MY WAY/ MEI WEI

Korea, 2011, 137 minutes, Colour.
Dong-gun Jang, Jô Odagiri, Bingbing Fan
Directed by Je-kyu Kang


My Way is not the most impressive title for this quite impressive film. It is a Korean production, not expensive by Hollywood standards, but a big-budget film, many locations, significant and detailed battles, the re-creation of the 1930s in Korea, and the humiliation of the Japanese occupation, and their arrogant imperialist attitudes. The action moves to China, Koreans involved in riots sentenced to serve in the Japanese Army and fighting China, some devastating battles.

The later action transfers the prisoners to Russia, harsh conditions in the prisoner of war camp, in the snow and winter. Then come the Germans and the capture of the Koreans and their being transferred to the Western front. The finale of the film takes place on the Normandy coast, a picture of the Germans and their settling in, digging, in to defend the continent of Europe, the Normandy landings with echoes of Saving Private Ryan, but with more details about the Germans and their actions.

At the core, there is a human story, an arrogant little Japanese boy coming to Korea, his grandfather being the officer in command, and a local boy who is a strong runner. They compete and this is something which pervades the whole film, no matter what the situation. What begins in animosity and continues even through racism and hatred, find some kind of compatibility and mutual help by the end – and with a twist to the opening sequence in the London Marathon on with which the film concludes.

1. The impact of the film? For a Korean audience? Japanese? Chinese? Russians? Germans? Allied countries? Universal impact in the 21st century?

2. The production values, recreating Korea in the 1930s? Costumes and decor? The Japanese occupation? Korean cities, marathons? The war, in Korea, in China, the battles and in detail, Russia, the snow at the camps, battles? Germany? Normandy, the recreation of the landing and the defence? The London Marathon? The scope of the film? International interest?

3. The history of the Japanese occupation of Korea and China? Japanese imperialism, arrogance, loyalties and manifestations? Tatsuo, the focus on him as a boy, his parents and their work in Korea, his grandfather and his command? Young age, arrogant, interactions with the Koreans, looking down on them, the race with Jun-shik, the consequences? The terrorist act, the presentation of the bomb, the grandfather falling on it to save the others?

4. Tatsuo growing up, his studies, Jun-shik, also growing up, living in the suburbs, poverty, pulling the rickshaw? His skill in running? Training? Koreans being excluded from the marathon? The champion in his ritual, going into plead his case before the board, his being accepted, running, his being tripped, accused of cheating, robbed of his award? Tatsuo and his wanting to win in his own right?

5. Jun-shik’s friend, love for his sister, the reaction to the exclusion, the riots, group lined up, the sentence to serve in the Japanese Army?

6. Tatsuo, his family, his career, study, not wanting to shirk his duty, going into the military, arriving at the camp, his harshness, condemning any retreat?

7. Troops transferred to Mongolia, the battles, command, sounding retreat? Tatsuo and his harsh judgement? Stern discipline, condemnation of the commander for retreating, his harsh approach, attitude towards the Koreans?

8. Punishments, defiance, Jun-shik and the hardships for the Koreans, his attempt to escape, his seeing the Russian tanks, his return, the attempted warning? The battle, the strong detail, brutality? Tatsuo and his involvement, the defeat, the humiliation, capture?

9. Jun-shik surviving, interactions with Tatsuo, helping? The humiliation for Tatsuo?

10. The Chinese girl, crack sniper, killing the Japanese but not the Koreans? Captured, telling her story of the Japanese rapes and murders? In the hole, Jin-shik and his help, her gratitude? Her death?

11. Prisoners, transfer to Russia, the cold, the snow, the hard life? Jun-shik’s friend becoming Anton? Commander? Relationship with the Russian commanders? Memories of the past? Jun- Shik and Tatsuo in the camp? Their stories? The Russian ethos, as harsh as the Japanese in Korea? The German approach, the threat to Russia? The camp and conditions, the prisoner stealing the bread, execution? the fights, Anton and their defying him? The details of life in the camp? The two men becoming more friendly? Tatsuo more humble? The build-up to the execution squad, the sudden intervention and survival? Anton and his plea to Jun-shik? The photo of his sister? Survival by changing uniforms?

12. The battles, the victory of the Germans? The two men hiding, Tatsuo wounded, Jun-shik and his seeking the medicine, his being captured, taken by the Germans?

13. Three years passing, transition to Normandy, the detail of the Germans and the entrenchment, some contemplating desertion? The two men finding each other? Running on the beach?

14. The background of the rivalry, imperialism, racism, hatred, what the two men had in common, the change in respect, helping one another, comrades?

15. The plan of the escape to Cherbourg? The planes attacking? The landing on the Normandy beaches? The picture of the allies, the boats, the men, in the water, being killed? The Germans, firing on them? And the escape?

16. Jin-shik and his wound, bonding with Tatsuo, urging him to take his name and give him some immortality?

17. The London Marathon, Jun-shik and his winning – and Tatsuo commemorating his memory?