Hi everyone. This channel is growing at an unexpected rate. Thank you for all the support! I also realized that TH-cam doesn't notify me on comments anymore. So if you have questions, suggestions or just want to chat, you can contact me at Twitter (@AccentedCinema) or Facebook (/AccentedCinema)
south Korea has similar movies. especially animation. th-cam.com/video/t_vbwMeP7sc/w-d-xo.html Taekwon V is very popular robot fighting anime. and most south korean think japanese stole its design. mazinger Z
Hello. I am from South Korea. It is an interesting video. I knew that this film existed but have never thought someone would care about it. I liked the story of Bulgasari from when I was a little kid, it is an old tale in Korea, we don't know exactly when it was made. There are quite different versions of this story, and what I read was Bulgasari born by poor farmer family that couldn't have a child. Bulgasai was made from rice. When it got life as the farmer family prayed for, it started eating needles to utensils, it soon becomes bigger and bigger, it eats all the iron pot and farming equipments of the village, getting even bigger and bigger. The Bulgasai leaves the home for one day at first to look for iron. Next, two days. Later, a week. Bulgasari was sad but had to leave the house as it got too big and not enough to eat. One day, the north barbarians invades the village, stealing and killing people. Bulgasari appears and eats up all the weapons of the Barbarians and saves the village. Bulgasari, which had been hated by the villagers become a hero. However, the king hates the Bulgasari, and makes a plan to kill it. The army ties the old farmer lady(I am pretty sure the old man was too old and died) on the tree and set up fire all around it. As always, Bulgasari appears from nowhere. It is not afraid. But when it goes in the fire, it soon notices that its body is melting, and getting smaller and weaker. Bulgasari knew it but to save the old lady, it goes in the fire, carries her out, and flees far away. The word 불가사리 which is Bulgasari in Korean, means it cannot get killed or can only get killed by (불)Bul, which varies its meaning between fire or power of Buddha. Fire seems to be a common version, but there are many other versions too. The movie made by North Korea seems it changed the plot. Maybe there was a different version. I don't know. Anyway, that was such a cool review of such an old looking film. I just wanted to share my memory of this old story. Also, Bulgasari is considered as a good sign, you can find old Bulgasari carving on some of the structures of palace or in Korea.
This story was filmed as a European movie as well, though cutting all links to Korea. Name of the movie is 'Galgameth', who is born from tears, and sacrifices himself exactly the same way, though what kills him is not fire, but sea water.
Same, glad I found this channel since I relate to a lot of the eastern philosophy growing up in an asian household spending most of my childhood watching Hong Kong dramas instead of Disney movies.
Actually Pulgasari aka 불가사리 is an actual korean mythology in many story books. Its name means "immortal" and its irons to get bigger and bigger, its main weakness is fire since fire melts metal and irons.
@@gabrielesolletico518 yeah, read a story book when i was a kid. Loved it, still inspired by it. Lots of my character designs are motivated mainly from this old story.
The cautionary warning about the USSR is also seen in the popular animated series Squirrel and Hedgehog 다람이와 고슴도치: In it, USSR is portrayed as a washed up drunken bear. A fallen hero figure. Where as in the past when the animal village was attacked he could come to its rescue and destroy the invaders, in this cartoon he is rendered as getting more and more drunk and washed up- eventually the Squirrel and Hedgehog (and the duck) each representing a branch of the NK military, rose up and became the charters of their own destiny at the end of the movie. Gotta say passive- aggressive North Korea sass is some of the best stuff out there.
I'd go a step further. If you know the current situation in Korea and how it's evolved over the years the following might make more sense. But even if you don't just think about it for a sec. As it was pointed out in the comments the titular character is based on an actual Korean legend based on a Chinese mythical creature called 不可殺 (can't be killed) or as these words are pronounced in Korean Pu-Ga-Sal. So I like the first part of his 2nd interpretation and the latter part of the 3rd interpretation. At first the monster was a desperate hope by the people to free themselves from real oppression. But then they realized they'd bet on the wrong horse. This savior turned out to be yet another despot in the form of a foreign power. So we can say that out of desperation to free themselves from the Japanese occupation they decided to seek help from a monster. This monster required resources to feed it to motivate it to defeat their enemy. Once it was big enough it defeated the Japanese swiftly but then the Koreans found themselves with another problem. The monster they relied on turned on them and held them hostage. As the video says this monster may be representative of the US. In recent times Trump is forcing South Korea to pay for the THAAD a weapon system they installed on South Korean soil which had the effect of damaging South Korea's relations with neighboring nations and also the North. Originally with Park Geun-hye the government appreciated the THAAD because Park was the daughter of a South Korean General taught to hate Korea's neighbors which worked perfectly for the US. But with the election of Moon Jae-in and the arrest of Park for corruption the people of Korea realized what the THAAD really was and what the US really was. Now under President Moon South Korea is in the process of bridging relations with its neighbors especially the North and kicking out the engorged Pulgasari. Just like in the movie the people realized what they needed. Not to depend on a monster to save them but to save themselves. (And don't wait until you have to sacrifice someone to do it.) So talk about sass. What if the North was showing all Koreans that it isn't about who they can depend on. Doesn't matter if it's the USSR or the USA. THEY need to unite and THEY need to save their country.
I used this video in my classroom to demonstrate how knowing the historical and cultural context of a work can help to understand its meaning, and that every work of art (painting, movie, book, video game, song, etc), no matter how silly, can be deconstructed for subtext. Great channel!
I heard during WWII the Japanese who occupied Korea confiscated anything with iron to supply their war efforts. The Japanese were particularly ruthless towards the Koreans and I'm wondering if this obsession with iron might play a part in this movie.
The Japanese arrival in South East Asia was met with cheers from the people who believe they are there to liberate them from the western colonization....only to later realize that the Japanese are the same if not worst than the westerners
Not necesaryly maybe its a mix of most of these interpretations if you know about strategic ambiguity this is basically it so he can both criticise stuff but act like hes not because the film can be interpreted in so many ways
Pulgasari as capitalism: it should be noted that many Marxists believe that capitalism is a necessary stepping stone to reach communism. Not sure if that fits North Korea specifically, but it would match a Marxist mindset/ideology.
The last stage of Capitalist is where the few CONTROL all WEALTH and everyone are theirs property. It's just an upgraded version of the Local Lord in Medieval Age.
It's really hard to say what the hell North Korea believes at all because Juche is, and I'm being generous here, optimistic-sounding socialist-like word salad. At worst it's just gibberish.
I just found this channel, and he's very new, so that is partly why he only has 16k subs. Give it 6-8 months and he'll be 100k+ easily assuming he continues making great content.
Another great video as usual. I personally prefer the second interpretation. It makes sense to me that the Filmmaker would criticize the North Korean regime subliminally. An unrelated question, do you have a favourite film or films? If so, which?
North Korean: "Good thing we don't live under a feudal monarchy. We have our great leader who got his position from his father who got their position from their father with us underneath them and the military...wait aminute..." Funny how revolutions work.
@@cuervoramos 'Fidel' was happened to Thailand about 5 years ago, and ended up with an election... which is pointless because they already promoted their senators before the election has begun and let them have power and number) over elected representatives. Now they can tell the world that they are the righteous governor... hooray...
Thank you so much for this amazing video. I’m in a metal band and we are releasing a song about Pulgasari tonight. (I mean, he’s a giant metal eating monster - it doesn’t get much more metal than that, lol) This video really gave us some new perspectives on it all and we really wish you keep up the awesome content man! Personally, I believe it is a criticism of the military first policy. One has to wonder director Shin Sang-Ok felt about the movie... Kim Jong Il gave him more money and resources than he could have ever dreamed of in the south, and if I’m not mistaken, Pulgasari was the film that got them the trips abroad that eventually lead to their escape. There’s just so much to be unpacked in this one. Thanks again man!
Beware that in such case the Bear, the Dragon and the Eagle with his puny allies would get involved too. Maybe nuking Godzilla into oblivion in the process.
I heard of this movie, it’s so sad they were kidnapped, you can imagine how scared they would be. I liked the interpretations you shared. I thought after you gave the rundown, that the message was a subliminal criticism of North Korea. I’m not alone in that thought. The second interpretation just makes too much sense. Great video, subscribed.
