Japanese Films Widening Choices in Korean Film Market

IZUMI Chiharu(이즈미 지하루) 한국전시산업융합연구원 2017 한국과학예술융합학회 Vol.31 No.-

The annual audience in Korea has exceeded 100 million since 2012, and the number has exceeded 200 million since 2013. Although audiences are watching many films, most of those films are Korean and American films and entertaining commercial films. A great number of Japanese films have been released in Korea since 1998 the year of implementing the policy on opening to Japanese popular culture. Despite the audiences’ recognition for Japanese films as an art film at the beginning of opening, various Japanese films including animation movies, teen films, fantasy movies, horror movies and art films were released in Korea. After ups and downs at the box office, Japanese films are going to have a new leap in Korean market. Japanese films are overcoming the preconception that Japanese films are “art films for film festivals” or the misconception that Japanese films are “animation movies for children” and confidently becoming a part of communication with audiences through a screen in Korean film market. Especially, Japanese films start contributing to diversity of films in Korean film industry bombarded with commercial films which are entertaining. At the point of facing 20th anniversary of the Korean policy on opening to Japanese popular culture, Japanese films have a positive influence on Korean film industry.

일제말기의 어용영화에 대한 논의

김수남(Kim Su Nam) 한국영화학회 2005 영화연구 Vol.0 No.26

1. Introduction Korean film history, propaganda film, Japanese colonial period,. Recently Korean Film Archive shows four films before 1945 and this show encourages the study of motivation about the propaganda film of this period. Especially the propaganda films are producted by Choshun film artists who are forced to make those films. Therfore these propaganda films are not 'Chinil yonghwa'(cooperative japanese film) but only so-called 'national policy film'. So we seriously discuss about the Japanese friendship of Chosunun film artists. 2. The discuussion of the propaganda film of pre-liberation. Japan monopolized the capital, thechnology, human efforts of the Chosun film world and they controled the system of film production and distribution Under the situation of the beginning of Chosun film making. Japanese colonial government managed the literature and music of Chosun to prepare on the system of war at first. Continuously they expanded to manage movie. which is totall art not privite arts. in 1940 they publicationed the law of Chosun film. Also they controled the permission of production, distribution, show business and the regulation of running and imported movie from America and Europe and duty showing America and Euroupe movies. By this law 〈the association of Chosun film production〉 is established on December in 1940. In this term pro-Japanese films were made by the enforcement of japanese colonial govenment for Japanese Imperial propaganda film. The pro-Japanese film means 'chinil yonghwa' or national policy film. So it is dealed very sincerly that Chosun film artists to participate in making Japanese propaganda film is called the part of Japanese friendship. 3. Revalution of the Chosun film director by 'Korean Auteurism' By Kim, Sunam's 'Korean Auteurism' the spirit of auteur definited the being of director and it is apeared from the subject of work. and also the spirit of auteur depends on his life which expresss on the his film by the ideology and action of the character. The spirit of auteur and the world of works are discussed in the same level, but the situation of film production make impossible to achive it. If we concider this reality of japanese colonial period, the Japanese friendship acting by Lee, Kyuhwan, Jeon, Changgeun, Choi, Inkyu etc. must be understood in the different view. 4. Conclusion I have discussed on the Japanese friendship film and national policy film based on the Japanese colonial policy. Of course this oppinion has several view points by interested person in this study. But we rethinking that the most Chosun film artists who participating making Chosun film contributed on the development of Chosun film enormously.

