Naman Shrestha
Originally titled ‘Daehongsu,’ Netflix’s ‘The Great Flood’ is a South Korean science fiction disaster movie that revolves around the deadly consequences of the melting of the Antarctic ice due to a meteor strike. It results in a sudden rise in the water levels across the world, submerging even the tallest of buildings. The narrative centers upon a single mother and artificial intelligence researcher named An-na, who gets trapped in her sinking high-rise apartment building with her son, Ja-in. An-na and her son receive help from Hee-jo, a member of a home resource security team, who has been specially sent on a mission to rescue the researcher by evacuating her to a rooftop helicopter.
According to Hee-jo, An-na has a crucial part to play in striving to achieve a fresh start for humanity after the world collapses soon. In the midst of the disaster, she finds herself overwhelmed by mysterious visions, which only add to the tension. Co-written and directed by Kim Byung-woo, the dystopian thriller features stellar performances from Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-soo, Kwon Eun-seong, Yu-na, Park Byung-eun, and Jeon Hye-jin. The apocalyptic tale of survival unfolds primarily in the high-rise apartment building where An-na resides with her son, Ja-in, as the water submerges the property floor by floor. The confined setting not only generates an immersive atmosphere but also heightens the sense of isolation and danger.
The Great Flood Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘The Great Flood’ was conducted entirely in South Korea, especially in and around Seoul. Principal photography for the disaster film reportedly got underway in the summer of 2022, in the month of July. For the following six months, the cast and crew members worked hard on set to bring the enthralling tale to life. The shooting finally wrapped up in early January 2023.
Seoul, South Korea
The striking visuals of ‘The Great Flood’ primarily depict An-na’s desperate pursuit of her son, Shin Ja-in, against the dull and dreary backdrop of an asteroid-triggered catastrophic flood that has not only flooded her apartment complex but also hit the entire planet. The production team likely utilized the facilities of a production studio in South Korea to showcase the high tension in the lives of the Artificial Intelligence development researcher and other survivors, as well as the devastation caused by the flooding.
Since Seoul is home to numerous production studios offering state-of-the-art services, the crew likely settled on one such advanced filming complex to tape the film. Filming in a studio provides the team with a controlled shooting environment that’s ideal for maintaining consistency in visuals, executing complicated sequences with ease, and creating the intended mood and tone to complement the narrative. The cast and crew also seemingly traversed through multiple locales of the capital city of South Korea to paint the visual canvas of the dystopian movie.
Seoul is a global entertainment hub, renowned for its world-class studios, film-friendly policies, skilled technicians, iconic aesthetic landmarks, favorable climate, and diverse landscape, which ranges from heritage palaces and historic structures to parks and rivers to futuristic neon-lit alleys and contemporary architecture. Over the years, it has hosted the production of a wide variety of movies and television shows across various genres and scales. Some of the titles that feature the stunning locations of the city are ‘Parasite,’ ‘Oldboy,’ ‘Train to Busan,’ ‘All of Us Are Dead,’ ‘Squid Games,’ and ‘The Silent Sea.’
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