Illustration = Lee Cheol-won
The documentary film ‘National Foundation War’, which sheds light on Syngman Rhee’s life and achievements, is being screened in 301 theaters across the country. It started from 132 places and has now more than doubled. The reunion of founding President Syngman Rhee and the people who lived in the country he created is taking place there. During the 100 minutes that the movie was running, someone sighed in the dark, and someone took out a handkerchief and wiped their eyes. While watching the movie, my heart raced and my eyes opened several times.
▶On various review sites, there are a series of posts saying, “I am ashamed of not knowing Syngman Rhee.” The author of the best-selling book ‘Seino’s Teachings’ said, “I confess that the thoughts I had about Syngman Rhee until now were biased.” Even director Kim Deok-young, who made the film, said, “I didn’t know Syngman Rhee for a long time and misunderstood him.” Director Kim’s conviction that “if we just show the facts, wrong ideas about Syngman Rhee will change” may have been a confession that he wanted to share his experience of change with the public after learning the truth about Syngman Rhee.
▶’National Foundation War’ put a lot of effort into clearing up the misunderstandings about Syngman Rhee. Those who criticize Syngman Rhee disparage Syngman Rhee’s ‘Jeongeup Declaration’, which declared the establishment of an independent government for the Republic of Korea, as an expression of greed to seize power even if it means giving up half of the nation. The film refutes this by citing historical facts that before Syngman Rhee returned to Korea, Stalin of the Soviet Union ordered North Korea to establish a pro-Soviet regime and that the Soviet Union banned passage along the 38th parallel between South and North Korea. We also contrast the behavior of Rhee Syngman, who even took out a pistol and defeated the US ambassador to Korea in the early days of the June 25th Movement when he advised him to flee abroad, and Kim Il-sung, who had his family flee to Manchuria when the war situation became unfavorable after the Incheon landing operation.
▶’National Foundation War’, which was released on the 1st, continues to be an unexpected box office hit. Even when 5,400 people watched it on the first day, the prevailing pessimism was that “it will be pushed out by the blockbusters that are being released one after another during the Lunar New Year holiday.” However, when I opened the lid, the number of viewers exceeded 240,000. It was also included in the ‘Big 3’ with the most audiences during the holidays. Many audiences went out to see ‘Nth’, rewatching something they had seen once, over and over again, or bought tickets and passed them around, saying, “It’s a waste to be the only one to see it.”
▶When the movie ends and the lights come on, the audience applauds. There are no exceptions in each theater. People say, “I don’t know how long it’s been since I applauded while watching a movie.” The applause must have been a mixture of self-reproach for not knowing much about Korea’s founding president, Syngman Rhee, gladness that I finally got to know him properly, and gratitude for the ‘giant who initiated the first step in Korea’s miraculous history.’ Next, I hope that a movie dramatizing Syngman Rhee’s life will be made.
2024-02-12 11:25:09
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