친일영화에 새겨진 친일담론의 양상과 ‘국민통합’ 이데올로기 연구

조혜정 한국민족운동사학회 2009 한국민족운동사연구 Vol.0 No.58

The period under the rule of Japanese imperialism has a distinctive phase. For it’s the period engaged with the films which began to be produced just after they had been introduced and flown into Korea under the condition of suffering identity crisis being suppressed by a strong magnetic force like Japanese Colonialism. Especially, entering the end of the Japanese imperialism, the appearance of the so called, ‘Pro-Japanese film’ occurred the most argumentative discourse in Korean film history. Although the pro-Japanese films are named for various terms such as ‘government-patronized film’, ‘film propagating Japanese militarism’, ‘nation-governing film’ according to the producing body and producing intention, and implicative ideology, they hold the messages in essence of amicable and cooperative with Japanese Colonialism and even to defend and spread it. So that they could erase(Chosun)nation willingly accepting the state(namely Japan). In this study, an internal logic of a discourse on pro-Japanese aspect and ‘national integration’ ideology is considered based on three pro-Japanese films still left such as 「Military Train」, 「Volunteer」, 「Straits of Chosun 」. In 「Military Train」(1938), there exists an emphasis that people of Korean peninsular should willingly join the China and Japan War to successfully win the war, and a paradox to accept the Japan as the guardian who would bring in peace to the Orient. The periodic background of the 「Volunteer」(1941) is just before the start of 「Special order for Chosun to volunteer for military service」in 1938 asserting that the true ‘unification of Japan and Chosun’ would be realized by the Chosun youths to volunteer for military service. 「Straits of Chosun」(1943) is the film made in commemoration of conscription system for Chosun youths in 1943, a story of which is about a wife of a volunteer became a Chonghu Buin offering labor without taking care herself while waiting her husband in the battle line focussing a sublime of the ‘blood and sweat’ for the nation. The pro-Japanese films spread the messages that the natural law for the Chosun people is to abolish the nation and select the state by setting up the Chosun people adapting themselves to and assimilating with colonial policy. The logic the films focuss is that being the people of the state is the true unification of Japan and Chosun. So many Chosun intellectuals began to accept the assert being overawed by Japanese power overrunning Chinese continent. The pro-Japanese films were the products of such symptom. 한국영화사에서 일제강점기는 독특한 위상을 가진다. 일제강점기는 영화가 전래ㆍ유입된 이후 한국에서 영화가 제작되는 시기와 맞물리고, 일제식민통치의 강력한 자장 속에 한국영화가 정체성의 고민을 드러내던 시기였기 때문이다. 특히 강점 말기로 접어들며 이른바 ‘친일영화’의 출현은 한국영화사에서 가장 논쟁적인 담론을 이끌어내기도 하였다. 친일영화는 제작주체와 제작의도, 내포하고 있는 이데올로기에 따라 ‘어용영화’, ‘군국주의 선전영화’, ‘국책영화’ 등 다양한 용어로 명명되고 있지만, 그 본질은 일제의 식민정책에 우호적이고 협조적이며 나아가 이를 옹호하고 전파하는 메시지를 담고 있다. 그럼으로써 (조선)민족을 지우고 (일본이라는) 국가를 기꺼이 받아들인다. 이 연구는 현재 남아 있는 친일영화중 「군용열차」, 「지원병」, 「조선해협」등 3편의 영화를 토대로 친일담론의 양상과 ‘국민통합’ 이데올로기의 내적 논리를 고찰하고 있다. 「군용열차」는 중일전쟁의 성공적인 수행에 반도인들도 기꺼이 나서야 함을 강조하며, 일본을 동양평화의 수호자로 받아들일 것을 역설한다. 지원병은 1938년 「육군특별지원병령」이 시행되기 직전을 영화적 배경으로 하여 조선청년이 지원병이 되는 것이야말로 ‘내선일체’의 진정한 실현이라고 주장한다. 「조선해협」은 1943년 조선인 징병제 실시를 기념하여 제작한 영화로서, 지원병이 되어 전선으로 떠나간 남편과 그를 기다리며 ‘총후부인’이 되어 몸을 돌보지 않고 노동력을 제공하는 아내의 모습을 통해 국가를 위한 ‘피와 땀’의 고귀함을 강조한다. 친일영화는 일제의 식민정책에 순응하고 동화되는 조선인을 설정함으로써 민족을 폐기하고 국가를 선택하는 것이 순리라는 메시지를 유포한다. 국가의 국민이 되는 것이야말로 진정한 내선일체라는 논리이다. 중국대륙을 유린하는 일본의 힘에 압도되어 적지 않은 조선 지식인들이 이 논리를 받아들이기 시작했다. 친일영화는 그러한 징후의 산물이었다.

