Hotel by the River

Hotel by the River

Directed by Hong Sang-soo

Produced by Jeonwonsa Film, Contents Panda

201996 min6.4 / 10

A contemplative, melancholic meditation on mortality, estrangement, and fleeting human connection set in a liminal hotel space.

An aging poet summons his estranged sons to the hotel he is staying at because he feels his death is near; meanwhile, he encounters two women staying at the hotel.

Questions people ask

  • Is Hotel by the River sad? Yes, very. More sad than 96% of films.

  • Is Hotel by the River violent? No. Less violent than 92% of films.

  • Is Hotel by the River scary? Barely. Less frightening than 76% of films.

  • Does Hotel by the River end with hope? Not especially. Less hopeful than 70% of films.

  • Is Hotel by the River easy watching? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

49/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity92

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise27

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love40

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Hotel by the River

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Hotel by the River

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Hotel by the River, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Hotel by the River, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Hotel by the River, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

Share thisXBlueskyReddit