Korean Gangster Films set in the Family Home
What is it about?
Gangster films are usually set in the gritty streets of gangland. Why, then, do we find new Korean gangster films set in family homes? This paper outlines a new subgenre, the family drama gangster film, which combines gangster film tropes with those of Korean melodrama. It argues that this subgenre sets up an opposition between family responsibilities and gang duties. This allows the popular film genre to address dilemmas of conforming to contemporary ideals of parenthood while working hard to earn a living in neoliberal South Korean society.
Why is it important?
In this paper, I explore significant changes in on of Korean cinemas most enduringly popular genres, the gangster film. I use an innovative approach to genre analysis by exploring how changes of spatial setting impact generic narratives. Most importantly, I outline a new subgenre, the family drama gangster film, which combines gangster film tropes with those of Korean melodrama. I relate these textual changes in Korean film to changing attitudes to family and work in Korean society.