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 |
목차
Plot
Cast
- Kwak Do-won as Jong-goo, policeman and father of Hyo-Jin.
- Hwang Jung-min as Il-gwang, a shaman hired to protect the village.
- Chun Woo-hee as Moo-myung, the woman in white.
- Jun Kunimura as a Japanese stranger.
- Kim Hwan-hee as Hyo-jin, Jong-goo's daughter.
- Her Jin as Jong-goo's mother-in-law.
- Jang So-yeon as Jong-goo's wife.
- Kim Do-yoon as Yang I-sam, a Japanese-speaking deacon.
- Son Gang-guk as Oh Seong-bok, Jong-goo's police partner.
- 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 and Reception
Awards and Nominations
Academic Analysis
곡성 vs 꼭성
The Korean title of The Wailing, 곡성, is an important element in setting the appropriate scene for the film, as well as bringing the director Na Hong-jin’s lived experience. 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 and
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.” 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.
