Anarchist from Colony

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Anarchist from Colony
Theatrical poster
Hangul
박열
Hanja
朴烈
Revised RomanizationPark Yeol
Directed byLee Joon-ik
Written byHwang Seong-gu
Produced byKim Sung-cheol
StarringLee Je-hoon
Choi Hee-seo
CinematographyPark Sung-joo
Music byBang Jun-seok
Kang Eun-koo
Distributed byMegabox Plus M
Release date
  • June 28, 2017 (2017-06-28)
Running time
129 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguagesKorean
Japanese
Box officeUS$16.9 million[1]

Anarchist from Colony (Korean박열; Hanja朴烈; lit. "Park Yeol") is a 2017 South Korean biographical period drama film directed by Lee Joon-ik about the life of independence activist Park Yeol (also spelled "Pak Yol"), with Lee Je-hoon taking on the title role. It premiered in South Korea on June 28, 2017.[2][3][4][5]

Synopsis[edit]

The film is based on the true story of the anarchist and revolutionary Park Yeol (Lee Je-hoon), who organizes the anarchist group Futei-sha [ko] (in Korean "Heukdohoe"), which planned to assassinate Japan's Crown Prince Hirohito during Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The movie also highlights the relationship between Park and his lover Kaneko Fumiko (Choi Hee-seo), a Japanese nihilist who sympathized with Koreans oppressed under Japanese rule.

Park Yeol is the leader of the anarchist group Bulryeongsa, which has 14 Korean and five Japanese members. He seems like an easygoing, courageous and disobedient young man who never troubles others. His partner Fumiko is a strong and intelligent woman who appears to be positive with a sense of humor, though she is imprisoned with her lover.[6]

Plot[edit]

The film shows the anarchist group Heukdohoe (which goes by multiple names) discussing their methods for resisting the Japanese harassment against Koreans. Park Yeol (Bak Yeol) as the leader of this group, plots a bombing against Prince Hirohito. Then, the Kanto Earthquake of 1923 hits Japan, leaving the city in ruin. In the film, Former Minister of Affairs Mizuno suggests that Koreans had been poisoning water wells and setting the city on fire following the earthquake. He promotes an idea that Japanese patriots go out and enact revenge; it is highly hinted at that he only wants this to enact revenge against Koreans following the March 1st Incident, where Korean anarchists made a rebellious stance against Japanese imperialism.

Following this, the Kanto Massacre occurs, where over 6000 Koreans were massacred by Japanese vigilantes.[7] In order to cover up the massacre, Mizuno focusses on Yeol and his organization’s activities. Because they are self-proclaimed anarchists, he looks to trying them for crimes against Japan to minimize discussions about the massacre, eventually focusing on Yeol’s plot against Hirohito. The following trial highlights how Yeol and Kaneko made a mockery of the Japanese government and imperialist ways. They discuss their desire for the Japanese people to become disillusioned from the imperial family’s godly power over the nation. They note that in this way, equality between classes and peoples can occur; they also discuss how they are well aware their trial is meant to cover up the Korean Massacre and will do everything they can to prevent this. Underlying these beliefs are the intense moments of their companionship and love that center on their shared desire for revolution.

The film ends showing the guilty verdict Kaneko and Yeol faced, and how they narrowly avoided the death sentence. Once the two are separated, Kaneko mysteriously dies in prison from supposed suicide, though none of the Heukdohoe believe this—they fully believe she was murdered. They go to retrieve her body, and Yeol is said to have been released from prison after occupation ended in 1946. The final shot shows the film’s picture of Yeol and Kaneko and then the real one fading out to black.

