The 2017 film Okja by Bong Joon-ho reveals the relational dynamic in the context of colonialism, which is the “practice of domination, which involves the subjugation of one people to another” (Kohn and Reddy). Mirando Corporation and Mija, for instance, form the hierarchy of the colonizer and the colonized because Mija constantly resists Mirando, the higher authority, to save Okja. The organization that intervenes in this dynamic to support Mija is the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), a radical animal rights advocate. By portraying ALF as a group that is sympathizing with Okja, the film convincingly paints ALF as a savior-like protagonist in the colonial relationships. For instance, Okja and ALF form a bond through “minorityness,” characterizing a small percentage of a group in the total population (Wadud-Muhsin 161). In the film, Okja is the minority that is exploited by Mirando, treated merely as nutrition due to the lack of volition. ALF represents the minority as well because a few of the members share this identity. Silver is a radical vegetarian who barely eats, even suffering from malnutrition; Silver and Blond are in a queer relationship; K is Asian. Such minoritized characterization of the ALF group convinces the audience their role as a savior by strengthening the image of solidarity with animals.

However, when further elaborating on the concept of colonial logic, ALF is the colonizer subjugating Okja rather than cultivating solidarity between minorities. This approach was never studied because the previous analysis solely focused on the colonial dynamic between humans and excluded animals. Moreover, the dynamic even excludes Okja, although she is the leading character. Thus, this paper will examine how the expansion of colonial dynamic to animals suggests ALF’s role as a colonizer and confirms their moral ambivalence.

Throughout academic discourses, studies have observed Okja within the colonial context, yet there were no studies available when it came to labeling ALF as the colonizer. Surprisingly, film reviewers have described ALF as a “friendly,” “wish-[fulfilling],” and even “heroic” activist group, far from the traditional reputation of a colonizer (Johnson; Crow & Schuchman; Han). Some academics also share a similar sentiment. Hong, for instance, assigns ALF as the oppressed, who is resisting the evil colonizer, Mirando (46). In other words, Hong labels ALF as the colonized in the human-centered colonial relationship between Mirando and ALF, metaphorically the same as subjugated countries. Naturally, there are also studies that observe the opposite opinion. Jensen and Uzuner, both suggest ALF’s moral contradiction and its unheroic role. They note that although ALF seems to be solely dedicated to animal rights, its ultimate goal is to pursue certain goals like exposing their tendency to abuse animals, or as mentioned in the film, “[Mirando’s] atrocities” (51:28-51:33). However, because Jensen and Uzuner’s criticism on ALF does not directly incorporate colonialist thought, the academic commentary on Okja’s ALF never simultaneously presents colonialism and moral ambivalence. 

Critical theorist Homi Bhabha claims, “traditional colonial discourse presupposes the homogeneity of the colonizer, based on its inherent superiority[1]” (Bhabha qtd. in Park 226). From Bhabha’s perspective, the colonizing dominators share a commonality: the “inherent superiority.” The idea of “superiority” strategically places the subjugated within the frame of colonialism, developing the dynamic with resistance and acceptance. This ultimately suggests that colonialism encompasses not only humans but also animals. Although Hong’s previous study on Okja combined with Bhabha’s theory of colonialism exists, it is predominantly a human-centered observation such as Mirando-to-Mija, Mirando-to-ALF, and Jay-to-K (39-47). Hong elucidates this human-centered colonial relationship between Mirando and Mija through Bhabha’s “inherent superiority.” According to Hong, the inherently-hegemonic language, English, portrays Mirando’s domination over Mija because Mija learns English after acknowledging its necessity in order to save Okja, such as communicating with Lucy and departing to America (40). If applying Hong’s methodology which incorporates Bhabha’s approach to colonialism to ALF instead of Mirando, the range of human-centered colonialism extends to animals like Okja.

From the perspective of the imperialist era, ranging from the 18th to 20th century, a powerful relationship between the idea of superiority and race formed. Former Western empires imbued superiority to the White race by utilizing social Darwinism, “the theory that human groups and races are subject to the same laws of natural selection” (Britannica). By appointing superiority to the Whites, empires justified dominating the “less advanced” branches of the human stock (Bowler 276). ALF shares this outdated notion of superiority explicitly since it has an analogous racial composition with Western empires. For example, the members from ALF are all white except one, the Korean American K. Moreover, K being banned from the group after the mistranslation (1:14:40-1:14:45) forms a racially homogeneous organization. K also further symbolizes the token minority within ALF’s colonizing tendencies. Tokenism, turning social minorities into a token to show the diversity yet merely grants perfunctory concessions (Hahn et al. 290), is prominent in media portraying Asian Americans (Taylor and Stern 57). Qualitative research by Taylor and Stern confirmed Asian Americans as victims of tokenism of being anonymous figures in the backdrop of the story (58), which K in Okja exemplifies, as he represents ALF’s seemingly inclusive philosophy by being the only minority in the White majority. Thanks to the addition of K, ALF transforms into a group that strives to eliminate social discrimination and shows solidarity with minorities like animals. Eventually, ALF’s tokenism reproduces the White mainstream power structure, which highlights their moral ambivalence.

