Jason Kim worked as an interpreter in the Korean Air Force before joining Korea’s movie distribution company, Showbox. Before that, he studied international politics at Georgetown University in the United States. Making films had always been his passion which resulted in him making “Goodbye My Sunshine” (2010) and “Koala” (2013). However, with the action comedy, “Midnight Runners” (2017) starring Park Seo-joon, he finally scored a huge hit in Korea. “The Divine Fury” (2019), a horror thriller, was a local box office failure. In 2023, Kim then moved on to do the Netflix action drama TV series “Bloodhounds”.
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Also released on Netflix, Kim’s latest film “Officer Black Belt” sees him returning to his action comedy roots. A film inspired by the controversial local Ministry of Justice program about criminals obliged to wear GPS-enabled anklets during their parole, in order for the probation department to keep an eye on them. The film’s main plot concerns a young and skillful martial arts officer assisting such probation officers.
Lee Jang-do (Kim Woo-bin) loves doing things he considers “fun”, like playing video games with his three best friends. His love for contact sports also earns him 9th degree black belts in Taekwondo, Kendo and Judo. When he is not doing those fun things, he delivers fried chicken for his dad’s restaurant. During one such night, he helps probation officer Cho Min-jo (Park Ji-yeol) who is in trouble trying to subdue a parolee.
Impressed by his fighting skills, the probation department head Kim Sun-min (Kim Sung-kyun) wants Lee to join them as their martial arts officer. Since officer Cho is recovering in the hospital due to his injuries and thinking that it could be a fun ride, he agrees to help them out only temporarily. In no time at all, the new experience soon changes Lee’s life completely: Kim is such a wonderful mentor, the two click and become great partners and friends.
In the meantime, the infamous serial child molester Kang Gi-jung (Lee Hyun-geol) is out on parole and living among the unsuspecting society. Therefore it is up to the probation team to watch over him. The sneaky Kang soon teams up with his old accomplices to produce more child pornography for the dark web. They begin by kidnapping a young girl, Kim and his team go after them, but Kang’s thugs ambush them when they try to intervene. The confrontation leads to the death of officer Cho but Lee manages to rescue the girl. Kim is hospitalized after suffering a serious neck injury. Now it is up to Lee and with the help of his friends, they set out to bring Kang in.
Basically a comedy action to start with, this film becomes dark and violent as it moves onto the sinister underworld of child molesters and organized crime. However, director’s Kim’s script is quite a balance of seriousness and comedic moments since he does not go overboard portraying those themes. This helps to bring the varied tones together nicely. Furthermore he allows his actors, especially the pair of leads, to really shine. Although the interchanges between Lee and his friends are simple, they somehow feel natural.
No doubt the action sequences are the stars of this production and a delight to watch. The use of surrounding objects in a fight echoes the golden era of Jackie Chan and Hong Kong action cinema at times. Take for example the massive brawl that takes place in a warehouse which shows Lee’s creative use of mannequin limbs as weapons. However, the fights get more intense and brutal at the end when hero Lee takes on Kang, the child molester. Nonetheless, Lee Tae-woo’s cinematography is always ready to capture every blow and make the combatants look the part.
Tall and good looking, model turned actor Kim Woo-bin’s presence and performance easily drive the film. Besides, he is equally amazing during those physically demanding action sequences, very fluid and convincing indeed. Both him and Kim Sung-kyun form a likable pair of charming leads and they sure know how to make use of the film’s varied comedic or dramatic moods.
In addition, Lee’s friends are a collection of colorful and likable individuals. Kim Yo-han plays Moisture, a jolly character with a wet nose. Played by Kang Hyung-seok, Writer K is another lovable soul as is Earthworm, a nerd wonderfully portrayed by Cha Wang-hyun. Park Ji-yeol turns up as officer Cho Min-jo in a tragic but memorable role nonetheless. Lastly, the notorious child sex offender Kang, played by a bulky Lee Hyun-geol, is just a typical villain.
Overall, aside from the dark theme, “Office Black Belt” is an entertaining and well put together fun comedy action film which showcases the talents of Kim Woo-bin. The take on the life of senior probation officers and their younger martial arts helpers is a refreshing approach.
