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Tatler Asia
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
The next Hallyu wave? 10 films that show the best of Korean animation
2. 'The King of Pigs' (2011) Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, this intense psychological drama explores the dark underbelly of school bullying and class disparity. Two former classmates reunite after years apart, triggering harrowing memories of their traumatic school days. The film delves into the psyche of the oppressed and the oppressors, revealing how past abuses can manifest into present-day violence and moral ambiguity. 3. 'Sky Blue' (2003) Set in a post-apocalyptic future, humanity is divided between the elite inhabitants of the ecological city Ecoban and the labourers of the wastelands. When a rebellion brews, a love triangle unfolds amidst the chaos, challenging notions of loyalty, survival and environmental responsibility. The Korean animation, directed by Kim Moon-saeng, features stunning visuals and intricate world-building that offer a compelling commentary on societal structures and ecological degradation. 4. 'My Beautiful Girl, Mari' (2002) Nam-woo, a lonely boy in a seaside village, discovers a magical marble that transports him to a dreamlike world where he meets the ethereal Mari. As he navigates the challenges of adolescence, the line between reality and fantasy blurs, offering a poignant exploration of loss, friendship and the bittersweet nature of growing up. 5. 'Seoul Station' (2016) A prequel to Train to Busan , this animated horror-thriller by director Yeon Sang-ho follows the outbreak of a zombie epidemic in Seoul. As the city descends into chaos, a runaway girl, her estranged father and her boyfriend struggle to reunite amidst the carnage. Beyond the gore, the film offers a scathing critique of social neglect and the marginalisation of the homeless. 6. 'Green Days: Dinosaur and I' (2011) This coming-of-age tale directed by Ahn Jae-hoon and Han Hye-jin is set in the 1970s and follows Yi-rang, a high school girl grappling with self-doubt and the pressures of adolescence. Through her interactions with a new transfer student and a budding athlete, she learns about love, ambition and the courage to pursue one's dreams. The film's hand-drawn animation evokes a sense of nostalgia and authenticity. 7. 'Yumi's Cells: The Movie' (2024) Based on the popular webtoon, Lee Sang-yeob's film delves into the inner workings of Yumi's mind, personifying her emotions and thoughts as individual cells. As Yumi quits her job to pursue writing, her cells navigate challenges like anxiety, love and creativity, offering a humorous and insightful look into personal growth and self-discovery. 8. 'The Satellite Girl and Milk Cow' (2014) In this whimsical fantasy directed by Chang Hyung-yun, a satellite named Il-ho transforms into a girl after hearing the melancholic song of Kyung-chun, a heartbroken musician turned into a milk cow by dark magic. Together, they evade a menacing incinerator and a wizard trapped in a toilet paper roll, embarking on a surreal journey of love and transformation. 9. 'Yobi, the Five-Tailed Fox' (2007) Yobi, a mystical fox spirit, lives in seclusion with stranded aliens. When one alien is captured, Yobi ventures into the human world, disguising herself as a student. As she forms bonds and confronts a fox hunter, Yobi faces choices about identity, sacrifice and the essence of humanity. See more: 8 fantasy K-drama characters we love: goblins, fox spirits, mermaids 10. 'Lost in Starlight' (2025) Han Ji-won directed Netflix's first Korean original animated film, which is perhaps the pinnacle of Korean animation. It tells the poignant story of Nan-young, an astronaut embarking on a Mars mission, and Jay, her Earth-bound lover. As they navigate the challenges of a long-distance relationship across galaxies, the film explores themes of love, longing and the sacrifices made for ambition. With stunning visuals of futuristic Seoul and space, it's a testament to the emotional depth of animated storytelling.
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Korea Herald
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Robert J. Fouser] Benefits of 'Seoul Future Heritage'
In mid-March, I went to Washington for the first time since the pandemic. On one of the days, I went to the Renwick Gallery near the White House, and as I walked past the White House, I remembered that the large yellow letters saying 'Black Lives Matter' nearby were going to be erased. After Donald Trump became president again, Republican lawmakers threatened to cut the city's federal funding over the letters and the mayor decided to erase them. When I got to the site, I felt saddened to see that they had already begun removing the letters. The letters arose from the largest, most widespread political demonstrations in US history in the summer of 2020. I wished they had remained to honor the memories of millions of people who participated in those demonstrations. But Washington is not the only city where political change determines the heritage; sudden changes in direction affect other cities as well. And beyond politics, all cities change with the times, making heritage preservation difficult from the start. Seoul has a surprisingly interesting approach to this problem that can offer inspiration for other cities. One of Seoul's defining characteristics is change. Older buildings and some not-so-old buildings are quickly torn down and replaced with generic new buildings. Koreans and foreign residents alike lament the loss of historic character in the city. Present-day Seoul has its roots in Hanyang, the city's name during the Joseon era (1392-1910). Several important cultural heritage sites, including Changdeokgung and Jongmyo, which are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, date from the Joseon era. The Seoul metropolitan area also includes Joseon royal tombs registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Gyeongbokgung and Sungnyemun, meanwhile, are national treasures, while many other cultural heritage sites are designated by the national government and Seoul. The Korea Heritage Service supports and manages all these sites because of the strong social consensus regarding their historical value. Beginning in the 1980s, as the standard of living and education levels rose and democratization took hold, interest in preserving modern buildings and historic cityscapes grew. Authorities designated hanok-dense Bukchon a heritage site and preserved important 20th-century buildings, such as Seoul Station. Interest in restoring and recovering lost cultural heritage also increased, leading to the demolition of some remnants of the Japanese occupation, most notably the Japanese Governor-General Building that blocked the view of Gyeongbokgung. Amid continued development pressure, the late 2000s saw a growing