Horror films are designed to terrify, but sometimes, the real terror happens off-screen.
The cast of Kong Tao – a Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand horror co-production – knows this all too well.
Helmed by local directors Peiji Goh and Yong Choon Lin, Kong Tao was shot in various locations in Malaysia and Thailand.
The story follows a group of influencers – Chen Xin (Glenn Yong), Wei Kang (Eric Lay), Wei En (Yumi Wong) and Potato (Mayiduo) – who travel to Thailand to document supernatural phenomena, particularly black magic rituals.
But their adventure quickly turns deadly when a powerful sorcerer Ming Ge (Philip Keung), curses them, triggering a series of terrifying events that threaten their lives.
With only Thai journalist Fon (Kao Supassra Thanachat) and local researcher Amin (Bront Palarae) to guide them, the group must race against time to break the curse before it’s too late.
At a recent press conference in Petaling Jaya, Singaporean actor Glenn Yong shared a spine-chilling experience from his first day of filming at Malaysia’s Batu Caves.
While capturing footage of a shrine with a prayer altar in a section of the cave closed to the public, his camera repeatedly – and inexplicably – shut off each time he approached the altar.
“When it happened again during the third take, I looked at the director, who stared back at me, and we just decided to move on to the next scene.
“Although we didn’t say anything at the time, we just knew not to push it any further because it really didn’t feel right,” the 29-year-old said.
Lay recalled standing in a corner when he suddenly heard whispers behind him.
The most unsettling part was that there was a solid wall directly behind him, meaning no one could possibly be there.
“I was very sure nobody was standing behind me because of the wall. But as the crew prepared for the next scene, I kept hearing someone talking behind me,” the 31-year-old said.
He added that he stayed quiet at the time as he didn’t want to cause panic or disrupt the atmosphere on set.
“I wasn’t really a believer in black magic until that day,” he admitted.
Popular Hong Kong actor Philip Keung also faced something unexplainable – though his experience happened in Thailand.
During filming, he was presented with a “strange potion” by a shaman who was on set.
Despite warnings from the crew, the 59-year-old boldly extended his hand to receive it.
“The liquid caused no reaction on my palm, but when it dripped onto the concrete ground and my shoes, it appeared to corrode and melt the surface.
“I still find it hard to explain how that could possibly happen,” he said.
Beyond the paranormal encounters, Kong Tao pushed its cast with a demanding storyline.
Lay, who plays a flirtatious YouTuber, revealed that he had to appear fully nude on screen for the first time in his 10-year career – an experience he described as “extremely stressful”.
“Standing naked in front of the director and cinematographer while being asked to pose left and right – and having guys look at my backside – was really uncomfortable,” he laughed.
Despite building trust with his co-star beforehand, Lay made it clear that he has no desire to take on similar scenes again, saying: “I’m keeping my underwear on next time!”
“Although it was difficult, it was fascinating to see how Malaysian audiences embrace a multilingual experience,” said the 30-year-old.
Similarly, Keung – whose mother tongue is Cantonese – admitted he initially felt pressured when the directors instructed him to avoid speaking in his native language.
“I had to learn ritual gestures and chants from the local masters in Thailand for my role. Although I was nervous at first, everything came naturally to me once filming began,” he said.
Meanwhile, local actress and influencer Yumi Wong, 36, hinted that Kong Tao may be her last film as she plans to focus on behind-the-scenes work moving forward.
“I’ve been running several production companies over the past three years. It’s time to give opportunities to younger talents and grow the business,” she said.
Kong Tao is showing at cinemas nationwide.
