You are here:
The Golden Holiday

The Golden Holiday

2020

Director

Kim Bong-han

Runtime

106 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

A laid-back countryside detective Byung-su takes his family to the Philippines for his 10th wedding anniversary. In fact, his hidden agenda is to track down his old friend Yong-bae who scammed him and got away a few years ago. In Manila, Byung-su finds Yong-bae in prison for murder, and hears about the case surrounding 'Yamashita’s Gold'. Swayed by a share of the Gold that Yong-bae offers, Byung-su suddenly becomes embroiled in the case.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.2/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The story centers on a traditional tenth wedding anniversary. There is no evidence of non-cisnormative identities or narratives that critique heteronormativity.

Gender Representation

Fair

The plot focuses on a male protagonist and his pursuit of a male peer. It follows a traditional male-driven action-comedy framework without subverting gender hierarchies.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The Manila setting facilitates a cross-cultural encounter between Korean protagonists and a Philippine locale. This international backdrop provides a platform for ethnic blending.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Limited

The narrative leans toward genre tropes of greed and retribution. It prioritizes character-driven morality over systemic critiques of power or institutions.

Disability Representation

Minimal

The film contains no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Strengths

  • The Manila setting provides a foundation for cross-cultural interaction and ethnic diversity.
  • The international backdrop allows for a shift from local Korean settings to a global urban environment.

Areas for Improvement

  • The narrative relies heavily on traditional masculine-driven action-comedy tropes.
  • The story lacks representation of non-cisnormative identities or diverse gender hierarchies.
  • The plot focuses on individual greed rather than exploring broader systemic or cultural critiques.

AI Analysis

The Golden Holiday operates primarily within the confines of conventional genre expectations. It prioritizes a character-centric crime-comedy plot over the disruption of social or identity-based hierarchies. While the international setting in Manila offers potential for cross-cultural engagement, the narrative drivers remain rooted in traditional masculine pursuits. The focus on personal vendettas and material wealth keeps the story within established tropes. Ultimately, the film maintains a traditional domestic and social structure, offering little in the way of progressive representation or systemic deconstruction.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.