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Auteurs and Korean New Wave

	Recently rediscovered as the eccentric master of Korean cinema during the 1960s and 1970s', Kim Ki-young came to the fore during the second Pusan International Film Festival in 1997. He is now widely recognized as one of the leading postwar directors. His films show a wide spectrum of experimentation, from genre films to highly unconventional ones. His most notable films are psychological dramas that deal primarily with female characters. A good example is his film entitled The Housemaid (Hanyo, 1960), whose main character is a femme fatale. The Housemaid is often praised as one of Kim's most exemplary works. Kim directed 31 films until his death in 1998.
	Im Kwon-taek has been making a name for himself both in the national and international scene. It has been frequently pointed out that Im Kwon-taek came of age with the completion of his master piece, Mandala (1980). Having made films since 1962, he was known primarily as one of those directors who churned out genre quickies, often at the rate of eight per year. From the watershed year of 1980, however, his works have enjoyed a privileged status of art-house cinema, combined with top box office hits. His renewed status also overlaps with a period known as "New Korean Cinema" or "New Wave," terms that have started to gain currency recently. Along with New Wave directors Park Kwang-su and Chang Son-woo, Im has achieved international recognition. Although his work still shares many of the cinematic features with 1960s Korean cinema, his work has a strong following even among contemporary film enthusiasts.

One of the most controversial film-maker and producer, Shin Sang-ok has produced a prolific and wide-ranging body of work since the 1950s. Films such as the Yi Dynasty's Cruel History of Women (Yicho yoinui chanhoksa) and The Houseguest and My Mother both take a critical look at Confuci-anism. Shin Sang-ok remains as a major contributor to Korean cinema for his mastery of the cinematic genre. His films contain brilliant mobilization of the mise-en-scene, superb acting and innovative editing techniques.

The contribution of Yu Hyon-mok to Korean film history is also crucial. He is often cited as the leading figure who has inherited the legacy of the social commentary-type film so popular during the colonial period. The Stray Bullet (1961) is one of his most exemplary films.

themes, and a turning to more optimistic stories. Titles like The Road of Happiness (1956) and Love the Future (1959) indicate that films were being used to rally the country into rebuilding after the devastation of the war.

1960s and 1970s

IMDB lists only two films for North Korea for the entire decade of the 1960s: A Spinner (1964) and Boidchi annun dchonson (1965). One of the most highly-regarded films in North Korea, Sea of Blood, was produced in 1969. The entrance hall to the Korean Feature Film Studio contains a mural of current "Dear Leader", Kim Jong-il supervising the production of this film. This is a two-part, black and white film. The first part is 125 minutes in duration, and the second is 126 minutes.

Kim Il-sung made a famous call for juche art in 1966, saying, "Our art should develop in a revolutionary way, reflecting the Socialist content with the national form". In a 1973 treatise on film entitled Theory of Cinematic Art, Kim Jong-il further developed this idea of juche art into the cinema, claiming that it is cinema's duty to help develop the people into "true communists", and as a means "to completely eradicate capitalist elements". The ideology-heavy nature of North Korean cinema during the 1970s can be seen in titles such as The People Sing of the Fatherly Leader and The Rays of Juche Spread All Over the World.

Part of this ideological usage of the arts was a treating of the same subjects repeatedly through various art forms. Consequently, the most prominent films of the era took their stories and titles from pre-existing novels, ballets or operas. The film Sea of Blood was also an opera and a symphony, as well as the name of an opera company. Future Minister of Culture, Choe Ik-kyu's The Flower Girl (Korean: 꽃 파는 처녀; Kkotpaneun Cheonyeo) (1972, 130 min.) later was remade as a dance. This film won a special prize and special medal at the 18th International Film Festival, and is one of the more well-known North Korean films of the 1970s.

Unsung Heroes, a 20-part spy film about the Korean War, was released between 1978 and 1981; it achieved notice outside of North Korea two decades later mainly because United States Forces Korea defector Charles Robert Jenkins played a role as a villain and the husband of one of the main characters.

1980 - Present

With 14 listings, the 1980s is the best-represented decade for North Korea at IMDB. A possible turning to less didactic subjects is indicated with a 1986 production of the popular stories like Chunhyang-jon (1980 - 155 min.) and Hong kil dong (Hangul: 홍길동) (1986 - 115 min.).^[45] Probably the most well-known North Korean film internationally is the science-fiction giant-monster epic, Pulgasari (Hangul: 불가사리) (1985), directed by kidnapped South-Korean director Shin Sang-ok. Multi-part films promoting the Juche ideology, including Star of Korea and The Sun of the Nation were also produced in the 1980s. North Korean animation produced for domestic consumption is reportedly less politically dogmatic during this period, resulting in a large adult audience.At least one international co-production has been filmed in North Korea, Ten Zan - Ultimate Mission, directed by Italian director Ferdinando Baldi and starring American Frank Zagarino.

IMDB lists only four North Korean films made in the 1990s. The Nation and Destiny (Korean: 민족과 운명; Minjokgwa ummyeong) is a 56-part series of movies produced from 1992–1999, on Korean subjects and people like General Choi Duk Shin (parts 1-4) and composer Yun I-sang (parts 5, 14-16).

