Crazy boy, women, and gisaeng

            The movie Crazy Boy is the first Korean movie that I have ever watched, that was produced in the 80s. The extravagantly curly hair and their fashionable attire made me think back to my mother’s photo album. Many of my mother’s photos from her 20s and 30s are taken in ski resorts and pools, with extravagantly curly hair and fashionable clothes.

            The beginning of the movie starts with a scene where the band women wearing full make-up and chic attire walk proudly in the street – a scene very similar to the one in the well-known American drama Sex and the City. These two works are similar in that they both seem to send a message of the new role of modern and independent women. The effect is further amplified in the Crazy Boy because it is set in Korea where the role of the women historically was conservative. A drastic contrast between the traditional Korean women and the women in Crazy Boy provides a dramatic effect. The movie seems to portray a change in how the Korean women acted, thought, and valued. However, it is important to remember the fact that the women portrayed in the movie are band players. An interesting comparison could be drawn between the women in Crazy Boy and the identity of Korean gisaeng. For example, one of the band members states that she would want to marry a rich guy and become affluent. Even though this is against what is expected from Korean traditional women, it is not in a stark contrast with how we expect gisaeng to think. Therefore, I believe that the movie easily can lead us to think that the majority of Korean women in the 80s thought that way. Further comparison could potentially lead to interesting results.