Attack the Gas Station!

1999 directed by Sang-Jin Kim

written by Jeong-woo Park

Background• Over the past decade, South Korean cinema

has undergone a remarkable transformation, with the traditional staid melodramas and exploitation movies giving way to a 'NEW WAVE' of filmmakers who have revitalized the industry with their bold arthouse pro-ductions, big-budget action films, and sub-versive satires.

Background• South Korea is now being likened to a new

'Hong Kong', with a homegrown film indus-try exploding onto the world stage.

• This is similar to the 'Hong Kong New Wave' of the late 70s and 80s, which brought groundbreaking directors (eg. Tsui Hark, John Woo, Ringo Lam, and Wong Kar-wai) into the international spotlight.

Background• The seeds for this dramatic evolution were

sown back in 1988, when two important pieces of legislation were passed.

• The first was South Korea's new constitution, which eased the country's strict political cen-sorship laws, providing filmmakers a more liberal venue for political expression.

Background• The second was the easing of import restric-

tions on foreign films, which forced Korean filmmakers to compete directly against Hol-lywood and Hong Kong productions.

• Unfortunately, the film industry was slow in adapting to this new operating environment.

The New Wave• Ironically, when South Korea was hit by a

recession (1997), this convinced many of the large industry conglomerates (chaebols), such as Daewoo and Samsung, to invest in the movie industry.

• This trend was eagerly followed by private investors, who wanted films that were more daring and in tune to audience tastes.

The New Wave• This provided many opportunities for first-

time directors, whose unique worldview mar-ried their upbringing in Korean society with their exposure to Western education and filmmaking techniques.

• As a result, the South Korean film industry gained considerable visibility, with better production values and a more iconoclastic (image-breaking) attitude.

Attack the Gas Station!

• This is one of the more interesting films to come out of the 'Korean New Wave'.

• It became a national phenomenon among South Korean students in 1999, making it the second-highest grossing film at the box office that year.

Attack the Gas Station!

• Its subversive script and exuberant direction make this a wonderfully absurd take on mod-ern life in South Korea.

• This film satirizes how the rigid social strata of modern South Korea has contributed to the country's turmoil.

Attack the Gas Station!

• As in recent history, the most volatile peo-ple in the film are the students and the blue-collar workers (represented by the delivery boy), who have traditionally been the most active proponents of reform in Koreansociety.

Attack the Gas Station!

• 1999 was a time of economic turmoil, with many car manufacturers laying off thousands of employees.

• There are allusions to this throughout the film, mostly when Paint discovers framed pieces of paper with slogans promoting a productive work force (which he destroys in a fit of rage).

Attack the Gas Station!

• The film also comments on American economic imperialism, when “Rockstar” drinks from a can of Pepsi.

• A police officer chastises him for "giving money to the Yankees."

• Rockstar says that Pepsi is a Korean product, referring to the Pepsi logo's resemblance to the South Korean flag.

Attack the Gas Station!

• The film also illustrates the dynamics of power in Korea’s troubled history.

• Allegiances and power bases among the hostages and their captors shift, as different characters enter and leave the room.

“With its surprise-filled script, off-the-wall black humor, terrific production, and top-notch comic performances from its cast, "Attack the Gas Station!" is a film that will get you pumped.” (Korean Cinema: The New Hong Kong)