@@sisophon1982 Yes, one reading of Marxism is that Capitalism is needed to develop the material conditions so Socialism and then Communism can be achieved. Yet, Lenin (Marxism Leninism) claimed (and demonstrated) that for the reaching of Socialism, Capitalism is not a necessary happening it was shown in the Red October, where the Bolsheviks changed from a feudalist sytem to a Socialist one, until motherfucking Krhushev started it's revisionist declining.
Oddly, my favorite part of your reviews is that I've owned the same DVD player from the intro since 2003. Very nostalgic for me to watch the tape being put in.
On a slightly more lighthearted and naive sidenote, it's actually kinda cool that North Korea has it's own kaiju. It makes me wonder what other nations have their own giant monsters...
other country giant monsters destroy everything in its path and a treat to humanity, meanwhile my country giant monster just walk around the city causing traffic jam while singing with kids.
@@dubuyajay9964 Danish, actually, but still good -- The best way to watch it is in its original Danish version, not the version AIP hacked up into oblivion.
This is a great video. I like you go through each of the major interpretations posited by fans and film historians over the years. I hadn't considered the Russian one, and I find it fascinating.
Just want to say I love the channel! I'm married to a Chinese National (PRC) and we end up watching a lot of asian movies and talking about how they differ from hollywood ones.
@@epg96 Interesting. In the past here in the US, most movies were dubbed, but now they're almost all subbed. I saw Wolf Warrior II, Youth, Wandering Earth, etc subbed here in theaters.
Starting to find this Channel amazing Content, love your take on Foreign films and overall thoughts on Cinema as a Medium, your Channel is seriously underrated.
I've always read that number 2 is the most likely but the other ones are pretty great. And since the Soviet-NorKor split, number 1 is probably what Kim was told was the meaning behind it all was.
Lol never saw someone interpreting N.K movies. 불가사리(Pulgasari) actually literally means 'starfish' in Korean, but guess North Korea has different meanings on this term.(I'm South Korean) By the way love your interpretation. Just discovered your channel.
@@AccentedCinema Oh it was a chinese character? Lol. Now I could understand what each letter stands for. Love your channel by the way. Been watching since I discovered 30 minutes ago.
@@ShinigamiInuyasha777 Most South Koreans don't care much about North Korea. They always brag about their 'power', but always step back at the key moment. We view them like an annoying brother asking for care and respect(and 'financial support'). Plus, every South Korean man have to enroll in two years of mandatory military service because of them(for my case, starting from next monday), so... Yeah. We hate them and annoy them. In the same time we are sort of a family so...we also find pitty of them too. It's a complicated feeling.
@@armada1290 Hey, we got the same feeling with Chile! In many ways we hate them for bragging of their success and wealth...only to call for help when a disaster happens. Of course i belive we are more condescending with them to the point of jokes like "There has been an earthquate, three people and a chilean died" Also for years we had to make mandatory service for them! Funny thing right?
Great video! The only deep interpretation video of the film on TH-cam. To support your point about Pulgasari representing China or the USSR, you have to look at the primary ideology of North Korea, called "Juche." It literally translates to "self-reliance" and was coined by Kim Il-Sung. The idea that Kim Il-Sung believed in was that a country must be strong and independent to achieve true socialism. It makes perfect sense for the proletariats of the film to need to carve their own future without the help of a foreign superpower. I personally think for the monster to represent the Supreme Leader as you mentioned in your second theory, the ending is not subtle enough at all and it would not have been released.
I interpret the North Korean movie “Pulgasari” as an allegory of the Korean Workers’ Party triumphing over the Japanese Empire, only to turn against its own people.
Toho is basically the company that we can spot for the majority of Japan's modern movies; for making the "Godzilla" movies; and for making the only North Korean kaiju's movie about the replacement of a tyranny with another, in colaboration with a kidnapped film maker, with the sponsor of the same tyranny that kidnapped the film maker
I don't think your second interpretation holds any water because many historians believe that Song-ok defected to North Korea voluntarily for a few reasons. Song-ok feared Park Chung-hee, basically a fascist ruler of the still occupied south at the time and fled to North Korea, because him and his studio produced critical films towards the occupied south's government and their censorship of media and official bribery. Eventually his studio was shut down by the government. Because of this, he fled to North Korea, thinking he would have more freedom to make films he wanted there. Nobody is really sure what happened in the 8-ish years he was in North Korea outside of making films, but eventually he defected again while attending a film festival in Europe, this time to the US. He is quoted as saying he couldn't go back to the Republic of Korea (occupational government of the south) because nobody would believe his story. He was eventually able to go back to the south and make films again. This is more widely known as right-wing cold warrior propaganda in South Korea these days but for some reason, western commentators seem unable to tell what is fact and fiction with North Korea, if they even care to do so rather than just making up random stuff to tarnish their image further. I will link some interesting books about the topic if anyone is interested and asks.
I'd say Pulgasari representing Russia makes the most sense since a similar North Korean production, Squirrel and Hedgehog, had the beginning be summed up as "these animals can no longer rely on this big bear that represents Russia to help them".
In my personal endeavors in the political shitshow of ideologies it makes sense for pulgasari to represent capitalism as the dialectic will continue and evolve. Capitalism was progression from fuedalism and the communist would argue that capitalism has become a regression and needs the sacrifice of blood to end the reactionary system that once provided a freedom turned prison.
Happy to see you did a video on Pulgasari after the mention in the last video I watched. I know this is 3 years old, but I don't care. Great video! I wish more people knew about Pulgasari.
There is a lost South Korean predecessor to the 1985 Pulgasari movie. It was made in 1962 but, like its somehow truer to the text and better known remake, featured a variant of Pulgasari which doesn’t look much like his actual inspiration. However, both of the film Pulgasaris are awesome as hell!
I feel like #2 is the cleanest. #3 seems like a decent idea but north korea would not choose to portray itself as the governor, however accurate it would be
Hey, this video changes my perspective. I always thought that anything coming from North Korea is either silly or scary, but never good. This movie is pretty good btw.
It's clearly a commentary on Communism since so much imagery of Pulgasari shows him standing over helpless soldiers, appearing in red from the glowing flames dancing all around him; with red being the universal color of Communism. However, I contend that you're overlooking another plausible explanation to consider: Pulgasari symbolizes Maoist China more than the Soviet Union. China and Korea have a long history of warring with one another for control of the Korean peninsula over the centuries. There's no love lost between the two; Communist sympathies or not. These are two cultures that historically haven't liked each other, and both societies want control of the peninsula singlehandedly. In 1972, Chairman Mao Zedong declared the "Great Leap Forward", a cultural transformation intended to build China into a modern industrial superpower. The goal of the Great Leap Forward was to dismantle the historical "tourists image" of China as a medieval land with historical touchstones of ancient China dotting the landscape. In the Great Leap Forward, Mao ordered nationwide confiscation of all iron tools, iron ore, coal, and limestone deposits. Mao encouraged families to begin their own smelting efforts where they would combine anything metallic in backyard fires to forge more steel. Naturally, this was an idiotic disaster that set China's industrialization efforts back at least a decade. China became a global laughingstock for trying to equip their military with this substandard steel they were accepting from the public. Incidentally, the Great Leap Forward was a nationwide cultural transformation effort that only resulted in 100M+ deaths, and billions spent in trying to offset the losses of the substandard metals they were forging. Foreign diplomats living in Beijing at the time frequently reported on the deteriorating conditions of the air in the city as the entire country was suffocating under poisonous smog from all the backyard smelting forges. A US diplomat took a photo he smuggled out that counted 27 individual backyard and rooftop fires within a one mile stretch of residential developments alone! Everywhere you looked, there were dozens of these small fires burning. Despite failing to become an industrial powerhouse as a result, the only thing that truly increased throughout the "Great Leap Forward" was Mao & the Communist party's iron fisted control over Chinese life. This was when China's Communist leaders became more debauched, as well as more ruthless in their responses to disunity within the provinces. Just look at the imagery of Pulgasari here : A growing giant who feeds on iron (China), cast in glowing red lights (Communism) from the fires raging around him; destroying historically significant structures such as ancient temples & medieval fortifications (Great Leap Forward). Just look at what this must be implying to the viewer: This is utter madness. All of it. The only way to bring this failed experiment to an end is to realize this rapidly mutating monster (Mao Zedong) was never concerned with improving the lives of the populace, but was using the peasants desperation during wartime to increase his own power, and to promote the enslavement of those who brought him to life in the first place. All you have to do is 'break the bond' forged in the original ritual that birthed this monster into existence in the first place. It's a great compromise to sneak into a film such as this. The captured SoKo director who hates the North & Communism overall can make subtle implications of Communism itself, while the Kims will smile favorably on the veiled portrayal of Mao & China being a blundering goliath who can be defeated.
