KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — When a horror concept strikes a chord, it often transcends borders, evolving through different cultural lenses to terrify new audiences. The latest project to ride this wave of cross-border dread is 402: Rumah Sakit Angker Korea, an Indonesian adaptation of South Korea’s critically acclaimed found-footage nightmare, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum.
Directed by Anggy Umbara and produced by MD Pictures, Pichouse Films, and Umbara Brothers Film, the Indonesian version arrives in Malaysian cinemas tomorrow, July 16, via distributor Antenna Entertainments.
The source material, 2018’s Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum, remains a benchmark for the found-footage genre. Directed by Jung Bum-shik and inspired by the real-life abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, the film was a commercial juggernaut, grossing US$21 million (RM89 million) against a lean budget of US$2.2 million.
It currently stands as one of South Korea’s most-watched horror films, trailing only the legendary A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) and Phone (2002).
The premise is a modern anxiety: a horror web series crew infiltrates a haunted asylum for a live broadcast, chasing views and viral fame, only to find themselves trapped in a supernatural deadlock.
402: Rumah Sakit Angker Korea is the second regional reimagining of the story, following the 2024 Philippine remake, Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital. Directed by Kerwin Go, the Philippine version proved the concept's enduring appeal by climbing to No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 Movies chart in the Philippines last year.
While the core narrative of content creators risking their lives for "likes" remains, director Anggy Umbara reveals that the technical execution was a grueling process. Speaking via the KapanLagi website, Umbara highlighted the difficulty of maintaining a realistic, immersive atmosphere using the POV technique.
“The challenge was first the technical side because this POV technique is difficult,” Umbara shared. “With 28 cameras, one person has to hold three cameras at once. It’s not easy.”
The commitment to realism was so intense that the actors had to master filming techniques on the fly, with some even requesting to be credited as camera operators. Umbara praised the cast for their ability to sustain dramatic tension and emotional authenticity while simultaneously managing the cumbersome hardware during complex long takes.
Since its Indonesian premiere on July 9, 402: Rumah Sakit Angker Korea has already drawn more than 183,000 viewers. The film features a strong ensemble cast, including Arbani Yasiz as Juna, Saputra Kori as Adit, Elang El Gibran as Bara, Diandra Agatha as Arum, Lea Ciarachel as Yuri, Jang Han-Sol as Dae-Ho, and Aylena Fusil as Tyas.
Malaysian horror fans can experience the terror nationwide starting tomorrow.