Beautiful (2008 South Korean Film)

Beautiful (Korean: 아름답다; RR: Ahreumdabda) is a 2008 South Korean drama film directed by Juhn Jai-Hong and written by Kim Ki-Duk. The film explores the psychological toll of extreme physical beauty on its protagonist.

Promotional poster for the film Beautiful.

Plot

The story follows Eun-young, a woman who experiences profound unhappiness due to her striking physical appearance. She faces constant unwanted attention from men and jealousy from women, leading to a sense of isolation. Her life takes a traumatic turn when she is raped by a stalker named Sung-min, who justifies his actions by citing her beauty. Believing her appearance is the root cause of her suffering, Eun-young begins a self-destructive path to ruin her looks, while a police officer named Choi becomes increasingly involved in her life.

Cast

Actress Cha Soo-Yeon — Cha Soo-Yeon, who portrays Kim Eun-Young.

Actor Lee Chun-Hee — Lee Chun-Hee, who portrays Police Officer Choi.

Cha Soo-Yeon as Kim Eun-Young
Lee Chun-Hee as Police Officer Choi
Kim Min-Soo as Sung-Min
Choi Moo-Sung as Detective Kim
Bae Yong-Geun as Beauty Salon Owner
Lee Min as Mi-Yeon
Kim Bum-Joon as Min-Ho

Scene from the film Beautiful — A scene from the film featuring the lead characters.

Production and Release

The film was produced by Kim Ki-Duk and Cho Sung-Kyu. It was released in South Korea on February 14, 2008, with a runtime of 88 minutes. The film was distributed by Sponge Ent. It was featured at several international film festivals, including the 10th Deauville Asian Film Festival and the 41st Sitges Film Festival in 2008.