I have considered that as a possibility while writing the script, too. You are not alone in noticing that the monster's hunger for iron (especially scrap iron from farm tools) bares a striking resemblance to the great leap forward. For a few other reasons, however, I did not include that reading into this episode. The main reason being that China, even by 1975, is never quite an industrialized country. In the film, Pulgasari is such a powerful force, being literally metal as hell, doesn't quite fit the image of the CCP army during or even post-WWII. So the metaphor only goes so far. The other reason being that if the subtext is about Chinese people instead of people of Korea, it has some weird implications. While this film was made with intention of going international, its primary audience is, of course, people in North Korea. If I was a director with an opportunity to indirectly speak to the North Korean populous, China is probably not the subject I'd be talking about. Director Shin Sang-ok's word are fairly nuance in their commentary. Speaking from a writer's perspective again, If he intended to criticize communism as an ideology, I think he'd attack the ideology itself instead of attacking a failure of one case from another country. And if he intends to criticize Chinese communism specifically, then we come back to the question on why do it in this movie. For these reasons, I find the Russia reading just a bit more satisfactory. And to keep pace, I cut this reading out of the script. But it's great that you bring it up. This is the sort of discussions I want from the comment section. Well done and thank you!
ho it Bulgasari from Chinese and Korea mythology a monster that eat metal and can't be kill. You can reduce bulgasari to size of a insect but it will grow up again.
I like Interpretation #2. Either way, wouldn't the North Korean producers grow suspicious that maybe they were investing in a movie that was critical of their government? Were they that blind?
I finished watching Pulgasari right before I watched your video, and it came as little surprise we shared the three primary interpretations of the film's symbolism. While watching it, I reflected on how some artists just let their subconscious flow, while others are like architects, carefully designing their work even when they make something that can be open to multiple interpretations. The director was kidnapped; imagine the resentment that breeds. But, also, he must preserve his favour and act in the best interest of his survival, so he develops his way of sticking a finger in the eye of the government that kidnapped him whilst also seeming to satisfy their propaganda requirements.
Pulgasari could also be China which became a large industrial power very quickly and is an Ally of North Korea that actually saved the country during the Korean War. Also in China they actually did take farming tools and melted them down for Iron.
I kinda have a feeling that this film meant to be able to create many interpretations that keep you guessing, and basically makes everyone (with their own separate idealogies) like it. Kinda like with the Dark Knight's Joker idealogy
I like the 2nd interpretation. I think the director kept details vague, not just for his own safety, but so other people (cultures) can get the message. Pulgasari serves as more as an allegory than a literal person/ event. Not everyone knows the history of NK but many of us know what it's like to have an plan backfire.
Okay, this turned out to be a long post because I decided to go on about historical context, so fair warning that there is a wall of text ahead. ;) Speaking as a communist with a fair bit of knowledge of the history of socialism and socialist culture, as well as postrevolutionary Korea, I don't think it's particularly far-fetched that the DPRK government would fund a film showing capitalism as more humanised but eventually betraying those it helped. Marx's historical materialism and the idea of history as dialectical is pretty clearly behind the idea that society would progress through bourgeois revolution from feudalism to capitalism, and after that to socialism through socialist revolution. With this analysis, seeing Pulgasari as an embodiment of capitalism, or at least bourgeois revolution, is not unreasonable, and despite what many claim, Marx and Lenin are still seen as very important historical figures in the DPRK. As for the other interpretations, I don't think it's likely that Pulgasari represents the USSR specifically since the USSR was an important economic partner of the DPRK until its fall, but if we see it as a fairly light criticism instead of something scathing, I guess it's possible. It representing Kim Il-sung is also not very likely, since he was and remains highly respected, and the idea that this is something people are forced to do is, while popular in the west and with South Korean tabloids, kinda silly. Hell, compared to the anti-communist military dictatorship of South Korea at the time, the North wasn't anywhere as bad as people seem to think, though obviously not paradise or anything. To give some historical context for the film, 1985, while after the peak of the economy of the DPRK in the 60s and 70s, food shortages were nowhere near as bad as during the Arduous March of the 1990s and starvation was not really a big issue at that time. The country was still suffering consequences from the Korean War, which to this day remains one of the most devastating and inhumane wars I can think of, especially the US/ROK bombing of Pyongyang in the early 50s. During that bombing campaign, three million North Korean lost their lives, which is somewhere between a quarter and a third of the population of the country at the time. The country embracing Juche and later on Songun is far more understandable in that context, since the US still had and has a very strong military presence in the South, with military exercises near the border being commonplace (something which is controversial in South Korea as well). I think something most people don't consider when thinking about this is the profound effect this ongoing and very real threat has. Same goes for North Korean nuclear armament, which solely exists to safeguard against the United States repeating what they did during the Korean War, and there is an extremely strict no first strike policy in place. Because of all this, I also don't think it being a criticism of Songun is likely. In 1985, there were a lot of people who had lived through the Korean War, and the support for Songun is quite understandable in that light. Furthermore, the reduction of the DPRK government to a "hermit kingdom" as is common in Western media (which I would argue is an extremely racist trope) or a dictatorship under the iron fist of a single person or family is also more a consequence of anticommunist propaganda than an accurate depiction, especially if we look at the actual legal, political and governmental structures of the DPRK. I'm well aware that blaming things on "anticommunist propaganda" is something that generally makes a lot of people roll their eyes, but if we consider how this kind of propaganda has been very selectively used in the past by Western liberal capitalist countries against those considered their enemies, and compare that to how no one in the West seems to have any idea that "good" countries like South Korea were brutal dictatorships until relatively recently unless they go looking for the information, I think it's pretty easy to see the cultural hegemony of capital in action.
Thats a great coment. Not a left myself but I know aome things about Best Korea, and can guarantee all your points are in place. A great example is that theres is a border with China trouh a river at some point, where is north koreans in chinese territory, and not till the few last years the region and its people had become less developed than actual China. At least they are good to their people in some sense. The yt chanel laowy 86 been in that region in one of their videos. Would be interesting to check it. Sorry for long text and bad grammar 👍
That’s the very idea of democracy and freedom, the truth will eventually brought to light. Unlike outsiders, the citizens of SK are well aware of their past dictators atrocities, learn from it and build a better gov/country. Contrast to communist in which the gov control every information within its citizens leaving them blindly trusting the rulers. Which is why NK still have internment camps and SK doesn’t.
@@FP19487 Could you give me a good working definition that shows a meaningful difference between South Korean prisons and North Korean internment camps? And are you aware of the issues regarding discerning the truth of statements of North Korean defectors that are created by the discrimination they face in South Korea as well as the way they are paid more for more dramatic stories by the media, and are paid handsomely by the government (in excess of $800k) for information determined to be of value? There is a great article in The Guardian by a prominent human rights researcher that explains the reasons for why the stories of DPRK defectors are often inconsistent, and having read through the DPRK criminal code I can say that though I oppose the very rare use of capital punishment, the rest of their laws are better than most countries.
I've always assumed that Pulgassary as a metaphor for rebellion. The black smith's persecution and resistance have it life, and as it grew it helped the peasants over come tyranny, but it kept growing and demanding more, eventually taking the life of the very thing it was created to protect. Via la revolution, but after its work is done make sure it doesn't keep consuming it it was all for nothing. It seems like the kid of story a military dictator might enjoy.
