1

Repiesentations of Women in Koiean Films

Spiing 2u1S (as of S182u1S)


Instiuctois: }ohn Buncan, 0CLA }ennifei }ung-Kim, 0CLA
Email: uuncanhumnet.ucla.euu jungkimucla.euu

Time: Fiat Lux Tu 1u:uu-1u:Su, Los Angeles time in Powell 186
E-school Tu 1u:uu-12:uu


Couise 0bjectives: This couise examines iepiesentations of women in Koiean films
of the post-wai peiiou. What uo they tell us about how the filmmakei anu society
see women's ioles in uiffeient times anu contexts. What is expecteu of women, anu
what uo women expect of society, as they navigate thiough a complex half-centuiy
of political, economic, anu social changes.

Couise Requiiements: You aie expecteu to view the films (via the Koiean Film
Aichive channel of YouTube, Biopbox, oi thiough othei means) on youi own befoie
the weekly class meeting. Please be piepaieu to actively uiscuss the films seen.
Reauings aie available in PBF foimat.

Bisclaimeis: All of the films will be available with English subtitles. No
unueistanuing of Koiean language is necessaiy. The films chosen in this film offei
just glimpses into South Koiean society since the 19Sus. Theie aie othei impoitant
topics peitaining to women's ioles that cannot be coveieu in these ten weeks.

}oint Foimat: We aie tiying an expeiimental foimat biinging togethei two unique
piogiams at 0CLA. The Fiat Lux piogiam emphasizes leaining thiough uiscussion-
baseu seminais on a iange of conventional anu unconventional topics. The 0CLA
Centei foi Koiean Stuuies E-School foimat, sponsoieu by the Koiea Founuation,
biings togethei 0CLA anu affiliate univeisities in Latin Ameiica to wiuen the scope
of Koiean Stuuies in the Ameiicas. Thiough simultaneous viueocast, we will biing
togethei classiooms at 0CLA anu the 0niveisity of Sao Paolo foi closely moueiateu
uiscussion of filmic iepiesentations of women in postwai South Koiea. All
uiscussions will be in English anu leu by the instiuctoi(s).

Fiat Lux: Fiat Lux stuuents must attenu at least five of the ten weeks of class. Please
aiiive having vieweu the films anu ieauy to paiticipate in uiscussion. In oiuei to
ieceive the 1-unit cieuit, you must attenu five 2-houi classes (no exceptions).

E-School: E-School stuuents aie also expecteu to view the week's film in auvance
anu paiticipate actively in uiscussion. Youi piofessoi at youi home institution has
final authoiity on all matteis conceining attenuance anu iequiiements.

2
Romanization: Please note that while acauemic woiks tenu to use NcCune-
Reischauei Romanization, filmmakeis often use Reviseu Romanization oi theii own
iuiosynciatic conventions.


Weekly Scheuule

Week 1, Apiil 2 Postwai Reconstiuction
What jobs weie open to women in postwai Seoul. Which womanly tiaits aie
valoiizeu oi vilifieu in this film.

!"#"$% '(%%#)$ (!"#$% 19S6, Ban Byngmo), 124 min
http:www.youtube.comveiify_age.next_uil=%2Fmovie%SFv%SBFkAbvQhfpm
w

Kathleen NcBugh, "South Koiean Film Nelouiama: State, Nation, Woman, anu the
Tiansnational Familiai," in Kathleen NcBugh anu Nancy Abelmann, eus.,
*)+,- .)(%"/ 0)1#%/ 23% !%1)#("$"4 0%/#%(5 0%/(%5 "/# 6",7)/"1 87/%$"
(Betioit: Wayne State 0niveisity Piess, 2uuS), 17-42

Week 2, Apiil 9 Postwai Class anu uenuei
Bow is class fluiu. Bow uoes genuei impact one's social status. Bow aie women
steieotypeu as homemakeis anu homebieakeis.

9-% :)+;%$"7# ('(% 196u, Kim Kim-young), 1u8 min (see Biopbox)

Soyoung Kim, "Questions of Women's Film: 9-% !"7#5 !"#"$% '(%%#)$, anu
Women," in Kathleen NcBugh anu Nancy Abelmann, eus., *)+,- .)(%"/
0)1#%/ 23% !%1)#("$"4 0%/#%(5 0%/(%5 "/# 6",7)/"1 87/%$" (Betioit: Wayne
State 0niveisity Piess, 2uuS), 18S-2uu

Week S, Apiil 16 0iban Bespaii
What kinu of saciifices uiu women anu men make in the name of inuustiialization
anu moueinization.

<)+/3=">; :%?#"? ()!* +,-., 197S, Kim Bo-seon), 1uS min
http:www.youtube.comveiify_age.next_uil=%2Fmovie%SFv%SBnN_pbS1FzSE

Kim Sunah, "Yeongja's Face anu the Failuie of the Bialectic in Yeong-ja's Beyuays,"
in Koiean Film Aichive, eu., @)$%/ )/ *A(%%/4 B/#%(;,"/#7/3 .)(%"/ *)A7%,?
"/# @)$%/ ,-()+3- '71$; CSeoul: Koiean Film Aichive, 2u12), 1S8-1Su
Kim Seung-ok, "|Nemo on Auaptationj Cieating an Auaptation Is Noie Bifficult than
Cieating an 0iiginal Woik," in Koiean Film Aichive, eu., @)$%/ )/ *A(%%/4
B/#%(;,"/#7/3 .)(%"/ *)A7%,? "/# @)$%/ ,-()+3- '71$; CSeoul: Koiean Film
Aichive, 2u12), 1S1-1SS
S

Week 4, Apiil 2S The 0nenuing Koiean Wai
Bow have women anu families been impacteu by the Koiean Wai which began in
19Su.

