[Opinion] Samaria

Samaria is the capital of ancient Israel located adjacent to the center of Palestine. Before Christ, Samarians, who could not avoid migration and intermarriage due to Assyria’s colonial policy, were excluded and despised by Jews. However, they believe themselves to be descendents of Israel and assert that they are the only people holding the perfect Bible, the Torah. Samarians are still living in Sagem, Israel, with their own distinct lifestyle and traditions.

The Bible often mentions Samarians. A mugged Jew was left alone on the street. While everyone is looking away from him, a Samarian treats his injury and takes him to an inn. The next day, the Samarian asks the innkeeper to take care of the Jew and leaves, telling him, “If it costs more, I will pay it back on my way home.” Good Samaritan laws, stipulating that people turning their face away from people in danger, despite no damage, should be punished, come from this case.

Another Samarian has become a symbol of person being able to thank. Even though Jesus treated 10 lepers, only the Samarian thanked him and God, throwing himself down on his knees. Jesus says to himself, “Where are other nine people?” Jesus, what is more, rescues a Samarian woman at the side of a well, saying “those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty.” She was the woman who has had five husbands and lived with an adulterer.

Director Kim Ki-duk, the alien of the Korean film society, won the best director award for “Samaria (Samarian Girl),” a film portraying a high school girl’s sexual exploitation. “People make mistakes and commit sins. Their judge, however, should be God, not man. I wanted to say that men should just forgive and understand each other.” Kim explained his film, which has the motif of “the Samarian woman at the well” rescued by Jesus. His life, which has built his distinct film style in spite of ceaseless barriers, lack of educational background, and temptations by the mainstream, also reminds us of the Samarian.

Editorial Writer Oh Myung-chul, oscar@donga.com