Lee Chang-dong's First Short Film ‘Heartbeat’ Arrives Globally on Netflix on November 2

Worried about his mother's depression, a boy faces obstacles on his frantic journey home, in a story set in the world of Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love .

Director Lee Chang-dong's first short film, Heartbeat , which drew significant attention following its premiere at the 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival, will be available globally on Netflix starting November 2.

Produced at the suggestion of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF), the film explores the theme of depression, keeping its focus on the face of its young protagonist, Cheol (Kim Geon-u), from beginning to end. Aware that his mother suffers from depression, Cheol grows anxious when she does not answer her phone and rushes home. As the audience watches Cheol running nonstop, fearing that something may have happened to his mother, they share the child's pure devotion and anxiety, ultimately left with a lingering sense of sorrow. Kim Geon-u plays Cheol, with Jeon Do-yeon as his mother, and Sul Kyung-gu lending his voice to Cheol's father.

Heartbeat strikes a chord with audiences by tapping into feelings that many of us have experienced at some point in our lives: the fear that something terrible might happen to a loved one and the sense of responsibility to do something about it. The short film shares thematic ground with Possible Love , Lee Chang-dong's internationally acclaimed latest film, reflecting the director's signature sharp yet sensitive perspective on labor and depression. To make Heartbeat accessible to more viewers around the world, Netflix offers subtitles in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, French, and German.

Ahead of the release of Possible Love , Netflix has also made Lee Chang-dong's previous films - from Green Fish and Peppermint Candy to Oasis , Secret Sunshine , Poetry , and Burning - available for film fans around the world to enjoy without language barriers. With the addition of Heartbeat to the lineup, both longtime fans and viewers discovering his work for the first time through Possible Love will have the opportunity to explore the breadth and depth of his distinctive cinematic vision.

Heartbeat arrives globally on Netflix on November 2 - a four-day prelude to Possible Love, which streams worldwide on Netflix on November 6.