Despite significant progress, the state of Korean Americans in
cinema has a long way to go.
On Oct. 1, the Los Angeles Korean International Film Festival
continues at USC’s Lucas Hall. This second weekend, with free
admission, focuses exclusively on films made by artists of Korean
American heritage, providing a venue with which they can expose
themselves. As decades-old barriers slowly chip away, and promising
new talents emerge, Korean Americans in the film industry find
themselves facing a shifting situation.
In contrast, the first and more hyped weekend of the festival
took place Sept. 24-25 at the Egyptian Theatre, and specifically
showcased the rising quality of Korean cinema. Directors Chan-wook
Park (“Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance,”
“Oldboy”) and Hong Sang-Soo (“Woman Is the Future
of Man”), both in competition at the Cannes Film Festival
this past year, were present for discussions following screenings
of their films. Another film screened, “Samaritan
Girl,” picked up the best director prize at Berlin 2004 for
Kim Ki-Duk, who in the past year alone also had a critically
successful U.S. release in “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter …
and Spring” and received the best director prize at the 2004
Venice Film Festival for yet another film, “Empty
House.”
Though Korean cinema has taken off, Koreans stateside are facing
an uphill battle in the film business. They face a slightly more
difficult road than even other Asian American filmmakers because of
their relative newcomer status ““ the first big wave of Korean
immigrants didn’t hit until after 1965, and reached its peak
in the 1980s.
“Most of them haven’t been here that long,”
said Reuel Kim, assistant director of LAKIFF and a Korean American
filmmaker himself. “The Japanese and Chinese Americans are
more established in the community, and have more institutions to
support them, even in terms of money. There is some wealth in the
Korean American community, but they’re all first generation
and they can’t relate to Asians wanting to be in the film
industry. We need to generate more support for Korean American
artists.”
But he acknowledged that most of the obstacles Korean Americans
face in Hollywood are the very same that have stonewalled Asian
Americans for years; the two communities are inextricably tied
together when it comes to the industry. In addition to the inherent
difficulties of making it in as an outsider, the biggest problem
is, not surprisingly, racism.
“There is a certain level of racism you can sense,”
Reuel said. “Especially when you hear stories from
organizations like MANAA (Media Action Network for Asian
Americans). It’s really sickening, the level of racism out
there, the amount that people don’t care where we are as
Asian Americans.”
Eric Kim, head of the motion picture production and management
company EK Films, agrees that there are prevalent stereotypes of
Asian Americans at play.
“Movie studios are now run by big corporations, and
everything is about the bottom line, and not creative art,”
he said, referring to the prevailing attitude among executives that
Asian American actors simply don’t draw at the box
office.
The first Korean American agent in Hollywood, Eric has made it
one of his goals as a producer to cast Asian Americans in atypical
roles ““ especially Asian American males, who he feels are
portrayed with the worst stereotypes in major motion pictures.
“I’d really like to do an action movie with an Asian
American as the lead,” he added, in reference to the
much-lamented emasculation of Asian American males in motion
pictures. “Make it really sexy and cool. Even when Asian
stars like Jet Li or Chow Yun Fat do action movies, they get the
girl, but they don’t really get the girl, if you know what I
mean.”
Eric also highlighted the steamy love scene planned for Chris
Chan Lee’s second feature film “Undoing,” which
he’ll be producing; Lee’s first film was the
groundbreaking “Yellow,” which in 1998 became the first
Korean American film to pick up any significant theatrical
distribution.
Director Sung H. Kim, whose “Book of Rules” is a
feature-length entry in LAKIFF, has also tried to portray Asian
Americans in a different light.
“I wanted to make a broad and exciting film, but also
wanted to show Asian Americans as they are ““ as young people,
vibrant and beautiful, but you don’t see them on the big
screen that way. I wanted to show a little bit of their
lives,” he said. “We’ve been voiceless for so
long that I do want to help give the community a voice. Behind it
all is the desire to put us on the big screen and tell our
stories.”
Nevertheless, there’s a general consensus that, despite
several good or commercially promising films, a true breakout film
has yet to come and open up the door.
“There hasn’t been an Asian American film
that’s been made where you just say, “˜Wow, that was a
great film,'” Reuel said.
All three remained encouraged by the progress marked by last
year’s “Better Luck Tomorrow” and the more recent
“Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle.” In a culture so
deeply influenced by mass media, they understand the importance of
each small step toward change.
“It would be great if just one of us broke out,”
Sung said.