Very Bad Wizards

Episode 278: Schrödinger's Everything (Lee Chang-dong's "Burning" Pt. 1)

Feb 13, 2024

Lee Chang-dong, Director of the movie Burning, discusses the captivating elements and universal themes of the film. They explore illusions, reflections, and perspective, as well as the importance of subjective analysis. They also talk about frustration and Schrödinger's concept, and delve into metaphors and ambiguity in the movie.

01:32:17

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Episode guests

Lee Chang-dong

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Quick takeaways

The movie 'Burning' blurs the line between reality and imagination, exploring themes of alienation and social inequality.

The podcast discusses a convenient and affordable meal delivery service with a variety of dietary options.

Deep dives

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The main character, Jung-su, meets a childhood classmate named Haimi who becomes his love interest. She asks him to take care of her cat while she goes on a trip to Africa. When Jung-su visits her apartment, he notices strange and mysterious things, like the absence of the cat and a reflection of sunlight that appears only for a brief moment. Throughout the movie, the line between reality and imagination becomes blurred, as Haimi's actions and motivations become increasingly enigmatic. The film also explores themes of alienation, social inequality, and the search for meaning in life. As the story progresses, Haimi's eventual disappearance prompts Jung-su to go on a twisted and obsessive journey to uncover the truth, leading him to a mysterious man named Ben. The movie raises questions about identity, illusion, and the nature of reality, leaving the audience in a state of ambiguity and contemplation.

Introduction

4min

Discussion on Sleep Episode, Favorite Episodes, and Excitement for Burning

2min

Pet Peeves and Changing Minds

10min

Annoying Social Media Trends and Faculty Governance

11min

The Disproportionate Obsession with Elite Universities in the Media

4min

Elite Universities, Book Sales, and a Dark Movie

4min

Expressing Gratitude and Film Analysis of 'Burning'

15min

Freedom and Physicality

12min

Discussion on a Sponsor's Meal Service Program and Convenience

3min

10.

Frustration and Schrödinger's Concept

6min

11.

Mysterious Phone Call and Airport Encounter

11min

12.

Exploring Metaphors and Ambiguity in the Movie

12min

David and Tamler fall under the spell of Lee Chang-dong’s 2018 masterpiece Burning, a movie where nothing is what it seems, or maybe it is. An alienated young man meets what seems like his dream girl from his small town, but she’s about to leave for Africa. Will he take care of her cat? Is there a cat? When she comes back she’s attached (maybe) to a slick rich guy played by Steven Yeun and then she disappears. What happened? What’s real and what’s a pantomime? Adapted from a Murakami short story that’s adapted from a Faulkner short story, this movie warrants a true VBW deep dive, so we had to do it in two parts. This is part 1. Plus another segment of our pet peeves. “Updating my priors,” “Fixed it for you,” faculty governance, and more, these are the things that really grind our gears.

Links:

Burning (2018) [wikipedia.org]

The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami (containing the short story "Barn Burning) [amazon.com affiliate link]

Barn Burning by William Faulkner [wikipedia.org]

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Very Bad Wizards

Episode 278: Schrödinger's Everything (Lee Chang-dong's "Burning" Pt. 1)

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

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Thriving Meal Delivery Service with Multiple Options

Embracing Ambiguity in Relationships and Self-Identity

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts