Technical Art Studio Cell

Technical Art Studio Cell
Native name
테크니컬 아트 스튜디오 셀
Technical Art Studio Cell
TypePrivate
Industry
FoundedJune 25, 2003 (2003-06-25)
FounderHwang Hyo-gyun
Kwak Tae-yong
Headquarters
4-72, Deoki-ro 172beon-gil, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do
,
South Korea
Area served
South Korea
Key peopleHwang Ho-gyun (co-CEO)
Kwak Tae-yong (co-CEO)
Number of employees
20
Websitewww.cellart.co.kr

Technical Art Studio Cell (Korean: 테크니컬 아트 스튜디오 셀) is a prominent South Korean technical art and special effects makeup company. Established on June 25, 2003, by CEOs Hwang Ho-gyun and Kwak Tae-yong, the studio provides a wide range of services including special effects makeup, the creation of dummies, animatronics, and specialized props and set work. Known for their collaborative work with influential Korean directors such as Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, Kim Jee-woon, Ryoo Seung-wan, Park Hoon-jung, Choi Dong-hoon, Kim Yong-hwa, Yeon Sang-ho and Na Hong-jin, Technical Art Studio Cell has contributed to over 170 productions, including internationally acclaimed films like The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale (2015), Train to Busan (2016), Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017), Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018), Okja (2017), Parasite (2019), 12.12: The Day (2023), Exhuma (2024).

History

Technical Art Studio Cell was founded on June 25, 2003, by Hwang Hyo-gyun and Kwak Tae-yong. The two CEOs chose the name "Cell," referencing the basic biological unit and likening it to the smallest energy unit in a battery, symbolizing their fundamental role in production.

The company's first project was the short film "Cut" (2004), which was part of director Park Chan-wook's anthology feature Three, Monsters.

Cell gained significant recognition in 2005 for their complex work on Park Chan-wook's Lady Vengeance. For the film, they created the intricate, half-man, half-animal creature that appears in Geum-ja's (Lee Young-ae) illusion. Mr. Baek (Choi Min-sik), combination of a specialized dummy, animatronics, and animal component, was noted by Hwang Hyo-gyun as a project that significantly elevated Cell's technical capabilities and status in the industry.

In 2012, Cell made a robot for a lead role in the science fiction film Doomsday Book (2012) directed by Kim Jee-woon.

The company was formally incorporated on July 17, 2015.

In 2017, Cell reunite with Bong Joon Ho in his film Okja.

Extreme Job.

Cell was responsible for creating several key props and practical effects for Parasite (2019), including the scholar's rock (pebble) and the peach. Kwak stated, "When we were filming the movie, it wasn't the season for peaches, and more than anything, special production was inevitable in order to realistically express the scene where Ki-jeong (Park So-dam) peels the peach fuzz with a box cutter." Cell also created a critical makeup effect: in the scene where the mood shifts from comedy to thriller, when the displaced housekeeper Moon-gwang (Lee Jung-eun) rings the doorbell in the pouring rain, Moon-gwang's swollen face was a practical effect created by Cell.

In 2019, Cell moved its operations to a new, dedicated three stories building.

Since 2017, Cell has been involved in the production of Netflix originals such as "Okja" (2017), "Kingdom," "Sweet Home" and "The Silent Sea" (2021).

