User:Alyeshi/sandbox

History
In 1985, South Korea made the fifth amendment to Cinema Law. It switched the industry from an approval system to a registration system. At the time there were very few groups producing and creating films but then newer companies began to rise with the introduction to this amendment. Even with the amendment and more domestic movies being produced, Hollywood movies still dominated Korean Cinema. Then as a reaction to improve domestic film’s success in 1993 a domestic quota started to become enforced which ensured that domestic films would be screened for at least 146 days a year. But domestic films continued to have a lower market share compared to foreign films.

In 1999, Shiri marked a change in the Korean film industry when it defeated Titanic creating change for a rise in the appeal of domestic films. A Korean film scholar even describes the box office competition as a war between South Korea and the US. After the success, there was a rise in national sentiment in choosing domestic films over foreign ones.

Shiri was also one of the first budget films whose budget was taken care of by Samsung. Kang Je Gyu mentioned in an interview that after Shiri, people saw filmmaking as a business and the value towards it. Chaebol companies like Samsung began to join in on the film industry around 1992 and with the success of Shiri, were willing to invest more. Chaebols then became involved in the entire processes of the film industry especially helping the distribution. It also helped that the with a new leadership in government there was more  interest in making films a cultural product to be shared overseas who provided incentives to create and invest in films. The distribution of domestic films became higher because Chaebols wanted more people to watch the movies that they invested in which caused them to create multiplex cinemas.

After the release of Shiri, it allowed for more blockbusters to come out and continued because of interest and a future of possible investments. Blockbuster production halted after a few losses but then saw another rise in 2004 with the release of Taegukgi and Silmido.

Rise of a New Generation
During the Korean blockbuster era, the members of the 386 generation emerged as leading directors of blockbuster movies. The directors of 386 Generation specifically filled this role as they had film education backgrounds and even some were educated abroad. Because of changing governments they also did not have to worry about censorship. They also helped influence the common themes that were present in blockbuster movies. Due to them growing up in a more political tumultuous time in Korea, they were allowed to explore themes that could have not happened before with censorship. Another aspect is this generation also tried to incorporate their own culture into their movies. They have been known to use their culture and history for their own commercial gain. . Kang Je Gyu and Park Chan Wook who directed some important Korean blockbuster movies like Shiri and Joint Security Area are part of this generation. Other notable names are Bong Joon Ho, Kim Sung Su and Kwak Kyu Taek who were also directors of early blockbuster films.

Common Themes
In the time of Korean blockbusters, anti-americanism and national division are popular themes used by the directors. These themes differ from other cinemas and appeal to the history and current issues of the Korean people.

National Division
Joint Security Area, Shiri and Taegukgi, Welcome to Dongmakgol are notable blockbuster films that touch upon the division of Korea. They all deal with the North Korea and South Korea's relationship with each other. JSA, Shiri, Taegukgi and Welcome to Dongmakgol have a common theme of brotherhood. Characters can be brothers, co-workers, soldiers but all develop or already share a strong relationship. With the rise of blockbuster movies, the directors choose to view their post war life as a tragedy and choose humanize the North Koreans. Most characters as well don’t have a happy ending. The broken relationships between bonds of the characters is supposedly an allegory to the division between two countries that once were one.

Anti-Americanism
A prime example to this theme is the Host by director Bong Joon Ho. His blockbuster movie was inspired by a real life case where a mortician employed by the US Air Force ordered to dump toxic embalming fluid down the drain. This drain led to the Han River which caused a controversy. Cho Jin Hee explains that in the film, the Host there are inferences and allusions to the US presence in South Korea. The film even begins with a scene similar to the actual case. However, Nikki Lee points out that although it uses a real life incident, the Host is not overtly political or nationalistic and does not take a particular stance. Bong Joon Ho himself however even admits that the anti American element was not a focus of the film but he feels that the South Korean audiences and few critics enjoyed it.