영화교육의 관점에서 바라본, <헤어질 결심>의 사랑과 정의의 문제

Abstract

This paper examines the issues of love and justice represented in director Park Chan-wook's film Decision to Leave(2022) in the light of Paul Tillich's philosophical and theological reflections. In addition, by analyzing the ethical aspects of love inherent in Decision to Leave, we seek to intervene in the area of ethical and existential meaning that this highly influential film can have on the lives of the public. In Decision to Leave, the conflict between love and justice is revealed throughout the film. Looking at this from Paul Tillich's perspective, the following problems are discovered. The first is the lack of individualization. As Seorae fails to achieve individualization in her relationship with Haejun, she commits suicide through fanatic surrender. Without individualization, one cannot participate in the presence of others. In other words, love cannot be accomplished. Second is the lack of freedom. The force that restricts freedom is coercion, and coercion is the force that destroys the ego of others. By conveying his obsession that his justice should be realized to his Seorae as it is, Hae-jun collapsed the strength of Seorae's existence that was barely holding on. Third is the lack of ‘creative justice’. Paul Tillich thought that insisting on love without justice was a totalitarian attitude, and that ‘creative justice’ must be combined with love that does not contradict justice. And any argument against this, he said, would only lead ignorant people down a path that leads to self-annihilation. Seorae revealed her ignorance of self-annihilation by lacking ‘creative justice’ in love. It is unfortunate that this film attempted to express the completion of love through the disappearance of a being by aestheticizing Seorae's suicide. As Paul Tillich suggested, love can only be properly realized when two beings stand together through creative justice.