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The Birth of a Political Activist: A Comparison of Two South Korean Films
Corresponding Author(s) : Christopher I. Kim
Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews,
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2015): Vol 3 (1) 2015
Abstract
There exist a number of explanations for democratization. One of the most decisive causes of South Korea’s recent democratization in 1987 was mass movements from below. The role of political activists is integral to movements. In this article, pointing out that the existing literature on democratization has paid little attention to the contribution of individual activists to social movements; I analyze how ordinary citizens are gradually transformed into political activists and democracy fighters. Specifically, I compare two South Korean films, Jeon Tae-il: A Single Spark (1995) and The Attorney (2013), in terms of what motivates common people to change into activists, the concrete process of the change, and the consequences of the change for subsequent political development.
Keywords
South Korea
Democratization
Political activists
Mass movements
Films.
Kim, C. I. (2015). The Birth of a Political Activist: A Comparison of Two South Korean Films. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 3(1), 01-05. Retrieved from https://giapjournals.com/hssr/article/view/237
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