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Going by the Book

Name: Going by the Book
Director: Ra Hee-chan
Released: 2007
Duration: 102 min

Representation Score

1.4/10

Minimal

2007

Director

Ra Hee-chan

Runtime

102 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Going by the Book operates as a conventional South Korean action-comedy. It prioritizes genre clichés, such as situational irony and comedic timing, over exploring diverse identities. The film's structure reinforces existing institutional roles rather than challenging them. The setting is highly localized and homogeneous, focusing on a municipal police department. This narrow scope results in a lack of diverse representation across gender, race, and sexual orientation. Ultimately, the film functions as a traditional genre piece that maintains social and institutional norms rather than deconstructing systemic power dynamics.

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Category Breakdown

Does Going by the Book have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or stories that question the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender. It focuses on a police procedural setting that follows traditional social structures.

How does Going by the Book portray gender?

Limited

The story centers on a male-dominated police office where character dynamics revolve around masculine archetypes of authority and professional duty without challenging gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Going by the Book?

Limited

The cast and setting reflect ethnic homogeneity typical of a local South Korean production. There is no evidence of multicultural casting or race-bending.

How does Going by the Book represent religion and culture?

Limited

The narrative examines institutional order through a comedic lens. It emphasizes social stability and institutional conduct rather than critiquing broader cultural or capitalist structures.

Does Going by the Book include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the film's narrative.

Present on Screen

The film offers a focused, cohesive look at the internal dynamics of a South Korean police department.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.
The cast is ethnically homogeneous, offering little racial or multicultural variety.
Gender dynamics are limited to masculine archetypes of authority within a male-dominated setting.

Official Synopsis

The chief of Sampo City Police Office, Seung-u, organizes a simulation of a bank robbery, but a by-the-book cop gets too caught up in the role playing in which the simulation doesn't go the way he had anticipated.

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