Gonjiam - Haunted Asylum

I. Introduction

Based on a real-life psychiatric hospital of the same name, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a 2018 South Korean found footage horror film directed by Jung Bum-shik. It stars Wi Ha-joon, Park Ji-hyun, Oh Ah-yeon, Moon Ye-won, Park Sung-hoon, Yoo Je-yoon and Lee Seung-wook in the lead roles. The narrative centers around a horror web series crew that travels to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast in order to garner views and publicity.

II. Synopsis

In 1979, 42 patients at Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital killed themselves and the hospital director went missing. Rumors and strange stories about the now abandoned Gonjiam Mental Hospital abound. An internet broadcaster recruits a handful of people for their 'experience the horror' show at Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, a place selected as one of the 7 freakiest places on the planet by CNN. They are to explore the haunted asylum and stream it live on the show. To attract more viewers, the show hosts play tricks on the guests, but things start to get out of hand when they are inside the place.

III. Production & Release

The film takes place in the former Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, purportedly one of Korea's most haunted locations. In 2012, CNN Travel selected it as one of 7 freakiest places on the planet. Most of the scenes in the film were filmed in the National Maritime High School in Busan, with the production team adhering closely to the floor plan of the actual hospital to recreate exactly the same exterior and hallways. The film opened theatrically in South Korea on 28 March 2018 and in the United States on 13 April 2018. Later, it was screened at the 20th Udine Far East Film Festival.

IV. Cast

Pic	Name	Character
	Park Ji-hyun	Ji-hyun
	Moon Ye-won	Charlotte
	Lee Seung-wook	Seung-wook
	Oh Ah-yeon	Ah-yeon
	Park Sung-hoon	Sung-hoon
	Wi Ha-joon	Ha-joon
	Yoo Je-yoon	Je-yoon

V. Trailer

VI. Movie

VII. Reception

A commercial success, it also became the third most-watched horror film in South Korea after A Tale of Two Sisters and Phone. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum came in first at the domestic box office on March 28, 2018, collecting US$1.2 million from 198,369 admissions. It was the biggest March opening ever achieved by a Korean film which remained at the top spot for the next four days, & the film earned US$10.2 million from 1.37 million admissions in its opening weekend and accounted for 40% of the total weekend box office receipts,. After three weekends, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum has attracted near to 2.6 million viewers and accumulated US$20.3 million in box office takings, the second biggest gross for a Korean horror film, behind 2003's A Tale of Two Sisters.

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 91% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 6.44. It has also collected the scores of 7.5 on Mydramalist, 8.8 on iQiyi, &, 6.3 on IMDB.

VIII. Awards & Nominations