Hansel and Gretel, the two German kids who nearly became somebody’s meal, need little introduction. The characters in this Brothers Grimm classic have been used as a lesson about stranger danger and resilience for years. And while Hansel and Gretel’s ordeal has been put on screen multiple times — both faithfully and loosely — Yim Pil-sung’s 2007 movie is one of the more distinct adaptations. This Korean reimagining retains the essence of the influential fairy tale while also adding its own unique twists.
Hansel and Gretel was one of several movies from the golden age of South Korean Horror — often referred to as “K-Horror” in the West — to be based on fairy or folk tales. While Arang and A Tale of Two Sisters dug into local Korean lore, other movies drew from European narrations. However, much like Cinderella and The Red Shoes, Hansel and Gretel’s interpretation of its basis is rather liberal. Yim Pil-sung, who debuted with the 2005 psycho-horror Antarctic Journal, did not want to employ the standard archetypes found in the more familiar version of “Hansel and Gretel.” The parents, for instance, are conceived in a different way that actually helps bring this overall iteration closer to its literary roots.
Yim’s creative license with the Grimm story begins early on in Hansel and Gretel; main character Eun-soo (Chun Jung-myung), an adult rather than a child, is led to an idyllic cottage in the woods after his car spins out and crashes nearby. The fact of imminent danger then quickly sets in as Eun-soo stays with the cottage owners in the meantime. At first, the protagonist’s hosts, a secluded family of five, are only guilty of their quirks and whimsy; outdated attire signals their total detachment from modern times, and the smiles planted on the parents’ faces are uncomfortably incessant. Yet, the usual roles in these potential “house of horrors” scenarios are not what they seem. The audience is inclined to believe the mother and father (Jang Young-nam, Kim Kyung-ik) are holding their offspring captive and have nefarious plans for their guest, on account of this being a fairy tale-themed movie. This first impression, of course, is all part of an illusion.
Pictured: Jang Young-nam, Kim Kyung-ik, Eun Won-jae, Shim Eun-kyung, and Jin Ji-hee in Hansel and Gretel.
Like most fairy tales, “Hansel and Gretel” has been made kid-friendly. The version most people know these days differs from what the Brothers Grimm put on paper over two-hundred years ago. Oddly enough, the biggest perpetrator of this sort of sanitization, Walt Disney, has yet to roll out its own major Hollywood adaptation. The media giant has not completely ignored the fairy tale, though; an obscure and oddball ‘80s effort, one directed by Tim Burton, aired only once on the Disney Channel, and Hansel and Gretel were indeed the subject of a ‘30s short film called Babes in the Woods. Nevertheless, softened retellings have become the norm and are often preferred for children’s storytime. Yim’s dramatization, on the other hand, is a reminder that fairy tales were, in their most undiluted forms, not exclusively entertainment for young people. Adults read and enjoyed them just as much, if not more so. In turn, Yim’s movie upholds the dark and undiluted tendencies of traditional fairy tales.
An achievement of Hansel and Gretel is its commitment to storybook setting and atmosphere. Despite the contemporary backdrop, Yim manages to create an uncanny yet persuasive pocket-universe for its characters. The retro decorations, clothes and furnishings found in almost every corner and crevice of the cottage give the movie its yesteryear ambiance. There is little visual contrast between the three children (Eun Won-jae, Shim Eun-kyung, Jin Ji-hee) and their guests; Eun-soo and others’ contemporary appearances and wear never disrupt the total aesthetic. Other similar K-Horrors take the act of modernization literally, whereas Hansel and Gretel never lets its audience forget that this is, first and foremost, a fairy-tale movie.
Hansel and Gretel is one of the most eye-catching movies to come out of South Korea’s 2000s horror renaissance. From the labyrinthine attic to a foreboding forest befitting of fairy tales, the technical skill involved is remarkable. These spectacular set designs are as meticulous as they are engaging, and the authentically vintage toys and knick-knacks — many of which were borrowed from collectors — add to the cottage’s melancholic personality. Production designer Ryu Seong-hie (Oldboy, The Host, Decision to Leave) manifested Yim’s concept of “childhood utopia” with flying colors. Hers and others’ attention to detail here not only expresses the young characters’ childhood perception, it also forcefully solidifies the story’s underlying themes.
Pictured: Eun Won-jae, Shim Eun-kyung, Jin Ji-hee in Hansel and Gretel.
Hansel and Gretel operates better as dark fantasy as opposed to straight horror. Definitions of horror certainly vary from person to person, but this movie is never quite looking to scare its audience. Knowing that, Yim’s story is not free of disturbing plot developments and gruesome imagery; comparisons to other fantastical tales of abused children, such as Matilda and A Series of Unfortunate Events, are only valid in the most superficial sense. The movie becomes thematically heavy and hauntingly sad as viewers learn more about these three siblings.
In spite of its many virtues, Hansel and Gretel failed to attract a domestic audience back then. Yim suspects the poor box-office return was due to the movie’s emphasis on elements of Western culture. The source material as well as figures like Santa Claus were lost on Koreans. Fantasy can also be a hit-or-miss genre in South Korean cinema. Meanwhile, the movie was better received in international markets, particularly parts of Europe. The unexpected success in foreign territories then led Yim to ask himself, “Am I making films for non-Koreans in Korea?”
At a time when the exporting of East Asian genre filmmaking was prevalent, Hansel and Gretel became as lost as its namesakes. Falling through the cracks was simply too easy. Like the brother and sister in question, though, this movie found its way out of the woods. And today, this hidden gem of fairy-tale adaptations is looked back on more appreciatively than ever.
Hansel and Gretel is now streaming on SCREAMBOX.
Horrors Elsewhere is a recurring column that spotlights a variety of movies from all around the globe, particularly those not from the United States. Fears may not be universal, but one thing is for sure — a scream is understood, always and everywhere.
Pictured: Poster for Hansel and Gretel (2007).
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