The passage analyzed three types of Asian urban horror movies, which are associated with the social-culture contexts and economic background. The first type is mainly produced in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, which has a complex relationship between the living and the dead, including ghosts fall in love with humans, revealing secrets, punish wrongdoers and so on. While the second type is about the loneliness and isolation of both ghosts and humans, mainly produced in Japan and South Korea. The reason behind it is the transformation and redevelopment towards neoliberal urban leads to the disconnection and isolation among people. The

Continue reading[Reading Response 2] Communal After-Living: Asian Ghosts and the City

Ghost stories mainly focus on the theme of non-human and supernatural, often create a sense of horror due to its nature of mystery and unknown. Using this particular feature, the article depicts the correlation between the ideology of ghost and the urban architectural environment in Asian cities, and addresses Asian culture and their attitude towards ghost cities, eventually brings out their impact on various social issues. First, it is a common phenomenon that the underlying animistic beliefs and pratices are rooted in people’s ideal mindset, which affects the perception of ghosts in Asian cultures. The cultural rituals are the products

Continue reading[Reading response 2] – Communal after living: Asian ghost and the city

This reading had pointed out that urban condition is to represent normalcy. I do not agree about this statement. Although the image of city to many people is lethargic, because the whole environment is made of concrete and steel. Seems like it will always be the same. But, in fact, city is keep changing. In different generation, city will change into different form to satisfy the living condition of the people at that time. For example, in the 80s, we can see a lot of signage on the street as Hong Kong is experiencing an economic takeoff. People are passionate

Continue reading[Reading Response 2] Communal After-Living: Asian Ghosts and the City

The representational space of In Search of Ghostly Contexts is an important platform for marginalized individuals to fight for their rights and solve social inequalities. Made in Hong Kong, a film by Fruit Chan, addresses this inequity by integrating its critique into the larger socio-political framework of Hong Kong’s upcoming political transfer. In Made in Hong Kong, Susan’s suicide highlights the inequitable living conditions generated by government neglect and represents the decay and ghostliness of Hong Kong’s urban landscape.   Prior to the handover in 1997, Hong Kong saw a significant political upheaval uncertainty. Such worries are reflected in films

Continue reading[Reading Response 2]-In search of the Ghostly in context