I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK

A factory worker who believes she is a cyborg, she communicates primarily with machines and refuses to eat as part of her reboot ritual. Her delusions are shaped by trauma and institutional pressures, yet she remains capable of meaningful connection when shown empathy. Her longing for agency and revenge against the 'men in white' underscores her fragile grip on reality.

Il-soon is a young male patient with anti-social tendencies and kleptomania who believes he can steal others’ traits. He wears handmade rabbit masks, fears shrinking into a dot, and often analyzes others to borrow but return their attributes. His fascination with Young-goon evolves into sympathy, revealing a capacity for care amid his unsettling past.

The head doctor who oversees Young-goon’s case and probes the roots of her psychosis. He embodies the clinical gaze that can be both compassionate and controlling, guiding treatment while navigating the ethical tensions of care in an institution.

Young-goon’s mother appears aloof and burdened by daily life, later revealing she knew about her daughter’s delusions but was too busy to seek help. Her stance highlights parental distance and the pressure of caretaking within a strained family dynamic.

The grandmother was institutionalized for delusions of being a mouse, a trauma that echoes in Young-goon’s own psychosis. Her history informs the film’s exploration of inherited trauma and cycles of confinement, motivating Young-goon’s quest for understanding and revenge.