Review: Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a 2018 South Korean found footage horror directed by Jung Bum-shik. Inspired by a real abandoned psychiatric hospital, it follows a web series crew who livestream their investigation of the asylum to attract views and end up getting far more than they bargained for.

As a fan of South Korean horror, I had high hopes. Films like Train to Busan are in my top five for a reason. They’re raw, emotional, and unpredictable. Gonjiam might not reach the same heights, but it still delivered a tense and entertaining ride.

The film starts slow, setting up the cast and their group dynamics while sprinkling in some eerie backstory about thrill-seekers who vanished inside the asylum. You get the usual horror livestream tropes like tech glitches, creepy noises, and a rising sense of dread. But once things start happening, they escalate fast.

The comparisons to Grave Encounters and Blair Witch are fair, especially in the way it builds toward its final act. That said, Gonjiam handles its scares with more finesse and mood. It’s less about gore, in fact there’s barely any, and more about atmosphere, location, and the tension of what you don’t see. The cursed Room 402 plays a huge part in that and without spoiling anything, it’s used really effectively.

The cast, mostly unknown actors, give convincing performances that make the chaos feel all the more real. Even though the concept isn’t brand new, the execution is slick and the ending gave me enough payoff to feel like the slow burn was worth it.

It’s not a reinvent the wheel kind of horror, but it’s suspenseful, dark, and fun to watch. If you’re into found footage and haunted spaces, this one’s worth adding to your list.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Creepy vibes, solid scares, and a cursed room you won’t forget.