The Brotherhood of War

The film 태극기 휘날리며, directed by Kang Je-gyu, is one of the most successful box office hits in Korean cinema history. I very much admire the English title of the film—The Brotherhood of War. The title’s meaning is twofold. It represents the brotherhood that exists between Jin-Tae and Jin-Suk and the ancestral brotherhood between South Korea and North Korea.

The film depicts the crucial 6.25 Korea Conflict by following the story of brotherhood between the main characters, Jin-Tae and Jin-Suk. Jin-Tae’s confrontation with his brother, Jin-Suk, is much akin to the confrontation between South Korea and North Korea. South Korea and North Korea share the ancestral brotherhood of race. They share the same roots and blood, just like Jin-Tae and Jin-Suk. Initially, the war was instigated by outside powers advancing their own agendas, and not the will of the Korean people. In the film, Jin-Tae and Jin-Suk face a similar situation. They are honor bound to fight, even though it is not their desire. However, after some time, they voluntarily choose to continue the war like Korea nowadays.

Director Kang Je-gyu used a similar style in his 1998 film, Swiri. He depicts North Korea and South Korea as lovers who have to kill each other. Another common aspect of his two films is their subject matter. Both films focus on how war affects individuals, and not on the politics of war. This style allows the audience to connect with the characters and thus become more invested in the films.