That is so interesting. I knew the sung fam controlled the media. But I had no clue how long back it went. You’re very educational and I feel as if my life has changed.
I think they just wanted to prove they can have their own Godzilla. Also given the context of course the interpretation regarding the revolution against Japanese occupation seems the most plausible. So yes, I think Pulgasari is a symbol of the revolution as well.
Great vid, I personally liked the first interpretation best. The whole film was very interesting though, good find. I just came across your channel yesterday via the why modern chinese films suck video ( i dont remember the actual title) and here you are with an equally insightful and interesting upload. Keep it up guy! You should probably make your own film (narrative not analysis) at some point also, since you seem to have a keen sense for storytelling.
I just finished watching another vid of yours and realized you are already a film maker so forget what I said about trying something you already do lol. Keep doing it though :D
I already talked about Lady Terminator, and Indonesian movie, and will definitely talk more. I also have plans to talk about a South African classic, but no spoiler just yet :)
Thanks for this video! I use this in class to discuss how knowing the historical and cultural context of a work helps to understand its meaning. When my students say, "We should just turn our brain off when watching popcorn flicks", this demonstrates how even big, dumb, monster movies contain subtext.
One interpretation I have is that Pulgasari feeding off a specific resource makes it like a war machine, only sentient. Much like how weapons need metal, vehicles need fuel, the prioritizing of resources to remain tactically superior can strain the economy and thus the people. This parallels with one of the interpretations here, but I just wanted to share my thoughts.
maybe consider pulgasari isn't modern creation but a folklore that has been passed on generation after generation. Mythical pulgasari creature, which literally means "un-killable(pulga(can not be)sal(kill)ri)" has 20 varying stories from all parts of korea but I'll explain the most well known version. Once lived old couple without children, they were kind-hearted but without children to fill their hearts with love they were in deep sadness. One day a lone monk came to town, since monk had no place to stay old couple offered him to live with them for a while. Old couple treated the monk well. After few days monk set off to travel again, but before he left he asked for some left over rice(think rice as bread=life, most east Asian countries eat rice daily). The monk smushed rice with hand and made doll of cute animal. And he whispered the enchantment, "pulgasarihwagasal", and then doll came to life. Monk warned the couple not to feed anything to it. Old couple took care of the cute creature and loved it dearly. They kept the warning of monk and didn't feed it. One day the creature ate piece of iron. It seemed to like it. old couple tried to stop it at first, but they soon felt guilty not feeding it at all and just let pulgasari eat more and more iron. For few days this didn't seem like big of a deal but soon pulgasari grew bigger, and its fur changed in to steel needles, becoming ferocious beast. depending on story, pulgasari either helps government defeat a foreign army or pirates, or just becomes asshole to old couple. either way it usually ends with pulgasari becoming so huge, that it is impossible to feed it anymore. Then, the lone monk reappears and kills it with either fire or buddhist enchantments. as you can see from the original folklore, it already had attributes like feeding on irons and becoming unbearable to maintain it. while it is possible the director interpreted these characteristics and gave bigger meaning but it also could be that he was just adapting folklore into film. and I never realized this, but its kinda funny how they just threw whole monk character out of the picture. since socialism doesn't go well with religion. instead they made blacksmith(working class) create pulgasari.
...wasn't this movie adapted into "Galgamet"(or whatever its name was)? I had a similar premise, but a different setting. And the monster had the same shtick to him.
I interpreted it (or at least the way you described it, I haven't seen the movie) as like Shakespeare's Julius Caesar play. Yes, there was a valid reason they wanted to overthrow the power structure, but it backfired when they did. Overthrowing wasn't the awesome resolution they thought it was. The fact the power structure offered no benefit and that its absence had nothing to do with why the solution backfired was beside the point, I think North Korea was trying to subtly discourage revolution against the system the people are dissatisfied with by telling them they might succeed but it'll backfire anyway.
I believe that Pulgasari destroying the resource mad monarchy is supposed to be the US and Soviet liberation of korea from the Japanese in WW2. But as time went on, the US stayed when it wasnt needed, and kept consuming Korean resources. The north korean workers army saw themselves as liberators, who were there to destroy the US influence in korea. Koreans don't hate each other because of the border, many of them sypmathize with the other side, but the North Koreans see themselves as liberators, and that their fellow koreans wont be safe until the US is out of the Korean peninsula.
Hi everyone. This channel is growing at an unexpected rate. Thank you for all the support!
I also realized that TH-cam doesn't notify me on comments anymore. So if you have questions, suggestions or just want to chat, you can contact me at Twitter (@AccentedCinema) or Facebook (/AccentedCinema)
south Korea has similar movies.
especially animation.
th-cam.com/video/t_vbwMeP7sc/w-d-xo.html
Taekwon V is very popular robot fighting anime. and most south korean think japanese stole its design. mazinger Z
Seems like the Chinese movie video took off and brought us all here.
It's a dictator replace another dictator world.
Pulgasari will be perfect f Legendary add him in the Monsterverse as a Titan from Hollow Earth.
Hello. I am from South Korea. It is an interesting video. I knew that this film existed but have never thought someone would care about it. I liked the story of Bulgasari from when I was a little kid, it is an old tale in Korea, we don't know exactly when it was made. There are quite different versions of this story, and what I read was Bulgasari born by poor farmer family that couldn't have a child. Bulgasai was made from rice. When it got life as the farmer family prayed for, it started eating needles to utensils, it soon becomes bigger and bigger, it eats all the iron pot and farming equipments of the village, getting even bigger and bigger. The Bulgasai leaves the home for one day at first to look for iron. Next, two days. Later, a week. Bulgasari was sad but had to leave the house as it got too big and not enough to eat. One day, the north barbarians invades the village, stealing and killing people. Bulgasari appears and eats up all the weapons of the Barbarians and saves the village. Bulgasari, which had been hated by the villagers become a hero. However, the king hates the Bulgasari, and makes a plan to kill it. The army ties the old farmer lady(I am pretty sure the old man was too old and died) on the tree and set up fire all around it. As always, Bulgasari appears from nowhere. It is not afraid. But when it goes in the fire, it soon notices that its body is melting, and getting smaller and weaker. Bulgasari knew it but to save the old lady, it goes in the fire, carries her out, and flees far away.
The word 불가사리 which is Bulgasari in Korean, means it cannot get killed or can only get killed by (불)Bul, which varies its meaning between fire or power of Buddha. Fire seems to be a common version, but there are many other versions too. The movie made by North Korea seems it changed the plot. Maybe there was a different version. I don't know. Anyway, that was such a cool review of such an old looking film. I just wanted to share my memory of this old story.
Also, Bulgasari is considered as a good sign, you can find old Bulgasari carving on some of the structures of palace or in Korea.
that's
nice
Cool
Thanks for the info!
This story was filmed as a European movie as well, though cutting all links to Korea. Name of the movie is 'Galgameth', who is born from tears, and sacrifices himself exactly the same way, though what kills him is not fire, but sea water.
Thank you! It was very interesting to learn the original story.
lil pulgasari is kinda cute lmao
Yeah, then it turned into Satanzilla
He do be lookin kinna fresh doe
Just don't feed it too much iron so they keep smol.
3:06. Oh the IRONy? Are you sure you don't make comedy films?
I love this channel. Needs more attention.
Same, glad I found this channel since I relate to a lot of the eastern philosophy growing up in an asian household spending most of my childhood watching Hong Kong dramas instead of Disney movies.
I LOLed
The Irony was inspired by the Hall of Mirror in Versailles
Actually Pulgasari aka 불가사리 is an actual korean mythology in many story books. Its name means "immortal" and its irons to get bigger and bigger, its main weakness is fire since fire melts metal and irons.
Really?
@@gabrielesolletico518 yeah, read a story book when i was a kid. Loved it, still inspired by it. Lots of my character designs are motivated mainly from this old story.
And that tale is also why the Pokémon series references it with the Aggron line.
The cautionary warning about the USSR is also seen in the popular animated series Squirrel and Hedgehog 다람이와 고슴도치: In it, USSR is portrayed as a washed up drunken bear. A fallen hero figure. Where as in the past when the animal village was attacked he could come to its rescue and destroy the invaders, in this cartoon he is rendered as getting more and more drunk and washed up- eventually the Squirrel and Hedgehog (and the duck) each representing a branch of the NK military, rose up and became the charters of their own destiny at the end of the movie.
