Is there anything more uncomfortable than introducing yourself to the in-laws?

In his book Tale of cinema, critic Dennis Lim points out the importance of hotels in the cinema of Hong Sangsoo, as if his characters were unconsciously gravitating towards spaces they cannot make their own. In recent times, however, the filmmaker has become increasingly interested in habitable locations, such as the finca d'Up There or, most notably, the large family home that, at the beginning of What Does This Nature Tell You?, awakens the admiration of the young poet Donghwa. His girlfriend Junhee explains that it was her father who built it and, curious, Donghwa approaches the door to contemplate it better, precipitating the accidental encounter with her in-laws, who invite him to spend a day with them that will turn out to be equally revealing and humiliating.

As if it were a monster from classic cinema, Hong doses the presentation of the house, turning it into a welcoming labyrinth in which the protagonist gets lost. The awkward introduction to her parents, an infallible engine in the tradition of comedy, leads to one of the director's leitmotifs: the alcohol-fueled after-dinner conversation where the characters' frictions, prejudices, and expectations become tangible. It is in moments like these that the discreet Korean giant most eloquently expresses one of the keys to his cinematic project, which consists of defining the stormy and, at times, moving complexity contained even in the most mediocre individuals.

[Consult the VOSCat screenings at this link]