Korean history on film

Whilst going through some popular Korean blog updates, I came upon some interesting old Korean film clips.

After doing a bit of digging, I discovered some more interesting footage of everyday scenes taken from Seoul, 1899.



Being a film studies and a history major, I appreciate it when someone comes across something as interesting as this. I have The Marmot's Hole to thank for finding it. I just love seeing how time has shaped such historical places, and how people and places looked like more than a hundred years ago.

Jeju is almost as close as one can get in Korea to a similar society. Its very laid back, easy going, and very in tune with the land and sea.


I happened across a film clip which was taken in 1933, depicting the Korean coast and its agricultural society. The rock at the beginning of the clip looks very much like Oedolgae, the scenic tourist stop in Seogwipo.



I found a lot of interesting newsreels produced by the British outlet of the Pathe News, which were typically shown at the beginning of films in theatres back in the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.

Amongst them, several clips about the history of riots in Korea. I thought this very interesting, especially after reading about a recent close encounter with one in Seoul from my good friend Jim.

The first takes place just after Korea's first anniversary of their declaration of independence in 1947.



The second is from some riots that took place only a year later, when Koreans in Japan protested against the teaching of Japanese in Korean schools.



The third is from a protest against Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee, whom resigned after riots in 1960 and went into exile.



Look anywhere on the internet and you'll see just how common rioting is in Korea; nothing says keeping with tradition like rioting in Korea. Its no surprise then that you might just come face to face with rioting during your time here, except maybe on Jeju.