On Location in South Korea:

Supporting Al Jazeera’s 101 East Investigative Documentary

Four years ago, Moktan collaborated with Al Jazeera on an episode of its award-winning investigative series 101 East. The documentary, South Korea’s House of Horrors, examined the decades-long abuse that took place at Brothers Home in Busan between 1976 and 1987, and the ongoing fight for accountability by survivors.

The film follows individuals who were forcibly detained under government-backed policies during the authoritarian era of Chun Doo-hwan. Many survivors allege illegal confinement, forced labor, and systemic violence inside the facility. With renewed investigations underway in South Korea and calls for questioning of individuals now residing in Australia, the story carried both historical weight and contemporary relevance.

Supporting International Documentary Production in South Korea:

Moktan’s Role as a Korea-Based Production Partner

As a film production company in Korea, Moktan supported the international team with on-location filming services for South Korea’s House of Horrors, produced by Al Jazeera’s 101 East. Our role included facilitating and filming key interviews and investigative sequences across South Korea. Working closely with an overseas broadcaster, we ensured that local access, logistics, and production standards aligned with the requirements of an international investigative documentary.

International productions filming in Korea require experienced local partners who understand both the creative and practical dimensions of production. For this project, that meant coordinating schedules across multiple regions, preparing locations for sensitive interviews, and ensuring that filming environments were secure and respectful for participants sharing deeply personal experiences.

Projects of this nature highlight the importance of strong local production support when global media outlets work in South Korea. From coordinating sensitive interviews to managing complex shoot logistics, collaboration between foreign networks and a Korea-based production company is often essential to telling stories with clarity and care.

Providing production services in South Korea involves far more than operating cameras. It requires navigating language and cultural context, securing permits, arranging transportation, sourcing equipment, and handling on-the-ground troubleshooting. Investigative documentaries in particular demand discretion and adaptability. Schedules can shift quickly, contributors may need additional considerations, and filming locations may present unexpected challenges.

Behind the scenes, the production required careful planning and sensitivity. Filming involved survivors and locations connected to a painful chapter of modern Korean history. Creating a professional yet supportive environment was essential to ensuring that contributors felt respected and heard. Documentary production in Korea, especially on topics involving human rights and historical trauma, calls for a balance between operational efficiency and ethical responsibility. As a Korea-based production company working with international broadcasters, we remain attentive to that balance on every project.

Supporting this episode of 101 East reinforced our commitment to responsible storytelling and to providing reliable film production services in Korea for international clients. Whether assisting investigative journalists, documentary filmmakers, or global media networks filming in South Korea, Moktan aims to deliver steady, professional on-location support that enables important stories to reach wider audiences and sustains meaningful conversations about justice and accountability.