Chan-wook Park’s film Joint Security Area centers around two North Korean and two South Korean soldiers in the demilitarized zone separating the two countries. Through a strange order of events the four create a forbid bond of friendship. A sickening twist threatens to unravel everything in a matter of seconds
It becomes quite clear that nationalism is the driving for the majority of the events in the film. The scene of the stone line along the 38th parallel is shown repetitively in order to stress the division between the two nations, as well as the national pride each soldier has for their given country. Just imagine looking at someone day after day but never being able to say a word to them.
The film appears to take several aspects of American film and blend it together with a Korean style. Throughout the film there are numerous action scenes with gunfights and explosions suggesting influence from the States. Park incorporates Korean styles throughout the film as well, simpler plot to how the story was told in a non-linear fashion. Globalization of the Korean society can also be seen within the film when the South Korean soldiers talk about delicious desserts and fancy gadgets they have been imported from America.
The use of color stood out the most to me while viewing this film. Initialing each side, the North and the South, was dressed in drastically different colors, yet as the film progresses this idea changes until reaching the climax of the plot.
Joint Security Area blends an emotional story of four soldiers with action and gun explosions in order to create a high quality Korean movie, while stressing the idea that the two sides must come together and find some form of peace.
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This summary and analysis does a good job in looking at the movie and what it represents. Also, interesting ideas are mentioned in the way that the director carrries out and displayed the film and how such techniques afftected the outcome for the audience.
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I like your use of a short synopsis to capture my attention at the beginning of the post. In taking the view that the Korean culture is globalized I think that you should be more specific in stating that it is the south that is globalized, while the north sticks strongly to the culture. The trip that is taken into North Korea is ablaze with red on billboards and clothing, which shows the nature and ideals of the communist north. Over all lovely post, I'm quite impressed.
ReplyDeleteIn my forum response, I did not mention anything on Globalization, which I completely forgot while writing the response, so that was a good eye and comment on that. While South Korea was becoming more globalized than North Korea, the four soldiers started to spread their ideas to each other and instead of being such nationalists (like you mentioned), they became more "brothers".
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how you commented on globalization affecting the director's choices to put certain aspects in the film. You could have talked a little bit more about mise-en-scene and different symbolisms thereof. Otherwise, good post :).
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