Langjong, a Thai horror film, was conceived and produced by Na Hong-jin, the director known for the film The Wailing (곡성).
The film revolves around the events that unfold when various souls, unjustly killed due to crimes committed by their ancestors, possess a seemingly ordinary young woman named 'Ming' and become malevolent spirits. However, following its release, the film received a barrage of negative reviews, with many criticizing it for being excessively and unnecessarily violent and disturbing. After its theatrical release, I also went to the cinema, but due to the nature of the film's excessive handheld shots utilizing a faux documentary style, I experienced a severe headache and ended up having to leave the theater midway, something I had never done before.
However, if I were to choose the most impactful scene from the entire film, it would undoubtedly be the scene where 'Ming' is in the office discussing the cameraman and the shaman.
The backdrop is a bright office, dominated by white walls with a splash of pink in the form of an employee guidance notice, creating a cheerful atmosphere. More importantly, the innocent smile of a 20-year-old woman radiates a sense of normalcy, a representation of the kind of people we frequently encounter in our everyday lives. The presence of this scene emphasizes the progressively grotesque and violent actions of 'Ming' as the film progresses.
Furthermore, this scene lays the foundation for us to recognize that the person smiling before the camera is, in fact, someone's cherished daughter and family member. 'Ming,' whose body is taken over by numerous malevolent spirits, is responsible for the brutal scenes that fill the rest of the film. During these scenes, her relatives and family members desperately try to restrain her. These malevolent spirits inhabiting Ming's body are the karmic consequences of sins committed by Ming's ancestors.
Reminds me of a breaching experiment
In the field of social psychology, a breaching experiment aims to highlight the context of social interaction by violating common social norms and conventions.
Imagine you are waiting in line at a coffee shop on your way to work. Suddenly, someone cuts in line and orders their coffee. At that moment, we are immediately made aware of the social norms that are so ingrained in our daily lives, and we make decisions about how to respond based on those norms. Moreover, it leads to the realization that we are social beings, strongly influenced by the worlds we belong to.
The heavy presence of an individual
Langjong remained a horror film for me, but the horror didn't stem from the situations caused by ghosts. Instead, it was a film that made me realize that every person we encounter is a product of the world, connected to countless unseen familial ties.
Conclusion: It struck me that the continuation of life, from waking up to winding down, is both astonishing and a reminder of the great responsibility we hold for our current selves.
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