Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) Horror Movie Poster

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)

MovieFound Footage Supernatural Horror

Released: March 28, 2018

Runtime: 91 min

15

South Korea

Korean

In 2012, CNN Travel named an abandoned psychiatric hospital outside Seoul one of the "seven freakiest places on the planet". Six years later, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum sent a team of young YouTubers inside it with live cameras, and turned it into one of the scariest found footage films ever made. Directed by Jung Bum-shik, it follows the crew of a horror web channel, Horror Times, who livestream a night in the asylum to hit a million viewers, and the faked scares they plan soon turn into something very real. It was made for about 2.2 million dollars and became the third most-watched horror film in South Korean history. The real hospital's owner even sued to stop the film, and lost. Fans still ask what happened in Room 402, whether the hospital is real, and whether anyone gets out alive.

7.5/10

Horror Jungle Rating

IMDb

6.5/10

IMDb Rating

92%

Rotten Tomatoes

Watch Trailer Where to Watch

QUICK HORROR SNAPSHOT

Creepiness & Uncanny

10/10

Monster / Killer Threat

7/10

Atmosphere & Dread

9/10

Re-watch Value

6/10

Gore & Violence

3/10

Jump Scares

9/10

Psychological Terror

6/10

Overall Scare Factor

9/10

Tension & Suspense

9/10

Official Trailer

Where to watch

Updated November 12, 2026

Tubi

TubiCA · US

Free

Fandango at Home

Fandango at HomeUS

Rent/Buy

BloodStream

BloodStreamCA · US

Available

AMC+

AMC+CA · US

Available

Apple TV

Apple TVCA · UK · US

Rent/Buy

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime VideoUK · US

Available

Shudder

ShudderCA · UK · US

Available

YouTube

YouTubeUS

Free

SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?

Worth Watching?One of the scariest found footage films ever made, especially in its final act.

Yes

Watch Alone?The last half hour is truly terrifying; watch with friends.

No

Watch in the Dark?If you dare. It is made for a pitch-black room.

Yes

Good for Date Night?Perfect if you want an excuse to grab each other.

Yes

Watch With Parents?Very little sex, swearing or gore, just pure fear.

Yes

Beginner Friendly?Little gore, but extremely scary.

Maybe

Family Friendly?Too scary for children.

No

Slow Burn?The first half builds slowly before it explodes.

Maybe

Headphones Recommended?Whispers, footsteps and silence matter a lot.

Yes

18+

Age RecommendationContains strong horror content, violence, and disturbing themes.

16+

Spoiler Free Review

Ha-joon (Wi Ha-joon) runs Horror Times, a horror web channel. He gathers six people for a live broadcast from inside the abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, hoping to attract a million viewers and a big payday. The goal is to open the infamous Room 402, which is said to be cursed.

The first half is slow and playful, as the crew sets up cameras, jokes around and tells ghost stories. But Ha-joon has secretly planned fake scares, and when the real haunting begins, nobody knows what to believe.

The camera work is brilliant. Each person wears a head camera pointed at their face, so when something goes wrong, you see pure terror up close, and then something worse. The final 30 minutes are relentless, with some of the most terrifying images in modern horror.

The characters are thin, and the first half may test some viewers' patience. But if you love found footage, Gonjiam is a must, and it will make you think twice about exploring abandoned buildings.

What Works

The final 30 minutes are among the scariest in found footage.

The face-mounted cameras create truly terrifying images.

A real, infamous location adds to the fear.

Smart commentary on chasing views and clout.

What Doesn't Work

The first half is slow.

The characters are thin and hard to tell apart.

Shaky cameras can be tiring.

FINAL VERDICT:

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a terrifying found footage ride that saves its biggest scares for the end. Watch it with the lights off, if you are brave enough.

Be Careful, Spoilers Ahead

Plot Summary (Spoilers)

Two teenagers livestream their exploration of the abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, said to be haunted by the ghosts of patients and a murderous director. Their stream cuts out when they enter Room 402.

Ha-joon, who runs the YouTube horror channel Horror Times, recruits six people, Ji-hyun, Ah-yeon, Charlotte, Sung-hoon, Je-yoon and Seung-wook, for a live broadcast from inside the hospital. He hopes to reach a million viewers. They set up cameras, including ones strapped to their bodies and pointed at their faces. Secretly, Ha-joon, Sung-hoon and Seung-wook plan to stage fake scares for the stream.

As the night goes on, real and fake events start to blur. Ji-hyun and Charlotte are scratched by something in a closet and run, only to find themselves walking in circles, unable to escape. Charlotte is dragged into the darkness by a naked figure.

