Na Un'gyu

Na Woon-gyu was a transformative figure in the history of early Korean cinema.

He is widely considered the most important filmmaker of his era and likely Korea's first true movie star. Na was a versatile artist who worked as an actor, screenwriter, and director. Because he frequently performed all these roles on a single project, he is credited with starting the auteur filmmaking tradition in Korea. An auteur is a director who has such a strong creative vision that they are seen as the primary author of the film. Through his work, Na moved cinema beyond simple entertainment into a powerful tool for national expression.

During the 1920s, making films in Korea was a complex process due to Japanese occupation. The Japanese authorities enforced strict censorship and placed heavy restrictions on all creative works. Filmmakers were required to submit every script to the government for approval before production or distribution could begin. Because of these rules, most movies followed a sentimental and melodramatic style known as shinpa. Na Woon-gyu revolutionized this medium by finding ways to bypass censorship. In his 1926 masterpiece, Arirang, he used metaphors to express Korean resistance to the occupation. This allowed him to combine the popular shinpa style with a spirit of nationalism.

Na's personal life deeply influenced his professional journey and his artistic themes. Born on October 27, 1902, in Hoeryong, he was the son of a military officer named Na Hyong-gwon. As a high school student, Na participated in anti-Japanese activities, including the March 1, 1919, protest. To avoid imprisonment, he spent two years crossing the Duman River into Manchuria and even traveled to Siberia. He eventually returned to Seoul to study social science at Yonhui University, now known as Yonsei University. It was during this time that he became fascinated by the cinema, often practicing facial expressions in a hand mirror.

His career was marked by rapid growth and significant production milestones. After being jailed from 1921 to 1923, he received the artistic pen-name Chunsa from a fellow resistance fighter. Following his release, he moved to Busan to join the Choson Film Company, where he initially played extras and villains. His debut film was the 1925 production, UnYeongJeon. In September 1927, he founded Na Woon-kyu Productions in Changsin-dong to create films specifically by Koreans and for Koreans. His 1929 epic, Salangeul chajaseo, was a massive undertaking that employed more than one thousand extras. The film's story of Koreans seeking freedom across the Duman River mirrored Na's own life experiences.

Despite his successes, Na faced significant professional and personal challenges. The failure of his film Beongeoli Sam-ryong in 1929 led to the closure of his production studio. Later, his career suffered a major blow in 1931 after he appeared with a Japanese woman in the film Geumganghan. Many in the Korean public viewed this as a betrayal of his nationalist image. Furthermore, the physical toll of his previous imprisonment and torture left him with lifelong health struggles. Na Woon-gyu passed away from tuberculosis in 1937 at the age of 34, or 36 by Korean counting.

Even with a short career, Na's impact on the film industry was immense and measurable. In a span of roughly ten years, he acted in twenty-six movies and directed fifteen. His popularity remained high even after his death, as evidenced by a 1938 audience poll in the Chosun Ilbo newspaper. That poll ranked Arirang as the number one best silent Korean film. Two other of his works, Sarangul Chajaso and Punguna, also placed in the top ten. Additionally, his final film, Omongnyo, was ranked second on the list of the best Korean sound films.

Today, Na Woon-gyu's legacy is preserved through various cultural institutions and honors. The Korea Film Directors' Society named their Chunsa Art Film Festival after his pen-name. In Seoul, the area near Arirang Hill has been transformed into a "Street of Motion Pictures." This site features the Arirang Cine Center, an information library, and a monument marking the 100th anniversary of his birth. His life continues to inspire new generations of artists, having been the subject of a 1966 biographical film and even a fictionalized book. He remains a foundational pillar of the Korean cinematic identity.