THE LAST PRINCESS
Korea, 2016, 127 minutes, Colour.
Ye-jin Son, Hae-il Park,
Directed by Jin-ho Hur
Here is a piece of 20th-century Korean history. Most audiences around the world would not be familiar with the characters and events, especially from 1919 and during the 1920s and 30s, into World War II and its aftermath.
The last princess of the title is the daughter of the last Emperor of Korea. after World War I, Japan’s influence in Korea was very strong and it became the colonial outpost of the Japanese Empire. The Emperor resisted this domination by Japan – and he was murdered. While his son became the ruler, subservient to Japan, his younger sister, very young when her father died, by the mid-20s, was being urged to go to Japan for her education. Reluctantly, parting from her mother and her homeland, she did go to Japan but was not to return for another 38 years.
Much of the attention to the history of this part of the world during the 1920s and 30s has been on the Sino- Japanese conflict, the subject of many films from China itself, especially the siege of Nanking in 1937.
There were nationalist Korean movements in Japan at this time, especially a plan for the ruler and for his sister to be smuggled out of Japan and back to Korea. This episode provides quite some drama for the film, tension and action, but it was thwarted.
The princess remained in Japan, a marriage for her to a Japanese husband was arranged, but over the years, with the divorce, her mental and emotional condition collapsed.
The framework of the drama in fact is the events of the early 1960s, the work of the journalist trying to find the location of the princess, his memories of the past and his active intervention in the escape plan for the princess. In this sense, he is the hero of the film while the sinister minister with power over Korea becomes Ye-jin Son as the princess, especially her ageing over the decades, makes quite some impact and draws us into her story, her final deterioration.
An excellent opportunity, over two hours, to learn about Korea in the 20th century and its transformation from Empire to its colonial period and the transitions after World War II.
1. Korean duty history? The 20th century?
2. The recreation of the period, costumes and decor from the 1920s, through the 1930s of the war, postwar? The musical score?
3. The title, audience knowledge of the princess? Audience knowledge of Korea, the Empire? Japan and its colonial government? The experience of World War II, the effect on Japan,
the after mass Japan, on Korea?
4. The two stories, the past and 1961 and the search? The dramatic intercutting?
5. 1919, the family and the photo portrait, the robes of costumes, the dignity and decor? The Emperor, his son and wife, the Princess, the colonial government, the Korea empire, the desire for independence, officials meeting with the Emperor and the accusation of corruption? Han, the assassin, the poison, the Emperor dying, his daughter being present?
6. The transition to 1925, the ruler, the princesses older brother, his wife and family? The threads, the ominous presence of our? Jamg-han and his name, introduced to the princess, his later role?
7. Japanese power, Han and his role, the pressures? The kowtowing to Japan?
8. The discussions about the princess going to Japan to study, her not wanting to go, the mother, the promised to return, and not returning and her mother dying?
9. The Japanese domination of Korea, the ruler and his wife going to Japan? Japanese customs and style, dress and kimonos, the princess trying to keep her independence?
10. The maid, the loyalty, the maid being taken away – but present when the princess returned home?
11. The government, Han and his role?
12. Jang-han, soldier, with and, the discussions about Han and his not having gone to the Academy? Loyalties?
13. The plan for the escape? The princess agreeing? The brother and his reluctance, yet being persuaded? His wife and her resistance? The details of the plan, the people involved?
The timing? The suicide bomber, going to the celebration? His going to the front, the delay, Han escaping, the bomb exploding? The timing, the princess and her being secluded, the
disguise, the brother and his disguise, the car, the pursuits? The confrontation, Jang-han being shot? Han and his control? The ruler deciding that he would stay? Escape to the beach house, the contact and his bringing the but, going to the shore, the princess walking, the man with the boat, the signalling to escape? The capture?
14. The aftermath with the princess, the arranged marriage, the status of her husband, his attempts to make the marriage work, the child? The death of the child? The divorce? The mental decline of the princess, be confined to an institution? The Japanese husband not allowed to go to Korea?
15. 1961, Jang-han working as a journalist, his contact with his friend is supplied the boat for the escape, his bar, customers, his information? Trying to discover the location of the princess? The meetings, the contacts? His travelling to Japan? Discovering the princess, in the institution, going to the room, contact, the gradual recognition? Taking her away?
16. Jang-han, his life, the contacts with the princess over the years, trying to help her escape, restoring her to Korea?
17. The return, the plane, the crowds, the women and their bowing in respect? After 38 years?
18. Information at the end – and the princess’s survival for many years?
