Planet hallyuwoodla industria cinematográfica de corea del sur en la era de la globalización

Abstract

The research aims to study the South Korean film industry since the establishment of the Segyehwa plan in 1995 for the globalization of the country. From that moment on, the changes introduced in the industry led to a second golden age of this cinematography, even in a critical scenario with the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The governmental encouragement through economic support and protectionist policies, together with the contribution of large conglomerates or chaebols with their access to the film market, favoured the emergence of the South Korean blockbuster at the same time the New South Korean Cinema became known through the circuit of international film festivals. This movement is part of the Hallyu cultural phenomenon from which the name of the South Korean film industry derives with respect to its opposition-imitation relationship with Hollywood, Planet Hallyuwood. The development of blockbusters over the last two decades has allowed the launching of new industrial strategies that, on the one hand, mimic Hollywood dynamics by promoting the production of prequels, sequels, reboots, adaptations, participation in co-productions and the sale of rights for remakes, as well as experimentation with film genres that had barely been explored in depth. On the other hand, these strategies have allowed the industry to compete directly against Hollywood in the local market, making it one of the few examples capable of dominating its own local box office in the face of Hollywood hegemony. For this purpose, the industrial strategies of five successful films are studied: Shiri (Swiri, Kang Je-gyu, 1999), the first blockbuster; Oldboy (Oldeuboi, Park Chan-wook, 2003), whose recognition at the Cannes Film Festival is considered the first important milestone in the history of this cinematography, enabling the sale of rights to produce the remake Old Boy (Spike Lee, 2013); The Host (Gwoemul, Bong Joon-ho, 2006), the first transnational blockbuster; Snowpiercer (Bong Joon-ho, 2013), the co-production (between South Korea and Europe) with the largest investment; and Tren a Busan (2016), which represents the leap into commercial cinema by independent director Yeon Sang ho.