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True Fiction

Name: True Fiction
Director: Kim Jin-mook
Released: 2018
Duration: 103 min

Representation Score

4.0/10

Limited

2018

Director

Kim Jin-mook

Runtime

103 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

True Fiction is a localized crime thriller that emphasizes socio-political tension over identity-based representation. The narrative focuses on the moral decay of the political elite and the corruption inherent in established power structures. While the film lacks diversity across LGBTQ+, racial, and gender spectrums, it excels in deconstructing the facade of respectable institutions. It uses a framework of moral relativism to blur the lines between victim and perpetrator. Ultimately, the film serves as a study of class and political corruption rather than a platform for storytelling that reflects multiple aspects of identity.

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Category Breakdown

Does True Fiction have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film doesn't include any explicit LGBTQ+ characters or stories involving non-straight relationships. It focuses on a traditional heterosexual romance without exploring queer narratives.

How does True Fiction portray gender?

Fair

The story revolves around a male character dealing with a moral dilemma. Female characters play crucial roles but are confined to traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is True Fiction?

Fair

As a South Korean production, the cast is made up of actors from a single ethnic background. The film concentrates on internal class and political issues without featuring diverse ethnicities.

How does True Fiction represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative provides a nuanced look at systemic corruption. It challenges the portrayal of political authority and the sanctity of the family through a critique of power structures.

Does True Fiction include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities. The film does not depict any neurodivergence, physical disabilities, or mental health conditions.

Present on Screen

Offers a sophisticated critique of systemic political corruption and the decay of the elite.
Employs a complex moral structure that avoids simplistic distinctions between victim and perpetrator.

Limited or Absent

Doesn't represent LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight narratives.
Female characters are confined to traditional roles that support the male protagonist's journey.
The cast is ethnically uniform, focusing solely on a single national context.

Official Synopsis

Thanks to his 3rd term congressman father-in-law, Kyung-suk is a strong candidate to become the next mayor. In order to hide his father-in-law's slush fund, he heads toward a cottage that is under his wife’s name. He arrives there with his mistress Ji-young only to be greeted by a young man named Soon-tae who claims to be the groundskeeper of the cottage. Kyung-suk is nervous that his affair might be exposed and all he wants to do is hide the money and get out but he is framed for drunk driving and robbery, and gets into a hit-and-run accident. Out of desperation, he tries to flee but Soon-tae approaches him and mentions his congressman father-in-law and his wife, as if it was part of his plan, and drags Kyung-suk into a corner...

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