In the world of color grading, every shade and hue is brought to life under the skilled hands of a master colorist, who meticulously crafts colors and lighting to unlock the true potential of content.
When it comes to the colorist’s workspace, the 65-inch LG OLED TV takes center stage thanks to its premium performance and quality. To find out more, LG spoke with accomplished colorist Park Jin-ho about his remarkable sense of color and why LG OLED TV now works alongside him as a creative companion.
Colorist Park Jin-ho
Park began by giving a sneak peek into his latest projects powered by the precision of LG OLED. “Now I’m working on a Netflix series called Daily Dose of Sunshine, which happens to be popular director Lee Jae-kyoo’s next highly anticipated project. In a market where gripping crime movies and dark TV series dominate, I’m happy to work on a show that’s able to warm the viewer’s heart.” A skilled multi-tasker, Park is also working on several other titles including Netflix’s Song of the Bandits, Disney+ Original Series Vigilante and LG U+’s mobile TV launch project Hi Cookie.
He then offered a captivating look into his workspace, a hub of visual exploration where the magic happens. “I have three displays arranged side by side, but I put my LG OLED TV in the middle as it provides me with high dynamic range (HDR) capabilities I need to create more detailed, three-dimensional images especially in high-contrast scenes.”
While he keeps a standard dynamic range (SDR) display on the left and a broadcast standard monitor on the right for reference, Park stresses that the LG OLED TV’s unparalleled performance is most essential. “Capable of 1,000 nits, the LG OLED TV’s images are 10 times brighter than an SDR display. It produces meticulously accurate images by leveraging metadata to optimize the shadows, highlights and contrast of each shot, faithfully conveying the creator’s artistic vision while heightening immersion.”
As he discussed his work on Park Chan-wook’s celebrated film, The Handmaiden, Park shared a technique he employed to accurately convey a critical scene. “We used the ‘Day for Night’ technique for the scene where Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) and Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) run away in the night. This moment was actually filmed during the day since capturing the intricate details in the darkness would have been impossible. I added blue shades in post-production to create that perfect darkness-before-dawn atmosphere you see in the final cut.”
Adding on this experience, he notes that a display’s ability to capture intricate details in the dark is crucial for color production in night scenes. “The advantages of working with an LG OLED TV are evident. Unlike film projectors, it ensures uniform, accurate illumination without vignetting and employs independent pixels to create the perfect black. With all this, it’s so much easier to capture details in dark scenes, bring out intricate details and enhance visual cues from the director to shine and add depth to the narrative.”
Park goes on to explain why LG OLED TV is the go-to choice for post-production companies in Korea these days. “Almost every studio I know uses LG OLED displays. That’s partly because they fully support Dolby Vision – the industry’s favored HDR standard and the format recommended by popular streaming content providers – securing the contrast, colors and incredible detail required to perfect the brightest and darkest areas of a scene.” He also notes how the sheer diversity of LG OLED TV products as well as their accessibility and convenience have played a key role as well.
Discussing more on Dolby Vision support, he mentions how it makes a notable difference for him not only on the job but also when he’s watching at home. “When watching TV series like Big Bet on Disney+ without Dolby Vision, images lack that crispness and accuracy. A Dolby Vision display on the other hand – such as an LG OLED TV – ensures the best possible picture quality, which is proven by the decision to apply an official Dolby Vision support logo to display products.”
Park says that display technologies have evolved dramatically over the years, taking the example of a remastered classic, The Godfather. “Through years of display tech innovation, the visual experience has completely transformed. This is why the difference between The Godfather’s original and remastered versions is so noticeable. Through modern displays, like LG OLED TVs, viewers can enjoy a wider color palette and enhanced details.” He adds that out of every advancement ever made in film history, the one that brought us all kinds of black shades has to be among the most game-changing. “It’s rare these days to depict black hair as a simple dark mass – now we can express every fine strand.”
Park believes that details can be found even in the darkest scenes, and today’s technologies help him uncover these beautifully. “Audiences were unaware that they couldn’t actually see the actual lapel of a black suit before, but they now have access to a wider spectrum that allows black to be expressed in more tones than one. With advancements in displays such as OLED, it’s now possible to represent the darkest tones in much more intricate detail.”
Looking back on his two decades in the business, Park says that a lot has changed, both for the audience and the people working behind the scenes. “My first job in this industry was CGI work, and at that time I only had to rely on a single monitor. But color correction requires professionals to constantly assess different displays to ensure the perfect visual experience. Especially today, advancements in display technology have empowered audiences to perceive more details, making previously overlooked elements like artistry, backgrounds and objects more visible.”
Park explains that to a colorist, the optimal displays – like the LG OLED TV he works with – are as powerful as a canvas is to a painter. “It’s not an empty canvas, but one that provides the intricate drawings captured during filming. As a colorist, I work with this canvas of visual compositions by adding beautiful colors that bring scenes to life, evoke powerful emotions and enhance the visual experience. If utilized properly, this unique digital canvas can effectively convey warmth or coldness, brightness or darkness like no other can.”
For more stories on how LG OLED is making waves in the world of visual art, stay tuned to LG Newsroom.
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