[Sportschosun Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Film critic Dong-jin Lee has issued a lengthy explanation after a flood of accusations and abusive comments followed his decision to give Na Hong-jin's new film 'Hope' four stars.
On the 20th, Lee posted an article on his blog that began with the line, "I'm writing again." He said, "Even if I want to ignore it, this is the world I live in, and even if I try to keep my eyes fixed ahead, this is the profession I chose," adding that he decided it was better to write, no matter how tired or fed up he felt.
Earlier, on the 19th, Lee gave 'Hope' four out of five stars on his blog and left a one-line review: "A giant crescendo, the entire film boldly racing through a bizarre chaos." After that, some internet users raised suspicions that he had given the film a high score because of his personal ties to Na Hong-jin, the director's reputation, or the difficult state of the Korean film industry.
Lee first flatly denied any personal relationship with Na Hong-jin. "I am not close with Na Hong-jin," he said. "The only times I have seen him were at official interviews or guest visits related to 'The Wailing' and 'Hope.' I have never had coffee with him, and I do not even know his phone number."
He also stressed, "People say I must have rated it highly because he is Na Hong-jin and his name carries weight, but my praise for 'Hope' has nothing to do with who the director is."
Lee pointed out that he had also highly rated Na Hong-jin's first film, 'The Chaser,' and his second, 'The Yellow Sea.' He then asked, "Since when has Na Hong-jin needed name recognition?"
He also drew a line under claims that he judges films with an eye toward famous directors or industry connections. Referring to 'I Saw the Devil,' 'Wonderland,' 'I, the Executioner,' 'Alienoid,' and 'Sunset in My Hometown,' he said, "If I had been guided by name value or personal relationships, would I have been able to rate films by directors who have made such excellent works in that way?"
About Na Hong-jin, he said, "I hold him in very high regard as a creator and see him as one of the finest directors in Korea." He added, "I do not like his films because I like Na Hong-jin. I like him as a creator because he has kept making good films."
He also rejected the claim that he gave 'Hope' a generous score because of the crisis facing the Korean film and theater industries. Lee said he too hopes Korean cinema will regain audience support and that theaters will emerge from the crisis, but "that has nothing to do with how I evaluate one film."
He emphasized, "The evaluation of each film in front of me is always more important than the overall situation of the Korean film industry." He added, "Even if my review makes someone else's situation more difficult, I believe I must grit my teeth and judge the film as I saw it. In the end, that is the way to serve the film industry."
He also dismissed the idea that he gives Korean films extra points simply because they are Korean. "I do not give an extra half-star just because it is a Korean film," he said.
Lee explained that over the past 10 years, only three Korean films have received five stars from him, while foreign films have earned perfect scores two to four times a year. He expressed frustration, saying, "No matter how much I explain it, people just keep seeing it the way they want to see it."
He also offered a detailed explanation in response to suspicions that he praised 'Hope' in order to take part in its guest visit and untact talk events.
Lee said he does receive appearance fees for large-scale public film guest visits, but the amount does not change simply because a film is a blockbuster or a major production. He added that he received requests for about 20 untact talk events this year, but could not accept most of them, and that he actually held guest visits for only two films.
He stressed, "I did not praise 'Hope' because I was doing a guest visit for it. The causality is the other way around." He added, "I take part in a film's guest visit because I rate that film highly."
He also denied claims that he had been influenced by social pressure or had carefully watched his words to maintain relationships with people in the film industry, saying that in recent years he has rarely socialized privately with industry figures because of health and physical condition issues.
When asked why he rated 'Hope' so highly, he gave a simple and clear answer. Lee said, "Because 'Hope' is outstanding and good." He described it as "a charming, original, and entertaining film with very powerful strengths that outweigh its flaws."
He then said he had already explained in enough detail why he praised the film not only through his star rating and one-line review, but also through a 47-minute video, guest visits, and untact talk sessions.
He added, "And if you still insist that you do not understand the reason, then you simply do not want to hear me say that I like a film you hate." He asked, "Why would you mock or get angry over one movie to that extent?"
Lee also said he believes there is no absolute objectivity in film criticism. "That 'Hope' is excellent is my opinion, and that it is a terrible film is your opinion," he said. "Just because more people lean toward one view does not make that view the truth. The opinion held by more people is not always the better one."
He continued, "Neither critics nor audiences have anything like objectivity when evaluating film and art." He explained, "We watch a film not only through our own tastes and worldview, but through our entire lives up to this point."
In closing, Lee emphasized, "Opinions can differ, and different opinions can coexist peacefully." He added, "By sharing different views, we can expand our experiences, and in that way art becomes richer and society can move forward."
Referring to Hope Harbor, the film's setting, he ended his lengthy post by saying, "In the end, we are different people, and this is the world we have to live in. This world is not Hope Harbor yet."
Meanwhile, 'Hope,' which opened on the 15th, is set in Hope Harbor near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and tells the story of villagers who encounter an unidentified being. As interpretations and opinions about the film continue to vary, 'Hope' drew 330,000 viewers on its opening day, marking the highest opening score of the year. It also surpassed 1 million admissions in just three days, becoming the fastest film of the year to reach that milestone.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
