A Tale Of Two Koreas: On The Choice Of ‘Age Of Shadows’ For Best Foreign Language Film

The 2017 Academy Award race began months ago for most of the film community, but the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film begins perhaps even quicker as countries make official choices for submissions before other main competition deadlines.

As for South Korea, it appeared that the choice really came down to seasoned auteur Park Chan-wook and his master-of-action-genre peer Kim Ji-woon. Ultimately, Kim’s spy film “Age of Shadows” won the honor over the genre blending “Handmaiden” as the country’s official submission.

But why?

While those close to the directors and industry insiders may have more definite answers, at face value, the submission choice looks like a mixture cultural pride and Hollywood pandering. That is to say, when it comes to “Age of Shadows,” it’s hard to ignore the cultural relevance and the adherence to certain Western dramatic structural preferences.

Ironically, both “Age of Shadows” and “The Handmaiden” take place during Japanese occupation. One story however is confined to human interactions in a house, while the other is a sweeping spy film with a multitude of characters and plot points. This is not to imply that Park’s film is in some way less interesting — on the contrary — many critics have called it one of the best films of the year.

The problem is that Park’s film perhaps doesn’t appeal to Hollywood preferences for the action genre itself, and for directors who elevate and innovate the genre. Almost every critic loves the action sequences in “Age of Shadows,” and praise Kim’s abilities to make beautiful harmony out of bullets. If you add this, and Kim’s own thoughts about attempting to emulate the style of a classic American Western film, the Foreign Language Oscar is certainly not a dream too big.

“Age of Shadows” also has the distinct position of being the film that is patriotic in the face of its historical context. “The Handmaiden” uses Japanese occupation as a set piece and “Age of Shadows” fully engages it in the plot. It would make sense to submit the film on the basis of showing Korea as a nation dedicated to asserting its identity, even if most of the world has unfortunately forgotten about Japan’s deadly conquests across Asia before WWII. Aided by the fact that it stars what would be a familiar face for the Academy in the form of Song Kang-ho, “Age of Shadows” was a somewhat obvious choice.

In some ways, the Oscar submission was destined not to belong to Park Chan-wook because of his rather unconventional style. New York Times Critic Manohla Dargis had the following to say about Park while reviewing “The Handmaiden.”

“Mr. Park is a genre virtuoso, known for thrillers like “Oldboy,” whose filmmaking is notable for its visual order and extreme violence, a combination that creates a seductive, at times unsettling aesthetic of immaculate frenzy.”

“Unsettling” is not something made for the Academy. Even some of its more grotesque Best Picture choices are still much more straightforward in terms of storytelling and style. In fact, the gore factor for both Park and Kim might have prevented both of them from being a good choice in that regard.

If the submission was merely a question of which film was better, “Age of Shadows” would likely have fallen behind “The Handmaiden.” Some critics have had issue with the convoluted plotting in “Age of Shadows” while there appears to be nothing but glowing love and admiration for “The Handmaiden.” But the Oscars are about good films as much as they are about politics and mass appeal.

Best Foreign Language film is not the same as Best Picture, but given that half of the Academy often votes without having watched some or nearly all of the films, visibility and familiarity will count. “Age of Shadows” has the recognizable cast. It has the patriotic storyline that is universal. “The Handmaiden” lacks what would attract the average movie goer and remains alongside the rest of his body of work. Park’s films are cult like among cinema buffs but strange and somewhat unapproachable for the everyday filmgoer. Even its home country box office, “Age of Shadows” is currently outperforming “The Handmaiden” by approximately $20 million, even though “Age of Shadows” has been in theaters for less time.

For American films, the Academy may be film buffs with depths of knowledge. Foreign film however still remains to be only sought by those with a deep passion for cinema. If you’re an Academy voter who is walking in to view the submissions for the Foreign Language Oscar, it makes sense that you’d pick the film you viscerally enjoyed instead of felt viscerally unsettled by.

In that way, “Age of Shadows” was the Korean film that would best represent Korea. Kim Ji-woon is now on his way to his first Academy Award nomination, and possibly first Academy Award.

The silver lining for Park Chan-wook might be that “The Handmaiden” has already won many awards and nominations, and he remains the darling of the international film circuit.