ABSTRACT
The striking feature of South Korean cinema has been its ability over the past 20 years to build continuously on its own critical and commercial success. This chapter investigates the current state of South Korean cinema and looks in particular at two explanations for the spectacular box office successes of Korean film, focussing on strategies to appeal to audiences and the impact of cinematic treatment of historical issues. The chapter also discusses Chris Berry’s full service cinema framework as a way of conceptualising the dramatic revival of the industry.
