The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Chinese hackers attack 12 Korean academic institutions: KISA

  • 3

    Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night

  • 5

    From period to action: different genre series set for February

  • 7

    More than dozen chaebol scions indicted on alleged drug use

  • 9

    Campaign launched to respect multicultural families, foreign nationals

  • 11

    Netmarble debuts virtual girl group MAVE:

  • 13

    Korea's move to cut subsidies on imported EVs faces backlash

  • 15

    ANALYSISChina's reopening to help ease inventory woes

  • 17

    People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions

  • 19

    Seoul subway, bus fares to rise by 300 or 400 won

  • 2

    Koreans stunned by spike in heating costs

  • 4

    Heavy snow hits Seoul, surrounding areas

  • 6

    Chinese hackers threaten to attack S. Korean cybersecurity watchdog

  • 8

    Cold wave warnings issued across Korea; Seoul witnesses coldest day

  • 10

    Why Korea imports so much kimchi from China

  • 12

    Center offers free STI testing to foreign residents of Korea

  • 14

    Cargo ship carrying 22 sinks off Jeju, 14 rescued but 9 unconscious

  • 16

    Lawmaker pushes for bill requiring women to join civil defense training

  • 18

    Major Korean banks' overseas branches sanctioned by foreign authorities

  • 20

    Yoon calls for adjusting regulatory, labor systems to global standards

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Fri, January 27, 2023 | 17:43
Films
'The Medium' features gore as well as sudden frights
Posted : 2021-07-04 17:06
Updated : 2021-07-05 13:26
Kwak Yeon-soo
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Director Na Hong-jin poses at a press conference for promoting the film 'The Medium' in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Showbox
Director Na Hong-jin poses at a press conference for promoting the film "The Medium" in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Showbox

By Kwak Yeon-soo

"The Medium," a spooky horror film produced by director Na Hong-jin and directed by Thai filmmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun, includes both gory scenes as well as mind-bending psychological thrills.

The horror flick begins its story in Thailand's northeastern Isan region where the benevolent goddess Ba Yan is worshipped. For several generations, one family in particular has served as Ba Yan's shaman and only the female members of the family are chosen as the next medium of the tradition.

Mink (played by Narilya Gulmongkolpech), a young girl who seems to be chosen as the next successor, expresses her disbelief at this legacy at first, by saying "Shamans? I think they're nonsense. I don't think they're real."

As Mink's condition begins to worsen, her behavior becomes increasingly disturbing and erratic. The family starts to suspect that she might be possessed by a demon, not the kind goddess Ba Yan.

The suspense builds up slowly during the first half of the story as the documentary-style film includes interviews with Mink's family to present an authentic look into the shaman spiritual inheritance. However, the second half of the film is filled with frightening scenes that will have audiences flinch in their seats.

Na, known for ultraviolent thrillers like "The Chaser" (2008) and "The Yellow Sea" (2010), said he was super cautious when developing the original story for "The Medium" because he wanted to create something different from his previous work "The Wailing" (2016).

"Since both films deal with shamanism, I thought it probably wouldn't make much of a difference if 'The Medium' was shot in a small town in Korea. Then I suddenly thought of Pisanthanakun, whom I met five years ago, and chose to set the film in Thailand. I wanted the filming location to have a rainy season as well as enormous forests and unpaved roads," he said during a press conference for the film, Friday.

When asked if he had given any thought to directing the "The Medium" himself, Na said he is satisfied with being part of the project as a producer.

"Now that I have many works under my belt, there are films that are visually or narratively similar and that tendency grows stronger. Some may define it as one's style but I deliberately try to avoid it," he said.

Director Na Hong-jin poses at a press conference for promoting the film 'The Medium' in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Showbox
Thai actress Narilya Gulmongkolpech in a scene from "The Medium" Courtesy of Showbox

Pisanthanakun, who saw early success with his 2004 debut film "Shutter" and later smashed the country's all-time box office records with his 2013 horror-comedy "Pee Mak," said he spent some time researching Thai shamanism. Calling it a thrilling experience, he said that a lot of hard work went in over a long period of time to create the backstory of goddess Ba Yan.

"When I received the original screenplay, I was worried at first because I didn't know much about Thai shamanism. So I asked Na to give me time to do some research. I was surprised to find out that shamanism in Korea and Thailand are remarkably similar," he said.

The Thai director revealed that he has been a long-time fan of producer Na.

"If you ask me if The Medium was inspired by The Wailing, I would say yes. However, I wanted it to be an original story. I did extensive research on shamans living in the northeastern region of Thailand and shot certain scenes inspired by their shamanic ceremonies," he said.

The two acclaimed directors said they argued over the film's violent and scary scenes. "We never intend on promoting sexual or violent scenes to make it a box office hit. All of them are essential to the story," Pisanthanakun said.

"The Medium" will hit local theaters, July 14.


Emailyeons.kwak@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Koreans stunned by spike in heating costsKoreans stunned by spike in heating costs
2Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night
3People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions
4Inflation weighs on households Inflation weighs on households
5Netflix series 'The Glory' draws focus to real school bullying Netflix series 'The Glory' draws focus to real school bullying
6'I was a stock investment addict': psychiatrist seeks to help addicted people through his book 'I was a stock investment addict': psychiatrist seeks to help addicted people through his book
7[INTERVIEW] Partnerships with Korean companies help Delta Air Lines' post-pandemic recovery INTERVIEWPartnerships with Korean companies help Delta Air Lines' post-pandemic recovery
8Korea's GDP shrinks 0.4% in Q4, 1st contraction in 10 quarters Korea's GDP shrinks 0.4% in Q4, 1st contraction in 10 quarters
9Gov't to double subsidies for vulnerable households as energy bills soar Gov't to double subsidies for vulnerable households as energy bills soar
10S. Korea to increase joint air defense exercises following N. Korean drone incursions S. Korea to increase joint air defense exercises following N. Korean drone incursions
Top 5 Entertainment News
1From period to action: different genre series set for FebruaryFrom period to action: different genre series set for February
2Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film
3Miguel Chevalier's psychedelic digital universe takes audience participation to next level Miguel Chevalier's psychedelic digital universe takes audience participation to next level
4Yun Hyong-keun's hanji works come under spotlight in Paris for first timeYun Hyong-keun's hanji works come under spotlight in Paris for first time
5Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E' Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

wooribank
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group