The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well

In Seoul the lives of four people touch each other. Hyo-sup is a writer who cannot get established; he finishes nothing and finds no money. Bo-kyung is married and having an affair with him. Her husband Dong-woo is constantly away on business and notices nothing. Min-jae is a young woman who sells tickets at a cinema and has attached herself to Hyo-sup. All four move around the same city on the same day without knowing about each other, and by the end of it an event ties them together. This is Hong Sang-soo's first film. The narrative is divided into four sections, each following one character; the same events repeat from different angles. The method he would develop in later films is established here. The title comes from a John Cheever story of the same name. Song Kang-ho appears in an early role. The film won the Tiger Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival. Who it's for: Viewers who like Hong Sang-soo, Korean independent cinema, and multi-perspective structures. Who it's not for: None of the characters is likeable and the narrative is cold. The violence in the final section is also unexpectedly harsh.