Historiography[edit]

The Kanto Massacre that took the lives of over 6000 Koreans began from rumors the Hongō Komagome police heard about Koreans poisoning wells and starting fires.[7]

Korean anarchism is largely understood as a reaction to the Japanese imperialism and anarchist ideas coming from Chinese and Japanese students.[8] Korean anarchism always placed freedom from Japanese imperialism first. As nationalism influenced anarchism so did the ideology of socialist revolution creating a more equal world.[9]

Cast[edit]

Main[edit]

Supporting[edit]

Reception[edit]

The film topped the box office during its opening weekend, earning US$5.9 million with 817,971 admissions.[13][14]

By the end of two weeks since the film was released, it has earned US$12.36 million in total.[15]

The film earned a total of US$16.1 million after one month run.[16]

The film was released in Los Angeles and Buena Park, California, also in Dallas, Texas in the United States.[17]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
26th Buil Film Awards Best Film Anarchist From Colony Nominated [18]
Best Director Lee Joon-ik Nominated
Best Actor Lee Je-hoon Nominated
Best New Actor Kim Jun-han Nominated
Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
Best Screenplay Hwang Seong-gu Won
54th Grand Bell Awards Best Film Anarchist from Colony Nominated [19]
Best Director Lee Joon-ik Won
Best Actor Lee Je-hoon Nominated
Best Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
Best Supporting Actor Kim In-woo Nominated
Best New Actor Kim Jun-han Nominated
Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
Best Planning Anarchist from Colony Nominated
Best Art Direction Lee Jae-seong Won
Best Screenplay Hwang Seong-gu Nominated
Best Music Bang Jun-seok Nominated
Best Costume Design Shim Hyun-sup Won
37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won [20]
Best Screenplay Hwang Seong-gu Won
Top 10 Films of the Year Anarchist from Colony Won
1st The Seoul Awards Best Film Won [21]
Best New Actor Kim Jun-han Nominated
Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
18th Busan Film Critics Awards Won [22]
38th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Film Anarchist from Colony Nominated [23]
Best Director Lee Joon-ik Nominated
Best New Actor Kim Jun-han Nominated
Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
Best Screenplay Hwang Seong-gu Nominated
Technical Award Shim Hyun-seop (Costumes) Nominated
17th Director's Cut Awards Special Mentions Anarchist from Colony Won [24]
Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
12th Asian Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Nominated [25]
Best Screenplay Hwang Seong-gu Nominated
Best Costume Design Shim Hyun-sup Nominated
9th KOFRA Film Awards Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won [26]
54th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Film Anarchist from Colony Nominated [27][28]
Best Actress Choi Hee-seo Nominated
Best New Actor Kim Jun-han Nominated
Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
Best Screenplay Hwang Seong-gu Nominated
23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Director Lee Joon-ik Nominated [29][30]
Best Screenplay Hwang Seong-gu Nominated
Best New Actor Kim Jun-han Nominated
Best New Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
1st Resistance Film Festival in Korea Best Director Lee Joon-ik Won [31]
Best Actor Lee Je-hoon Won
Best Actress Choi Hee-seo Won
38th Golden Cinema Film Festival Won [32]
Cine 21 Awards Best New Actress Won