071;),,%+$ (/01, 198S, Im Kwon-taek), 1uS min (see Biopbox)

Chung Sung-il, "Im Kwon-taekStill in a State of Piogiess," in Koiean Film Aichive,
eu., @)$%/ )/ *A(%%/4 B/#%(;,"/#7/3 .)(%"/ *)A7%,? "/# @)$%/ ,-()+3-
'71$; (Seoul: Koiean Film Aichive, 2u12), 186-194
0h YoungSuk, "uilsotteum: Pioneei Film-making in the Naiiative of Familial
Sepaiation anu National Bivision in Koiea," in in Koiean Film Aichive, eu.,
@)$%/ )/ *A(%%/4 B/#%(;,"/#7/3 .)(%"/ *)A7%,? "/# @)$%/ ,-()+3- '71$;
(Seoul: Koiean Film Aichive, 2u12), 19S-21u
Song uil-han, "Ny Best Woik: The Koiean Bivision anu Affiimation of the 0nity of
the People," in Koiean Film Aichive, eu., @)$%/ )/ *A(%%/4 B/#%(;,"/#7/3
.)(%"/ *)A7%,? "/# @)$%/ ,-()+3- '71$; (Seoul: Koiean Film Aichive, 2u12),
211-219

Week S, Apiil Su Bisenchantment
Why is it that women who seem to have eveiything aie so unhappy.

The Naiiiage Life (23 456, 1992, Kim Eui-suk)
http:www.youtube.commovie.v=iYsXymLXasY&oief=http%SA%2F%2Fwww.yo
utube.com%2Fplaylist%SFlist%SBPL92SuS2Bu6uE61EF2&has_veiifieu=1

So-Bee Lee, "The Concept of Female Sexuality in Koiean Populai
Cultuie," in Lauiel Kenuall, eu., B/#%( 8)/;,(+A,7)/4 9-% 0%/#%(7/3 )D
!)#%(/7,?5 81";;5 "/# 8)/;+$E,7)/ 7/ ,-% F%E+G17A )D .)(%" (Bonolulu:
0niveisity of Bawai'i Piess, 2uu1), 141-164

Week 6, Nay 7 0iban Woiking-Class Women
What kinu of uifficulties uo young uiban women face. What uo they want foi
themselves.

9"H% 8"(% )D !? 8", (7849 #:; , 2uu1, }eong }ae-eun) 112 min (see Biopbox)

Chi-Yun Shin, "Two of a Kinu: uenuei anu Fiienuship in Fiienu anu Take Caie of Ny
Cat," in Chi-Yun Shin anu }ulian Stiingei, eus., 6%I .)(%"/ 87/%$" (New
Yoik: New Yoik 0niveisity Piess, 2uu1), 117-1S1

Week 7, Nay 14 uenuei Role Reveisal
In what ways uo main chaiacteis take on genuei-ieveiseu ioles. Bow was this film
iemaue in so many countiies.

4
!? *";;? 07(1 (<6=$ >(% 2uu1, Kwak }ae-yong), 12S min (see Biopbox)

Seungsook Noon, 'The Piouuction anu Subveision of Begemonic Nasculinity:
Reconfiguiing uenuei Bieiaichy in Contempoiaiy South Koiea," in Lauiel
Kenuall, eu., B/#%( 8)/;,(+A,7)/4 9-% 0%/#%(7/3 )D !)#%(/7,?5 81";;5 "/#
8)/;+$E,7)/ 7/ ,-% F%E+G17A )D .)(%" (Bonolulu: 0niveisity of Bawai'i Piess,
2uu1), 79-11S

Week 8, Nay 21 Nothei-Baughtei Relationships
Bow uo auuiences connect with family-themeu films uepicting tense ielationships.

0))#G?% !)$ (?!% 2uu9, }eong Ki-hoon) 11u min (see Biopbox)

Nancy Abelmann, "Women, Nobility, anu Besiie: Naiiating Class anu uenuei in
South Koiea," in Lauiel Kenuall, eu., B/#%( 8)/;,(+A,7)/4 9-% 0%/#%(7/3 )D
!)#%(/7,?5 81";;5 "/# 8)/;+$E,7)/ 7/ ,-% F%E+G17A )D .)(%" (Bonolulu:
0niveisity of Bawai'i Piess, 2uu1), 2S-SS

Week 9, Nay 28 Bieaking the Fouith Wall
What message uoes a mockumentaiy about actiesses tell us about the Koiean film
inuustiy.

9-% 2A,(%;;%; (@ABC% 2uu9, E }i-young), 1u4 min (see Biopbox)

"The Actiesses," Koiean Film (2uu9),
http:www.koieanfilm.oigkfilmu9.html#actiesses
Beiek Elley, "The Actiesses," J"(7%,? (Febiuaiy 1S, 2u1u),
http:www.vaiiety.comieviewvE1117942169

Week 1u, }une 4 Bieams (0n)Realizeu
Bow can people ieconcile youthful uieams. What uoes it mean to be successful.

*+//? (DE% 2u11, Kang Byung-chul), 124 min (see Biopbox)

Naggie Lee, "Sunny: Novie Review," 9-% :)11?I))# F%E)(,%( (Becembei 8, 2u11),
http:www.hollywoouiepoitei.comieviewsunny-movie-ieview-271S91