재일동포 오덕수 감독의 영화 세계 고찰 : 다큐멘터리 영화를 중심으로

임영언(Yim, Young-Eon),김태영(Kim, Tae-Young) 한국정치사회연구소 2021 한국과 국제사회 Vol.5 No.2

이 연구의 목적은 1945년 이후 해방 이후 70년이 경과 하는 시점에서 오덕수 감독의 영화 세계가 곧 재일동포 세계라는데 초점을 두고 그가 영화에서 표현하고자 했던 재일동포란 어떤 존재인가에 대해 살펴보는 데 있다. 오덕수 감독은 자신은 물론이고 재일동포들이 자신의 역사에 무지하다는 사실을 깨닫고 이를 계몽하는 차원에서 재일동포 다큐멘터리 영화를 제작했다. 영화의 주요 내용은 외국인 등록문제, 지문날인제도 문제, 북송운동, 전후보상과 여성차별, 헤이트스피치 등 일본 근현대사를 망라하는 재일동포의 차별문제를 다루었다. 연구결과, 재일동포를 차별의 관점에서 다룬 그의 영화 세계는 다음과 같이 요약된다. 첫째, 오덕수 감독의 영화 세계의 근저에는 와세다대학 졸업과 동시에 도에이 입사 후 노동조합운동의 영향으로 재일동포 지문날인 거부 운동 등 차별문제에 관한 많은 관심을 가지게 되었다. 둘째, 오덕수 감독은 일본 영화감독 오시마 나기사 감독의 영향으로 일본 영화계에 입문하게 되었지만, 오시마 감독과의 관계는 사상적 측면에서 철저히 분리된 길을 선택하였다. 셋째, 오덕수 감독은 일본을 지배하는 이념 가운데 천황제와 부락 차별이 가장 큰 문제로 존재한다는 사실을 재일동포 문제를 다루면서 더욱 확신하게 된 것으로 생각된다. 이것은 오늘날 일본 내 헤이트스피치 문제로도 이어지고 있다는 것이 그의 주장이다. 넷째, 오덕수 감독의 재일동포 관련 기록영화의 목적은 재일동포의 삶을 통해 일본의 사회문제를 재조명하여 일본의 불합리를 표현함으로써 또 다른 방식의 일본을 묘사하고 있는 듯하다. 그는 영화를 통해 일본의 문제가 곧 재일동포의 문제 그 자체라고 규정하였다. 결론적으로 오덕수 감독은 재일동포의 삶을 통해 ‘일본의 존재’를 표현하는 수단으로 일본의 불합리성을 영화를 통해 표현하고자 했던 것으로 생각된다. 현재 그의 영화는 일본 정부에 의한 재일동포에 대한 이중기준과 불합리, 재일동포의 디아스포라적 존재로서의 정체성 찾기를 독특한 영상 세계를 통해 보여주고자 했던 것으로 평가된다. The purpose of this study is to examine the existence of Japanese-Koreans that he intended to express in the film, focusing on the fact that the film world of director Oh Duck-soo is the world of Japanese-Koreans at the time of 70 years after liberation after 1945. Director Oh Duck-soo realized that not only himself but also Japanese-Koreans did not know his history well, and made a documentary film for Japanese -Koreans. The main contents of the film dealt with the issue of foreigner registration, the issue of fingerprinting system, the North Korean repatriation movement, post-war compensation and discrimination against women, and the issues of discrimination among Japanese-Koreans covering the modern and contemporary history of Japan. His film world, which treats Japanese-Koreans from the perspective of discrimination, is summarized as follows. First, it seems that director Oh Duck-soo s film world was influenced by the labor union movement after graduating from Waseda University and entering Toei. Second, director Oh Duck-soo was introduced to the Japanese film industry under the influence of Japanese film director Nagisa Oshima, but the relationship with the director was found to have chosen a completely separate path in terms of ideology. Third, Director Oh Duck-soo seems to be more convinced while dealing with the Japanese issue that the issue of discrimination between the emperor and villages exists as the biggest problem among the ideologies that dominate Japan. This is also leading to the hate speech problem today in Japan. Fourth, the purpose of the documentary film related to Japan by director Oh Duck-soo is interpreted as portraying Japan by portraying the irrationality of Japan in the sense of thinking about the problems of Japanese society through Japan. Through the film, he stipulated that the problem of Japan is the problem of Japan itself. In conclusion, it is believed that director Oh Duck-soo tried to express Japanese absurdity through films as a means of expressing “the existence of Japan” through Japan. His film is evaluated to have attempted to show through the unique visual world of Japanese-Koreans the double standard and irrationality of Japanese-Koreans by the Japanese government, and the search for the identity as a diaspora.

