The cinema of the Republic of Korea is one of the types of art in South Korea , the prevailing national style and method of filing cinematic material, as well as economic relations associated with the production process and rental of created works.
Content
Liberation from Colonization and the Korean War (1945-1953)
After the end of World War II, the main theme in cinema was the theme of liberation. The main film of these years is considered to be “Long live Freedom!” ( Eng. Viva Freedom!, Cor. 자유 만세 , 1946). The ensuing Korean War suspended the development of national cinema. In 1950-1953, no more than 5-6 films were produced per year.
The Golden Age (1954-1972)
President of the young Republic of Korea Lee Seung Man , among the first legislative actions, not only benefited from the taxation of cinema, but also stimulated high-quality films with cash prizes. The next film adaptation of the 1955 folk epic “The Tale of Chhunhyang” (directed by Lee Gyu Hwan) and the film “Free Lady” ( English Madame Freedom , in some sources - “Free Wife” [1] , directed by Han Hyun Mo) were incredibly successful ( "Legend" was watched by about 200,000 people). With high fees, they created the financial basis for subsequent shootings and attracted the attention of investors to the film industry [2] . If until 1956 no more than 20 films were produced a year, then in 1959 their number exceeded 100. Filmmakers were provided with a sufficient supply of creative freedom (only pro-communist themes were censored); they were free to travel abroad to festivals and competitions, to invite foreign masters to the republic to exchange experience in joint projects. In 1960, the April Revolution in Korea brought even more freedom, which was promoted by the cinema ethics committee .
The quantitative growth of films was accompanied by an increase in quality and genre diversity. Melodramas, comedies, thrillers, gangster films and horror films were produced. Most were filmed in imitation of Hollywood standards and, in part, examples of Italian and French cinema. However, a new generation of very young directors, who came to the cinema in the 1950s, gradually formed the individual style of national cinema. Among the best paintings of this period are the films of Kim Ki-yong [3] “ Maid ” (sometimes “Maid”, cor. 하녀 , Hanyo, 1960) and Yu Hyun Moka “ Crazy Bullet ” ( cor. 오발탄 , 1960), and also the film directed by Sin San Oka “A Flower in Hell” (international title, original - 지옥 кор , Latin transliteration Jiokhwa, 1958) and “Sarangbang sonnimgwa eomeoni” ( cor. 사랑방 손님 . 어머니 , ≈ Russian. Guest and my mother , 1961).
The military elite , which soon came to power, approved the “Law on Feature Films” in 1962, however, with formal severity, it did not interfere with the development of film production. In addition, he put barriers to the import of foreign films, which stimulated an increase in the production of national films. By 1969, more than 230 films were shot annually in South Korea and over 170 million movie theater tickets were sold throughout the country. These indicators were exceeded only in 2005 [4] .
The period of authoritarian leadership (1972-1979)
After the so-called Fourth Republic of South Korea was established in the country in 1972, amid the general strengthening of political censorship, the banning of several political parties and the abolition of certain constitutional provisions, the “golden age” of national cinema was replaced by a deep recession. By 1976, the attendance of cinemas decreased almost three times (up to 70 million visits per year). In addition to the political factor, the reason for this was the rapid development of television. The government only noted “a loss of public confidence due to an excess of unorganized film companies and a lack of investment” [2] , and allowed more foreign films to enter the domestic market.
Despite the general slowdown of all processes in the film industry, the time has come when the personal skills and talent of the filmmakers became most visible and in demand. The works with the highest artistic merit are created: “Woman - Fire” ( en: Woman of Fire — international title, original - box 화녀 , Latin transliteration Hwanyeo, 1971) and “Woman - insect” ( box 충녀 , Chungnyeo, 1972) directed by Kim Ki Young, Flame ( en: Flame (1975 film) , cor. 불꽃 , Bulggot, 1975) and Rainy Days ( English Rainy Days , cor. 장마 , Jangma, 1979 ) directed by Yu Hyun Mok, “ Three Days of Their Reign , ” 삼일 천하 , Samil cheonha, 1973) Sin San Oka and others. The debut of The Hometown of Stars by Lee Chang Ho and Road to Sampo is the latest film from the early deceased Lee Man Hee.
The Formation Period of New Korean Cinema (1980-1995)
The Fifth Republic of South Korea, established in 1979, was characterized by reform attempts, but was accompanied by significant social upheaval (the Gwangju Massacre ). Film directors tried to demand an expansion of creative freedom, but their demands were not heard behind more global political and social problems. Two iconic films were released in the early 1980s: “A Good Windy Day” ( en: A Fine, Windy Day , cor. 바람 불어 좋은 날 , Barambuleo joheun nal, 1980) Lee Chang Ho and “Madame Aema” ( en: Madame Aema , cor. 애마 부인 , Aema buin, 1982) Chong In Yeba. Both were the first violators of the prohibitions in force earlier, and caused numerous imitations in the future ( sequels , spin-offs , etc.). The first challenged the taboo on criticism of the current political regime, the second - the boundaries of demonstrating sexuality on the screen. The second of the films successfully fit into the "cultural policy" of the ruling military elite, called 3S (Sex, Screen, Sports - Sex, Cinema, Sports).
In 1986, the sixth edition of the Law on Feature Films was adopted, which, on the one hand, provided filmmakers almost complete creative freedom, and on the other hand, it opened the domestic market for foreign film producers. Contradictory government measures have had a double effect. In 1991, 120 Korean films were released, but in 1993 this figure dropped to 63 and only 15% of the total rental in the country [2] .
