A failing YouTuber looks to boost her viewership by adapting the true horror stories told to her by a weary manager of a subway station. However, her pursuit for online fame may lead her to a grim story all her own.
Ghost Train delivers an anthology of Korean ghost stories all revolving around the same, seemingly cursed, subway station. The film is written by Jo Ba-Reun and acts as a sister film to his 2021 film, Ghost Mansion. Whereas Ghost Mansion was about a reporter who gathered stories from the tenants in a haunted apartment about their missing neighbors, Ghost Train is about a YouTuber gathering stories from an alcoholic subway manager about folks who vanished under mysterious circumstances. This is a classic example of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to filmmaking. Both films have similar promotional posters, and their anthology approach to telling one overarching story through several smaller tales work beautifully. However, where Jo Ba- Reun wrote and directed Ghost Mansion, he left the directing of Ghost Train to Se-woong Tak. This is Tak’s second film, with his first being 2022’s Devil in the Lake. Both Jo and Se-woong are clearly passionate about horror, and their combined efforts pay off in this upcoming Well Go USA release.
Featuring tales about vengeful spirits, a subway station with a dark past, and a vending machine that takes far more than it gives… Ghost Train offers up unique scares one right after another. The overarching story is told from the perspective of Da-kyeong, a failing YouTuber her goes by the name “The Queen of Horror”. When her viewer count plummets, and her peer group starts to look down upon her, she starts to seek out the creepiest tales she can find in order to win over new subscribers. Rumors lead her to a nameless subway manager who watches over Gwanglim Station, a place with more cases of missing people than any other area in the region. Initially reluctant to tell Da-kyeong anything about the station’s dark history, he quickly caves when she offers him a rare bottle of alcohol. With every bottle she provides, she gets another story. The trend continues until she finds herself closer to the horror than she ever intended.
Da-kyeong is played by actress Joo Hyun-young, who’s resume has been rapidly growing since 2018. Initially playing a super powered high school student in the TV series ‘Govengers’, her work load has included dramas, romance, and comedies. She brings energy to Ghost Train, first portraying Da-kyeong as a shy young girl full of self-doubt and uncertainty only to eventually wind up as an outspoken and demanding perfectionist. Perfectly playing off of her changing attitude is Jeon Bae-soo who plays the nameless station manager. As Da-kyeong’s character becomes more entangled in his tales, the further from a bumbling alcoholic he becomes. By the time the film is over, Jeon Bae-soo’s performance has covered everything from reluctance and regret to malice and contempt. Both stars beautifully weave the film’s many stories together, culminating it all into a solid horror film with great performances.
While the film utilizes some computer generated effects, there’s no shortage of practical work being done to ground the film into an unsettling world of possibility. Nothing is too over-the-top and every threat feels menacing. While an occasional death or scare might make you laugh, there’s something unpleasant soon to follow. The film doesn’t feature anything too gruesome or traumatizing, which makes it a solid film for young adults whose families are wanting to introduce them to foreign horror films. Each story within Ghost Train is completely unique, but viewers can expect to see some overlap involving the characters that tie everything together beautifully in the film’s final act. With its charming writing, solid direction, and original tales that don’t feel like retelling of old urban legends… Ghost Train is worth seeing by anyone who loves foreign films, foreign horror, or horror in general. It’s the right kind of fun that’s just begging for a movie night.
For those eager to see this Korean horror anthology, you can look for Ghost Train on February 17th when Well Go USA releases it digitally. It will also be available on DVD and Bluray exclusively through Amazon on the same day. I encourage anyone who enjoys the ride to find Jo Ba-Reun Ghost Mansion anywhere they can. This is a Korean writer worth keeping your eyes on.