Round 6: where was it filmed and what cameras were used? Go behind the scenes

10 years in development and seven months of recording in Daejeon, South Korea. These are some facts surrounding the first season of Round 6. The production, which became a true phenomenon in pop culture and caught the world’s attention in 2021, returned in 2024 for a second season which was divided in half and will end in 2025 in what Netflix calls a third season of production.

The production of this series required a monumental effort from the team led by the creator, director and screenwriter Hwang Dong-hyuk. According to the director himself, the process was so stressful that he lost between 8 and 9 teeth during the first season.

Hwang hesitated for years to come up with the idea of Round 6 of the paper. The concept was born in 2008, and the script was completed in 2009, but uncertainty about the viability of production almost prevented it from moving forward. Fortunately, the project moved forward, becoming a milestone in entertainment history.

In addition to its cultural impact, the series has accumulated impressive numbers:

• The first season generated more than US$900 million in revenue for Netflix.
• Round 6 it was the biggest launch in audience in the history of streaming.
• It was the first non-English-language production nominated for Best Drama at the Emmy Awardsem 2022.

Despite attracting even more viewers in the second season, reviews were divided. Some of the public praised the depth of the characters, while others pointed out a certain lack of creativity in the games.

Hwang initially had no plans for a second season, his best ideas for the plot were thought of in a single season, but returning to work was necessary for the director, mainly due to financial reasons.

Although Netflix made a significant profit, the director did not receive compensation commensurate with the success of the series. Therefore, he decided to return with the priority being a jump in financial compensation.

The expansion of the story and the grandeur of the production required a larger team and more planning, resulting in more challenges and, of course, extra doses of stress.

Where Round 6 Was it filmed?

In the first season, recording took place in Daejeon, the fifth largest metropolis in South Korea. In the second season, the focus remained on the country, but filming was largely carried out in Chungcheong province.

Hwang revealed in an interview with The Wrap that the second season took six months to write and more one year to be filmedwith more than 500 people involved in the process.

Film Round 6 it was an exhausting task. The director described the process as physically and mentally exhaustingespecially due to the extended length of filming.

An example of this effort is the shooting scene, which required six months of planning. This preparation included elements such as rehearsals, camera positioning and photography decisions. The team also paid meticulous attention to makeup, using fake blood that could mix with sweat and even edible blood for added realism.

The visual aesthetics of Round 6marked by vibrant colors and mesmerizing labyrinths, has already become iconic. An example is the doll used in the game French Fries, 1, 2, 3which quickly entered the popular imagination.

The series’ main sets were built at the Daejeon Expo Science Park, a location that includes tourist attractions such as the Daejeon Expo Memorial Hall and Hanbit Tower. In the second season, other important locations were:

• Incheon International Airport
• Seongapdo Island, near Incheon
• Jung District in Seoul
• Hangangjin and Oksu Stations
• Grand Park
• Map-Gu
• Seogang Bridge

What cameras are used?

The choice of cameras is a crucial element in the production of Round 6. Netflix, as a standard for its original productions, establishes strict guidelines on the equipment that can be used.

Among the approved brands, we highlight the RED Digital Cinema Camera Company (RED)known for manufacturing high-quality professional cameras. In addition to RED, Netflix original productions are also usually recorded with cameras from Arri, Panasonic, Sony, Canon, Panavision and Blackmagic.

Both the first and second seasons were filmed using RED equipment. The capture was made in digital format, eliminating the need for film.

During the first season, Hwang chose to RED DSMC2which uses the Monstro 8K VV sensor. In Brazil, the body of this camera alone costs more than R$260,000.

In terms of lenses, this RED body was combined with ARRI Master Prime and Alura Zoom lenses (15.5-45mm, 30-80mm and 45-250mm).

In an interview with RED’s official websitethe director explained:

“It seemed like the best option for exploring different filming formats, guaranteeing 4K or higher resolution.”

In the second season, the same camera with Zeiss Master Prime and Angénieux Optimo Ultra lenses was used.

Captured in 8K and converted to 4K

The episodes were captured on 8K (formato Redcode RAW)but the final edit was converted to 4K in the editing process. Digital Intermediate. This is the resolution available to Netflix Premium plan subscribers.

In terms of recording technology for the raw material, RAW, takes are recorded in the R3D file format

As RED explains, “The R3D format was developed by RED to provide an efficient and manageable format for RAW video data, promoting advanced editing capabilities in post-production. In the R3D file format, the digital image received by the sensor is formatted as RAW data corrected for pixel defects (but otherwise unprocessed), with 16 bits per pixel. Each RAW frame, or sequence of RAW frames in a clip, is compressed using proprietary wavelet-based REDCODE RAW compression and then stored in a RED MINI-MAG.”

RAW data is recorded independently of any color processing in the RGB domain, such as ISO, White Balance, or other adjustments to the RGB color space. “Instead, color parameters are saved as reference metadata; that is, color is not embedded (or “fixed”) in the recorded RAW data. This recording technique promotes flexibility in RGB color processing, which can be delayed until post-production or adjusted in the field, without affecting the quality of the recorded RAW image or dynamic range”, adds RED.

Have you watched the second season of Round 6? Did you like it? Comment below.