A Study On Chinese Image In Korean Movies

Transnational interaction of culture among the world has been significantly stimulated under circumstance of globalization in the 21st century. Film which stands for borderless art plays important roles as an effective carrier in transmission of information and emotion; promotion of culture communication and reflection of ethic culture. As a result, film contributes inestimable effect to the national image.As an integrated arts express through the screen, there are multiple ways film used to demonstrate theme including description of reality, construction of history or prediction of future via imagination. Both of the sociology and aesthetics two main characters of the film are interacting with each other and promoting the social change.China and South Korea have five thousands years of history and cultural. Both of the countries have close relationships in politics, economy and culture. However, Chinese described in the South Korea movie performs negativecharacters like gangsters, murderer and offenders. There is no doubt thatviewers will fear of this kind of characters and exclude communicating withChinese unconscious. Therefore, Chinese considered being first suspects when crime happens.In this paper, we researched different ways of characterizing each other between China and South Korea from 20th century based on the history. Although, China and South Korea have plenty of cooperation in multiple areas, the study of Chinese characters in film industry and literature could seldombe founded.This paper explores transformation of view of Chinese from South Koreanperspective and the cause of it by analyzing Chinese characters from South Korea filmography. Eight films where there are appearance of Chinese made since 1945 have been selected for the researching targets. In this thesis, we analyzed the Chinese characters based on the historical context. The films describes Japanese colonial period, Chinese could be represented as filthy, ignorance and disgusting. In 1960 to 1970, this kind of description changed as enemy. After 1990, mitigation of negativedescription could be detected. Sympathy and inclusion are main key words in this period of time. Nevertheless, savage and brutal characters have been endowed to people from China. This kind of negative image overly focused on small portion of circumstance and population. It also explains the image of Chinese in most of SouthKorean. In the third chapter, we analyzed the reason of these negative characters from society, politics, economy and culture.It could be obviously observed that the characters made in South Koreanfilms are not objective and authentic. South Korean films likely focus on ethnocentrism of South Korea using Chinese character as negative example. Therefore, it needs more deep understanding and communications between peoplefrom film industry and citizens from both sides of the countries in order to have sound development of film industry. China and South Korea should abandon such an inaccurate perception and describe culture of each other, humanities social status objectively. It will be helpful for cultural interaction, development of film industry and understanding of people from each other.