Lauren Smolic English 471 4/30/12 Essay 2 American Dream of the Korean Film American's influence over Korea

gave the country an economic, as well as cultural, image to work towards. As Koreans internalized the image of success that they saw in American culture, they moved into the modern, industrial, age. Their culture changed with western ideas, yet, this did not weaken their country's individual strength. On the contrary, the influence that United States had on Koreans, allowed their damaged country to build itself up, and to flourish in the modern world. Using film as an example, Korean film has modeled the success of the American film industry, and taken it to the next step. The Korean film industry evolved into a successful, individual market, incorporating interests that were commonly appreciated by Korean and American audiences alike. During the Vietnam War, the Korean Army fought along side the Allies. It was during this time that America's influence began over the Korean culture. This war not only put Koreans in direct contact with the United States, but it gave Korea the money to fund their cultural change. The Allies payed Korea for their assistance in the war. The money from the United States, and the rest of the allies, helped Korea change into an industrialized nation, during a period of time that Lee characterizes as the Lydon B. Johnson years(Lee 158). Her novel, Big Brother, Little Brother, explains fully just how influential the Americans were on Koreans during this time period, as they provided them with this money let the economy grow, enabling the possibility of a successful movie market. However, American influence did not stop at money. The Korean culture became focused on being like the successful Americans in every way. This became extreme when, Liking a Western pop song or movie, dating, drinking Coke, speaking a few words of English, chewing gum, practicing birth control-all demonstrated that you were up-to-date, part of the new and modernizing Korea, which owed its existence to the United States (Lee 1). This addition of the American culture made it very easy for American films to be accepted by the Korean culture. Then, once the Koreans were making were making more current films, including characteristics of American films would give a much better chance of the film gaining popularity. The Columbia Spectator explains that,In the 1980s, U.S. studios were finally allowed to release their films to the Korean market... (Austin-Kulat). While it could have been devastating to the Korean film market, the koreans took this opportunity to jumpstart their film market. Now they were able to gain attention from Koreans interested in American film, which allowed them to see how to capture the attention of more of the Korean audience. Yet, the Korean audience was not the only part of the world to notice the improvement in Korean film. Since the success of the Korean film Shiri in 1999, Korean film has become much more popular, both in South Korea and abroad...Shiri surpassed box office hits such as The Matrix and Star Wars (Austin-Kulat). While there was such success in the Korean market, it was the American market's turn to pay attention to the Korean market. In fact, the Korean movies became so successful after their jumpstarted market that some were brought over to the American market. Considering the power that Americans have over the film industry, having a film played in American cinema allows the popularity and reputation of Korean theater to flourish. The Korean film industry became independently successful, after modeling another successful market in the United States. With the connection to American culture, the Korean films could be appreciated by the American public. It was their adaptation of multiple cultures and interests, that makes Korean movies so successful. What does adaptation look like? In many Korean comedies the humor is strikingly similar to American comedies. For instance, in the 2010 Korean comedy, Hello Ghost, Sang-Man begins to see ghosts. Sang-Man goes to a mental hospital to get an examination because he begins to see ghosts. As he meets a nurse, and falls in love, he attempts to move on in his life, but the ghosts will not leave him. It

becomes a humorous struggle with ghosts that has been seen in numerous american films. This film sold 437,027 tickets in Korea. In the 1990 American film Ghost, Patrick Swazie and Woopie Goldberg struggled with trying to understand Ghosts as well. Woopie Goldberg brought humor to a frustrating supernatural situation, just as Cha Tae-Hynn, as Sang-man, brought to his situation in Hello Ghost. The topic of supernatural powers exists in every culture, and easily a way for Korean film makers to appeal to audiences around the world. American film makers used supernatural humor in the 1988 film Beetlejuice. This film surprises the audience with the extents of a ghosts powers. Both Beetlejuice and Hello Ghost show the audience that Ghosts can confuse the living characters to make for a humorous situation for the audience. Korean comedic success continues in the 2006 Korean film, Oh! My God. This film was not only influenced by american film interest, but by one of Shakespeare's classic plays, Taming of the Shrew. This film is completely filled with Korean culture, yet it is still quite simple for both American and Korean cultures to find the humor in watching an overpowering lawyer and a young playboy try to deal with being parents, or even being in the same place together. Both of these characters are amusing to watch on their own, and their interaction creates a situation that various audiences can enjoy. This film admitted an impressive 1,858,668 people to the Korean theaters. American film makers are interested in what sells to audiences, because they want to know what they need to include to attract more audience. When ticket sales reach such a high rate, it is no wonder that they American film industry began to show interest in these films. These two specific Korean films are easily enjoyed by American audience who have already enjoyed Shakespeare's classic, or the American film adaptation, Ten Things I Hate About You. Yet, this movie was certainly not a carbon copy of the American films. Korean films have a different perspective to include into classic shakespeare stories. Of course, the perspective is not so different that American audiences cannot follow, in fact American audiences enjoy the inclusion of things such as Playboys, that Oh! My God included. Amusing Stereotypes fill the script of Korea's Baby and I. First of all, in most cultures, the stereotype still exists that men do not know how to take care of children. In this film we are shown a teenage boy, who is already stereotypically irresponsible, but now he must learn how to take care of another life on top of his already unorganized life. His struggles with dealing with a baby is a classic joke in American culture. Stereotypically, it does matter how old a man is, he will still find it extremely difficult to raise children. The audience sees this in the America's 2003 comedy, Daddy Day Care. Eddie murphy sees the challenges of raising children, just as Jang Geun-suk did in Baby and I. This movie continues to allow American and Korean audiences share common understandings and interests. Korea had dealt with change and challenge through its history. As this country looked to bring their country's success, they modeled a country that had previously showed Korea its strength, and assistance. The Korean culture modeled the American culture in hopes of improving their lives. Koreans did so well in their transformation, that in some ways they surpassed Americans. Looking at the Korean film industry, we can see a country change from a struggling culture, to a successful nation. Lee, Sang-Dawn. "Big Brother, Little Brother:." Google Books. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://books.google.com/books?id=LPKuAu6jq3gC>. Austin-Kulat, Claire. "Modern Korean Films Echo Artistry of Old Hollywood." Columbia Daily Spectator. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2010/09/24/modern-korean-filmsecho-artistry-old-hollywood>. "A Short History of Korean Film." Koreanfilm.org. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://www.koreanfilm.org/history.html>.