The Way of the Camera and the Camera of the Way: The Spiritual Nomadism of Jang Sun-woo

This article examines the spiritual quest of Jang Sun-woo, one of the leaders of New Korean Cinema, as it is reflected in his films. Jang’s soul-searching journey, which began with his Nietzschean rebellion as a precocious teenager, led him to various religious traditions and intellectual movements, but it eventually came to an end with his embrace of Theravada Buddhism. Focusing on Seoul Jesus, A Petal , and Passage to Buddha , I analyze the relationship between Jang’s spiritual path and cinematic style. His works are known for addressing pressing sociopolitical issues and controversial psychosexual subjects, but throughout his twenty years of film-making, Jang’s ultimate concern as an artist has always been the freedom of the individual. Jang’s ceaseless search for new subjects and forms in his films parallels his personal journey for spiritual insights.