Virtual International Film Series: Nameless Gangster

IA Online Event

April 17th, Zoom Videoconference

On Friday, April 17th the Office of International Affairs brought their International Movie Night series online, encouraging all interested to watch Nameless Gangster and participate in a conversation regarding the movie’s themes and perspectives. After reading about the movie, I had expected a traditional gangster movie with family loyalty, betrayal, and brutish assassinations. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie’s depiction of organized crime in Busan during the 1980’s as it was much more than those three points I had associated with every gangster movie. Viewing organized crime outside of the lens of directors such as Martin Scorsece or Francis Ford Coppola and outside of the traditional western organized crime world provided a unique experience that informed me as well as frightened me. Although I am not explicitly pursuing any coursework in international law, informal economies, or illegal activities, the themes of economic disparity, corruption, and a globalizing world all weave into my focus as an Econ and Public Policy student. Additionally, the movie challenged my implicit assumption that Korean organized crime would somehow be based on another set of values. After learning about a wide range of topics from the movie, such as the development of Korean politics, organized crime in other countries than the United States, and family values, my interest in the overall development of the Koreas in modernity has increased greatly and I believe understanding this geographical region more thoroughly will help to make sense of larger trends of globalization, international economics, and more.

 

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