After Lee Hae-young’s successful 2018 film, Netflix has come back with the sequel for Believer. ‘Believer 2’ (Original title: Dokjeon 2), directed by BAIK, continues with Won-ho’s journey after the arrest of Brian. While the first film leaves us with a shocking and unclear ending to his journey, the second part takes a closer look at what transpired during the climactic meeting. Earlier premiered at BIFF 2023, this crime action thriller is a gore-filled look into this fictional drug war. Filled with gratuitous violence, it shows Won-ho’s further investigation into the criminal organization led by an elusive drug kingpin, Mr Lee. Spoilers ahead.
Believer 2 (2023) ‘Netflix’ Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What happens in Netflix’s Believer 2?
‘Believer 2’ on Netflix follows Jo Won-ho (played by Cho Jin-woong) in his search for the elusive drug Kingpin, Mr Lee. Earlier, his search did not end the way he hoped it would. Brian (played by Cha Seung-Won), who claimed to be Mr Lee, suffered an ill fate at the hands of Seo Young-rak (now played by Oh Seung-hoon) and his two loyal drug cooks – Manko (played by Kim Dong-young) and Rona (played by Lee Joo-young). Now, the sequel follows Won-ho’s journey toward finding the actual Mr Lee.
The film follows the events soon after Won-ho finds Brian lying on the ground with a burn scar on his back. It led Won-ho to realize Rak’s connection to this operation and Laika. At his office, Won-ho refuses to agree with his superiors, who want to present Brian as Mr Lee. Instead, Won-ho goes out to search for Rak. He firmly believes Rak to be Mr Lee. During his search, he discovers video footage of Rak standing next to an ATM. While Won-ho gets a cryptic understanding of Rak’s further plans, Rak becomes determined to find the actual Mr Lee.
Why does Seo Young-rak want to find Mr Lee?
When Seo Young-rak was a child, he was sent through a shipping container with his parents. Along the way, his parents faced a tragic death. Rak had to witness it and live with those painful memories for the rest of his life. Turns out, it was someone named Mr Lee who directed Young-rak’s parents on that dangerous path without any concern for their safety or well-being. He only wanted to increase his Laika drug trade and was ready to go to any lengths to do so. That is why Seo Young-rak hopes to seek revenge against Mr Lee. That’s what drives him to find this criminal mastermind.
How does Seo Young-rak plan to find Mr Lee?
Seo Young-rak learns about Ewoo shipping and its connection to Mr. Lee’s organization. So, he plans to cut the source of funding for Brian in his Laika deal with Ha-rim. While creating problems for him, Rak plans to cook their own Laika with Manko & Rona. Through this plan, he hopes to gain access to So-Cheon, aka Big Knife (played by Han Hyo-joo). She is Mr Lee’s close associate, who handles most of his organization’s affairs. Young-rak plans to use her as a way to find Mr Lee.
While Rak hatches out the logistics of his plan, Brian’s associates rescue Brian from the hospital. Before Young-rak could meet Big Knife, wheelchaired Brian manages to meet her. He strikes up a deal with her to get back at Young-rak – and to make up for the lost raw materials he earlier promised to Mr Lee. Unaware of this, Rak reaches a stinky production base to cook drugs, only to be confronted by another gang. Young-rak convinces the man for a deal under the pretense that he is working for Mr. Lee.
But soon after, Big Knife arrives there to jeopardize it. Since he cannot deal with Jin Ha-rim, he now proposes Big Knife to make a deal with him – in exchange for a meeting with Mr Lee. While they discuss the logistics of this plan, Won-ho and his associate arrive there to sabotage it. In the brutal back-and-forth gunfire, Won-ho’s close associate dies. Because of this, Won-ho gets suspended from his department.
What is Big Knife’s relationship with Mr Lee?
Before telling about their present plans, we must understand the history Rak & Brian share with Big Knife. So-cheon showed up at a lavish villa where Jin Ha-rim was about to shoot one of their chemists. He was angry that this chemist was falsely claiming to be Mr Lee to use his terrifying reputation to his advantage. While So-cheon initially tried to stop him, she ended up killing the chemist herself. Brian saw the horrifying incident when So-cheon cut the chemist’s head and threw it off the balcony. Turns out, So-cheon is Mr Lee’s daughter, who only craves his approval. That’s why she did not show mercy on a man posing as Mr Lee.
How does Won-ho plan to find Mr Lee?
Won-ho learns about Mr Lee’s history and ends up in Krabi, Thailand. Despite being suspended, he plans to continue with his solitary investigation. He reaches Krabi to find a man who has a close connection with Big Knife. Since Won-ho is a Korean police detective, So-cheon orders to kill him. Somehow, Won-ho manages to evade the attack, only to meet Brian. Before this meeting, Brian and Rak had sketched out a plan – where Brian will help Rak meet Won-ho since he also wants to find the actual Mr Lee.
Believer 2 (2023) ‘Netflix’ Movie Ending Explained:
Does Rak meet Mr Lee?
After fulfilling his promise to Big Knife, Rak expects her to let him meet Mr Lee. She calls Mr Lee only to receive a dry response. It makes her furious to the point she tries to kill Rak. Luckily, Won-ho manages to find Rak and saves him from the attack. After saving their lives from Big Knife, they face Brian and his army. Brian calls out Rak for posing as Mr Lee. Rak says he did that to get closer to Mr Lee’s close associates. He believed it would ultimately help him meet Mr Lee.
Eventually, Brian decides to take his own revenge – for the way Rak treated him in the past. He threatens to hurt Manko and Rona to make them work for him. Rak cannot handle the way Brian tortures Manko and Rona. So, he agrees to Brian’s demands – in exchange for learning where Mr Lee lives. Soon after, Rak reaches Mr. Lee’s Norway residence to confront him about his parents’ deaths. By then, Mr Lee had started a sophisticated life as a professor with a family. Despite having this happy life, he shows no remorse for destroying Rak’s family. Instead, he cherishes his cruelty. As a result, Rak decides to shoot Mr Lee to death. While he gets his revenge, Brian does so too. Despite getting Manko and Rona’s help, he blinds Rona and cuts Manko’s arm – just to quench his sadistic thirst.
What happens during Rak & Won-ho’s meeting?
Believer 2 ends with the same scene that the first part does. We see Won-ho show up at Rak’s residence to talk about Mr Lee. Before reaching there, he had already read about Professor Lee’s death. So, instead of their usual back-and-forth, they contemplate the lives they led and the purpose behind their actions. Rak says he has done everything he wanted to do. He knows that Won-ho isn’t satisfied with his job and where it led him. Eventually, he points a gun at Won-ho’s head, only to get shot by him instead. So, Rak gets killed in the hands of Won-ho.
While walking out of the house, Won-ho appears to be at the lowest point in his life. After all, what is his life without a search for Mr Lee? Like Joker’s character mentions in The Dark Knight, a hero is nothing without his nemesis. While walking hopelessly with the same realization, Won-ho gets shot by Manko. After his death, Won-ho gets rewarded with recognition and respect, which he never received during his life. So, we get a bittersweet ending to the blood-filled saga of Won-ho & Rak’s lives.
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