THE KOREAN NEW WAVE
Published on Oct 29, 2016
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
THE KOREAN NEW WAVE
THE CONTEXTUAL STUFF
OBJECTIVES
Explore the history of Korea.
Define the Korean New Wave
Analyse the social and historical context of the wave.
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WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT KOREA?
It's important to understand the production contexts of the New Wave films that you study.
The best art typically reflects the anxieties of the society that bore it.
A HISTORY LESSON
During WW2 the Korean peninsula was under Japanese occupation.
1945: After the surrender of Japan, the Korean peninsula is divided between Soviet and American occupation forces at the 38th parallel.
1945: South Korea created a franchise to raise money and funds to recover.
1948: UN sponsored elections are held in South Korea.
1948: Kim Il Sung establishes North Korea.
1950: The Korean War begins.
1953: The Korean War is halted by the Korean Armistice Agreement that has remained in force until now.
The Korean war left the nation completely divided. It also importantly left great American influence on the South.
From the 1960s, authoritarian governments had placed absolute primacy on economic growth. Social and political development was de-prioritized as the entire nation was hitched to an economic locomotive that would convey Korea to the terminus of “advanced nations.”
1977: 22 December. Celebration of achievement of 10 billion dollars gained by exports.
1979: Coup d'état of December Twelfth, Chun Doo Hwan gets military power
1980: Gwangju massacre. Martial Law is declared throughout the nation. The city of Gwangju becomes a battleground between dissenters and the Armed Forces (18–27 May). Some reports claim over 100 casualties.
1987: A student uprising begins the June Democracy Movement, which overthrows the autocratic Fifth Republic of South Korea.
1988: 24th Olympic Games held in Seoul
In the article “New Wave of Pop Culture Redefines Korea,” writer Andrew Salmon outlines the factors involved in creating this new wave. At the end of the 80s, South Korea started the process of democratization, and within a few years the strict censorship laws started to loosen up. Not only did the free flow of information across borders allow South Korea to absorb more Western culture, it also became easier for Korean film, music, and television shows to get distribution in other countries – including the U.S.
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As the 1990s unfolded, political democracy engendered a social liberalism that seeped into society.
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READ "New wave of pop culture redefines Korea" and answer the questions on the worksheet ready for a discussion.
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THE NEW WAVE
1999 - 2005
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The way the films meld Eastern and Western attitudes and aesthetics makes them feel fresh, even if you’re watching what might ordinarily be a garden-variety crime thriller or revenge fantasy.
Before the New Wave film production in South Korea was very limited.
These films had a low production value, were often long and dealt with historical or romantic themes.
NORTH KOREAN PARTISAN IN SOUTH KOREA (1990)
The first big hit that ushered in the wave was 1999’s Swiri (or Shiri, as it’s also called), an action movie that became an international success and allowed for bigger budgets and a global market.
SHIRI
The First New Wave Film
What are some of the noticeable differences between these two films?
Shiri was the first major release to address the North/South divide of Korea in a way outside of traditional propaganda.
The film takes its name from a freshwater fish indigenous to the DMZ. Like the fish which knows no borders or cares little for the rival ideologies on either side of the 38th parallel
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Another reunification-minded fish-related symbol appears in the film in the form of gourami, so-called 'kissing fish', which cannot live apart-- if one of a pair dies, the other follows suit.
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Narrative shortcomings aside, this pioneering Korean 'blockbuster' marked a turning point in the evolution of South Korean cinema towards a more market-driven industry, and has since become the de facto model for the industry for producing commercially viable fare.
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