I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006 Film)

I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (Korean: 싸이보그지만 괜찮아; RR: Ssaibogeujiman Gwaenchanha) is a 2006 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Park Chan-wook. The film explores themes of mental health and human connection through a surrealist lens.

Film poster for I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK — The official promotional poster for the film.

Plot

The story follows Cha Young-goon (Lim Soo-jung), a young woman working at a radio assembly plant who believes she is a combat cyborg. After attempting to "recharge" by connecting herself to an electrical outlet, she is committed to the New World mental hospital. Within the facility, she interacts with inanimate objects and refuses to consume human food, believing it is unnecessary for her mechanical nature.

At the hospital, she meets Park Il-sun (Rain), a fellow patient who believes he has the ability to steal the traits and souls of others. As the two develop a bond, Young-goon's health deteriorates due to her refusal to eat. Il-sun attempts to help her by convincing her that he can install a "food-to-energy" conversion module into her system, allowing her to eat without compromising her identity as a cyborg.

Lim Soo-jung as Cha Young-goon — Lim Soo-jung portrays the protagonist, Cha Young-goon.

Production

The film was directed by Park Chan-wook, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jung Seo-kyoung. It was produced by Moho Films and distributed by CJ Entertainment. The cinematography was handled by Jeong Jeong-hun. The production budget was approximately US$3 million.

Rain as Park Il-sun — Rain plays the character Park Il-sun.

Cast

Lim Soo-jung as Cha Young-goon
Rain as Park Il-sun
Oh Dal-su as Shin Duk-cheon
Park Jun-myun as Wang Kop-dan

Oh Dal-su in his role as Shin Duk-cheon.

Scene from the film — A scene featuring the characters in the hospital setting.