Secrets In The Hot Spring is a Taiwanese Horror Comedy film by Kuan-Hui Lin.
Qie Xiaogin (Chang Ting-hu) is a young man who's still stuck in High School at 20 years old, and has been transferred to his third one in his fifth year. While there, he ends up saving Hsu "Little Princess" Lu-Tian (Sing Hom) from a Gang of Bullies, rumours soon start to spread that they're gay for each other.
Qie then gets a notification that draws him to the "OO Hotel", a rundown family-owned hotel up in the mountains. Classmates Hsu Lu-Tian and Lu Qun (He-Hsuan Lin) end up tagging along, much to his chagrin, and end up meeting Qie's grandparents Qie Gao (Kar-Ying Law) and Mao Xihua (Mimi Chu). The three decide to spend a few days there.
Soon, however, strange things start happening in the hotel, and the three come to the conclusion that it must be haunted.
The film was released on July 6th, 2018.
Secrets In The Hot Spring contains examples of:
- The Alcoholic: After Qie's father died of a heart attack, Qie's mom took to drinking. Played for Laughs, as it just shows her constantly drinking from a booze bottle, even when doing things like riding her bicycle.
- Cat Scare: At one point, what looks like the head of a Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl is pressed against a window, frightening the trio. One of them shines a light on it... and it's revealed to be a mop.
- Censor Box: In a television interview, the man being interviewed is shown with one of these over his eyes. However, when he moves his head, the bar stays in place, basically exposing his whole face to the show's viewing public.
- Embarrassing Ringtone: Qie's ringtone, a bouncing ball, comes off as this when his phone starts ringing in class.
- Faint in Shock: Some character, such as Qie Gao and Lu Qun, are prone to doing this.
- Free Wheel: While Qie is walking to school, someone tries to ride alongside him on a bicycle, but ends up falling down. After the next cut, a wheel from the bike rolls past Qie, despite both wheels still being attached to the bike beforehand.
- Get Out!: Qie orders Lu to do this when they're in the old hotel (now used for storage).
- Happier Home Movie: Qie finds a camcorder in the old hotel (now used as a storage house) containing a video of him and his parents when they were alive and he was young.
- Held Back in School: Qie's aunt reminds him about how he's still in High School at 20 years of age.
- Insistent Terminology: Qie's grandparents insist that there's no froth and scum in the hotel's spring. They're "medicinal herbs".
- Jumpscare: Happens to Hsu in the hot spring when a hand bursts out in front of him.
- Light-Flicker Teleportation: When Qie, Hsu, and Lu are on the train together, the latter two are on a seat behind him. After the train passes through a short tunnel, they're seen sitting in Qie's booth, much to his shock.
- Mistaken for Gay: After saving Hsu Lian from a Gang of Bullies in the bathroom, rumours spread around the school via social media of the two being gay lovers. Turns out, neither one is gay. And Bat, whom Hsu wants to be friends with again, is a girl.
- New Transfer Student: Qie is revealed as this at the start of the movie, being introduced to his classmates by the teacher.
- Rule of Pool: While trying to fish his grandfather's body out of the hot spring, Qie pushes Lu Qun into it.
- Samus Is a Girl: Near the end of the movie, Hsu reveals that Bat, the guy who's always picking on him, is actually a girl.
- "Scooby-Doo" Hoax: Turns out, the hotel isn't haunted. Qie's grandparents were pretending to haunt the place because Qie once suggested adding ghosts to it to drum up business. They decided to try it out with Qie and his friends.
- The Scrooge: Qie's grandparents. They refuse to hire help they have to pay, they filled the hotel with coin-operated devices, and charge exorbitant prices for using towels.
- Ship Tease: There is a ton of intentional, genuine moments that seem to hint at Hsu and Qie being a contender for a couple at the end of the movie, including them holding hands, and Hsu trying to protect Qie during the movie's climax. Alas, nothing comes out of it, as neither of them are gay.
- Shout-Out: At the start of the movie, when Qie Xiaogin is working at a Haunted House attraction, he's dressed as Chucky.
- Sitting on the Roof: After the rumours about Qie and Hsu have spread, Qie is seen eating lunch on the school roof.
- Sleeps with Both Eyes Open: Lu Qun. It creeps Qie out, and he tries to close them, but they keep snapping back open.
- Tempting Fate: While holding candles for protection, Lu Qun reminds Hsu Lian that the important thing is to keep the candles lit... his promptly goes out thanks to a leaky ceiling he hadn't noticed before.
- We Used to Be Friends: Hsu Lu-Tian reveals that he and Bat used to be friends long ago. However, Bat became a bully in eighth grade, and Hsu wanted to rekindle their friendship ever since.
