Collective Trauma

As mentioned by Dr. Cho before the view of Obalt’an this movie could have not seen the day had it been produced while Park Chung-hee was in power. This movie offers such a bleak vision of the results of war.  As mentioned in Alan Williams’s (2002, p.6) cinema has the possibility of swaying the ideas of the masses, especially in that post-war era where propaganda movies were something quite often used as a weapon for cultural nationalism.

This movie presents the post-traumatic stress that the whole Korean nation must have endured after the ordeal of the war. Yong Ho, whom, used to be a captain is unable to make the transition to being a civilian especially after the fast pace do or die life he’d gotten accustomed. From fighting for your country and dodging bullets, he is told that he must settle for a straining job for a pittance of a pay much like his brother. The bar scenes are quite telling because these are the only moments where Yong Ho seems to be truly at ease. He can laugh and enjoy life. His friends call him by his title despite the war being over. Surrounded by people who understand his reality, and reaffirm his standing and accomplishments in the war, delights him. It seems like his only joie de vivre.

Cheol Ho on the other hand has gotten a job at an accounting firm and makes barely enough to provide sustenance to his family. He can't even spare enough money to get rid of his rotten teeth. Living in the present is plagued with loneliness and pain. He has two go all two times for his siblings that have been arrested first for prostitution and second for aggravated robbery. I think what was more bruising to his resolve was the fact that at the end of it all, he had to pay for his wife’s medical bills with the money his sister got selling her body. It is a massive blow at his resolve. He has tried to do everything right and  honest way, yet there is no peace of mind.