AN ANALYSIS OF THE NARRATIVE STRUCTURE AND FILM STYLE OF SOUTH KOREAN CULT FILMS

บทคัดย่อ

This study focuses on how narrative structure and film style contribute to the cult status of contemporary South Korean cinema. Four films—Oldboy (2003), Memories of Murder (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005), and Mother (2009)—are analyzed through qualitative textual analysis grounded in narrative theory and film stylistics. The analysis covers both narrative elements (plot, character, viewpoint, theme) and stylistic features (mise-en-scène, camerawork, lighting, sound, editing, color).

  Findings show frequent use of non-linear plotting, unreliable or imited narration, and ethically uncertain endings. These narrative strategies converge with symbolic imagery and emotionally intense performances to stage trauma, revenge, guilt, and identity crisis. Stylistically, spatial constriction, controlled camera movement, low-key lighting, minimal sound design, and an alternation between long takes and sharp montage intensify emotional realism and moral uncertainty. Color functions as a visual signal of meaning —muted palettes punctuated by saturated highlights—embedding meaning within the visual field. Taken together, these features constitute a hybrid cinematic language that marries global genre conventions with South Korean cultural themes such as haan and social critique.

  The study identifiesa recurrent arc (setup–incitement–escalation–confrontation–open resolution) while showing how deviations from classical continuity foster cult appeal. It argues that South Korean cult films serve as vehicles of cultural memory and public sentiment rather than mere shock aesthetics, expanding prevailing accounts of cult cinema beyond camp or excess. The conclusions inform pedagogy, criticism, and comparative work on Asian and global cult cinemas.