Here are my thoughts on “The Unrottable Woman” by KIM Min-a, screened during the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), which took place from July 2 – 12, 2026, in Bucheon, South Korea.

The Unrottable Woman by KIM Min-a – Korea | 2026 – 10 minutes | World Premiere
Section: Fantastic Shorts 10

An unemployed young woman who spends her days watching YouTube videos realizes that she has turned thirty without achieving anything significant in her life. Feeling hopeless, she convinces herself that everything is lost, and her body begins to rot. After a series of failed attempts to stop her decomposition, she decides to organize her own funeral. Suddenly, she remembers there is one place she has not yet tried: the refrigerator freezer. Determined to freeze her body, she climbs inside, where she discovers a pile of garbage bags and a living creature.

This is one of the most interesting short films in the Fantastic Shorts section, as it tackles a very sensitive issue in Korean society. In South Korea, there remains strong social pressure to reach certain milestones before the age of thirty: establishing a professional career, achieving financial stability, or even starting a family. Added to this pressure is a constant expectation to remain young and beautiful.

The Unrottable Woman challenges this social expectation and offers a reflection on the pressure to achieve certain milestones before reaching what is considered the “right” age. Rather than dwelling on what we failed to accomplish in the past, the short film invites us to reflect on the possibilities that still lie ahead. It also reminds us that, in one way or another, we are all a little “rotten”: we carry unfinished dreams, unfulfilled desires, and frustrated expectations, yet we continue striving for what we long for.

The short film features a simple mise-en-scène, with only a few locations, all of which are used to great effect. It is further strengthened by a solid performance from the lead actress, who brings dramatic nuance to the character without losing the touches of dark humor that run throughout the story.