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- ODE TO MY FATHER 1st Korean Film to Screen at US Congress
- by Pierce Conran / Jun 08, 2015
- Shown to Highlight Effect of Families Torn After Korean War
Two members of the United States House of Representatives screened the blockbuster Ode to My Father to the US Congress, the first Korean film to do so, in order to highlight the fallout of the Korean War, which led to broken families following the peninsula’s separation.Put on by Korean War veteran Charles Rangel, a democratic representative for New York state and the republican Ed Royce, a representative for California and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the screening was attended by some 200 people. These included a number of American and Korean war veterans, formed Rear Admiral Robert Lunnney, who took part in the massive Hungnam Evacuation of 1950, one of the film’s major set pieces, and the film’s director JK YOUN.Director YOUN expressed how honored he felt by the film’s screening at the US Congress and hoped that “this movie will help Americans and veterans get a better understanding of Korea.” Furthermore, he said that, "as a director, I feel rewarded that a movie can transcend borders and have effects on many people.”Released last December, the film connected immediately with the Korean public with depictions of the hardships many Koreans have faced in the decades following the War. The film drew 14.2 million viewers, making it the second most successful Korean film of all time, and has been popular abroad, screening at the Berlin International Film Festivals and receiving the highest audience score at the Udine Far East Film Festival this year, among other invitations.Rep. Royce called the film a "reminder of the losses and the terrible devastation that Koreans faced during the war" and "about the price paid by so many during those very, very difficult times.” He expressed his hope that more families would be able to reunite with their loved ones across the Korean border and mentioned that earlier that day he had a sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, exhorting him to pave the way towards such reunions.
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