A scene from ‘Black Knight’ | photo credit: netflix
The post-apocalyptic scenario is a trump card in storytelling. ‘The world has ended and…’ The possibilities are endless, so whether the story is repeated, retold, or simply recycled, a human being on a doomed Earth will always find a new problem to deal with. Will go latest south korean drama from netflix, black KnightBeing greeted with comparisons to George Miller mad max fury road (2015). However, keeping aside the aggressive vehicular stunts in deserted areas, black Knight manages to deliver a unique six-episode saga of a bleak future.
In the decades following the comet crash, the Korean Peninsula now exists perennially under a toxic haze. Plagued by severely polluted air, fresh oxygen is a heavily monetised commodity brought to your door in pristine white canisters by delivery men. However, not everyone has access to this facility. A heavily stratified social system measures privilege by QR codes permanently tattooed on the back of the hand that ensure entry and exit into elite, gated (and breath-taking) communities. Those without QR codes, known as ‘refugees’, have been pushed to live in the ruins of a former civilisation.
Black Knight (Korean)
director: Cho Ui-seok
mold: Kim Woo-bin, Song Seung-heon, Kang Yoo-seok, Asom, and others
case: 6
Order: 45 minutes
Story: In a post-apocalyptic world plagued by pollution, deliverymen act as a lifeline, delivering oxygen while navigating a highly stratified society
Driving through the wasteland that surrounds the old city, the delivery workers battle the dangerous climate as well as ‘poachers’ who aim to steal the goods. Our protagonist, Deliveryman 5-8 (Kim Woo-bin), makes these obstacles seem like child’s play. He skillfully drives his big truck and destroys the hunters quickly. In fact, anyone in this post-apocalyptic South Korea could because 5-8’s legendary status has even made him a playable videogame character. A Robin Hood-esque figure, 5-8 rescues the elite during the day and helps the needy in the refugee areas at night. Their learning reaches farther and farther, and eventually reaches Yoon Sa-wol (Kang Yoo-seok), a refugee teen who wants to rise through the ranks as 5-8.
Beyond the unbearable air and extreme industrial capitalism, 5-8 also take it upon themselves to combat the nefarious ‘resident resettlement scheme’ launched by the same company that controls the oxygen supply.
black Knight Holds its own with a fresh story and engaging world building. Despite being decades in the future, the plot (adapted from a webtoon of the same name) ensures a cohesive, natural progression to present its timeline as a possible future. We don’t have to think too hard to imagine a reality where we must protect ourselves from suffocating air (ask Delhiites), where delivery workers are essential workers, gated societies are controlled through digital apps , and where social inequality further determines the degree to which you are affected by natural disasters.
These are not improbable events, a comet has triggered the timeline in this show.
An engaging pace, aided by commendable VFX, propels the story forward with six plot-heavy episodes. However, the abundance of plot also pulls black Knight Below
The show keeps adding elements to its story that it fails to connect comfortably in its finale. Episodes hinge on secret identities and secret illnesses and take the time to flesh out the main cast. black Knight is either slow or at times completely unsuccessful in building human relationships and solidifying the motivations of its characters. It undermines the elements that link its dystopian fiction to possible reality.
Even then, black Knight, Provides an engrossing premise, checking all the boxes needed to successfully transport us to a dusty, desolate South Korea. While it remains short of a simple but effective treatment of its plot and characters, that shouldn’t stop you from taking a peek into the future.