Deadline
Mahler <Symphony No.5> in Chan-wook Park <Decision to Leave>, <2min eastern Philosophy> on the Radio in the kitchen
Chan-wook Park, Decision to Leave, CJ
Entertainment, South Korea, 2022
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CJ Entertainment
“If you start with Mahler's Fifth Symphony, you will reach its peak by the end of the fourth movement. It is perfect to sit there and listen to the fifth movement before descending”. The inclusion of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 as background music, coupled with the line “Before the end of Mahler's five movements”, creates a sense of impending deadline for the movie. The music takes center stage, driving the narrative forward with its weighty presence in the film. Mahler's composition, speculated to be a heartfelt expression to his beloved Alma, sets a romantic yet sorrowful cinematic tone for the film. Its recurring appearance three times throughout the film evokes a sense of love with an underlying sense of impending deadline.
Radio in the Kitchen
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Britz.co.kr
When buying an apartment in Korea, basic appliances such as cabinets and sinks are included, and residents have the option of choosing essential appliances or furniture according to their preferences. My mother chose the radio in the kitchen. There was a special place under the cabinets for the radio. It was a sleek device with a small screen displaying frequencies and a dial for channel selection that became part of the house. During my middle school years, the radio always played the same program starting at 7:58 a.m. during breakfast. The DJ would introduce a phrase from Eastern philosophy for about two minutes. When the explanation ended, a timer chimed at 8 o'clock, signaling the time to finish breakfast and leave for school. This radio routine brought a positive sense of deadline into the home.