일제말기 합작선전영화의 분석

김려실(Kim Ryeo Sil) 한국영화학회 2005 영화연구 Vol.0 No.26

In this paper, I dealt with collaborative propaganda films between Korea and Japan during the Japanese colonial period, so called "Chin-il Y?nghwa": pro-Japanese films. Japanese propaganda films had been made in colonialized Korea from early 1920s to propagandize Japanese colonial government's policy but it changed its characteristic definitely from advertizing the policy to implanting Japanese war propaganda, after Chos?n Film Regulations were enforced in 1940. Since then, only war propaganda films in Japanese language were permitted to produce in Korea, therefore, Korean film professionals had to leave film industry and be prepared suppression by the colonial government if they refused to follow the law. On the other hand, collaborative propaganda films were made not only by the enforcement of Japanese colonial government but also by pro-Japanese film makers who insisted they could develope the quality of Korea film through the collaboration with Japanese studios having advanced skill and technology. Contradicted to their excuse, many of them made only war propaganda films which drove young Koreans out to the battle ground and miserable death as well, propagating "Naes?n-Ilche", which means Unification of Japan and Chos?n, Volunteer System for Japanese Army, Conscription System, and so forth during the Pacific War. Here I analysed three of collaborations, Suicide Squad of Watchtower, Portrait of Youth, Vow and Love to see what and how Japanese war propaganda was infused in them. To conclude, I propose we ought to give more credit to the studies on these collaborative films concerned with comparative film history of Korea, Japan and its other colonies, considering some of Chin-il Y?nghwa imported to Manchuria, China even to Japan later on and appropriated differently in each areas according to the situations and contexts of Japanese wartime propaganda.

Japanese Films Widening Choices in Korean Film Market

이즈미 지하루 한국전시산업융합연구원 2017 한국과학예술융합학회 Vol.31 No.-

The annual audience in Korea has exceeded 100 million since 2012, and the number has exceeded 200 million since 2013. Although audiences are watching many films, most of those films are Korean and American films and entertaining commercial films. A great number of Japanese films have been released in Korea since 1998 the year of implementing the policy on opening to Japanese popular culture. Despite the audiences’ recognition for Japanese films as an art film at the beginning of opening, various Japanese films including animation movies, teen films, fantasy movies, horror movies and art films were released in Korea. After ups and downs at the box office, Japanese films are going to have a new leap in Korean market. Japanese films are overcoming the preconception that Japanese films are “art films for film festivals” or the misconception that Japanese films are “animation movies for children” and confidently becoming a part of communication with audiences through a screen in Korean film market. Especially, Japanese films start contributing to diversity of films in Korean film industry bombarded with commercial films which are entertaining. At the point of facing 20th anniversary of the Korean policy on opening to Japanese popular culture, Japanese films have a positive influence on Korean film industry.

일제말기 통제 영화제작회사 연구

한상언(Han Sang Eon) 한국영화학회 2008 영화연구 Vol.0 No.36

This thesis is a study about the control film production in Korea during the last years of Japanese domination. The Korea film production system since the outbreak of the Sino-japanese war in 1937 went through lots of changes. During the same period the film industry as well has been renovated. In 1939 when the Japanese film law system came into effect Japanese film industry started its reorganization and in 1940 by the extent of the Chosun film production order the Korean film production and film distribution too started to be completely controlled. In 1940 during the Sino-Japanese war because of the production of weapons raw films' production decreased. Even in Japan the distribution of the Korean raw films was not possible because the Japanese thought that Korean raw films' distribution was useless. Hereupon the movies made in Korea despite the Japanese colonialism started to show typical Korean cultural features and to keep the independence of the Korea film production. In 1942 the Chosun film corporation was established. After the foundation of this company the producers removed all the existing funds and the Japanese movie men plus the governors' patronage became the priority of the financiers. Moreover the Japanese became the administrators of the corporation and because the movie production was mainly in charge of the Koreans the considered colonialism period's features started to be their strategic point. The movies made by this corporation were about the war mobilization, the provisions increase, recruiting and similar. In 1944 the corporation and the affiliated company merged and the Unification film company has been created. At the same time members and system have been renewed as well and just before the release of the movie "our battlefield' and because of the Japanese defeat and the entrance of USA Army Force the corporation embraced all the enemy property enterprises too. This study is proposing to research the overlooked Chosun film production corporation and the Chosun film distribution company's unification and renovation processes. This study is proposing also to correct people's wrong knowledge about the movies "sons of ksmikaze", whose real title is "love and vow" and "blood and sweat", whose real title is "our battlefield". This thesis then has as main point the analysis of the control film company foundation and because of its renovation action in which way the movies produced during this period react to the current situation and in which way movie makers tried to approach this study through the shapes of their movies.

