Introduction
“Gonjiam Haunted Asylum” is a found footage horror film set in one of South Korea’s most infamous haunted locations, the Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital.” Directed by Jung Bum Shik and produced by Kim Won-Kuk, this 2018 release quickly became the third most-watched horror movie in South Korea. The film capitalizes on the hospital’s eerie reputation and a purported true story involving mass suicides and a missing director.
Historical Context of Gonjiam Haunted Asylum
In 2012, CNN Travel listed the abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital as one of the “7 freakiest places on the planet. Rumors about the hospital include a mass suicide of patients in 1979 and the mysterious disappearance of the hospital’s director. These macabre legends provide a chilling backdrop for the film.
Plot Summary
The movie revolves around Ha Joon’s YouTube channel, “Horror Times,” which he owns and operates. Alongside six other individuals—Ah Yeon, Charlotte (a Korean-American explorer), Sung Hoon, Seung Wook, Je Yoon, and Ji Hyun—Ha Joon plans a live broadcast exploring the haunted Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital (Gonjiam Haunted Asylum), promising substantial financial rewards for participation.
The film starts with two boys filming their adventure while exploring a hospital (Gonjiam Haunted Asylum). They encounter Room 402, a room with a reputation for doom, and disappear mysteriously. Inspired by this incident, Ha Joon and his team began their investigation.
Exploration and Terror
As the group ventures into the hospital, they experience increasingly bizarre and terrifying events. Ha Joon stays in the control room to handle the live stream while the others explore. Initially, some incidents are revealed to be scripted pranks by Ha Joon, Sung Hoon, and Seung Wook to boost viewership. However, genuine paranormal occurrences soon blur the line between reality and staged horror.
The team discovers unsettling artifacts, including a doll and a photograph of patients with the hospital director. Ji Yoon and Ah Yeon open the dreaded Room 402, while the others encounter ominous coffins with holes in the chest area. Ji Hyun is injured by an unseen force, prompting panic among the group.
Descent into Madness
Supernatural forces thwart the group’s attempts to leave the hospital. Ha Joon notices an extra figure in the live stream, indicating a seventh-person recording, though only six entered the building. Ignoring this, he continues to monitor the escalating horror.
An invisible entity forcibly drags Seung Wook, and the girls repeatedly find themselves back at the same spot, unable to escape. Ji Hyun, possessed by an unknown force, and Charlotte are eventually drawn into the mysterious Room 402. The team is overwhelmed by ghosts, leading to their ultimate demise.
Legal Dispute
The film’s release was not without controversy. The real Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital management filed a lawsuit against the filmmakers, alleging that the movie tarnished the hospital’s reputation. However, the Korean court ruled in favor of the film, allowing its continued distribution and cementing its place in horror cinema.
Legacy of Gonjiam Haunted Asylum
“Gonjiam Haunted Asylum” masterfully blends urban legend with found footage horror, creating a nightmarish experience that resonates with viewers. The film’s success lies in its ability to exploit the genuine fear surrounding the real Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, cementing its place in the pantheon of modern horror cinema.
Conclusion
The film concludes with Ha Joon, enticed by the soaring viewership, entering the hospital. He and the remaining team members meet a gruesome end, manipulated by an unseen ghostly presence. In a final twist, it is revealed that the actual livestream viewership was far lower than perceived, suggesting the entire ordeal was orchestrated by a spectral force, possibly the hospital director’s ghost.