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.

[–] IdleFingers 17 years ago

I think you looked much deeper into it than need be. The film, although based on a true person, is nonetheless practically a fantasy. When watching the movie there was a definite impression that anyone who wasn't Korean was the bad guy. But I didn't take it to mean that Korea was trying to spread racist propaganda... moreso I thought it was a throwback, similiar to those Bruce Lee movies where everyone who wasn't Chinese was the bad guy.
But as a whole, any time a movie uses one particular country as the bad guy it will be looked at as propaganda. Even "The Host" was blasted for its seemingly anti-American sentiments.

I think everyone else has pretty much covered the historical aspect of Korea vs. Japan.

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

[–] paultinichigiu 17 years ago

Well, dear friends, i'd like to add my part to this. I am practicing Kyokushin Karate for way too many years not to know that this movie said "this is the story of Masutatsu Oyama, creator of kyokushinkai", and not "this is the success of a korean opressed by Japanese". The director selects the audience here with no mercy: he doesn't seem to care about the masses ... he adresses to those who know the insights of Sosai Oyama's story. He simply brings a gift of image and sound to all those who could only use their immagination to picture their greatest role-model.
The movie is not giving you korean men and women opressed by japanese, but ONE korean opressed by his direct enemies. So it's not propaganda. But yes, it is FICTION: Sosai Oyama started with 1 year of solitude in the mountains, followed by a period of fights in bars, no the streets, herever he could find contestants. Police was searching for him, and this is one of the reasons for his second period of solitude, in mountain Chiba, where he created the basic concepts of what was to become Kyokushinkai (the OSSU concept, the kanku, the kanji, the ideas to be found in kata, kihon, kumite, etc). THIS part is not in the movie. One more remark: the solitude period in the mountains is very well described here. The music is awesome, and his pain and the endurance of the training are very obvious.
I personally ... wish to thank to the producers of this movie: it's an intimate story for kyokushin fighters around the world.

[–] termis 17 years ago

Mmm... I do agree that the movie sometimes went unnecessarily sensationalized the whole "struggle of the Korean people against the Japanese" theme. But that said, your claim of "...Sosai Oyama loved Japan, he loved the culture, that's why he adopted a Japanese name..." is a WAAAAAY off, especially your reasoning to back it up.

He naturalized and adopted a Japanese name because it was tough to get anything going, main thing amongst them him setting up a proper Karate school, without naturalizing and/or having a straight out Korean name. Hawaiian and Mongolian Sumo wrestlers that don't naturalize had/have problems to this very day.

It's not to say that Choi/Oyama had any grudge against Japan, but he _definitely_ thought of himself as Korean first. This is according to his own son, Choi Gwang-Beom. If you can read Korean/Japanese, his interviews aren't that difficult to find.

Case in point - his Japanese name: It's Oyama Masutatsu - 大山倍達. Masutatsu (倍達), when read in Korean, is Baedal - which is a nickname for "KOREAN People". I'm sure he loved Japan sooooo much that he changed his name to "Korean People".

[–] CaLeDee 16 years ago

Koreans will always be bitter towards the Japanese. Japan gets all the attention and is superior to Korea in many ways but they will never admit that. My ex was Korean and any time ANYTHING Japanese related came up she would turn into a moody b*tch. Who cares if todays Japanese people don't apologize for something their past generations did. It's nothing to do with them. Korea just needs to get over it, like every other country that has been stepped on in history.

[–] HoppingBunny 15 years ago

Actually, what reminded me more in this movie was Musashi. I recently read the book and found it quite amusing In any case, there is a real tension between Korea and Japan. I don't think that will go away any time soon. If you haven't noticed, American GIs are also portrayed as bad people in this movie. You can't say that this movie is just a Korean propaganda. Maybe you should say North Korean propaganda although the movie was made in South Korea. When I think about his character and his family background, I am assuming that his family was more likely a Japanese sympathizer during the colonization period. At the end of the day, I don't think it really matters IMO. Korean, Japanese, American, German, or whomever, there always is Musashi in every culture. Well, sorry if I offended any Korean sensibility by mentioning Musashi as the spiritual background of this movie. However, it is easy for me to connect the dot after reading Musashi recently. BTW, I think Musashi is a bit of bullcrap b/c how the women are portrayed in his story. However, that's what it was in the past then that's what it is. It's like saying Mark Twain is a racist b/c he wrote Adventure of Tom Sawyer.

BTW there was an interesting article on Japanese moral decay during the American transition period in Japan and how it has created an unexpected result in the country which was a heavily caste and honor based society for such a long time.

My life isn't any better than yours.