THE MASKED GIRL

In 1989, a young Ella dances on stage, receiving thunderous applause from the audience. She seems overjoyed, pursuing her passion for dance and seeking fame. By 1993, dancing remains her greatest passion. One day, as Ella dances happily in her room, her mother interrupts, crushing Ella's dreams by declaring she lacks the looks to become a professional dancer or singer. As Ella grows older, her appearance worsens. In high school, she endures mockery when dancing on stage, with people calling her ugly and asking her to step down. Watching others perform, Ella grows jealous, her dreams shattered. Now 29, Ella lives an unfulfilling life as an accountant. Though her passion still burns within, her looks remain unchanged. Under the quiet cloak of night, Ella disguises herself with makeup and fancy clothes, wearing a mask to dance anonymously online. She garners a large following, earning money entertaining her audience with dances, games and live chats. By morning, her ugly face returns. At her office job, Ella faces rude treatment from colleagues who frequently comment on her deteriorating looks. Cunning new employee Alberta curries favor with senior staff through flattery and coffee runs, while ignoring Ella. Though Ella admires her kind, professional boss Mr. Kong, he is married. Overhearing of the lucrative opportunities in online entertainment, Mr. Kong leaves dinner early, citing his wife's illness. Offering to share a cab home with Ella, he lies to his wife on the phone about being alone. That night, Ella shares the puzzling incident with her online audience, wondering if Mr. Kong lied due to her unattractiveness. They assure her she's overanalyzing. Recalling how Mr. Kong started wearing the cologne she once complimented, Ella again asks if he may have interest in her, but her audience dismisses this idea. Working late one night, Ella discovers Mr. Kong and Alberta locked in a passionate kiss in the office. He explains needing to hide their affair from coworkers. Heartbroken, Ella cries on her walk home, drinking heavily. During her anonymous dance stream, she removes all her clothes in a spirited performance. Waking with a blocked account for violating platform rules, Ella breaks down. The next day at lunch, Ella discloses the affair to colleagues, insisting on secrecy. Nonetheless, the news spreads quickly. Mr. Kong resigns, while Alberta is fired. Approached by coworker Mr. O on her way out, Ella enters the crowded elevator silently. Outside, a disheveled Mr. Kong expresses a desire to end his life. Ella takes him to a motel to sober up. With only one bed, they end up sleeping next to each other. Mr. Kong hurries away wordlessly in the morning.At the office, Ella finds Mr. Kong's chair empty. She soon receives a mysterious email with a photo of her anonymous persona, stating "I know you."Shocked, Ella closes the email and hastily goes to the restroom. There, she reopens the email and finds a naked picture of herself wearing the mask, as well as all the comments she had received during her live stream when she exposed herself. Upset by what she sees, Ella is deeply troubled. After leaving the office, Ella texts Mr. Kong expressing her desire to meet him; however, Mr. Kong apologizes for their previous encounter and declines her request. Later that night, Ella logs into her still-suspended profile and opens a chat with an anonymous user named Prince. As she converses with Prince, who she finds very welcoming, Ella shares her suicidal thoughts, but he convinces her otherwise. Unbeknownst to Ella, Prince is actually her co-worker Mr. O, anonymously texting her from his apartment computer. Mr. O has been the target of bullies since childhood due to his chubby physique. He has been alone most of the time since childhood, playing with himself by watching illicit videos. His life revolves around his office job and illicit activities. Even now, on his birthday, he is alone - he buys himself a cake, claps and cuts it for himself, and places a doll in front of him as a companion. In his loneliness, he gives the doll a gift, thanking it, which is an adult toy he uses to give himself pleasure.