Film Awards
The 13th China Academy Award of Documentary Film, Best Foreign Documentary award nomination (2023,China)
The 13th Beijing International Film Festival, Special Mention Prize of Jury (2023,China)
The 18th London Korean Film Festival (2023,UK)
Synopsis
In 2008, when she turned thirteen, Chaeyoung rapidly lost more than 20 kilograms of weight and
was admitted to a closed ward of a psychiatric hospital. Her mother Sangok thought her daughter
would recover after treatment, but Chaeyoung's anorexia only turned into bulimia. As Chaeyoung
continued to eat and vomit for more than 10 years, she and her mother stopped addressing the
issue altogether.
In 2019, Chaeyoung leaves behind her goal of full recovery and travels to Australia in search of a
new life. After Chaeyoung departs, Sangok, alone in her home, tries to find the cause of her
daughter's symptoms in her own past, which she still cannot comprehend.
In 2020, Chaeyoung returns from Australia because of the COVID -19 outbreak, and Chaeyoung
and Sangok finally begin to talk about the "disease" they have kept silent about for more than ten
years.
Director's Note
In the fall of 2018, I began researching this topic after reading an article about the rising number
of eating disorder patients, especially among teenagers and 20-somethings in Korea.
While interviewing dozens of women and searching for related materials, I met the two main characters, Chaeyoung and Sangok. Through their story, I was able to glimpse into the deep and complex depths of eating disorders, which are conveniently shrouded with labels such as "dieting" and "obsession with appearance." The origin of the physical and psychological illness a person suffers from is by no means limited to themselves or their family. This film is a journey in the footsteps of the complicated and tangled history that Chaeyoung's body has endured.
Director's Bio / Filmography
Staff
Director: KIM Boram
Producer: PARK Ji-hye
Cinematography: KIM Min-ju
Editing: Cho Won-joo
Sound Mix: Pho Yong-soo
Music: KIM Hae-won
D.I: SON Seung-u
C.G: JUNG Hye-ri
Cast
PARK Chae-young
PARK Sang-ok
