Gongjak (2018)

Top comments

1. 

   Flam cobra

   Who's the good guy and who's the bad guy ?
   Western countries often describe North Korea as a state that is part of the "axis of evil". Yet when we look more closely at the history of the Korean peninsula we see that not everything is so black and white.
   
   Historical context :
   In the 1950s, influenced by the USA McCarthyism movement, South Korea conducted a "witch hunt" on the communists. The North became a threatening enemy with a degrading and dangerous ideology. Yet the South Korean government of the time was far from being an example of respect for human rights and freedoms. The South Korean government remained under military dictatorship until 1988 and used the communist threat to serve its own interests and justify its dictatorial laws.
   
   

   The film The spy gone north is a perfect example of this, showing us how during the South Korean presidential election of 1997 the South Korean government orchestrated, in agreement with the North, fake North Korean attacks in order to influence the elections.

   
   
   What's the purpose ?
   Thus through this film the director highlights the double language of the South Korean government on inter-Korean politics matters and encourages everyone to become aware of the geopolitical stakes concerning the Korean peninsula. Demonstrating that this is not a black-and-white issue, but rather a very complex subject where everything is grey and a matter of personal interests. 3 years 1 month ago
2. 

   few visible scars

   As a non Korean, with only basic knowledge of Korean politics, I missed lots of things (not immediately knowing & recognising who the - say - leader of the political opposition party was, but the basics of the plot are pretty easy to catch up on.
   Maybe a bit long, but well worth a watch for a political thriller... 4 years 5 months ago

Friends