Review of I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006) by Carlos Z — 06 Jun 2009

After learning that the full Vengeance series was going to be remade for America under the direction of Chan-wook, I had finally decided that it was time to watch this film, though two years after its release.

On the surface, this is a feel-good film, that gives the viewer a voyeuristic look into the minds of patients in this mental hospital. Many classify this film into the romantic comedy drama, however I could not disagree more. Any romance that was developed in this film was made as a side plot.

After much thought I believe I have come to a conclusion. For the longest time I was confused as to the 'big picture' of the film. Park Chan-wook's work always focuses on either political, sociological, or both elements. Here I believe he was focusing on both.

One of the largest focuses on the film is the main character's life without her mother, so she was raised by her grandmother who had a mental illness as well. When she told her mother that she was a cyborg, the mother did not endorse it, however she did not condone it either. I believe that this could be a reflection on the political system in Korea, at least from the little that I know of Korean politics.