Co-curated with the Korea Institute at Harvard, the monthlong series features some of the most notable and provocative South Korean films of the 1950s and 1960s.
The film series opens with"The Flower in Hell." The 1958 film by Shin Sang-ok was filmed on a U.S. Army base and weaves in documentary footage. At its destructive center is Sonya, a brazen and free-thinking prostitute for U.S. military workers who seduces two Korean brothers each struggling to find economic livelihood in a post-war landscape.
With these changes came a transformation of South Korea, as it encountered Western concepts of individualism, capitalism and consumerism. But the U.S.-Korea alliance fostered a complicated dynamic, as the war-torn nation strove to define its own modern identity during the Cold War. Now, 70 years since the signing of the U.S.-South Korea defense treaty, a new film series at Harvard Film Archive spotlights the innovative and exploratory films that marked the post-war era in South Korea. Co-curated with the Korea Institute at Harvard University, the aptly-named“These films are incredibly daring in terms of their approach to storytelling,” said Haden Guest, director of Harvard Film Archive. “The Korean film industry was really starting to gain serious momentum at this time.
“Although the 1950s and ‘60s were surely a tumultuous period, at the same time, it was also an era where very rich navigation of South Korea’s pathways were explored by film directors,” said Bu, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University.
Notable in these films is the through line of empowered female protagonists who push the boundaries of traditional gender and cultural norms and transcend duty. It’s a remarkable and forward-looking representation for a society historically rooted in Confucian and patriarchal systems.One standout is Han Hyung-mo’s 1956 melodrama,"Madame Freedom." At the time, it was one of the most provocative, but commercially successful films in Korea.
The program also includes"The Widow," a 1955 film by Korea’s first female director, Park Nam-ok, who famously directed scenes with her infant child strapped to her back. It too features an empowered protagonist, a war widow raising a young daughter alone, who freely acts upon her sexual and romantic desires. The final 15 minutes of this film are lost due to damage to the original reel — but don’t let the missing ending prevent you from taking in this largely intact film.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Two South Korean police officers stabbed outside presidential compoundSouth Korean authorities on Tuesday detained a man after two police officers were stabbed outside a compound housing the presidential office in the capital, Seoul, city police said.
Les mer »
South Korean auto parts maker plans $176M plant in Georgia to supply Hyundai facility, hiring 460Another South Korean auto parts company is set to build a plant in Georgia, investing more than $176 million. Hwashin Co. says Tuesday that it would build a plant in the town of Dublin and hire more than 460 employees. It plans to start production in 2025.
Les mer »
Columbia City stabbing sends man, woman to hospital in 'serious condition'The incident occurred shortly before 4 a.m. at 35th Avenue South and South Edmunds Street.
Les mer »
Why Rena Sofer Left The Bold And The Beautiful In 2022Though she played the role of Quinn Fuller for years, Rena Sofer left The Bold and the Beautiful in 2022, and she finally revealed the reason.
Les mer »
Dershowitz: Harvard Doesn’t Deserve Donations Until It Condemns ‘Hitler’s Youth’ on CampusSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Les mer »
Harvard President Convenes ‘Antisemitism Advisory Board’ Following Embarrassment of Pro-Terror StudentsSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Les mer »