Humanistic War Movie and Korean Heroes

The movie “The Marines Who Never Returned” is a war movie and the film was made right after the war when “the immediate and residual effects of the war on the indigenous population” (22. David) occurred. During 1950s and 1960s, “it should come as no surprise that the fratricidal conflict functioned as a plot element in dozens of military enlightenment films produced in South Korea” (22. David). According to the reading, the director Man-Hui Lee “stands out among his peer for his humanistic approach to the Korean War movies” and I had to agree with that sentence because “after saving the girl and rooting out the remaining foes, the marines hesitantly adopt the waif, named Yong-Hee thereby becomes both mascot” (38. David). Also soldiers take care of her in their military camp and they were being good father or brother to her which is impossible during the war period because battalion commander usually does not permit this kind of situation since she could be a fact that interrupts soldiers’ concentration. However, the commander actually permits her to become one of the soldiers and they also take care of her while their soldiers go out for the fight. Even though they are in chaotic situation which is war, I could feel caring and consideration in this movie.

When I heard that the bar is only permitted to the US soldiers in the movie. I thought that the director tried to show how Koreans described US soldiers as a hero during the Korean War because they came to fight for South Korea. However, when Korean marines go to the bar and destroy the bar until they get permission to drink, the director tried to send a message to the audience that they have to respect and thank to Korean soldiers first because they also fought against North Korea for protecting their country. Even these days, Korean marines are represented as strong and brave soldiers. When they get the command that have to defend a front-line against the massive Chinese attack which was actually happened in real, they fight bravely and well. Despite the fear of the death, the marines from the movie do not hesitate and killed many of them. Even though they know they are not going to survive from this massive attack, they fight with a patriotism and intrepidness; also, they die with an honor as a soldier. As a Korean, the soldiers who actually fought during the Korean War are hero because they protected my country despite the death. The director probably felt the same way and he wanted to depict them as a hero.