It is inspiring to discover how ghosts are and represent in films that features Asian apartment buildings. Initially we would approach ghost films as just a medium of gaining stimulations due to hedonic revesral effect (Classen et al., 2020). However, these films could actually be: the portrayal of contiguous community where ghost lives together in the space along side the living; the representation of the alienating character of modern urban communal lifestyles so as the fear of being isolated; and the representation of the failed dream of economic success that continues to drive Asian rural-urban migration.
Taking the Korean movie Apt.(2006) as an example. It reflects how massive development projects have “murdered” the traditional society, changing people into “living ghosts”. As what have been mentioned in the reading “the rapid urbanization had created landscapes built for disconnection”, especially in the middle to low income socio-group context as public housing estates that are built for them focuses on maximizing profit and do not consider living quality as much. The focus on raising local competitiveness has also led to the disappearance of sense of homeliness due to the sense temporariness that emerged from this. Horror films in this situation serves as a critic towards our living environment as the loneliness of apartment ghost in the film had mirrored the loneliness of real living residents.
As what have been stated in the beginning of the reading:” Cities are environments designed by and FOR humans”, it is somehow ironic to see how urban environment have become, serving global capital instead of people itself.
Additional reference.
Clasen, Mathias, Jens Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, and John E. Johnson. “Horror, Personality, and Threat Simulation: A Survey on the Psychology of Scary Media.” Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences 14, no. 3 (July 1, 2020): 213–30. https://doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000152.
— Yu Ko Chieh Joshua, 3035934157
Great work! Excellent summary in the reading as you are able to extract the most critical ideas that the reading introduced, e.g. alienating character of urban lifestyle, failed dream of economic success and etc. You have also used an appropriate example to support your point of view. The conclusion is precise and has triggered further thoughts! Great work! Excellent summary in the reading as you are able to extract the most critical ideas that the reading introduced, e.g. alienating character of urban lifestyle, failed dream of economic success and etc. You have also used an appropriate example to support your point of view. The conclusion is precise and has triggered further thoughts!