The Black Republic (1990) Movie Review

“Black Republic” is a re-release of one of the great films of modern Korean cinema from acclaimed director Park Kwang Su, a man known for his intellectually and politically charged works. The film was a major hit during its original run in 1990, winning the prestigious Best Film prize at the Blue Dragon Awards, as well as enjoying success at a number of festivals. Now, with themes of social inequality and the gap between the rich and poor still popular with Korean filmmakers, the film is every bit as relevant today, if not more so, and its enduring quality stands as a timely reminder of the long-absent Park’s considerable talents.

The film begins by following Tae Hoon (Moon Sung Keun, who later worked with Park on “To the Starry Island” and “A Single Spark”), a young man on the run from police as a result of his work as a student activist, who turns up in a small rural mining town looking for a job under an assumed name. After finding work in the mine, he gradually becomes involved with the lives of the locals, catching the eye of prostitute Young Sook (Shim Hye Jin, also in “Greenfish”) and clashing with Sung Chol (Park Joong Hoon in an early role before he shot to stardom in the likes of “Nowhere to Hide” and the recent “Radio Star”), the arrogant, spoiled son of the owner. Inevitably, Tae Hoon soon finds himself caught up in the mine workers’ disputes, and as his own past begins to rear its head, trouble and tragedy ensue.

“Black Republic” is first and foremost an example of cinema as social criticism, and director Park makes it clear early on that the film was designed as an angry political statement and reflection upon a troubled period of modern Korean history. The film is tense throughout, with a slow burn air of dissent simmering beneath the surface, and as events escalate, it is hard for the viewer not to feel a growing sense of involvement and even outrage. However, what sets the film apart, and what underlines Park’s great skill is the way that it works on many different levels, and although it certainly fulfils its aims as a piece of commentary, it arguably succeeds mainly through powerful and painfully human storytelling. Indeed, although the historical context and events are fascinating, it is the plot and characters which bring the film to life, and which serve to provide meaning to its loftier aspects.

The plot moves slowly, and the various narrative strands emerge gradually from its depiction of the harsh everyday lives of the town’s inhabitants. As such, the film is character driven, though Park never takes the obvious route, shifting the focus between various people and the sad stories which they have to tell, depicting a multitude of real life problems rather than offering any kind of false resolutions. Despite this wandering narrative, the film is incredibly engrossing, mainly due to the subtle complexity of the characters, none of whom are clear cut heroes or villains.

“Black Republic” is evenhanded and non-judgmental, even when dealing with the character of Sung Chol, who is portrayed as a lost, troubled soul, and who it is hard not to feel sorry for despite his despicable behaviour. Indeed, he, along with Tae Hoon, Young Sook and the rest of the inhabitants of the town are clearly shown as being products, or perhaps victims of their time, symbolising the confusion and unrest which afflicted South Korea during the economic and political upheavals of the 1980s.

Unsurprisingly, the film has a bleak look from the start, with opening shots of the grey, dust shrouded ramshackle town setting the scene and providing a telling indication of what is to come. The film as a whole is almost stiflingly grimy, with the one scene away from the town, during which Tae Hoon and Young Sook enjoy a brief trip to the sea, seeming to take place in another world entirely, offering a breath of fresh air and a startling glimpse of clear blue sky. Kim directs in naturalistic, unforced fashion, keeping things grounded and believable, and inserting footage of real life protests to underline the film’s political themes. At the same time, the film has a definite cinematic quality, and is not without a strange, dark sense of visual poetry, as he imbues the barren landscapes with a haunted, ruined beauty.

A classic example of cinema with a conscience, “Black Republic” is a must see for anyone interested in Korean film beyond the popular new wave. A tough, uncompromising analysis of a dark period of history, it tackles head on themes which are still being covered today, though rarely in such resolute and intense fashion, and confirms Park as one of his county’s great and most challenging filmmakers, who has been sadly missing in recent years.

Kwang-su Park (director) / In-seok Choi (story), Kwang-su Park, Dae-seong Yoon (screenplay)
CAST: Seong-kun Mun … Han Tae-hoon (Kim Ki-young)
Gyu-chae Park
Joong-Hoon Park … Lee Sung-chol
Hye-jin Shim … Song Young-sook