The most terrifying Go Pro advert ever made.

Directed by Jung Bum-shik (Gidam/Epitaph, New Normal), Gonjiam Haunted Asylum taps into the chilling real-life rumours and ghost stories surrounding the actual Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital (one of the freakiest places in the world), which closed in the 1990s. 

According to urban legends, the hospital was shut down due to the mysterious and sudden deaths of its patients. The film takes these tales and crafts a found-footage horror experience that will make your skin crawl.

The film follows a group of seven young people who in their quest for viral fame on a horror-themed YouTube channel, decide to explore the infamous Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital. Armed with a billion cameras (seriously these kids must be raking it in off the Youtube advertising revenue), they set out to broadcast their night in the asylum, LIVE!

As they delve deeper into the hospital’s dark corridors, they encounter more than just sticky floors, trip hazards, untidy rooms and dubious stains. The supernatural occurrences begin subtly but soon escalate into a nightmare that leaves the group questioning their sanity and struggling to survive, while giving us a lifelong fear of people calling their cats in from the garden and ping pong balls. 

This film oozes atmosphere. The abandoned hospital is portrayed with a meticulous attention to detail, capturing its dilapidated state and eerie ambiance perfectly. The BTS (The Sanctum Of Horror) as one of the extras on the Blu-ray shows what a phenomenal job they did here. 

 The use of handheld cameras and GoPros adds to the immersive experience, making us feel like we’re witnessing the horror firsthand. The film cleverly uses minimal lighting, relying on the natural darkness of the setting to heighten tension and suspense. Shadows play tricks on the eyes, and every corner seems to hide a new terror, and occasionally a Blair Witch moment or two. 

Absolutely no need for this bit! 😀

The characters in Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum are relatable and well-portrayed, each bringing their own personality and fears to the table.Some of the more comedic moments are perfectly done and give the film a feel of a real youtube channel collaboration, adding to the found footage effectiveness.

The film doesn’t rely heavily on character backstories, instead focusing on their real-time reactions. This approach works well for the found footage genre and kept me invested throughout.

The horror in Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a mix of psychological and supernatural. The scares are well-timed and well built. Instead of relying on jump scares, the film creates a persistent sense of dread, with the tension steadily ramping up as the story progresses. The supernatural elements are subtle at first, gradually becoming more overt and end up pretty terrifying the further we go.

If you’re looking for a horror film that will leave you sleeping with the lights on, Gonjiam Haunted Asylum leverages the real-life creepiness of its setting to deliver a truly chilling experience.

Second Sight Films brings the acclaimed horror to Limited Edition and Standard Edition Blu-ray on 24 June 2024.

The new collector’s edition is presented in a rigid slipcase with brand new artwork by Luke Headland and comes complete with a 70-page book with new essays and a fantastic haul of special features including:

Special Features

  • New audio commentary by Mary Beth McAndrews and Terry Mesnard – Scarred for life podcast hosts take commentary duty on this one. It’s not bad. I’ll probably have to check out their podcast now too.
  • Fear the Unknown: Zoë Rose Smith on Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum – Another of Second Sight’s audio Blog posts, sorry mini docs. Zoe is fantastic at these, although this one does sound like it’s very much being read and as with most of them, I pick up a few new long words.
  • The Beginning of the Rumours – Director Jung Bum-shik and various crew discuss the concepts behind the movie and some production titbits.
  • The New Faces – Discussing the casting of the young cast, some BTS bits of the table read.
  • The Sanctum of Horror – Talking about the asylum itself and how they recreated it for the film. Some very clever set design.
  • The Truth of the Ghostlore – discussing design of the ghost and how they act. Yeah, they nailed it .
  • The Live Recording – BTS stuff on the way they shot the film for the “live” aesthetic.
  • The Press Conference – Funnily enough, this is a press conference from the launch of the film.
  • Trailers – Go on, guess

Limited Edition Contents

  • Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Luke Headland
  • 70-page book with new essays by Sarah AppletonJames Marsh, Meagan Navarro and Amber T
  • Six collectors’ art cards

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