ISSN: 2222-6990
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This study focuses on the political backdrop that enables the commercial success of four mainstream blockbusters centred on the Korean War: The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021), The Battle at Lake Changjin II (2022), The Volunteers: To the War (2023), and The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death (2024). Collectively labelled the "Heroic Quartet" for their thematic coherence, these films are analyzed through the lens of their political context, policy framework, production model, ideological foundations, and cultural soft power. By employing a critical political economy framework, this research reveals how the "Heroic Quartet" reflects the intricate interplay of China’s political, economic, and cultural dynamics during a transitional period defined by the 14th Five-Year Film Guideline for the Development of Chinese Films. We argue that these films serve as strategic vehicles for projecting China’s image as a "strong nation" by interweaving assertive elements of nationalist pride with diplomatic narratives designed to counter external provocations and internal sociopolitical expectations. More broadly, they contribute to constructing a cohesive national narrative framework, where cinematic storytelling serves as ideological reinforcement and a tool for China's cultural diplomacy.
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