북한 영화의 형성 과정과 최초의 극영화 <내 고향> 연구

송낙원 문학과영상학회 2009 문학과영상 Vol.10 No.1

1945 to 1955 was the time of turbulence when North Korea went from liberation from Japanese occupation through being under Soviet jurisdiction to the Korean War. During this period, North Korean cinema was shaped and managed by the communist state which nationalized the film industry in its production, distribution and exhibition of films. Although films made during this period were made to idolize Kim Il Sung, they were different from the Stalinist films which had been made also to idolize their leader. During this time, North Korea’s film industry was supported by the Soviets who provided technical support, equipment and manpower. The main productions of films were based on roles such as anti-Japanese communists, conflicts of feudal landlords, wars and heroes of the period. Many of the films showed that Kim Il Sung had strong support from the Soviet Union and successfully reformed land which helped him become the leader of North Korea since until then he had not completely gained power of the Chosun Communist Party. The first feature film in North Korea was My Home (1949) which was directed by Kang Heung Sik. My Home was a movie about anti-Japanese communists and their conflicts with feudal landlords. This film was made possible by full support of equipment from the Soviet Union and was influenced by the Soviet film. However, if we look at it from a different point of view, the film director of Arirang, Na Woon Ku took issues of nationalism with his film under the Japanese occupation of despotism and plunder. My Home also provided a solution for armed struggle. Therefore, it was different from typical Soviet films that pursued socialist realism. This film highlighted the most typical themes which were both an anti-Japanese movement and the working class movement. In addition, it made a hero of the Communist Party and Kim Il Sung who was in charge of that party. 1945 to 1955 was the time of turbulence when North Korea went from liberation from Japanese occupation through being under Soviet jurisdiction to the Korean War. During this period, North Korean cinema was shaped and managed by the communist state which nationalized the film industry in its production, distribution and exhibition of films. Although films made during this period were made to idolize Kim Il Sung, they were different from the Stalinist films which had been made also to idolize their leader. During this time, North Korea’s film industry was supported by the Soviets who provided technical support, equipment and manpower. The main productions of films were based on roles such as anti-Japanese communists, conflicts of feudal landlords, wars and heroes of the period. Many of the films showed that Kim Il Sung had strong support from the Soviet Union and successfully reformed land which helped him become the leader of North Korea since until then he had not completely gained power of the Chosun Communist Party. The first feature film in North Korea was My Home (1949) which was directed by Kang Heung Sik. My Home was a movie about anti-Japanese communists and their conflicts with feudal landlords. This film was made possible by full support of equipment from the Soviet Union and was influenced by the Soviet film. However, if we look at it from a different point of view, the film director of Arirang, Na Woon Ku took issues of nationalism with his film under the Japanese occupation of despotism and plunder. My Home also provided a solution for armed struggle. Therefore, it was different from typical Soviet films that pursued socialist realism. This film highlighted the most typical themes which were both an anti-Japanese movement and the working class movement. In addition, it made a hero of the Communist Party and Kim Il Sung who was in charge of that party.

