Korean Cultural Resilience

                In Radio Dayz (2008), we can see forms of peaceful Korean resilience, as opposed to the violent acts of activist groups that we have seen in previous movies. Just as how after 1919, the GGK switched from a policy of Military Rule (budan seiji) to one of Cultural Rule (sunka seiji), (Robinson, 54) Koreans too did not just have one way to express their independence. With the help of technology such as radio, Japan attempted to assimilate Korea through popular culture. But in Radio Dayz, we see how the radio station JDOK subverted the medium to work for them. JDOK was Korea’s first radio station, started with the goal of broadcasting Japanese propaganda. However, it did not garner a large audience. So what started off as a simple radio drama, “Flames of Love,” to gain more listeners turned into a phenomenon in their city. All the right tools were there for Japan to disseminate their propaganda. One mention of a product, such a red heels, in “Flames of Love” would immediately be wanted by everyone in the city. Thus, at the finale of “Flames of Love,” the head of the radio station insisted that the protagonist of the tale should decide to enlist in the army. The subtle propaganda would convince people to enlist without them realizing that they were being manipulated by the state. The plan would have been executed perfectly if not for the resilient Korean spirit. At the last moment, Lloyd (Ryoo Seung-Bum) agreed to send a signal for K (Lee Jong-Hyuk), who was part of a Korean independence group. Independently, Mr. Noh (Kim-Roe-Ha) also decided to change the ending of the play so it would no longer support enlisting in the army. After Lloyd sends the signal, fireworks are lit into the sky, further supporting Mr. Noh’s alternate ending. K, Lloyd, and Mr. Noh all independently found ways to show their independence against Japan, and it all worked together to prove Korean cultural resilience on another level than violence.