As a veteran screenplay writer, KONG Su-chang has gained a reputation for his thrillers and horror films, such as ‘White Badge’ ‘Tell Me Something’, and ‘Ring’.

He is a graduate of the Korean Literature Department at Hanyang University. Upon graduating, he joined ‘Jang San Got Mae’, an independent film union and wrote a screenplays, such as ‘Oh, My Country of Dreams’ and ‘The Day Before Strike’ When he adopted the novel ‘White Badge’ into a screenplay, it was acclaimed the best Vietnam war film in Korea. He also adopted ‘Ring Virus’ from the original version in Japan, and it saw immediate success for being equally as great as the original.

Continuing to hand write his stories, the total amount of paper he used for this film was 6boxes of A4 sized paper. In R-Point, KONG shows his great talent as a director as well as a writer. Combining the story of an unsolved mysterious occurrence during the Vietnam war with terrifying themes of a ghost story, he successfully takes a great step in introducing a new genre of horror films.

1972, what happened there?

'R-Point' - refers to a once strategically important region in an island 150 km south of HO Chi Minh city. French soldiers were fascinated by the beauty of the island, upon which a leisure facility and a military hospital were built. But the area has a secret past, a haunting curse untold for 30 years.

1st Vietnamese War -1949- 12 French soldiers who were in battle with communist guerillas went mysteriously missing. A total of 650 people have been reported missing there without any explanation.

2nd Vietnamese War -1972- 9 Korean soldiers went missing in the area. There are accounts of unexplainable radio transmissions sent by the group for 6 months requesting to be rescued.

Are these freak occurrences real or not? The fact is that a gravestone which says "No return" still stands, marking the entrance of the area. In addition, to this day, there are reported sightings by local people of the girl who was slaughtered mercilessly a long time ago.

The premise of this film is based on a story that has been passed on by oral tradition. Both French and Korean soldiers have gone missing in the area known as R-Point. In 1972, when American forces were being withdrawn from Vietnam, Korean troops eager to go home, dreaming of returning to their family and friends baring American made gifts and earned money from their service, were unexpectedly sent to R-Point on a mission which would prove fatal. Although their desire to return home was everything to them, once they entered the haunted jungles of R-Point, all hopes of coming back alive were lost. It was the living dead in the jungle that would not let them go. To this day, the cursed spirits of dead Korean soldiers roam R-Point, continuing to search for a way out.

A new genre of horror films.

After a year of researching the legend of the story, followed by 3 years of developing the screenplay, the film finally went into production. The goal was to create a film that will induce unlimited fear and panic based on the use of realistic themes and filming styles. The thematic use of the souls of dead Korean soldiers who have been lost for 30 years, as well as the realistic setting of the film, both contribute to the terrifying effect that the film will give the audience. Ruined temples and deserted French colonial mansions set within a wild tropical jungle is the perfect setting for such a film. And when you place simple minded, god-fearing men to in this environment, it is not only the soldiers in the film who are paralyzed with fear, but the audience will experience a sense of terror like no other as well. Given the obvious fear factor of the film, there is also a very humanistic level to the story, which ultimately gives it a well roundedness. The audience is sure to sympathize with the plight of the soldier's struggle to stay alive.

A horror masterpiece

A first: Vietnam, ghosts and the war.

The production crew covered the cities of Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh and Campot, barely surviving the extreme climate, with temperatures often reaching 40 degrees Celsius and humidity as high as 90%. In addition, they were challenged with the task of working through dense, uncleared jungles, and the threat of diseases and physical illnesses, such as malaria and dehydration. Together with these factors, as well as, working with lighting equipment that required as many as 150 crew members on 6 to 7 hour shifts was a process that was not only hellish, but an actual war itself.

Korean horror film hits, such as 'Wishing Stairs' 'Phone' 'A Tale of Two Sisters' and 'Bunshisaba', all share a common theme typical of films in this genre. It is their use of the emotional intensity and complexity of the female psyche.

But 'R-Point' uses a new approach to making horror films. It is based on the emotional struggles and turmoil of male soldiers during a time of war. In the film, the soldiers are sent on a mission to investigate the inexplicable radio transmissions being sent by soldiers who are presumed to be dead. The thematic originality of the film is its exploration into the experience of true fear by the male soldiers. Also, the film has a documentary element to it. It has a very realistic and fresh feeling, with its setting in the jungles of Vietnam, amidst a time of war. On the other hand, with images that are true to the genre of horror films, such as, showing the souls of dead soldiers crying out "not coming back" has a truly terrifying feel. With the perfect use of reality and fantasy, in addition to the use of original concepts, this film is undoubtedly a horror film masterpiece.

A war against the jungle haunted by evil.

The 'space' is a very important factor in making horror films. Take the house in 'Wishing Stairs' for example, or the old, shabby apartment in 'Sorum', and the box in 'CUBE'. Comparatively, 'R-Point' introduces a fresh and unique space for setting horror films. The soldiers cross the sea and reach the entrance of the jungle, which hauntingly welcomes them with a gravestone saying "NO Return". The seemingly endless jungle, booby traps, and swamps, all contribute to the unique space known as 'R-Point'. Although at moments the scenery appears to be a pure, untouched natural paradise, there is a hidden evil there that slaughters people mercilessly. The two faced setting is the actual cause of the films tragic end. In the story itself, the soldiers themselves are confused by the seeming paradise, not being able to tell between who is good and who is actually the waking dead. Furthermore, the screenplay has been acclaimed as top quality. All these factors have been combined to produce a film that is sure to meet the expectations of the public eye.