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Great performance & complex narrative re. challenges in politics during dreary SK post-war decades
"Uncle Samsik" offers a quite interesting narrative of the complex connections between party politics and the even more crucial backroom politics during South Korea's first republic (1948-1960). The KDrama is primarily set in the run-up to the turbulent events and nationwide demonstrations that led to the resignation of the first President Rhee and the founding of the second republic. However, the nation that had hoped for real democracy and prosperity stumbled into a third one just three years later through a military coup. Although this brought the hoped for prosperity via totalitarian capitalism, it was still far from real democracy...
The story of the KDrama is based on historical events, themes and people of that time, but is ultimately fictional - even if historical film sequences are occasionally interspersed as part of the April Revolution. The focus is on Uncle Samsik. For all those, who don't know much about South Korean history, Uncle Samsik is the emotional reference figure and dramaturgical bridge that holds all the politically complex threads together. Even without prior knowledge, "Uncle Samsik" offers an exciting, haunting political drama that takes place in the post-war years. It is in particular thanks to the passion of the great actors who manage to captivate the audience with comparatively 'dry' fare. It is advisable to watch the episodes consecutively so as not to lose the thread.
With a fictional plot the well-known historic events and what actually drove the political actors of that time are portrayed from different perspectives. Thus they are shown as multifaceted people with complex motives and stories. Political calculation becomes tangible through relationship dynamics and formative personal experiences. What created the conditions for that dictatorial regime and its totalitarian capitalism to torpedo South Korea into dazzling prosperity - the needs, hopes, ideals and concerns underlying the political actors - are being filled with life. And at the same time also what the young democracy still has to gnaw at today - authoritarian directive, opaquely networked and strictly hierarchically structured backroom politics.
The time in which the KDrama is set is marking the initial struggle to set the course for 'right' politics and a democratic political culture to start with. You have to keep in mind that Korea has not yet been able to gain much experience with modern, international politics and economic policy on the world market. Until the end of the 19th century, the Joseon Kingdom had isolated itself from the rest of the world and concentrated on itself. Western modernity and international influences increased during the early 20th century, especially while the Korean peninsula was a colony of Japan. The guidelines for political autonomy and independent parliamentary politics were only set in the course of the founding of the Republic of Korea as South Korea in 1948. And even then, the USA kept a close eye on the young republic. The people in South Korea had not yet been able to seriously experience themselves as political mature people of a democratic country... The south, by now isolated from its rich in raw material and industrially well developed north, was at that time one of the poorest agricultural countries in the world.
Uncle Samsik vividly depicts the conflicting feelings in the country. He represents the prevailing longing for wealth... or simply for three meals a day. Uncle Samsik's nickname already reflects what he stands for: sam (eum)sik = three meals. He (as a good uncle) grants this to his people. So actually this very basic human need was the top priority in those politically turbulent years. Hunger and poverty shaped everyday life for the many. Democracy as a political ideal may sound good, but it doesn't fill your stomach. Samsik cares about people. His political goal is to use all possible means to support those politicians who have a solid concept and can bring the country to a point where the people will soon have enough to eat. The way to get there: to consistently boost the economic power of the economically weak country (compared to the north) and thus create appropriately paid work whose salary is enough to provide for the families... even if that might imply that the people´s hope for true democracy still has to wait a bit longer...
So would I recommend "Uncle Samsik"?
Yes, but...
It's one of those things with historical dramas that deal with Korea´s recent post-war history (and with the KMovies about the first post-war decades, too... you have to want to see it. Colours, light, selection of protagonists - this is often enough inevitably not a treat. Colorful robes that were still common in Joseon times are rarely seen anymore. After the Japanese colonial period and at least since the influence of the USA in the wake of the Korean War, fashion has been completely westernized. This makes the production design comparatively rather dreary - dark suits, ties and plenty of scenes inside or in the dark. It is about scenes inside offices, hotel bars, conference rooms and bunkers instead of lushly planted palace gardens, picturesque bridges, colorful pavilions and pagodas, or the shaded, meditative palace walkways - it's all history. Politics by now happens behind closed doors. If suitable, it might sooner or later end up on the streets, too. Female characters with impact are also rare - gone are the lively days of palace ladies, servants and princesses, scheming dowagers and queens or spying gisaeng... Instead, there are lots of serious men in their (as I mentioned before) dark suits, preferably smoking and debating or giving orders in back rooms. Politics is a man's business - a power struggle that is eventually resolved with the help of thugs and cloak-and-dagger operations... (After all, women's power is at least trying to carve out some space in "Uncle Samsik"...)
In short, the setting is rather dark, complex, even complicated - and ties-heavy. Be aware.
