In April, news broke that Netflix would “double down” on its Korean content, investing nearly C$3.7 billion over the next four years to produce Korean TV series, movies, and reality shows. Investments are made at the right time. Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, released in November 2022, states that South Korea is an important partner for Canada’s engagement in the region and is “closely linked through long-standing trade and cultural ties.” There is. During Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Seoul in early May, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly commented that the bilateral relationship was that of “good friends” and emphasized the need to strengthen the relationship between Canada and South Korea. emphasized.
In strengthening these ties, Canadians would benefit from becoming more familiar with Korean culture and society. One way to do that is through movies. According to a 2021 national poll by Canada’s Asia Pacific Foundation, 45 per cent of Gen Z Canadians (26 and under) get most of their information about Asia from pop culture, more than any other source. (see figure below). Some pop culture, such as music and video games, is primarily entertainment-based. But movies in particular can be a rich source of insight into social issues. That is certainly the case in South Korea, where the most successful films focus on important social issues and are a useful barometer of the nation’s mood.
Korean cinema, as it is known to audiences around the world today, began in the late 1980s and early 1990s., Following a gradual decline in political censorship in the country. Since then, South Korea has produced some of the most interesting and popular films in the world. A recent example is parasitewon Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020 and sparked debate about class politics and deep wealth inequality in South Korea.but parasite was not the first film to introduce such issues to international audiences. The five films mentioned below are good at introducing aspects of Korean society that Canadians (and other Westerners) don’t necessarily see.
old boy
when old boy The film, first released in 2003, was an instant hit and won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It subsequently achieved considerable commercial success, received praise from domestic and international critics, and solidified South Korea’s status as a film industry powerhouse. . At its core, old boy is a revenge thriller and mystery in which a man is suddenly released after being imprisoned for 15 years. Set on the streets of Seoul, the film follows a man’s brutal quest for revenge against those who imprisoned him and then released him without explanation, culminating in a series of startling revelations.
Interwoven between moments of extreme violence and shocking discoveries is a larger, overarching story about poverty, inequality, and the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis (AFC). While a man is imprisoned, he learns about the outside world through television, which broadcasts various news. These include the arrest of former President Chun Doo-hwan on corruption charges, the Seongsu Bridge collapse in 1994, and multiple articles on the AFC, which led to a financial crisis due to a series of currency devaluations. The International Monetary Fund provided South Korea with relief measures, but it also imposed strict spending requirements, which led to economic hardship and widened the gap between the country’s rich and poor.
the host
In 2006, the host It recorded the highest box office revenue in Korea and remained the most watched movie in Korea, but since then, Avatar The core of this is the host is a monster movie that begins with an American soldier ordering his Korean aide to dump a chemical into the Han River that runs through the capital, Seoul. This act sets off a chain of events that leads to the appearance of a terrifying monster that terrorizes the riverside community.
the host The piece was inspired by recent history and the mood of public discontent following the McFarland scandal in 2000. In this incident, American soldiers stationed in South Korea ordered their Korean employees to dump liquid formaldehyde into the sewer system, which ended up flowing into the Han River. News of the incident sparked a backlash when it became public, revealing widespread dissatisfaction with the actions of U.S. troops stationed there.
Train to Busan
Train to Busan The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2016 and was released domestically in July 2016. The film dominated the box office and broke ticket sales records.
The film’s central premise is a familiar one. In other words, a large-scale zombie outbreak overwhelms the government and forces survivors to evacuate to designated “safe areas.” The story is about an overworked businessman who takes his daughter by train to the southeastern city of Busan to meet his mother. The two are joined by a group of other passengers on the train who are terrified of zombies. The rest of the film follows the group as they battle zombies while navigating interpersonal conflicts.
It’s not so clear, but the host, Train to Busan This is a social commentary that includes monster elements. This movie was released two years after the sinking of the ferry MV Sewol. More than 300 passengers, most of them high school students, died in the accident after the crew loaded twice the legal weight limit onto the ship. Subsequent investigations revealed corruption at all levels.
in Train to Busan, the zombies play the role of antagonists rather than villains. In this case, the villain is the other passenger. As the survivors travel by train as the outbreak continues, their progress is thwarted by a businessman who protects himself at the expense of others. However, by the end of the film, the characters realize the human cost of their actions and change their actions to prevent further deaths. At the time of the MV Sewol tragedy, this change in behavior was what the people were looking for, from self-preservation to actions that benefit the larger community.
broker
broker The film follows two church volunteers who sell babies left in church-run “baby boxes” to wealthy families. One night, a baby was left in a box with a note from her mother saying she was coming to pick her up. However, the two volunteers, who had previously seen such a note, deduce that the mother will not return and prepare to sell the baby to a family (rather than leaving it in an orphanage). There are twists and turns, the mother returns, but eventually two volunteers are persuaded to help find another family to raise her son.
The timing of this film is important. In South Korea’s presidential election in 2022, conservative candidate Yoon Seok-yeol defeated liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung by less than 1%. One of Yun’s major campaign promises was to abolish the Ministry of Women and Family. The ministry has played a key role in putting gender and family issues at the center of policy discussions and has overseen a wide range of programs, including single parent and child care support. Although Yun has not yet disbanded the ministry, his pledge to do so comes after years of controversial gender-discriminatory policies in South Korea, which have had problematic consequences for mothers and become increasingly negative. It reflects the discourse, the (false) claim that sexism is sexism. That is a thing of the past, and feminism is the cause of this country’s low birthrate.
broker This, while challenging, reflects this discourse and its impact on single mothers. In the film, both volunteers and police express the view that single mothers are irresponsible, and argue that traditional families are the ideal environment for children. However, as the film progresses, this idea is subtly questioned through the experiences and choices of a single mother. Although the film does not make a value judgment about what kind of family is “best,” it does present a persuasive argument that balances the widespread negative discourse in South Korea surrounding gender issues. There is.
These five films and their overarching themes and narratives all tend to run counter to the soft power image advocated as part of South Korea’s official cultural diplomacy. Cultural diplomacy and a country’s national image are important, but they can also obscure social issues beneath the polished surface, giving international audiences an incomplete picture of the country.
These Korean films help bridge the gap between image and reality, presenting difficult themes and subjects in the form of highly engaging films with high-quality storytelling and innovative filmmaking. Masu. As Canada forges a deeper cultural relationship with South Korea as part of a broader engagement strategy in the North Pacific, Canadian viewers can now enjoy movies that open a window on the world thanks to Netflix and other significant investments in Korean content. Expanding unique opportunities to explore. Its importance will only increase in the coming years.