Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Officer Black Belt’ on Netflix, A Korean Actioner With A Heartfelt Touch To Go With Its Fists And Kicks

In Officer Black Belt, a triple threat champion of taekwondo, kendo, and judo takes the fight from the practice mat to the streets when he joins up with Seoul’s ministry of justice to help keep ankle-monitored ex-convicts in line. Written and directed by Jason Kim (Midnight Runners, Bloodhounds), Black Belt stars hearthrob-y Kim Woo-bin (Black Knight) as Lee Jung-do, the martial artist with a heart of gold, and Kim Sung-kyun as Kim Sun-min, the probation officer who recruits him to the force. But while the job’s at first a lark for Jung-do, things get serious when a gang of criminal sexual predators start threatening kids and Jung-do’s new colleagues.      

OFFICER BLACK BELT: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? 

The Gist: For Lee Jung-do, life is about doing fun stuff with his gaming-obsessed pals, delivering food with a smile for his dad’s chicken restaurant, and winning handily in the gym as a third-level dan of three different martial arts disciplines. But Jung-do’s life takes a turn one night after he steps in to assist a police officer being attacked in an alley by a violent criminal. In less than a second and with one quick maneuver, Jung-do puts the assailant right on his back. And right then the cops know they’ve got the perfect recruit for their martial arts officer program. Paired with veteran probation officer Kim Sun-min, Jung-do is soon monitoring the movements of ankle-monitored ex-convicts, many of whom committed crimes of sexual assault against minors. When they run, Jung-do has a knack for catching them – what kicks won’t stop, a taser will – and the city of Seoul recognizes him with a brave citizen commendation. But it’s the pride he feels in getting these lowlifes off the streets that’s his biggest reward.

Soon enough, Jung-do and Kim Sun-min meet their match in Kang Ki-jung (Lee Hyun-geol), an imposing giant of a man who did 20 years for sex crimes involving children. His ankle monitor doesn’t stop Kang from hooking up with a group of criminal associates, and once those guys are on the receiving end of Jung-do’s martial arts prowess – Pow! Wham! And howabout a mannequin leg to the crotch? – they pledge to silence Jung-do and Kim Sun-min for good. 

Officer Black Belt features a few tightly-choreographed fight scenes, but it really finds its footing in the strong sense of moral right that guides Lee Jung-do. Inspired by Sun-min’s commitment to the job, Jung-do can’t let Kang and his gang get away with hurting more innocent kids. And when things escalate and his colleagues also take a few hits, Jung-do turns to his resourceful crew of nicknamed gamer bros for help: Moisture (Kim Yo-han), Writer Kang (Kang Hyoung-suk), and Earthworm (Cha Wang-hyeon. With Jung-do’s fighting skills and this crowdsourced task force, Kang Ki-jung doesn’t stand a chance. 

What Movies Will It Remind You Of? Kim Sung-kyun, who here plays Kim Sun-min with a ton of warmth, has a whole different thing going on in Seoul Vibe, a fun action romp with a 1980s setting and DNA from the Fast & the Furious franchise. And Officer Blackbelt writer-director Jason Kim also created Bloodhounds for Netflix, where Woo Do-Hwan and Lee Sang-yi play two pals with fighting skills and a drive to do the right thing very similar to Lee Jung-do’s.

Performance Worth Watching: Kill Boksoon and Believer star Lee Hae-young doesn’t have that many scenes in Officer Black Belt as Jung-do’s dad, but he makes an impression every time. “There’s this energy you feel when the passion from your heart reaches someone else’s.”   

Memorable Dialogue: When a vicious ex-con and sexual predator makes things personal, Jung-do is determined to bring his ass down. “That evil bastard hurt another child. The police? Yeah, I know. I’m sure they’re all working hard. I want to do my best, too. Without regrets. I wouldn’t care if I didn’t know. But now I know. How can I do nothing?” 

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: OK, so Kim Woo-bin is 36 in real life. But in Officer Black Belt he’s totally convincing playing much younger, and especially since Lee Jung-do’s noble, optimistic outlook on life is so magnetic. You can’t help but smile in early scenes as Jung-do gets the hang of his new job, second guessing the moves of fleeing criminals, appearing where they least expect him, and putting them on the deck with a series of definitive martial arts moves delivered in quick succession. Black Belt also takes a turn or two toward very serious themes, with its talk of dark web snuff films and sexual predation. But the tone is mostly light, due mainly to Kim Woo-bin’s irrepressibility as Lee Jung-do, but also with the comic relief of his crew of eager-to-help buddies. (A sequence where they DIY a solution to finding the criminals’ location is a really fun ride.) The martial arts on offer accounts for most of the action in Officer Black Belt. But it’s the sincerity and sense of loyalty it explores that really lands the punches.     

Our Call: STREAM IT. Officer Black Belt definitely gets its fists and kicks in with an engaging Kim Woo-bin as Lee Jung-do, the world’s most eager crimefighting martial arts enthusiast. But ultimately it’s the film’s heart that really shines through.

Johnny Loftus (@glennganges) is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift.