Conclusion

Consolidating the evidence of the Rising Sun cycle’s existence, this concluding chapter identifies these films as a form of soft power that intersects with South Korean politics to function as a form of propaganda, both domestically and abroad. Revisiting the contention that the cycle’s financial success ended with I Can Speak , subsequent films that carry Rising Sun characteristics such as Japanese villains are identified to confirm that film cycles rarely disappear completely. Finally, this chapter looks at how the political legacy of Park Geun-hye still lingers, and how that may lead to a resurgence of sympathetic politics with an accompanying return of the Rising Sun cycle, each with an eye on South Korea’s contemporary relationship with Japan.