MovieChat Forums > Baramui paiteo (2004) Discussion > Korean Propaganda

Korean Propaganda

posted 18 years ago by mjolnir15
20 replies | jump to latest

I have a problem with this film as it purports to associate itself with Sosai Oyama and hence, it may affect the way in which young minds see the great legend. Mas Oyama dedicated his life to karate, he didn't aim for fame but instead used it as a tool to spread his message of the benefits of karate, it's meaning, purpose, etc, or "the search for the ultimate truth". My problem with this film is that instead of furthering Sosai Oyama's message or giving an accurate portrayal of his life, this film tends to be full of Korean propaganda. At a certain sequence, one of the characters, after seeing some moves from Bae-dal ( the hero ) notes that, "it's Tae Kyun" ( a Korean martial art). At the film's climax, it shows how the evil Japanese martial masters conspire to stop this upstart ( because he's Korean ) from being superior to the Japanese. With the evil syndicate conspiring to assassinate the hero. The film then proceeds to emphasize how the bad Japanese oppress the poor helpless KOREAN who uses a KOREAN martial art to defend the oppressed against the evil Japanese ( it's that redundant, trust me ) and all the Japanese martial masters including the head of the Japanese Martial Arts Association. Hell, while we're at it, why did they not portray him using KOREAN weapons and items as well! Now, I'm not Japanese, nor do I have anything against the Koreans but puh- lease, enough from the Ministry of Propaganda already! First of all, Sosai Oyama loved Japan, he loved the culture, that's why he adopted a Japanese name. He even tried to be a Japanese pilot in World War II to defend the nation he grew to admire a great deal. The leader of the Shotokan at that time was NOT his enemy. In fact, Funakoshi, Gichin Sensei was gracious enough to have taught Sosai Oyama. An event that Sosai would refer to often in his lifetime as the basis of his karate. Sosai Oyama also studied a form of Chinese Kempo, Goju ryu and Judo by the way.

As a fantasy- period piece, this film would've been fine. I liked the sets and how they portrayed post- war Japan. Granted, there may have been some forms of discrimination at that time but not to the extent this film portrays it to be, otherwise, the Japanese would not have taught so many of their arts to Sosai Oyama. As a film associating itself with the great legend, great care should have been taken as to avoid confusing young, impressionable minds.

Sosai's message was to strive hard in life, persevere, overcome all obstacles in one's search for the ultimate truth. Karate, being a convenient vehicle in such a search due to it's benefits to humanity if studied arduously and properly. This film instead, bastardizes that message and translates it into: It is better to be Korean and learn Korean martial arts to get back at the evil, cruel Japanese since all their martial arts are crap.

For the record, I respect both the Japanese and the Koreans. I also appreciate and admire all of their contributions to society. It's with this film that I have an issue with as it tends to affect Japanese and Korean sentiments which, until now, are quite sensitive. Stay away from this film, it is difficult to classify as an art piece, action film or as a documentary. It is however, clearly a form of bad, misinformed propaganda. This is the movie industry's version of an Internet Troll.

[–] ryanbr1 18 years ago

then what the hell was pearl harbour

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] c_mcwill 18 years ago

So are you saying that Koreans aren't racist?

They are just as racist if not more racist than Japanese.

Japan does have a violent history i will give you that, but which country or race doesn't have a violent of oppressive history.

[–] donilpark 18 years ago

Ah, 'everyone is at fault' argument.
Good, good.
Koreans are racists too, but it's of a lesser matter because for one, there aren't many foreigners in Korea. There's no direct practice of racism.
Second, illegal immigrants are increasing in Korea these days, and Korean government is doing strange things to accomodate them, like giving them Korean citizenship if they live together with a Korean woman, etc (Korea is so-called 'heaven of illegal immigrants' because illegal immigrants are never expelled like they are from all the other countries and they actually get many rights and not much duty. They pay no tax, they don't serve in the army, and yet, they can make money and even sue others. At least from the policy standpoint, Korea is not a racist country. It's actually too tolerant towards them. When we talk about people, that's a little bit different story, but like I said, it's not as severe as in Japan nor is it a bigt social problem because there aren't many foreigners)

[–] Mlle_S 18 years ago

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the historical rivarly between the two nations...but I can tell you that this film merely reflects the sentiment of the Koreans who had to live through hell under the Japanese occupation. I am of Korean descent, but born and raised in the U.S. My parents were born shortly after the Korean war, and my grandparents were born during the occupation. From time to time I'll hear my mom say something negative about the Japanese, and I often rebuke her for her racist sentiment, but she replies with the fact that I grew up in a completely different society with different sentiments and values. And she's right - unless I lived under the occupation or shortly afterwards, I would have no idea what it would've been like. That being said though, I do NOT think it's alright to be biased and prejudiced against the Japanese, but I can EMPATHIZE with and understand what older generation Koreans feel. I'm not saying that all, or even most, Japanese individuals dislike Koreans, but traditionally that's been the case. I'm not sure if you're aware of the fact that many Japanese officials, soldiers, and even civilians raped, killed, tortured Koreans, especially the women (literally thousands of them). There are horror stories of Korean women having their breasts cut off. I'm not sure what language you watched the film in, but I watched it in Korean and they included ethnic slurs that demeaned Koreans. Whoever wrote that Koreans are racist are right, of course many of them are racist, but there is racism in every culture. It just so happens that in the Korean culture, there are some strong negative sentiments towards the Japanese which has its roots in a long history of rivalry between the two nations.

