Confessions of a Film Junkie: A Review of “I’m a Cyborg, but
that’s okay”
By: Brian Cotnoir
South Korean Director
Park Chan-wook’s 2006 Romantic-Comedy, “I’m a Cyborg, but that’s Okay” is one
of the most unique, bizarre, and enjoyable films I’ve seen in a long time. I know I say that a lot in this blog, but
this is time, I’m actually serious.
Everything about this film is fantastic.
It has an interesting story, interesting characters, and an interesting
setting. I’m actually quite surprised
that American film studios haven’t attempted to rip-off off this film. It’s
that good. As far as foreign films go I
say it’s definitely in the Top ten of my personal favorite Foreign Films.
The
films plot is the following: A young woman by the name of Young-Goon is
committed to a mental asylum because she believes that she is a cyborg, but
because Young-Goons mother is so embarrassed, she tells all the doctors that
she attempted suicide, so the Doctor’s begin treating her for all the wrong
reasons, which greatly upsets Young-goon.
When Young-goon first get’s to the hospital she is reclusive and will
only talk to the vending machine and the fluorescent lights. I just like how
innocent and curious Young-goon’s character is.
She is just so likeable in this film to the point where you wish you
could just reach through the screen and give her a hug. Over the course of the
film Young-goon begins to come out of her shell and begins to interact with and
develop relationships with all the other patients.  |
| K-Pop Star Bi-Rain as Park Il Soon |
One
of the patients Young-goon becomes very close to is a paranoid kleptomaniac
named Park Il-Soon. Park Il-Soon is
played by South Korean Pop-Star Bi Rain.
Bi Rain from what I’ve learned is a big deal in South Korea—he’s kind of
like the Korean Justin Timberlake.
Although, his music isn’t very popular in North America, he is known
worldwide for having to take a break from music at the height of his popularity
to complete a Government mandated stint in the South Korean military. Bi Rain’s character serves as the films love
interest, and I really like how his characters written. His character is a kleptomaniac and the
reason he claims he steals is because if he does not steal thing’s he’ll vanish
into thin air. The relationship between
the characters Il-Soon and Young-goon is just so innocent. Rather than being the typical macho-man love
interest, Il-Soon is very caring and nurturing to Young-goon. He tries to help her
and watches over to make sure that take advantage of her. Since he’s a kleptomaniac it and not a—let’s
say—schizophrenic, it’s much more believable that a mental patient is more
likely to go out of his way to help a person.
In many ways the patients in the mental hospital are way more helpful
than the Doctor’s in this film.
Young-goon
and Il-Soon aren’t the only interesting characters in this film though. I like
how all the mental patients aren’t over-the-top looney’s. They all have an interesting background story. There’s a girl who won’t look someone
directly in the eye to communicate and she instead sings into a mirror to
communicate with others. There another
woman who believes she can fly by lying on her stomach and rubbing her feet
together while wearing magic socks. There’s one gentlemen who has to apologize
for everything (whether or not it was his fault) because he’s afraid bad things
will happen to him if he doesn’t apologize, and there’s even a man who only
walks backwards because he believes it makes him invisible to everyone else.
Just
do yourself a favor and see this film. I
understand that sometimes it’s a pain to watch a foreign film and have to read
the subtitles, but it really is a great film with a great story, and it’s just
such a happy film that you can’t help but enjoy it.
All Images are (c) of CJ Entertainment
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