Director Lee Chang-dong's First Short Film 'Heartbeat' to Premiere Worldwide on Netflix

Director Lee Chang-dong's first short film, 'Heartbeat', is set to be released worldwide through Netflix on November 2.

'Heartbeat' is a short film that captures the anxiety of a young boy whose mother suffers from depression and whose father is staging a sit-in on a tower crane. It is Director Lee's first short film, which was first unveiled at the 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival. Produced with the theme of depression at the suggestion of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF), the film closely follows the face of the protagonist, Cheol-i (played by Kim Gun-woo), from beginning to end.

Knowing that his mother is suffering from depression, Cheol-i is overcome with anxiety and rushes home when she fails to answer his phone calls. As viewers watch Cheol-i's expression as he runs relentlessly, gripped by the fear that something might have happened to his mother, they share in the child's pure heart and anxiety toward his mother, ultimately leaving them with a profound and lingering emotional resonance at the end.

Child actor Kim Gun-woo stars as Cheol-i, Jeon Do-yeon plays Cheol-i's mother, and Sul Kyung-gu adds depth to the work by making a voice appearance as Cheol-i's father. 'Heartbeat' is a film that touches the hearts of audience members who have likely felt at least once the fear that something might happen to their family and the sense of responsibility that they must do something in that situation.

'Heartbeat' draws attention as it connects with the thematic world of Director Lee Chang-dong's highly acclaimed new work 'Possible Love', fully capturing the director's signature sharp yet delicate perspective on issues of labor and depression. To allow more viewers to enjoy the work, Netflix will provide subtitles in various languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, French, and German.

Meanwhile, ahead of the release of 'Possible Love', Netflix is currently streaming Director Lee Chang-dong's previous works—ranging from 'Green Fish', 'Peppermint Candy', 'Oasis', 'Secret Sunshine', 'Poetry', to 'Burning'—allowing global film fans to enjoy them without language barriers.

Director Lee Chang-dong's first short film 'Heartbeat' will be available worldwide via Netflix starting Monday, November 2.

(Photo: SBS Entertainment News, Reported by Kim Ji-hye)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.