in his rise to power.

1987: When the Day Comes (2017) by Jang Joon-hwan 

Han was asked to focus on realism for this film, which retraces the events that led to the end of Korea's military dictatorship, because this is a time that some people still remember vividly. As a result, he had to conduct extensive research by watching historical footage. Because the film features many scenes of street demonstrations and wanted to emphasize that democratization was achieved through the small contributions of many, it required a large number of settings. Streets, in particular, had to be partially recreated to appear as they did at the time. He also meticulously recreated the infamous torture room of the Anti-communist Investigation Division office, but his attention to detail didn't stop there. He also had magazines reprinted with the same type of paper or snack packages that were used in the originals.