8.3
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
A Bittersweet Life (2005)
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Center
Viewer Rating
Rating: 8.3
Overview
Kim Sun-woo is an enforcer and manager for a hotel owned by a cold, calculative crime boss, Kang who assigns Sun-woo to a simple errand while he is away on a business trip; to shadow his young mistress, Hee-soo, for fear that she may be cheating on him with a younger man with the mandate that he must kill them both if he discovers their affair.
Starring Cast
Bias Dimensions
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Buddhism: Positive
Overview
Kim Sun-woo is an enforcer and manager for a hotel owned by a cold, calculative crime boss, Kang who assigns Sun-woo to a simple errand while he is away on a business trip; to shadow his young mistress, Hee-soo, for fear that she may be cheating on him with a younger man with the mandate that he must kill them both if he discovers their affair.
Starring Cast
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Center
Primary
The film's core conflict centers on personal loyalty, betrayal, and revenge within a criminal underworld, which are inherently apolitical themes. It focuses on individual choices and their tragic consequences rather than advocating for any specific political ideology or offering a societal solution.
This South Korean film features an entirely Korean cast and setting, reflecting its cultural origin without engaging in explicit race or gender swaps of roles traditionally associated with other ethnicities. The narrative focuses on themes of loyalty and revenge within a crime syndicate, and does not incorporate explicit DEI critiques of traditional identities or social structures.
Secondary
The film portrays Buddhism as a source of profound philosophical insight and a sanctuary for contemplation. The monk's dialogue offers a reflective counterpoint to the protagonist's violent life, aligning the narrative with themes of suffering and the search for meaning.
The film "A Bittersweet Life" does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes within its narrative. The storyline primarily focuses on a mob enforcer's conflict with his boss, with no elements related to queer identity or experiences present in the plot or character arcs.
A Bittersweet Life does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The film's plot is entirely centered on a crime drama involving loyalty, betrayal, and revenge within a criminal organization, with no elements related to transgender identity.
The film primarily focuses on male characters engaged in combat. The main female character, Hee-soo, is a cellist and is not depicted participating in any physical fights. There are no other significant female characters shown in combat roles.
A Bittersweet Life is an original film with characters created specifically for this production. There is no prior source material, historical record, or previous installment from which characters' genders could have been established differently and then altered.
This film is an original South Korean production with an original screenplay. Its characters were created specifically for this movie and do not have prior established racial identities from source material, previous installments, or historical records. Therefore, no race swaps occurred.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.5
7.4
Critic Ratings
10.0
N/A
More Like This
Leans Progressive
8.0
The Age of Shadows
(2016)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Center
7.0
Inside Men
(2015)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.0
Emergency Declaration
(2022)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Center
7.0
On the Line
(2021)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Center
7.6
I Saw the Devil
(2010)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Progressive
7.7
Deliver Us from Evil
(2020)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Positive
Leans Traditional
7.1
Friend
(2001)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Center
7.3
A Tale of Two Sisters
(2003)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Progressive
6.8
Ashfall
(2019)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
7.7
Concrete Utopia
(2023)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
Center
7.7
The City of Violence
(2006)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Traditional
7.6
The Swordsman
(2020)
Political: Leans Right
Diversity: Moderate
Center
7.0
The Last Witness
(1980)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Low
Center
6.7
The Divine Move
(2014)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Traditional
7.3
Going by the Book
(2007)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Leans Traditional
7.8
The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil
(2019)
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Center
8.1
Oldboy
(2003)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Leans Progressive
8.5
Memories of Murder
(2003)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Center
7.7
Escape from Mogadishu
(2021)
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Progressive
7.0
Brave Citizen
(2023)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: Moderate
Female Combat: Yes