Welcome to the Past

Welcome to Dongmakgol presents us with a contrast between the inhabitants of an archaic timeless village and individuals involved in the civil war between North and South Korea who embody brutal aspects of modernity. Not only do the inhabitants of the village know nothing of the outside world but the village itself exists in a liminal and perhaps fantastical space. In order to get to the village all six characters had to endure a difficult journey before coming in contact with some of its inhabitants who, in turn, lead them to the village. In this way the brutality of war which was shown at the beginning of the film immediately comes into an interesting perspective as soon as the American, South, and North Korean’s are all brought into the village. During the intense yet comically amusing standoff scene between the three North Koreans and two South Koreans, the village inhabitant’s innocence overshadows the anger and violence the two groups feel towards one another. To the villagers, the weapons held by the opposing groups are sticks and painted potatoes and they are not in fear but merely annoyed as they have better things to worry about such as a wild boar that has been tearing through their fields. The village represents the idealized past; a place of unity, simplicity and even magic (the butterflies acting as a protector of sorts). Yet I do not think that Park Kwang-hyun chose to use this village to represent an inherent desire for this kind of peaceful co-existence because of its antiquated nature and people who represent an old mode of living where animals exist as equals to people and food must be gathered and stored for the winter. The negotiation of friendship between the once enemies is a result of the unity and energy within the village; they are reminded, unlike those still warring throughout the countryside and cities, that each one of them shares humanity in common. Yet their presence in the village also causes immediate corruption when the Allied Unit descends into the outskirts of the village and conflict ensues. Following this, the six soldiers understand that they must leave in order to protect this timeless place as it cannot survive the modern world. Their final act, leaving and distracting the bombers, saves the village because it remains unnoticed and unaffected. Perhaps the film suggests that the village, like history, can only exist in the archaic past before Korea’s corruption. It therefore leaves a question of how unification could come about in a world of technological warfare where the enemy’s humanity is hidden behind guns and bombs and two sides cannot simply talk in order to realize that they are, essentially both struggling in the same ways.