Sung-hoon admits on camera that some scares were fake, but by then, real forces are loose in the building. The others are trapped in a flooded room and possessed by ghosts, their faces twisting into horrifying grins.

Outside in the van, Ha-joon sees his view count close to a million and goes inside himself. He watches footage of himself on a screen, and the ghost of the hospital's director strangles him. Seung-wook is dragged into Room 402 by ghostly patients. In the end, the broadcast that was meant to reach a million people peaked at just 503 viewers.

Ending Explained

Does anyone survive Gonjiam? The film strongly suggests no one does. Each crew member is possessed, dragged away or killed, and the final shots show Room 402 claiming its victims.

What is Room 402? The hospital's intensive care unit, which legend says is cursed and has never been opened. It is where the ghosts drag Seung-wook at the end.

Were the scares fake? At first, some were. Ha-joon, Sung-hoon and Seung-wook planned fake scares to boost the stream. But once the crew enters the asylum, the haunting becomes real.

Why only 503 viewers? It is a cruel twist. Ha-joon risked everyone's lives to reach a million viewers, but his "million" was fake, and only 503 people were really watching.

Is Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital real? Yes. It was a real abandoned hospital in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, famous as a haunted place. The film was mostly shot elsewhere, in a school in Busan, and the real building was demolished in 2018.

Hidden Meaning & Symbolism

Chasing clout: Ha-joon puts lives at risk for views, and the numbers turn out to be fake.
Real and fake: Faked scares hide real danger, a comment on online entertainment.
The cursed place: The real asylum's legend shows how stories make places frightening.
Watching: The cameras on the characters' faces make the audience watch their terror up close.

Scariest Moments

1

The Closet: Ji-hyun and Charlotte are scratched by something unseen in a dark cupboard.

2

Walking in Circles: Lost in the corridors, two women realise they cannot escape.

3

The Possessed Faces: Head cameras show crew members' faces twisting into terrifying, black-eyed grins.

4

The Water Room: The others are trapped in a flooded room as ghosts take over.

5

Room 402: The cursed door finally opens.

Parents Guide / Trigger Warnings

Jump Scares

Severe

The final act is full of jump scares.

Flashing Lights

Moderate

Flashlights and camera glitches.

Child Death / Peril

Mild

Two teenagers disappear in the opening.

Graphic Gore

Mild

Little blood; mostly frightening faces.

Nudity

Mild

A naked ghostly figure appears briefly.

Substance Abuse

None

No drug or alcohol use.

Animal Death

None

No animal deaths.

Sexual Content

None

No sexual content.

Suicide / Self Harm

None

No suicide or self-harm.

Trigger Warning Notes:

Contains possession, frightening ghost imagery, strangulation, and references to abuse and deaths in a psychiatric hospital.

Trivia

The real Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital was named one of the "seven freakiest places on the planet" by CNN Travel in 2012.
Most of the film was shot at the National Maritime High School in Busan, built to match the hospital's floor plan.
The hospital's owner sued to stop the film, saying it would hurt the building's value. A Seoul court ruled for the film, and the building was demolished two months later.
It was made for about 2.2 million dollars and earned about 21 million.
It is the third most-watched horror film in South Korea.
It won Best Editing at both the Grand Bell Awards and the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum a true story?

No. The hospital was real and famous for ghost stories, but the events in the film are fiction.

Is Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital real?

Yes. It was an abandoned hospital in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea. It was demolished in 2018.

Where was Gonjiam filmed?

Mostly at the National Maritime High School in Busan, not the real hospital.

What is Room 402 in Gonjiam?

The cursed intensive care room that legend says should never be opened. It is where the story begins and ends.

Does anyone survive Gonjiam?

The film strongly suggests that nobody survives.

How many people watched the live stream?

Only 503, even though Ha-joon believed he was close to a million.

Is Gonjiam scary?

Very. Its final 30 minutes are considered some of the scariest in found footage horror.

Who is in Gonjiam?

Wi Ha-joon, later famous from Squid Game, plays Ha-joon, the channel's leader.

Where can I watch Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum?

It streams on Shudder, AMC+ and Amazon Prime Video in the US, Shudder and Amazon Prime Video in the UK, and Shudder in Canada, plus free on Tubi.

Movie Information

Original Title

곤지암

Release Date

March 28, 2018

Runtime

91 min

Country

South Korea

Language

Korean

Status

Released

Director

Jung Bum-shik

Writer

Jung Bum-shik, Park Sang-min

Main Cast

Wi Ha-joon, Park Ji-hyun, Oh Ah-yeon, Moon Ye-won, Park Sung-hoon, Yoo Je-yoon, Lee Seung-wook

Production Company

Hive Mediacorp

Distributor

Showbox

IMDb Page

Also Known As

Gonjiam