Behind the Velvet Curtain: The Making of High Society (2018)
High Society (2018) directed by Byun Hyuk, provides the first opportunity to examine the social, economic, and political issues pertaining to South Korea’s upper class elite. It involves the intertwining of love, ambition, and betrayal. However, the challenges of recording the story to screen were much greater than those the characters on screen were experiencing.
The Weight of Ambition: Cast’s Emotional Labor
Park Hae-il and Soo Ae, the film’s lead actors, played a married couple involved in a political and personal power clash. The scope of the performances required not simply the application of the craft, but considerable emotional input as well. Particularly, capturing the devastating duality of the ambitions of the character played by the actress and the morally repugnancy of the actions to which those ambitions drove the character required overcoming tremendous challenges. The emotional demands of the role, which involved a character in a state of severe distress, required extensive periods of work and emotional stamina, and were likely to make her own emotional state mirror her character’s distress, which, in this instance, is likely to produce emotional damage.
The Challenges of Production
Being able to produce a film that critiques the society it depicts is, especially challenging. In addition to the production team’s logistical challenges, the team also had to consider the limited time available to produce a film. They were also under pressure to produce a film that would connect with audiences in both the home and the international market. Attention to detail regarding both the lavish architecture and the high society events during the filming required effort the and time which must have been stressful. All of this detail had to be woven into an intricate, original, and, most importantly, stimulating plot.
A Film Director’s Inspiration
Director Byun Hyuk, for the film “High Society,” wanted to produce a film that was both seductive and a critique of society. Hyuk wanted to show the seductive power that makes people go to great extremes to obtain it. This meant that a lot of attention had to be given to the balance and relationship between style and meaning in the film. This also meant that, the style factors should enrich the meaning of the film rather than distract attention, which is the case in many productions. The precision Hyuk placed on this aspect of the film meant that many other aspects, in particular the rhythm and mood of sections, had to be sacrificed.
Blurring the Lines: Reel and Real
When talking about the film High Society, the challenges encountered during production are not mere stories that remain behind the curtains and are not simply ancillary to the film’s narrative. Rather, as the film’s narrative arch shows, the personal sacrifices and moral compromises the characters undergo directly parallel the challenges experienced by the cast and crew. This film’s examination of ambition and the resulting fallout works poignantly, and within the context of the live experiences of those who realized the film, it resonates even more. This creates a meaningful bond between reel and real.
More than simply a film, High Society (2018) presents, in a powerful way, the intricate issues and challenges that come in the wake of the acquisition of power and the pursuit of success. The challenges that were encountered during the film’s production definitely underlie the dedication of the team and the recruitment of resilient personnel. This only serves to make the film’s exploration of ambition even more powerful.
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