interest in exploring older areas of cities and in preservation. Walks in Seoul's old neighborhoods became popular, especially among younger generations, which caused areas such as Ikseon-dong to become 'hot places' of gentrification. In the 2010s, the 'rediscovery' of Seoul's older neighborhoods influenced the city government to adopt urban regeneration policies. One of the most interesting is the 'Seoul Future Heritage' program. Launched in 2013, the program aims to recognize and preserve not only buildings of historical significance, but also modern contemporary heritage based on shared memories. The program includes five categories of heritage: civic life, urban management, political history, industrial work and culture and art. Nominations include old restaurants and shops, cultural productions such as film and literature, food like seolleongtang, and Subway Line 1. Experts, civic organizations and ordinary citizens can make nominations, and the Future Heritage Preservation Committee reviews them. Businesses must have been in operation for at least 40 years. Seoul Future Heritage sites currently number 499 and are not subject to strict preservation rules but receive support for minor repairs and promotional materials. Sadly, some Seoul Future Heritage sites have disappeared amid development pressure. Since the program began in 2013, 25 restaurants have closed. The loss of 'Seoul Future Heritage' sites is inevitable because market forces affect businesses. The program's idea was not to stop change through strict management but to increase interest in Seoul's diverse modern and contemporary cultural heritage, including intangible heritage. Two things other cities can learn from the Seoul Future Heritage program stand out. First is the importance of designating sites related to common memories of the city's recent history, such as intangible heritage, businesses and cultural production. Second is the importance of raising interest in the diversity of modern and contemporary heritage in the hope of attracting attention and business to designated sites. A Washington Future Heritage program designation of the Black Lives Matter yellow letters probably could not have saved them. It would, however, have added to the narrative of loss of an important place in the shared memory of so many citizens. Robert J. Fouser, a former associate professor of Korean language education at Seoul National University, writes on Korea from Providence, Rhode Island. He can be reached at robertjfouser@ The views expressed here are the writer's own. — Ed.
Korea Herald
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Once a quarry, now a village
Quarry-turned-village attracts hipsters with unique cliffside houses, hidden eateries in alleyways A row of houses sits perched on a rocky cliff, squeezed between large boulders, creating a stunning landscape that contrasts from the dense cluster of Seoul's typical apartment and office buildings. Changsin-dong Cliff Village is a distinctive residential area that lies 125 meters above sea level on Naksan, one of the mountains in inner Seoul, along which still stands remnants of a fortress from the Joseon era. The village's history traces back to the Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula (1910-1945), when Seoul witnessed a surge in new building constructions by the colonizers. From the early years of colonial rule until the late 1920s, the Japanese government established several state-run quarries in Changsin-dong to extract stone. The granite mined here was used in the construction of iconic structures, including the old Seoul Station, the headquarters of the Bank of Korea, the former Seoul City Hall and the Japanese Government-General of Korea building. The quarries continued operation until the early 1960s. After they ceased operations, impoverished urban migrants began building homes on the abandoned quarry site, gradually turning the area into a village that is now regarded as among Seoul's unique neighborhoods. Irregular in shape, the houses sitting on the cliffs may seem to be perched precariously from a distance, but up close, the rock beneath them appears to provide solid support. Beneath the cliffs lies another village, the distinctive vibes of which make it a popular filming location. Featuring tightly clustered multifamily homes, many of the houses — constructed between large rocks in the past — have mismatched proportions. This village has been featured in several Korean productions, including popular tvN series 'Guardian: The Lonely and Great God' and hit romance film 'Architecture 101.' Once hub of sewing industry Changsin-dong was once a bustling sewing town, with bikes constantly moving materials and clothes to and from small fabric factories. The secondhand clothing trade, through which the new settlers in Changsin-dong made a living, expanded into large sewing factories, turning the area into a production base for nearby wholesale clothing markets like Pyounghwa Market in Dongdaemun, the biggest wholesale clothing market in Korea. Amid the explosive growth of the country's garment industry and large shopping malls, Changsin-dong enjoyed the heyday of its sewing industry until the 1990s, but as the industry shifted to lower-wage China and Southeast Asian countries in the mid-2000s, the village began to face a swift downturn. Late last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a redevelopment plan for Changsin-dong and nearby Sungin-dong, both considered to be among the city's most underdeveloped areas. The project will include the construction of a 6,400-unit residential complex, city officials said. Changsin-dong Cliff Village is famous among locals for its views of Namsan, thanks to its geographical advantage of being located on the northeastern side of Seoul's central mountain. With trendy cafes and restaurants emerging in the village to take advantage of its scenic views, Changsin-dong has begun to attract younger crowds in recent years. Hong Ji-eun, who was visiting a dessert cafe in the village on Monday afternoon, said, "It's a peaceful spot to relax while enjoying the city view.' While strolling through the village, visitors may come across a cavelike building housing a children's playground known as 'Sanmaru.' Inside is a large jungle gym. Walking along the gentle slope surrounding it and visitors eventually reach the top to enjoy a panoramic view of Namsan and the surrounding Dongdaemun area. Outside the playground, a small courtyard with tiered seating hosts various family-oriented events on pleasant days. 'Even though the neighborhood may seem worn-down, it offers a great view of Namsan, and with its unique playground and numerous alleyways, it's the perfect place for a light stroll with kids. I'd say it's definitely one of Seoul's hidden gems,' said Kang Young-ok, a 64-year-old villager and deacon at a church in Changsin-dong. cjh@
