The Wailing (곡성)
| The Wailing | |
| Title (English) | The Wailing |
|---|---|
| Title (Korean) | 곡성 |
| Title (Hanja) | 哭聲 |
| Directed by | Na Hong-jin |
| Written by | Na Hong-jin |
| Produced by | Suh Dong-hyun Kim Ho-sung |
| Starring | Kwak Do-won Hwang Jung-min Chun Woo-hee Jun Kunimura |
| Release date | May 12, 20216 (South Korea) |
| Running time | 156 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean Japanese |
This Wikipedia entry will focus on key elements of the film The Wailing/곡성 and analyze their importance in the film.
- 고성 VS 곡성
- Possession VS Zombie
- Spirituality
- Colonial Trauma
목차
Plot
For the people of the quaint little town of Goksong, life as they know it is about to change. Things begin to stray from normal when a Japanese man moves into town and a series of unexplainable occurrences transpire. The film begins when Jong-goo, a police officer by trade, is called to the site of a murder. A man killed his family in cold blood with no inherent reason to do so. Though a murder is not a common occurrence that Jong-goo and other police officers come across often, the subsequent events lead to a darker future.
While Jong-goo was at the police station with his partner, they are frightened by a crazy woman at the main door, illuminated by lightning, who then becomes the next perpetrator in a family murder. Jong-goo makes his way to the scene of the crime and is brutally attacked by the crazy woman. The crazy woman is then found hung from a tree after committing suicide.
These current events have the people of Goksong in a panic and leaves them to believe the perpetrator is the Japanese man. Jong-goo, his partner, as well as a local deacon head to the Japanese man’s residence. They stumble upon a horrid site. Countless pictures of the victims as well as other residents of the town. These findings only further grow their suspicion of the Japanese man as the culprit. Worst of all, Jong-goo find his daughter’s shoe among the collection of photos and occult items.
Jong-goo’s daughter Hyo-jin begins to act aggressively and out of character, that her grandmother recommends calling for the local shaman in hope of help. The local shaman Il-gwang confirms that Hyo-jin is possessed by an evil spirit and performs a ritual to free her of the evil. This is unsuccessful since Jong-goo and his wife cannot bare to see their daughter in pain and abruptly put an end to the ritual.
Jong-goo then gathers men from the village, and they make their way to the home of the Japanese man to kill him in hopes of saving Hyo-jin. They are then attacked by the animated corpse of a local man and are gravely injured. Once subdued, they locate the Japanese man and chase him ultimately leading to his death. To dispose of the body, Jong-goo and the others dump the Japanese man’s body off of the cliff. Following these events, Hyo-jin’s health has suddenly improved.
Il-gwang makes his way to Jong-goo’s house and meet Moo-myeong, a ghost, where she causes him to vomit blood forcing him to leave immediately. On his way out of town, Il-gwang’s car is attacked by a swarm of locusts. He calls Jong-goo to tell him that Moo-myeong is the bad spirit, not the Japanese man. Jong-goo returns to town to check on his daughter but runs into Moo-myeong. She tries her best to convince him that she is not the evil spirit but is indeed trying to protect the people of the town and kill the evil spirit. Confused on who to believe, Jong-goo ultimately returns to home against Moo-myeong’s warning and finds his wife and mother-in-law dead and then is ultimately attacked and killed by his daughter Hyo-jin who is still under the influence of the evil spirit. Il-gwang returns to their home and takes pictures of the bodies.
The young deacon I-sam receives a call that his uncle had murdered his family similar to the other cases. He believes that the Japanese man is behind it and returns to his house weapons in hand. He finds the Japanese man alive and well inside a cave and adamantly declares that the Japanese man is indeed the demon. The Japanese man then takes a picture of I-sam and reveals his true form.
Cast
- Do-won as Jong-goo
- Hwang Jung-min as Il-gwang
- Chun Woo-hee as Moo-myung
- Jun Kunimura as Japanese Man
- Kim Hwan-hee as Hyo-jin
- Heo Jin as Jong-goo's mother-in-law.
- Jang So-yeon as Jong-goo's wife
- Kim Do-yoon as Yang I-sam
- Son Gang-guk as Oh Seong-bok
- Park Sung-yeon as Kwon Myeong-joo.
- Kil Chang-gyoo as Park Choon-bae
- Jeon Bae-soo as Deok-gi
- Jeong Mi-nam as Heung-gook
- Choi Gwi-hwa as Byeong-gyoo
- Lee Seon-hee as Byeong-gyu's wife
- Jo Yeon-hee as Bar hostess
- Baek Seung-cheol as Friend.
