Hong Gil-dong Part 2: Still Jumping, Still Fighting

Is this for you?

If you have any patience for 80s-style action choreography that doesn't care about physics, you'll probably have a blast. If you need your heroes to have, like, an internal monologue or a complex character arc, you’re looking in the wrong place. Stay away if you get bored by guys in masks doing backflips in the forest.

Honestly, watching The Story of Hong Gil-dong, Part 2 feels a bit like finding a dusty VHS tape in a basement. It’s got that specific kind of energy where everyone involved is clearly trying their absolute hardest, even when the budget is visibly dangling by a thread. The Black Hood gang? They’re basically just guys in outfits that look like they were sewn together ten minutes before the camera started rolling. It works, though.

The Vibes

There is this one scene where a henchman gets tossed off a ledge, and I swear he stays in the air for about six full seconds. The movie just doesn't care about gravity. It’s delightfully weird how much they lean into the wire-fu, even when the ropes are practically begging to be noticed. It makes the whole thing feel more like a stage play caught on film than a gritty epic.

• The fight choreography is surprisingly snappy.
• The sound design is mostly just wood hitting wood and loud grunting.
• There is a distinct lack of chairs in the background of most rooms.

Compared to something like War and Peace, which has all that heavy, sprawling historical weight, this movie is a featherweight. It doesn't want to explain anything. It just wants to get to the next kick.

I found myself wondering where they found some of these locations. Some of the mountain passes look beautiful, but then the camera cuts and we’re clearly in someone's backyard. It’s charming, honestly. It reminded me a bit of the scrappy energy in The Radio Detective, where the plot is basically just a thin excuse to keep people moving from one set-piece to the next. 🏃‍♂️

Is it a masterpiece? Absolutely not. It’s a bit repetitive, and the villain’s motivation is basically 'I am evil and I like hoods.' But there's a sincerity to it that’s missing from modern stuff. When Hong Gil-dong lands a hit, he really sells it. It’s not CGI-polished; it’s just guys really going for it in the mud.

Don't expect it to change your life. Just grab a snack and enjoy the nonsense.