Origin and release year: South Korea (2024 – Officer Black Belt)

Korean title: 무도실무관

Starring: Kim Woo Bin, Kim Sung Kyun, Kim Yool Ho, Lee Hae Young, Son Sang Yeon, Lee Joong Ok, Kim Ji Young, Park Ji Yeol, Kang Hyung Suk, Lee Hyun Kul, Kang Seung Ho, WEi Kim Yo Han, Ji Jin Hee, Nam Ji Woo

Director: Jason Kim

Screenwriter: Jason Kim

Synopsis: An indefinite contractor at the Ministry of Justice, who closely manages those wearing electronic ankle bracelets, assists in probation officers’ work, and suppresses verbal abuse and violence that occurs in case of emergency. (IMDb)

Trigger warning: Violence, Sexual Assault, etc.

If you want a film that will make you cry (sad, angry, and frustrated tears) then we highly recommend Officer Black Belt.

There was so much injustice that took place in this film, that it had you in your feels.

Whilst the narrative was entertaining, the scriptwriting wasn’t the best. It was super on-the-nose. Granted that the film was made to create awareness about professional martial arts police officials, but the portions where they were introducing this profession to us felt super explained. We could’ve easily gotten an idea for the work Lee Jeong Do (played by Kim Woo Bin) would be doing without having to listen to all of it through super on-the-nose dialogue.

There were also moments that seemed to be forcing sentiment. This writer is not sure if I’m just cynical or not, but there’s an increasing trend of movies trying to force you to feel something as opposed to relying on the script or even visual elements to do so. This was a slight turnoff from the film.

However, despite all that, this film was genuinely entertaining and well made. It still managed to be an emotional rollercoaster which had you laughing at one second and crying at the next. It had you seething in anger at the horrendous crimes targeting women and children, a reality check to those who see South Korea as a romantic K-drama paradise.

Officer Black Belt was the dose of reality check that we all needed in terms of the lens we see Korean society through. This film is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the issues Korean women and children face regarding sexual assault, harassment, and more atrocious crimes in Korean society. Whilst the film was comedic, it’s clear that the overall mission was to raise awareness of this plight.

With all of that said, we have to give a shout-out to the literal star of the show. Whilst all of the supporting cast was also excellent, Kim Woo Bin truly made this film worth watching. There was something about seeing him play a happy go lucky character with a heart of gold and fists of steel that was super endearing. He really tugged at your heartstrings and got you invested into the plot and message of the film.

Officer Black Belt is a must-watch if you consider yourself a fan of Korean content – not only for its message, but also for its quality.

What did you think of Officer Black Belt? Let us know in the comments!