1. A summary of the plot
The movie Roaring Currents is set in the Battle of Myeongnyang, commanded by Admiral Yi Sun-shin during the Imjin War. It features a historical event in which 12 Korean naval forces defeated 330 Japanese warships. The movie emphasizes the fear of war and the will to survive, focusing on Admiral Yi Sun-shin's leadership and the people's spirit of sacrifice.
2. Acoustic characteristics analysis
From the perspective of an acoustic director, the movie Roaring Currents shows the following characteristics through sound.
2-1. Maximizing the realism of the battle
The waves in the naval battle scene, the sound of arrows flying, and the sound of the ship impacting the water are designed in detail to immerse the audience in the scene as if they were at the battle site.
In particular, fire artillery and gun firing sounds were implemented in multi-layers by stacking various layers to express the confusion of actual battles.
2-2. emotional tension and relief
The tension before the battle comprises low-frequency drone and bass sounds reminiscent of a heartbeat.
In the climax during the battle, the sound is momentarily cut off or quiet to increase the audience's immersion, and then the tension explodes again by using intense sound effects.
2-3. The contrast between nature and man
It highlights the tragedy of war by contrasting the sound of waves, symbolizing the power of nature, with the sound of weapons, symbolizing human conflict.
Sound in a storm is not just an environmental sound but symbolically conveys the uncertainty and fear of battle.
2-4. Admiral Yi Sun-shin's presence
Admiral Yi Sun-shin's monologue scene strengthened the emotional line by minimizing the surrounding sound or inserting symbolic instrument sounds to express his inner anguish and determination.
3. Analysis of box office factor
Sound played an important role in the movie's success.
3-1. Provides immersion and realism
The detailed sound design in the battle scene gave the audience an extreme sense of immersion and maximized their interest in the movie.
In particular, the sound effects were more prominent in the viewing environment using large screens and surround sound systems.
3-2. emotional power
Sound effectively conveyed the character's emotional state and induced empathy in the audience.
For example, the urgent battle sounds, which contrast with the political opponent before and after the battle, succeeded in delivering an emotional shock to the audience.
3-3. A representation of a spectacular war
It acoustically reproduced the scale of a large-scale naval battle to provide audiovisual pleasure to the audience. It was a box office hit through word of mouth.
3-4. Strengthening Cultural Identity
Music using traditional instruments and environmental sounds from the Joseon Dynasty was reproduced to give Korean audiences a sense of historical identity and pride.
4. Conclusion
The movie "Roaring Currents" effectively conveyed the sense of immersion in battle, emotional consensus, and the weight of historical facts through sound. This acoustical achievement is evaluated as one of the key factors that brought out the movie's box office success and deep emotion. The delicate work of the sound director enhanced the film's completeness and gave the audience an unforgettable experience.