Lisa Spiller
freeRADlab


EunHee Huh's My Heart Beats tells the story of a 37-year-old English professor named Juri Yoo (Dong-Sook Ryu) who, in a desperate attempt to revitalize her monotonous life, has decided to break into the Korean porn industry. However, in order to be cast she has to put herself through strenuous training and dieting. Eventually Juri is paired with Byul (Tae-Hee One), a 23-year-old porn actor, but, when it comes time to shoot her first scene, although she has gotten exactly what she wanted, she resists her partner.

My Heart Beats is a thought-provoking exploration of what we as humans are willing to do in order to find fulfillment. It is easy to cringe at this film and wish that Juri would have more shame, or attempt to "live life" by other means. However, what Juri says she needs is "a heart" -- one that beats. Although she obviously has a heart, is it not understandable that she, in her life of isolation, could forget that it is actually beating? What better way to end a life of quiet desperation than through human contact? Is there a point that people can reach where even shame becomes secondary to acceptance?

Movie site: My Heart Beats
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TRT: 110mins
KOREA (English Subtitles)