(Yonhap Feature) Korean audience change

(Yonhap Feature) For better or worse, Korean cinema audience is changing
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- There were two surprising incidents in South Korean
cinema this year, indicating slow but clear changes in the trends of South
Korea's moviegoers.
First, works of two of the most popular and powerful directors in the country
drew lackluster responses from local fans, in contrast to the rave reviews they
garnered from professional critics at home and abroad.
On the other hand, some rather more straightforward movies, clearly belonging to
the entertainment category, recorded huge ticket sales, surprising cinema experts
who were convinced South Korean audiences are somewhat highbrow and
sophisticated.
"From mid-1990s through early 2000s, Korean cinema was dominated by so-called
'populace vanity' with people keen to try understanding even the most abstruse
films. Strictly 'for festival' movies, I call them," film critic Lee Dong-jin
said. "But audiences nowadays clearly know what they want and no longer rave over
a film just for the director's brand power. They are just too tired to do that
anymore."
Koreans have long been noted for their special affection and pride for their own
cinema. Unlike some other countries, they have regarded domestic movies as
"first-grade products" and defended the country's controversial screen quota
system which is largely disadvantageous to foreign movies.
More importantly, they were passionate and willing enough to appreciate creations
of some of the most esoteric filmmakers in the country, an aspect that many
overseas filmmakers and experts envied. As a result, the country's film industry
expanded both in quantity and quality at an overwhelming speed, nurturing several
top name filmmakers whose fame reached far and wide outside the country.
"In many countries, Hollywood is (regarded) the best and national product is way
below in people's minds, but Korean audiences will go to Korean films and don't
think of them as second-grade product," Australian film critic Adrian Martin said
during an interview with Yonhap News Agency earlier this year. "In that sense,
Korean cinema is ahead of a lot of cinemas in the world."
This spring, "Thirst" and "Mother," works of two of the most influential South
Korean auteurs Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho, respectively, were released in
high anticipation.
Both films recorded rather meager ticket sales however -- 2.3 million for
"Thirst" and 3 million for "Mother" -- a startling result especially considering
the directors' name power. Bong's previous feature "The Host (2006)" had topped
the 10 million viewer mark, considered a milestone in the country with a
population of 48 million.
"The movie left me with an unpleasant feeling," said one blogger after watching
"Thirst," which received the third-highest award at the Cannes film festival in
May. "I am frankly worn out from trying to understand the director's intentions."
"I think I can no longer call myself a Park Chan-wook fan," the blogger on
naver.com, one of South Korea's largest web portals, went on. "I am craving
something lighter and easier to comprehend."
The incident indicates a critical shift that movie directors and producers will
inevitably have to pay attention to, film critic Heo Mun-yeong said.
"What personally surprised me was the fact that both directors chose not to
compromise with the audience and created works that most strongly represent their
characters and genres," he said. "Mega-hit directors who have, until now, been
relatively successful in the box office with films that stand in between the
boundaries of art and entertainment cinema will now be forced to make some
adjustments."
"The current environment can be said to be more hostile to directors with clear
color," he added.
In the summer, two domestic movies stormed the box office despite the flood of
blockbusters from Hollywood.
Mixing drama with a right amount of comedy and tragedy, the two movies "Haeundae"
and "Take Off" dominated the local box office for months, with the former
becoming the first South Korean movie to exceed the 10 million viewer mark in
three years. As a result, domestic movies took up 67 percent of the domestic film
market last month, an overwhelming increase of 15.9 percentage points from July.
"I was laughing and crying at the same time watching it," blogger IMURS said
after watching "Haeundae." "It was better than any Hollywood disaster movies I
have seen."
Most professional film reviewers, however, were reluctant to laud the two, mostly
criticizing the lack of logic and depth in their respective plots.
Others focused on "why" South Korean moviegoers, once touted for their
sophisticated cinematic taste, had been drawn to movies that were entertaining
enough but shallow compared to past box office successes.
"The success of these movies shows audiences will no longer follow the cue of the
movie itself. It is now the filmmakers who have to obey the audience's taste for
success," critic Lee said. "The increased audience power is fine enough, but what
worries me is the fact that while people might want some lighter fun now, that
will bore them very soon."
Critic Yoon Young-il also raised concerns about the missing "essence" in the two
movies.
"They are without doubt very clever and entertaining, but also very
quasi-Hollywood and pro-commercial. Frankly speaking, I could not see the
director's ambition in the movies," he said.
Romantic comedies "My Girlfriend is an Agent," "Scandal Makers" and "Running
Turtle" also did well in the box office, by "keeping to the new rules," an
expression used by critics.
Films that Korean fans currently appear to favor are those based on somewhat
corny and easy-to-comprehend plots, feature "good people," are light enough to
watch with children and mix several different genres with a touch of comedy.
Film experts, including Darcy Paquet, a U.S. film critic who has been running the
Korean film site koreanfilm.org since 1999, worried that the current audience
propensity may ruin the diversity of Korean cinema, one of its key elements of
strength.
For example, some of the "best works of the year" were being cold-shouldered by
local fans, Paquet said.
Critic Yoon agreed.
"The real issue here is not whether the two films are high quality or not, but
what it really means to the future of Korean film industry," he said. "Should all
directors choose to go the easy way...Let's just say it will deal a very blow to
our cinema."
Critics added filmmakers must not overlook the small successes low-budget
independent movies "Old Partner," "Breathless" and "Daytime Drinking" made this
year.
The fact that these indie films did better than high-budget creations by some of
the most well-known directors in the country shows that at least some people are
seeking new names and new genres, Yoon said.
"This tells us that the audience could just be tired of seeing works by the same
big name directors over and over again, but still crave for something different,"
he added.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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