Historical Misrepresentation in Jeon Woo-chi

In her book, Kyung Hyun Kim describes Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard as a new type of sagŭk film set in the premodern era that exploits national Korean history by purposely misconstruing historical facts for comedic effect. According to Kim, the sagŭk Korean film genre misrepresents history by adding modern elements to such films. Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard thus uses a variety of special effects present in many blockbuster martial arts, action and fantasy films. It is also fast-paced, with frequent cutting and hectic camera movement, creating an effect in which the audience is immediately thrown into the action. The film’s story line alternates between Chosun era Korea and modern-day Seoul, but it blurs out the initial historical setting with its hectic editing, its immediate immersion of the audience into action sequences, and its arbitrary inclusion of mythical elements. The sudden switch from Chosun era to the present day represents the disorienting impact of globalization on South Korea and its historical affinities. While Korea—and the film— celebrate the nation’s rapid industrial progress, however, they simultaneously eclipse history’s unsavory details.