The Korean Cinema

Introduction

South Korea can be termed as one of the nations that are the front line in terms of central domestic market share in local production.  Korean cinema is dated in 1945 during the liberation of Korea (Berry & Luke 1).  The film industry in this state has grown extensively over the past decades.  Korean movies have gained public awareness in their local market as well as global recognition where they have won prominent prizes during film event (Berry & Luke 2). During the 1980s, the Korean cinema industry was still under the strict regime suppression and screen quotas, which led to its downfall and almost ended it. However, the industry has surpassed all odds and transitioned from propaganda to award winning of the Golfen Lion award during the Venice festival (Berry & Luke 7).  This paper will discuss South Korean cinema industry, which is intertwined with the complex account of its country from 1961 to 1997.

The Golden Age to Depression: 1953-1979

The account of South Korean cinema is directly entwined with the tricky history of this state.  The key historical as well as political measures, which included the Japanese rule of 1903 to 1945, the Korean War of the 1950s, the World War II as well as the military government brought hindrance to the growth and creativity to the local film making industry (Parc 2).   The Golden Age is a period marked the end of Korean War. During this era, the film making industry was close to dying and the elected president exempted it from taxation. With the reduction in the regulations by the government, there was an increase in film production (Parc 4). The Golden Age era was also marked by advancement in technology, which boosted the local production to sophisticated ones where genre films were initiated.  At this era, the production line main topics revolved around freedom plus emancipation from the Japanese invasion.

    During this era, Movies such as Chunhyang-Jon recognized as the first South Korean smash hit was released, which attained over 200000 viewers within two months, which was an impressive number at that time.  The Housemaid also identified as Hanyo released in 1960 is ranked among the best Korean movies of this era (Messerlin &Jimmyn 57). The thriller illuminates a house help who intends to destroy the family of his master after seducing him.  A recognizable movie of this era is Aimless Bullet (Obata), which was banned after its first release in 1961 (Parc 6). The movie portrays the life of a Korean accountant during a period of change trying to support his family, which signifies the hardships faced by the families after Korean War.

This revival period ended in 1962, after a rise of a new government of military coup (Parc 16). During this rule, Motion Picture Law was passed, which led to a reduction in film production as well as importation. A noteworthy limitation of domestic production industries reduced from 71 to 16 during the same year (Parc 17). Film themes that could tarnish the image of the country such as obscenity, communism among others were restricted. Restriction in production subjects enhanced weak storyline that led to decline in cinema attendance in the year 1969 to 1979 (Martin 98). Around the sixties, televisions have already gained popularity and people shifted from the cinemas. In 1973, Hollywood movies were prohibited in an attempt to improve the domestic industry by the government, where imported films were viewed in limited days (Kwon & Joseph 422). During 1984, the Motion Picture Law was revised and the regulations over the film industry were condensed, permission to independent production was granted following certain rules and the film industry saw it burgeon yet again (Kwon & Joseph 423).

Local Production and Foreign Films

Subsequent revision of Motion Picture Law of the year 1984, foreign markets was reopened where importation and distribution of foreign films were permitted (Martin 100).  These revisions led to a significant impact on the domestic film industry. In 1988, foreign companies were sanctioned to start offices in Korea, which allowed Korean films to share equivalent terms with alien production. In 1988, Hollywood branches began to open in South Korea such as Twentieth Century Fox, United International Pictures, and Disney among others (Messerlin &Jimmyn 59).  Within the 1990s, the foreign production had dominated the cinema industry in Korea where only a sixth represented the domestic films produced (Kwon & Joseph 430).

Chaebols in Film Industry

During 1992, chaebols had already joined the Korean markets and they financed the first movie. Samsung is the first chaebol came in the cinema industry and offered 25% finance in the creation of a film by name Marriage Story (Kwon & Joseph 439). Other chaebols also joined the film industry including Orion, CJ as well as Lotte which has remained in the film industry occupying 80% in the market (Messerlin &Jimmyn 57). Chaebols brought a significant transformation in the film industry. They introduced a vertically integrated system, where they were involved in various stages of such as production, distribution, financing as well as generating international sales. Chaebols enhanced a radical rise in 1999 screens from 588 to 1451 in the year 2004 (Messerlin &Jimmyn 58).

International Acknowledgement

The cinema industry in Korea started to gain global notice in between the 1990s and in early 2000s (Martin 114). During this period, Korea established the first transnational film competitions. Busan International cinema festivals were held in South Korea,1996, this being the first time, this film festivals goal was to offer support and acknowledgment to new directors as well as movies particularly the Asian cinema (Messerlin &Jimmyn 59). These events marked 173 films viewed from 31 countries during this first edition. Korea has also hosted other major international film festivals such as Puchon International Fantastic Film Festivals which were launched in 1997 as well as The Jeonju International Film Festival which was launched much later in the year 2000 (Messerlin &Jimmyn 60). These festival films have generated significant motives on the Korean film industry by ensuring digital, independent, as well as art films; continue to be produced in this industry.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it is clear South Korean film industry has faced a tremendous growth over the past decades. During the 1960s, talented film directors started being recognized therefore moving the industry to greater levels. Through the restrictions set by the government made the industry struggle, the film makers never hesitated to make more films. In the 1970s the cinema industry the government restrictions became too unbearable and the industry started to decline in its popularity. From the 1980s to the 1990s, the industry started reviving back with the influence of new talents from the directorates. The attendance at this time was not that huge of a crowd but there was an increase in number at the end of the 1990s. The growth in this industry presented a chance for the cinemas to be recognized internationally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Berry, Chris, and Luke Robinson. "Introduction." Chinese Film Festivals. Palgrave Macmillan US, 2017. 1-11.

Kwon, Seung-Ho, and Joseph Kim. "The cultural industry policies of the Korean government and the Korean Wave." International journal of cultural policy 20.4 (2014): 422-439.

Martin, Daniel. "South Korean Cinema's Postwar Pain: Gender and National Division in Korean War Films from the 1950s to the 2000s." Journal of Korean Studies 19.1 (2014): 93-114.

Messerlin, Patrick, and Jimmyn Parc. "The effect of screen quotas and subsidy regime on cultural industry: A case study of French and Korean film industries." Journal of international business and economy 15.2 (2014): 57-73.

Parc, Jimmyn. "The effects of protection in cultural industries: the case of the Korean film policies." International Journal of Cultural Policy (2016): 1-16.