A ruthless assassin, Sook-hee was crafted by a criminal empire into a killing machine. Recruited as a sleeper agent with the promise of freedom, she seizes the chance to escape her deadly past. But when secrets from her dark history resurface, Sook-hee's brutal quest for vengeance ignites a trail of destruction, leaving no one standing in her way.

A ruthless assassin, Sook-hee was crafted by a criminal empire into a killing machine. Recruited as a sleeper agent with the promise of freedom, she seizes the chance to escape her deadly past. But when secrets from her dark history resurface, Sook-hee's brutal quest for vengeance ignites a trail of destruction, leaving no one standing in her way.

Does The Villainess have end credit scenes?

No!

The Villainess does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of The Villainess

Explore the complete cast of The Villainess, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for The Villainess

See how The Villainess is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The Villainess stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

64

Metascore

7.1

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

%

TOMATOMETER

review

0%

User Score

IMDb

6.6 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

86

%

User Score

Letterboxd

3.4

From 59 fan ratings

Movie Insider

2.75/5

From 4 fan ratings

Take the Ultimate The Villainess Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of The Villainess with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


The Villainess Quiz: Test your knowledge about the intense and thrilling plot of 'The Villainess' from 2017.

What is Sook-hee's profession?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for The Villainess

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Read the complete plot summary of The Villainess, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


In the film’s gripping opening, we are introduced to a skilled female assassin who moves through a dimly lit hallway. With precision and deadly efficiency, she dispatches a multitude of foes using her expertise in firearms and close-quarters combat. Upon entering a room to confront her boss, Park, she eliminates all the henchmen and him, showcasing her formidable combat abilities. However, as she attempts to flee, she finds herself cornered by police, wearing a chilling yet composed grin.

We then see our protagonist in an undisclosed facility, where she is subjected to drugging and plastic surgery. During her recovery, flashbacks reveal an unnamed man with a mustache, who attempts to resuscitate her following a breath-holding exercise, calling her Sook-hee. This facility is revealed to be a front for South Korea’s intelligence agency, overseen by the determined Kwon-sook. She informs Sook-hee that her death has been faked to grant her a fresh start, providing her with a new identity as Chae Yeon-soo. Initially apathetic, Yeon-soo expresses a desire to die, but Kwon-sook reveals she is pregnant, presenting a deal: undergo training as an agent and earn her freedom after ten years of service. Yeon-soo reluctantly agrees and gives birth to a daughter, Eun-hye, during her rigorous training.

While going through a tattoo removal procedure, a flashback immerses us in Yeon-soo’s turbulent past - a tattoo received from the mustached man when she was just 20, as she was discovering her deadly capabilities. This begins to weave a pattern of her life as Sook-hee, a highly trained assassin with a tragic history that includes being captured and tortured, only to be rescued by the same man with a mustache, ultimately known as Lee Joong-sang.

As Yeon-soo embarks on her first assignment, a tragic moment triggers a flashback to her childhood, where she witnessed her father’s murder, hiding in fear. This impactful memory involves Jang-Chun, a figure connected to her father’s fate. After a series of harrowing revelations, it becomes clear that Joong-sang shaped Sook-hee into the lethal assassin she is today.

Completing her initial mission, Yeon-soo moves into her own apartment, unaware that a male agent, Jung-Hyun-soo, has been placed next door to monitor her. As they grow closer, hints of Yeon-soo’s past emerge, revealing her tumultuous relationship with Joong-sang, which was tainted by betrayal and manipulation. Her yearning for a normal life is shattered as she discovers Joong-sang’s treachery, leading her on a violent path of vengeance.

Tragedy strikes when a mission alongside her friend Min-ju ends in disaster, leading the agency to suspect Yeon-soo may be a double agent. Hyun-soo provides comfort, deepening their bond. However, the agency’s machinations continue, including a staged wedding that culminates in a heart-stopping moment—when Yeon-soo must decide whether to assassinate Joong-sang, shocked to discover he is alive.

The plot thickens as Joong-sang contacts her, exposing the agency’s true intentions and the danger they pose to her daughter. In a dramatic turn of events, Yeon-soo is taken into custody by the agency while Joong-sang’s gang pursues her family. The story spirals into chaos, culminating in a devastating explosion that claims Hyun-soo and Eun-hye.

Fuelled by grief and a thirst for retribution, Yeon-soo embarks on a relentless pursuit of Joong-sang and his associates. In a heart-pounding showdown, she confronts Joong-sang, exchanging chilling words that echo her profound transformation into the very weapon he crafted. Their final encounter is nothing short of explosive, culminating in an intense chase and battle, ultimately ending with Yeon-soo standing over Joong-sang’s fallen body—her grim smile reflecting the culmination of her brutal journey, as she emerges from the wreckage, surrounded by law enforcement.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Cars Featured in The Villainess

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Explore all cars featured in The Villainess, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


BMW

2012

3 F30

Chevrolet

2013

Spark

Daelim

Roadwin 125

Daewoo

1999

Istana

Daewoo

2009

Lacetti Premiere

Daewoo

2006

Matiz

Daewoo

2001

Matiz II

Daewoo

2009

Tosca

Honda

2008

CBR 125 R

Honda

2011

CBR 250 R

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


female protagonisthand to hand combatkatanafemale assassinrevengetied feettied up while barefootstabbingstabbed in the headstabbed in the cheststabbed in the footstabbed to deathmultiple stabbingsstabbed multiple timesgoreshot in the cheststabbed in the legcrushed headblood on the floorblood spatterblood on camera lensthroat slitshot to deathstabbed in the stomachstomach ripped openchild abuseviolence against a womantortureviolent deathfemale killerstrangulationopening action scenestabbed in the handbloody spraydark pastbloody violencedeath of mentortheater actressyounger version of charactersleeper agentflashbackheld at gunpointcrime lordmentoringmentor protege relationshipmarriageassassinmurderalleydeath

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