Noryang: Deadly Sea is the third and final chapter in director Kim Han-min’s nautical trilogy following the 7-year Imjin War, when the Japanese (Wae) invaded Korea (Joseon) at the end of the 16th century. This third installment follows 2022’s Hansan: Rising Dragon, which was a prequel to 2015’s The Admiral: Roaring Currents. Noryang: Deadly Sea picks up 1 year after the events of The Admiral, and the Battle of Myeongnyang, where the Wae navy suffered an unexpected defeat at Uldolmok Strait. For the past year, Japanese daimyō, Commander Konishi Yukinaga (Lee Moo-saeng) has been entrenched within Yegyo Fortress. The Joseon-Ming army, under Admiral Yi Sun-sin (Kim Yoon-seok), has staged a naval blockade using their allied fleet of 350 ships to threaten Konishi’s base. Supplies are running low, and after the sudden death of Japanese leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Konishi and his army are eager to withdraw from Joseon and return home. The war is all but won for the Joseon people, but no formal surrender has been made.

While Ming Dynasty navy admiral Chen Lin (Jung Jae-young) and his vice admiral Deng Zilong (Huh Joon-ho) seem willing to let Konishi leave without a fight, Admiral Yi Sun-sin wants to completely annihilate the Wae army, saying that “Peace comes at a price”. He not only wants vengeance for his comrades who died in this war, but he also knows that if the Japanese are allowed to retreat, they will just regroup and return in the future. And so this sets the stage for the final, largest, and deadliest battle of the war, in Noryang Strait, where once again Admiral Yi Sun-sin deploys his cunning battle tactics as he faces off against the massive Japanese forces commanded by Shimazu Yoshihiro (Baek Yoon-sik), and tries to convince Ming ally Chen Lin to join him in his final stand for peace.

Last year I reviewed the second installment of this trilogy (though first chronologically), Hansan: Rising Dragon, and this film feels very similar in structure and execution. As the film opens, the viewer is given a rapid history lesson as text recaps where we currently are in this war. As each character is seen for the first time, their name and position flashes on the screen. This is a lot of information to take in, and so many similar-looking soldiers and admirals to remember. I found it a little difficult to keep track of who was who and which side they belonged to. There are also so many alliances up in the air that you’re not really sure where the battle lines are drawn. This first hour of the film is a lot of strategy talk on all sides as the Japanese forces put together a plan of attack and escape, and try to convince the Ming forces to take their side, while the Joseon forces are also plotting their own plan of attack and trying to assure the support of the Ming fleet. The viewer isn’t given all the details of these plans, so there are some fun, expected twists and turns once the battle is underway. I think a lot of this introductory hour could have been edited down to get to the battle faster—particularly a long dream sequence with the admiral remembering those he lost in past battles.

However, after that first hour, the film gets much more exciting, with an action-packed final 90 minutes that will have you on the edge of your seat. The battle involves four different forces this time around. The primary clash is between Joseon Admiral Yi Sun-sin and Japanese Admiral Shimazu Yoshihiro, who each has some tricks up his sleeve and constantly believes he has the upper hand. However, there a a few wild cards thrown into the mix. Ming Dynasty commander Chen Lin doesn’t really want to get involved in the battle, especially as it seems like the war is already over. However, when Admiral Yi finds himself in trouble and outnumbered, will he step up and join the fight? There’s also the Japanese forces under Konishi, which Shimazu is counting on, but is Konishi actually going to join the fight, or is he just taking advantage of the battle as a distraction to make his own retreat back home? The nautical battles are quite exciting to watch, from the admirals trying to outmaneuver one another with their fleet formations, to the actual attacks, with ships ramming into one another (it’s great to see the return of the turtle boats), and firing cannons and flaming arrows at one another, to the soldiers boarding each other’s ships for bloody hand-to-hand combat with swords. I was really captivated by the battle and never felt bored during this non-stop second half of the film. There’s even one particularly exciting scene that feels like a long oner, putting the viewer into a first person view of a soldier charging onto an enemy ship, weaving in and out of the battle, seamlessly switching the POV as soldiers fall in battle.

Unlike the previous film, Hansan: Rising Dragon, Well Go’s Blu-ray release for Noryang: Deadly Sea doesn’t offer an English dub this time around, just the original Korean audio. However, the English subtitles were generally well-written and easy to follow. The audio track sounds fantastic, making excellent use of the stereo and surround channels to pull the viewer into the action with the roar of the battle. The room is filled with the immersive ambiance of the ocean currents and winds, the sounds of cannons and explosions, the beating of the war drum, the clashing of swords, and of arrows whizzing by. The video is also top notch, with a beautiful, detailed picture throughout. Even though much of this battle takes place at night, the details are easily discernable. There is nice use of color and texture in faces, and the battle scenes are quite cinematic.

Well Go’s Blu-ray release includes a 4-minute behind-the-scenes featurette with the film’s cast and crew, presented in Korean with English subtitles. The release also contains the film’s trailer, and some previews for three other Well Go releases. The disc comes packed in a locking HD keepcase. There is no digital copy, but our review copy did include a cardboard slipcover.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:32:48)

Blu-ray:
• 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: Korean DTS-HDMA 5.1, Korean Stereo
• Subtitles: English, French

Extras:

• Character History (4:15)
  The director and cast discuss the characters and how some have changed since the previous film, the retreat of the Japanese army, the interests of the Ming army, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Kim Han-Min, and stars Kim Yoon-seok (“Admiral Yi Sun-Shin”), Kim Sung-Kyu (“Junsa”), Choi Deok-Moon (“Song Hee-Rip”), Ahn Bo-Hyun (“Yi Hoe”), Park Hoon (“Lee Woon-Ryong”), Moon Jeong-Hee (“Lady Bang”), Baek Yoon-Sik (“Shimazu”), Lee Kyu-Hyung (“Arima”), Lee Moo-Saeng (“Konishi”), Park Myung-Hoon (“Moriatsu”), Jung Jae-Young (“Chen Lin”) & Huh Joon-Ho (“Deng Zilong”).
• Trailer (1:28)
• Previews
  • Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman (1:51)
  • The Moon (1:25)
  • The Childe (1:26)

Final Thoughts:

Noryang: Deadly Sea is an exciting and moving final chapter to director Kim Han-min’s nautical trilogy, depicting Korean (Joseon) Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s final face-off with the Japanese (Wae) in the Noryang Strait. The first hour of the film is a lot of introductions to the characters and setting of the stage for the epic battle, which can be hard to keep track of times. However, the final 90 minutes is incredibly exciting and captivating, giving audiences an impressive naval battle to remember. Well Go’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds great, and even includes a small amount of bonus material. This release comes recommended based on the quality of the action, but viewers unfamiliar with the events may wish to seek out the previous 2 films in the trilogy to watch first.