Symbolism

This story is so successful because of its use of symbols. The following symbols, events and themes were essential to the meaning of the film:

• Blood: A constant motif throughout the film is blood--bloody bag, bloody fish and bloody hands to be exact. The blood represents Su-yeon's symbolic blood on Su-mi's hands. Su-mi blames herself for her sister's death and feels that Su-yeon's blood is always on her hands. Because of this, she keeps imagining scenarios in which she has to save her sister. This symbol is further highlighted when Su-mi's psychiatrist constantly washes his hands.

• Menstraution: At one point in the film, Su-yeon, Su-mi and Eun-joo all begin their menstraul cycles at the same time. This hints to the audience that they are all the same person.

• Kitchen scene: A very shocking scene in the film is when Eun-joo's brother's wife begins convulsing on the floor and later sees a ghost beneath the sink. Although many believe the woman is experiencing a seizure, I think that she is experiencing Su-yeon's death. This can be seen in the emphasis on her trembling hand. The same emphasis is seen in the end during Su-yeon's death. In addition, the girl beneath the sink represents Su-yeon, who is in a cramped space symbolizing how she died in a cramped space.

• Long-haired ghost: Long-haired ghosts star in both the kitchen scene described above as well as a dream scene involving Su-mi. While Su-yeon had short hair, she is portrayed as having long, dark hair as a ghost. According to Asian studies student Husani Wallace, the girl is shown like this because Asian societies portray female ghosts as vengeful, long-haired women.