Gotta say passive- aggressive North Korea sass is some of the best stuff out there.
I'd go a step further. If you know the current situation in Korea and how it's evolved over the years the following might make more sense. But even if you don't just think about it for a sec.
As it was pointed out in the comments the titular character is based on an actual Korean legend based on a Chinese mythical creature called 不可殺 (can't be killed) or as these words are pronounced in Korean Pu-Ga-Sal. So I like the first part of his 2nd interpretation and the latter part of the 3rd interpretation. At first the monster was a desperate hope by the people to free themselves from real oppression. But then they realized they'd bet on the wrong horse. This savior turned out to be yet another despot in the form of a foreign power. So we can say that out of desperation to free themselves from the Japanese occupation they decided to seek help from a monster. This monster required resources to feed it to motivate it to defeat their enemy. Once it was big enough it defeated the Japanese swiftly but then the Koreans found themselves with another problem. The monster they relied on turned on them and held them hostage. As the video says this monster may be representative of the US. In recent times Trump is forcing South Korea to pay for the THAAD a weapon system they installed on South Korean soil which had the effect of damaging South Korea's relations with neighboring nations and also the North. Originally with Park Geun-hye the government appreciated the THAAD because Park was the daughter of a South Korean General taught to hate Korea's neighbors which worked perfectly for the US. But with the election of Moon Jae-in and the arrest of Park for corruption the people of Korea realized what the THAAD really was and what the US really was. Now under President Moon South Korea is in the process of bridging relations with its neighbors especially the North and kicking out the engorged Pulgasari. Just like in the movie the people realized what they needed. Not to depend on a monster to save them but to save themselves. (And don't wait until you have to sacrifice someone to do it.)
So talk about sass. What if the North was showing all Koreans that it isn't about who they can depend on. Doesn't matter if it's the USSR or the USA. THEY need to unite and THEY need to save their country.
Yup, the "Squirrel and Hedgehog" cartoon immediately comes to mind to me too, when he told us that Purlgasari is the Soviet Union.
Considering what Russia was like under Yeltsin, a raging drunk, the visual metaphor is pretty apt.
I used this video in my classroom to demonstrate how knowing the historical and cultural context of a work can help to understand its meaning, and that every work of art (painting, movie, book, video game, song, etc), no matter how silly, can be deconstructed for subtext. Great channel!
Thanks! Glad my limited knowledge is still helpful!
I really wish South Korea would make a movie about the story of Pulgasaris director duo.
didn't South Korea already produce few _kaijuu_ movie?
@@solaclip he is talking about making a movie about the director who get kidnapped by NK.
The BBC made a great documentary about it: The Lover's and the Despot. Definitely check it out!
Have you heard of "Wolf & Crane"?
We need a North Korea Kaiju Pulgasari in The Legendary's Monsterverse as well goes to Rhedosaurus, Yonggary, Reptilicus, Gorgo, and Guilala.
I heard during WWII the Japanese who occupied Korea confiscated anything with iron to supply their war efforts. The Japanese were particularly ruthless towards the Koreans and I'm wondering if this obsession with iron might play a part in this movie.
Conquest for resources
The Japanese arrival in South East Asia was met with cheers from the people who believe they are there to liberate them from the western colonization....only to later realize that the Japanese are the same if not worst than the westerners
Not necesaryly maybe its a mix of most of these interpretations if you know about strategic ambiguity this is basically it so he can both criticise stuff but act like hes not because the film can be interpreted in so many ways
He brings this up in his second interpretation at the 7:00 mark.
Pulgasari as capitalism: it should be noted that many Marxists believe that capitalism is a necessary stepping stone to reach communism. Not sure if that fits North Korea specifically, but it would match a Marxist mindset/ideology.
I wait for capitalism to reach the final level and later it rot inside
The last stage of Capitalist is where the few CONTROL all WEALTH and everyone are theirs property. It's just an upgraded version of the Local Lord in Medieval Age.
That's hilarious since the sacrifice of farming tools actually happened and it caused a great famine, but it was caused by COMMUNIST CHINA
It's really hard to say what the hell North Korea believes at all because Juche is, and I'm being generous here, optimistic-sounding socialist-like word salad. At worst it's just gibberish.
The real word is communist.
Me: Can we watch Godzilla?
My mom: We have Godzilla at home.
Godzilla at home:
LMAO!
What a racist mom lol
I don't think any Pro-American Countries (including USA) can't buy any authoritarian Communists countries in the 80s.
unreal to me that you don't have a bigger audience
A few months ago, he had less than a 1000 subscribers
I just found this channel, and he's very new, so that is partly why he only has 16k subs. Give it 6-8 months and he'll be 100k+ easily assuming he continues making great content.
@Minority119
With as many film buffs and ethusiasts here on youtube, yeah it is unreal...
He needs to cover a hyped topic that can easily be bashed. Captain Marvel was one such, Terminator Dark Fate is gonna be the next one.
@@DzinkyDzink I'd prefer it if he'd do more Asian cinema, not a lot of channels do.
"Self-reliance"
>kidnapped South Koreans for movie production
This channel is an underrated gem.
Another great video as usual. I personally prefer the second interpretation. It makes sense to me that the Filmmaker would criticize the North Korean regime subliminally.
An unrelated question, do you have a favourite film or films? If so, which?
North Korean: "Good thing we don't live under a feudal monarchy. We have our great leader who got his position from his father who got their position from their father with us underneath them and the military...wait aminute..."
Funny how revolutions work.
Same with Nicaragua
@@marcosaragon742 A bit like Cuba when Fidel left power to his brother rather than calling for elections
@@cuervoramos u right mah boi
@@cuervoramos 'Fidel' was happened to Thailand about 5 years ago, and ended up with an election... which is pointless because they already promoted their senators before the election has begun and let them have power and number) over elected representatives. Now they can tell the world that they are the righteous governor... hooray...
To give the North Koreans credit, South Korea had worse living standards back then and was ran by a military junta until 1988.
the most convincing interpretation is all of them together.
Thank you so much for this amazing video. I’m in a metal band and we are releasing a song about Pulgasari tonight. (I mean, he’s a giant metal eating monster - it doesn’t get much more metal than that, lol) This video really gave us some new perspectives on it all and we really wish you keep up the awesome content man! Personally, I believe it is a criticism of the military first policy. One has to wonder director Shin Sang-Ok felt about the movie... Kim Jong Il gave him more money and resources than he could have ever dreamed of in the south, and if I’m not mistaken, Pulgasari was the film that got them the trips abroad that eventually lead to their escape. There’s just so much to be unpacked in this one. Thanks again man!
I NEED to see Pulgasari vs Yonggary.
Beware that in such case the Bear, the Dragon and the Eagle with his puny allies would get involved too. Maybe nuking Godzilla into oblivion in the process.
I heard of this movie, it’s so sad they were kidnapped, you can imagine how scared they would be. I liked the interpretations you shared. I thought after you gave the rundown, that the message was a subliminal criticism of North Korea. I’m not alone in that thought. The second interpretation just makes too much sense. Great video, subscribed.
Im gonna be honest, Pulgasari is very entertaining.
I think Pulgasari was the Revolution
Interesting. It was helpful and did good at first but kept growing and becoming more harmful, taking from the people.
Pulgasari is Capitalism
@@Gloomshadow100 so capitalism help the proles to overcome feudalism?
@@sisophon1982 Yes, one reading of Marxism is that Capitalism is needed to develop the material conditions so Socialism and then Communism can be achieved.
Yet, Lenin (Marxism Leninism) claimed (and demonstrated) that for the reaching of Socialism, Capitalism is not a necessary happening it was shown in the Red October, where the Bolsheviks changed from a feudalist sytem to a Socialist one, until motherfucking Krhushev started it's revisionist declining.
@@nowhereman6019 Except that isn't what happened at all.
