“Learn easily and understand deeply!”
A look into world history through the films of historical storyteller Sun Kim.

“If you watch a movie knowing the historical background,
How easily the movie can be understood,
Also, on the contrary, through the movie, the history of the time
How easily it can enter your heart
I want to show you guys.”
- Prologue -

Sun Kim, the historical storyteller chosen by countless listeners, including #1 on Naver Audio Clip Rankings and the popular Podbbang Maebul Show program [Sun Kim's Unstoppable World History].
This time he chose 'movie'.
"History Through Sun Kim's Films" is a book that makes it easy to understand the history that serves as the background for films.
We can vividly encounter the history of films familiar to us, such as the true face of King Gwanghaegun in history compared to [Gwanghae], the past and present of Hong Kong read through [Chungking Express], and the history of the French Revolution understood through [Les Misérables].
This book shows the storytelling of 'studying history through film' by embodying Sun Kim's philosophy that 'history is not memorization, but a story of people's lives.'
Sun Kim's easy-to-understand explanations and 145 rich illustrations will provide an enjoyable experience for readers who want to enjoy both film and history.

This book was written to show you that understanding history, the context surrounding an event, can help you understand a film more deeply.
And I wanted to show you how easy it is to understand the film if you watch it with an understanding of the historical context and background of the time.
Conversely, I would like to show you how easily the spirit of the times and history can enter your heart through film.
---From the "Prologue"

Now, I will tell you how and what special talents Qin Shi Huang had to unify the Chinese mainland, why China was torn apart and fighting each other at the time, and who specifically tried to assassinate Qin Shi Huang in real history, and whether they failed or succeeded.
---From Chapter 1 [Hero: The Beginning of the World]: The Intersection of the History of Qin Shi Huang's Unification and Modern Chinese History

Watching the movie [Roaring Currents], there are many parts where you think, “Hey, how is that possible?
You might say, “Isn’t this too nationalistic?”
But when we consider the place that Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his achievements occupy in our history, the image of Admiral Yi Sun-sin in the film is by no means an exaggeration.
---From "Chapter 2 [Roaring Currents]: Admiral Yi Sun-sin as seen through the Imjin War and the Battle of Myeongnyang"

Well, if you're interested in French history, there's one event you should pay attention to first.
Of course, Napoleon is important, and the French Revolution is important, but there is one event throughout French history that has had a profound impact on present-day France.
This is the 'Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre' that occurred in Paris and throughout France on August 24, 1572.
It is a tragic incident in which Catholics brutally murdered Protestants.
It is the worst black history of France, with as many as 5,000 people massacred in Paris alone.
The reason this event is important is because it is a historical event that connected French history from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, and further to the famous French Revolution.
---From "Chapter 3 [Queen Margot]: The Story of France's Wars of Religion"

The world he dreamed of, where all the oppressed are liberated and the people are the masters, a world where all people are happy, may not be realistically possible.
But Che Guevara, who sacrificed his life for that impossible goal, will forever dream of revolution in our hearts.
“Hasta la Victoria Siempre!” he cried out while he was alive, until the day of eternal victory.
---From Chapter 4 [The Motorcycle Diaries]: Che Guevara's Life and the Struggle for Freedom

Currently, there is no such class as 'samurai' or 'warrior' in Japan.
If there were, it would be funnier.
What if samurai were walking around with swords in the middle of Ginza, Tokyo?
This samurai class disappeared during the Westernization of Japan after the so-called Meiji Restoration in 1868 (which I will explain in detail shortly).
So, among the disappeared samurai, was there a 'last samurai' who was proud of being a samurai and tried to remain a samurai until the end?
---From "Chapter 5 [The Last Samurai]: Japan's Last Samurai"

Films depicting historical events require considerable care when making them.
Why? Because the general audience is more likely to accept the historical drama as a true historical fact.
And once a stereotype is formed, it is not easy to change.
The movie [Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King] is a very well-made masterpiece as an 'original story'.
However, it should not be confused with the real King Gwanghae who was driven out by the Injo Restoration.
---From "Chapter 6 [Gwanghae]: The True Appearance of Gwanghae in Joseon Dynasty History"

The movie [Chungking Express] is a movie that well depicts the feelings of Hong Kong people just before Hong Kong's return to China in 1997.
The famous line from the movie, “I wish love had no expiration date,” is a line that speaks volumes about the feelings of Hong Kong people.
Their thoughts: “I hope there is no time limit on my love for Hong Kong.”
---From Chapter 7 [Chungking Express]: Hong Kong's History and the Time of Return, Stories from Lovers

Do you know when in France Les Misérables is set? Surprisingly, many people vaguely assume it's set during the French Revolution.
Then, “The French Revolution, that painting of a woman with her breasts exposed leading the crowd.
“That picture is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution,” they say.
No, that's not true.
They are all different.
The French Revolution of 1789 is not the setting for Les Misérables.
And the painting 'A Woman with a Bared Breast Leading a Crowd' is not a painting set during the French Revolution, nor is it the setting for Les Misérables.
You might be thinking, 'Huh? What's so complicated?'
It is true that the situation in France at the time was complicated.
So, let's take a closer look at what the French Revolution was, what the circumstances were like when that bare-breasted woman led the crowd, and when exactly is Les Misérables set?
---From "Chapter 8 [Les Misérables]: From Napoleon and the French Revolution to 'Les Misérables'"

So, how did the United States come to be? Why did the small British colony on the Atlantic coast slaughter countless Native Americans in the name of "western expansion," and how did those Native Americans fight bravely against American troops, die, and become heroes? Aren't you curious? Now, let's delve into the story behind the film "Dances with Wolves."
---From Chapter 9 [Dances with Wolves]: America's Dark History, the Story of the Genocide of Native Americans

The Crusades pose the question, "What is religion?"
The question is whether it is right to massacre countless innocent men, women, and children simply because of their different religions, whether that is truly what God wants, and if God really wants such merciless conquest, is that God truly a God for humanity?
The Crusades, a war in which Christian and Islamic forces fought for dominance in world history for 200 years.
This cruel history leaves us with a word.
These are the words of Pope Urban II, who had just launched the Crusades, appealing to the Christians of Europe: “God wills this war!”
---From "Chapter 10 [Kingdom of Heaven]: 'What is Religion' as Seen Through the Crusades"

I've been thinking a lot about what I can do as someone who works in a history-related field, even though I'm not a history major.
And the conclusion I reached was to show you as much as possible the path of 'understanding history through film.'
(…) We will continue to convey to you that history is not a simple subject to memorize, but a record of the lives of people who lived through the ages, filled with tears and laughter.

---From the "Epilogue"