World Environment and Island Studies (2013. 8) 3(1): 31-38 33
Jiseul Kyung-hoon Park (Chairperson, The Jeju People Artists Federation) Translated by Ji-young Kang (Instructor, Jeju Halla College, South Korea)
ABSTRACT
This is a miracle in movies. It’s the best shaman ritual with tears and blood through the camera. It’s Muel O’s talent to make it embracing the ordinary life not with the formalism of intellects. ‘Jiseul’ is one of the best movies this year and full of the immortal spirit. This is the review on the outcome
Keywords: movies, shaman ritual, Muel O’s ordinary life, ‘Jiseul’, the immortal spirit, the minimal condition
native Jeju Island. Born in 1971, O has directed several feature films-» most recently Nostalgia in 2009- in addition to various plays and performances. He also organized a street art festival called Flower for a Jeju Head, in codirector at the Jeju Indenpendent Films Socienty, and acts as artistic director of the Japari Researcch Center.«
Films 2009.Nostslgia 2009. Ppongttol 2011. Wind of Island 2012. Jiseul
Prizes 2013 Sundance Films Festival World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic -Jiseul
Film Director, O Muel 2013 19th FICA, Vesoul International of Asian Cinema GOLDEN CYCLO Award As a representative of the Jeju-based independent culture project, Terror J, director It was a rare opportunity when I was invited to Muel O chooses to direct films set on his 34 Kyung-hoon Park & Jiyoung Kang the premiere of ‘Jiseul’ in Jeju. I felt hesitant having the ancestral rites for those who passed at first since I haven’t contributed anything to away during 4.3.”This is the background of his the filmmaking of Director Muel O. However, intention to release his film in Jeju. Since the despite feeling sorry for him, I attended it since # it was the movie about 4.3 filmed on Jeju by that should be prepared in Jeju. the Jeju-born director. Honestly, I cried after the premier. It was because of the appreciation for The movie starts with a black-and-white long take, and then shows scattered utensils for rather than the plot of the movie. " the smoke. This scene implies that this movie ‘Jiseul’, Fourth Independent Movie of should be made as the ancestral rites. The Jeju-born Director Muel O background of the movie is Dongkwang-ri where residents couldn’t have the ancestral rites due to 4.3. That symbolizes the history of 4.3. The ‘Jiseul’, an indie movie with the running time ancestral rites are annual events and ordinary of 108 minutesby young Jeju-born Director O culture of people.The tragic historic incident is a Muelpremiered at the 2012 Busan International situation in which the ancestral rites couldn’t be Film Festival and won a total of four awards carried out. That’s the motivation that pushed including the Network for the Promotion of " Asian Cinema Award, the Citizen Critics’ Award, the Director’s Guild of Korea Award for Best The movie is based on a real story when Director, and the CGV Movie Collage Award. scorched-earth tactics started in winter of It was shocking news to those who haven’t 1948. On November 15, 1948, soldiers raided a mountainous village Dongkwang-ri, killed residents, and burned the village in 3 days. ‘Jiseul’ carries on the spirit of the late Director % " " Kim Kyeong-ryul who passed away working 120 villagers hid in a cave Keunneolgwe. Keunneolgwe means a big and wide cave the first movie about 4.3, ‘Time that has not in Jeju dialect. Lava tubes in Jeju, UNESCO ended’. That’s why the title of this movie is Natural Heritage sites today, were the best ‘Time that has not ended 2 –‘Jiseul’. This movie shelters for Jeju people at that time. is meaningful in that filmmaking joined the art world about 4.3 and it has broadened the The movie is based on a true story but it’s interpretation of art about 4.3 with the director’s not realistic. It’s not a faction either. Rather, ! the director embraces the incident with a language. monochrome toneand creates a unique movie. He shows highly advanced skills compared ‘Jiseul’ consists of 4 sequences; Shinwi OSetting to his previous 3 movies. The camera shows up the tablet to invite the spirit), Shinmyo " (Shaman ritual for the spirit), Eumbok (Sharing & food from the ritual), andSoji (Burning the poem. His view is shown in his interview, paper tablet). This strategy is shown in the " # O “I can’t tell everything in one movie.” Jiseul 35
It’s not possible to show the historical context to the possibility of the movie as the means and various incidents about 4.3 in one movie. of search for memories and time art through In a sense, all movies use ‘Collage’.The director ‘aesthetics of a long take’. This technique chose to use ‘Collage’to depict capturing successfully expressesa unique color through soldiers, refugees, and a cave.As modern his view and breath. history is approached with a new method, micro-history overcomes the limit of diachronic Moreover, this movie shows the director’s historiographic description. It’s the strategy attitude toward nature. It reminds me of the to figure out the overall historical meaning to expression of Siegfroied Gen the, German &