Naman Shrestha
Paramount+’s ‘A Bloody Lucky Day’ is a South Korean psychological thriller series that chronicles the life of an ordinary taxi driver named Oh Taek who drives all kinds of passengers across the city to their respective destinations. After envisioning lots of pigs in his dream, he believes that his luck is about to change for the better. After spending a usual day in his car, he thinks about heading home for the day. Just then, a strange man named Geum Hyuk Soo offers him an extra amount of money, a million won, to drive him to the port city of Mokpo.
Accepting the offer, Oh Taek begins driving towards the destination without having any idea that Geum is a serial killer planning to stow away on a boat. As the truth about him uncovers little by little throughout the drive, what was supposed to be a pleasant journey turns into a terrifying one. Now, the driver must be cautious as well as cunning in order to survive the clutches of his deadly passenger. Given the thrilling road trip towards Mokpo, there are several interesting locations that fill the backdrop, sparking curiosity in the minds of the audience regarding the filming locations as well as the authenticity of the story of ‘A Bloody Lucky Day.’
A Bloody Lucky Day is Based on a Webtoon of the Same Name
No, ‘A Bloody Lucky Day’ is not based on a true story. However, the two screenwriters — Kim Min-sung and Hannah Song — took inspiration from the eponymous webtoon by Aporia and came up with the enthralling screenplay for the South Korean show. The two talented screenwriters crafted the gripping yet true-to-life tale with the help of their experience and brilliant penmanship. Apart from the seemingly realistic tale, the character of Geum Hyuk Soo is not far from a real-life serial killer. This is mainly because Yoo Yeon-Seok, who portrays the serial killer, went into the mind of his character, someone who doesn’t empathize or feel for his victims.
Although it was difficult for Yeon-Seok to relate to the character or sympathize with him, he tried his best by searching and watching videos of real-life psychopathic criminals. While studying for his character, he noticed that most criminals tend to have their eyes wide open while talking with a sharp glint. Accommodating that aspect into his acting, he then attempted to express the same look hidden inside an innocent gaze.
Moreover, similar situations like the one in the show — a taxi driver stuck with a killer as his passenger — have been portrayed in other productions. One of the aptest examples has to be that of the Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx starrer ‘Collateral.’ Helmed by Michael Mann, the crime action movie revolves around a regular taxi driver named Max who becomes the hostage of his passenger, Vincent, who turns out to be a contract killer. To put an end to Vincent’s killer spree across LA, Max must stop him somehow and survive the night. The storylines and characters of the 2004 film are quite similar to the ones in ‘A Bloody Lucky Day.’ Thus, we can conclude that despite containing many realistic themes, the South Korean show is just a work of fiction.
Where is A Bloody Lucky Day Filmed?
‘A Bloody Lucky Day’ is filmed in its entirety in South Korea, utilizing its sprawling and diverse landscapes of several locations, purportedly Seoul. Reports suggest that the production of the debut season of the crime series took place in early 2023, lasting for a few months or so. Now, let’s navigate through all the specific shooting sites that make an appearance in the Paramount+ production.
Seoul, South Korea
Representing the southern section of the Korean Peninsula, South Korea is an East Asian country renowned for its thriving entertainment industry. To be specific, its capital city Seoul is a hub of all things entertainment, which is why it is a prominent filming destination across the nation. Seoul is home to several production facilities, skilled technicians, actors, and multiple scenic attractions and landmarks that are favorable for the creation of a wide variety of movies and television shows such as ‘A Bloody Lucky Day.’ Not just that, the government also grants tax benefits to qualifying projects that are taped in the city.
Taking the aforementioned factors into consideration, it is likely that the intense thriller is shot in the region. From what we can gauge, the cast and crew members utilize all available resources offered by the stunning city to manufacture the setting and make it seem just like another character in the world of the taxi driver Oh Taek. Since many sequences in the show take place on the streets, it makes sense that the lit-up streets of Seoul might have been chosen as a shooting site for the same. Over the years, the city has assisted in the lensing of many shows and movies; some of the popular ones are ‘Parasite,’ ‘Badland Hunters,’ ‘Oldboy,’ ‘Hellbound,’ and ‘The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil.’
Read More: Best Serial Killer Movies on Netflix
