Contemporary South Korea is often regarded as a cultural and economic hub within the world, but it is important to acknowledge the extensive history of South Korea that has been decorated by violence, corruption, and social disparity. Enduring foreign powers controlling institutional forces, a turbulent war against North Korea, two military regimes, and an intense financial crisis, the past century within South Korea has molded its population to quickly adapt to social, economic, and institutional changes. This history, having shaped the culture that inhabits South Korea, has been reflected in the films that are produced by South Korean directors. Many of the films utilize characters who have been effected by a traumatic past that continues
…show more content…
Throughout the film we witness a sequence of events played out in reverse order as they go back in time to show the protagonist, Yong-ho, living his life that begins with playful innocence during a sunny day and ends with his committing suicide by standing in front of a train, exclaiming, “I want to go back!” A significant piece of dialog, the desire to go back becomes a symptom caused by traumatic events and exudes the will to change the ever-influential past. Yong-ho experiences firsthand the cruelty with which the early military dictatorships treated Korean cities as he enlists in the military and accidentally guns down an innocent student in the street. Early on, Yong-ho picks up a limp after getting wounded in a street-side battle that exemplifies the tumultuous political situation which pervaded into Korean streets and neighborhoods during the late seventies. The limp, a motif that Yong-ho exhibits throughout the film, serves as a symbol of the weighted burden that is formed by traumatic past experiences. The major motif that plays out in the film is that of violence at the personal level. Yong-ho goes through a series of different violent activities, from sexual violence characterized by scandalous affairs and physical abuse to brutal beatings of perpetrated criminals, each …show more content…
Each character in A Bloody Aria deals with some form of life-altering trauma, save for the professor who nearly rapes his old student, for which they perpetually attempt to earn a sense of retribution which comes through acts of violence and verbal abuse. The over-arching storyline outlines a history of adolescent bullying that carries on into later life, or, in other words, an adolescent gang of thugs is headed by a man who was tortured in his adolescent life as they enact revenge on the younger brother of the original bully. This film ties in with the major themes of memories, trauma, and violence through its characters who lack memories of good times due to their being drowned out by traumatic, violent experiences of verbal and physical abuse. In relation to Korean history, the traumas endured by each character are reminiscent of a haunting past that continues to have an effect on everyday life, thus past traumas lead to an altered personal vision of the present goals as well as having a direct impact on personal morality. One of the most symbolic scenes comes when the most tortured of all characters, the younger brother of the original bully, is encouraged by the gang leader to beat up the professor before the professor
Throughout the film we witness a sequence of events played out in reverse order as they go back in time to show the protagonist, Yong-ho, living his life that begins with playful innocence during a sunny day and ends with his committing suicide by standing in front of a train, exclaiming, “I want to go back!” A significant piece of dialog, the desire to go back becomes a symptom caused by traumatic events and exudes the will to change the ever-influential past. Yong-ho experiences firsthand the cruelty with which the early military dictatorships treated Korean cities as he enlists in the military and accidentally guns down an innocent student in the street. Early on, Yong-ho picks up a limp after getting wounded in a street-side battle that exemplifies the tumultuous political situation which pervaded into Korean streets and neighborhoods during the late seventies. The limp, a motif that Yong-ho exhibits throughout the film, serves as a symbol of the weighted burden that is formed by traumatic past experiences. The major motif that plays out in the film is that of violence at the personal level. Yong-ho goes through a series of different violent activities, from sexual violence characterized by scandalous affairs and physical abuse to brutal beatings of perpetrated criminals, each …show more content…
Each character in A Bloody Aria deals with some form of life-altering trauma, save for the professor who nearly rapes his old student, for which they perpetually attempt to earn a sense of retribution which comes through acts of violence and verbal abuse. The over-arching storyline outlines a history of adolescent bullying that carries on into later life, or, in other words, an adolescent gang of thugs is headed by a man who was tortured in his adolescent life as they enact revenge on the younger brother of the original bully. This film ties in with the major themes of memories, trauma, and violence through its characters who lack memories of good times due to their being drowned out by traumatic, violent experiences of verbal and physical abuse. In relation to Korean history, the traumas endured by each character are reminiscent of a haunting past that continues to have an effect on everyday life, thus past traumas lead to an altered personal vision of the present goals as well as having a direct impact on personal morality. One of the most symbolic scenes comes when the most tortured of all characters, the younger brother of the original bully, is encouraged by the gang leader to beat up the professor before the professor