Apart from that, "Uncle Samsik" is really well done. Vividly played and thematically differentiated, the KDrama brings those dreary, sobering post-war decades in South Korea to the international DisneyPlus audience, presenting it as a time that, despite all the prevailing corruption, arbitrariness and obedience to authority, was also characterized by a lot of idealistic passion and political hope. Once again, high-end historical drama à la KDrama...
The story of the KDrama is based on historical events, themes and people of that time, but is ultimately fictional - even if historical film sequences are occasionally interspersed as part of the April Revolution. The focus is on Uncle Samsik. For all those, who don't know much about South Korean history, Uncle Samsik is the emotional reference figure and dramaturgical bridge that holds all the politically complex threads together. Even without prior knowledge, "Uncle Samsik" offers an exciting, haunting political drama that takes place in the post-war years. It is in particular thanks to the passion of the great actors who manage to captivate the audience with comparatively 'dry' fare. It is advisable to watch the episodes consecutively so as not to lose the thread.
With a fictional plot the well-known historic events and what actually drove the political actors of that time are portrayed from different perspectives. Thus they are shown as multifaceted people with complex motives and stories. Political calculation becomes tangible through relationship dynamics and formative personal experiences. What created the conditions for that dictatorial regime and its totalitarian capitalism to torpedo South Korea into dazzling prosperity - the needs, hopes, ideals and concerns underlying the political actors - are being filled with life. And at the same time also what the young democracy still has to gnaw at today - authoritarian directive, opaquely networked and strictly hierarchically structured backroom politics.
The time in which the KDrama is set is marking the initial struggle to set the course for 'right' politics and a democratic political culture to start with. You have to keep in mind that Korea has not yet been able to gain much experience with modern, international politics and economic policy on the world market. Until the end of the 19th century, the Joseon Kingdom had isolated itself from the rest of the world and concentrated on itself. Western modernity and international influences increased during the early 20th century, especially while the Korean peninsula was a colony of Japan. The guidelines for political autonomy and independent parliamentary politics were only set in the course of the founding of the Republic of Korea as South Korea in 1948. And even then, the USA kept a close eye on the young republic. The people in South Korea had not yet been able to seriously experience themselves as political mature people of a democratic country... The south, by now isolated from its rich in raw material and industrially well developed north, was at that time one of the poorest agricultural countries in the world.
Uncle Samsik vividly depicts the conflicting feelings in the country. He represents the prevailing longing for wealth... or simply for three meals a day. Uncle Samsik's nickname already reflects what he stands for: sam (eum)sik = three meals. He (as a good uncle) grants this to his people. So actually this very basic human need was the top priority in those politically turbulent years. Hunger and poverty shaped everyday life for the many. Democracy as a political ideal may sound good, but it doesn't fill your stomach. Samsik cares about people. His political goal is to use all possible means to support those politicians who have a solid concept and can bring the country to a point where the people will soon have enough to eat. The way to get there: to consistently boost the economic power of the economically weak country (compared to the north) and thus create appropriately paid work whose salary is enough to provide for the families... even if that might imply that the people´s hope for true democracy still has to wait a bit longer...
So would I recommend "Uncle Samsik"?
Yes, but...
It's one of those things with historical dramas that deal with Korea´s recent post-war history (and with the KMovies about the first post-war decades, too... you have to want to see it. Colours, light, selection of protagonists - this is often enough inevitably not a treat. Colorful robes that were still common in Joseon times are rarely seen anymore. After the Japanese colonial period and at least since the influence of the USA in the wake of the Korean War, fashion has been completely westernized. This makes the production design comparatively rather dreary - dark suits, ties and plenty of scenes inside or in the dark. It is about scenes inside offices, hotel bars, conference rooms and bunkers instead of lushly planted palace gardens, picturesque bridges, colorful pavilions and pagodas, or the shaded, meditative palace walkways - it's all history. Politics by now happens behind closed doors. If suitable, it might sooner or later end up on the streets, too. Female characters with impact are also rare - gone are the lively days of palace ladies, servants and princesses, scheming dowagers and queens or spying gisaeng... Instead, there are lots of serious men in their (as I mentioned before) dark suits, preferably smoking and debating or giving orders in back rooms. Politics is a man's business - a power struggle that is eventually resolved with the help of thugs and cloak-and-dagger operations... (After all, women's power is at least trying to carve out some space in "Uncle Samsik"...)
In short, the setting is rather dark, complex, even complicated - and ties-heavy. Be aware.
Apart from that, "Uncle Samsik" is really well done. Vividly played and thematically differentiated, the KDrama brings those dreary, sobering post-war decades in South Korea to the international DisneyPlus audience, presenting it as a time that, despite all the prevailing corruption, arbitrariness and obedience to authority, was also characterized by a lot of idealistic passion and political hope. Once again, high-end historical drama à la KDrama...
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