The Villainess 2017

In the film’s gripping opening, we are introduced to a skilled female assassin who moves through a dimly lit hallway. With precision and deadly efficiency, she dispatches a multitude of foes using her expertise in firearms and close-quarters combat. Upon entering a room to confront her boss, Park, she eliminates all the henchmen and him, showcasing her formidable combat abilities. However, as she attempts to flee, she finds herself cornered by police, wearing a chilling yet composed grin.

We then see our protagonist in an undisclosed facility, where she is subjected to drugging and plastic surgery. During her recovery, flashbacks reveal an unnamed man with a mustache, who attempts to resuscitate her following a breath-holding exercise, calling her Sook-hee. This facility is revealed to be a front for South Korea’s intelligence agency, overseen by the determined Kwon-sook. She informs Sook-hee that her death has been faked to grant her a fresh start, providing her with a new identity as Chae Yeon-soo. Initially apathetic, Yeon-soo expresses a desire to die, but Kwon-sook reveals she is pregnant, presenting a deal: undergo training as an agent and earn her freedom after ten years of service. Yeon-soo reluctantly agrees and gives birth to a daughter, Eun-hye, during her rigorous training.

While going through a tattoo removal procedure, a flashback immerses us in Yeon-soo’s turbulent past - a tattoo received from the mustached man when she was just 20, as she was discovering her deadly capabilities. This begins to weave a pattern of her life as Sook-hee, a highly trained assassin with a tragic history that includes being captured and tortured, only to be rescued by the same man with a mustache, ultimately known as Lee Joong-sang.

As Yeon-soo embarks on her first assignment, a tragic moment triggers a flashback to her childhood, where she witnessed her father’s murder, hiding in fear. This impactful memory involves Jang-Chun, a figure connected to her father’s fate. After a series of harrowing revelations, it becomes clear that Joong-sang shaped Sook-hee into the lethal assassin she is today.

Completing her initial mission, Yeon-soo moves into her own apartment, unaware that a male agent, Jung-Hyun-soo, has been placed next door to monitor her. As they grow closer, hints of Yeon-soo’s past emerge, revealing her tumultuous relationship with Joong-sang, which was tainted by betrayal and manipulation. Her yearning for a normal life is shattered as she discovers Joong-sang’s treachery, leading her on a violent path of vengeance.

Tragedy strikes when a mission alongside her friend Min-ju ends in disaster, leading the agency to suspect Yeon-soo may be a double agent. Hyun-soo provides comfort, deepening their bond. However, the agency’s machinations continue, including a staged wedding that culminates in a heart-stopping moment—when Yeon-soo must decide whether to assassinate Joong-sang, shocked to discover he is alive.

The plot thickens as Joong-sang contacts her, exposing the agency’s true intentions and the danger they pose to her daughter. In a dramatic turn of events, Yeon-soo is taken into custody by the agency while Joong-sang’s gang pursues her family. The story spirals into chaos, culminating in a devastating explosion that claims Hyun-soo and Eun-hye.

Fuelled by grief and a thirst for retribution, Yeon-soo embarks on a relentless pursuit of Joong-sang and his associates. In a heart-pounding showdown, she confronts Joong-sang, exchanging chilling words that echo her profound transformation into the very weapon he crafted. Their final encounter is nothing short of explosive, culminating in an intense chase and battle, ultimately ending with Yeon-soo standing over Joong-sang’s fallen body—her grim smile reflecting the culmination of her brutal journey, as she emerges from the wreckage, surrounded by law enforcement.