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Anarchist from Colony". Korean Film Biz. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  2. ^ Conran, Pierce (28 October 2016). "LEE Joon-ik Preps New Period Biopic". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  3. ^ a b Lee, Soon-ki (12 January 2017). "[공식입장] 이준익 새 뮤즈 이제훈 확정..'박열', 9일 크랭크인". OSEN (in Korean).
  4. ^ "Yonhap News Agency".
  5. ^ "[Herald Interview] Viewing history through an anarchist's eyes: Director Lee Joon-ik". 26 June 2017.
  6. ^ Shim Sun-ah (June 18, 2017). "(Movie Review) 'Anarchist from Colony': Distinct but bland". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Ryang, Sonia (2003). "The Great Kanto Earthquake and the Massacre of Koreans in 1923: Notes on Japan's Modern National Sovereignty". Anthropological Quarterly. 76:4 (4): 733. JSTOR 3318287 – via JSTOR.
  8. ^ "Korean Anarchism Before 1945: A Regional And Transnational Approach", Anarchism and Syndicalism in the Colonial and Postcolonial World, 1870-1940, BRILL, pp. 95–129, 2011-01-01, doi:10.1163/ej.9789004188495.i-432.39, ISBN 9789004188488, retrieved 2022-04-17, 96.
  9. ^ Hwang, Dongyoun (2016). Anarchism in Korea : Independence, Transnationalism, and the Question of National Development, 1919-1984. State University of New York: State University of New York Press, Albany. pp. 1–17. ISBN 978-1-4384-6168-7. OCLC 1023180893.
  10. ^ "05월 22일 05시 20분 OCN 방영 영화 '박열', 이제훈x최희서 주연". Incheon Ilbo (in Korean). 2019-05-22. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  11. ^ a b c d Conran, Pierce (3 January 2017). "GWON Yool, MIN Jin-woong and More Join PARK YEOL". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Actress Choi Hee-seo Looks Forward to a Promising Career". 16 February 2018.
  13. ^ "June 28, 2017 Box Office". Korean Film Biz.
  14. ^ Shim, Soun-ah (July 3, 2017). "'Anarchist from Colony' nabs top spot over 'Transformers' on opening weekend". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  15. ^ Maala, Jon (July 10, 2017). "Spider-Man tops Korean box office for 5th straight day". International Business Times. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  16. ^ Kil, Sonia (July 25, 2017). "Korea Box Office: 'Dunkirk' Beats 'Spider-Man'". Variety. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  17. ^ Shin, Paige (June 30, 2017). "'Anarchist from Colony' released with English subtitles in Songdo". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  18. ^ "A TAXI DRIVER Tops Buil Film Awards". Korean Film Biz Zone. October 17, 2017.
  19. ^ "Stars shine at Daejong awards: A successful year for film industry celebrated at annual ceremony". Korea JoongAng Daily. October 27, 2017.
  20. ^ "THE FORTRESS Dominates 37th Korean Film Critics Association Awards". Korean Film Biz Zone. October 30, 2017.
  21. ^ "'서울어워즈' 송강호·나문희·지성·박보영 주연상…·'박열'·'비숲' 대상[종합]". TV Report (in Korean). October 27, 2017.
  22. ^ "Hong Sangsoo Receives 5th Grand Prize from Busan Film Critics". Korean Film Biz Zone. December 7, 2017.
  23. ^ "A TAXI DRIVER Drives Off with 4 Blue Dragons". Korean Film Biz Zone. December 1, 2017.
  24. ^ "BONG Joon-ho Scores 4th DGK Award for OKJA". Korean Film Biz Zone. December 15, 2017.
  25. ^ "Asian Film Awards 2018 nominations". South China Morning Post. January 11, 2018.
  26. ^ "'1987' chosen by film reporters as the best film of 2017". Yonhap News Agency. January 30, 2018.
  27. ^ "제54회 백상예술대상, TV·영화 각 부문별 수상 후보자 공개". JTBC (in Korean). April 6, 2018.
  28. ^ "[2018 백상예술대상 종합] tvN '비밀의 숲'·영화 '1987' 대상 영예+3·4관왕". Osen (in Korean). May 4, 2018.
  29. ^ "제23회 춘사영화제 5월18일 개최..홍상수·김민희 참석하나". Newsen (in Korean). May 3, 2018.
  30. ^ "[23rd 춘사영화제 종합]'남한산성' 최우수감독상 수상…최희서 11관왕 달성". Herald Corporation (in Korean). May 18, 2018.
  31. ^ "이제훈·최희서 등 2018레지스탕스영화제 수상". Naver (in Korean). 4 September 2018.
  32. ^ "Asian Film Awards 2018 nominations". South China Morning Post. January 11, 2018.
  33. ^ "Review: Anarchist from the Colony: Japan Through the Lens of Korean Cinema".

External links[edit]