Scene from the horror film Salmokji. / Showbox

Director Lee Sang-min introduced his feature debut Salmokji, a horror film built around the unsettling qualities of water and confined spaces, during a production presentation in Seoul on Tuesday.

The film stars Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won and follows a filming crew that visits a reservoir known as Salmokji for a road-view shoot, only to encounter an unknown and mysterious presence.

Speaking at the event held at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall, Lee explained that water itself served as the core element of fear in the story.

“I wanted to express the fear that comes from reflections in water, the sounds beneath the surface, and the feeling of being unable to escape,” he said. “I tried to imagine a kind of horror that only a water ghost could create.”

The director said the story was also inspired by the eerie atmosphere of a real location. While browsing road-view images online, he noticed a section where filming abruptly stopped.

“That moment made me wonder why the camera couldn’t go any further,” Lee said. “The story began from imagining what might exist beyond that point.”

He added that the film emphasizes the relationship between space and fear, particularly the unsettling boundary where water and land blur together in the reservoir setting.

“The atmosphere of the reservoir naturally draws viewers into the story,” Lee said. “We also used 360-degree cameras to help audiences feel as if they are experiencing the space directly.”

The director praised the collaboration with his cast during filming.

“The characters all have distinct personalities, which made group scenes challenging at times,” he said. “But the actors actively suggested movements and ideas, which helped a lot.”

Kim, who plays the character Su-in, said she felt both excitement and nervousness about starring in a horror film.

“There were many scenes where I had to express emotions through my eyes and facial expressions rather than actions,” she said. “I discussed those moments closely with the director.”

Lee Jong-won, who plays Gi-tae, said the script was already frightening when he first read it.

“Even on set there were many tense moments,” he said. “Although it’s a horror film, filming with the cast gave me a new and memorable experience.”

The film is scheduled to open in theaters on April 8.

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