I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (Saibogujiman kwenchana) (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Randy T

  
  "I'm not a psy-cho. I'm a cy-borg."

• Veronique K

  
  what inspires me into seeing this movie is an essay called "cyborg manifesto." it describes the condition of third-world females as the cyborg humans who offer their human resources in those high-tech factories which produce latest eletronic goods while the third-world males… More
  what inspires me into seeing this movie is an essay called "cyborg manifesto." it describes the condition of third-world females as the cyborg humans who offer their human resources in those high-tech factories which produce latest eletronic goods while the third-world males are castrated by the social non-producitivity (un-employment). as for the idea od cyborg, in addition to the mundane understanding of it as a robot, cyborg symbolizes the collapse of boundaries since the essence of cyborg is miscellaneous while the concept of culture is distinctively demarcated by various systems drivated from binary oppositions (human/animal; man/woman..etc.) thus, cyborgs are the marginalized outsiders segregated right on the borderline. this movie "i'm cyborg but that's ok" is a female mental patient who fantasizes herself as a cyborg while her fellow male inmate schemes great many ways to rescue her from her deliberate starvations. there're also many sequences of dreams which would remind you of that famous french movie "amelie" which celebrates the magnitude of dreams as the poise of naivete is mighty enough to redeem misery and reverse catastrophes, at least within your mind. the idea of insanity also suggests a collapse of boundaries as the movie chooses to overlap the idea of cyborg with insanity. the only difference between genuine cyborg and insanity is the place of subjective identity, and the woman in this case aims to eliminate the sentimental subjectivity within her so she could rid of the empathetic pain she feels toward her neglected grandma who also fantasizes herself as a mouse. deluding herself into a cyborg is a course of self-reification as she metaphorically askes the man to thieve away her sympathy and her senses, which turn this apathetic society into something intolerable. but she cannot change the world but herself, therefore she is a cyborg. funnily, the woman in this movie also works in an eletronic factories. the first seuqence of the movie features her wrist-cutting herself, plugging a wire inside her veins then turning on the eletricity to eletro-shock herself. but there's nothing defiant in her attempt of self-mulitation, all she wishes is a peace of mind which is denied due to emotional alienation. her profession as worker in an eletronic factories coincides with the mockery of third world woman in "cyborg manifesto" and she chooses no resistance but settles in a secluded asylim where she meets another socially dysfunctional inmate who loves her. cyborg-dom here is a menchanism devised by the individual as inward survival. despite how sweet their love is, but they still remain discriminated within a district of their own, which grants them aesthetic salvation - the magnitude of dreams, while everything out there maintains its status quo: she still stays within the asylum, those relatives who mistreat the grandpa are still carring their selfishly content lives outside without a strike of condemination. in a nutshell, "i'm a cyborg but that's ok" is an aesthetic haven which is designed to be apolitical, non-involved in the domain of ideology. but strangely that non-involvement attempt itself is also a passive statement of postmodernity where individuals, or let's say third-world female individuals. yield to a voluntary self-lobotomization due to the void of personal empowerment.(since she IS a cyborg, but she says that's ok) in other words, it's a pessismistic statement of non-action wrapping itself up with farcical rejoice just to cover some un-speakable pain.

• Gordon A

  
  Left field under sells this bizarre but sweet love story. Open your mind to the strangeness and gradually it starts to make sense - sort of. Beautiful imagery helps you along. Challenging but rewarding if you persevere.

• Alexander W

  
  A very cool and amusing movie which is really a great piece of DVD rental choice in the Wolrd Cinema section. Some of it was quite baffling. At times it made me think a lot and laugh after.

• Rubia Carolina .

  
  Funny, different, touching and cute. "Fine! I'll admit it! Last night, I stole Thursday". </br> </br>

• Luke B

  
  Chan-wook Park goes slightly softer with a bizarre and imaginative romantic comedy. It's only slightly softer as he still finds time to cram in suicide attempts and imaginary mass shoot outs. Anyone expecting a detailed and informative discussion into mental illness or health… More
  Chan-wook Park goes slightly softer with a bizarre and imaginative romantic comedy. It's only slightly softer as he still finds time to cram in suicide attempts and imaginary mass shoot outs. Anyone expecting a detailed and informative discussion into mental illness or health care should go somewhere else. This fantasy is filled with a number of beautiful and unique scenarios and some wonderfully crafted relationships. Park has a real eye for visual stimulation and never seems to sacrifice his emotional punch. The humour is offbeat and the film very much a very sweet and sugary treat, however it is never sickly. As Young-goon refuses to eat we are shown the fantastic lengths to which Il-sun will go. Rather than force her to consume, like the doctors are, Il-sun nurtures her imagination and dilusions in order to help her. Something the doctors fail to grasp. It's a charming and enjoyable film with much to love and go back for. After one viewing the music was so catchy I was humming it immediately. Some may find the lighthearted dealings of mature and dark subjects a bit off putting but overall it's an absolute visual and cinematic feast.

