Faust (2015 film)

Faust (Hwangji: 파우스트; lit, Faust) is a 2015 Hwangji drama directed by Ye Kwang, starring Cah Kwang, Sol Sang-Chol and Eoh Jung-Ah. It was released theatrically on August 12th, 2015. The screenplay is based on the novel of the same name, written in 1996 by Sang Cho-Il. The film is set around 2010 and centers around 24 year old college drop out Jung Tae-Suk who attempts to kill himself, coming into the after life and meeting the myseterious being Faust who forces puts Tae-Suk into the lives of 7 different people to make him appreciate the life that he has been given. Also featured in the film was Sol Sang-Chol, Hwangbo Sung-Soo and Pak Song-Sun.

The film was released to much praise and became the first installment of the Faust series. It was followed up by a sequel, Faust 2 which was released in 2019 with a follow up film Faust 3 as well as a spin off on the early life of Faust titled Man of Mystery being in production.

Plot
Jung Tae-Suk is a well meaning but egotistical and proud man who believes himself smarter than others, after being rejected from yet another job interview, he receives a call from his long-time girlfriend who informs him that she's breaking up with him and that she's moving on to another man, unwilling to keep herself back to try and support Tae-Suk after 5 years of fruitless dating. After this call, he ponders on the unfairness of his life, realising how pointless his existence is and convincing himself that no one would really care for his own suicide and death. Thus Tae-Suk walsk to the top of the apartment block where he lives, ignoring a call from his mother as he leaps off.

Tae-Suk wakes to finds himself in a room and he comes to meet Faust, a well dressed man who sits on a chair as he cleans out a revolver. He explains to Tae-Suk that he have to relive the lives of others, as punishment for his suicide. Tae-Suk attempts to leave though he is unable to escape as Faust walks up and places the barrel of the revolver to his temple and shoots him. Tae-Suk awakes to find himself in the body of a 32 year old hobo as he receieves all of his memories, despondent at his situation and believing that Faust has no right to meddle with his suicide, he grabs a nearby knife and slits his throat. Tae-Suk awakens back to the room, shouting at Faust for his actions however Faust ignores him as he shoots Tae-Suk once again with his revolver. Tae-Suk awakens again, this time as obese 17 year old student Yeok Gi-cheol, upon recieving his memories and realising that Gi-Cheol is suffering from intense bullying, Tae-Suk becomes incensed at his bullies and vows to get revenge. Tae-Suk arrives at school the next day, using a pipe that he picks up from the back of Gi-Cheol's home, he beats Gi-Cheol's bullies in one of the school alleyways. Encouraged with his success, after school he goes on a run though he meets one of Gi-Cheol's bullies who savagely beats Tae-Suk before stabbing multiple times him with a knife and running away.

When Tae-Suk awakens back to the house, he complains bitterly to Faust about the unfairness about doing a good thing only to be killed. Faust merely ignores him, asking whether he thinks that he should be treated fairly for doing good things. Tae-Suk ponders but doesn't get to answer before Faust raises the revolver to his head and shoots him again. Tae-Suk finds himself with a knife and blood all over his hands he finds himself as the famed Yungso Murderer who has just murdered a couple in his home. Tae-Suk begins to grapple with the reality of his situation as he questions himself about what to do. Tae-Suk soon realises that he cannot cope with living as a famed murderer, deciding that he will make the best use of his time and then kill himself in order to save the trouble of the authorities. Collecting all the valuables and withdrawing all the money he can, Tae-Suk leaves it in a safe before killing himself with a bread knife and returning back to the house. There he is questioned by Faust on why he killed himself so effortlessly, Tae-Suk tells Faust about that he wouldn't let himself live as a famed murderer, not wanting him to continue getting away with all the murders that he has committed. Faust disagrees, telling Tae-Suk that he simply doesn't care enough and doesn't want to really put the effort to make things right. But before Tae-Suk can protest, Faust shoots him in the head again as Tae-Suk starts another life.