Political turmoil sparks wave of documentaries in Korean cinema

By Baek Byung-yeul

In the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol's sudden declaration of martial law in December, Korea is witnessing a surge of political documentaries set to hit theaters, including films spotlighting Yoon himself and Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party, reflecting and potentially intensifying the nation's already deeply polarized political climate.

Experts warn this trend risks deepening divisions by encouraging blind loyalty to political figures, while demonizing opponents.

"This trend is deplorable. It's not about criticizing the actions of these politicians, but rather about them becoming 'politainers' (a term combining politician and entertainer) to imprint their names on the public and gather supporters," Park Sang-byung, a political commentator, said Tuesday.

“Himnaera, Daehanminguk” (directly translated as "Cheer Up, Korea"), which opens in theaters on Feb. 27, examines modern history from a conservative perspective, from the 1950-53 Korean War to Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Dec. 3, according to its distributor Kin Studio.

The documentary's poster prominently features a double exposure image of conservative protesters and Yoon, who is currently in custody at Seoul Detention Center on charges including leading an insurrection, clearly indicating the film's pro-Yoon stance.

Meanwhile, a film supporting Lee is also slated for release on March 13. Titled "Junstone Year One," after the 39-year-old politician’s nickname Junstone, the movie chronicles Lee's journey from his ouster as chair of the ruling People Power Party to founding the Reform Party and winning a seat in last year's general election.

This film raised over 50 million won ($34,433) through the Korean crowdfunding site Tumblbug, exceeding its initial goal of 35 million won and demonstrating strong support for the young politician.

In addition to current politicians, another documentary is in production about the 1998-2003 administration of President Kim Dae-jung. The film will depict the former president’s path to winning the presidency, according to its production companies, Cinema 6411 and Myung Films.

Cha Jae-kwon, a political professor at Pukyong National University, said that while these films about politicians "can positively increase favorability toward the featured politicians,” there was a negative aspect as the films may lead to “divisive politics rather than politics for unity.”

Park also expressed concern that such film productions could encourage fanaticism and factionalism.

"Whether these films are planned by the politicians themselves or their supporters, this phenomenon appears to be an attempt by politicians to raise their public profiles," he said. "In the past, politicians would publish memoirs or autobiographies to convey their thoughts and visions, but nowadays these attempts are made through visual media ... This is a concerning move that could mislead supporters."

Cha suggested that such attempts to create biases favoring only one's preferred politician should be discouraged in the long term.

"While freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Constitution should be respected for these films," he said, "the production of movies that promote such division ultimately requires self-regulation efforts from politicians themselves, as well as the cultivation of mature civic consciousness among citizens, for this trend to naturally disappear."