AMID a flood of over-saturation with scream-for-the-sake-of-it horror films, Ghost Train comes chugging into cinemas as a refreshing detour. Rather than shoving viewers into a nonstop haunted house of shrieking ghosts and flickering lights, this South Korean horror-thriller dares to take its time. Directed by Tak Se-woong and featuring a sharp lead performance from Joo Hyun-young, the film anchors itself in urban legend and internet clout-chasing two elements that surprisingly play very well together.
Clocking in at 94 minutes, Ghost Train tells the story of Da-kyung, a struggling horror YouTuber who sets her sights on Gwanglim Station, a place infamous for disappearances and whispered legends. What follows is not just a ghost story, it is a meta-exploration of storytelling itself, where the search for viral fame runs headfirst into forces far beyond comprehension.
This is not the kind of horror film that punishes viewers with jump scares every five minutes. And thank goodness for that.
