Wake up, K-drama fans, a hot new film is heading your way, and you need to pay attention. Project Y is a neo-noir with elements of a revenge thriller and melodrama, following two best friends hustling and trying to survive in the seedy side of Gangnam, Seoul. Still, circumstances push them into an unpredictable corner with a bag of gold bars on the line. Lee Hwan’s third feature after Young Adult Matters and Park Hwa-young is a testament to his ability to capture the unpredictable, volatile, messy lives of people living in the margins with a quietly compassionate lens. His predilection for aesthetics and bold characters is on full display here, but what stands out is that Lee Hwan is clearly levelling up. Project Y is a heart-pounding, dizzyingly engaging feature that is elevated by two stellar performances.
Project Y is simply put sensational, and that’s largely due to the electric chemistry between Jeon Jong-seo and Han So-hee. The dynamic between their characters is dynamic, their sisterly bond is as complicated as any that is bound by either blood or experiences. The film thrives on exploring their desperate desire to survive but most importantly to thrive together. Cause what is survival without your ride or die by your side. Project Y has all the elements to be a banger at the movie theatres, attractive stars who put in great performances, a formidable villain, an exciting score, and an enthralling story. When it was announced that Jeon Jong-seo and Han So-hee would be working on a crime drama together, the excitement across the Korean entertainment fanbase was palpable. I am happy to say that it was warranted and will be rewarded.
Lee Hwan’s directing is lean and efficient. Never getting flustered with a B-plot or losing sight of the central themes or characters. A lesser storyteller would weigh the project down with a romance plot or secondary characters that don’t really add much. That being said, this film could easily be spun off into a TV series with those elements, because the world-building is crystal clear and the characters all have enough of the theme to be interesting and compelling enough to follow. There is also the added benefit of exploring the girls’ relationship with their maternal figure, which is complicated and layered. The story centres on the palpable strength of women pushed into a corner by society and circumstances. For it to succeed, the cast needs to be top-tier, and luckily for us, this cast is batting a 1000.
The ensemble cast is excellent at painting a broader picture of the world Do-kyung and Mi-sun inhabit. They speak to the dangerous atmosphere that permeates the air and to the power hierarchy at play; although fragile, it does have severe consequences when challenged. Lee Jae-kyoon is fantastic as the smarmy minor antagonist who gets the ball rolling on the drama. Kim Shin-rok makes a surprise appearance late in the film, and it is incredibly effective, contrasting her endearing performance as Jin Myeong-sook in Tastefully Yours. Jung Young-joo is not seen much, but her presence is awestruck as an intimidating obstacle to Do-kyung and Mi-sun’s goals.
Kim Sung-cheol is disturbingly attractive as the big bad that Do-kyung and Mi-sun need to avoid at all costs, though he has no redeeming qualities. Kim leaves a very bold impression; he either has a future as the go-to bad guy or misunderstood chaebol. Next to Jeon Jong-seo and Han So-hee, Kim Sung-cheol contributes a lot to the story’s tone and atmosphere; however, due to the film’s constraints, we don’t have enough of him to capitalize on his performance and the character’s arc fully. If there is one thing film suffers from, it is the need to fit so many elements into an under-2-hour movie, and one of the more compelling elements is the ensemble, which offers so much to the world-building. This cast delivers, and at times, the story, which is well-paced for the most part, falls short of feeling fully fleshed out. A series adaptation of this script would have the space to accommodate all these characters and, in turn, enrich Dokyung and Mi-Sun’s story.
Jeon Jong-seo’s Do-kyung is the protector in this relationship, taking up the role as both bodyguard and confidant to Mi-Sun, who has a more hopeful disposition compared to Do-kyung’s jaded nature. Do-kyung is an onion, and as Jeon peels back the layers, you can’t help but tear up and feel the frustration that comes with it. Between the two actresses, it’s clear why Jeon was given this role. Her breakout performance in Burning showcased her ability to balance fragility with recklessness and danger, and here she subverts that with Do-kyung, who possesses an affinity for digging herself deeper into trouble, and despite a strong exterior, she is vulnerable. Between these roles and those she has had since Burning, Project Y continues to showcase the depths of Jeon’s acting abilities.
Han So-hee matches Jeon’s energy as Mi-sun, who, in temperament, is not too dissimilar to Do-kyung but distinctly more poised and soft. Mi-sun is diligently working towards her goal of leaving her night job behind to own her own business, which, ostensibly, symbolizes her independence. She has mastered the art of appearing cold and indifferent to friends and foes alike, weaponizing her beauty and brains to circumvent the rules of the business she works in. Han is very good at funnelling her performance through her eyes. Unlike Do-kyung, Mi-sun can’t risk provoking anyone with a nasty attitude or sassy remarks, so she remains composed. Still, Han really cements her gifts by giving Mi-sun an almost frigid appearance, as it is painfully obvious that she hates her job and what she must endure to survive. If Do-kyung is an onion, then I would liken Mi-sun to a ghost pepper, a slow-burning pepper that strikes unexpectedly. We don’t see it much as the third act highlights Mi-sun’s innocent nature, but there is a bold, dangerous side to Mi-sun that quietly lurks behind her pretty face.
Together, Jeon and Han perfectly capture the appeal of the neo-noir, portraying complex women in a dangerous dance with a cruel villain with many faces. Do-kyung and Mi-sun dare to hope for better for themselves, playing by inherently unfair rules. When that backfires, the pivot to play the game like everyone else, but of course, that doesn’t work either. It’s do-or-die when both society and unfortunate acquaintances fix their sights on destroying your will to live, and Project Y centres on two women doing their best to overcome that, unwilling to give up.
Project Y is the kind of movie that will launch a million TikTok edits, primarily because of the actresses’ respective fanbases, the eagerness for stories about complicated and dynamic women, and because every piece of this film is visually engaging and sonically pleasing. The characters are clearly defined, the performances are impactful, the cinematography is sharp, the score and soundtrack are enthralling, and the story is precise and to the point. A rollercoaster ride that is both thrilling and satisfying!
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