ADAPTED from the highly acclaimed webtoon of the same name, ‘Navillera’ unites director Han Dong-hwa, renowned for his works Squad 38 and Miss Lee, with writer Lee Eun-mi who made a strong impression with Tunnel.
Watch the trailer for Navillera, a drama series about the unlikely friendship between Deok-chul, a 70-year-old man who takes up ballet, and Chae-rok, a late bloomer 23-year-old ballerino.
In the series, Park In-hwan plays a retired postman, Deok-chul, who seeks to fulfill his lifelong dream of ballet as he nears the end of his life. Song Kang plays a young man, Chae-rok, who has a unique talent for ballet but realises his talent fairly late compared to his peers.
Chae-rok’s life unexpectedly changes as he becomes a ballet mentor to the 70-year-old grandpa.
The trailer shows Park In-hwan (Deok-chul) nearing the end of his life and Song Kang (Chae-rok), who wonders if he’s on the right path with his late-career start, as they find their dreams together.
Park In-hwan captures the audience's attention as he throws away cherished mementos to erase his attachment to ballet. But, seeking a final purge, he heads to the ballet studio where he says, "I've never done anything I wanted to do," signalling a final pursuit with no regrets after recollecting his past.
The trailer gives a glimpse of the confusing reality Song Kang finds himself in. With nothing going his way – not his family, not the people around him, not even ballet – Song Kang sits on the practice room floor alone with his frustration. Tired of his cold reality, he vents, “I don't know how to live in the future, whether there's a tomorrow or not".
In the next shot, we see Park In-hwan remark to Song Kang: “I only have one life. That's why this moment is precious to me.” He expresses the final pursuit of his lifelong passion, ballet, as he nears the end of his life.
The two men – Park In-hwan, who had no choice but to bury his dream, and Song Kang, who stands in front of his dream but without full commitment – come to pursue their challenging passions together.
Watch 'Navillera' when it premieres on March 22 with new episodes every Monday and Tuesday at 10pm MYT, two hours after release in Korea, on Netflix. – The Vibes, March 5, 2021
