FILM 3180 - Korean Cinema

Following the end of the Korean War in 1953, South Korea rapidly developed from one of the poorest nations in the world under a military dictatorship into an economic powerhouse that embraced democracy. The transformation of the nation is keenly reflected through the national cinema. This course examines how the cultural, social, and political issues and events that have transpired across the decades have informed the formation of the Korean cinema industry, as well as the cinematic output. Through lectures, seminars, and screenings, students will explore the political and cultural issues from the 1950s until today, and how such events informed the cinema industry as well as leading to cinematic trends and output. Students will critically engage with key films from Korean cinema history, examining how such films reflect and explore the issues of the respective era, in order to more fully understand how Korean cinema has evolved into its current contemporary state.