Chinese movies fail to boost patriotism

I want to stop seeing China using the tragic war that began with North Korea’s invasion politically.

PARK SEONG-HUNThe author is a Beijing correspondent of the JoongAng Ilbo. On Sept. 28, another movie about the Korean War was released in China. Chen Kaige, the acclaimed director of “Farewell My Concubine,” directed “The Volunteers: To the War” in time for the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

The movie persistently justifies China’s participation in the war and emphasizes why China had to fight against the U.S. At the UN meeting, the Chinese representative criticizes the U.S. forces as “invaders” that crossed the 38th parallel. Chairman Mao vows to make any sacrifices to protect the Chinese people.

The movie leads to the Battle of Songgolbong Peak on Nov. 30, where a number of Chinese volunteer troops were killed. The last remaining pine tree from the fierce battle is shown, juxtaposing the sacrifice with the brutality of the U.S. military.

In an interview, director Chen said he hoped that young Chinese people would become aware of the period and understand the contribution of the People’s Volunteer Army in the historical context through the movie.

Even before the release of the movie, China’s state media praised it for being an “epic masterpiece” and drawing “timeless empathy.” But the outcome was the opposite. “The Battle of Lake Changjin,” which was released around the same time two years ago, earned more than 200 million yuan ($27.4 million or 36.9 billion won) in 12 hours, while “The Volunteers” earned only 27 million yuan on the first day.

The accumulated revenue after a week on Oct. 5 was 436 million yuan — only 15% of “The Battle of Lake Changjin.” During the holiday period, it fell behind the thriller “Under the Light” (780 million yuan) and the romantic comedy “The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan” (600 million yuan).

The movie starred top actors like Zhang Ziyi and Tang Guoqiang, but failed to become a hit because Chinese viewers turned away from the repeated narrative. Chinese film critics gave negative reviews to the propaganda film with just different actors. They said, “Despite high hopes, viewers felt that the characters were shouting slogans” and “An attempt to accumulate political achievements cannot make a box office hit.”

Things have changed. The Chinese viewers who were excited about “The Battle of Lake Changjin” have changed in just two years. The authorities also want to avoid a clash with the United States diplomatically and economically.

President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the APEC summit in the United States next month. I want to stop seeing China using the tragic war that began with North Korea’s invasion politically.