Restoring the transnational from the abyss of ethnonational film historiography: The case of Chung Chang Wha

Abstract

Chung Chang Wha is the godfather of Korean action cinema and the director who internationalized Hong Kong action cinema when Five Fingers of Death C. Tian xia di yi quan, King Boxer, K. Chugǔm ǔi tasǒt sonkarak, 1972) became a $12 million global box office sensation. Chung delivered on his xia ethos promise to Hong Kong cinema mogul Sir Run Run Shaw to get the job done, no matter what. Despite Chung's stellar achievement, his rightful status within the annals of film history for both Korea and Hong Kong is compromised due to the practice of ethnonational film historiography. This project rescues Chung's historical preeminence by focusing on his transnational contributions to global film history.