Haunted Road

Did You Know?

• The film's promotional poster, released on 30 October 2014, was the first 3D film poster in China.
• The film's theme song 'Ghost Love', performed by Chinese singer Cui Tianqi, was released online on 15 October 2014, marking her first contribution to a film score.
• A sequel, Haunted Road 2, was released in 2017.

Plot

Seven friends—Xuelian, Zengliang, Huazi, Haojian, Ningmeng, Xiaotian, and Dudu—are driving to a wedding when they come upon a car accident. They do not stop to help, and soon their own car breaks down, forcing them to take shelter at a roadside stop. Xuelian delivers monologues criticizing her friends' lack of sympathy and their shallow views on love. The group decides to camp for the night. Dudu is dared to take a selfie across the road; when the lights go out, a ghost chases her into the service store. Xiaotian steals money from the counter and the accident victim's savings, then is killed by the ghost. Xuelian and Haojian search for Dudu; Haojian confesses his love, but Xuelian ignores it. Ningmeng, who loves Haojian, joins them. They find Dudu's body in the cafeteria, and Ningmeng is killed by the ghost wrapping cloth and wires around her. Zengliang and Huazi, who had sex in the garage, discover Xiaotian's body. Haojian blames Huazi and tries to kill everyone, injuring Zengliang's knee, but Xuelian knocks him out and leaves him to die. The survivors realize photos sent to them foreshadow each death. They try to start a stray car; Huazi, jealous of Xuelian tending to Zengliang, fakes a cursed photo and strikes Xuelian with a ratchet spanner. Huazi and Zengliang leave, but Huazi breaks her leg and is killed by the ghost. Zengliang sees an illusion of a crowded stop, reunites with the injured Xuelian, then abandons her and is killed. Left alone, Xuelian learns the truth: she is the car accident victim. Abused since childhood and dumped by her boyfriend, she tried suicide by swerving her car but survived; all events are her near-death experiences. Her six 'friends' are strangers who stopped to help. The film closes with Xuelian saying the strangers helped her escape darkness and her negative views.

Production

The film Haunted Road draws loosely from a novel by Chinese web writer Hong Niangzi, who also wrote the screenplay. Director Yijan Tong wove in Asian urban legends—like ghosts constructing a wall and hotel guests vanishing during the Ghost Festival—and named the Korean horror films Three and Killer Toon as key inspirations. A China-South Korea co-production, it was filmed entirely in China with a crew from both countries. South Korean actress Hong Soo-ah took the lead role, her first in a Chinese feature; she spoke Mandarin on set but was later dubbed by a voice actress. Principal photography happened in 2014, with Hong wrapping her scenes in July. That September, Joy N Contents Group secured the South Korean distribution rights. On October 15, the theme song Ghost Love, sung by Cui Tianqi, dropped online—her first film score contribution. A promotional haunted house, built by a Taiwanese team to mirror the film's setting, began a national tour on October 17. The poster, released October 30, became China's first 3D film poster. Hong Niangzi's novel came out on November 1, before the movie's release.

Reception

The film earned around RMB 10 million in its first week, landing fifth in national box office rankings. It reached RMB 18 million after two weeks and finished its run with over RMB 20 million. Wenzhou Daily praised it as a box office dark horse, noting its release alongside three Hollywood films and attributing the success to its marketing. HorrorNews.net, however, gave a harsh review, calling the movie 'plain bad.'