The first detailed English-language book on Korean horror introduces the cultural specificity of the genre to an international audience, from the iconic monsters of gothic horror, to the avenging killers of Oldboy and Death Bell.
Beginning in the 1960s, it traces a path through the history of Korean horror, offering new interpretations of classic films, demarcating the shifting patterns of production and consumption across the decades, and acquainting readers with films rarely seen and discussed outside of Korea. It explores the importance of folklore and myth on horror film narratives, the impact of political and social change upon the genre, and accounts for the transnational triumph of some of Koreaβs contemporary horror films. While covering some of the most successful recent films such as Phone and A Tale of Two Sisters, the collection also explores the obscure, the arcane and the little-known outside Korea, including detailed analyses of The Devilβs Stairway and Womanβs Wail. Its exploration and definition of the canon makes it an engaging and essential read for students and scholars in horror film studies and Korean Studies alike.
Key features
- Covers films from 1960 to present day, from The Housemaid to Thirst
- Case studies cover both popular and lesser known films, from Oldboy to The Fox with Nine Tails
- Discusses icons of the genre such as the wonhon (vengeful female ghost) and the gumiho (shapeshifting fox)
