Yunbogi is a child who lives in a slum on the outskirts of Daegu, South Korea. Abandoned by his mother, Yunbogi must care for his two sisters and brother by taking on a series of small jobs. Consisting of a series of diary entries narrated by a boy over photographs made by Oshima himself during a 1964 trip to Korea, Yunbogi's Diary is a highly political tale chastising Japan's involvement in Korea. With this shortfilm, Oshima confronts his country with the mess it made during the occupation, particularly the resulting chaos and poverty that would continue beyond the Korean War. Throughout the film, he draws parallels with the situation in Japan right after World War II. The diary entries and images come across as being equally representative of Japan in post-war years. However, at regular intervals the boy's narration is halted and Oshima's own voice is heard, reading verse that emphasises the fact that this is Korea in the 60s rather than Japan in the 40s, and that children are suffering most of all. And when children suffer, the future suffers. Oshima seems to suggest that the Japanese involvement has robbed this country not only of its dignity but also of its prospects. Edit Translation
- English
- magyar / magyar nyelv
- dansk
- Norsk
- Native Title: ユンボギの日記
- Also Known As: Yunbogi no nikki , 윤복이의 일기 , Diary of a Yunbogi Boy , Yoonbok's Diary , Diary of Yunbogi
- Screenwriter & Director: Oshima Nagisa
- Genres: Historical, Drama, Documentary, War
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Yunbogi’s Diary was released in 1965, the year relations between South Korea and Japan were normalized. This boy’s diary was also, if not the first, one of the first Korean books published in Japan after the normalization. Though officially things had been worked out there were still unresolved feelings and issues between the two countries. Yubogi’s story was not only his own, but represented the stories of thousands of impoverished Korean children at the time.Yunbogi is a ten-year-old boy taking care of three younger siblings. After his mother left them with their ailing father, it fell upon this child to earn enough money to feed them. His sister, Sun, also worked selling gum on the streets with him. Yunbogi goes on to work various jobs---goat herding, shoe shining, anything to bring in money. Yet still the tiny family is starving.
Director Oshima Nagisa used stills of Korean children set to music with voice overs by children and himself. He took the pictures while doing research for the short film. Ostensibly he hoped to coax guilt from the Japanese regarding their destructive occupation and the long-term consequences for the people. He also hoped to evoke compassion for the Korean people most adversely affected…the children. Japanese policies had gutted the country leaving the citizens in a deadly precarious position after WWII and then exasperated by the Korean War. Japan’s economy had turned for the better by 1960, but South Korea was still struggling. Oshima controversially highlighted the disparity by showing images of children and conveying the damning words of a 10-year-old boy desperately working to keep his siblings alive. Yunbogi’s spirit was strong, condensing into a powerful resiliency as he was knocked down again and again. Despite that resiliency, he was also a child who was willing to starve to death if it meant his mother would return home.
“Chili peppers when boiled down become even hotter. Barley dies and sprouts anew.”
4 May 2025
