The Signature Section is a new program celebrating the festival’s 30th anniversary, featuring outstanding films from around the world that transcend genres and borders. Home A Loan was officially selected for the section, and we interviewed the film’s producer, Beki Lim, via email.

Home A Loan Producer: Beki LIM

TGFM：Could you tell us how you first became involved in the production of this film?

Beki LIM：Home A Loan is a film that we developed in-house from the development stage. It began with the idea of taking a realistic subject that many people could relate to and interpreting it through a genre framework.In that process, the issue of housing in Korean society naturally came to mind, and we felt that adding genre-driven tension to this story could create a stronger sense of immersion and empathy for audiences.

For everyone, a home should be the most comfortable and safest place. In reality, however, it can also become a source of anxiety and stress. We wanted to capture those very real emotions while also delivering the entertainment of a genre film.

Our hope was to create a film that allows audiences to enjoy the fear and suspense, while also encouraging them to reflect on the reality we live in.

TGFM：What do you see as the defining characteristics of Korean horror when compared with Japanese and Western horror films?

Beki：I think Korean horror is distinguished by the way it blends strong emotional drama with horror. Rather than relying on scares, many Korean horror films use fear as a way to explore family, grief, guilt, trauma, or social issues. Even when the supernatural is involved, the emotional journey of the characters usually remains at the center of the story. It often combines multiple genres, such as mystery, thriller, crime, or even comedy, within the film, creating a broader emotional range.

Also, Korean horror is very often based on its local culture, folklore, and shamanistic traditions. Films like The Wailing and Exhuma demonstrate how Korean beliefs and rituals can create fresh stories that feel culturally specific while still resonating with international audiences.

Home A Loan is another example of a horror film that is deeply rooted in both emotion and social reality. The film is based on one of the most pressing issues in contemporary Korean society: soaring housing prices and the social problems surrounding real estate redevelopment investment.

At the center of the story is a mother who desperately tries to protect her family, but gradually finds herself becoming a threat to the very people she vowed to protect. Through her emotional collapse and the tensions within the family, the film explores how economic pressure, fear, and desperation can distort love and turn an ordinary home into a place of horror.

TGFM：From a production perspective, what are the key differences between making a horror film and making films in other genres?

Beki：Unlike other genres, horror is often about what you don’t show rather than what you do show. Timing, silence, camera movement, and pacing are just as important as visual effects or frightening images. Sometimes a scene becomes much scarier because of what is left unseen.

Also, I think horror requires a strong balance between creativity and practicality. Many horror films are made with relatively modest budgets, which means filmmakers often rely on creative storytelling, clever production design, and effective sound rather than expensive visual effects or fancy locations. Films associated with companies such as A24 and Blumhouse, as well as low-budget successes like Paranormal Activity, have shown that horror can achieve strong commercial results without major stars or large-scale production budgets.

At the same time, this is also what makes the genre particularly challenging. Horror is one of the most familiar and widely produced genres, so audiences have already seen many of its conventions, visual patterns, and clichés. Certain scenes can easily feel repetitive or overly familiar. For that reason, I think creativity is even more important in horror than in many other genres. A fresh concept, a distinctive visual approach, or a strong emotional and cultural foundation can make a film stand out, even with limited resources.

However, because many horror films are produced on relatively modest budgets, there is also a risk that weaknesses in lighting, cinematography, editing, or production design can quickly break the audience’s immersion. Horror depends heavily on creating and sustaining a believable atmosphere, so even a small inconsistency can make a scene feel less convincing or unintentionally artificial. For that reason, all of these elements need to work together with great precision. The lighting, camerawork, editing, sound, and production design must remain closely coordinated to maintain tension and keep the audience fully immersed in the world of the film.

TGFM：We remember that when you participated in TGFM 2023, you had the highest number of meetings among all participants. Could you share your impressions when you first joined TGFM? Also, are there any expectations or hopes you have for TGFM going forward?

Beki：To be honest, I was quite surprised as well. If I remember correctly, Home A Loan was the only Korean project at TGFM 2023. I think that, being the sole Korean project and also a genre project, it thankfully received a great deal of attention. We were also fortunate to benefit from the strong international reputation that Korean films have built in recent years, particularly across Asia.

I also believe the film’s subject matter resonated with many participants from various countries. Housing affordability and real estate issues have become major social concerns not only in Korea, but also in Japan and many other countries. Because of that, I assume the participants were able to relate to the story and its concept.

Looking back, the schedule was very busy with back-to-back meetings, but it was an incredibly rewarding and memorable experience. We had the opportunity to meet major productions and distributors that we would not normally have access to, not only from Japan and other parts of Asia, but also from Europe and North America. More importantly, those meetings did not end at the market itself. We are still in regular contact with many of those companies, discussing each other’s projects and exploring opportunities for collaboration.

Another thing that stood out to me was that TGFM is a gap financing market. Compared with markets that primarily showcase projects in very early development stage, TGFM felt more practical. Networking is certainly important at any market, but my impression was that many of the participants at TGFM were there with a genuine intention of finding projects to finance, co-produce, or collaborate on, rather than simply exploring what was available.

For that reason, we definitely hope to continue participating in upcoming editions of TGFM both as a company presenting our own projects and as a producer looking for exciting co-production opportunities.

TGFM： Could you tell us about any projects you are currently developing? 

Beki：We currently have several exciting projects being prepared. In Korea, we are preparing to shoot WOW (working title) later this year, a project directed by a CODA filmmaker that offers a compelling look into the Deaf community. We are also developing a commercial family comedy with a well-known Korean director.

On the international co-production side, we have several projects in the pipeline in Taiwan, including a slasher thriller, a family comedy, and a mystery thriller, all of which are scheduled to begin shooting later part of this year & next year. We are also developing a co-production with Japan and Vietnam, although it is still a bit early to share details publicly.

Beyond that, we are actively exploring co-production opportunities with partners across Asia, including Indonesia and Singapore, and we hope to expand those collaborations further into Europe in the near future.

TGFM：What advice would you give to team who may be interested in participating in TGFM in the future?

Beki：As I mentioned earlier, one of TGFM’s greatest strengths is that many of the participants are genuinely looking for projects to finance or co-produce in a timely manner.

I would advise new presenting parties, to not meet and introduce but to discuss in details of potential collaboration structures and more as if it was the second meeting. Having the director present is valuable, who can explain the narrative, themes, and creative vision in depth. At the same time, I would recommend having a producer attend as well, so that business matters, financing structures, and potential deal terms can be discussed immediately. So, having both creative and business representatives present is the best way to maximize the opportunities that come out of the market.

Click for the Application Guideline for TGFM2026