You are here:
Hole-in-law

Hole-in-law

2020

Director

Lee Sang-soo

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

An omnibus movie about the jealousy of a man who can't stand the fact that his favorite woman slept with another man in two episodes. Episode 1 At a drinking party led by Jae-hoon, movie director Sang-min meets Hye-jin. Sang-min compliments and sleeps with her favorite Hye-jin while watching her movie. The next morning, Hye-jin's friend Mina left early because of her job, Jae-hoon and Sang-min, who were watching a movie together in Hye-jin's bed are attracted by the atmosphere and curiosity and enjoy 2 to 1. Episode 2 Sang-min meets his school friend Ji-eun at the club. When his foreign friend James showed interest in Ji-eun, Sang-min suddenly became interested in Ji-eun. That night, Sang-min finds out that Ji-eun slept with James, and visits Ji-eun's house with complex emotions mixed with like, anger and jealousy and confesses that he likes her.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.0/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film focuses on heteronormative romantic jealousy and sexual encounters. While it explores non-traditional sexual dynamics like a 2-to-1 encounter, it lacks explicit LGBTQ+ identities or a queer lens.

Gender Representation

Fair

Female characters navigate sexual spaces with autonomy, disrupting conventional romantic tropes. However, the second episode's focus on male jealousy suggests a lingering attachment to traditional male emotional responses.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The inclusion of a foreign character, James, introduces a cross-cultural element. This presence serves as a catalyst for the protagonist's jealousy rather than a deep exploration of intercultural dynamics.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The narrative prioritizes individual impulse and interpersonal friction over traditional social or familial structures. It lacks a broader critique of systemic power dynamics, focusing instead on micro-level romance.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There are no visible or mentioned depictions of physical, neurodivergent, or mental health disabilities within the film.

Strengths

  • Disrupts conventional romantic tropes by centering female agency in sexual decision-making.
  • Deconstructs the monogamous ideal through depictions of casual sexual encounters.
  • Introduces cross-cultural elements via the inclusion of a foreign character.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit LGBTQ+ representation or a queer lens to critique heteronormativity.
  • Relies on traditional male emotional responses to female autonomy and sexual agency.
  • Uses intercultural presence primarily as a plot device for jealousy rather than deep exploration.

AI Analysis

Hole-in-law offers a fragmented look at modern interpersonal dynamics through an omnibus format. It succeeds in deconstructing the monogamous ideal by depicting casual sexual encounters and non-traditional group dynamics. However, the film remains tethered to conventional romantic conflict structures. While it explores sexual curiosity and female agency, the narrative often uses these elements to fuel traditional male jealousy and emotional responses. Ultimately, the film functions as a mid-range exploration of subjective morality. It provides brief cross-cultural moments but lacks deep systemic or identity-based representation.

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.