
Netflix's Kingdom: Ashin of the North takes audiences back a few decades from the Kingdom series and tells the revenge origin story of Ashin and the series' zombie antagonists. The show depicts a dark and enigmatic narrative that was perfectly emulated by its cinematographer Nak Seon Go through the ALEXA Mini LF.
The space shown in the Kingdom' series and the space where the story of Ashin unfolds are completely different, so naturally, the image should reflect this dichotomy. If the main story is a fiery genre about the power struggle within the palace, the prequel is an emotional tale about a girl from a small northern village. I put plenty of thought into exhibiting these emotions and focused on the parts that would make the audience sympathize with Ashins feelings, says Go.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North tells the revenge story of Ashin and how she set off the zombie invasion.
To achieve this, the Taxi Driver cinematographer pursued a more realistic approach by preserving the image of the north as much as he could. Unfortunately, this came with many challenges for him and his team. Go reveals, There were many running scenes on rocky mountains, so the actors and the grip team endured a lot. The sequence where the Pajeowi chief rode horses was filmed on reclaimed land, which was muddy. Also, producing clouds of dust that resembled a sandstorm was more difficult than we expected.
Thankfully the ALEXA Mini LF became a handy choice for the show's rough shooting locations. The ALEXA Mini LF supports 4K shooting, is lightweight, and it's the top camera for expressing colors. It was the best option I could use, Go exclaims.
Underexposed shots were also key in delivering an authentic feel to the Korean hit show, mainly lit with candles, torches, and moonlight. Usually, we use lighting devices to mimic fluctuating lights, but we filmed at such a low exposure that the flickers of the actual candles were captured on screen. As we shot extremely dark scenes under the moonlight, we pushed the limits of HDR, says Go, stressing the crucial role of high contrast ratios during production.
The cave scene from Kingdom: Ashin of the North demonstrates the ALEXA Mini LF's high dynamic range.
Known to capture the highest dynamic range among any digital camera to date, the ALEXA Mini LF easily became the most suitable camera for the project. Historical dramas are generally shot in extreme lighting conditions, but I was able to capture great images with the ALEXA Mini LF. It has a much wider range of expression from the darker areas to the highlights, says the veteran filmmaker. In my previous work, I would normally shoot two to two-and-a-half stops underexposed, but now I can go three to three-and-a-half stops, making it possible to shoot a realistic scene with a minimal light source.
DP Nak Seon Go with his crew using ALEXA Mini LF to shoot scenes in the dark with a minimal light source
Much like the lighting, accurate colors were also integral to the shows cinematography. Even against the harsh surrounding, you can see life from the greens of the trees and from the warm portraits of the villagers. The military camp of Chu Pa-jin made the browns of the fallen trees and the grays of the war-burnt wood stand out, elaborates Go, who also made use of the ACES-compatible Mini LF to maintain color consistency from camera to screen. He continues, Before filming, colors were pre-selected to avoid indiscriminate representation of each distinct shade. While on set, we lowered the saturation, used a strong look-up table for the contrast, and adjusted color temperature settings. Finally, for post-production, we worked with Baselight and Dolby Vision HDR.
The Mini LF's color accuracy was also integral in DP Go Nak Seon's decision to use it for the series.
In these times when technology and techniques are quickly evolving, accelerated by the emergence of progressive theater systems and diverse streaming media, filmmakers are pushed to find tools that can keep up. DP Go shares similar sentiments saying, The display environment is rapidly changing, and I think ARRI is responding well. As a cinematographer, I need to capture varying images for each project, and I try to achieve the desired results fast with a ton of help from ARRI cameras and lighting systems.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North is streaming on Netflix.
Related Products ALEXA Mini LF Large format, small camera
Europe Stories
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
07/08/2025
July 8 2025, 22:30 (PDT) Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, R...
08/07/2025
In an era where digital threats to journalists are becoming increasingly aggressive and widespread, MediaSafe Africa launches as a vital online resource to help...
08/07/2025
This summer, as the energy builds for one of the biggest moments in women's ...
08/07/2025
UKTV today announces that Richard Watsham, Chief Creative Officer at UKTV and Global Director of Acquisitions for BBC Studios/UKTV, has decided to step down fro...
08/07/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. - July 8, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a reco...
08/07/2025
Arvato Systems Optimizes Customer Communication with AOK Niedersachsen
New project in the statutory health insurance sector
Arvato Systems and AOK Niedersach...
