Director Lee Chang-dong's first short film directorial effort, "Heartbeat," will be released worldwide on 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 protest atop a tower crane. It is director Lee Chang-dong's first short film directorial work, which was first unveiled at the 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival. Produced under the theme of depression at the proposal of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF), the film follows the face of its protagonist, Cheol (Kim Geon-woo), from beginning to end.

Cheol, who knows that his mother is suffering from depression, is gripped by anxiety when she does not answer the phone and rushes home. Watching Cheol's face as he runs tirelessly in fear that something might have happened to his mother, the audience shares the child's pure feelings and anxiety, ultimately experiencing a lingering emotional weight at the end.

Child actor Kim Geon-woo plays Cheol, Jeon Do-yeon plays Cheol's mother, and Sul Kyung-gu appears as the voice of Cheol's father, adding depth to the production. "Heartbeat" is a film that resonates with audiences who have, at least once, felt the fear that something might happen to their family and the responsibility that they must do something in that situation.

"Heartbeat" connects with the cinematic world of director Lee Chang-dong's new work "Possible Love," which is garnering global acclaim, and draws attention by fully capturing director Lee's uniquely sharp yet delicate perspective on the issues of labor and depression. To allow more viewers to enjoy the film, Netflix supports diverse subtitles including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, French, and German.

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

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)