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What's Korean Cinema? (Podcast on Fire Network) · Kenny B, Paul Quinn, Various

What’s Korean Cinema? 62 – R-Point

·1 hr 23 min·5 clips
A Korean War movie turns spooky when a missing squad's radio transmission lures soldiers into a haunted mansion in 1972 Vietnam.
This episode of What's Korean Cinema? focuses on the 2004 Korean horror-war film *R-Point*, with hosts Paul Quinn and Kenobi providing context and analysis. The hosts are veteran Korean cinema commentators who explore the film's place in cinematic history. The film follows a South Korean platoon sent to rescue a missing squad from a haunted location called R-Point during the Vietnam War. The hosts note that 2004 was the height of the Korean cinema wave, with horror being a dominant genre that year. They list other 2004 horror releases like *Dead Friend*, *Spider Forest*, and *Ghost House*. The episode details the film's viral marketing campaign, which included a website with fictional war correspondent journals and soldier statements. *R-Point* was the most successful Korean horror film of 2004, earning 1.669 million admissions and ranking 16th nationally. It was nominated for several awards, including Best New Director for Kong Su-chang at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. The hosts contrast this with the year's blockbuster, *Brotherhood of War*, which earned 11.5 million admissions. Director Kong Su-chang began as a screenwriter on films like *The Ring Virus* and *Tell Me Something* before making his directorial debut with *R-Point*. A surprising insight is that the film's website marketing was compared to campaigns for *The Blair Witch Project* and *Cloverfield*. The hosts reveal the production shot in Cambodia under harsh conditions, with temperatures reaching 42 degrees Celsius and actors undergoing military boot camp. Lead actor Kam Woo-sung fainted during a temple scene and was hospitalized for three days. The mansion location, Bokor Hill Station, was notoriously asymmetrical and had a dark history from the Pol Pot regime. Director Kong Su-chang expressed regrets about the final film, wishing for an epilogue and criticizing some cinematography as too bright. The film's special effects makeup prioritized horror impact over medical accuracy for decomposed corpses. The episode also covers Kong's second film, 2008's *The Guard Post*, a DMZ zombie film praised for depth but criticized for confusing flashbacks. The tone is conversational and deeply informed, blending film criticism with production trivia. The style is educational, offering a thorough historical and industrial context for the film. This episode would appeal to fans of Korean cinema history, horror genre enthusiasts, and listeners interested in film production challenges. Those seeking only plot recaps or modern film reviews might find the deep-dive into a 2004 title less engaging.

As heard by us

A patient look at a Korean war-horror film, with release context, box office detail, and a faint supernatural edge.

What's Korean Cinema? uses R-Point to open onto a 2004 Korean War horror film that leans more on mood than on shock. The episode works best when it ties the film to its release moment, its box office reality, and the director's later Guard Post.

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Why you'd press play

A 2004 Korean horror-war film with a patient, gloomy mood and a real box-office backdrop.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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