변형과 반복의 구조로서 멜로드라마 영화 영화의 장르연구

Abstract

Strain and Repetitive Structure of the Melodrama as a Genre of Film Studies : , ,

Hyun-Jung Park

Mass Communication, Graduate School, Pukyong National University

Abstract

This study analyzes the customs of melodrama, one of film genres, especially the strain and repetitive structure of Korean melodrama movies through case studies. The movies of our case study are , , and released in 2012. The three movies were commercially successful with more than 4 million audiences. Besides, the movie genre of melodrama received attention again as the major genre of Korean movies. Our case study describes the characteristics of six narrative customs shown in the existing literature reviews through subheadlines. The six customary characteristics shown in Korean melodrama movies include event-focused narrative, love triangle (major conflict), tragedy of love that cannot be realized, ordinary area of family as a background, emotional excess, and woman’s perspective, but the narrative is male-dominated. In addition, this study looks at how the typical customs shown in Korean melodrama movies are repetitive and what are seen as part of strain centering on figure, event, and ending through case studies. To look at our research findings, the existing customs still remain and there are a few of things that are seen as being strained, as mentioned in the above. First, it is the change of personality in male and female characters. The customary character that is needed for the movie genre of melodrama in constantly appears. The movie struck a responsive chord in men and attracted female audience by showing the devoted and pure love from men’s perspective. This change in commercial movie genre is nothing but a trickery intended to attract more audience. Second, the movies of classical plot showed conflict and triangular relation resulted from external pressures such as destiny and social status, but the modern plots avoid a sharp conflict of triangular relation with no or indirect description of disparity in social standing between men and women. shows scolding wife as a seeming discord structure. It implies conflict to be caused by triangular relation or infertility later. This can be seen as the change in commercial movies to attract audience by showing the realistic conflict structure according to the current times. Third, it shows a discriminative aspect with hopeful ending in Korean melodrama movies which preferred tragedy and shedding tears. In , the ending is that they return to their ordinary lives although they can’t meet each other. In addition, shows a big change in tragic customs even in ‘adultery’ melodramatic movie that was difficult to expect a happy ending by showing a new start in the same way as the first encounter. Fourth, it shows a mixed genre phenomenon. shows a mixed genre including melodrama, horror, and thriller. The genre of melodrama is easily combined with the other genres, but such a movie like is a movie genre of pure melodrama with comic elements such as figures who present laughter in it. Considering these characteristics, this is fully considered as one element for attracting the audience who have antipathy against the traditional melodramatic narratives (NOT a new phenomenon of genre mixture!) The destruction of customs depends on how audience understands that it is nothing but customs as a matter of fact. Many movies can be understood as a series of remarks toward customs, but sometimes use customs to break the customs. The phenomenon that is seen as strain in modern movies is nothing but a repetition, a dynamic aspect of customs.