Antarctic Journal (Namgeuk-ilgi) 2005, Film Review

by Adnan Kundi
April 24, 2014
in FILM REVIEWS, KOREA
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The Cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon

Antarctic Journal shown in the Korean Cultural Centre is one of the six films being shown to celebrate the works of the Cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon in the Year of the Film Professionals. The Cinematographer Chung Chung- hoon has worked in movies such as Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) and Oldboy (2003) which are very well known. He is currently living and working in America and has worked in Stoker (2013) starring Nicole Kidman and Boulevard (2014) starring Robin Williams. Chung Chung-hoon is at the peak of his carreer and is working both in America and South Korea.

kang-ho song

Antarctic Journal is quite different than the rest of the South Korean films of Horror Genre, becomes it includes thriller as well as mystery in it. An expedition of six men goes out towards Antarctica and while trekking through the icy and snowy landscape, come upon an eighty years old diary. The diary is left behind by a British team which has not a word written in it, but instead, is filled with pictures. What follows are strange occurrences among the team members.

kang-ho song and Ji-tae Yu

Outstanding performances by Kang-ho Song, Ji-tae Yu, Hee-soon Park, Je Mun Yun and Duek-mun Choi brings the film into life. Quite well Directed by Pil-Sung Yim and an amazing Cinematography by Chung Chung-hoon at times makes you feel that you yourself are in the Antarctic. I will be very honest with you, while watching the film, I literally started feeling cold, because the men in the film were constantly walking in the snow. I could see a few people put on their scarves around their necks.

Antarctic Journal was shot very brilliantly in Korea and NewZealand. It also won the Best Director Award in the Catalonian International Film Festival in 2005.