Welcome to Panmunjeom: encounters with the north in contemporary South Korean cinema

This article examines how the conflict between North and South Korea has been represented in contemporary South Korean films. Through an analysis of films that depict the current political climate, as well as those that revisit the events of the Korean War, the article argues that film-makers are turning away from the rhetoric of the Cold War and expressing a desire for peaceful reunification, as well as demonstrating how the relaxation of censorship and the recent successes of South Korean cinema have provided an environment in which this debate can take place.