South Korea is a veritable destination for documentary filmmaking. It’s all about tradition and culture when it comes to this amazing place. Documentary production in South Korea can also be about progress, about rising from below ground, and about a country that’s modern, and ready to face any challenge.
Documentary production in South Korea, what to expect
What’s it like doing documentary production in South Korea? Well, you can expect the same you’d in any Northern Asian country, such as Japan or Taiwan. A developed nation with almost everything modernized, South Korea sits high at the top of the infrastructure and technology games. You will find every single piece of equipment you can think of here, so there’s no need to bring your own. Simply rent your cameras and gear from a shop, mostly offering reasonable prices, and you’re good to go. No matter what documentary you’re shooting, extras and even actors are available at great competitive prices on the spot.
Another thing to expect from documentary production in Korea is the hard work of the local people. No matter what they do within your crew, Koreans are incredibly loyal and hardworking. Actors, producers, handymen, fixers, interviewers, and their subjects, will all impress you with their devotion. When you meet a Korean, you will soon realize just how great of a price they put on work and doing their job right. This is one of the major benefits of doing production in this incredible country.
Lastly, you can expect a plethora of subjects to film documentaries about when in South Korea. The history of the two Koreas is the main one. Then, you can do a movie in itself about Seoul, the capital and one of the world’s megacities. Lastly, head into the natural wonders of South Korea, such as Seoraksan National Park, or the famous Garden of the Morning Sun.
Three unique facts about South Korea
Documentary production in South Korea is all about finding uniqueness in the mundane. And luckily, there are some facts about this country that any good producer can quickly turn into an incredible documentary. Number one, South Korea is one of the few countries on Earth where men are spoiled on Valentine’s Day, not women. The male is “put on a pedestal” for the holiday, and cherished by their female counterparts with gifts, romantic dinners, and all the rest.
Number two, South Korea is one of the largest markets in the world for plastic surgery. With an overdeveloped K-Pop industry, in which all superstars look perfect, youngsters are more and more inclined to have their faces enhanced with the help of substances or even the scalpel. Plastic surgery is very popular with neighboring countries as well. Third, South Korea’s Northern border with North Korea is considered to be the most dangerous border crossing anywhere on the planet. A few minutes near the famous Korean Demilitarized Zone will show you why.