the tragic korean war and Taegukgi

“Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War” is Korean film by Kang Je-Gyu which is based on Korean War in 1950s. This is very famous and first blockbuster Korean movie in 2003. This movie shows love and caring between two brothers during the war period. Since Jin Tae and Jin Seok’s father dies when they are young, Jin Tae scarifies his life for his family. When the war occurs, Jin Seok is conscripted into the army and when his brother tries to get him off the train, he is considered as well. “In effect, it is the Republic Korea Army that fundamentally tears this family apart, which sets off a succession of events that will split up the brothers and result in Jin Tae’s dehumanization.” (Kim. 304) Jin Tae is worried about his brother because he has bad heart and Jin Tae tries to get a medal for sending his brother back to home. Through the war, Jin Tae has changed because he is obsessed to get a medal for sending brother back. He puts himself into risky mission and he does not care even his comrades dies. When they find Yong-Seok who is helper from Jin Tae’s work, Jin Tae wants to kill him because Yong-Seok is wearing North Korea uniform. Because Jin Tae is changing like heartless person, Jin Seok and Jin Tae argue each other. Also, when Young Shin died by anticommunist federation and Jin Tae thought his brother burned by South Korean because both Jin Seok and Jin Tae are suspected as communist since they help Young-Shin, Jin Tae join North Korean army and become a beast against South Korea. When I watched these scenes, I thought that brotherhood is the relationship between North and South Korea. Of course they do not love and care each other, but they are considered as one nation who is fighting continuously.

Also, the movie actually describes well about the sadness through the war. Since people in my generation did not experience, this movie gave an indirect experience of the war to the audience through the war. In the movie, Jin Tae and Jin Seok get forced to split apart from their family for joining the army. Also, they lose their comrades while they fight against North Korean. My grandparents experienced Korean War and they told me that it was tragic because they lost home, family, friends, and everything.  When I listened to them, it was very hard to feel sorrow, but this movie made me to imagine if I lose my family, friends and everything that I have.

Lastly, in the movie, there is a flashback. The movie starts with present which the old Jin Seok waits for the phone call from Korean army to find Jin Tae’s remain. It goes back to the war period which they suffered. After Jin Tae dies during the war, the scene come back to the present again and old Jin Seok cries by seeing Jin Tae’s remain. Then the movie ends with Jin Seok comes back to home and meet his mother. I thought this flashback implicates the continuation of the war between South and North Korea.