Hooking a perilous career with parenting challenges, Kill Boksoon yields a rousing and compelling narrative.
Parenting does not only entail the financial capability to provide for one’s child. Children mirror their parents. Keeping secrets from each other, a mother and child struggle to be honest about each other’s hidden identity.
Marcie Line watched Kill Boksoon on Netflix
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PRESS CONFERENCE: “Kill Boksoon” Promises Intense Action and Compelling Characters To Amaze Viewers
Kill Boksoon Quick Plot Recap
Competent at what she does, Gil Bok-soon (Jeon Do Yeon) is a high-ranking assassin under MK Ent owned by Chairman Cha Min-kyu (Sol Kyung Gu) who has known her since she was 17. Though capable of providing, she has difficulties with parenting her teenage child Gil Jae-young (Kim Si A).
With the nearing end of her contract, Bok-soon carefully considers quitting or continuing her career to focus on her child. While Chairman Cha wishes her to stay, his younger sister Min-hee (Esom) sets her up with a battle with a trainee.
Taking on her next mission, Bok-soon chooses a domestic case where she has to stage the suicide of a senator’s son. Upon realizing what show she is staging; she deliberately fails the mission along with trainee Young-ji.
Meanwhile, Jae-young who stabbed her classmate, speaks about the circumstances of the event. In disbelief, Bok-soon tries to process her daughter’s revelation. However, she comes to meet Hee-sung (Koo Kyo Hwan) and their other friends whom she later fights after being desperate to be taken by MK Ent.
Out of love for Bok-soon, Chairman Cha does his best to protect her from other company owners by also killing Young-ji. Displeased with what happened to her failed mission, Bok-soon kills Min-hee and sends the bloody pen she used to Chairman Cha.
Pointing out each other’s weaknesses, Chairman Cha ends up getting slain first while Bok-soon frets about Jae-young watching what has transpired. Worried about it, Jae-young welcomes her home, and leaves her room’s door open.
Kill Boksoon Movie Highlights
Action Blended with Drama
Having an amount of graphic violence in its play, impressive camerawork can be appreciated together with the action scenes. Bok-soon as a competent assassin captures how a woman can be skilled in combat and armed battles.
While she prides herself in her workplace, she also has her struggles as a mother. Infused into the storyline, Bok-soon’s conflict with Jae-young adds flavor to the whole plot itself. Moreover, her history with Chairman Cha who has long-time feelings for her substantiates the tension in the drama.
Relevant Challenges to Parenting
Defying the stereotypes of single parents, Bok-soon is an icon for being capable of financially providing for Jae-young. Although she aces that aspect of parenting, her growing daughter also becomes a challenge for her.
More than the nourishment and education parents can give, teenagers especially need the right amount of guidance and support from their parents. In Jae-young’s case where she discovers her identity, her mother’s reaction becomes crucial to her acceptance of herself.
Progressive Characters
Contrary to traditional parenting, Bok-soon attempts to give Jae-young the best life she could have by earning from an unusual job. Though she may sometimes imagine herself acting like a typical parent, Bok-soon takes on different approaches to parenting.
She may not be the best at it, but she tries her all to create the best outcome for her child. Though her approach is different, Bok-soon succeeds in creating a safe space for her child. Having trust in her mother, Jae-young vocally airs her opinions on relevant issues and reveals her identity to Bok-soon.
Kill Boksoon Movie Musings
As a mother figure again, Jeon Do Yeon’s role may remind you of how she was in Crash Course in Romance but with a touch of her powerful character in Beasts Clawing at Straws.
What’s commendable about this movie is how most of the female characters were not portrayed as frail. Instead, they were the ones leading the combat.
Complementing their execution of action scenes are the engaging camera angles.
Though Bok-soon as one is shown to be strong, her character also has her weaknesses. Her daughter’s situation as one highlights the progressive themes included in the narrative. Parenting does not only entail monetary support, but also emotional support. And as a mother reacting to her daughter coming out, she handled it in a way that represents how acceptance comes after clashing with what’s conventional.
In drawing the relations in the movie, Bok-soon and Jae-young were the clearest as mother and daughter. Though it is said that Chairman Cha is Min-hee’s older brother, some parts of their interaction were left to be implied. What’s sure is that Chairman Cha had long-time feelings for Bok-soon, making her his weakness. Utilizing her awareness of that, Bok-soon wins their battle.
Decoding the ending, Jae-young leaving her door open signified the restored relationship with her mother. Adding to that is her decision to say goodbye at her old school, Jae-young no longer sees her and her mother’s identity as a weakness. Though it was a rough journey as mother and daughter, their ending may have represented that there’s nothing hidden between them anymore.
For viewers who enjoy action movies with strong female characters and progressive ideas, Kill Boksoon would be enjoyable to watch although there may be a generous amount of graphic violence. Countering what’s conventional, this movie gives a different touch to Korean content.
Watch Kill Boksoon on Netflix.
Photos: Netflix
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