“Exhuma” emerged as one of the Korean horror films enjoying flashy popularity this year. Not only did it succeed domestically, but this film, starring Kim Go Eun and Lee Do Hyun, garnered attention in whole world.
The film managed to surpass the achievements of “Parasite” at the box office (2019), which had held its ground for over four years, amassing around 700 thousand viewers within just 10 days of its release. That’s truly astounding!
Aside from its gripping plot, the diverse characters in “Exhuma” also captivated audiences. One such character is a Japanese ghost that threatens the lives of shamans. Surprisingly, it’s not a CGI effect; it turns out this sinister ghost is portrayed directly by two actors. Let’s delve into the fascinating details below.
1. The Japanese ghosts in the film “Exhuma” are played by two actors.
facts about the role of a Japanese ghost in the film Exhuma (x.com/showboxmovie)“Exhuma” narrates the tale of a group of shamans and feng shui experts unraveling the mysterious terror within a conglomerate family. However, their journey doesn’t unfold smoothly; instead, it unleashes various terrifying entities.
One such entity is a Japanese ghost wielding a samurai weapon, introduced in the second half of the film. This apparition succeeded in instilling fear in the audience as it menacingly emerged from the grave.
An intriguing fact emerges: the portrayal of the Japanese ghost wasn’t achieved through CGI techniques, but rather by two actors simultaneously—Kim Byung Oh and Kim Min Jun. Director Jae Hyeon Jang revealed this fact firsthand.
2. Kim Byung Oh is listed as one of the tallest people in Korea.
facts about the role of a Japanese ghost in the film Exhuma (x.com/showboxmovie)Kim Byung Oh was selected after undergoing the casting process. Director Jae Hyeon Jang was drawn to his towering height of 225 cm.
“CGI was challenging, and I preferred not to use it. So, I opted for casting,” the director explained. He scouted for a basketball player standing at 225 cm tall, as quoted by Star News on Saturday (9/3/2024).
Indeed, as elucidated by Jae Hyeon Jang, Kim Byung Oh is not only a basketball athlete but also among the tallest individuals in Korea.
3. Kim Min Jun spent 6 hours on the makeup process.
facts about the role of a Japanese ghost in the film Exhuma (x.com/showboxmovie)However, Jae Hyeon Jang solely captured Kim Byung Oh’s body posture for the Japanese ghost’s appearance in “Exhuma,” while the facial aspect was portrayed by actor Kim Min Jun.
Initially, Jang Jae Hyun contemplated involving Japanese actor Ken Watanabe for the ghost’s role. Yet, due to various reasons, he eventually chose Kim Min Jun, whose facial features bore resemblance to Ken Watanabe.
“Casting Ken Watanabe proved challenging. Actor Kim Min Jun resides in my neighborhood; we crossed paths while jogging in Seoul Forest. I found his face reminiscent of a youthful Ken Watanabe,” the film director disclosed.
To bring the character of the Japanese ghost to life, Kim Min Jun devoted six hours to the makeup process.
Apart from Kim Byung Oh and Kim Min Jun, two voice actors contributed to the Japanese ghost character. Rikiya Koyama provided the voice for the Japanese dialogue, while Choi Nak Yoon supplied the booming voice. Absolutely remarkable!