Compressed Transformation of Korean Film Industry from Old to New Regime

Korean film business was constructed during the Japanese Occupation era (1910 1945). Under the situation that Japanese immigrants owned all theaters, Koreans managed to produce local films based on a distinct culture and history. From the Sino-Japanese War (1937) to the end of World War II, Korean local films fell into war propaganda film and were even suspended. From the end of WWII to the Korean War (1950 1953), the base of the Korean film business was almost destroyed. From 1954 to 1973, the Korean film business developed rapidly and was so prosperous that this era was called the South Korean Golden Age. But the establishment of Park Chung-hee's military dictatorship regime (1973) tightened its control of society including the film business. Besides, the nationwide spread of television made Korean film business stagnate from the 1970s to the mid 1980s.