• xGary X

  
  Chan-wook Park shifts gears for his follow up to The Vengeance Trilogy and produces a charming little oddity featuring a young girl who is committed when she refuses to eat in the belief that she is a robot. The entire film is set within a mental institution populated by an amusing… More
  Chan-wook Park shifts gears for his follow up to The Vengeance Trilogy and produces a charming little oddity featuring a young girl who is committed when she refuses to eat in the belief that she is a robot. The entire film is set within a mental institution populated by an amusing collection of likable loonies. Park does get the opportunity to express his trademark inventive imagery by realizing the delusions of the inmates in his inimitable style and it looks as glorious as always; there are even a couple of (imagined) lead-fuelled bloodbaths to keep the action junkies happy. The pairing of Su-jeong Lim and Rain makes for a very endearing couple, despite the factor of Rain's massive thespian handicap (he's actually a pop star.) It's true that the film is very deliberately "kooky", which for me at least can be like having a root canal, but here it's restrained enough to not grate on the nerves. Always amusing, but rarely laugh out loud funny, it's rather lightweight in comparison to Park's previous work, but it is fun. I just think it's destined to languish in the shadow on the far superior Amelie.

• Kylie B

  
  I found this really beautiful, moving and sympathetic.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Park did this movie for his daughter? That would explain a lot. A full star just for some fancy visuals and seeing some of the support cast of the revenge trilogy in some minor roles. I would give it two but the lead actress was annoying beyond belief. Also, the romantic and sugary… More
  Park did this movie for his daughter? That would explain a lot. A full star just for some fancy visuals and seeing some of the support cast of the revenge trilogy in some minor roles. I would give it two but the lead actress was annoying beyond belief. Also, the romantic and sugary take on mental illness disturbed me a bit. If this was suppose to be some sort of commentary about human relations, social outcasts and what not then it fails to deliver. Watch Oasis for a serious take in that.

• Saskia D

  
  Entertaining 'Romantic Comedy', and quite something else if you've seen (or going to see) the the 'Vengeance Trilogy'. Like I said, entertaining; nothing more, nothing less. I loved Su-jeong Lim in a Tale of Two Sisters, and she stole my heart in I'm a… More
  Entertaining 'Romantic Comedy', and quite something else if you've seen (or going to see) the the 'Vengeance Trilogy'. Like I said, entertaining; nothing more, nothing less. I loved Su-jeong Lim in a Tale of Two Sisters, and she stole my heart in I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK n_n <div style="width:400px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/sujeong-lim/photos?p=11094173"><img src="http://content7.flixster.com/photo/11/09/41/11094173_gal.jpg" border="0"/></a><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com">

• Greg S

  
  In a Korean insane asylum, a kleptomaniac helps a woman who believes herself to be a cyborg. This "romantic comedy" from the director of shockfests such as OLDBOY goes beyond offbeat into the realm of decidedly strange, as the principals try to solve universal human… More
  In a Korean insane asylum, a kleptomaniac helps a woman who believes herself to be a cyborg. This "romantic comedy" from the director of shockfests such as OLDBOY goes beyond offbeat into the realm of decidedly strange, as the principals try to solve universal human problems using their own delusional logic.

• Justin Y

  
  Chan-wook Park shows that he can put aside his string of "revenge" films and stir up a dramatic romance comedy. This is Chan-wook Park we are talking about here, so be ready for a few surprises.<p>The story is probably the weakest part of this film. There… More
  Chan-wook Park shows that he can put aside his string of "revenge" films and stir up a dramatic romance comedy. This is Chan-wook Park we are talking about here, so be ready for a few surprises.<p>The story is probably the weakest part of this film. There doesn't seem to be any point as to why things are happening, but at the same time this does not feel like a bunch of random scenes just strung together. Chan-wook could probably get away with that though.</p><p>For most of its entirety, <i>I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK</i> leaves you in the dark about what will happen and that in turn leaves the ending wide open. This sounds like total failure, but it works out in this movie. Things do start to come together at the end and everything that takes place beforehand sort of falls into place. You also come to realize the nice character buildup all throughout the beginning. Eventually the movie ends ... in an odd way.</p><p>Everything else about this picture is all Chan-wook. By that I mean great cinematography, an interesting and colorful setting, and some nice effects. There is even some bloody violence thrown in the mix. Oh yeah, I can't forget to mention the yodeling song in the middle.</p><p>The acting is fantastic and the mental institution setting helps with this. All the characters are entertaining, but the stars of the movie go to the two leads. Both Su-jeong Lim and Rain carry this film from beginning to end and they never get tiresome.</p><p>This movie may not sound like your cup of tea, but there is more to it than meets the eye. Chan-wook Park fans owe it to him to check this out.

