E.H. Carr, the British historian, noted that history is an "unending dialogue between the present and the past." As generations shift, people shaped by differing values, interests and emotional needs, seek to understand and define their identities through the echoes of history.

Korean cinema began shattering box office records in the 1990s with films like Shiri (1999), and has since achieved global success with works such as Parasite (2019) amid the Korean Wave phenomenon. Yet, the most remarkable aspect of contemporary Korean cinema lies not merely in its commercial success, but in the filmmakers' courage to delve into local stories and confront the nation's tumultuous modern history. For Korean filmmakers, cinema has served as a powerful tool for expressing national sentiment and resisting oppression since the colonial period.

This program revisits Korean films that depict stories from WWII to the late 1990s, exploring how filmmakers uncover the crevices of authoritarian history and adopt marginalized perspectives to portray significant cultural transitions and historical events. Films like Madame Freedom (1956) exemplify the struggles of a woman navigating traditional family values and self-fulfillment amidst Western influences. Aimless Bullet (1961) illustrates the tragic fate of a marginalized family in post-war Seoul through a social realist and critical lens. The June Democratic Movement of 1987 marked a turning point, as censorship eased, allowing filmmakers to explore previously taboo subjects. This shift illuminated the trauma of the Vietnam War in White Badge (1992), the self-immolation of a labor activist in A Single Spark (1995), and the haunting memories of the Gwangju Massacre in Petal (1996), establishing history-conscious themes among the auteurs of the Korean New Wave in the early to mid-1990s.

Entering the 21st century, Korean cinema evolved from realism to innovative genre explorations in historical narratives. Joint Security Area (2000) offers a gripping mystery that examines human struggles amid inter-Korean tension on the border, while Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005) presents a whimsical utopia during the Korean War. Films like C'est Si Bon (2015) and Swing Kids (2018) wrap poignant stories about military dictatorship and POW camp tragedies in youth and musical genres, showcasing the versatility of contemporary Korean cinema.

As audiences embark on a journey between the "past and present" through cinema, the scintillating images on the screen may pierce the fog of history, evoking emotional resonance and guiding them through a tunnel into former times, urging them to hear the voices of the forgotten. In the darkness, people are inspired to move forward while reflecting on the past, where they find both light―and the courage to remember.

Supported by Korean Film Archive

Program Adjustments

【Errata】(updated 2024/10/30)

• ON Programme Guide (November), p.18: In the 4th line, at the end of the sentence, the year of release for Shiri (1990) should be (1999).
• ON Programme Guide (November), p.18: In the 3rd paragraph, at the end of the 3rd line, the year of release for Madame Freedom (1955) should be (1956).

【Changes concerning the film rating】(updated 2024/10/30)

• Sopyonje：G → PG12
• Madame Freedom：G → P
• The Last Witness：PG15 → PG12
• A Single Spark：PG12 → PG15
• Joint Security Area：PG12 → PG15
• My Korean Cinema：G → PG12