Event: IA Movie Night featuring Train to Busan

Date: Monday, September 17, 2018 in the Smith side basement

Train to Busan (부산행) Korean Movie Poster

The film, Train to Busan (부산행) directed by Yeon Sang-ho, was not at all what I thought it was going to be. To be completely honest, I had no idea what to expect in the first place but when I saw a strange woman boarding the train looking sickly and ravenous, that definitely wasn’t it. My initial reaction was one of skepticism, what exactly was I watching? As the film continued on though, I realized just how action packed, thrilling, and yet emotional it was all at the same time. I was interested to find out more.

Personally, I find myself incredibly interested in the subject pertaining to East Asia, its culture, and how popular media takes form. Upon doing my own research, I discovered that the movie was made as an allegorical response to both South Korea’s MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome/Disease) and economic disparity of 2015. I find it interesting that the creative head behind the film chose a zombie movie to reflect on the outbreak, but also oddly fitting. The quick exposition that immediately throws us into the rapid spreading of zombification throughout the train cars must have been just about how quick MERS spread throughout Korean cities.

On another note, the film is also particularly critiquing of Korean society as a whole. If observed closely, you can easily see how certain themes are portrayed within the movie. Relating to the film, I came to find out that during the MERS epidemic, Korean government did not inform its citizens on very important information such as where people were being treated and what efforts they would use to contain the outbreak. Korean people have themselves come to realize the change that had occured in the few years before, some saying that they have to “recognize [they] are pretty selfish,” and that they “don’t trust anyone but [them]selves.” I think Su-an’s father, Seok-woo, is a prime example of the government and even the sole individual being selfish and only trusting themselves. His job as a fund manager doesn’t play much part, but when Seok-woo scolds his daughter for giving up her seat in the train car to an elderly woman telling her only to watch out for herself, it truly highlights the cruel dog-eat-dog world we are in.

Watching Train to Busan didn’t necessarily change any beliefs or perspectives of mine, rather it just gave me more knowledge on a subject that I’m already pretty knowledgeable in. The impact that Train to Busan left on Korea, being a widely well received and original film, extends into my own studies of the culture of Korea. I haven’t yet been able to reach the topic of film and visual culture yet in my Korean Culture courses. Train to Busan opened a window for me to explore a new aspect that I hadn’t before, one that I will admit I thoroughly enjoyed.