Naman Shrestha
Netflix’s ‘Aema’ is a South Korean comedy period drama series created by Lee Hae-young. Set in 1980s Korea, the narrative follows Jeong Hui-ran, an influential star who gets into trouble with Shinsung Pictures. On top of being unfriendly, she is also known for being blunt when it comes to taking a stand for what she considers right. Due to her dispute with the studio, she loses her part as the lead in the most anticipated film in the country — ‘Madame Aema.’ However, since she signed a contract with the production studio, she is cast in a supporting role. Meanwhile, Shin Joo-ae, who auditions for the titular role, is cast as a replacement for Jeong.
Shin, who works as a nightclub dancer to support her dreams, has impressed with her dynamic performances in various short films. Now, she gets the opportunity of a lifetime. By working on the provocative film, Jeong and Shin defy the rules of the male-dominated industry and uncover backstage corruption associated with the industry. The historical show features stellar onscreen performances by a talented ensemble cast comprising Lee Hanee, Bang Hyo-rin, Jin Sun-kyu, and Cho Hyun-chul. As the story unfolds in the 1980s, the locations reflect the era quite accurately and thus manage to take the viewers back in time.
Aema Filming Locations
‘Aema’ is reportedly filmed in South Korea, particularly in and around Seoul. According to reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the South Korean drama series got underway in September 2023 and continued for several months before concluding in late March 2024. From the looks of it, the production was halted for several weeks, which is the primary reason why it took so long to wrap up.
Seoul, South Korea
Almost the entirety of ‘Aema’ was lensed across the terrains of the capital of South Korea — Seoul, officially known as Seoul Special Metropolitan City. The modern architecture and vibrant cityscape make for an ideal backdrop for different kinds of projects. However, since ‘Aema’ is set in the 1980s, the crew members took over certain areas and establishments of Seoul and transformed them accordingly to tape exterior and interior sequences for the series.
From what we can tell, the production team also set up camp in a sound stage or two of one of the film studios situated in and around the capital. The establishing shots were carefully captured, showcasing buildings that were present during the era when the bold story is set. You might spot Deoksugung Palace, the National Assembly Building, Gwanghwamun, and the Seongsan Bridge. Apart from ‘Aema,’ Seoul has served as a production location for plenty of movies and TV shows, such as ‘A Taxi Driver,’ ‘Oldboy,’ ‘Silences,’ ‘The Housemaid,’ ‘Dear Hongrang,’ and ‘Gyeongseong Creature.’
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