Burning (2018) – Filming Locations
Mystery / Drama / Thriller · Directed by Lee Chang-dong · Starring Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Jong-seo
Deliveryman Jong-su is out on a job when he runs into Hae-mi, a girl who once lived in his neighborhood. She asks if he'd mind looking after her cat while she's away on a trip to Africa. On her return, she introduces to Jong-su an enigmatic young man named Ben, who she met during her trip. One day Ben tells Jong-su about his most unusual hobby.
Where was Burning filmed?
- Paju, South Korea, Paju – Wide shots of empty fields and landscape that establish the isolated setting where Jong-su lives and works. The desolate rural landscape near the Korean demilitarized zone provides the film's contemplative visual foundation and reinforces themes of emptiness and division
- Seoul, South Korea, Seoul – Haemi and Ben navigate affluent Seoul neighborhoods; Jong-su observes the contrast between wealth and his own poverty. The wealthy Gangnam district contrasts sharply with Jong-su's rural background, visually embodying class tensions central to the narrative
- Paju, South Korea, Paju – Jong-su and Ben enter the industrial-scale greenhouses where burning occurs; pivotal confrontation scene. The actual greenhouses serve as the climactic location, their stark geometric forms and enclosed spaces intensifying the film's psychological dread
- Seoul, South Korea, Seoul – Jong-su and Haemi spend leisure time; scenes of urban recreation and intimacy. The Han River provides moments of respite and connection between characters, offering visual contrast to the film's tension