The movie “Kill Boksoon,” which Dexter Studios produced the video technology for, climbed its way up the charts on Netflix worldwide right after its first release on March 31. Previously, it was invited to the special section of the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany (February), earning some rave reviews. Kill Boksoon is the latest success enjoyed by Dexter Studios, which is why the company has managed to grow its influence as a content producer.
Visual effects (VFX) and content company Dexter Studios announced on April 3 that it worked on the sound, Digital Intermediate (DI; color correction), and Digital Imaging Technology (DIT) of Netflix original Kill Boksoon. Dexter DI Headquarters took a leading role in both DI and DIT, whereas LiveTone, a subsidiary of Dexter Studios, was in charge of sound, which helped for a more efficient production dynamic.
On-set DIT manages all data at the filming site, and engages in real-time compositing and monitoring, while DI color corrects and masters the entire movie in the final stage after it has been cut and edited. Dexter DI Headquarters participated in both DIT and DI for Kill Boksoon, focusing on creating a consistent visual throughout the entirety of the production from filming to final editing.
Park Jin-young, Director of the DI Headquarters, said, “Kill Boksoon has a lot of quick action sequences shot using a Phantom Flex camera, which is a high-speed shooting camera. The movie was filmed using an ARRI Alexa Mini LF camera as the main one, so we checked each video’s condition, lighting, and movement, and worked meticulously on balancing entire sequences by reducing the gap between the two cameras.” Park also explained, “Using the Q-take equipment that allows you to see the composite synthesis screen at the shooting site, we did some real-time color standardization (Primary), color grading (Color Grading), and source synthesis as well.”
Kill Boksoon is an action flick depicting what happens when Gil Boksoon, a single mother raising an adolescent daughter and also a legendary contract killer, gets caught up in an unavoidable confrontation just before renewing her contract with the company. It offers an exciting blend of mundane day-to-day sequences and spectacular action. Different digital color correction technologies stand out as they were used to fit the specific atmosphere of each scene.
Director Park Jin-young said, “We used different settings for each scene in order to present a different look for Gil Boksoon the affectionate mother, and Gil Boksoon the cold-hearted killer.” He added, “Especially in the part that shows the protagonist’s childhood, we went with a rougher visual. The distortions on the screen were added to create a unique look.” Park further explained, “In terms of the story itself and directing composition, we tried to emphasize the high contrast elements and the grain effect used to express vivid textures. And we added richness to the scenes in 4K HDR using bold colors.”
Choi Tae-young, CEO of LiveTone, who worked on producing the sounds of Kill Boksoon, shared a little story. “Although the idea of a worldwide ‘murder inc.’ does feel a bit unrealistic, we used Dolby ATMOS sound to make it feel as realistic as possible. The type, size, and time of what sound we used were all different for each scene, contributing to a wider variety of rich productions.”
He also highlighted the difference in sound work for each scene. Choi said, “To signal the discontent between Gil Boksoon and her daughter Gil Jaeyoung, we used various door sounds. Also, in the parts where the mother and daughter display the same tendencies, we added sound effects that remind people of knives flying around to add excitement.”
Lee Jin-hee, CEO of See At Film, who produced Kill Boksoon, said, “We were able to deliver some great results thanks to the work from our various stakeholders, including Netflix, our investor, and Dexter Studios, which helped create the technology we needed for the movie. We will continue to produce high-quality content and make efforts to keep K-content rising in the global market.”
Meanwhile, according to FlixPatrol, a global OTT ranking aggregator, Kill Boksoon ranked third globally in the Netflix movie category on March 31, just one day after its first release. It performed particularly well in Asia, ranking first in Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. A day later, it rose to no. 1 content in Japan and Malaysia, building anticipation for sustained success going forward.
