The film focuses on central romantic and political tensions between lead characters. It adheres to traditional romantic tropes and lacks significant LGBTQ+ characters or non-heteronormative identities.

Ga-hee disrupts the passive gisaeng archetype by exercising significant agency. She navigates high-stakes espionage and political maneuvering, acting as a tactical driver of the plot rather than a decorative figure.

Casting reflects the ethnic realities of the Japanese occupation. The narrative utilizes the friction between Korean and Japanese identities to explore themes of colonial hierarchy and power struggles.

The story explores moral relativism and survival under colonial rule. It portrays established institutions as corrupt and unstable, focusing on the struggle against oppressive, dominant power structures.

The narrative provides no discernible focus on visible or invisible disabilities. Disability is not utilized as a central theme or a meaningful part of the character arcs.