08/07/2025
On August 7, Apple Arcade is adding four exclusive games to its diverse catalogue of more than 200 fun games for players to enjoy, all free from ads and in-app ...
07/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT **
VIZ Media Ignites AX 2025 with Star-Studded Panels, Exclus...
07/07/2025
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA As Apple Music marks its 10th anniversary this year, Apple unveils its most ambitious creative project to date: a brand-new state-of-the...
07/07/2025
RT has announced that Mark Bignell has been appointed Commissioning Editor for Comedy following a public competition. This senior editorial position will drive...
04/07/2025
The Summer Reading Challenge has inspired children across the U.K. to embrace a ...
04/07/2025
Friday 4 July 2025
Watch the trailer here https://youtu.be/Od5WpvWmDr8
Further...
04/07/2025
The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...
03/07/2025
For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...
03/07/2025
One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit!
Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit!
Our i...
03/07/2025
The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...
03/07/2025
What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London!
We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography.
A huge thank ...
03/07/2025
ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode
Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...
03/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...
03/07/2025
Thursday 3 July 2025
David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...
03/07/2025
The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025
Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...
02/07/2025
Calrec expands ecosystem at NAB 2025 giving broadcasters access to dynamic workflows and ultimate flexibility Helping broadcasters meet the shifting needs of me...
02/07/2025
02 Jul 2025
VEON Raises USD 200 Million in Private Bond Placement Dubai, July 1, 2025: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON ), announces ...
02/07/2025
Brand new factual series follows mechanic and self-taught engineer Dom Chinea as he makes the move of his life to the far west of Cornwall
UKTV today announces...
02/07/2025
Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M ...
02/07/2025
Wuppertal July 2, 2025
Riedel Communications Launches RefSuite Ecosystem for S...
02/07/2025
Andrew will serve as Chair of ABC alongside his role at NED, APL Media, where he supports the executive team with strategic insight and global expansion plans. ...
01/07/2025
The launch of Code of Silence, coupled with the Britains Got Talent semi final, gave ITV its best Sunday night of 2025.
The first episode of the new crime dr...
01/07/2025
ITV and Mammoth Screen have announced the start of filming for Betrayal, a gripp...
01/07/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
01/07/2025
Vocal-processing plug-in joins NOIZ Hub series
Launched in 2024, KIT Plugins' NOIZ Hub series was created with the aim of providing a range of professio...
01/07/2025
New self-paced learning programme announced
Mastering.com have announced the availability of a new online course designed to cover the fundamentals of maste...
01/07/2025
The Traitors are coming: Get your first taste of the global hit as Season 1 of T...
01/07/2025
cetecom advanced certifies Rohde & Schwarz test solution for the verification of...
01/07/2025
RT has announced that Teresa Smith has been appointed Commissioning Editor with responsibility for Factual Entertainment following a public competition. This s...
01/07/2025
This July, RT is delighted to support Galway International Arts Festival, Earagail Arts Festival in Donegal, Belfast TradFest and 23 other arts and cultural ev...
30/06/2025
There's nothing quite like the magic of finding music that feels made just f...
30/06/2025
When it comes to new music, Spotify's team of editors across North America is always on the hunt for songs that make them feel, think, and move. They're...
30/06/2025
Star Studded Ensemble Cast Are Joined by Richard Rankin as Filming Begins on the Second Season
[June 12, 2025 - Boston, MA]: The Forsytes, Debbie Horsfield...
30/06/2025
Eurorack sequencer module reimagined
California-based modular synth innovators Qu-Bit have announced the launch of a new module that offers a fresh new take...
30/06/2025
Improved dynamic behaviour, improved audio quality & more
Techivation have announced the release of an upgraded edition of their very first premium plug-in,...
30/06/2025
German premiere with live flight demonstration: German industry team showcases e...
30/06/2025
The Focusrite Summer Sale is now on Don't miss unbeatable deals on Scarlett, Vocaster, and more.
Whether you're an artist, a producer, or a podcaste...
30/06/2025
All 8 episodes of Season 1 of 1923 will be available on RT Player from Tuesday ...
30/06/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
52% report AI security spending is displacing tr...
30/06/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Cannes, June 30th, 2025 - Thales Alenia Space, t...
29/06/2025
Handpan-inspired instrument announced
Roland have announced the launch of the Mood Pan, a unique electronic hand percussion instrument that has been designe...
28/06/2025
Music theory plug-in updated
Three months on from the release of the latest version of their renowned music theory plug in, Scaler Music have launched an up...