As the summer comes to an end, a terrifying new Korean-Thai collaboration film hit the big screens in Korea on August 21st.
This movie, produced jointly by two major horror film teams from Korea and Thailand, is adapted from one of Korea’s top 3 horror ‘murder houses,’ aiming to give the audience a bone-chilling night at the cinema.
The film, produced by the team behind ‘The Medium,’ maintains the suspenseful and thrilling style, taking the horror atmosphere to the extreme.
The story revolves around the protagonist, Chaehui (portrayed by the talented actress Yooinhee), who had a happy family until her husband’s tragic accident shattered her life.
In the midst of grieving her husband’s loss, she decides to visit a remote property her husband purchased in the countryside – a place called ‘Everlasting Garden,’ hoping to find memories of their time together.
However, behind the seemingly peaceful mansion lies a series of unknown secrets, and Chaehui’s arrival seems to awaken the eerie forces long buried there.
From the outset, the director creates a strong sense of unease with subtle camera language and eerie sound effects. As Chaehui steps into Everlasting Garden, she is surrounded by an inexplicable chill, as if invisible eyes are watching her every move.
The corridors of the mansion are filled with unknown whispers, and the dark shadows in the rooms are hair-raising.
She gradually discovers that the house seems to deliberately prevent her from leaving, with every attempt to escape leading to more terrifying visions.
The red splotches on the walls, the brief appearance of a stranger in the mirror, and the sharp cries heard at midnight… these horrifying scenes continuously challenge the audience’s psychological endurance.
As the story unfolds, Chaehui finds an old dusty diary in the mansion, detailing the bizarre events that happened to the previous owners of Everlasting Garden.
She learns that this mansion was once the residence of a wealthy family, but due to a series of mysterious deaths, the family gradually met its end.
Chaehui begins to realize that these bizarre events are no coincidence but a continuation of some curse.
And her arrival may be the beginning of all this horror. As she delves deeper into the investigation, more secrets about her husband’s past surface, and she gradually understands that she came not only for a lost love but is driven by a more powerful force.
‘Everlasting Garden’ as a horror film fully combines the essence of both Korean and Thai horror cultures.
The movie incorporates the mysterious religious elements of Thai ghost films and the psychological suspense unique to Korean horror films.
The director skillfully uses lighting changes and realistic sound design to make the audience feel as if they are in the midst of the tension and unknown at all times.
The film avoids exaggerated bloody scenes and instead, through the progression of the plot and detailed characterizations, allows the audience to experience chilling fear without realizing it.