Team

Team Members and Filmography
Name Specialty Role Selected Filmography (Chronological) Ref.
Co-CEO Hwang Hyo-gyun Special effects makeup and dummies (majored in painting). Mother (2009), Thirst (2009), I Saw the Devil (2010), Human Destruction Report (2010), Howling (2011), The Thieves (2012), Berlin Files (2012), Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King (2012), A Werewolf Boy (2012), Love Poem (2012), The Face Reader (2013), Cold (2013), Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), Mr. Go (2013), Gyeongseong School: The Lost Girls (2014), Kundo: Age of Rampant (2014), Veteran (2014), Assassination (2015).
Kwak Tae-yong Animatronics, special props, and interactive mechanics. The Host (2006), The Cut (2007), The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008), Thirst (2009), I Saw the Devil (2010), The Yellow Sea (2010), Howling (2011), Deranged (2012), Berlin (2012), Flu (2013), Kundo: Age of the Rampant (2013).
Director Lee Hee-eun Dummy expert
Manager Park Young-moo Special effects Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island, Gangnam 1970, The Silenced, Chronicle of a Blood Merchant, The Treacherous, Assassination, Inside Men, The Priests, The Tiger, Veteran, The Age of Shadows, Asura, SORI: Voice from the Heart, Train to Busan, Tunnel (2016), The Battleship Island, Fabricated City, Seven Years of Night, The Villainess (all 2017).
Park Shin-young special effects makeup
Lee Hyo-eung special effects makeup
Team leader Lee Go-woon special effects makeup
Park So-yeon special effects makeup
Team Member Kim Yu-seon special effects makeup
Choi Joo-hyung special effects makeup Parasite, Extreme Job, Along with the Gods, Kingdom, The Witch: Part 1

Former team member:

Filmography

Film

Film credit of Cell
Year Title Director Note Ref.
English Korean
2004 Three... Extremes: Cut 쓰리, 몬스터 - '컷(Cut)' Park Chan-wook
2005 A Bittersweet Life 달콤한 인생 Kim Jee-woon
Antarctic Journal 남극일기 Yim Pil-sung
Lady Vengeance 친절한 금자씨 Park Chan-wook
Boy Goes to Heaven 소년, 천국에 가다 Yoon Tae-yong
2006 The Host 괴물 Bong Joon Ho
2007 The Cut 해부학교실 Son Tae-woong
2008 The Good, the Bad, the Weird 좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈 Kim Jee-woon
2009 Thirst 박쥐 Park Chan-wook
Mother 마더 Bong Joon Ho
2010 I Saw the Devil 악마를 보았다 Kim Jee-woon
2012 Howling 하울링 Yoo Ha
Deranged 연가시 Park Jung-woo
The Thieves 도둑들 Choi Dong-hoon
Masquerade 광해: 왕이 된 남자 Choo Chang-min
A Werewolf Boy 늑대소년 Jo Sung-hee
Doomsday Book 인류멸망보고서 Kim Jee-woon
Yim Pil-sung
2013 The Berlin File 베를린 Ryoo Seung-wan
The Face Reader 관상 Han Jae-rim
Hwayi: A Monster Boy 화이: 괴물을 삼킨 아이 Jang Joon-hwan
Flu 감기 Kim Sung-su
Mr. Go 미스터 고 Kim Yong-hwa
2014 Kundo: Age of the Rampant 군도: 민란의 시대 Yoon Jong-bin
2015 Veteran 베테랑 Ryoo Seung-wan
2015 The Silenced 경성학교: 사라진 소녀들 Lee Hae-young
2015 The Tiger 대호 Park Hoon-jung
The Himalaya 히말라야 Lee Seok-hoon
Assassination 암살 Choi Dong-hoon
2016 The Age of Shadows 밀정 Kim Jee-woon
Train to Busan 부산행 Yeon Sang-ho
The Handmaiden 아가씨 Park Chan-wook
2017 The Battleship Island 군함도 Ryoo Seung-wan
Okja 옥자 Bong Joon Ho
V.I.P. 브이아이피 Park Hoon-jung
Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds 신과함께: 죄와 벌 Kim Yong-hwa
Fabricated City 조작된 도시 Park Kwang-hyun
The Villainess 악녀 Jung Byung-gil
2018 Illang: The Wolf Brigade 인랑 Kim Jee-woon
Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days 신과함께: 인과 연 Kim Yong-hwa
Seven Years of Night 7년의 밤 Choo Chang-min
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion 마녀 Park Hoon-jung
2019 Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission 말모이 Eom Yu-na
Parasite 기생충 Bong Joon-ho
Extreme Job 극한직업 Lee Byeong-heon
Exit 엑시트 Lee Sang-geun
2020 Secret Zoo 해치지않아 Son Jae-gon
The Man Standing Next 남산의 Woo Min-ho
Peninsula 반도 Yeon Sang-ho
2021 Night in Paradise 낙원의 밤 Park Hoon-jung
2022 The Witch: Part 2. The Other One 마녀 2: the other one Park Hoon-jung
Decision to Leave 헤어질 결심 Park Chan-wook
2023 The Childe 귀공자 Park Hoon-jung
Jung_E 정이 Yeon Sang-ho
Smugglers 밀수 Ryoo Seung-wan
2024 I, the Executioner 베테랑2 Ryoo Seung-wan
Uprising 전,란 Kim Sang-man
12.12: The Day 서울의 봄 Kim Sung-su
Kill Boksoon 길복순 Byun Sung-hyun
Exhuma 파묘 Jang Jae-hyun
2025 Dark Nuns 검은 수녀들 Kwon Hyeok-jae
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy 전지적 독자 시점 Kim Byung-woo
My Daughter Is a Zombie 좀비딸 Pil Gam-sung
Yadang: The Snitch 야당 Hwang Byeong-guk
Boss 보스 Ra Hee-chan
No Other Choice 어쩔수가없다 Park Chan-wook
TBA Tristes Tropiques 슬픈 열대 Park Hoon-jung