To be honest, A Kaiju film set in Korea or Chinese mythology respectfully. Well it sounds like an interesting idea
Oddly, my favorite part of your reviews is that I've owned the same DVD player from the intro since 2003. Very nostalgic for me to watch the tape being put in.
On a slightly more lighthearted and naive sidenote, it's actually kinda cool that North Korea has it's own kaiju. It makes me wonder what other nations have their own giant monsters...
other country giant monsters destroy everything in its path and a treat to humanity, meanwhile my country giant monster just walk around the city causing traffic jam while singing with kids.
South Korea has Yong gari. Which is... Awful
Reptilicus is Dutch I think.
Gorgo
@@dubuyajay9964 Danish, actually, but still good -- The best way to watch it is in its original Danish version, not the version AIP hacked up into oblivion.
This is one of my favorite of your videos. I've come back to it several times.
This is a great video. I like you go through each of the major interpretations posited by fans and film historians over the years. I hadn't considered the Russian one, and I find it fascinating.
Just want to say I love the channel! I'm married to a Chinese National (PRC) and we end up watching a lot of asian movies and talking about how they differ from hollywood ones.
Do u watch with sub or dub?
@@epg96 We typically see them at theatres here in California. They're always subbed which is good because I can only speak a little chinese.
@@SerCypher in my country Indonesia all foreign movies in cinemas are subbed
@@epg96 Interesting. In the past here in the US, most movies were dubbed, but now they're almost all subbed. I saw Wolf Warrior II, Youth, Wandering Earth, etc subbed here in theaters.
@@SerCypher well many people say that dubbing is gross and disgusting. Also people said that dubbing is a symbol pf ignorance
Anyone ever notice that the movie shares many similarities with the legend of the Golem of Prague?
In a period of rapid economic growth, there are too many meaningless movies, and we need to re-examine what a good movie is .
Good job ！ ！
Starting to find this Channel amazing Content, love your take on Foreign films and overall thoughts on Cinema as a Medium, your Channel is seriously underrated.
I've always read that number 2 is the most likely but the other ones are pretty great. And since the Soviet-NorKor split, number 1 is probably what Kim was told was the meaning behind it all was.
Lol never saw someone interpreting N.K movies. 불가사리(Pulgasari) actually literally means 'starfish' in Korean, but guess North Korea has different meanings on this term.(I'm South Korean) By the way love your interpretation. Just discovered your channel.
I got so confused when I googled 불가사리... Later learnt the name written in Hancha means "Unkillable"
@@AccentedCinema Oh it was a chinese character? Lol. Now I could understand what each letter stands for. Love your channel by the way. Been watching since I discovered 30 minutes ago.
I always wondered. You hate a lot the NK or you find them an annoyance ar worst?
@@ShinigamiInuyasha777 Most South Koreans don't care much about North Korea. They always brag about their 'power', but always step back at the key moment. We view them like an annoying brother asking for care and respect(and 'financial support'). Plus, every South Korean man have to enroll in two years of mandatory military service because of them(for my case, starting from next monday), so... Yeah. We hate them and annoy them. In the same time we are sort of a family so...we also find pitty of them too. It's a complicated feeling.
@@armada1290 Hey, we got the same feeling with Chile!
In many ways we hate them for bragging of their success and wealth...only to call for help when a disaster happens.
Of course i belive we are more condescending with them to the point of jokes like "There has been an earthquate, three people and a chilean died"
Also for years we had to make mandatory service for them! Funny thing right?
Great video! The only deep interpretation video of the film on TH-cam. To support your point about Pulgasari representing China or the USSR, you have to look at the primary ideology of North Korea, called "Juche." It literally translates to "self-reliance" and was coined by Kim Il-Sung. The idea that Kim Il-Sung believed in was that a country must be strong and independent to achieve true socialism. It makes perfect sense for the proletariats of the film to need to carve their own future without the help of a foreign superpower. I personally think for the monster to represent the Supreme Leader as you mentioned in your second theory, the ending is not subtle enough at all and it would not have been released.
Never heard of Pulgasari. This is amazingly interesting.
Little Pulgasari is so gosh-dang cute.
I interpret the North Korean movie “Pulgasari” as an allegory of the Korean Workers’ Party triumphing over the Japanese Empire, only to turn against its own people.
You make great videos mate, your narration is dope, you will be a big TH-camr in future
Toho is basically the company that we can spot for the majority of Japan's modern movies; for making the "Godzilla" movies; and for making the only North Korean kaiju's movie about the replacement of a tyranny with another, in colaboration with a kidnapped film maker, with the sponsor of the same tyranny that kidnapped the film maker
I’m so glad I found your channel
You channel is a beautiful gift to all of TH-cam.
Absolutely stunning Video.
Really happy to see this channel grow, great work!
I don't think your second interpretation holds any water because many historians believe that Song-ok defected to North Korea voluntarily for a few reasons. Song-ok feared Park Chung-hee, basically a fascist ruler of the still occupied south at the time and fled to North Korea, because him and his studio produced critical films towards the occupied south's government and their censorship of media and official bribery. Eventually his studio was shut down by the government. Because of this, he fled to North Korea, thinking he would have more freedom to make films he wanted there. Nobody is really sure what happened in the 8-ish years he was in North Korea outside of making films, but eventually he defected again while attending a film festival in Europe, this time to the US. He is quoted as saying he couldn't go back to the Republic of Korea (occupational government of the south) because nobody would believe his story. He was eventually able to go back to the south and make films again. This is more widely known as right-wing cold warrior propaganda in South Korea these days but for some reason, western commentators seem unable to tell what is fact and fiction with North Korea, if they even care to do so rather than just making up random stuff to tarnish their image further. I will link some interesting books about the topic if anyone is interested and asks.
Please link
With Kim Jong Il as a producer, I do think this is refering to capitalism rather than a subliminal critique of North Korea itself.
Always find these videos capturing and still to the point, you get an easy subcribe
I'd say Pulgasari representing Russia makes the most sense since a similar North Korean production, Squirrel and Hedgehog, had the beginning be summed up as "these animals can no longer rely on this big bear that represents Russia to help them".
In my personal endeavors in the political shitshow of ideologies it makes sense for pulgasari to represent capitalism as the dialectic will continue and evolve. Capitalism was progression from fuedalism and the communist would argue that capitalism has become a regression and needs the sacrifice of blood to end the reactionary system that once provided a freedom turned prison.
@Dark of the knight I mean... Search for "Juche Necromancy", and see what this joke is about.
Happy to see you did a video on Pulgasari after the mention in the last video I watched. I know this is 3 years old, but I don't care. Great video! I wish more people knew about Pulgasari.
There is a lost South Korean predecessor to the 1985 Pulgasari movie. It was made in 1962 but, like its somehow truer to the text and better known remake, featured a variant of Pulgasari which doesn’t look much like his actual inspiration. However, both of the film Pulgasaris are awesome as hell!
this is the best video ive seen from you so far keep it up and take more risks!
The monster has a cool design but damn is there a single movie with a more ironic message?
I feel like #2 is the cleanest. #3 seems like a decent idea but north korea would not choose to portray itself as the governor, however accurate it would be
Hey, this video changes my perspective. I always thought that anything coming from North Korea is either silly or scary, but never good.
This movie is pretty good btw.
Probably because it was made by a south korean...
Allow me to introduce myself. :)
@@NorthKoreaUncovered hello there
Tasha Joykin general kenobi
@@NorthKoreaUncovered right. Subscribed.
It's clearly a commentary on Communism since so much imagery of Pulgasari shows him standing over helpless soldiers, appearing in red from the glowing flames dancing all around him; with red being the universal color of Communism.
However, I contend that you're overlooking another plausible explanation to consider: Pulgasari symbolizes Maoist China more than the Soviet Union.
China and Korea have a long history of warring with one another for control of the Korean peninsula over the centuries. There's no love lost between the two; Communist sympathies or not. These are two cultures that historically haven't liked each other, and both societies want control of the peninsula singlehandedly.
