Four Classic Korean Films to be Registered as National Cultural Heritage

Four classic Korean films, including Kim Ki-young's 'The Housemaid' (하녀), are set to be registered as national cultural heritage. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on December 12 that the films 'Nakdong River' (낙동강) by director Jeon Chang-geun, 'Money' (돈) by Kim So-dong, 'The Housemaid' (하녀) by Kim Ki-young, and 'Seong Chun-hyang' (성춘향) by Shin Sang-ok will be officially recognized as part of the national heritage.

The film 'Nakdong River' (1952), produced during the Korean War, features actual footage of the Nakdong River battle, giving it significant historical value. The original footage was rediscovered in 2022 after being lost for 70 years. 'Money' (1958) is a representative work of Korean realism, depicting the tragic realities of rural life during the industrialization period. 'The Housemaid' (1960) explores themes of human desire and oppression through the story of a maid aspiring for social mobility, highlighting the contradictions within Korean society. Lastly, 'Seong Chun-hyang' (1961) is notable for being Korea's first color Cinemascope film and was a major box office success in the 1960s, earning recognition both domestically and internationally. The Cultural Heritage Administration emphasized that these films are important resources for understanding the social conditions and lifestyles of modern and contemporary Korea.