Suicide on the Social Ladder

     While watching Chilsu and Mansu the recurring mention and use of rope struck me as an important symbol within the context of the movie. Ropes are initially what build the foundation for Chilsu and Mansu's brotherly connection as Mansu agrees to work with Chilsu seeing as Chilsu has alleged experience “on ropes,” which is soon proven to be a lie. Ropes are the staple feature on which Mansu and Chilsu make their poor but honest living. The shots we, the viewers, see of Mansu working on ropes convey the comfort, familiarity and freedom Mansu feels when on the ropes. Mansu goes about his work with ease, balancing himself off the edge of a roof and lowing himself into his make shift bench to begin painting using his trusty ropes. Chilsu, although obvious fearful during his first time on ropes, adapts quickly and begins to exhibit the same ease as Mansu. Ropes then, being ancient tools, can be interpreted as symbolic of Chilsu and Mansu's resourcefulness in a world that modernized and left them behind.

      I disagree with Kim Kyung Hyun's interpretation of the American features in the movie and the masculinization of the main protagonists, especially in regards to the final scene. Although it is true that Chilsu and Mansu are emasculated by their poverty in the globalized society, largely influenced by American culture, they still find a way to place themselves above western influence, even if only figuratively, to vent their frustrations of society. I believe director Park meant to criticize American influence not elevate it, as Kim seems to state when he argues that the nude woman on the billboard “invites the desire of the colonized male gaze and further distracts the two painters from their realities” (148). Using their limited tools and symbolic ropes Chilsu and Mansu create this image of the colonial woman, yet leave it unfinished. They climb the billboard and, quite literally, place themselves above the power and influence of the western culture, depicted on the billboard, when venting their frustration. This, I would argue is director Park's attempt to critique the extent of western influence over that of traditional Korean practices, represented by the frustrated Chilsu and Mansu.

      Returning to the potential symbolism of the ropes, Mansu's final scene left me with many unanswered questions. Although two ropes are tied from the top of the billboard to the ground Mansu ignores them and heads straight for the ladder. Once Mansu has finally found his voice to critique society he does not take the ropes, symbolic of his masculinity as they are his means of making a living, back down and share his frustration with his growing audience. Why? Now that Mansu has found his voice are we, the viewers, meant to see his jump from the metal ladder as his failed attempt to fit the current society's vision of masculinity? Especially seeing as the metal ladder, in stark contrast with the two ropes, is symbols of contemporary tools and modernity. Is this Director Park's critique of a society which leaves no room for traditional forms of masculinity? 

 

Source Cited:

Kim, Kyung Hyun. "Male Crisis in the Early Films of Park Kwang-su." The Remasculinization of  Korean Cinema. 137-161.