In 1972, Chairman Mao Zedong declared the "Great Leap Forward", a cultural transformation intended to build China into a modern industrial superpower. The goal of the Great Leap Forward was to dismantle the historical "tourists image" of China as a medieval land with historical touchstones of ancient China dotting the landscape. In the Great Leap Forward, Mao ordered nationwide confiscation of all iron tools, iron ore, coal, and limestone deposits. Mao encouraged families to begin their own smelting efforts where they would combine anything metallic in backyard fires to forge more steel. Naturally, this was an idiotic disaster that set China's industrialization efforts back at least a decade. China became a global laughingstock for trying to equip their military with this substandard steel they were accepting from the public.
Incidentally, the Great Leap Forward was a nationwide cultural transformation effort that only resulted in 100M+ deaths, and billions spent in trying to offset the losses of the substandard metals they were forging. Foreign diplomats living in Beijing at the time frequently reported on the deteriorating conditions of the air in the city as the entire country was suffocating under poisonous smog from all the backyard smelting forges. A US diplomat took a photo he smuggled out that counted 27 individual backyard and rooftop fires within a one mile stretch of residential developments alone! Everywhere you looked, there were dozens of these small fires burning.
Despite failing to become an industrial powerhouse as a result, the only thing that truly increased throughout the "Great Leap Forward" was Mao & the Communist party's iron fisted control over Chinese life. This was when China's Communist leaders became more debauched, as well as more ruthless in their responses to disunity within the provinces.
Just look at the imagery of Pulgasari here :
A growing giant who feeds on iron (China), cast in glowing red lights (Communism) from the fires raging around him; destroying historically significant structures such as ancient temples & medieval fortifications (Great Leap Forward). Just look at what this must be implying to the viewer: This is utter madness. All of it.
The only way to bring this failed experiment to an end is to realize this rapidly mutating monster (Mao Zedong) was never concerned with improving the lives of the populace, but was using the peasants desperation during wartime to increase his own power, and to promote the enslavement of those who brought him to life in the first place. All you have to do is 'break the bond' forged in the original ritual that birthed this monster into existence in the first place.
It's a great compromise to sneak into a film such as this. The captured SoKo director who hates the North & Communism overall can make subtle implications of Communism itself, while the Kims will smile favorably on the veiled portrayal of Mao & China being a blundering goliath who can be defeated.
I have considered that as a possibility while writing the script, too. You are not alone in noticing that the monster's hunger for iron (especially scrap iron from farm tools) bares a striking resemblance to the great leap forward. For a few other reasons, however, I did not include that reading into this episode.
The main reason being that China, even by 1975, is never quite an industrialized country. In the film, Pulgasari is such a powerful force, being literally metal as hell, doesn't quite fit the image of the CCP army during or even post-WWII. So the metaphor only goes so far.
The other reason being that if the subtext is about Chinese people instead of people of Korea, it has some weird implications. While this film was made with intention of going international, its primary audience is, of course, people in North Korea. If I was a director with an opportunity to indirectly speak to the North Korean populous, China is probably not the subject I'd be talking about.
Director Shin Sang-ok's word are fairly nuance in their commentary. Speaking from a writer's perspective again, If he intended to criticize communism as an ideology, I think he'd attack the ideology itself instead of attacking a failure of one case from another country. And if he intends to criticize Chinese communism specifically, then we come back to the question on why do it in this movie.
For these reasons, I find the Russia reading just a bit more satisfactory. And to keep pace, I cut this reading out of the script. But it's great that you bring it up. This is the sort of discussions I want from the comment section. Well done and thank you!
Thank you for your channel and the videos you make. It's very hard to find non-euro centric content online, particularly in regards to film
Me: I want to watch Godzilla!
Mom: We have Godzilla at home
Godzilla at home:
6:10 this reminds me of bear at the beginning of that Nork cartoon series thing
Great video! Very insightful!
to me, Pulgasari represents a big ass monster smashing stuff.
im really getting addicted to your content , I love it
ho it Bulgasari from Chinese and Korea mythology a monster that eat metal and can't be kill. You can reduce bulgasari to size of a insect but it will grow up again.
I like Interpretation #2. Either way, wouldn't the North Korean producers grow suspicious that maybe they were investing in a movie that was critical of their government? Were they that blind?
At first you had my interest.
Now you have my attention.
I finished watching Pulgasari right before I watched your video, and it came as little surprise we shared the three primary interpretations of the film's symbolism. While watching it, I reflected on how some artists just let their subconscious flow, while others are like architects, carefully designing their work even when they make something that can be open to multiple interpretations. The director was kidnapped; imagine the resentment that breeds. But, also, he must preserve his favour and act in the best interest of his survival, so he develops his way of sticking a finger in the eye of the government that kidnapped him whilst also seeming to satisfy their propaganda requirements.
Pulgasari could also be China which became a large industrial power very quickly and is an Ally of North Korea that actually saved the country during the Korean War. Also in China they actually did take farming tools and melted them down for Iron.
That's awesome, I like all the interpretations. He seems like the reverse/Bizarro version of Gamera, what a cool monster. Thanks for sharing!
Interesting and I'm interested !subbed keep up the good work!
As someone who's studied Korean studies this is really interesting.
I'd love to see this channel take on Hideo Kojima, even though he isn't an filmmaker per se
This is an awesome video! Thanks
This channel will be the next Every Frame a Painting
I kinda have a feeling that this film meant to be able to create many interpretations that keep you guessing, and basically makes everyone (with their own separate idealogies) like it.
Kinda like with the Dark Knight's Joker idealogy
I like the 2nd interpretation. I think the director kept details vague, not just for his own safety, but so other people (cultures) can get the message. Pulgasari serves as more as an allegory than a literal person/ event. Not everyone knows the history of NK but many of us know what it's like to have an plan backfire.
Okay, this turned out to be a long post because I decided to go on about historical context, so fair warning that there is a wall of text ahead. ;)
Speaking as a communist with a fair bit of knowledge of the history of socialism and socialist culture, as well as postrevolutionary Korea, I don't think it's particularly far-fetched that the DPRK government would fund a film showing capitalism as more humanised but eventually betraying those it helped.
Marx's historical materialism and the idea of history as dialectical is pretty clearly behind the idea that society would progress through bourgeois revolution from feudalism to capitalism, and after that to socialism through socialist revolution. With this analysis, seeing Pulgasari as an embodiment of capitalism, or at least bourgeois revolution, is not unreasonable, and despite what many claim, Marx and Lenin are still seen as very important historical figures in the DPRK.
As for the other interpretations, I don't think it's likely that Pulgasari represents the USSR specifically since the USSR was an important economic partner of the DPRK until its fall, but if we see it as a fairly light criticism instead of something scathing, I guess it's possible.
It representing Kim Il-sung is also not very likely, since he was and remains highly respected, and the idea that this is something people are forced to do is, while popular in the west and with South Korean tabloids, kinda silly. Hell, compared to the anti-communist military dictatorship of South Korea at the time, the North wasn't anywhere as bad as people seem to think, though obviously not paradise or anything.
To give some historical context for the film, 1985, while after the peak of the economy of the DPRK in the 60s and 70s, food shortages were nowhere near as bad as during the Arduous March of the 1990s and starvation was not really a big issue at that time. The country was still suffering consequences from the Korean War, which to this day remains one of the most devastating and inhumane wars I can think of, especially the US/ROK bombing of Pyongyang in the early 50s. During that bombing campaign, three million North Korean lost their lives, which is somewhere between a quarter and a third of the population of the country at the time. The country embracing Juche and later on Songun is far more understandable in that context, since the US still had and has a very strong military presence in the South, with military exercises near the border being commonplace (something which is controversial in South Korea as well). I think something most people don't consider when thinking about this is the profound effect this ongoing and very real threat has. Same goes for North Korean nuclear armament, which solely exists to safeguard against the United States repeating what they did during the Korean War, and there is an extremely strict no first strike policy in place. Because of all this, I also don't think it being a criticism of Songun is likely. In 1985, there were a lot of people who had lived through the Korean War, and the support for Songun is quite understandable in that light.