- Kwon Hyeok-joon as Friend.
- Park Chae-ik as Friend.
- Kim Gi-cheon as Dispatch captain.
- Yoo Soon-woong as Chief of police.
- Jo Han-cheol as Detective 1.
- Kim Song-il as Police.
- Bae Yong-geun as Police.
- Im Jae-il as Police.
- Lee In-cheol as Father.
- Jo Seon-joo as Bar hostess.
- Lee Chang-hoon as Doctor.
- Kim Ji-won as Nurse.
Release
The Wailing was released on May 12, 2016 in South Korea. It was then viewed and the Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2016. The US release was on May 27, 2016 and following was released on various streaming platforms, such as Netflix, on later dates.
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 25th Buil Film Awards | Best Film | The Wailing | Nominated |
| Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Kwak Do-won | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Hwang Jung-min | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Jun Jun Kunimura | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Chun Woo-hee | Nominated | ||
| Best New Actress | Kim Hwan-hee | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Hong Kyong-pyo | Nominated | ||
| Best Art Direction | Lee Hoo-kyeong | Nominated | ||
| Best Music | Jang Young-gyu & Dalpalan | Nominated | ||
| 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Film | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Kwak Do-won | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Jun Kunimura | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Chun Woo-hee | Nominated | ||
| Best New Actress | Kim Hwan-hee | Nominated | ||
| Popularity Award | Jun Kunimura | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay | Na Hong-jin | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Hong Kyong-pyo | Nominated | ||
| Best Editing | Kim Sun-min | Won | ||
| Best Art Direction | Lee Hoo-kyeong | Nominated | ||
| Best Lighting | Kim Chang-ho | Nominated | ||
| Best Music | Jang Yeong-gyoo and Dalpalan | Won | ||
| Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival | Audience Award | The Wailing | Won | |
| Best of Bucheon Award | Na Hong-jin | Won | ||
| Fantasia International Film Festival | Prix AQCC | Na Hong-jin | Won | |
| Audience Award for Best Asian Feature | Na Hong-jin | 3rd Place | ||
| 53rd Grand Bell Awards | Best Film | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Kwak Do-won | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Hwang Jung-min | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Chun Woo-hee | Nominated | ||
| Best New Actress | Kim Hwan-hee | Won | ||
| Best Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo | Won | ||
| Best Recording | Kim Shin-yong | Won | ||
| Best Lighting | Kim Chang-ho | Won | ||
| Best Editing | Kim Sun-min | Won | ||
| 36th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Top Films of the year | The Wailing | Won | |
| Korean Film Actor's Association Awards | Top Director Award | Na Hong-jin | Won | |
| Top Star Award | Kwak Do-won | Won | ||
| Korean Film Producers Association Awards | Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo | Won | ||
| Best Lighting | Kim Chang-ho | Won | ||
| Phoenix Critics Circle | Best International Film | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| Sitges Film Festival | Focus Asia Award | Na Hong-jin | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo | Won | ||
| BloodGuts UK Horror Awards | Best International Film | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in an International Film | Kwak Do-won | Won | ||
| Best Actor in an International Film | Hwang Jung-min | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in an International Film | Chun Woo-hee | Nominated | ||
| Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival | Special Mention | Hong Kyung-pyo | Won | |
| Best Film | The Wailing | Nominated | ||
| Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival | Honorable Mention | The Wailing | Won | |
| CPH:PIX | Politiken's Audience Award | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| 2017 | 11th Asian Film Awards | Best Film | The Wailing | Nominated |
| Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Jun Kunimura | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Kim Dong-han | Nominated | ||
| Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| KOFRA Film Awards | Best Film | The Wailing | Won | |
| Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Won | ||
| Seattle Film Critics Award | Best Foreign Language Film | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| Korea Cable TV Awards | Cable VOD Grand Prize | The Wailing | Won | |
| Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Film | The Wailing | Won | |
| Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Kwak Do-won | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Chun Woo-hee | Nominated | ||
| Best New Actress | Kim Hwan-hee | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Na Hong-jin | Nominated | ||
| 22nd Chunsa Film Awards | Best Director | Na Hong-jin | Won | |
| Best Actor | Kwak Do-won | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Hwang Jung-min | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Chun Woo-hee | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Na Hong-jin | Nominated | ||
| Technical Award | Jang Yeong-gyoo and Dalapan | Nominated | ||
| Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films | Best DVD/Blu-Ray Release | The Wailing | Nominated | |
| iHorror Awards | Best Foreign Film | The Wailing | Nominated |
Academic Analysis
곡성 vs 곡성
The Korean title of The Wailing, 곡성, is an important element in setting the appropriate ambiance for the film, as well as bringing the director Na Hong-jin’s lived experience to the film. [Gokseong] is a county situated in the southern part of the Korean peninsula in Jeollanam-do where, till this day, has been free of industrial influence. Na Hong-jin spent a large part of his childhood visiting Gokseong where his grandmother resided. During personal interviews, Hong-jin referenced his memory of the serene landscape that portrayed a feeling of living nature and high spirituality. Hong-jin explained that he vividly remembers how the land felt alive and that it could come to life at any moment.
