"If You Want to Live, Grab It! Theater Seat Armrest"

4DX Studio Director Koo Jae-won Receives Praise for 'Peninsula' Effects
"Focus on Intensifying Chair Movements for Thrilling Sensation"
"Emphasis on Eerie Sounds and Sharp Movements in Zombie Action"

Director Koo Jae-won of 4DX Studio

In the movie "Peninsula," Joon-yi (Ire) gets into trouble while saving Jung-seok (Kang Dong-won) and Min-jung (Lee Jung-hyun). Dozens of zombies block the car he is driving. Joon-yi shouts to Kim No-in (Kwon Hae-hyo) and Yoo-jin (Lee Ye-won) in the back seat, "Hold on tight." Then, he forcefully turns the steering wheel to the right, sweeping the zombies aside along the side of the car.

Director Yeon Sang-ho, who watched this scene in a 4DX theater, said, "Just like Joon-yi said, you really have to hold onto the armrest tightly." "The seat shook violently like the back seat of Joon-yi's car. I almost fell off."

4DX is a special sensory experience theater commercialized for the first time in the world by CJ 4DPLEX, a subsidiary of CGV. The seats move and vibrate according to the movie scenes. Wind blows and water splashes. With 101 patented technologies, it is perfect for enjoying action films like "Peninsula." Director Koo Jae-won of 4DX Studio said, "We focused on increasing the intensity of the seat movements to deliver a thrilling sensation."

-There has been much praise for the 4DX effects implemented in the car chase scenes...

▲The car chase in "Peninsula" is special. The car pushes zombies aside as it speeds forward. In typical car chase scenes, movements or effects that disrupt realism are minimized. But in "Peninsula," they were boldly included. Various effects such as "face air" (compressed air blown at the audience's face) and "leg tickler" (calf stimulation) were added.

-The scene where Joon-yi throws zombies aside with a reversing car is considered a highlight.

▲In the movie, events are reconstructed through various shots and editing. The same applies to 4DX. The optimal movements and effects are designed considering the story flow and audience immersion. In the case of Joon-yi's reversing, the seat could not just keep moving backward. The focus was on naturally connecting the moment of starting to reverse, the tension created while reversing, and the impact from the sudden drift.

-There are many wide shots showing the ruined Seoul in "Peninsula." Was it difficult to maintain the atmosphere created by the seat movements and effects?

▲4DX does not simply follow the objects shown on screen to produce effects. It emphasizes the flow and rhythm of each scene. The seat movements and effects were designed to be smooth or naturally cut off.

-How was zombie action implemented in 4DX?

▲Face air was used every time zombies appeared to heighten tension. In action scenes, like in "Train to Busan," the seat movements and vibrations highlighted the characters' traits. When decorating typical fight scenes, immersion from the protagonist's perspective is prioritized. In "Peninsula," more weight was given to the zombies' grotesque sounds and sharp movements. We wanted to convey the feeling that the protagonists are continuously battling bizarre creatures.

-It feels like 4DX has evolved by gradually focusing on the characteristics of each movie...

▲That's right. As know-how accumulated, various elements of movies as well as audience expectations have been reflected.

-There are still not many Korean films shown in 4DX theaters...

▲It might be more accurate to say that there are few films suitable for 4DX. 4DX is not just a device for action movies. It can be diversely directed according to the genre and tone of the film. Musical films like "Aladdin" became popular in 4DX because the new viewing points captivated the audience. For viewers who feel dizzy from the intense effects of 4DX, I recommend starting with such works.

-Are there any upcoming releases expected to have 4DX effects?

▲"Tenet" and "Mulan." Both will be released in 4DX. I also recommend watching re-released films like the "Fast & Furious" series in 4DX. Experiencing 4DX when you already know the story can make the effects feel much stronger.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.