일제강점기 신문광고로 본 영화상영에 관한 연구

어일선 청주대학교 학술연구소 2010 淸大學術論集 Vol.15 No.-

The previous studies on the Korean film history were focused on the initial period and the birth of the Korean films. Accordingly accumulated research data and analysis thereof were insufficient to understand the general trend. The Japanese occupation in particular was the period of the early Korean film history. However no study was made to define what kind of films were screened and how they were screened in this era. In short, studies on the Korean film history were merely focused on the history of films per se, thus various areas were not properly analyzed including the history of capacity to receive audience, history of film industry, and advertisement and public relations for films. Accordingly the aim of this study was to examine the changes and development of the newly released films in Korea during the Japanese occupation, by understanding the comprehensive landscape of the early Korean film history. In other words the aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of the newly released films and advertisements therefore in Korea under the Japanese occupation between 1910 and 1945. The characteristics of the released films according to the analysis were as follows. Around the end of the World War I in 1918, foreign films were introduced and released in Korea. Here, the American films were the majority. Although small in numbers, films from the various countries were also released in Korea, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Britain, Italy, and France. From the late 1930s, the number of Japanese films significantly increased and the number of European films decreased except for those made in Germany and Italy. Regarding the Korean films, they appeared in increasing numbers in the advertisement between 1920 and 1926, and the highest numbers of the Korean films appeared in the advertisement up until 1930. Regarding the genre of films described in advertisement, most of the films were described as a mixed genre. Accordingly it was difficult to identify the characteristics of the genre of films, however it was found that the most prevalent genre was action films followed by comedy. The number of screened tragedy and drama was relatively low compared to those of action and comedy. Regarding the length of films, since 1920s more than half of the screened films were more than 5 rolls (gwon). As the film technology advanced, the length of a film became longer due to the complication of the story. With the arrival of the sound film in particular, the length of a film became longer. However it is noteworthy that since 1940s the length of the screened films shortened. As a result of the analysis on the above characteristics, the following factors were found to be relevant. First, the World War I and II, and the political situation of Japan were relevant factors. The 2 World Wars were an exceptional factor influencing not only the film industry in Korea but also all countries that produced and distributed films. For instance, the US was able to develop their film industry early, for they did not participate in the World War I. In case of Korea, unique political situation such as the Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War influenced every aspect of the analysis results of this study. Next, a few points should be made regarding the significance and limitations of this study. Another significant point of this study was the research method which was obtained through several trials and errors during the research process. The selection of the advertisements was made with an objective method and the analysis items for the subjects of the study were based solely on the data analysis. Not all researchers in the current advertisement field use such analysis method. There might be various reasons for this, however the most significant reason not to use such analysis method was that it achieves relatively little compared to the significant time and energy invested. For instance, the facsimile edition after 1923 cannot be read in PDF file. Furthermore its print condition was poor and it was a minimized version, hence the worse legibility. The advertisements in 1940s in particular were more difficult to read, for more than 20 advertisements with 1 line appeared daily in the newspaper. Finally the limitation of this study was that a comparison analysis could not be made with the advertisement for films in other contemporary daily newspapers. If such comparison analysis was made, a more definite result than the current one could have been obtained. However, it is virtually impossible to conduct such comparison analysis at this point. Accordingly many scholars interested in this subject should cooperate to improve the research environment. The significance and limitations of this study were mentioned as a suggestion for future researchers. This study is a starting point for the Korean film history during the Japanese occupation based on the document analysis of the advertisement. Therefore it is anticipated that many studies will be made based on this study that provides basic data to establish a desirable discipline of the early Korean film history.

One Film, or Many?: The Multiple Texts of the Colonial Korean Film "Volunteer"

Jaekil Seo 고려대학교 민족문화연구원 2012 Cross-Currents Vol.- No.5

Until recently, studies on films from colonial Korea in the Japanese empire had to rely primarily on secondary texts, such as memoirs, journal and newspaper articles, and film reviews. The recent discovery of original film texts from archives in Japan, China, Russia, and elsewhere and their availability on DVD format, prompted an important turning point in the scholarship. However, juxtaposing these newly released DVD versions with other archival sources exposes significant differences among the existing versions of texts. For instance, a newly discovered script reveals that important segments are missing in the recently released DVD version of the propaganda film Volunteer. There also exist important discrepancies in the dialogue among the original film script, the actual film version, the synopsis, and the Japanese subtitles. Some of the Korean-language dialogue, which might be interpreted as exhibiting some ambivalence toward Japanese imperial policies, was completely silenced through strategic omissions in the Japanese-language subtitles targeting Japanese audiences. Some Japanese-language translations of the script also exhibit drastic changes from the original Korean-language dialogue. Piecing together such fragmented and fraught linguistic dissonance found in the colonial archives, we can conjecture that viewers from the colony and the metropole of Volunteer may have consumed very different versions of the film. This article aims to examine the significance of such dissonance, which has only recently become audible in so-called films of transcolonial coproduction.