• El Hombre I

  
  Chan-wook Park heads in a totally different direction. For me, the highlights of the film are Park's visuals. It's such a full movie, it might take another viewing for me to catch everything going on in the background. Romantic-comedy with bodies dropping. I found it very… More
  Chan-wook Park heads in a totally different direction. For me, the highlights of the film are Park's visuals. It's such a full movie, it might take another viewing for me to catch everything going on in the background. Romantic-comedy with bodies dropping. I found it very enjoyable. It's not a revenge flick, but that's o.k.

• Stella D

  
  i'm not a psy-cho, i'm a cy-borg. strange funny/sad sweet tale of romance on a mental ward. highly imaginative. chan-wook park shows range!

• Ross C

  
  Korean take on the crazy house genre. It's got Park Chan-wook's style but really, I'm not a fan of these silly movies.

• vieras e

  
  Su-jeong Lim does a stellar performance as a girl who believes she?s a combat cyborg because her bicycle told her so when she was still a child. She checks into a mental hospital where, together with the machinery there, she plots the demise of the "White Ones" who took her… More
  Su-jeong Lim does a stellar performance as a girl who believes she?s a combat cyborg because her bicycle told her so when she was still a child. She checks into a mental hospital where, together with the machinery there, she plots the demise of the "White Ones" who took her grandmother away. She is aided in her quest by a man who thinks he can steal parts of people's identities and eventually they fall in love. Generally really funny and kind of cute, but has its sad moments.

• Walter M

  
  Years after watching her grandmother being sent away to a mental hospital for her radish obsession, Young-goon(Su-jeong Lim)succumbs to the notion that she is in fact a cyborg who can talk to electrical appliances and vending machines(If so, could you please ask it why it did not have… More
  Years after watching her grandmother being sent away to a mental hospital for her radish obsession, Young-goon(Su-jeong Lim)succumbs to the notion that she is in fact a cyborg who can talk to electrical appliances and vending machines(If so, could you please ask it why it did not have my favorite cupcakes today?) and that she needs to plug herself into a power outlet for electricity to keep her energized, with predictable results. When she wakes up, she finds herself in a mental hospital herself being given a tour by Seul-gi(Hei-jin Choi), a patient, and is introduced to Il-sun(Rain) who wears a mask and is accused of stealing everything, including Thursdays.(Oh darn. That means I can't watch "Fringe.") I usually never pay that much attention to film titles but with a title like "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK," one would be right to expect a certain level of weirdness, and director Chan-wook Park does not disappoint. What the movie accomplishes visually through sheer verve is showing the world through the eyes of a mentally ill person which is mindblowing to say the least. Outside of this, there is not a particularly strong story, as it simply revolves around therapy and the healing process. What separates this movie from others of its ilk structurally is that there is not a strong doctor figure to sympathize with, leaving the patients to attempt to heal each other, taking on each other's pain.

• Lesley N

  
  Unconventional romance from Park chan Wook (Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, Thirst) as Young-Goon and Il-Sun are both mental institution inmates, she thinks she's a cyborg, and he wears a home-made rabbit mask and steals things from people (like their manners, a ping-pong serve,… More
  Unconventional romance from Park chan Wook (Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, Thirst) as Young-Goon and Il-Sun are both mental institution inmates, she thinks she's a cyborg, and he wears a home-made rabbit mask and steals things from people (like their manners, a ping-pong serve, Thursday). Charming, winsome even, but definitely not cloying. A treat, with a nice message underneath about true love meaning accepting someone exactly as they are. <img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J-ua0JHBQyY/ScVI9SOrl9I/AAAAAAAADjU/4mVVqOjJ584/s400/vlcsnap-474246.jpg">

• Remi L

  
  So random, but so absolutely endearing and sweet and adorable. This isn't a movie that can be explained through word of mouth. Its something you have to watch with a friend in order to see the wackiness!

• MJS M

  
  I love Oldboy and JSA is pretty cool, but I was a lot less enthusiastic about the other two movies in the ?Vengeance Trilogy.? This is Park Chan-Wook?s fifth major film and probably his least accessible. It?s clear that after the darkness of making three straight revenge films he… More
  I love Oldboy and JSA is pretty cool, but I was a lot less enthusiastic about the other two movies in the ?Vengeance Trilogy.? This is Park Chan-Wook?s fifth major film and probably his least accessible. It?s clear that after the darkness of making three straight revenge films he wanted to do something a little lighter, and I can?t begrudge him that. The problem is that a lot of the humor here seems really wacky and just doesn?t make a lot of sense to western sensibilities. There are some very well shot set-pieces but they don?t really seem to really amount to much. Still, if one wants to make a romantic comedy set in a mental institution there are much worse ways to go about doing it.

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