Program Note
The title ‘Doombung’ refers to a pond that acts as either a life-saving elixir or a deadly poison, depending on who encounters it. The area is shrouded in the mysterious legend of the ‘Goblin’s Pond.’ The film is structured into three episodes: ‘Goblin Frequency,’ ‘Electric Brain,’ and ‘Life Water.’ The protagonists of each episode face harrowing experiences: a fisherman loses his life to the pond’s ominous aura, a Bitcoin miner loses his mother by following computer instructions, and a person experiences bizarre physical changes after drinking the pond water. Each story portrays a unique version of hell for its characters. Doombung: The Puddle primarily follows a ghost story format but introduces elements of slasher, low-budget sci-fi, and creature features, showcasing the director’s ambitious genre-blending style. The common thread that ties these episodes together is the danger each protagonist faces, driven by personal greed. The goblin’s pond ultimately perpetuates its legend by feeding on human selfishness. (HUH Namwoong)