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Reading Journal in Asian Film Culture: "A Little of Benchmarking and A Lot of Stylistics"


A Little of Benchmarking and A Lot of Stylistics
(January 16, 2017)
There is no development if there is no benchmark. This is as simple as understanding that one cannot improve oneself unless there is another whom he can compare himself with. As seen in Korean Cinema, the film industry had specialised in melodramas, historical spectacles, and even films of graphic sex, but with stricter laws from the government in 1973, regulations, production and distribution were kept within a few companies (Bordwell & Thompson, 655). While there was a positive effect in that the quota for the production of films rose up to 200 titles per year, due to the ban on some importation of films, it must also be understood that under such premise there can be two effects: (1) that the quality of the films produced will not be of quality standard and a re-use of film formulae to the point of becoming unentertaining; and (2) there is only real competition amongst themselves, and have forgone a chance to engage with the world’s production. Because of this, development in the film industry would not flourish as much as it would, and the chaebols would not be so keen to invest on them. Bordwell and Thompson explains further that it was only in 1993 with the surprise hit of Soponje – a historical drama by Director Im Kwon-taek that attracted more than a million viewers, did these corporations (chaebols) began to see prospect of good investment in the film industry. And one such outcome is the success of the action thriller Shiri in 1999 by  Director Kang Je-gyu, which even topped the domestic sales of Titanic of that same year. (655-658)

While it can be argued that the revitalisation of Korean’s film industry was also due, in part, of the laws that protected the domestic films by having quotas and limited importation of films, it must also be acknowledged that film makers began to diversify their repertoire and began to reach out to the international film festivals with their works, such as Kim Ki-duk’s The Isle (2000), or Jang San-woo’s work (Lies,1999) which made full use of the liberal mindset, causing an uproar with the graphic sex scenes of the film yet creating waves and international success. It is only saddening to learn that most of these artists that grew a name for themselves in the international arena would not have as much success in the mainstream domestic theaters as easily for the varied options of films may have become too generic.

Upon further examination of the content of the films that were successful both in the domestic or international, it should be noted that the films take into account the explorative nature of a historical drama. Perhaps one reason why this is so is because of a sense of shared memory that the audience (domestic and abroad) have of the war, of the glorious past, and of the current economical conditions that are colourfully portrayed in the films. This seemingly everyday situation, whether in the past or present, allows a way for the audience to penetrate and sympathise with the film.

The 2006 free-trade agreement with the US, however, changed the quota system of the film industry, allowing more film importations. This sudden outpour of western films, of more advanced technology and techniques, would shock the local film industry and eventually leave an impression. In order for the local film industry to compete with these new players, the production companies and the film makers would have to develop their own style. 2006’s The King and the Clown (Lee Joon-ik) and The Host (Bong Joon-ho) became blockbusters for their use of new cinematic techniques, (CGI in the case of the Host), but also because of distinct Korean style (and possibly arguments to the convention of most films) such as the presence of tropes and archetypes, historical references, relevance of family ties, and metaphorical allegories. Furthermore, with the advancement of new media and technology, Korea sets itself as a leading figure in Asia in cinema (particularly for productions, transnational co-productions –one of my favourites being the movie Red 2 in 2013 by Dean Parisot, who casts multinational artists including Korean Lee Byung Hun, a movie expanding to multiple countries), as well as music and tv series, as seen in the evident spread of K-Pop and Korean Drama.

In conclusion, if they (Korean film industry) wanted to blatantly compare against the western films, they made films that appear as cheap knock-offs of the original, thus, I believe their strength lay in the ability to explore and narrate nostalgia that can communicate among the audiences using their own style, Hallyu. What is here present, then, is the engagement of the entertainment industry, and not just cinema alone. But in its development, cinema continues to reap its rewards and grow into a valuable asset and investment, of which would not have been made possible if the regulations and banning of importation had continued. After all, if they did not see the need for improvement of their choice taste, due to the presence of imported films, they would not have aspired to develop their techniques to be at par with foreign films. And it was in their decision to return to their roots of the past, narratives that dealt with nostalgia and pride– that which can easily be sympathised by the domestic audience– that they were able to cement their presence on a national scale, creating a strong foundation for international distribution.

Word Count: 918

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