Director Baek Jong-yeol’s “The Beauty Inside” offers a humorous and sentimental take on a subject that could have been too far-fetched for anything other than slapstick comedy or serious to the point of philosophical.

The film tells the story of a man –- Woo-jin, played by over 20 different actors –- whose physical appearance changes radically every day.

Though originally a 29-year-old man, Woo-jin wakes up each morning in a different body irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity. Some days he is a young man, other days he is an elderly woman, and occasionally, he even morphs into a child or a foreigner. His transformations are dealt with humorously and gracefully, largely foregoing any deep despair that could have overcome the character or the use of crude computer graphics.

Naturally, with his ever-shifting appearance, Woo-jin is incapable of forming new relationships or even holding down a conventional job. With no one other than his mother and a close childhood friend knowing of –- or even believing in -– his condition, Woo-jin retreats to a life of solitude, raising the question: What defines the basis of our relationships?
 

The title “Beauty Inside” suggests some kind of probe into the essence of human identity, of what makes us who we are, and the movie initially attempts to do just that.

Despite his multifarious body, the characteristic idiosyncrasies of Woo-jin remain the same each time. He is timid, sensitive and creative, traits that do not change whether he looks like a threatening, muscular thug or a skinny little girl.

But can Woo-jin’s personality shine through even when the vessel that holds it changes every 24 hours? Can those close to him learn to identify him even when he does not inform them himself? Can his inner qualities overcome the limits of his appearance?

The film throws some riveting questions onto the table, but leaves them there and goes on to fiddle with other things in the second half, which features the female love interest Yi-soo, played by Han Hyo-joo.    

In this new dynamic, the focus shifts from Woo-jin’s personal identity to the struggles of Yi-soo, who must adapt to the changing appearance of her lover every day, no matter how unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

And it just so happens that every significant romantic –- and sexual -- development occurs on the day that Woo-jin transforms into a traditionally handsome, virile young man, leaving the audience to momentarily question the aptness of the film’s title.

Granted, there are several impactful romantic scenes that take place with actresses Chun Woo-hee and the Japanese Ueno Juri, both of whom excel in delivering trembling, heartfelt confessions to Yi-soo. The two, and other actors such as Yoo Yeon-seok and Park Seo-joon, convincingly channel Woo-jin’s earnestness and hesitation, allowing us to accept that they are all embodying the same person.

At the end of a well-choreographed exploration of both the individual and interpersonal notions of identity, however, the film ends with a weak and somewhat didactic conclusion that falls short of answering the big questions posed at the start. A more nuanced open ending might have better suited the humor and emotional pull of the rest of the film.

A Yong Film release, “The Beauty Inside” opens in local theaters on Aug. 20.

By Rumy Doo (bigbird@heraldcorp.com)