KBS is presenting a volcano documentary this time. ‘Volcano, Humanity’, which captures the vibrancy of nature in 4K, is set to debut in living rooms.
On the 27th, a production presentation for KBS ‘Documentary Insight - Volcano, Humanity’ was held at Onmam Theater in Hongdae, Seoul. PD Park Byeong-gil, Jeong Yong-jae, and cinematographers Shin Sung-il and Jo Ho-young attended.
‘Volcano, Humanity’ tracks the lives of millions of diverse ethnic groups living next to volcanoes in the Pacific Ring of Fire, also known as the Circum-Pacific Belt. It consists of three parts: ‘Grandfather Yasur’, ‘The Mountain of Great Gods’, and ‘The Giant of Unquenchable Fire’.
This documentary sheds light on volcanoes, which are both a blessing and a disaster from nature. It captivates viewers with fascinating stories about volcanic myths passed down through various ethnic groups. It also highlights those who have chosen to live in close proximity to volcanoes.
The documentary features vibrant visuals captured in ultra-high-definition 4K HDR. It aims to provide an immersive experience by closely filming the intense vitality of volcanic craters, which are difficult for humans to access, using special equipment.
PD Park Byeong-gil stated, “I wanted to produce a documentary about nature even before joining the company. I believe it is a role and duty that KBS should fulfill. I wanted to cover nature, including volcanoes. I was assigned to ‘Documentary Insight’ this year and started preparations in January, with production beginning in March. We filmed in Asia, South America, and Australia, which are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.”
PD Jeong Yong-jae mentioned, “There are three active volcanoes in Guatemala. It is a sacred place for volcanoes, and many Americans come to see them. I was curious about why the people living there choose to live in such a place, so I wanted to hear their stories.”
PD Jeong Yong-jae also shared, “I felt the status of K-pop where I filmed. We did street casting, and people were happy to hear we came from Korea. Showing them a Blackpink album significantly increased our success rate in casting.” In response, PD Park Byeong-gil added, “I was in a place where I didn’t know much about Korea. The production team built relationships by playing with the children.”
PD Park Byeong-gil noted, “Recent foreign documentaries are already from 2-3 years ago. We successfully captured close-up shots in high quality with drones. We filmed in 4K HDR, which preserves all the original colors. While most volcano documentaries focus on science or history, we tell the stories of people living near volcanoes,” highlighting the differences from existing volcano documentaries.
Director Shin Sung-il revealed, “When I mentioned filming volcanoes, people worried about the dangers. I filmed a nature documentary and endured a week to capture Bengal tigers, but filming volcanoes was even more challenging. A warning appeared on the staff's phone indicating we were climbing 100 floors. We were climbing every day to film the indigenous people, which was physically exhausting, hence the warning. It was tougher than any other documentary.”
However, he added, “We were lucky with the weather. Nature documentaries require good weather. Volcanoes are hot, and poor weather makes it hard to secure visibility. We were fortunate and captured vibrant scenes.”
Despite being well-prepared with insurance and safety equipment, the production team faced challenges with volcanic sulfur. Director Jo Ho-young mentioned, “Our equipment melted due to volcanic sulfur, which was tough. PD Park Byeong-gil had many concerns regarding the production budget, but we worked hard, and the post-production team beautifully enhanced the scenes we captured.”
Kim Nam-hee, who has appeared in the Netflix series ‘Sweet Home’ and the drama ‘The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate’, participated in the narration of the three-part series ‘Volcano, Humanity’. With her unique soft and warm low voice, she will warmly embrace the lives of those living in the presence of volcanoes.
PD Park Byeong-gil stated, “Previously, Kim Nam-hee excelled as a presenter for ‘Arrived Future’. She genuinely expresses the messages she believes in. For this documentary, we needed someone who could convey the grand scale of nature in a heavy yet gentle manner, especially in pure scenes with children. I thought she was the perfect actor. While dubbing, she expressed her admiration without reservation and was excited, immersing herself as if it were her own broadcast.”
‘Volcano, Humanity’ will air on the 28th with ‘Grandfather Yasur’, on December 5th with ‘The Mountain of Great Gods’, and on December 12th with ‘The Giant of Unquenchable Fire’, all at 10 PM.
