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Korean Horror Cinema
Edited by Alison Peirse and Daniel Martin
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Book Presentation:
The first detailed English-language book on Korean horror introduces the cultural specificity of the genre to an international audience, from the iconic monsters of gothic horror, to the avenging killers of Oldboy and Death Bell.
Beginning in the 1960s, it traces a path through the history of Korean horror, offering new interpretations of classic films, demarcating the shifting patterns of production and consumption across the decades, and acquainting readers with films rarely seen and discussed outside of Korea. It explores the importance of folklore and myth on horror film narratives, the impact of political and social change upon the genre, and accounts for the transnational triumph of some of Korea’s contemporary horror films. While covering some of the most successful recent films such as Phone and A Tale of Two Sisters, the collection also explores the obscure, the arcane and the little-known outside Korea, including detailed analyses of The Devil’s Stairway and Woman’s Wail. Its exploration and definition of the canon makes it an engaging and essential read for students and scholars in horror film studies and Korean Studies alike.
Key features
• Covers films from 1960 to present day, from The Housemaid to Thirst
• Case studies cover both popular and lesser known films, from Oldboy to The Fox with Nine Tails
• Discusses icons of the genre such as the wonhon (vengeful female ghost) and the gumiho (shapeshifting fox)
About the authors:
Alison Peirse is Programme Leader in Film and Television Studies at the University of Northumbria. She researches international horror film and television and is the author of After Dracula: The 1930s Horror Film (I.B. Tauris). Her work has been published in Gothic Studies, Asian Cinema, Visual Culture in Britain, Studies in European Cinema and Journal of Adaptation in Film and Performance.
Daniel Martin is Associate Professor of Film Studies in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). His recent research concerns the international circulation of films from East Asia. He is the author of Extreme Asia: The Rise of Cult Cinema from the Far East (Edinburgh University Press, 2015), co-editor of Korean Horror Cinema (Edinburgh University Press, 2013).
Press Reviews:
The book is written by contributors who understand both Korean and western cultures, which adds credibility to its analysis of Korean horror films in both national and international cinematic contexts. Throughout the book, the reader is introduced to a substantial history of Korean horror cinema and even readers with no knowledge of Korean films and culture will find the book useful. However, scholars and students in the field of Korean Film Studies will find the book essential. It is clearly arranged, accessible, well written and, most of all, its descriptions of Korean horror films are as fascinating as the chilling horror films that captivate us.'– Eunju Baehrisch, East Asian Journal of Popular Culture
‘An important scholarly contribution to Korean cinema studies in the English-speaking world. It lays the groundwork for future research of Korean horror cinema as well as horror genre studies in general.’– Irhe Sohn (University of Michigan), H-Net, Humanities and Social Sciences
From avenging ghost stories to the gory violence of Asian "Extreme," and from folkloric fox women to haunted high schools, this remarkable volume is an indispensable contribution to the expanding field of global horror film studies. Editors Peirse and Martin and their collected authors explore the history, national contexts, and global interactions of the Korean horror film. Fans, critics, and scholars alike will find this volume a useful introduction to a little-explored area of global film culture. Professor Harry M. Benshoff, University of North Texas– Professor Harry M. Benshoff, University of North Texas
See the publisher website: Edinburgh University Press
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