“The deeper you delve, the more expansive and captivating the paradox becomes, all enriched with humour that glimmers like the morning star.” remarked renowned Korean film critic Lee Dong-jin after watching , awarding it a score of 4.0.
On March 7, 2025, Bong Joon-Ho’s highly anticipated sci-fi film Mickey 17 was finally released, stunning audiences worldwide. This time, the director teamed up with Robert Pattinson, who plays the role of Mickey, a macaroon entrepreneur exhausted by life on Earth. Mickey 17 follows Mickey’s journey after he applies for an “Expander” position on the distant planet Niflheim, where a series of unexpected events unfold.
At the film’s heart lies the symbolic meaning of the number ’17’. According to a conversation between the famous Korean film critic Lee Dong-Jin and Bong Joon-Ho, Director Bong revealed that the number 17 is not just a reference to age. Still, it symbolises the boundary between adolescence and adulthood. He explained that he chose the numbers 17 and 18 because they represent the transition from adolescence to an 18-year-old adult. The film delves into the idea of what it means to become an adult, with Bong emphasising that true maturity comes through facing oneself. The process of accepting the parts of us that we dislike and integrating them into our identity is what leads to emotional growth.
One of the most striking moments in the film is when ‘Mickey 17’ changes his name to ‘Mickey Barnes’. This moment is not just a simple name change but a profound reflection on the symbolism of names and identity. While ‘Mickey’ is a number that could apply to many, ‘Mickey Barnes’ represents a singular, unique identity in the world. This highlights the significant meaning behind names — their symbolic and almost magical power. A parallel can be drawn to the Japanese animated film Spirited Away, where the protagonist Chihiro loses her name and, in regaining it, reclaims her true self, underscoring the importance of one’s identity.
In essence, Mickey 17 can be seen as a story about Mickey’s transformation from ‘Mickey 17’ into ‘Mickey Barnes’. The moment of this transition represents a shift from an entity that could belong to anyone to a distinct, individual being. The key to this transformation is a journey of self-discovery. Through the conflicts, challenges and events that unfold, Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 ultimately integrate into one unified self.
Through Mickey 17, Bong Joon-Ho challenges the audience to recognise the discrepancies and conflicts within themselves and poses the question of how we accept these parts of ourselves. How do we react when confronting the parts of ourselves that we dislike? Do we ignore or reject them or take them as part of who we are? The film invites us to reflect on our behaviour in the face of self-confrontation. Additionally, it leaves us wondering how we will respond the next time when we face the difficult task of accepting ourselves fully.