Series

Series credit
Year Title Director Ref.
English Korean
2019–2020 Kingdom 킹덤 Kim Seong-hun (Season 1)
Park In-je (Season 2)
2020–2023 Sweet Home 스위트홈
  • Lee Eung-bok
  • Jang Young-woo (season 1)
  • Park So-hyun
2021 The Silent Sea 고요의 바다 Choi Hang-yong
Hellbound Season 1 지옥 Yeon Sang-ho
Dr. Brain Dr. 브레인 Kim Jee-woon
2022 Connect 커넥트 Takashi Miike
2024 Hellbound Season 2 지옥 Yeon Sang-ho
The Tyrant 폭군 Park Hoon-jung
When the Stars Gossip 별들에게 물어봐 Park Shin-woo
Parasyte: The Grey 기생수: 더 그레이 Yeon Sang-ho
2025 When Life Gives You Tangerines 폭싹 속았수다 Kim Won-seok
Karma 악연 Lee Il-hyung
Aema 애마 Lee Hae-young
Mercy for None 광장 Choi Sung-eun
Tempest 북극성 Kim Hee-won

Accolades

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Date of ceremony Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
Baeksang Arts Awards May 3, 2017 Technical Award Hwang Ho-kyun (SFX makeup) Nominated
Blue Dragon Film Awards November 25, 2016 Technical Award Kwak Tae-yong & Hwang Hyo-gyun(Special makeup)
Train to Busan		 Won

Chunsa Film Art Awards May 24, 2017 Technical Award Kwak Tae-yong & Hwang Hyo-gyun(Special makeup)
Train to Busan		 Won
Filmmakers' Night: Thank You, Korean Cinema! October 8, 2012 Gratitude Award from Audi Korea - Domestic Category Cell Won
Grand Bell Awards 2013 Special Award for Advanced Technology Kwak Tae-yong (special makeup)
The Face Reader		 Nominated
2016 Special Award for Advanced Technology Jo Yong-suk, Hwang Hyo-kyun, Kwak Tae-yong and Kim Tae-eui
The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale		 Won
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards November 24, 2016 Technical Award Train to Busan Won

