Between scandal and suture: the 1975 corruption scandal in the Ministry of Culture and Public Information's Film Division

Abstract

ABSTRACT Focusing on the mid-1970s, often considered the height of repression during Park Chung Hee's rule, this article examines the dynamic interplay between the South Korean film industry and state administration of film censorship. Specifically, I examine the 1975 corruption scandal that took place in the Ministry of Culture and Public Information's Film Division, in which several filmmakers had offered cash bribes to public officials in exchange for leniency in various aspects of film regulation. More than a case of misconduct limited to the film industry, the incident was quickly sensationalized as evidence of widespread societal corruption and illegal practices that threatened to harm the public. In turn, the state capitalized on the case's notoriety to justify the various measures it took in the name of ‘purifying’ society. Using ‘scandal’ as a pretext, the state commenced the structural reorganization of the film industry and film policies to more closely align with its goals. Ultimately, I argue that this corruption scandal allows us to understand censorship practices as the result of complex, multi-layered relations between film administrative policies and the film industry.