If nothing else, Lee Jung-jae’s directorial debut film, “Hunt” (헌트 Heonteu) convinced me that I don’t know enough about Korean history, including recent history. The film mixes action with espionage but serves neither as well as it could, particularly for someone ignorant of the history of the two Koreas.

However, what I viewed via a screening link was an unfinished version and I’m not even clear which version that would be. There was a Cannes version which was reportedly used for the South Korean release. However, Lee re-edited the film and the new version was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival for its North American premiere. I wouldn’t expect a European auteur to do the same and that’s worth thinking about.

Background

Film very clearly wants us to know that this is 1983. That year might not mean much to a North American unless you were a fan of “M*A*S*H” which aired its final episode on 28 February 1983. “M*A*S*H” lasted 11 seasons, 17 September  1972  to 28 February 1983. The Korean War itself only lasted from 1950 to 1953. The Korean War began on 25 June when North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea.

• Why the Real-Life Hawkeye Pierce Hated ‘M*A*S*H’

In a self-absorbed manner, American writers were writing about the US. “M*A*S*H” became a metaphor for the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and the US audiences learned less about the two Koreas than the lead actor’s (Alan Alda as Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce) sentiments about the Vietnam War even though that war had officially ended by 1975. Instead of taking up the topic of the tumultuous political scene in the US ally of South Korea, “M*A*S*H” continued anti-war discourse on Vietnam.

The series could have taken up such historical events such as the 1980 May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement , the 1983 defection of North Korean pilot Lee Ung-pyeong and the 1983 Aung San terrorist attack .

The 18 May incident might shed some light on East Asia as well as South Korea. According to BBC, 38 years later, the South Korean Defense Minister, Jeong Kyeong-doo apologized “for the rape of women by troops sent to crush an anti-government protest.”  South Korea had declared martial law which resulted in pro-democracy protests, with Gwangju becoming the center of demonstrations. Paratroopers were sent to control the crowds, but on 21 May, the troops fired upon the protestors. People were beaten, killed and raped.

• Flashback: The Kwangju massacre

• South Korea apologises for rapes during 1980 Gwangju protest crackdown (7 November 2018)

This isn’t just part of the history of South Korea, but it is also the history of the US. The US jointly commanded the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. 

• A 28-year-old North Korean air force captain defected to South Korea (25 February 1983)

• For North Korean defector, South both rewarding and confusing (3 Marcy 1985)

The extent of North Korean actions in the 1980s such as the assassination attempt on the South Korean president should make us consider recent US acts of diplomacy toward North Korea under then-president Trump. Moreover, how those actions of North Korea are reflected in attitudes toward South Koreans elsewhere.

• Graphic Images Of North Korea’s 1983 Bombing Released

Director Lee might be familiar to US audiences as the romantic lead actor from the 2000 “Il Mare” which inspired the Sandra Bullock-Keanu Reeves reunion 2006 film, “The Lakehouse,” or as the main protagonist of the Netflix series “Squid Game” for which he became the first  Asian and South Korean actor to win a Primetime Emmy and a SAG Award.

In “Hunt,” Lee plays the KCIA Foreign Unit chief, Park Pyong-ho. Park is working with Domestic Unit chief Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung) in Washington DC. South Korea is under a military dictatorship and Park and Kim are in the US to protect the president from a sniper attack. From the attack, the director of the KCIA deduces there is a North Korean mole, Donglim. Park ends up in Japan, involved with the failed defection of a North Korean nuclear physicist. After which, Park and Kim both seem to pursue Donglim, but neither is totally loyal to the president.

There’s a lot of violence, but even on the domestic scene, South Korea was a violent place as the Gwangju protest demonstrated. Lee plays Park as a troubled, morally ambiguous man. As director, Lee has a sure vision and the cinematography by Lee Mo-gao is highly competent. Yet my lack of both historical and cultural awareness really hurt my emotional and intellectual reaction to this film. On my first watch, I was confused about the jumping between locations because I didn’t understand the historical context. On the second watch (which is all I had time for), I had time to appreciate the compositions of the shots. Now that I’ve read about the history, I think a third or fourth viewing would help me but because of my limited knowledge of South Korean culture, I know I’m already missing a lot just in non-verbal communication (e.g. body language).

I don’t want South Korean or any East Asian or non-European filmmaker to dumb things down for US audiences, especially after “Parasite” and “Squid Game.” Instead, I think US audiences should rise to the challenge and learn more. I’ve known that I do need to learn more for a while and have taken a few classes to help this.

“Hunt” premiered at Cannes (19 May 2022) and was released in South Korea 10 August 2022. It has received several nominations for awards and Lee won Best New Director (6 October 2022) at the Bull Film Awards. With the rising influence of South Korean films and television on international audiences, this is certainly a film worth seeing. “Hunt” is currently streaming on Hulu.