South Korea’s Martial Law Scare Sparks Renewed Interest in History
The dramatic declaration and subsequent retraction of martial law by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol this week has sent shockwaves through the nation, prompting a surge of interest in the country’s history of military dictatorship, Bloomberg reports.
Millions of South Koreans have turned to a popular film and a critically acclaimed novel to grapple with the events.
The 2023 film “12.12: The Day,” a blockbuster that drew 13 million viewers in theaters, has rocketed to the top of Netflix Korea’s charts since President Yoon’s announcement on December 3rd. The film depicts the 1979 coup led by General Chun Doo-hwan, an event that ushered in a period of authoritarian rule culminating in the brutal Gwangju Uprising of 1980. The film’s depiction of this turbulent period resonated deeply with many South Koreans, many of whom experienced the events of December 3 as a chilling echo of the past.
Simultaneously, Nobel laureate Han Kang’s 2014 novel, “Human Acts,” has also experienced a resurgence in popularity. The book explores the devastating impact of censorship and violence on South Korean communities, providing a powerful context for understanding the anxieties surrounding Yoon’s actions. Both the film and novel have become dominant trends on South Korean social media, with users employing them to analyze the president’s decision and its implications.
The immediate public reaction to President Yoon’s announcement saw hundreds of South Koreans take to the streets of Seoul, despite the freezing temperatures, to protest the declaration. President Yoon subsequently reversed his decision within hours.
The events have led to widespread calls for accountability. In a significant shift, Han Dong-hoon, head of President Yoon’s ruling People Power Party, called for the president’s suspension from office on Friday, significantly increasing the likelihood of impeachment proceedings in the coming days.
