The goblin fire that was responsible for the climax of (Jang Jae-hyun), (Kim Han-min)’s overwhelming naval battle, (Cho Seong-hee)’s innovative space sequence, and the vast dystopia of were all created by Korea’s leading special effects (SFX) team, ‘D&D Line’. It is a creation.
As the Korean film industry grows, special effects in Korean films are showing remarkable development year after year. I heard from Do Gwang-seop, CEO of D&D Line, the story of Korea’s special effects that have steadily evolved over the past 30 years.
Do Gwang-seop, CEO of D&D Line, is being interviewed by the Korea Economic Daily at the D&D Line office building in Munbal-dong, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 8th./Photo. ©Reporter Choi Hyuk
▷ First of all, it seems necessary to define the scope and definition of special effects in Korean movies (or dramas), that is, the areas where special effects are used. From the perspective of the general audience, it is not easy to distinguish how much is special effects and where special makeup, special props, or CGI are involved.
right. This is because, in general, all elements must collaborate together. First of all, if you think of the beginning of Korean special effects, you can think of it as being related to climate. In the beginning, creating rain, snow, and wind was the mainstay of special effects.
It would be correct to say that special effects are involved in all scenes that are currently difficult to realize in live action. For example, in the Netflix drama, a monster destroys and destroys a city, and in such scenes, cars and buildings fly away, etc., are designed and created by the special effects team from scratch.
Still cut from Netflix drama ‘Sweet Home’ / Photo source. © IMDb
▷ How is such work generally designed? When a scenario is received, does the special effects team first review which parts require special effects?
You can think of it as understanding both sides at the same time. Once we receive the script, we will review where special effects are needed and also figure out where the directing department needs them. Afterwards, they hold meetings and come to a mutual agreement. In general, the special effects team is able to capture the necessary details in more detail and professionally than the directing team, so those things tend to be reflected a lot.
▷ In general, I understand that most scenes where special effects are used must go through CG. If so, collaboration with the CG team will be necessary. What is the process?
For large-scale scenes, all the necessary technical staff come together to work on the storyboard. There are also times when we also decide whether a scene can be completed with special effects or whether CG is needed. Depending on the need, a video may be created in advance and simulated, called pre-visual. Then, we decide what is possible and divide/collaborate to create an image that can be implemented as much as possible.
Studio interior and work / Photo provided. DNDLINE
▷ If you look at the special effects of recent Korean movies or dramas, they seem to be showing such great perfection that the progress is noticeable every year. How high is Korea’s special effects by global standards?
If we compare it to Hollywood, the equipment and other aspects are much more diverse and superior. However, if you look at the technological level, Korea is not far behind Hollywood. Of course, each person’s strengths are different, so there are some things that Hollywood is better at, and there are some things that Korea does better. Overall, I don’t think it would be unreasonable to say that they are similar in terms of ability.
Studio interior and work / Photo provided. DNDLINE
DnDLINe SFX – [MBC-수사반장1958 (Chief Detective 1958)] Making video
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▷ Although Korean special effects have developed a lot, they are still an unfamiliar field to the public. When and how did you start this job?
At the recommendation of a military classmate, I joined the special effects team for musical performances, and later worked in the drama special effects team. At first, it started with just a water sprinkler truck. In the beginning, all we did was make it rain (laughter). Nevertheless, it was quite a lot of work since we had almost exclusive access to rainy scenes. By working like that, increasing equipment and expanding my network, I think conditions have been created where I can slowly create a company.
▷ My own company, D&D Line, was created in 2003. The company was founded during the golden age of Korean film. What kind of works did you participate in at the time?
This is a work that director Bong Joon-ho did in the early days of establishing this company. A Hollywood company was in charge of the CG, and we were in charge of the special effects. At the time, it seems that Korea’s technology was not at the level to create a monster. My younger brother, who is currently the vice president, was in charge of this work, and when I think about it now, I think it was a great adventure to entrust such a large work to a young friend.
Still, I did well and received recognition. The most difficult part was the sequence where the monster appears in the Han River. To create a scene where a monster falls into the Han River, we made a huge drum and tried to actually drop it. Since there was no manual, we tried many things.
Still cut from the movie ‘The Monster’ / Photo source. © IMDb
▷ Looking at the genre trends of recent dramas and movies (Sci-fi, fantasy, disaster, dystopia, etc.), I think the use of special effects will increase. What is your outlook?
That’s right. As the number of genres increased, the areas requiring special effects became more and more diverse. Therefore, it is true that the boundary between special effects and CG, which I mentioned earlier, has become increasingly complex and ambiguous, but it has also become specialized.
▷ Among the works you have done recently, is there one that was the most difficult or impressive?
The Netflix drama was the most difficult project. It is a 16-episode drama set in space, and most of it has space scenes. This is a work that the staff has been completing for over a year by making equipment and going through countless trials and errors. In this type of space drama, swimming (floating in zero gravity) is the most difficult to implement. Although it is difficult because we are trying new methods, we are producing quite satisfactory results.
Still cut from Netflix drama ‘Ask the Stars’ / Photo source. TMDB
▷ You mentioned that Korea’s special effects technology is world-class, but are there still some regrets?
Such is the case with the car chasing scene. In fact, this is not because Korea is technologically inferior, but because there are many restrictions in Korea when it comes to the conditions necessary to implement a scene. The terrain is narrower and smaller than that of the United States, and there are many restrictions on speed and location, so the car chasing scenes in Korean movies are inevitably pushed back in terms of scale.
▷ The more you listen to the story, the more attractive this field becomes. However, it is unfortunate that there are no majors or educational courses for people who dream of this job. Which major is most helpful? The first thing that comes to mind is mechanical engineering (laughter).
If you are majoring in mechanical engineering, I think it can be quite helpful (laughs). Nevertheless, it is true that there is no major in which one can learn special effects. There is still no theater and film department with a program or manual that can teach something. Regardless of the level of Korean special effects technology, it is also true that the public’s understanding is low, so our company is also creating manuals and training courses to create experts in this area. Good physical strength is also essential (laughter).
Studio interior and work / Photo provided. DNDLINE
Work site / photo provided. DNDLINE
▷ I understand that he has participated in nearly 1,000 works, including movies and dramas. At least I have achieved everything I wanted to achieve in this field.
Absolutely not (laughs). I can still implement various things, but what I really want to do is create things in a completely new area. What I want to achieve is to create scenes, settings, and techniques that have not appeared in Korean films.
Do Gwang-seop, CEO of D&D Line, is being interviewed by the Korea Economic Daily at the D&D Line office building in Munbal-dong, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 8th./Photo. ©Reporter Choi Hyuk Special effects are no longer an auxiliary technology that adds realism to movies. Special effects have become a unique field with their own vision and aesthetics. As Tom Gunning mentioned, didn’t the earliest films begin as ‘the cinema of attraction’ – that is, as a visual medium that fascinated audiences?
And 120 years later, the movie may still be following the same premise. Is there anything more exciting than seeing images that cross time, space, and dimensions, and the people within them? I am already looking forward to seeing what limitations the films they will make in the future will overcome.
D&D Line headquarters building / photo. ©Reporter Choi Hyeok, Kim Hyo-jeong, film critic and guest reporter Arte
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