Notes

  1. ↑ Event held in conjunction with 17th Busan International Film Festival

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 한국영화의 진화와 함께하다: 특수분장 전문업체 테크니컬 아트 스튜디오 CELL [Evolve with the evolution of Korean cinema: CELL, a technical art studio specializing in special makeup]. KmDB Official Website (in Korean (South Korea)). Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Head of Technical Art Studio CELL, HWANG Hyo-gyun". Korean Film Biz Zone. Archived from the original on May 19, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  3. ↑ Lee, Ye-ji (October 3, 2016). [스페셜] 셀 직원들이 꼽는 베스트10 [[Special] Top 10 Picks by Cell Employees]. Cine21 (in Korean (South Korea)). Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  4. ↑ "'Deceiving audiences is our job". The Korea Times. August 6, 2020. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  5. ↑ Jeong, Ji-hye (June 3, 2016). [국내뉴스] 국내외 실력파 스탭으로 무장한 봉준호 감독 신작 촬영 시작 [[Domestic News] Director Bong Joon-ho's new film "Okja" begins filming, armed with a talented domestic and international crew]. Cine21 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Jo, Su-bin (April 29, 2020). [합격 비밀노트] “기생충 복숭아는 사실 가짜예요. 제가 만들었죠” 진짜같은 가짜 만드는 김유선 특수분장사. magazine.hankyung.com (in Korean (South Korea)). Archived from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Shin, Jin-ah (January 29, 2020). 잘 만들었단 말 들으면 오히려 힘 빠지죠 [내일을 밝히는 사람들] [Hearing that I did a good job actually makes me feel weak [People Who Brighten Tomorrow]]. Financial News (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025 – via Naver News.
  8. 1 2 3 Kim, Hye-seon (August 1, 2024). "비슷한 것을 가장 경계한다" — 특수분장 회사 더 셀 황효균 대표 인터뷰 ["I am most wary of things that are similar" — Interview with Hwang Hyo-gyun, CEO of The Cell, a special effects makeup company]. KOFIC Magazine (in Korean (South Korea)). Korea Economic Magazine Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on October 1, 2026. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
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  13. ↑ 장영엽 (October 3, 2016). [스페셜] 특수분장 전문업체, 테크니컬 아트 스튜디오 셀이 작업하는 방식을 살펴보다. 씨네21 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
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  15. 1 2 Han, Ju-hyun (June 5, 2023). [문화,人] 영화에 생명을 불어넣는 '신의 손' [[Culture, People] The 'Hand of God' That Breathes Life into Movies]. The Yonsei Chuncu (in Korean (South Korea)). Archived from the original on September 22, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  16. ↑ Lee, Young-jin (March 21, 2007). 생물실의 공포를 기억하나요, 촬영현장 [Do you remember the horror of the biology lab? The filming site of <Anatomy Classroom>]. Cine21 (in Korean (South Korea)). Archived from the original on November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  17. ↑ Jang, Seong-ran; Na, Won-jeong (July 23, 2016). [매거진M] '부산행' 곽태용 특수분장감독 인터뷰 [[Magazine M] Interview with Special Effects Makeup Director Kwak Tae-yong of 'Train to Busan' [출처:중앙일보]]. Jongaang Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 18, 2026. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
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  19. ↑ Kim, In-gu (September 29, 2021). 넷플릭스 '킹덤' '스위트홈' 탄생의 숨은 주인공들…특수분장, 색·음향 보정, 특수시각효과, 자막·더빙 [The unsung heroes behind the creation of Netflix's 'Kingdom' and 'Sweet Home'... Special effects makeup, color and sound correction, special visual effects, subtitles and dubbing]. Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean (South Korea)). Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  20. ↑ Bae, Jeong-won (December 19, 2023). 전두광 부인 '턱'에 술렁였다, 그 턱 만진 남자의 희열 [Mrs. Jeon Du-gwang stirred at the 'chin,' the ecstasy of the man who touched it]. Jongaang Daily (in Korean (South Korea)). Archived from the original on July 18, 2026. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
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  27. ↑ [제37회 청룡영화상] '곡성' 쿠니무라 준 "한국영화의 힘 알게 됐다" 남우조연상 수상 (2016 청룡영화제) – 스타서울TV. November 25, 2016. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  28. ↑ "'2017 춘사영화상' 나홍진, 최우수감독상...하정우·손예진 남녀주연상". The Seoul Economy Daily. May 25, 2017. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  29. ↑ Kim, Bo-ra (July 21, 2020). '2017춘사영화상', 오늘 男女주연·감독상 등 10개 부문 시상 [종합] ['2017 Chunsa Film Awards', Awards Presented Today in 10 Categories Including Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director [Roundup]]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 25, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025 – via Chosun Ilbo.
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