Sartaj Singh
‘Parasyte: The Grey’ introduces us to a world where alien parasites fall from space and begin taking over the human population. The parasites inhabit a human host by entering their body and morphing the human’s form into a grotesque creature that feeds on others. Their greatest strength lies in their ability to disguise themselves as normal people and work together as intelligent organisms, gaining knowledge from the brains they control. The South Korean Netflix series follows Jeong Su-in as she suffers from a car accident and is brought back from the brink of death by a parasite entering her ear. However, the parasite somehow fails to take over her mind, and the two coexist in the same body, able to communicate with each other.
Their coexistence becomes co-dependence when other alien parasites discover their bizarre situation and consider it a threat to their kind. As a capable team called the Grey leads an operation against the masquerading alien threat, Jeong Su-in will become the key to turning the tide. The action sci-fi horror show is based on Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Japanese manga series ‘Parasyte,’ and is co-written and directed by acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho. The series is set in an urban South Korean environment and also transports us to the countryside where Jeong Su-in’s story begins, likely sparking curiosity regarding the real-world locations seen in the show.
Parasyte: The Grey Filming Locations
‘Parasyte: The Grey’ is filmed in and around the Seoul Metropolitan Area, South Korea. According to reports, principal photography for the show began in August 2022 and was wrapped up for the first season by the end of the same year. Director Yeon has expressed his enthusiasm for bringing the source material to life as a live-action adaptation. “In my twenties, Parasyte was a staple for those of us who were passionate about manga and animation,” he said in a press release. “Having the opportunity to build upon it and create something new is not only a great honor, but also a dream come true from my younger years.”
Seoul Metropolitan Area, South Korea
The sprawling South Korean capital city of Seoul and its surrounding territories are employed in the creation of ‘Parasyte: The Grey.’ In establishing shots of the series, we can identify the city’s metropolitan landscape, especially when we follow an alien organism dropping from the sky and onto the roof of a stadium. The stadium seen here is the Olympic Stadium of Seoul, located at the heart of the city, at 25 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu. Further scenes covering the panic of the initial alien attack were shot around its bustling streets, conveying a sense of the entire city’s population coming under attack.
While filming, actress Lee Jung-hyun received a coffee truck as a gift from the set of ‘Parasyte: The Grey.’ She also revealed that she had given birth three months prior to filming the action scenes in the show and was undergoing weight training to be able to carry the large weapon her character wields in the series.
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