How are the characters of the main heroes revealed in the films “In Between Days” and “Public Enemy”?
The main character in the 2006 movie “In Between Days” is a young girl from Korea who has moved to North America. The name of the protagonist is Aimie. Two characters should be described from the other 2002 movie — “Public Enemy”. Kang Chul-Joong is a policeman who plays the role of an anti-hero and confronts Cho Kyu-hwan, a killer and psychopath, who is a reputable manager at the same time. All of these characters are described with the help of so-called “social masks”. They depict the Korean value system as well. Thus, Aimie seems to be a self-centered girl. However, her friendship with Tran, who is also an immigrant, demonstrates that she can be different (In Between Days). The story of Aimie shows the importance of social connections for Korean people and the value of communication.
The social mask of Kang is that of the unpredictable cop who can break the law for making a profit. Despite such a style of behavior, Kang has a developed sense of justice. He is ready to do everything possible to find the psychopathic killer. Such depiction of Kang may be regarded as a manifestation of Korean society’s aim to implement the priority of human rights and the significance of human life. On the contrary, Cho is a good-looking manager with an excellent reputation. His social mask is used to hide his true self.
What is the importance of the idea of “throwness” in both movies?
The concept of “throwness” is used to describe the experience when the person has to live in a new environment. This idea aims to describe new feelings, impressions, and adaptation processes. This concept may be observed in both movies.
In “In Between Days”, Aimie lives in an extremely new society. She knows nothing about the new worlds and needs help to become an open and happy person. Her relations with Tran saves her from loneliness. The Korean value system pays particular attention to the role of the family. That is why the story of Aimie describes the difficult experience of almost all migrants.
In the second film, the detective Kang is not placed in the other location physically. He happens to see Cho in a dark alley trying to hide a weapon used for murdering his parents (Public Enemy). Kang is not sure that it is Cho, but he has been thrown into a new situation and should find a way out. In the film, one may observe the way Kang understands his mission and demands justice.
What is the main difference between the central ideas in the two movies?
First of all, movies are very different in terms of the presentation of genres. Both films are dramas. However, “Public Enemy” is full of action while “In Between Days” does not have this feature at all.
Second, movies differ in their angle of depicting the Korean value system. “In Between Days” demonstrates the importance of keeping in touch with family (Aimie’s letter to her father). “Public Enemy” demonstrates a usual life from the other perspective. The film reveals the controversy and role of justice in South Korea. Sometimes it is not clear whether Kang is right, but his ambitions and intentions seem to be stronger than him.
Works Cited
In Between Days. Ex. Prod. Bradley Rust Gray. South Korea: Soandbrad. 2006. DVD.
Public Enemy. Ex. Prod. Kang Woo-suk. South Korea: Cinema Service. 2002. DVD.