Life of Hae-oak

In this film, the protagonist's journey through failure and effort feels like a reflection of life itself. The narrative plays on the irony that effort doesn't always guarantee success, and sometimes, the harder you try, the further you fall. The protagonist puts in countless hours and energy, only to face repeated setbacks. This journey becomes a commentary on how society values perseverance but often overlooks the emotional toll it takes. The mother's belief that hard work never betrays resonates with many of us, but the film shows how this belief can sometimes be destructive. The protagonist's continuous failure forces the audience to question the meritocracy we live in, where hard work is supposedly rewarded. The film also touches on the complex emotional dynamics between family expectations and personal ambitions. As the protagonist continues to fail despite all her hard work, the movie challenges the viewer to reconsider the relationship between effort and success, leaving a lasting impression on the futility of blind persistence.

Infusing hope can sometimes be psychological torture. The clearest example of this is in this exam thriller. - The scene of a small compact car climbing a snow-covered hill was the best metaphor for the youth of this era.

It's been a year since the exam ended, but I still haven't taken down the post-it note from my window. When asked if I cried after the results, I said I was just glad I didn't have to tell my mother I'd failed. So many of the images I'd envisioned for myself appeared in the movie.

The genre is definitely horror. A name hidden under desire.

Civil service exams and casinos are always fair. The news only ever shows those who have succeeded, never revealing the ugly truths behind most cases.

The tension between the protagonist and her mother is the emotional crux of the film. The mother's unwavering belief in her daughter's potential and the daughter's internalized pressure to meet those expectations create a dynamic that is both relatable and heartbreaking. The film captures this familial pressure with incredible nuance, highlighting the complexities of love and expectation. As the protagonist struggles to meet her mother's high hopes, the emotional toll becomes increasingly evident. The mother's well-intentioned words of encouragement begin to feel like shackles around the protagonist's neck, tightening with each failure. What makes this dynamic so compelling is the realism with which it is portrayed; there are no villains here, just a family caught in the web of societal pressures. The film also delves into the larger theme of how generational expectations can create rifts between parents and children. The burden of living up to one's family's dreams can be overwhelming, and the film does a masterful job of showing the emotional weight that this carries. It's a poignant and thought-provoking examination of family, love, and the crushing burden of expectation.

Hope is often depicted as something positive and uplifting, but this film takes a different approach. Here, hope is not a beacon of light but a psychological trap. The protagonist clings desperately to the hope of passing her bar exams, believing that success will bring validation and relief. However, as the movie unfolds, it becomes clear that this hope is slowly destroying her. Every failure chips away at her self-worth, and the hope that once motivated her turns into an unbearable burden. The film portrays the suffocating weight of hope that is never fulfilled, showing how it can lead to despair rather than empowerment. The oppressive atmosphere, marked by tight, claustrophobic spaces and the constant reminder of her impending exams, intensifies the protagonist's torment. The audience is drawn into her spiral of anxiety and hopelessness, making the film an intense emotional experience. This exploration of hope as both a motivator and a source of pain is what sets this film apart, forcing viewers to rethink their own relationship with hope and ambition.

On top of the victims' corpses created by greed, again. The movie begins by showing a pigsty. Pigs. Bar exam students. A pigsty boarding house. Premium Korean pork. This is one of the best metaphors in recent movies. The view outside the window, which the mother first saw when she visited the house, was likely filled with hope for her daughter's future, a future that would also serve as a source of pride in her old age. That's why she kept giving her all, even as it drained her. The real estate agent who showed the house, along with others, is a character who deceives people for his own gain. He now drives a foreign car. The chaotic scene shown at the end of the epilogue calls to mind the initial confusion, creating a wonderful full-circle moment. The scene feels like a lair and a mass grave for the previous pigs. After watching the movie, the biggest question that lingers is, "What did Rael see in the fridge?" Considering that the fridge is where pork-pig corpses-are stored, the inside of the fridge likely mirrors the chaos at the beginning and end of the movie. The young boss emphasizes persistence and not giving up, but in reality, his actions are empty, hoping for luck. His behavior overlaps with that of Rael's mother. Thus, Rael's outburst towards the boss is also meant for her mother.