Park Chan-wook is the Quentin Tarantino of South Korea. An unsung hero that has had massive influence over myriad American filmmakers, Park is the master of blending horrific material and dark comedy seamlessly, until the viewer finds his or herself laughing at something that would never normally pass as acceptable. He is noted for the exploitative nature of his films, but Park doesn’t quite see himself that way — he simply seeks to pull emotion out of his viewers, because to Park, there’s no point in watching a film that only soothes the nerves. Inspired by the works of Therese Raquin and Franz Kafka, Park’s films often feature beautifully strung together narratives more reminiscent of literary works than cinema, filled with heavy noir elements, and surreal, vivid palettes that make even the most grotesque imagery appear comely.
Park’s newest film, The Handmaid, is an adaptation of Sarah Waters’ history crime novel Fingersmith, set in the Victorian era. Currently filming, Park’s version of the film will take place in a more recent time, specifically during the Japanese rule of Korea. With the first image from his upcoming film having recently been released, what better time to catch up on some of Park’s best films to date than the present? Read on, and discover some of Park’s most accomplished gems, or revisit a beloved classic that might already sit on your shelf, just in time for the newest addition to Park’s already impressive resume.
- Thirst (Bakjwi)
In an unusual, yet fascinating approach to vampirism, a character is turned into a member of the undead in the most unlikely of circumstances. Priest Sang-hyeon set out on a journey to help find a cure for a deadly blood disease, but despite his good intentions, things go horribly awry. When this man of the cloth is unknowingly administered a blood transfusion from a creature of the night, he becomes cursed with the gift of everlasting life; damned to walk the earth a monster for all of eternity. At first, Sang-hyeon is delighted with his newfound freedom, exercising his bloodlust and exemplified physical prowess and fresh batch of confident courage with curious glee. However, as his cravings expand to include the wife of his married acquaintance, he grows to fear the engorged malice growing within him, and clings to the regimented morality of his past life — the one that now feels so unattainable and far away. Aside from the obvious religious commentary, this Bride of Frankenstein esque tale mainly focuses on the dangers of forbidden romance, and how engaging in shared recidivism can lead to the deterioration of supposed lovers.
- Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan geumjassi)
The full title of this film is actually Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (although it can be referred to as either name), and it is the third entry in Park’s vengeance trilogy, coming in after Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Oldboy. In a very self-explanatory way, the title reveals the purpose behind each of the films: to create empathy for the monster, both through effective storytelling, and heightened artistic vision. Monsters aren’t born, they are created, and by revealing the backstory and inner thoughts of his afflicted characters, Park reveals the dark paths that led each of his cinematic children to the destructive acts that they commit. After taking the fall for her and her partner’s heinous crimes, Geum-ja Lee spends some time in prison, where she retains her angelic reputation, while at the same time, gains momentum as a rumored witch and beautiful murderer. Upon her release, everyone who knows Geum-ja Lee expects her to return to the sweet, obedient naive girl that they once knew, but they don’t see the evil inside of her, rotting her from the inside out. Through blood red eye shadow, a neo-noir trench coat, sky high heels, and an embellished pistol, Guem-ja Lee brings the monster inside of her to the surface, and crosses a threshold from the land of purity, into the darkness of retribution.
3. Stoker
India Stoker’s mother will never approve of her. She sees something deadly coursing through India’s veins, and even if the blood that rushes through India’s arteries matches hers, she still can’t find it in her heart to truly love her daughter. These are stubborn, immovable facts that India cannot change, no matter how much she secretly desires her mother’s approval. The only control India has over the situation is her acceptance of these unpleasant truths, and her willingness to move on from them. After India is violently shoved into adulthood by the death of her father, her evolution into womanhood is kickstarted, as she learns that growing up is as much about accepting your circumstances as it is about transitioning from school girl shoes to heeled pumps.
4. J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA)
People tend to look back on history in the simplest of terms, in order to make the unpleasant realities of conquest easier to understand and accept. One side is evil and the other is innocent; one leader is mad and the other sane — these are the lies we feed ourselves to lessen the stressful and often painful analysis of our ancestors, likening their actions to the black and white static characters that fill our television screens; a protagonist and an antagonist, nothing more. However, as much as we’d like to believe that there are only two sides to each wartime story — a right and a wrong — the truth is, nations are much more complex than that, and one united mode of thinking cannot be used to describe the entirety of every single person involved in such a massive struggle. Take, for instance, the story of two friends, one fighting on the side of South Korea, and the other representing North Korea. They might have been born into opposing camps, but thanks to a strange introduction in a joint security area, the two men originally trained to be enemies find friendship blossoming over the line that divides them.
5. Oldboy (Oldeuboi)
Oh Dae-su is isolated in a cage of eternal television, scratched up wallpaper, and sleeping gas. It seems like it’s been a lifetime since he was first kidnapped and thrown into this room on the eve of his daughter’s birthday, but according to the ink etched into his hand, it’s been about fifteen years; just shy of two decades. Suddenly, one day, he is finally released into the world again — but his freedom comes at a price. He is given five days to figure out who imprisoned him in the first place, and why he or she locked him away for so many years in that awful room. Along his path to revenge, Oh Dae-su finds a friend in Mi-do, a local sushi chef who tries her best to aid him in seeking the truth. Together, they unearth secrets that are rooted in issues far more taboo than either of them could have imagined, and discover that the answer to their questions doesn’t lie in the reason why Oh Dae-su was locked up, but rather, why he was freed. Based on the Korean manga by the same name, Oldboy is arguably Park’s masterpiece. Equal parts revenge flick and tragic love story, Park beautifully weaves a tale of a man doomed to his own fate, set in motion by a childhood mistake. Min sik-Choi delivers a breathtaking performance as Oh Dae-su, the man pushed to the edge of his sanity, and forced to sacrifice his soul in exchange for his long-awaited vengeance. In the years spent walled up in that dark and damp enclosure, Dae-su spent his days training for battle; readying himself for the showdown that was rightfully his. However, even if Dae-su reaches the end of his journey and unmasks and defeats his oppressor, will there be any part of the man he once was still intact to enjoy his victory? Is revenge justified if it means leaving the person you were behind and starting anew? Using exploitation, bright, vivid imagery, and a gorgeous ballroom score by his longtime partner Yeong-wook Jo, Oldboy seeks to explore these questions, as director Park dives head first into one of his favorite discussion topics — individual perception of morality. By challenging society’s definition of acceptable behavior, Park once again manages to reach out and touch his audience with his odd yet enticing material, forcing the viewers to confront themselves with their own conventions, and push the boundaries of what most people are willing to accept as “normal”.