A premonition of the proximity of democratic changes in the second half of the 1980s opens up the work of authors with new views and ideas. Many critics believe that it was this period that made Im Kwon Tae-ka the central figure of all Korean cinema with its creative peaks: “Mandala” ( en: Mandala (film) , cor. 만다라 , 1981) and “Sophyonje” ( en: Seopyeonje , cor . 서편제 , 1993) [4] . At that time, Pak Kwan Su worked interestingly: “Chil Su and Mansu ” ( en: Chilsu and Mansu , cor. 칠수 와 만수 , 1988), “The Black Republic” ( en: Black Republic , cor. 그들 도 우리 처럼 , Geudeuldo uri-cheoreom, 1990), “On the Star Island” ( en: To the Starry Island , cor. 그 섬 에 가고 싶다 , Geu seom-e gago sipta, 1993), “One Spark” ( en: A Single Spark , 아름다운 청년 전태일 , 1995).
Technical Growth Period (since 1996)
Since the mid-1990s, cinema in South Korea has experienced rapid growth. The share of national films at the box office increased from 23% in 1996 to 50% in 2001, and the number of cinema halls, respectively, from 511 to 1648 [2] . Developed the network of cinemas CJ-CGV, Megabox and Lotte Cinema. The biggest commercial success of the decade was the films Pak Chan Uka “ United Security Zone ”, Kang Woo Sok “Silmido” ( en: Silmido (film ), Kang Jae Gyu “ 38th parallel ”, which was watched by tens of millions of viewers.
Festival Success
The number of film products turned into quality. Films of South Korea have become of great interest at international festivals and competitions. In 2000, Chunhyangjon's film director Im Kwon Thek ( English Chunhyang , Russian History of Chunhyang ) became the first Korean participant in the main competitive program of the Cannes Film Festival (four more films were shown out of competition). The feature film " Island ", created by director Kim Ki Dook , entered the competition program of the Venice International Film Festival and received a special prize from the Moscow International Film Festival jury. His film “ Address unknown ” was included in the competition program of the Venice Film Festival and the Film Festival in Belgium, where he was awarded the prize of the youth jury. Director Pak Chan Uk received the Grand Prize of the Cannes Film Festival jury in 2004 for his film “ Oldboy ”, for which he was awarded the Prize for the best director at the International Film Festival in Bangkok in 2005 and in 2006 for the film “ Empathy with Madame Revenge ”. In 2019, the main prize of the Cannes Film Festival Golden Palm Branch received the South Korean film " Parasites " directed by Pong Joon Ho .
The Republic of Korea holds several international film festivals: Busan International Film Festival, Bucheon International Film Festival, Jeongju International Film Festival and Seoul Women's Film Festival.
Korean filmmakers are constantly increasing the production of animated films. Currently, more than 200 companies are working on creating animated films [5] .
Cooperation with the DPRK
In 2000, at a meeting of the heads of the two Korean states, an agreement was reached on cultural exchange. In North Korea, the North Korean film "Pulgasari" was officially shown, created on the basis of an ancient folk legend . Pyongyang answered Seoul after 3 years. In 2003, the South Korean film - the drama "Ariran" - was shown for the first time in the capital of the DPRK, another film adaptation of the history of the Korean people during the years of Japanese colonial rule. The topic is completely ideologically correct, so the northerners received the delegation from the South with due hospitality. The theme of unity of one nation gave an impetus to the filming in the Republic of Korea of not only political militants from a common history, but also romantic comedies, for example, “Girl from the North, guy from the South”.
The two countries have not only common classic plots “Ariran”, “Chhunhyang” or variations on the theme of martial arts. Filmmakers of North Korea studied in the USSR before, South - study in Russia now. There are other common positions. North Korean politicians have always supported the opposition of South Korean colleagues to an increase in the market for foreign films, since “this leads to further suppression of Korean culture, depriving the Korean nation of its national identity, which is being replaced by Americanization, Japaneseization, Westernization” [6] .
See also
- Korean wave
- Sviri (Shiri)
Notes
- ↑ J. N. Ibraev. The film industry of South Korea: from the origins of formation to international recognition . world.lib.ru (02.28.2008). Date of treatment October 27, 2011. Archived May 17, 2012. with reference to Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Kim Mee Hyun. Korean Cinema From Origins to Renaissance . - CommunicationBooks, 2007 .-- 477 p. - ISBN 978-8984997035 .
- ↑ Hereinafter, the spelling of Korean names and surnames in accordance with the recommendations of the Seoul Bulletin for filmmakers mentioned on IMDb (the last names are indicated first).
- ↑ 1 2 Darcy Paquet. A Short History of Korean Film . koreanfilm.org (03/01/2007). Date of treatment October 27, 2011. Archived September 2, 2012.
- ↑ Cultural and Information Service of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Moscow.
- ↑ A. Astafiev. A review of the cinema of North Korea . Cinema club "Phoenix" with reference to the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University M.V. Lomonosova (May 2000). Date of treatment October 28, 2011. Archived September 2, 2012.
Literature
- Kim Mee Hyun. Korean Cinema From Origins to Renaissance . - CommunicationBooks, 2007 .-- 477 p. - ISBN 978-8984997035 .
- J. N. Ibraeva. The film industry of South Korea: from the origins of formation to international recognition . world.lib.ru (02.28.2008). Date of treatment October 27, 2011. Archived May 17, 2012. with reference to Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
- Maria Maltseva. Panorama of 50 years of South Korean cinema . Seoul Gazette No. 82 (February 2004). Date of treatment November 3, 2011. Archived on May 17, 2012.