Movies connect us to other lives we have never experienced and enable us feel a variety of emotions, including joy, sadness, excitement, and resonance. Specifically for students tired out by midterms, various movie-themed events have been held on campus. With the arrival of spring in full bloom, campus movie theaters approved to be great venues to reflect on the world through stories that can't be found in books.
Beloved Movies - Springtime Theater at the Main Library
In celebration of Library Day (April 12), Seoul National University Library has held the screening of ‘Springtime Theater: Films SNU Students Loved' at the Chung Inshik Theater on the 6th floor of Gwanjeong Hall since April 12 (Wednesday). Of the event the library commented, "We wanted to show that the library is not only a place for academic research, but also a place for relaxation and healing, and that we also support media-related activities. We organized the screening with the hope that members of the campus community would be able to relax and enjoy the inspiration of the movie." Thirteen movies from diverse genres were screened at the screening, selected based on the ranking of SNU students’ DVD usage data from the Central Library over the past eight years. The selected films were organized into five themes: popular SNU films, classic masterpieces, blockbusters, documentaries, and independent films. The screening was open to all SNU members on a first-come, first-served basis, and was attended by a diverse audience, including students, faculty, and staff. Among the screenings, the movie "Inception," which tells the story of dreaming in a dream with surprising twists and an unpredictable plot, received the most audience response. "According to our data analysis, Christopher Nolan, the director of 'Inception,' was ranked as the most loved director at Seoul National University, so we expected a good turnout," said the library.
‘Springtime Theater: Films SNU Students Loved' hosted by Seoul National University Library, Film Screening Poster
Humanities in the Movies – Watching, Listening, and Debating
Another event was also organized to induce deeper discussion on movies. Seoul National University Institute of Humanities held the 2023 Future of Humanities Talk, "Humanities in Film," to popularize and spread the various topics within humanities. The three-week event, which began on April 20 (Thursday) with the first agenda, "Thinking with Movies," provided an opportunity for professors and students to watch and talk about films selected on various topics. The professors who organized each session selected films related to their fields of study and provided specific criticisms on the themes and plots, followed by a Q&A session with students attending the events. In the first event, Professor Kim Hong-Jung (Department of Sociology) and Professor Shin Hyoung Cheol (Department of English Language and Literature) reviewed the film, followed by conversation with Professor Yim Ho-joon (Department of Hispanic Language and Literature). Professor Kim analyzed Akira Kurosawa's 〈Record of Survival〉 and Bela Tarr's 〈Torino's Words〉 from the perspective of the apocalypse. Professor Shin reviewed 〈Asako〉 by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, relating it to the fear of the past and the attitude of hope that overcomes fear.
2023 Future of Humanities Talk, "Humanities in Film” Poster
The second event featured lectures by Professor Kim Jungha (Department of English Language and Literature) and Professor Lee Kyungjin (Department of German Language and Literature) and a conversation with Professor Hong Seok-kyung (Department of Communication). The discussion focused on the film 〈Son of Saul〉, directed by Laszlo Nemes, and the strategies and implications of recreating the history of the Auschwitz concentration camp from a contemporary perspective. The final session, held on May 4, dealt with the nature of the concept of 'cinema.' Led by Professor Lee Yun-Yeong (Yonsei University Graduate School of Communication) and Professor Lee Jung-ha (Dankook University Department of Performance and Film), a philosophical and meta-discussion on the medium of cinema itself, rather than focusing on individual works, ensued. "The Humanities Talk aims to harmonize the humanities from the past with the present," said Professor Lee Haewan (Department of Aesthetics), who organized the event. "We hope that this event will give people a chance to discover the appeal of 'cool' humanities through the various thematic discussions on film."
April 20, Professor Shin Hyoung Cheol (Department of English Language and Literature) comments about 〈Asako〉 by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. The video is available on the Seoul National University Department of Humanities YouTube channel.
Movies can hold special meaning in a community. They can also create new meanings as we discuss them as a community. As the semester slowly coming to a close and campus life becoming slightly monotonous, why not awaken your mind by watching and listening to the stories told by these movies?
Student Reporter
Kim KyuYeon (Department of Political Science & International Relations)
rbdus7522@snu.ac.kr
Translated by
Seulki Yeo (Department of Russian Language and Literature)