The 2000s appear to be reasonably productive for North Korean cinema, having five listings so far. In a sign of thawing relations, the animated film, Empress Chung (2005), is a co-production of South and North Korea. This film is said to be the first released simultaneously in both countries. Another recent North/South co-production is the 3-D animated television series Lazy Cat Dinga.

Taegukgi(Hangul: 태극기 휘날리며) (2004)

All-time box office records

The numbers indicate amount of tickets sold, not financial gross (as of January 23, 2011). Data from Korean Film Council.

Rank	English title	Korean title	Director	Admissions	Year
1	Host, The !The Host	괴물	Bong Joon-ho	13,019,740	2006
2	King and the Clown, The !The King and the Clown	왕의 남자	Lee Jun-ik	12,302,831	2005
3	Taegukgi	태극기 휘날리며	Kang Je-gyu	11,746,135	2004
4	Tidal Wave	해운대	Yoon Je-kyoon	11,397,749	2009
5	Silmido	실미도	Kang Woo-suk	11,081,000	2003
6	D-War	디 워	Shim Hyung-rae	8,426,973	2007
7	Speedy Scandal	과속 스캔들	Kang Hyung-Cheol	8,280,308	2008
8	Friend	친구	Kwak Kyung-taek	8,134,500	2001
9	Take Off	국가 대표	Kim Yong-hwa	8,092,676	2009
10	Welcome to Dongmakgol	웰컴 투 동막골	Park Kwang-hyun	8,008,622	2005
11	May 18	화려한 휴가	Kim Ji-hoon	7,307,993	2007
12	Tazza: The High Rollers	타짜	Choi Dong-hun	6,847,777	2006
13	Good, the Bad, the Weird, The !The Good, the Bad, the Weird	좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈	Kim Ji-woon	6,719,000	2008
14	200 Pounds Beauty	미녀는 괴로워	Kim Yong-hwa	6,619,498	2006
15	The Man from Nowhere	아저씨	Lee Jeong-beom	6,226,886	2010
16	Shiri	쉬리	Kang Je-gyu	6,210,000	1999
17	My Boss, My Teacher	투사부일체	Kim Dong-won	6,105,431	2006
18	Jeon Woo Chi	전우치	Choi Dong-hoon	6,100,490	2009
19	Joint Security Area	공동경비구역 JSA	Park Chan-wook	5,830,000	2000
20	Marrying the Mafia II	가문의 위기	Jeong Yong-ki	5,635,266	2005
21	Secret Reunion	의형제	Jang Hun	5,460,035	2010
22	Memories of Murder	살인의 추억	Bong Joon-ho	5,255,376	2003
23	My Wife is a Gangster	조폭 마누라	Jeong Heung-soon	5,180,900	2001
24	Marathon	말아톤	Jeong Yoon-chul	5,148,022	2005
25	Chaser, The !The Chaser	추격자	Na Hong-jin	5,071,619	2008
26	Marrying the Mafia	가문의 영광	Jeong Heung-soon	5,021,001	2002
27	My Tutor Friend	동갑내기 과외하기	Kim Kyeong-hyeong	4,937,573	2003
28	My Sassy Girl	엽기적인 그녀	Kwak Jae-yong	4,852,845	2001
29	Kick the Moon	신라의 달밤	Kim Sang-jin	4,353,800	2001
30	Public Enemy Returns	강철중: 공공의 적 1-1	Kang Woo-suk	4,337,983	2008
31	Typhoon	태풍	Kwak Kyung-taek	4,094,395	2005
32	Way Home, The !The Way Home	집으로	Lee Jeong-hyang	4,091,000	2002
33	Sex Is Zero	색즉시공	Yoon Je-kyoon	4,082,797	2002
34	My Girlfriend is an Agent	7급 공무원	Sin Tae-ra	4,078,293	2009
35	Forever the Moment	우리 생애 최고의 순간	Yim Soon-rye	4,044,582	2008
36	Another Public Enemy	공공의 적 2	Kang Woo-suk	3,911,356	2005
37	Hanbando	한반도	Kang Woo-suk	3,880,308	2006
38	Frozen Flower, A !A Frozen Flower	쌍화점	Yoo Ha	3,772,976	2008
39	Hi, Dharma	달마야 놀자	Park Cheol-kwan	3,746,000	2001
40	Divine Weapon, The !The Divine Weapon	신기전	Kim Yoo-jin	3,751,588	2008
41	Sympathy for Lady Vengeance	친절한 금자씨	Park Chan-wook	3,650,000	2005
42	Untold Scandal	스캔들 - 조선남녀상열지사	Lee Je-yong	3,522,747	2003
43	Marrying the Mafia III	가문의 부활	Jeong Yong-ki	3,464,516	2006
44	Moss	이끼	Kang Woo-seok	3,375,213	2010
45	71: Into the Fire	포화 속으로	Lee Jae-han	3,359,012	2010
46	My Boss, My Hero	두사부일체	Yoon Je-kyoon	3,302,000	2001
47	Oldboy	올드보이	Park Chan-wook	3,269,000	2003
48	My Little Bride	어린 신부	Kim Ho-joon	3,149,500	2004
49	Oh! Brothers	오! 브라더스	Kim Yong-hwa	3,148,748	2003
50	Tale of Two Siters, A !A Tale of Two Sisters	장화, 홍련	Kim Ji-woon	3,146,217	2003

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