New Korean Cinema charts the dramatic transformation of South Korea's
film industry from the democratization movement of the late 1980s to the
2000s new generation of directors. The author considers such issues as
government censorship, the market's embrace of Hollywood films, and the
social changes which led to the diversification and surprising
commercial strength of contemporary Korean films. Directors such as Hong
Sang-soo, Kim Ki-duk, Park Chan-wook, and Bong Joon-ho are studied
within their historical context together with a range of films including
Sopyonje (1993), Peppermint Candy (1999), Oldboy (2003), and The
Host (2006).