The Wailing may look like a generic and light-hearted horror movie on the surface. However, by delving deeper into the story's plot, evidences of satire that is related to the second World War and the Japanese invasion of Korea can be seen clearly. At the center of the satire, is the Japanese man who represents the war era Japan that had invaded Korea, resulting in the death of many men, women, and children and the emergence of "comfort Women" which was in reality the prostitution of young women and even girls. For instance, the young woman in white may represent the Comfort Women. There is even a a scene in which the Japanese man chases the woman in the jungle. And in another scene, he attacks another woman in an attempt to rape her. There are also other traces of rape and sexual abuse in women. For example, most women seem to have contracted a disease that is somewhat similar to that of an STD that has also transferred into men. And the policeman's daughter's thighs are bruised. Later, she also confesses that she has met the Japanese man. Moreover,the Japanese man's cleansing practice in the waterfall may represent Japan's attempt to cleanse its past, but to no avail. The whole village and maybe even the policeman stands for Korea, and the people are the nation. Nobody trusts the Japanese man, nobody likes him, but no matter how hard they try, they fail to drive him out of the village; he is there to stay and to make sure that everyone is consumed. One by one, the families fall victim to the Japanese man (or the Devil) who fall upon them like a disease. The disease then spreads until it consumes the whole village. Finally, the Shaman is a representation of traitors that allowed Japan to take over the country for their own personal profit. All in all, the movie has skillfully illustrated the horrors of the war, and the feeling of helplessness and darkness that takes over a country during such a period.
Review of The Wailing
