Decision to Leave

Decision to Leave

Year: 2022

Runtime: 138 min

Language: Korean

Director: Chan-wook Park

Echo Score: 80

Budget: $10M

DramaMysteryThrillerRomanceCrime

A detective investigates a man's death after he falls from a mountain in South Korea. As he delves deeper into the case, he becomes increasingly drawn to the deceased's mysterious widow, Seo-rae. His pursuit of the truth becomes dangerously intertwined with his own emotions, blurring the lines between professional duty and personal obsession, and leading him down a path where discerning fact from deception proves increasingly difficult.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Decision to Leave (2022)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Decision to Leave (2022). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The timeline in the movie shifts between Hae-Jun's investigations and his personal life, capturing moments of tension and emotional turmoil. It reflects contemporary life, focusing on themes of love, betrayal, and regret in a modern context.

Location

Busan, Ipo

Busan is a vibrant city in South Korea known for its beaches, mountains, and bustling port. It serves as a backdrop for the movie's intense drama and investigations. Ipo represents a quieter life for Hae-Jun, contrasting with the tumultuous events of Busan.

🌆 City ⛰️ Mountain

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:05

Main Characters – Decision to Leave (2022)

Meet the key characters of Decision to Leave (2022), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Hae-Jun (Teo Yoo)

Hae-Jun is an insomniac detective torn between his dedication to the law and his emotional entanglements. His obsession with Seo-Rae reveals his vulnerabilities, showcasing a man trapped by love and professional ethics.

🕵️ Detecitve 💔 Love 😔 Insomnia

Seo-Rae (Wei Tang)

Seo-Rae is a complex character with a troubled past, balancing her experiences as a caregiver and her tumultuous relationships. Her actions raise questions about morality, as she navigates love, loss, and her clandestine schemes.

👩‍⚕️ Caregiver 🕵️‍♀️ Deception 💔 Love

Ki Do-Soo (Seung-mok Yoo)

Ki Do-Soo is a retired immigration officer whose mysterious death sets the investigation into motion. His hidden corruptions and personal struggles are revealed gradually, complicating the web of relationships surrounding him.

🕵️ Investigation 📜 Corruption 😞 Tragedy

Jung-An (Jung-hyun Lee)

Jung-An is Hae-Jun's wife, representing a life of stability amidst her husband's chaos. Her suspicions about Hae-Jun's affair showcase the strain of their relationship as they navigate love, trust, and betrayal.

💍 Marriage 😟 Suspicion 💔 Heartbreak

Im Ho-Shin (Yong-woo Park)

Im Ho-Shin is a business tycoon with a turbulent relationship with Seo-Rae. His dark secrets and threats create a pivotal twist in the narrative, linking him directly to the unfolding events.

💼 Business ⚖️ Controversy 😞 Tragic

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:05

Major Themes – Decision to Leave (2022)

Explore the central themes of Decision to Leave (2022), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️‍♂️ Mystery

The film revolves around a mysterious death that triggers an investigation, unraveling layers of deception. It explores how obsession can cloud judgment and lead to moral ambiguities, captivating the audience with unexpected twists.

❤️ Forbidden Love

At the heart of the story is an intense connection between Hae-Jun and Seo-Rae, marked by secrecy and longing. Their relationship challenges societal norms and personal integrity, raising questions about loyalty and passion.

⚖️ Justice

The pursuit of truth drives the narrative as Hae-Jun grapples with his role as a detective and the burdens of love. The complexities of justice become evident as he uncovers uncomfortable truths that impact his relationships.

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:05

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Obsessive and Melancholic Thrillers like Decision to Leave

Thrillers where professional obsession blurs dangerously into personal ruin.Movies like Decision to Leave that explore the dangerous overlap between professional duty and personal obsession. If you enjoyed the film's moody atmosphere and the slow-burn psychological tension of a detective falling for a suspect, you'll find similar stories of fatal attraction and moral collapse here.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a protagonist, often a detective or investigator, who becomes emotionally entangled with their subject. The investigation becomes a conduit for their own loneliness or desires, leading to a blurring of reality and deception, and ultimately, a tragic outcome born from this inextricable bond.

Why These Movies?

They are grouped by their shared focus on psychological obsession over physical action, a consistently melancholic tone, and a narrative structure that prioritizes emotional decay over simple mystery resolution. The experience is defined by a heavy, atmospheric sense of dread and doomed romance.

Fatal Attraction Crime Dramas like Decision to Leave

Stories where a criminal investigation becomes a web of desire and deception.Similar crime dramas to Decision to Leave centered on a dangerous romantic entanglement within an investigation. These films feature charismatic but ambiguous suspects, detectives grappling with moral ambiguity, and a pervasive sense of deception that makes the pursuit of truth a deeply personal and devastating endeavor.

fatal attractionmoral ambiguitydeceptionanxiousdreamlikecrimeromantic tensionlonely

Narrative Summary

The plot is driven by a charismatic and enigmatic suspect who captivates the investigator. The traditional 'whodunit' framework is used to explore themes of trust, betrayal, and fatal attraction. The resolution often leaves the protagonist emotionally shattered, having lost their objective footing and often the person they became obsessed with.

Why These Movies?

They share a core narrative device: using a crime investigation as the setting for a destructive romance. The mood is consistently anxious and dreamlike, with a focus on moral ambiguity and the emotional fallout of crossing professional lines. The pacing is deliberate, building the central relationship with exquisite tension.

Unlock the Full Story of Decision to Leave

Don't stop at just watching — explore Decision to Leave in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Decision to Leave is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Decision to Leave Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Decision to Leave, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Decision to Leave Summary

Decision to Leave Timeline

Track the full timeline of Decision to Leave with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Decision to Leave Timeline

Decision to Leave Ending Explained

What really happened at the end of Decision to Leave? This detailed ending explained page breaks down final scenes, hidden clues, and alternate interpretations with expert analysis and viewer theories.

Decision to Leave Ending Explained

Decision to Leave Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Decision to Leave that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Decision to Leave Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Decision to Leave

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Decision to Leave: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Decision to Leave

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