Tracing Horror Elements in 'The Backrooms' - Focusing on the Research Work MAEM

This paper focuses on the YouTube creator Kane Pixel’s video <The Backrooms(Found Footage)>(2022), and explores the origins of works in the “Backroom” style, considering internet aesthetics and the socio-historical context. The study also presents a deep analysis of the factors that make such content capable of evoking fear. Even in the absence of typical characters such as ghosts, monsters, or criminals, certain elements can create a sense of discomfort that psychologically approaches fear. These elements suggest the presence of something lurking in unfamiliar spaces or convey the feeling of being trapped in an endless, inescapable situation, triggering a fear response in viewers. Additionally, these elements often emerge in situations where there is an unnatural or discordant atmosphere, such as when a once-crowded, well-lit space becomes empty and dark, creating a stark contrast with its usual form, thus turning a familiar space into one of horror. <The Backrooms(Found Footage)>(2022) presents first-person horror content that maximizes these spatial and environmental fear elements, becoming a trend on internet platforms and inspiring various similar works. This study also examines the game <POOLS>(Tensori, 2024), which shares similar characteristics, to identify the specific conditions within spaces that induce an unsettling sensation close to fear. Based on these analyses, the paper proposes a research project titled <MAEM>, which applies Backroom-style horror elements to certain locations in Korea. The goal of this research is to gain a methodical understanding of the Backroom style and to lay the groundwork for the development of both future works and studies, thus contributing to the expansion of perspectives and research in the horror genre.