The Epitaph: traces of colonialism

The film Epitaph, directed by Jeong sik and Jeong Beom-sik in 2007, introduces different episodes of "bizarre stories" that take place at the Anseong Hospital during 1942. The temporality of this film describes a time when Korea was under the colonial rule of Japan. Thus it is inevitable to link the brutal memories of colonialism that Korea was undergoing when discussing the film.

As being a Korean myself, it is hard to discuss this historical event without becoming emotional; numerous of Koreans suffered from violent acts of Japan. I could go on and on about the traumatized memories and the gruesome acts of Japan, but it is true that modernity was introduced during this time. This is also mentioned in one of the readings that "the rise of modernity in Korea was also closely associated with external influences. In particular, it was the emergence of modern Japan and its intrusion into Korea that stimulated and provided a direct model for the effort to build a nation-state in the late nineteenth century" (Shin and Robinson, 10). In fact, the introduction of Western medicine was interesting since the Oriental medicine (한의학) is often dealt in pre-modern times. The medical appliances, hospital bed and even the doctor gown is the ones that you would see resemble those that are shown in the “modern” times.

Moreover, the use of color throughout the film constantly reminded me that the story was based on the colonial period. For instance, both white and red are repeatedly shown; in the posters, the white gowns and the red blood. Since the Japanese flag consists of the two colors, the reemergence of red and white seemed to make the viewers connect the strange and eerie incidents that were going on to the colonial period. The directors’ decision to show the red color by using blood may be their intention to show how many lives were taken as a result of Japanese rule; no matter if the colonial period brought modernity to Korea, the viewers should not forget what it has cost the country.