Mad Rush is a short film written and directed by Lee Hee Jun, who also features in the film as the main character. This is actor Lee Hee Jun’s directorial debut and what a powerful debut it is, conveying so much emotion in just 18 minutes.
Suffering from OCD and panic disorder, Byunghoon (played by Lee Hee Jun) struggles with daily tasks and going out in public feels like he’s going out to battle. The film follows just a day in his life, where we see the struggle he goes through to complete a task given by his psychiatrist.
[WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD]
This movie felt so raw and powerful right from the start and I didn’t know why until the Q&A session where director and actor Lee Hee Jun shared about his experience with panic disorder which was the inspiration behind the script. No wonder the movie was so uncomfortable to sit through, because it was coming from a very vulnerable and real place.
The film begins with Byunghoon waking up and making his bed, disinfecting his bedsheet after finding a stray strand of hair on the sheets. We see how red his skin is from over-scrubbing when he cleans his body intensely… He ignores calls from his mother, only to pick up a call from his psychiatrist who gives him homework before their next appointment – to go to the department store and buy the brightest piece of clothing he can find. And so begins his personal battle of fighting his OCD to complete this task.
Although full of tension at the start, the film ends on a very peaceful note as we see Byunghoon appreciating the clouds, after completing the task, and finally accepting his mother’s call. We also find out that it’s actually his birthday, so in a way it felt like a rebirth for Byunghoon where he managed to overcome this huge hurdle to appreciate the beauty in everyday life, and to be “okay” enough to have a conversation with his mother without worrying her (or possibly breaking down himself). In the last scene, Byunghoon is seen walking through a crowd of people (which would have been impossible for him earlier on due to his OCD), in a Where’s Wally vibe, talking to himself about what to have for lunch.
As mentioned earlier, the film was inspired by the director’s own experience with panic disorder. During the difficult period where he was battling with the disorder, Lee Hee Jun shared how there was a day when he suddenly looked at the sky and the beautiful clouds and the idea for the script just came to him so he quickly wrote it in case he forgets it. But he almost didn’t film it since he couldn’t find somebody to act in it, so he ended up acting in it himself. Which I think probably made the film the best it could have been. You can really feel Byunghoon’s anxiety throughout the film, and the sense of relief at the end, which I believe is also due to the actor’s own personal experience, allowing him to deliver such a raw and real performance.
During the Q&A session for the film, Lee Hee Jun ended by saying that he basically just made the movie that he wanted to watch, and I personally hope more people will watch this film, because it left such a deep and lasting impression on me. Here’s to remembering to see the beauty in everyday life, and appreciate all the little joys! May we all live with peace in our hearts.
—
This film was screened at the 2025 Jeonju International Film Festival.
