'Siren’s Kiss' team unveil the art of lighting, props, music and more that bring the K-drama to life

Siren’s Kiss team has offered a glimpse into the journey of bringing the K-drama to life.

Siren’s Kiss follows Cha Woo Seok (Wi Ha Joon), who investigates an insurance fraud case involving people who died after getting involved with Han Seol Ah (Park Min Young). As the story unfolds, he relentlessly digs into the mystery surrounding the woman suspected of being the culprit. 

In the series, the seamless harmony of elements such as light and shadow, art direction, and music has captivated viewers in every episode. Sharing how the team approached bringing artistic value to the drama, cinematographer Park Sung Yong, art director Lee Kang Hyun, and music director Heo Sung Jin have shared behind-the-scenes insights into the production.

Cinematographer Park Sung Yong, art director Lee Kang Hyun, and music director Heo Sung Jin expressed their heartfelt gratitude to viewers who have been offering high praise after each episode airs. 

Park Sung Yong shared, "Noticing the effort we put in and giving such positive feedback makes it feel like everything we went through has been rewarded."

Art director Lee Kang Hyun said, "Since the drama's main setting is an auction, I worked with a sense of pressure. I tried to take a step forward in visuals compared to previous works, and while that was achieved to some extent, there are still some regrets left."

Music director Heo Sung Jin added, "It feels even more meaningful, and I'm grateful that viewers seem to have felt the synergy between the direction and the music together."

They also talked about the production process behind capturing the intense yet distinctive vibe of Siren’s Kiss.

Cinematographer Park Sung Yong spoke about introducing Panavision anamorphic lenses in Korea, saying, "When I first read the script, the tone of Hollywood mystery thrillers came to mind, along with the vintage yet romantic tone of La La Land. I then happened to learn that the lenses used in La La Land were available in Korea, and I was given the opportunity to utilize them."

He also pointed to "the dark areas of the frame" as a key visual element, explaining, "I tried to express the characters' psychology and create a dramatic atmosphere by adding various colors to the shadow [dark] areas. I think this might be the project in which I tried to portray the realm of darkness most effectively among all the works I've done. Through that, I hoped the characters would come across clearly and that their emotions would be conveyed most effectively. I sincerely hope it came across well to the viewers."

Art director Lee Kang Hyun talked about sourcing artworks featured in Siren’s Kiss, saying, "We individually reached out to artists with diverse styles and genres, including alumni active in the art scene, acquaintances, well-known and emerging artists, and received cooperation for around 450 pieces. The works that needed to be created were produced in line with director Kim Cheol Gyu's guidelines."

He added, "Since director Kim Cheol Gyu tends to prefer approaching each project from a new perspective or direction, many of the ideas that emerged were actually realized, which gave me a great sense of accomplishment."

Talking about the efforts to bring out a distinct aesthetic in the spatial design for the Siren’s Kiss, he shared, "For spaces such as the auction office, the auction hall, and other areas where paintings and lighting are arranged, we created sets in a way that highlights the artworks, aiming to add a sense of realism within a realistic setting. Compared to dramas with similar professions, we put in a great deal of effort to source high-quality works and a wide range of genres, and I believe this contributed, even if only slightly, to the overall completion."

Music director Heo Sung Jin, who has been enhancing the drama's atmosphere through its OST, also shared, "The director and I discussed that rather than having the music explain the scene, it would be better if it deepened the mood and emotions. I also wanted the music to make emotions more distinct within moments of silence, so I experimented with multiple layers of sound to ensure that both the characters' emotions and the suspense could be felt together."

Above all, it was revealed that "Fear Inside" actually features music director Heo Sung Jin's own voice.

He shared, "It started from the idea of musically expressing the narrative of the character Han Seol Ah, and I remember singing the intro humming theme countless times alone in the studio. Among the various takes, I chose the one that felt the most eerie. After multiple attempts to incorporate a string arrangement that conveys a sense of anxiety, the final version came out."

Siren’s Kiss director Kim Cheol Gyu shared, "Elements such as art and music come together to enrich each episode. By incorporating a thriller-like narrative within a sophisticated mise-en-scène, it [the drama] aims to deliver a rich, spectacular, yet complex and subtle emotional [experience]."

Siren’s Kiss is streaming on Prime Video.  

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