Why did Sicily, the backdrop of the movie 'lend,' become the stronghold of the mafia? The tvN program 'Useless Knowledge of the Planet: Mediterranean' has richly revealed all its stories.

In the second episode of tvN's 'Useless Knowledge of the Planet: Mediterranean' (directed by Kim Ji-in), which aired on the 7th, the romantic ship 'Nangman Alseulho' officially embarked on its Mediterranean voyage, arriving at its first port of call, Sicily, where it presented deep and diverse stories tracing the emotions and history of Sicily, from the traces of the great writer Goethe to the filming locations of the movies and .

Poet Ahn Hee-yeon talked about her exploration of Sicily following the footsteps of German literary giant Goethe. Following excerpts from 'Italian Journey,' which he wrote while traveling through Italy, Ahn Hee-yeon visited the Greek theater in Taormina. Facing the same scenery where Goethe sat to describe the landscape 240 years ago, she expressed a profound emotion as if she were directly in touch with the master's gaze and feelings. The grand view, visible behind the semicircular auditorium, where the Mediterranean Sea, Mount Etna, and the town of Taormina can all be seen at a glance, was beautifully tear-inducing. Ahn Hee-yeon shared her thoughts, noting, "Like Goethe, this journey made me reflect on how deeply nourishing it can be for a person's life."

Similarly, Yoo Hyun-jun, who also visited the ancient theater in Taormina, pointed out that it is located at the top of a fortress that requires a lot of labor and capital. He explained that "you can tell what values a society holds dear by looking at what building is on the highest point of a city." The fact that a theater, rather than a temple or royal palace, was built in that prominent location is an important architectural clue showing how democratic the society was at that time. In particular, he analyzed that the circular theater, while concentrating attention on the figures on stage, also allows the audience to look down on the stage, sharing power and reflecting the communal nature that made collective emotion possible in ancient Greek citizen-centered society.

Following the story of poet Ahn Hee-yeon, who encountered Sicily through Goethe's journey in literature, actress Bae Doona and director Han Dong-il turned their gaze to Sicily depicted in film. Upon arriving in the small town of Savoca, where the wedding scene in the movie 'lend' was filmed, Bae Doona expressed her excitement, saying, "The Sicily in the movie was so beautiful that I wanted to see it in person." She then strolled along the street where the protagonist of 'lend' marched, enjoying the tranquil village scenery.

The history of how Sicily came to be called the 'home of the mafia' was also interestingly unfolded. Sicily, a strategic hub in the Mediterranean, has endured numerous invasions by foreign powers for about 2,000 years. In this historical context, the survival centered around family was prioritized over the state or institutions, leading to the emergence of unofficial organizations that assumed protection and control within the community, namely the mafia. However, unlike the portrayal in films as an admirable organization that preserves family and honor, the mafia organized as a criminal entity in the 1860s, expanding its influence through extortion, gambling, and drugs, establishing a system governed more by power and fear than by law. Kim Sang-wook emphasized that "the mafia is an organization that should be eliminated" and drew attention by sharing the story of how the Vatican excluded the mafia from the community.

The movie 'Malena' is also set in Sicily. This film is famous for scenes where men are captivated by Malena (Monica Bellucci)'s beauty, rushing to light her cigarettes. Regarding the scene where Malena is subjected to witch-hunting, Han Dong-il recalled the story of the adulterous woman in the Gospel of John and Jesus, saying, "What society needs now is the moment when misery meets mercy." He also introduced the Franca Viola case, which occurred in Sicily. This incident, where a victim was raped by the son of the mafia and, despite societal pressure at the time, rejected the 'rehabilitative marriage' that reflected the contemporary view of restoring lost purity by marrying the perpetrator, became a turning point for changing awareness of women's rights, resonating with the spirit of the Sicilian legal code where the concept of equality before the law first emerged.

Thus, from Goethe's footsteps to the movies 'lend' and 'Malena,' the discussions in 'Useless Knowledge of the Planet' about Sicily provided a fulfilling time, achieving the highest viewership rating of 2049 and ranking first for two consecutive weeks in the same time slot across cable and general programming channels. (provided by Nielsen Korea, based on paid households)

tvN's 'Useless Knowledge of the Planet: Mediterranean' airs every Monday at 10:10 p.m.

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