The second meaning of Gokseong [哭聲] is "to wail" or the sound of crying. Na Hong-jin's strategically used this double meaning to create a somber town name that creates feelings of apprehension and dread.
Possession VS Zombie
According to Hisup Shin, author of “Monstrous National Allegory: The Making of Monstrous Otherness in Na Hong-jin’s The Wailing” the film differs from the popularized genre we see today. He states, “In contrast to the genre convention of mass contagion and apocalyptic narrative, the zombie sequence in the film from symptoms of infection/possession to zombification is a supernatural mystery that resonates with the spiritual or physical effects of horror. There is also no indication of establishing the social or symbolic meaning of zombification by linking it to any type of man-made errors.”[1] The distinction Hisup Shin makes here is accurate, however, he continues to group The Wailing into the zombie genre. There is a distinct difference between zombies and those who are possessed, and the film should be categorized in the occult genre. To understand why, it is important to analyze the differences between a zombie and one who is possessed.
Zombie
The current trend in Zombie films is to challenge humanity in a time of distress and portray the state of current society. Hisup Shin states, “At the time when the relentless drive of neoliberalism whetted by ‘increasing volatility withing global capitalism’ continues to weaken the traditional barriers of security, the zombie trope captures the sum of all fears and anxieties dwarfing our capacity for reasoning and problem solving."[2] Capitalism is also the factor in the method of the zombie virus outbreak. In the current genre, the outbreak or release of a contagion is not localized but will affect the world on a global scale. The spread of the zombie virus is through either a bite or exposure to the source, however, in The Wailing this was not the case. There is not virus at large and the affected are not always in that state, it comes and goes similar to spiritual possession. Therefore, the only reason that this film can be considered a zombie film is solely due to the animation of a corpse.
Possession
What is possession? Possession is when an outside spirit or entity takes control of someone's body. The host does not need to be solely deceased or alive, the body is solely a vessel which can be inhabited at any time for any duration of time. This is a key difference from the zombie counterpart. Zombification is a constant state of being, where possession can come and go due to the transient nature of a spirit. In the film "The Wailing" possession best describes the state of the creatures. In the opening scene, we see the empty vessel of a man that was used to kill his family. After the evil spirit achieves its goal, it is free to move onto its next target. In the film, this can be seen by the possessed state of the crazy woman that perpetrated the subsequent murder. It is important to note, possession can be done to multiple hosts at the same time, for example, while Hyo-Jin is possessed, Jong-goo's partner is also under the influence and murders his family. Another example of the transient nature of spirit possession would be when the corpse found in the truck in the woods came back to life after becoming the host to the spirit after it left the Japanese man.
Another difference of Zombification and Possession is the manner in which you are able to kill them. In pop culture zombie films, it is well known that zombies can be killed by decapitation or a strike to the head. However, in "The Wailing" when Jong-goo and the other men were attacked by the possessed man, a decisive blow was landed on the possessed man's head, but to no avail. The possessed man continued to stand up and continue the attack. This is a distinct difference between a zombie and a possessed person.
In order to free someone of possession, the possessed person will need to be subject to a ritual of faith to drive the spirit from the body. This can be seen in Western culture as well as in Korean culture. In the film, a shaman, Il-gwang, uses spiritual cleansing rituals to fight of the evil spirit. This shows that this film leans on the side of occult film more that zombie film.
Spirituality
Nah Hong-jin’s use of spirituality in the film is two-part. First, he uses spirituality to show there is no clear answer to a problem, and second, how spiritual belief is used to combat an evil spirit. Na Hong-jin is of Christian faith; however, he admits that he is the least devout in his family. Hong-jin as unfortunately lost many friends in his life and, ever since, he has been searching for answers as to why his friends had to die. As stated, Hong-jin is of Christian faith and attempted to get clarification and answers from the church, but he was not hesitant to seek advice from other faiths, such as Buddhism. This shows that no belief system can have all of the answers on needs. His quest for answers greatly influenced Jong-goo’s struggle between who to believe. Jong-goo could not trust the doctor’s, the shaman, the church, or even the spirits. All provided answers for him, but since the answers greatly differed, he was unable to decide what to do. Hong-jin was able to beautifully mirror his life experience with spirituality and portray it in a way that the audience was able to relate.
