As Korea has globalized, so too has its discourse surrounding Korean transnational adoptees. Globalization of the issue can be seen in media portrayal of this group, where their canon of portrayal...Show moreAs Korea has globalized, so too has its discourse surrounding Korean transnational adoptees. Globalization of the issue can be seen in media portrayal of this group, where their canon of portrayal in Korean film and television is now accompanied by non-Korean works of visual media. Through a case study of Return to Seoul, a 2022 film by non-adoptee, non-Korean director Davy Chou, the thesis argues the following. While Return to Seoul as an independent foreign film on transnational Korean adoptees is in some capacity aware of Korea’s national wound and discourse, it is not meant to fit into existing Korean representations or answer to political incentives. Conversely, it is exactly through its divergence from existing portrayals that foreign film on the topic has the potential to resonate with its global audience, and create productive discourse on Korean-ness and foreign-ness.Show less
This thesis focused on South Korean movies and researched how North Korea is represented in movies produced from 1999 to 2018. In order to complete this research, the paper was divided into three...Show moreThis thesis focused on South Korean movies and researched how North Korea is represented in movies produced from 1999 to 2018. In order to complete this research, the paper was divided into three main sections. The first chapter introduced the Korean cinema and the governmental policies applied to the film industry. It also gave an overview of the historical and political situation of the two Koreas by looking at the inter-Korean relations through South Korea’s foreign policies. The second chapter discussed the literature review on film theories, including the narrative theory of Roland Barthes and the theory of realism, used in the analysis. In addition, the methodology explained how the research is conducted. Lastly, the third chapter was dedicated to the case studies analysis and the related discussion. In this study it was discovered that the representation of North Korea changed throughout the years. These changes often corresponded to the political and social situation experienced in reality.Show less
