Fate and Freedom in Korean Historical Films

Kyung Moon Hwang

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-27268-4

Fate and Freedom in Korean Historical Films

Kyung Moon Hwang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Culture, History & Language

Research output: Book/Report › Book › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This open access book examines the depiction of Korean history in recent South Korean historical films. Released over the Hallyu (“Korean Wave”) period starting in the mid-1990s, these films have reflected, shaped, and extended the thriving public discourse over national history. In these works, the balance between fate and freedom—the negotiation between societal constraints and individual will, as well as cyclical and linear history—functions as a central theme, subtext, or plot device for illuminating a rich variety of historical events, figures, and issues. In sum, these highly accomplished films set in Korea’s past address universal concerns about the relationship between structure and agency, whether in collective identity or in individual lives. Written in an engaging and accessible style by an established historian, Fate and Freedom in Korean Historical Films offers a distinctive perspective on understanding and appreciating Korean history and culture.

Original language	English
Place of Publication	Cham
Publisher	Palgrave Macmillan
Number of pages	242
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-031-27268-4
ISBN (Print)	978-3-031-27270-7, 978-3-031-27270-7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27268-4
Publication status	Published - 2023

Publication series

Name	East Asian Popular Culture
Volume	Part F1421
ISSN (Print)	2634-5935
ISSN (Electronic)	2634-5943

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10.1007/978-3-031-27268-4Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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AB - This open access book examines the depiction of Korean history in recent South Korean historical films. Released over the Hallyu (“Korean Wave”) period starting in the mid-1990s, these films have reflected, shaped, and extended the thriving public discourse over national history. In these works, the balance between fate and freedom—the negotiation between societal constraints and individual will, as well as cyclical and linear history—functions as a central theme, subtext, or plot device for illuminating a rich variety of historical events, figures, and issues. In sum, these highly accomplished films set in Korea’s past address universal concerns about the relationship between structure and agency, whether in collective identity or in individual lives. Written in an engaging and accessible style by an established historian, Fate and Freedom in Korean Historical Films offers a distinctive perspective on understanding and appreciating Korean history and culture.

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Fate and Freedom in Korean Historical Films

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