When we love a person, most of us are convinced that we love them for their personality, and if we truly love them, love would remain even if their beauty fades away. The Beauty Inside, a Korean remake of the 2012 American interactive Internet series, challenges this notion. As Woo-jin’s body changes regularly, he’s unable to live a normal life because of a lack of a consistent appearance, a lack of a visual reference point that allows him to be recognized by the people he loves. While more can be explored with the premise’s metaphysical elements, and Woo-jin’s characterization is mostly a neutral, blank canvas, The Beauty Inside is still a sweet, feel-good romance that makes the impossible feel wonderfully possible.
Woo-jin, a furniture designer who wakes up in a different body every day, falls for Yi-soo, a woman he meets through his work.
Ever since he was eighteen years old, Woo-jin wakes up to find that his body has changed in age, sex, and/or race, and that change only lasts until the next time he wakes up. While he’s still in contact with his mom, and he’s created a furniture business with his high school best friend Sang-baek, Woo-jin is lonely because of his secret. He resigns himself to a life of one night stands and casual encounters, until he meets furniture seller Yi-soo, who appreciates his work.
Mild spoilers. Obviously, the body changing premise isn’t a totally novel idea– it’s reminiscent of Every Day, though Woo-jin doesn’t take over someone else’s body, it’s just that his body transforms– but there are moments in the film that can take you out of the love story because of its impractical aspects, e.g. Woo-jin should not be able to travel to another country with a passport that doesn’t match his face. This is the sort of film that fans of CinemaSins shouldn’t watch.
While plenty of things in this film are impossible, it’s totally believable to stay up for days, procrastinate on work, and change your entire life for someone as beautiful as Yi-soo.
