Ballerina
| 2023 | 1h 32m
Genre:
One-person Army Action/Action/Thriller | Country: South Korea
Director:
Chung-Hyun Lee | Writer: Chung-Hyun Lee
Cast:
Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Ji-hoon, Park Yu-rim
IMDB:
6.3
My
Rate: 7/10
Min Hee’s death awakens the darkest side of Ok Ju, pushing her to do whatever it takes to avenge her friend — especially after learning the truth behind Min Hee’s tragic end.
Warning:
Contains violence, strong language, harmful substances, sexual violence, suicide, alcohol, and smoking.Synopsis:
Ok
Ju receives an unexpected message from her long-lost friend, Min Hee — someone
who once filled her days before leaving the country to chase her dream of
becoming a ballerina. Fueled by longing and old memories, Ok Ju rushes to see
her, only to find a heartbreaking sight: Min Hee lying lifeless in a bathtub,
blood drying slowly along her arm. In that room, Ok Ju finds her final message
— a plea for revenge and the name of the man who must be hunted.
Without
hesitation, Ok Ju follows the traces Min Hee left behind. She gathers
information, lays out her plan carefully, but her first attempt ends in
failure. She gets dragged even deeper, meets other victims trapped in the same
circle of crime, and slowly becomes a target herself.
Now, it’s not just revenge at stake — her life is too.
Will
Ok Ju succeed in fulfilling the last wish of the friend she couldn’t save?
Review:
Imagine
someone you love — someone who always seemed fine — carrying such a heavy wound
that they choose to end their life. The guilt that follows feels like blaming
time itself — as if it should’ve warned us before it was too late. What remains
isn’t the chance to fix the past, but the urge to fulfill the dreams left
behind. In Ballerina, Min Hee’s rage and desire for revenge become the
spark that drives Ok Ju, her closest friend, who tries to repay something she
never even realized she owed.
The
film’s premise is strong: revenge born from friendship and loss. Min Hee’s fear
in the opening scene immediately reveals the pain she’d been hiding. Then it
shifts into little flashes of sweet memories in Ok Ju’s mind, showing their
closeness. Ok Ju’s emotions — fear, grief, anger — come across softly, even
though each character’s background could’ve been explored more deeply.
The
conflict grows quickly and escalates nonstop to the end. The film doesn’t dwell
on inner turmoil; instead, it leans hard on intense, sometimes over-the-top
action sequences — like Ok Ju facing off against large groups of criminals.
Even so, glimpses of past memories keep the emotional core intact.
The
resolution is satisfying, though it leaves a few questions hanging. We see
character growth and revenge that feels deserved. But some elements could’ve
been improved — like the casting of Jeon Jong-seo as Ok Ju. Her acting is
strong, but for a former VIP bodyguard, her physical presence doesn’t fully
match the harsh training her character supposedly had.
The
unnamed girl has important role to potray Min Hee’s suffering also feels
underexplored. If the film gave more depth to her background, the audience
would’ve felt Min Hee’s pain even more strongly — making the revenge arc even
heavier.
On
the bright side, the cast’s performances, the realistic injury makeup, precise
camera movement, and the red-and-black color palette effectively amplify the
tense and mysterious atmosphere. The music in each scene also fits well and
enhances the emotional tone.
Overall,
Ballerina isn’t just an action-filled watch — it’s a reflection on
choosing safe environments, on friendships that never really disappear, and on
the kind of loss that quietly reshapes someone from the inside.
Memorable Scene:
Ok
Ju watches the video of Min Hee’s assault from the USB she found in the
perpetrator’s home — arguably the most gut-wrenching moment in the film. The
mix of emotions on her face feels like she’s punishing herself for failing to
protect Min Hee.
In
real life, many of us know that quiet ache: guilt that has no shape, just a
pressure on the chest. Often, guilt shows up not because we’re truly to blame,
but because we feel we should’ve done more.
Memorable Dialogue:
“Don't you remember me? It’s me, Ballerina.”
Ending:
Happy
Ending
Recommendation:
Worth
to Watch
(Aluna)
 – When Loss Leads to Revenge){kind=link}
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