school rivalry

His films like 'The Flowers of War' and 'Curse of the Golden Flower' explore intense institutional hierarchies and competitive power dynamics within closed educational and social systems.

His works including 'Parasite' and earlier films dissect class conflict and social stratification that mirror competitive school environments and institutional rivalry.

His social realist films like 'Kes' deeply examine school systems, peer conflict, and the rivalry between students and authority figures within educational institutions.