Yeon Sang-ho's Revelation, a Thriller Delving into the Dangerous Border Between Belief and Blind Faith

The Boundary Between Human Belief and Blind Faith

Humans live by believing in something. Religion, people, oneself... Beliefs provide direction in life and serve as pillars that support our identity. However, when those beliefs become excessive and turn into blind faith, the inner self begins to be consumed by distorted interpretations and emotions. The 2025 Netflix film 'Revelations' is a thriller that delves into the dangerous boundaries between faith and blind faith.

Main Characters and Storyline

Ryu Jun-yeol plays a pastor named Sung Min-chan who believes in a 'divine revelation' after his son goes missing. He is convinced that punishing a former sex offender is 'God's will.' On the other hand, Shin Hyun-bin takes on the role of detective Lee Yeon-hee, who is trapped by the death of her younger sister and pursues the truth of the missing person's case. The film depicts how these two characters' inner selves crumble as they seek 'faith.'

Self-affirmation in the name of belief

The core of the Book of Revelation is 'visions'. Seong Min-chan interprets God's revelations through clouds, light, and symbols. It initially appears to be faith, but gradually leans towards 'confirmation bias'. The psychological tendency to find meaning in random stimuli (apophenia) is an instinct to seek comfort by borrowing faith in sorrow. The problem is that this belief grows internally without external validation, blurring the boundaries with reality and justifying one's actions as 'divine commands'.

Meaning of Dark Lighting and Symbolism

Dim lighting, eerie sounds, and religious symbols constantly provoke the question, 'Is this a genuine revelation or an illusion?' The 'Revelation' demonstrates that faith is not merely a religious act, but a deep psychological self-verification and a mechanism of emotion.

Psychological Structure of Trauma and Beliefs

Seong Min-chan tries to overcome past wounds through 'divine revelation,' while Lee Yeon-hee cannot escape the memory of her deceased sister. Lee Yeon-hee also experiences visions, but her visions force her to confront herself, transforming into a will to approach the truth of the events. The director presents how faith operates through these two characters.

Two Ways of Relative Belief

One is reflection and recovery based on 'memory,' while the other is a mechanism that interprets 'meaningless external signals' to protect oneself. The film demonstrates that faith can be used as a tool to overcome trauma, or it can devolve into an escape from reality.

Conflict between religious authority and ethics

Seong Min-chan is not just an individual but a pastor. He speaks of morality from the pulpit, yet in reality, he commits brutal violence and engages in personal retribution that exceeds legal and ethical standards. He believes that it is the will of God and sanctifies his crimes. The Book of Revelation sharply examines how religious authority can paralyze an individual's ethical judgment.

Critique of Institutionalized Beliefs

Min-chan's violence reveals how institutionalized belief systems can undermine an individual's morality and reasoning, transcending the issues of specific religions. This connects with the themes of religious fanaticism and the corruption of institutions that director Yeon Sang-ho has explored in his previous works.

The boundary between faith and blind faith

The shocking scene in the Revelation is that Seong Min-chan never truly repents for his actions. He is completely convinced that everything is 'divine providence' and completely shuts down communication with others. Blind faith possesses a closed nature that makes communication with others impossible.

The Pinnacle of Film: Negative Outcomes

Director Yeon Sang-ho sets this point as the pinnacle of the film. For faith to become a pathway for self-reflection and recovery, it must be an organic belief that connects with others. However, blind faith leads one to remain content within their own revelations while rejecting the suffering of others or objective ethics.

Conclusion: The Self that Questions Beliefs

The Revelation is not simply a film that criticizes religious fanaticism. It is a philosophical narrative that shows what humans believe in times of suffering and how that belief conflicts with reality. Faith is power, but that power has direction through interpretation. Incorrect interpretation becomes blind faith, and that blind faith destroys not only others but also oneself.