Dong Ju: The Portrait of a Poet (2016)

Dong Ju: The Portrait of a Poet is an eloquent story woven around the poet's own insightful words. Shot in black and white, the monochrome film beautifully fits the quiet, intense mood of the short lives of these two young men.

I will leave the historical aspect of this film to those who have a personal stake in it or are more well versed in it than I am.

This film is as much about Yun Dong Ju's cousin and revolutionary, Song Mong Gyu, as it is the poet. Their lives are intertwined, two different ideals in how to resist during a time of hated occupation. One willing to use a gun, the other a pen though at times those lines blur. Their friendship though challenged never waivers.

The story begins and ends with the young men in prison. The present takes place during Yun's interrogation by the Japanese. As Yun is questioned, the past is revealed to show the steps they took to end up in prison. Quoting Yun's poetry to the corresponding events paints the conflicted feelings he had over his role during the dark times and his attempt to find hope in the moment. The tripod of present, past and poetry is perfectly balanced.

Kang Ha Neul gives a restrained and poignant performance as Yun's younger self and later as the tortured prisoner knowing death is imminent, reflecting on his actions and inactions. All the performances are good but his stood out as the titular character.

Dong Ju is an elegantly filmed story of an inelegant and agonizing time told through the courage, defiance and beauty of poetry and a poet.

Prelude

Wishing not to have
so much as a speck of shame

toward heaven until the day I die,
I suffered, even when the wind stirred the leaves.

With my heart singing to the stars,
I shall love all things that are dying.

And I must walk the road
that has been given to me.

Tonight, again, the stars are
brushed by the wind.

-Yun Dong Ju

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Cuando la empece a ver, poco me llamaba la atención pues involucraba la poesía y soy medio mala para eso, sin embargo poco a poco la fui entendiendo y dándome cuenta de toda la lucha que hizo el pueblo coreano, especialmente los jóvenes por recuperar sus tierras, su cultura, hasta su idioma, y todo lo que los japoneses les estaban y les habían arrebatado.
Me pareció super interesante al conocer una parte de la historia que no conocía y me hizo entender mucho más el odio y resentimiento que aún guarda el pueblo coreano hacia los japoneses.
PD: creo que empezare a buscar y leer poesía coreana, es mucho más sensitiva en comparación a las que he leído hasta ahora.

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