Between Protector and Oppressor: Representation of the United States as a Geopolitical Entity in Korean Blockbusters

The United States has always played a critical role in South Korean politics. As a result, US influence on South Korea, especially its political and military aspect as embodied in the Korea-US alliance, has long been a controversial topic. This chapter traces the representation of the United States as a geopolitical entity in six Korean blockbuster movies: Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005), The Host (2006), Flu (2013), Operation Chromite (2016), Steel Rain (2017), and Ashfall (2019). It discusses the political criticisms against and defenses of these movies that have been put forward. While some suggest that there is an anti-American bias in the Korean movie industry, Choi argues that this claim is only half-right. On the one hand, it is true that the United States has generally been painted negatively in Korean blockbusters. On the other hand, it is hard to find evidence that the negative portrayal of the United States reflects a deep-seated resentment against the country or an intent to propagate anti-Americanism. Instead, the unfavorable depiction of the United States is more likely due to the desire to make the movies more commercially successful. In the future, with pro-American sentiment among the Korean public becoming increasingly stronger, we may see the United States represented in a more favorable light in Korean blockbusters.