Exploring the Potential for Cognitive Development in University General Education: Bong Joon-ho’s Human Understanding and Creative Philosophy as Reflected in the Film Mickey 17

This study examines the human understanding and creative philosophy of internationally acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho as reflected in his film Mickey 17, and seeks to explore their educational implications by linking them to the potential for thinking development in university general education. For this purpose, more than 200 articles and materials related to Mickey 17 were comprehensively collected and screened in July 2025 using the keyword “Bong Joon-ho interview” on Naver and Google, and qualitatively analyzed as research data. The study finds that Mickey 17, through its storytelling of repeated deaths and hazardous labor, reveals negative realities such as social alienation, while simultaneously conveying a message of hope and restoration for both human dignity and human relationships. The study proposes that the film can serve as a valuable resource for fostering creative, critical, and ethical thinking in university general education, with practical applications in interdisciplinary classes, critical discussions, and creative production projects. Based on the findings of this study, Mickey 17 can be utilized within the framework of thinking development in university general education to explore teaching and learning strategies that reflect the human understanding and creative philosophy of world-renowned director Bong Joon-ho, and to examine its educational significance.