E D I T O R I A L

The Korean Backlash

Friday, April 5, 2002 — Hype is defined by one dictionary as "excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion." Hype is also defined as "exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material."

Hype is a strange and potentially misleading term when applied to Asian cinema, because what's been derided as "hype" is usually the enthusiasm of the first wave of people who really enjoyed, or had the opportunity to see, a particular movie. Thus, the second or third wave of people who see the film are dealing with, not only their own perception of the movie when seen for the first time, but also their expectations for what the movie will be, based on the "hype" by people who've already seen it.

It's a losing battle that few films ever win. If the second or third wave of viewers does not enjoy it as much as the first wave, they may resent that first wave. They may feel that they've wasted their time and money watching something that wasn't very good. Of course, their lack of enjoyment of the film may have nothing to do with the quality of the movie itself.

I was at least 10 years behind the early Western explorers of Hong Kong cinema. By 1997, with the handover of Hong Kong to Mainland Chinese rule, the exodus of some key talent, and the initial success of Jackie Chan and John Woo in America, the early explores were ready to move on (while I was just starting to explore these films). Both the quantity and the quality of film production in Hong Kong was down. The early fans had spent years trading tapes and buying expensive laserdiscs to feed their addiction to the new, exciting, and generally unknown.

Just in time to maintain interest in Hong Kong cinema, though, along came DVD. English subtitles and no region coding allowed viewers worldwide to experience again the classics from the 1980's and early 1990's. Yet the proliferation of the format also made it easy to compare the classics with more recent output, which many found wanting. Movie fans moved on, looking for something new and exciting that might duplicate the joyful buzz of excitement.

Japanese films filled the void to some extent, especially with the renewed interest in the horror genre that followed the release of The Ring. With the move to DVD, though, the relatively high prices, lack of English subtitles, and prevalence of region coding have limited the audience to some extent (although recent Japanese films seem to receive decent exposure through film festival screenings and limited theatrical distribution outside of Asia).

Real excitement for Asian cinema had to wait until the films of South Korea began to receive notice. I date this from late 2000, which is when the buzz began about Shiri. Not everybody was wildly enthusiastic about the film, but it was one of the first Korean productions with English subtitles to appear on DVD (initially without region coding) which generated considerable interest. It was as though your long-lost cousin suddenly appeared at the your doorstep, wealthy and with a family in tow. The first four Korean films I bought on DVD were the ones that everybody was talking about: Shiri, Tell Me Something, Nowhere to Hide, and Attack the Gas Station. They seemed related to Hong Kong films (visceral and stylish) and were distinctly different though also related to mainstream Hollywood product. Excitement grew.

A year and a half later, many more Korean films have appeared (though a large number are only available to be seen by viewers with multi-region coded DVD players), and I think it's safe to say that a fair percentage of devoted Hong Kong film fans would now rank recent Korean fare higher than most recent HK releases.

When does the backlash begin?

It already has. The belated theatrical release of Shiri in the United States generated a considerable number of negative comments. I find it hard to characterize Shiri as a "bad" film. It's well-made, mainstream entertainment, with a bit of violent edge. If you entered the theater with firm preconceptions, or expectations that it would be radically different than Hollywood action, disappointment was sure to follow.

It will happen again, and again, and again with more highly-touted Korean films. It's like we're all playing with blocks (children's toys). One group puts up blocks, praising a film they've just seen. The next group may add more blocks, while the group that follows may knock them down. Time has a way of leveling out the playing field.

Right now, Korean films are up, and Hong Kong films are down. Japanese films are somewhere in the middle; films from Thailand and Vietnam are sleepers. Films from Mainland China and Taiwan are constantly present. And lurking, ever lurking, is Bollywood.

Let's come back in a few years and see where the blocks have settled. I think a number of recent Hong Kong films will be right up there with the best of world cinema.

Until then, I plan to enjoy watching as many films as I can, regardless of their country of origin. I trust you'll do the same.