Our Body

In Han Ka-ram’s quiet drama, a little self-love goes a long way.

Ja-young (Choi Hee-seo) is an under ambitious, somewhat disenchanted 31-year-old who doesn’t have much of an idea of where her life is going. She’s studying for exams she doesn’t want to take, is dating boys she doesn’t particularly like, and is frankly terrible physical shape. One night, she encounters Hyun-joo (Ahn Ji-hye), a beautiful runner by whom she is immediately smitten. Fascinated by this person, she convinces Hyun-joo to take her running, and the two form an immediate bond.

Hyun-joo’s effect on Ja-young’s life is profound, impacting the way she sees her professional and personal lives. But when tragedy strikes, and Hyun-joo is killed by accident will Ja-young have the strength to continue her upward trajectory?

Our Body’s greatest strength is in its subtlety. It would have been too easy for it to sink into the heaviness of its topic, but instead chooses a lighter, airier approach that allows its subject to be approached with comfort by its audience. At its core, it’s an extremely uplifting story, albeit one tinged with sadness and tragedy. Ja-young’s journey into a confident woman, comfortable in her body and mind, is one that many people – men and women alike – can take to heart.

Perhaps it spoke to me more personally as someone who gained confidence through physical activity (also, by coincidence, through running). But I believe that most people will watch Our Body and take away something that they feel personally about. Even a hardened cynic would have a difficult time criticising what could disingenuously be called “girl power” moments, as document real moments of growth for Ja-young, and not – as many other films in this vein would do – as shallow audience-pleasing fan service.

On the subject of fanservice, it’s worth pointing out the many times that the camera lingers on close-ups of Hyun-joo or Ja-young’s bodies. What could have been unpleasant, sexualised moments are in actuality these great scenes of characters examining, critiquing themselves in order to better or just appreciate themselves. It plays into the themes of self-care, improvement and loving your body for yourself – not for an audience, real or imaginative.  

Another strong aspect is the relationship between Ja-young and Hyun-joo, which is about as romantic as it can be without actually being so. Too often characters like Hyun-joo appear as the manic pixie dream girl trope, existing only to get the main character out of the rut in their lives. It would have been easy for the film to go in that direction, but Hyun-joo is far from that; a fully realised character with her own issues and drama. Occasionally it veers into that territory. After all, Hyun-joo arrives, improves Ja-young’s life, and then dies but writer-director Han Ka-ram never treats her as a plot device. It’s a tricky bit of writing, but Han manages to keep the character alive even after her passing. In fact, Ja-young even begins to take that mentor role to her younger sister (Lee Jae-in), as the story progresses, and we see the start of a beautiful chain of positivity, from one person to another, as women help each other become the best versions of themselves.

In the end, Our Body is hardly a ground-breaking movie, but what it does it does really well. It speaks to anyone who’s ever found themselves in a rut they feel they can never get out of, and might even inspire others to take the leap and make changes in their own lives. With two excellent leads, and some filmmaking that’s as subtle but pleasant as its storytelling, it makes for an easygoing time, but one that’s not afraid to talk about topics that are important, and knows who its audience is. It’s not a massive feel-good film, but instead Our Body is a feel-better one, and more often than not, it’s exactly what we need.

Verdict: Low-key in its storytelling, Our Body is a inspiring, and elevating tale and one that’ll have you take control of your life. Just watch out when crossing the road.

Overall entertainment: 8/10
Violence: Just the one death/10
Sex: 4/10
Good sex: None, apparently.
Self-love: I mean, it’s better than sleeping with some random old dude
Hyun-joo’s hobbies: Owning nothing, making her own booze
Google: Randomly classifies this movie as a horror, for reasons unknown.

Our Body (2023)
Korean

Director: Han Ka-ram
Writer: Han Ka-ram

CAST

Choi Hee-seo – Ja-young
Ahn Ji-hye – Hyun-joo
Noh Susanna – Min-ji
Lee Jae-in – Hwa-young
Oh Dong-min – Kyung-soo
Choi Joon-young – Min-hoo
Kim Sa-kwon – Tae-sik
Keum Sae-rok – Hee-jung
Jang Joon-hee – Jung