Furthermore, the reduction of the DPRK government to a "hermit kingdom" as is common in Western media (which I would argue is an extremely racist trope) or a dictatorship under the iron fist of a single person or family is also more a consequence of anticommunist propaganda than an accurate depiction, especially if we look at the actual legal, political and governmental structures of the DPRK. I'm well aware that blaming things on "anticommunist propaganda" is something that generally makes a lot of people roll their eyes, but if we consider how this kind of propaganda has been very selectively used in the past by Western liberal capitalist countries against those considered their enemies, and compare that to how no one in the West seems to have any idea that "good" countries like South Korea were brutal dictatorships until relatively recently unless they go looking for the information, I think it's pretty easy to see the cultural hegemony of capital in action.
I'll just put a heart on this, because I don't know how else to show greater appreciation. Thanks for the context!
@@AccentedCinema Thank you! :)
Thats a great coment. Not a left myself but I know aome things about Best Korea, and can guarantee all your points are in place. A great example is that theres is a border with China trouh a river at some point, where is north koreans in chinese territory, and not till the few last years the region and its people had become less developed than actual China. At least they are good to their people in some sense. The yt chanel laowy 86 been in that region in one of their videos. Would be interesting to check it. Sorry for long text and bad grammar 👍
That’s the very idea of democracy and freedom, the truth will eventually brought to light. Unlike outsiders, the citizens of SK are well aware of their past dictators atrocities, learn from it and build a better gov/country. Contrast to communist in which the gov control every information within its citizens leaving them blindly trusting the rulers. Which is why NK still have internment camps and SK doesn’t.
@@FP19487 Could you give me a good working definition that shows a meaningful difference between South Korean prisons and North Korean internment camps? And are you aware of the issues regarding discerning the truth of statements of North Korean defectors that are created by the discrimination they face in South Korea as well as the way they are paid more for more dramatic stories by the media, and are paid handsomely by the government (in excess of $800k) for information determined to be of value? There is a great article in The Guardian by a prominent human rights researcher that explains the reasons for why the stories of DPRK defectors are often inconsistent, and having read through the DPRK criminal code I can say that though I oppose the very rare use of capital punishment, the rest of their laws are better than most countries.
Great video, keep up the good work
I NEED an explanation on what those scenes from those movies which you didn't specify were trying to tell! Especially the Fantastic Beasts one!
If Godzilla had a lovechild with a cow.
wait, the way pulgasari comes to be and grows stronger sounds a lot like The Legend of Galgameth, if you guys haven't seen it check it out
Galgameth is literally a remake of Pulgari, Shin Sang-ok himself worked on the script.
@@gregorioguerrero1124 yeah, i looked it up afterwards, who would've thought a movie i saw as a kid was based on a propaganda movie lol
I've always assumed that Pulgassary as a metaphor for rebellion. The black smith's persecution and resistance have it life, and as it grew it helped the peasants over come tyranny, but it kept growing and demanding more, eventually taking the life of the very thing it was created to protect. Via la revolution, but after its work is done make sure it doesn't keep consuming it it was all for nothing. It seems like the kid of story a military dictator might enjoy.
I love this channel, I want more of it. What can I do to support this channel? Aside for running the ads and subscribe?
Thanks for the support and passion! Right now, just watching and sharing the video is enough :)
am i the only one who wants to see a Godzilla vs Pulgasari movie
I assumed the third theory was the point of the film, I hadn't even thought about the earlier two.
That is so interesting. I knew the sung fam controlled the media. But I had no clue how long back it went. You’re very educational and I feel as if my life has changed.
for a movie created by abduction, this is a content movie and not cheesy, I applaud the creators despite what happened behind it
I think they just wanted to prove they can have their own Godzilla.
Also given the context of course the interpretation regarding the revolution against Japanese occupation seems the most plausible. So yes, I think Pulgasari is a symbol of the revolution as well.
Great vid, I personally liked the first interpretation best. The whole film was very interesting though, good find. I just came across your channel yesterday via the why modern chinese films suck video ( i dont remember the actual title) and here you are with an equally insightful and interesting upload. Keep it up guy! You should probably make your own film (narrative not analysis) at some point also, since you seem to have a keen sense for storytelling.
I just finished watching another vid of yours and realized you are already a film maker so forget what I said about trying something you already do lol. Keep doing it though :D
Do you plan to make videos about Southeast Asian movies? Or African movies?
I already talked about Lady Terminator, and Indonesian movie, and will definitely talk more. I also have plans to talk about a South African classic, but no spoiler just yet :)
@@AccentedCinema oh yea i'm from Indonesia
Thanks for this video! I use this in class to discuss how knowing the historical and cultural context of a work helps to understand its meaning. When my students say, "We should just turn our brain off when watching popcorn flicks", this demonstrates how even big, dumb, monster movies contain subtext.
I'm honored to help.
Its actually "Bulgasari" Just how Busan was misspelled as Pusan before.
I wish both Pulgasari and Yongary would enter the Monsterverse!
I sincerely thought it was north korea saying tyrants topple tyrants or so but I doubted it a lot
One interpretation I have is that Pulgasari feeding off a specific resource makes it like a war machine, only sentient. Much like how weapons need metal, vehicles need fuel, the prioritizing of resources to remain tactically superior can strain the economy and thus the people. This parallels with one of the interpretations here, but I just wanted to share my thoughts.
maybe consider pulgasari isn't modern creation but a folklore that has been passed on generation after generation. Mythical pulgasari creature, which literally means "un-killable(pulga(can not be)sal(kill)ri)" has 20 varying stories from all parts of korea but I'll explain the most well known version. Once lived old couple without children, they were kind-hearted but without children to fill their hearts with love they were in deep sadness. One day a lone monk came to town, since monk had no place to stay old couple offered him to live with them for a while. Old couple treated the monk well. After few days monk set off to travel again, but before he left he asked for some left over rice(think rice as bread=life, most east Asian countries eat rice daily). The monk smushed rice with hand and made doll of cute animal. And he whispered the enchantment, "pulgasarihwagasal", and then doll came to life. Monk warned the couple not to feed anything to it. Old couple took care of the cute creature and loved it dearly. They kept the warning of monk and didn't feed it. One day the creature ate piece of iron. It seemed to like it. old couple tried to stop it at first, but they soon felt guilty not feeding it at all and just let pulgasari eat more and more iron. For few days this didn't seem like big of a deal but soon pulgasari grew bigger, and its fur changed in to steel needles, becoming ferocious beast. depending on story, pulgasari either helps government defeat a foreign army or pirates, or just becomes asshole to old couple. either way it usually ends with pulgasari becoming so huge, that it is impossible to feed it anymore. Then, the lone monk reappears and kills it with either fire or buddhist enchantments.
as you can see from the original folklore, it already had attributes like feeding on irons and becoming unbearable to maintain it. while it is possible the director interpreted these characteristics and gave bigger meaning but it also could be that he was just adapting folklore into film.
and I never realized this, but its kinda funny how they just threw whole monk character out of the picture. since socialism doesn't go well with religion. instead they made blacksmith(working class) create pulgasari.
...wasn't this movie adapted into "Galgamet"(or whatever its name was)?
I had a similar premise, but a different setting. And the monster had the same shtick to him.
I really like this film! I hope Pulgasari can be in a future monster verse film!
I like your subtle and witty humour!
I interpreted it (or at least the way you described it, I haven't seen the movie) as like Shakespeare's Julius Caesar play. Yes, there was a valid reason they wanted to overthrow the power structure, but it backfired when they did. Overthrowing wasn't the awesome resolution they thought it was. The fact the power structure offered no benefit and that its absence had nothing to do with why the solution backfired was beside the point, I think North Korea was trying to subtly discourage revolution against the system the people are dissatisfied with by telling them they might succeed but it'll backfire anyway.
my first thought was the #3 interpretation and I stand by it
I saw this film in a college class I took that was all about the Korean apocalyptic imagination. It was fascinating.
I believe that Pulgasari destroying the resource mad monarchy is supposed to be the US and Soviet liberation of korea from the Japanese in WW2. But as time went on, the US stayed when it wasnt needed, and kept consuming Korean resources. The north korean workers army saw themselves as liberators, who were there to destroy the US influence in korea. Koreans don't hate each other because of the border, many of them sypmathize with the other side, but the North Koreans see themselves as liberators, and that their fellow koreans wont be safe until the US is out of the Korean peninsula.