When examining not only the explicit but also the implicit commonalities, ALF’s nature as the colonizer emerges evidently. One of the commonalities is the justification of means. In the past, Western empires legitimized colonization because it aided the inferior countries. On the surface, the purpose was to modernize, mechanize and develop; however, the actual reason was not for the well-being of inferior countries but selfish motives like capital accumulation and desire for new markets. A peculiar similarity is seen within ALF when comparing it with features of the Western empires. The organization is ostensibly for animal liberation, supporting Mija to save Okja. Jay’s line after rescuing Okja reveals this philosophy, “[we] rescue animals from slaughterhouses, zoos, labs. We tear down cages and set them free. This is why we rescued Okja” (50:43-50:51). However, shortly after this line, Jay shows the true purpose behind the rescue mission by stating, “[we] inflict economic damage on those who profit from their misery. We reveal their atrocities to the public” (51:28-51:34). Thus, to reveal Mirando’s atrocities, ALF persuades Mija to send Okja back to the laboratory despite the evident abuse (56:15-56:24). Under the guise of liberating animals, ALF cunningly conveys a highly personal objective of exposing the atrocities of Mirando. Consequently, ALF’s justification of means evokes familiarity with the two-faced Western colonial empires. 

In addition to the justification of means, instrumentalizing living organisms places ALF as the colonizer. ALF utilizes Okja, the animal, to pursue their ultimate goal of exposing Mirando’s atrocities. This action indicates how ALF regards animals as tools to accomplish the goal instead of subjects to save and care for according to their credo. But besides the disclosure of Mirando, another layer drives to instrumentalize Okja, which is the pride of being a member of ALF. The conversation between Silver, Blond, and Jay emphasizes this layer when persuading Mija to send Okja back to the laboratory. Silver and Blond aggressively oppose ALF’s credo of no-harm by denouncing the tradition but praising “we” as the ALF members.

SILVER: We have to abort just because some man from the 1970s wrote a fucking ‘credo’?

BLOND: Tradition doesn’t make a movement strong.

SILVER: (coughing violently) We make a movement strong. (55:15-55:26) 

The pride of being the stimulator of a social action becomes the motive for the ostensibly moral purpose of animal liberation, yet leads to manipulating the living. These layers of purpose within the purpose reinforces ALF as the colonizer, indicating their moral ambivalence.

Nevertheless, there is room for objections to the above arguments that the actions of ALF are not self-centered since the purpose is solely for the animals. In other words, although the means might be cruel, it is for the animals’ greater good. A scholar like Randall Jensen, for instance, criticizes ALF’s hypocrisy by detailing the scene when ALF sends Okja back to the laboratory. But at the same time, he argues that sometimes causing small harm or bringing a greater good is rational and moral (15). However, although Jensen’s argument may sound plausible, my concern grew for the logic behind. Would the benefits from causing harm to Okja be enough to offset ALF’s hypocrisy? Concerning the harm given to Okja in the lab, such as painful sample-taking procedures and force breeding, it is difficult to determine that the harm is “small.” Moreover, this utilitarian idea rather underscores the position of ALF as the colonizer. The colonizing countries’ utilitarian tendency emerged not only during the Modern Age but also in contemporary society as neo-colonialism. The War on Terror, which embodies American neo-colonialism by establishing a subservient government in Afghanistan and controlling local resources (Faleiro 14), shows this utilitarian thought since the declaration of war stemmed from American citizens’ greater good as an act of revenge after the 9/11 attack. This approach affirms that ALF manipulating utilitarianism is another similarity with the colonizer, ultimately placing Okja as the colonized.

At first glance, ALF resonates as an ethical organization integrating all lives in their protecting boundary of “us” of the conflicting relationship between us-versus-them, also known as interpersonal-versus-intergroup (Tajfel and Turner 34). On the contrary, Mirando emphasizes the evil assigned as ALF’s “them,” which bolsters the organization’s seemingly innocent nature. However, embracing the animals in the colonial dynamic shatters the illusion of ALF treating Okja as an equal entity within the boundary. Okja initially seemed to be one of “us,” but in fact, her existence was manipulated to achieve the underlying purpose. ALF’s commonalities with Western empires both explicitly and implicitly affirm their role as colonizers, such as shared superiority, the justification of means, and the instrumentalization of lives. Ultimately, simultaneously interpreting ALF as a hero and a colonizer verifies their morally ambivalent essence.

[1] “전통적 식민 담론이 본질적 우월성에 기초한 지배자의 통일성을 전제한다.” 

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