The film contains no evidence of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities. The narrative focuses on traditional familial structures under extreme duress.

Koppun serves as the central pillar of her family, acting as the primary economic provider. She demonstrates significant agency and resilience while managing her family's survival amidst male absence.

The story critiques colonial power dynamics by depicting a Korean family under Japanese imperial occupation. The protagonist's struggle is tied directly to her ethnic identity and national loss.

The film explores the collapse of traditional social stability due to external imperial forces. It portrays a family unit struggling against an oppressive, occupying institution.

Disability is a central component of the family's socioeconomic struggle through the character of the blind sister. This highlights the lived realities of physical impairment within marginalized communities.