Class Narrative in Lee Chang-dong’s Films: A Case Study of the Film Burning

Abstract

As one of the most significant auteur directors in the South Korean film industry, Lee Chang-dong has always focused on social realities, marginalized characters, and underprivileged groups, earning a reputation for his strong critical consciousness in the global film scene. At the 71st Cannes Film Festival, his latest work Burning garnered a score of 3.8 out of 4, setting a record for the highest rating in the history of Cannes press screenings. The film primarily explores the existential circumstances and survival conditions of individuals, depicting how individuals seek freedom in an absurd world. It maintains Lee Chang-dong’s consistent stance on the margins, continuing his attention to the plight and survival conditions of individuals from the lower strata of society and his strong critique of social realities. This paper will conduct a narrative analysis of Burning from the perspective of class narrative.