Theology and Korean Cinema

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The rise of South Korean cinema in recent years has drawn the attention of the wider public. While not always explicit, many distinguished Korean films include theological and religious themes that deserve further analysis and exploration. This course will watch selective Korean films and read several key texts that are critical for understanding the theological themes manifested in the films and explore key questions, including: How does Korean cinema deal with theological themes such as sin, forgiveness, redemption, and hope? How does a theological understanding of Korean cinema help or complicate discussions about class, gender and sexuality? How do we understand the relationship between religion and the public memories of significant events in Korean history – the Korean War, industrialization, social movements, economic development, and globalization – represented in Korean cinema? By examining such questions, this class encourages students to learn how to critically view, think about, and write about film in relation to theology.