Shamanism
Korean Shamanism is one of the oldest religions in the peninsula. Although it is less popular today, many of the older generation still consult with mudang, or shamans, for blessing and protection. The younger generation today does consult with them, but they are looking for prospects in love, finances, and all things vain.
There are both male and female shamans, but female shamans are in greater quantity. Female shamans are referred to as mudang 무당, and male shamans are referred to as paksu 박수. According to Jeong-sook Kim, “Mudangs were asked to handle all manners of calamity: appeasing malignant spirits, cursing sickness and curing the sick, comforting those who lost loved ones, reconciling broken families, forecasting the future, and supplicating the spirits for future successes.”[3] In order to achieve these goals, shamans would perform a ceremony known as [gut] 굿, which is a ritual that changes based on the end goal. In the film The Wailing Il-gwang performed two rituals in order to release Hyo-jin of her spiritual possession.
There is one disagreeable aspect to mudang in The Wailing when it comes to referencing the shaman. Il-gwang is male, thus he should be referred to as paksu instead of mudang.
Christianity
The Christian perception of spirit possession may vary depending on your sect of Christianity, but it is referenced in the Bible as well as fought frequently by the churches. In occult films, the typical sect of Christianity related to spirit possession would be Catholicism. The Vatican trains priests in the art of exorcism, who are equipped with combative prayers and religious tools that fight against evil spirits. The Catholic church does not intervene in all claims of possession and is very selective based on severity of the case. This has been portrayed in various films like the 1973 occult classic The Exorcist, the 1976 film The Omen, and the franchise of The Conjuring series. In the films, you will commonly see a pairing between psychic mediums, which equates to a shaman’s ability to interact with spirits, and an exorcist who performs the ritual. In Korean shamanism, the shaman is able to perform all of these tasks, however, in the Catholic faith it is still taboo to be a psychic medium.
In The Wailing the Catholic church is reluctant to intervene in Hyo-jin’s possession and recommends that Jong-goo listen to what the doctors say. On the other hand, Il-gwang is more than happy to intervene for the right price.
Colonial Trauma
According to Luisa Hyojin Koo, “Japanese colonialism has had a lasting impact on Korean national identity because it focused on cultural assimilation, thereby repressing the ‘Korean’ spirit."[4] In response, in 1922 Koreans started producing feature films that collided with cultural rule under colonial Japan. This was attempted on Koreas part to salvage Korean heritage. After liberation, in Korean cinema, “...opposition to Japanese colonialism remained a defining force that played a key role in distinguishing a uniquely Korean sensibility."[5] The Japanese colonizers were portrayed as the “other” in films to strengthen the divide between the two cultures. This can be seen in The Wailing where the Japanese man is the “other” resident that doesn’t fit in, causing speculation that he is indeed the criminal.
It is important to note, the Japanese sentiment in The Wailing in no part has to do with the geographical location of Gokseong, but solely on the concept of "other".
Bibliography
Kim, Jeong-sook, George Mathew. "Humanization and Divination: The Theological Dimension of Salvation as Revealed in Korean Shamanism." Asia Journal of Theology 18, no. 1 (April 2004): 69-81. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=12627284&site=ehost-live.
Miller, Cynthia J., Van Riper A Bowdoin, and Luisa Hyojin Koo. “Korean National Trauma and the Myth of Hypermasculinity in The Wailing (2016).” Essay. Dark Forces at Work: Essays on Social Dynamics and Cinematic Horrors. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2020.
Shin, Hisup. "Monstrous National Allegory: The Making of Monstrous Otherness in Na Hong-jin's The Wailing." Journal of Film and Video 1, 72 (3-4) (January 2020): 90-101. doi: https://doi.org/10.5406/jfilmvideo.72.3-4.0090
External Links
- ↑ Shin, "Monstrous National Allegory" Journal of Film and Video, 92.
- ↑ Shin, "Monstrous National Allegory" Journal of Film and Video, 91.
- ↑ Kim, "Humanization and Divination" Asia Journal of Theology, 71.
- ↑ Koo, "Korean National Trauma" Dark Forces at Work, 56.
- ↑ Koo, "Korean National Trauma" Dark Forces at Work, 57.
