High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The story was pitched to Director Kang, asically a farce about hijacks at a massage parlor involving geeky male virgins, gangsters and immigrants. "So the story evolved away from the "Pretty Woman/Cinderella" story and into one that plays on the audience's expectations of Asian stereotypes. Maya turns out not to be an immigrant, though everyone in the beginning believes that she is. None of the massage girls are naive, innocent lambs with hearts of gold; are simply trying to survive." This film received the Audience Award at the 2002 Big Bear Lake International Film Festival. Soap Girl had its theatrical release on December 6, 2002 in Los Angeles, and critical reaction was mixed and controversial.