'Geon-guk Jeonjaeng' VS 'Gilwi-e Kim Dae-jung'... Political Documentaries Dividing and Rallying Supporters

'Geon-guk Jeonjaeng', 'Gilwie Kim Dae-jung' Gain Popularity
Ruling and Opposition Parties Rally Supporters Through Films
Regret Over Lack of Consensus Building Beyond Criticism

Ahead of the general election, documentary films about politicians who left their mark on modern Korean history, such as former Presidents Rhee Syngman and Kim Dae-jung, are gaining popularity. However, there are criticisms that documentaries recording historical figures are being used more for rallying the support bases of both progressive and conservative camps rather than enhancing public understanding of these figures.

According to the Korea Film Council's integrated box office data as of the 15th, "The Founding War" attracted 52,158 viewers on the 14th, ranking third at the box office. This is an achievement that surpassed several commercial films released ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. Released on the 1st, the film has accumulated 434,310 viewers. Considering the production cost of around 200 to 300 million KRW, it has already surpassed the break-even point (BEP) of 200,000 viewers as of the 10th.

This film, which highlights the life and political career of former President Rhee Syngman, covers his youthful independence movement, belief in liberal democracy, and land reforms during his tenure. Among documentaries about political figures, only "A Man Named Roh" (2017), which portrayed the human side of former President Roh Moo-hyun and recorded a cumulative audience of 1.85 million, has been viewed more than "The Founding War." Following that are "You Are My Country" (2022, 330,000 viewers), "The Collaborators" (2017, 260,000 viewers), and "Two Cities, Roh" (2016, 190,000 viewers). While historical examinations have mainly focused on progressive figures like former President Roh, "The Founding War" is distinct in that it deals with former President Rhee, a symbol of the conservative right.

Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is answering reporters' questions after watching the documentary film "Geon-guk Jeonjaeng," which highlights the life and politics of former President Syngman Rhee, at a movie theater in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 12th.

Currently, the documentary film "On the Road, Kim Dae-jung," produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of former President Kim Dae-jung's birth, is also being screened in theaters. Released on the 10th of last month, "On the Road, Kim Dae-jung" recorded 55,000 viewers in its first week but lost momentum, attracting a total of 123,251 viewers over a month. With a production cost of 500 million KRW, it has surpassed its break-even point (120,000 viewers).

The two films, released about 20 days apart, drew attention as politicians from both ruling and opposition parties publicly disclosed their viewings. However, mentions of ruling party members watching "On the Road, Kim Dae-jung" or opposition members watching "The Founding War" are hard to find. In fact, regarding evaluations of former President Rhee, "The Founding War" has elicited differing perspectives. Han Dong-hoon, the emergency committee chairman, praised the film after viewing it, saying, "He was a person who made very decisive and important decisions at the right time that brought the Republic of Korea to where it is today." On the other hand, Kwon Chil-seung, the senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, criticized, "Why is there a deliberate neglect of the fact that the former president was the first dictator impeached by the provisional government, the first to commit election fraud, and the first to be impeached by the people due to the April 19 Revolution?"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum are attending the VIP screening of 'Kim Dae-jung on the Road' held at Yongsan CGV in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of December 18 last year. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Political commentator Park Sang-byeong said, "Watching historical documentaries about controversial figures in modern political history requires a mature civic consciousness that can shed biased awareness or historical perspectives and embrace the other side," adding, "It is regrettable that politicians from both ruling and opposition parties only disparage or belittle each other instead of watching the films together and forming a consensus."