Officer Black Belt is a Korean martial arts action movie released on Netflix on September 13, 2024. Based on the controversial real-life South Korean law enforcement method of using GPS-powered ankle bracelets, the story follows Lee-Jeong Do (Kim Woo-Bin), an upbeat delivery man whose various black belts make him a ninth-degree martial arts expert.

Headed home one day, Lee-Jung witnesses a violent criminal beating up a police officer while wearing a LoJack device around his ankle. Using his martial arts skills, Lee-Jeong stops the assailant and is immediately asked to join the police force. What begins as a part-time substitute soon becomes a fully committed profession for Lee-Jeong, as he rounds up a sidekick and uses his Judo, Kendo, and Taekwondo to put criminals behind bars. Despite the slapstick comedy featured in the movie, Officer Black Belt is more rooted in reality than fans might assume.

What Happens in Officer Black Belt?
Netflix

Written and directed by Joo-hwan Kim, Officer Black Belt is a zany martial arts crime-comedy inspired by real-life Korean law enforcement policy. The story follows Lee-Jeong, a chicken delivery server and hardcore gamer with a positive and uplifting attitude. After delivering food to a client, Lee-Jeong spots a police officer being assaulted on the street by a criminal wearing a GPS-powered ankle bracelet. Acting on instinct and reflex, Lee-Jeong springs into action, using his three third-degree black belts in Judo, Kendo, and Taekwondo to easily dispatch the attacker as a ninth-degree martial artist.

After rescuing the police officer on the street, the officer invites Lee-Jeong to the police station and offers him a role to fill in for him while he recovers from his injuries. Reluctant at first, Lee-Jeong accepts the position and soon helps the police force clean up the streets by using non-lethal martial artistry to stop violent criminals. The more successful his methods become, the more control and command Officer Black Belt is given to eliminate crime in Seoul. To help his efforts, Lee-Jeong recruits a probation officer named Kim Seon-Min (Kim Sung-Kyun) as his sidekick. Additional characters include Lee-Jeong’s close friends Earthworm (Cha Wang-Hyeon), Moisture (Kim Yo-Han), and Writer K (Kang Hyoung-Suk).

How True Is Officer Black Belt?
Netflix

While none of the characters (Lee-Jeong included) are based on real-life counterparts per se, Officer Black Belt’s basic premise has a nugget of truthfulness. In South Korea, a law enforcement policy was enacted to keep close tabs on “high-risk” criminals by placing electronic, GPS-enabled tracking devices around their ankles. The idea was to make cities like Seoul safer by knowing where violent citizens and repeat offenders with criminal records could be located easily and confronted if needed. However, privacy issues began to arise among the public, stirring debate about the efficacy of the policy.

The Korean tracking policy was implemented in 2008 and remains intact today. Beyond the policy itself, Officer Black Belt’s authenticity extends to the show’s underlying premise. Under the policy, real-life martial artists in Korea were asked to assist probation officers, intervening when routine arrests escalated into verbal and violent arguments. The martial artists will provide physical confrontation when necessary, and assist probation officers during the interview process. This fundamental law serves as the storytelling blueprint for Officer Black Belt, with writer/director Joo-Hwan Kim adapting personal eyewitness testimony to flesh out the story.

The Inspiration Behind Officer Black Belt, Explained
Netflix

In addition to taking cues from South Korea’s controversial criminal monitoring policy that has been in place for 16 years, director Joo-Hwan Kim also drew inspiration from a personal street encounter relating to the program in the Korean action comedy. According to Chosun Daily:

“Director Kim Joo-hwan revealed his inspiration for the film came after noticing someone in his neighborhood wearing an electronic bracelet. To accurately portray the world of martial arts officers and probation officers, he consulted with professionals in the field during the film’s development.”

Apart from Joo-Hwan’s personal experience informing the plot, actor Kim Woo-Bin underwent extensive martial arts training to prepare for his performance. He gained roughly 17 pounds for the role and trained three to four hours daily in various martial arts disciplines. Discussing the role, Woo-Bin stated:

“I was intrigued by my character’s journey — from someone who used to just hang out with his friends to someone who finds meaning and duty in his new role. I hope the audience connects with that change.”

As for co-star Sung-Kyun, who plays Lee-Jeong’s probation officer sidekick Kim Seon-Min, he beamed about working with director Joo-Hwan, adding:

“I’ve always admired the vibrant, well-crafted storytelling in Director Kim’s previous works, so I was excited to join this movie. I was also looking forward to working with Kim Woo-bin.”

Sung-Kyun was also drawn to the advisory role that the martial arts probation officer incorporates, adding, “I aimed to reflect that in my portrayal.”

Officer Black Belt is available to stream on Netflix.