(Warning: There may be some spoilers.)

The long-awaited movie 'Beauty Inside' hit select U.S. theaters this past weekend, so of course I had to go see it with my friend as soon as possible.  It was worth the wait and more than what I was expecting; I may go so far as to call this the romance movie of the century and hope for many remakes - a great debut film for Director Baek Jong Yeol. Although it was based on Intel and Toshiba's social film, 'The Beauty Inside,' I hope U.S. will also make a full-length feature film (and ironically, the Korean movie keeps using Macs for Woo-jin's videos).

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The concept is fantastical, centering on a man, Woo-jin, who wakes up looking and sounding like a different person everyday regardless of gender, race, and age, leading to a life of solitude excepting his mother and his quirky friend who provides the comic relief throughout this poignant romance film - that is until he meets the woman of his dreams, and then he can no longer hide himself.  The chemistry between 21 different actors and Han Hyo Joo was undeniable; I had been very curious about how such different actors would take on the same character, but they did so with ease so that the viewers felt no discomfort watching the exchanges.  No matter whom she was with, she was able to sell the fact that she was with one loved entity - regardless of the physical shell.  

Their relationship is ideal (despite the circumstances), and she puts to relief what makes a woman so beautiful not only in appearance but also in heart.  Patient, nurturing, even motherly, she stays by Woo-jin's side with undying fidelity, accepting his new appearance on a daily basis with no trouble (seemingly) and loving him for who he is rather than how he looks, which, of course, explains the title.  

However, what was magnificent about this movie was its progression, how it showed that she appeared fine on the outside, but was slowly falling apart on the inside - how Woo-jin might have been changing his looks everyday, but he actually remained the constant in this film.  On the other hand, Han Hyo Joo gave a consistent appearance throughout the film, but an inner war was raging - only finally reaching the audience's eyes when the stress starts to take a toll on her body.  It's just as jolting to the viewers watching the movie as it is to Woo-jin - you essentially find about it the same time as he does, although you get dealt a softer blow from subtle hints dropped beforehand, but still, you never expected a twist like this.  The shift from "everything is perfect" to "everything is going wrong" is marked by one splendid turning point that everyone should be able to put their finger on - done beautifully by the camera director, writer, and Han Hyo Joo.

The film has you thinking - there are so many themes, more than just "beauty is on the inside." The theme of love, personal development, the dichotomy between what shows on the outside and what is on the inside.  In some way, Han Hyo Joo stole the show - she's the standard character the audience can hook onto and rely on, and she changes the most throughout the movie.  In the beginning, she's shy and girly, in awe of the attractive Park Seo Joon.  She's back to being the confident woman who expands her heart to accept all the different Woo-jins; she's a woman who pushes her limits too hard and is unable to love selflessly anymore.  

Well-directed and well-progressed, the film has you growing old and changing with the characters even though the plot does not span such a long period of time, and the ending will have you leaving the theater with chills and goosebumps because it was just so good. It was especially well-written with amazing quotes that hit you hard and really get you thinking.  Lastly, I loved the backdrop of the furniture-making business to help cushion their love story even more.  

Apart from the plot, the movie was well-made from editing to cinematography to photography. There were absolutely stunning shots (sunlight throwing them into gold silhouette), great transitions of the over 100 actors hired to portray Woo-jin, beautiful music (loved the ending one especially), and just great acting and chemistry over all.

I highly recommend you watch this film if there's a theater near you playing it! 

Would you be able to date and love somebody who changed appearance every day?