Cho Eun Hee
Soongsil University

Received June 24, 2024; Revised version received August 5, 2024; Accepted August 20, 2024

Abstract

This article analyzes the portrayal of spies in Korean cinema. Spies have been a significant theme in Korean films, reflecting the ideological division of the Korean peninsula into North and South. Having experienced war amid intense ideological conflict, spies represented a tangible threat in everyday life. Even today, 80 years after the division, controversies about spies continue. Given this social context, it was natural for Korean films to feature spies as a central subject. However, the cinematic portrayal of spies has evolved over time. Until the 1980s, spies were depicted as serious threats to South Korean society. After 2000, they began to be portrayed as ineffectual. This shift in representation reflected changing inter-Korean relations. Subsequently, spies were depicted less realistically and more as imaginary villains or heroes with dual identities.

Key Words : anti-communism, espionage, inter-Korean relations, Korean cinema, Korean War, spies (kanch’ŏp), 1988 Seoul Olympics