M83 Depicts Naval Battle in Film 'Noryang' with Advanced VFX Technology

[Visual effects (VFX) used in the movie . Above Before, below After. (Provided by M83)]

As the film (hereafter Noryang), which marks the finale of the ‘Yi Sun-sin Trilogy Series,’ continues its box office success, M83 Co., Ltd. (hereafter M83, CEO Kim Ho-sung, Jung Sung-jin) is gaining attention for its large-scale VFX (Visual Effects) work that perfectly depicts naval battles and direction. M83, which served as the main VFX studio for the previous film (hereafter Hansan) and directed naval battles without using “water,” has now completed the final naval battle with even more advanced technology through Noryang.

The film Noryang is the first in Korean film history to bring to the screen the Battle of Noryang, a naval battle that changed the fate of Joseon 425 years ago with its strategy and tactics, leaving a lasting mark in world naval history. The actual size of the Panokseon warship was faithfully recreated on the filming set, and the production quality was enhanced through pre-visualization and camera movement rehearsals that allowed the scenes to be realized on site after animation work prior to filming.

[Visual effects (VFX) used in the movie . Above Before, below After. (Provided by M83)]

M83 is known to have further strengthened its position as an industry leader with new VFX technologies through Noryang. In stark contrast to the approximately 180 ships depicted in the battle scenes of the previous film Hansan, Noryang features a battle involving about 1,000 ships from Joseon, Japan, and Ming China, demonstrating a scale so vast that even laypeople can distinguish the difference. Moreover, since the Battle of Noryang was the only night battle during the seven years of the Imjin War, great effort was put into the technical advancement to evoke catharsis through intense combat scenes even in the darkness.

M83’s VFX Supervisor Park Min-soo explained, “We depicted large-scale battles using our proprietary crowd simulation technology, added vividness to scenes of ships breaking apart through stepwise simulation techniques, and internalized technology by automating effects such as fire, smoke, and flags fluttering in the wind through workflow technology.” He added, “This work embodies the special efforts and dedication of all M83 employees, and since large-scale naval battles like this are rarely experienced, we hope the audience can share the emotions we felt through the screen.”

M83 CEO Jung Sung-jin stated, “Noryang dedicates over 100 minutes to naval battle scenes, striving to deliver spectacular visuals unlike those seen in past naval films. To realize the most challenging VFX technologies such as large-scale water simulation, digital humans, and FX (Special Effects) simulations like massive explosions, we used the highest-spec computing and simulators available. Our goal and purpose were to realistically recreate the historically largest and fiercest Battle of Noryang.” He continued, “Audiences can experience the sensation of fighting right in the middle of the battlefield, and since M83 has incorporated all its K-VFX technology and know-how, we hope viewers enjoy this native film made with our technology even more.”

Meanwhile, M83 leads the industry as the main VFX studio for major domestic and international productions including Noryang’s prequel, the film released last July, the film , and the drama . In 2024, M83 plans to showcase even more advanced VFX technologies through numerous blockbuster projects.

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