write minimum 250 words

NO PLAGIARISM! – must use own words

# Here are some points that I want you to think about:

1. Images of Father -You might be able to find various images of father or male in this film. -At the end of 1990s, South Korea suffered economic collapse so called, IMF crisis. During this period, many Korean middle age men were fired. If South Korean father had taken roles of breadwinner in patriarchal society, now Korean masculine subjects face a situation that they need to prove their beings in still patriarchal society. They were challenged how to protect their family, thus to protect their masculinity. -Therefore, after 1998, images of impotent, struggling father appear on the screen in South Korea. -They are symbolically challenged to prove their patriarchal masculinity, to protect the community (family), or to sustain their role in the family. -At the very beginning of the film, you might be able to see a business man who tries to kill himself by jumping into the river. This river, called Han river, is the place where lots of Korean middle aged men killed themselves during the IMF crisis. As the film is produced right after the IMF crisis, you might be able to find connection between failed masculinity with The Host. -The grandfather in the film experienced the Korea War, national division, and military dictatorships. The Uncle seems to experience military dictatorships when he was in college. Please consider how Korean modern masculine subjects are depicted in the film related with its historical background. -How do you understand the image of father, especially Gang-Doo in The Host? -How do you understand paternal love that each father shows in The Host? -Do you think the film reimagines weapons that each character uses with its relation of gender? -How do you perceive the adopted son at the end of the film? Why did he adopt an orphan boy? What would be the symbolical meaning of the boy? -How do you understand masculinities that each male characters portrait? It doesn’t have to be major characters, but you can also consider orphans (and their brotherhood) a homeless guy, a Nam-ill’s college friend or American scientists etc.

2. Americanization; Neo-Imperialism of U.S.A. in South Korea -As you might be able to witness, South Korea has been suffered by great presence of U.S. military power. America is depicted as a “Big Father” in this film. The “Big Father” causes the tragedy and controls the situation. Han River is usually used as a metaphor to represent Korean ethnicity in Korean literature, and U.S army pour poison into Han River, causing the birth of a Monster. -While Gang-Doo’s family is depicted as criminals, how does Donald, an American soldier is depicted in the film? How is Donald’s masculinity translated through Korean media in the film? -Consider the meaning of the title and how can you interpret the symbolic meaning of the title, The Host? In addition, the monster, as well as the “Big father” causes family separation. Then what would be the symbolic meaning of the monster? -What would be the symbolic meaning of “Agent Yellow”? The chemical invented by U.S.A gives toxic effect to Korean citizens rather than the Monster. -How Korean masculine subjects construct its masculinity under their relation with “Big Father”?

3. Femininities in the Film -When Nam-ill fails to kill the monster, Nam-Joo, the aunt, does the major role to kill the monster. Also, we are going to talk about this further in Bong’s another film, Parasite, and major female characters are depicted as Olympic medalists. However, they are not gold or silver, but bronze medalists. Do you think there is any symbolic meaning in there? How do you understand Nam-Joo’s femininity? Maybe after watching Parasite, you can compare Nam-Joo with Jessica in Parasite as well. -Hyun-Seo might be the bravest character in the film. (I’m not going to be a spoiler, but you might also find similarities between Hyun-seo and Jessica in Parasite.) What’s femininity that Hyun-Seo embodies? What would be the meaning of her death-or let’s say sacrifice- at the end of the film? Why do you think Hyun-Seo is killed and then replaced by an orphan boy in the family?

Read the film review and “masculinizing the nation” then Answer one of the questions from above and write your reflection.(250 words). If you have any question, maybe you can watch the film : Bong Joon-Ho’s The Host.