Koreans love the cinema experience Numbers and research back up this fact.
A closer look reveals... films based on the country's history of struggles and triumph
against Japan's oppressive colonial rule... tend to receive rave reviews...
as they strike a chord with viewers.
Lee Ji-won delves deeper into this formula through some of the recent hits at the local
box office.
The movie "The Battleship Island", also known as "Kunhamdo" in Korean, released just over
a week ago,... is based on actual historical background regarding Japan's Hashima Island,
where some 800 Koreans were forced to labor during World War II.
While the island in the southwest of Japan is a symbol of the country's rapid industrialization,
it's also a painful reminder of Japan's colonization of Korea.
The movie received much attention in Korea,... becoming the fastest film to surpass the 5
million ticket mark at the box office this year.
It's part of a recent trend of Korean movies set during Japan's colonial rule of Korea
from 1910 to the end of the Second World War.
"Assassination", by director Choi Dong-hoon, and released in 2015... is about a group of
Korean independence fighters who plot against Imperial Japan.
It attracted over 10 million domestic viewers.
"Spirits' Homecoming" directed by Cho Jung-lae and released in 2016 tells the story of Korean
women sexually enslaved by Japanese soldiers before and during World War Two.
Considering how the movie was not made for commercial entertainment,... it was a box
office success.
"It was very painful to watch the movie, "Spirits' Homecoming" because those victims were young
girls of my age or even younger when they were sexually enslaved.
But I think movies like these are a good opportunity for viewers to really learn the history and
face the painful past."
"Our country was colonized by Japan for over 30 years, so there are a lot of stories to
tell.
But rather than hating the Japanese,...
I hope these movies help people remind themselves of the hardships our country had to endure,
and really come together to love and develop our country."
From the sexual enslavement of Korean women, to forced labor and even the indiscriminate
killing of innocent civilians, Japan's colonial rule left Koreans with deep scars.
And while these films serve as a historical record, they are also a cathartic channel
to relief a collective sense of anger and dispair.
"Anarchist from Colony", which opened in June,... depicts the true story of independence activist
Park Yeol, who was accused by the Japanese colonial government of trying to assassinate
the Japanese crown prince,... as an attempt to divert the attention from a mass killing
of some 6-thousand Koreans.
"Park Yeol was someone with great courage, bravery and strong love for his country.
And despite such unfavorable conditions under Japan's colonial rule, he stood against the
imperial government, and sacrificed himself to become many Koreans' hope."
While these are hardly the first Korean films on Japanese colonization,... film critics
say one reason for the genre's success in recent years can be attributed to Koreans'
increased awareness on these issues.
For instance, Japan's failure to face the shameful past of Hashima Island, as it promised
to do so as a condition of the island being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in
2015.
While an implementation report on Japan's promises to help visitors learn the full history
of the 'battleship island' is due December 1st this year, nothing has been done yet.
"There are many similarities in Japan's past wrongdoings and in its current attitude toward
these issues.
Tokyo continues to show no repentance on the issues, which is why Koreans can now relate
better to these films on Japanese colonization."
For directors and actors participating in this type of films, one aspect stands out
from any other, and that is to base all stories solely on facts.
"Our movie's primary role is to let people know of such history.
And with the issue still unresolved, I thought it was crucial for the movie to accurately
deliver the facts to its viewers and remind them of this painful past, by working closely
with the victims and reflecting their testimonies."
And some have hopes that these films could possibly have their own function in resolving
the deadlocked issues between the two countries.
"Some Japanese will also watch these films, like Koreans watch Japanese films.
And through such cultural exchanges, these historical and cultural media may help the
two peoples understand each other, and play a role that the government cannot in resolving
the issue."
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.