Ballerina: A Fast-Paced Action Movie on Netflix
This week, people worldwide may watch a brand-new action movie on Netflix called Ballerina. The plot of the fast-paced, action-packed picture, which was penned and directed by the Korean filmmaker Lee Chung-hyun, revolves around a friend’s mission to exact retribution. Ok-ju (Jeon Jong-Seo), who had found out that her close friend had recently passed away, opens a box that contains her friend’s dancing shoes and finds a mystery note within. The directive compels Ok-ju to embark on a mission of retribution. Finding her prey will need a ruthless determination and an unrelenting amount of effort. As she fights her way through henchmen on the way to her intended victim, her internal struggle serves as fire for her drive for revenge; nonetheless, the question remains as to whether she will succeed in her mission.
The Buzz Surrounding Ballerina
After having its world premiere at the 28th Busan International Film Festival, where it was screened as a part of the “Korean Cinema Today: Special Premiere” segment, the movie has already been getting much attention from film critics and audiences alike. The movie has been praised for striking a good balance between action and emotion, as well as for the performances of its main prominent members. After directing the horror film The Call (2020), which united two individuals from different eras and times through a mysterious telephone, Lee Chung-hyun has now directed his second feature film, Ballerina. In recognition of his work on this debut feature film, Lee Chung-hyun garnered several accolades for Best New Director. Jeon Jong-seo also had a role that would accompany her most famous performances in that film. She was honored as the Best Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 2021, the Asian Film Awards in 2021, and the Director’s Cut Awards in 2022. Keep reading to learn more about the actors and characters appearing in the film that marks Lee Chung-hyun’s triumphant return to the director’s chair. But before we get into that, here is the plot summary:
The Plot Summary
The ex-bodyguard is heartbroken over the death of her best friend, whom she could not protect. Ok-ju embarks on a mission to grant the dying wish of her good friend: to exact sweet, sweet revenge.
Jeon Jong-seo as Ok-ju
Ok-ju, the protagonist, is a former bodyguard with exceptional talents in fighting, gunmanship, driving, and pretty much everything that an action hero could require. She is forced to draw upon all of the experiences she has had in the past to achieve her objective when one of her close friends, Minhee, asks her to exact revenge on her behalf. The plot of this film follows Ok-ju as she searches for her adversary, Choi Pro, to exact revenge for her close friend. It appears that nothing or no one will be able to deter her from achieving her objective until she does so, as her resiliency and tirelessness continue to carry her through the severe violence and pain that she is experiencing on her trip to find Choi Pro.
South Korean actor Jeon Jong-Seo has appeared in five movies and two television miniseries during his career. Her most recent appearance was in an episode of Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area on Netflix, where the part of Tokyo or Lee Hong-Dan was played. This second season in the Money Heist franchise on Netflix follows a Korean team of criminals as they seek to carry out a big heist with the possibility of making 4 million Won in profit. In a manner very similar to that of the original series, Jeon Jong-Seo’s character Tokyo serves not only as the show’s narrator but also as a central character who collaborates with the evil genius known only as “The Professor” (who is portrayed by Oldboy actor Yoo Ji-Tae). As was mentioned, Jeon Jong-Soo has already collaborated with filmmaker Chung-Hyun Lee on the Netflix horror film The Call. In that role, she portrayed Young-Sook, one of the film’s two main characters. addition, she is well-known for her performances as Shin Hae-mi in the movie Burning (2018) and Mona “Lisa” Lee in the movie Lisa and the Blood Moon (2017). Since 2021, Jeon Jong-Seo and Chung-hyun Lee have also been a pair when they are not in front of the camera.
Park Yu-rim as Minhee
Minhee is a ballerina who is currently facing a hazardous situation. She reaches out to her former bodyguard friend Ok-ju for assistance in her fight with Choi Pro, and before her unexpected death, she leaves a note with her ballet shoes pleading with her friend to exact revenge on Choi Pro on her behalf. Even though her character is referred to as “Ballerina” in the title of the narrative, it appears that most of the events in the plot will only take place after Minhee has passed away; yet, she is still a significant figure in the field.
Before appearing in Ballerina, Park Yu-rim had already appeared in three other films. Her most recent part was as Park Hyeon-soo in the television series Miracle Brothers, and she also had a guest spot on the show Extraordinary Attorney Woo as Kang Ji-hye for one episode. The performance that made Park Yu-rim famous was the one in which she played the deaf Korean actress Lee Yoon-a in the film Drive My Car. In this part, she is found by a troubled director named Yusuke Kafuku. Kafuku has recently been widowed and is looking for cast members to appear in a multilingual production of Anton Chekov’s play Uncle Vanya. Kafuku finds her as he is casting for the role.
Ji Hun-Kim as Choi Pro
Choi Pro, who plays the role of the film’s antagonist, is Ok-ju’s adversary and the intended target of her vengeance. According to the message that Minhee left behind, Choi Pro is to blame for her passing, and he needs to face the consequences of his actions. Choi Pro, who shares many of the same skills and abilities as Ok-ju, relies on his combat abilities and the help of many accomplices to told himself from the fury of Minhee’s companion. Following the first confrontation with Ok-ju, Choi Pro tries to defend himself from the determined and skilled assailant by calling for many henchmen.
Ji Hun-Kim and Jeon Jong-seo had collaborated in the past on a project titled Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, and they will now be working together again. In the show, he portrayed the part of Denver, an underground warrior who became a member of the heist gang and developed feelings for one of the hostages while they were on their mission. It is to his advantage in his role as a ballerina as he had previous experience acting in films where he played a boxer. Ji Hun-Kim also has a prosperous career in television, with parts such as Hyeonjeong in “The Iron Empress,” Tae Min-Ho in “Babel,” and Baek Hi-Sung in “Flower of Evil,” the latter of which garnered him a nomination for “Best Supporting Actor” at the Baeksang Arts Awards. Ji Hun-Kim’s vast experience in television also includes film roles. In addition, he was recognized as the Best Young Actor at the 2007 Korean Broadcast System Awards for his performance in the character of Lee Bok-su in the drama The Golden Age of Daughters-in-Law. His involvement in the film industry is quite limited, with only two appearances throughout his twenty-year career. In the movie Natalie 2010, he was cast as Min-Woo, and in Age of Blood in 2017, he took on the part of Lee In-jaw. Beginning on October 6, 2023, you’ll be able to see Ballerina on Netflix.