[–] minnie_mie 18 years ago

All this defending the Japanese, people are all trying to over-understand them. I agree, I think all the manga and the fact that they have a cool pop culture is breeding all this "But every country has it's pitfalls..." attitude. Yeah, every country does, but that doesn't make each equally as bad/good as the other. Some just DO have a worse history than others (what's more certain countries like Japan don't apologise for them) You know, I have even met people who will try to defend Japan's general obsession with paedophilia and childhood 'innocence', something along the lines of "at least they don't try to hide it!" Japanophilia is bizarre.
However, I am intrigued about the comment that the main character of this movie actually tried to join the Japanese air force as he wanted to fight and defend the country. That would change a lot of what was fact in this movie...

[–] IdleFingers 17 years ago

Very interesting, Miss Sola. I am part Korean, and like you my mother was born shortly after the Korean war, her parents during the occupation. But when I ask her about things that happened in Korea she is always very tight lipped, and says it's "not polite to talk about the past." The little she has told me is that her family was well off up until Japan took over, and all their land was taken. I also heard stories about my Grandfather being forced to work in labor camps. I don't know how true this all is, but I have no reason to believe she would lie to me.
Throughout my childhood I remember little incidents that happened... like the house my mom lives in now, the Japanese wife did not want to sell it to her. The American husband, however, liked my mom and she got the house.
Another incident is when I mentioned it would be kind of neat to learn Japanese and she responded "Why would you want to learn that God damn language?"
My mother claims she doesn't care whether someone is Chinese, Japanese, etc... but I know that she has always preferred to be with her own.

They're making you one of them, my peacock...

[–] blas-floresaguila 18 years ago

I'm not Korean or Japanese, even speak in english, i'm Chilean and we are racist too, we have inmigrants from Peru and Bolivia, and we make them feel like inferiors. We are not bad people, but we have the instinct of reject everything that's different of us. Is normal the rivality between bordering countries more when they'd been in war.

Adout the movie, i don't find any propaganda in it, is just the history of a man who find in the martial arts a way to live, nothing else, the only thing that he did right, was fight. The Japanese head of the asociation is not a bad guy per se, is more like a clasist.

If you see closely, every movie has propaganda...but a movie is just that, fun and enterteinment.

[–] ismisasean_cilian 18 years ago

I'd recommend Fighter in the Wind; its an entertaining movie, and most people will watch it for that. I think its worth noting that the Japanese master makes his Tae Kyon only once, and strong Japanese influence is stressed in the form of Miyamoto Musashi.

[–] j_imdb-592 18 years ago

The overall truthfullness of the movie is in fact impressive. Actually, as a Korean's point of view, I was quite surprized by the movie's lack of political views, propaganda style corny scenes etc. So many scenes seem, actgually, show Japanese propaganda: pretty Japanese girl, nice Japanese looking settings, quite decent Japanese masters etc. Japanese are not as honourable in tactics and winning. They are quite obsssed by winning or losing stuff compared to Koreans. Koreans are more free-going and liberal in that sense culturally (too much sometimes makeing all of us wondering if they have any sense of judgements).

I am quire sure the director has some liking toward Japan. As the Japanese actors/actresses are very good, my guess is that the director knows Japan very well and lived there (may even admire Japan).

The whole story is amazingly modest and uncorny. The movie is fairly Korean in that the story goes very straightforward without much hypes, too dramatic, too eloborated things(as Japanese will always do: some kind of too much mystifying, gloryfying and dramatizing attitudes in manga, stories, even in giggling).

[–] covenant12 18 years ago

Lots of Japanese haters here.

How about this. Japanese aren't better than Koreans. Koreans aren't better than Japanese. There were atrocities committed by the Japanese against Koreans. This doesn't make the current generation of Japanese bad people.

Fighter in the Wind IS propaganda. Every American portrayed is a drunken rapist. Every Japanese man portrayed is a violent, racist, and elitist. Japanese women and children fare a little better, but the overall sentiment leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

I enjoyed the movie, but it is very flawed in it's execution. There is a great story to be told here if the filmmakers took the care to nuance the characters and not fall back on stereotypes.

[–] captainbubby 17 years ago

The stupidity of the original poster astounds me. Korean people STILL adopt Japanese names in Japan to escape blatant racism and prejudice. This is a country that still has "Japanese only" signs on some establishments. Adopting a Japanese name doesn't automatically mean they do it to "become Japanese".

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Star_Red 17 years ago

You could argue that any Korean movie dealing with interactions between Korean and Japanese people, such as also "2009: Lost Memories", is Korean propaganda.
"Fighter in the Wind" had poor or no character development in general, and most of the characters were black or white stereotypes, which could make some viewers even believe in such stereotypes.

I personally enjoyed the movie overall more than I thought I would, although it had many corny scenes and dialogue. It introduced me to Mas Oyama and Kyokushin Karate and made me want to learn more about the real story behind this martial arts master.

Whether a film like this serves as a nationalist propaganda first and foremost depends on each viewer him-/herself, how much s/he knows about these cultures and how much s/he is willing to learn & look up after the viewing experience.
This movie does not make me love or hate Korean and Japanese people more than I already do.