Folklore is a six-episode hour-long horror series that takes place across six Asian countries - Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand – with each episode based on a modern adaptation of each country’s deeply-rooted myths and folklore.
Directed by different directors from various countries in Asia, each episode was filmed in the local language of the country that the episode is based in.
Two Folklore episodes, Folklore: Tatami, directed by Takumi Saitoh, and Folklore: A Mother’s Love, directed by Joko Anwar, have been selected for the upcoming 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival’s Crosscut Asia section.
Eight episode Food Lore is an anthology series that, said HBO “explores the human condition with narratives inspired by and showcased through the perspectives of Asian cuisines, weaving tales of the tastes and aromas that have filled the Asian souls – tales of longing and forbidden passion, of connection and loss, of childhood memory”.
Helmed by award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Eric Khoo, the series is shot in eight countries across Asia. Episodes are directed by Don Aravind (Singapore), Billy Christian (Indonesia), Takumi Saitoh (Japan), Ho Yuhang (Malaysia), Erik Matti (Philippines), Pen-Ek Ratanaruang (Thailand) and Phan Dang Di (Vietnam).
Both series are produced by HBO Asia as part of a two-year partnership with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in Singapore which hopes to develop the drama production capabilities of Singapore’s media industry and talent.