East Asian Film and Media Studies 128. Korean Cinema as World Cinema

view of korea from space with posters for korean movies floating or flying in space

an Asian woman
Prof. Tian Li

In recent times, world cinema has witnessed the rise of South Korean cinema as an alternative to Hollywood and includes many distinguished directors such as Park Chan-wook, Lee Chang-dong, Kim Ki-duk, and Bong Joon-ho. This course examines the aesthetics, history, and storytelling of South Korean film, and analyzes several key texts that are critical for understanding this field of study. How is Korean cinema shaped by (re)interpretations of history and society? How do we understand Korean cinema vis-à-vis the public memories of the Korean War, industrialization, social movements, economic development, and globalization? And how do aesthetics and storytelling in Korean cinema contribute to its popularity among local spectators and to its globality in shaping the contours of world cinema? By deeply inquiring into such questions, students will learn how to critically view, think about, and write about film. Primary texts include literature and film. All films will be screened with English subtitles.

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