After you've watched a few films by Hong Sang-soo, you should know the general outline of what to expect: long, unbroken shots of long, unbroken conversations between characters (who are probably drinking alcohol), with very minimal movement on screen, a few recurring character types, and probably actress Kim Min-hee. But where a number of Hong's films tend to make excuses for its burdened, self-righteous artist characters, The Novelist's Film expresses not just a self-awareness of Hong's usual perspective but a sincere willingness to imagine something beyond himself. With one of the strongest screenplays he's had in a long time, unexpected new touches to his usual style, and a powerful lead performance by Lee Hye-young, the film manages to infuse a newfound sense of vitality and vulnerable emotion into tis familiar beats. There's plenty of humor and light tension to be found in the film's many conversations about the purpose of art—boiling things down to the most foundational reasons for why we make and respond to creative works in the first place. Whether you're a longterm fan or longterm skeptic of Hong's work, The Novelist's Film adds something undeniably new to his oeuvre.

The ending of The Novelist's Film is an incredibly moving culmination—not just of everything that had already been discussed during the film, but arguably of Hong's own filmography (though he's definitely only going to continue making more movies). But the way this story concludes really feels like the purest expression of love and purpose that the director could've come up with, all without claiming ownership over it but sending it out into the world as a sort of wish for what other filmmakers should aim for. The more you know about Hong's personal life and relationships, the better this ending gets. But even on its own, it's hard to deny its sweetness.