‘Navillera’ is about an unlikely friendship between a 70-year-old ballet dreamer and his young teacher, capturing life’s beauty and pain, and the beauty of second chances, starring Park In-hwan and Song Kang
Park In-hwan (front) and Song Kang (back) in a still from ‘Navillera.’ Photo: courtesy of Netflix.
You know, there are moments when you’re completely at a loss for words, and Navillera (2021) was one such moment for me—as if the drama tore into my emotions, leaving an aching void in me while also comforting me. I was left with a heart both heavy and healed, like experiencing a paradox that only the most powerful stories can evoke. I was never a big fan of tear-jerkers until I saw Navillera, and it made me a fan forever.
Director Han Dong-hwa adapts this webtoon of the same name into an insightful, poignant drama about a lost dream, the itch and struggle to revive and realize it, and the strength needed to rise above challenges when Shim Deok-chul (Park In-hwan), a 70-year-old retired man, decides to pursue his lifelong dream of learning ballet. Incidentally, he sees Lee Chae-rok (Song Kang), a talented ballerino at a ballet studio. Chae-rok is just 23 but burdened by pain—a deceased mother, a father behind bars, and the daily grind to stay afloat. He’s working very hard to get by, but in the process, his love for ballet is slowly fading away. Then, when he meets Deok-chul, something stirs within him, gradually bonding with him so well that it becomes a catalyst for change.
Chae-rok becomes Deok-chul’s teacher after the ballet studio owner agrees to enroll him, provided he works as Chae-rok’s manager, which the latter accepts. At first, Chae-rok is too wary of his new student to believe that he can learn anything even close to ballet, given his age. But he soon succumbs to Deok-chul’s infectious determination and positive attitude, with Deok-chul gradually becoming the parent, the grandfather, and the friend Chae-rok never knew he needed, just as he becomes Deok-chul’s inspiration and fills the vacuum in his life that his own family couldn’t. Each day and by the minute, they grow closer through situations, mutual support, and understanding. At a moment when Deok-chul says, “Chae-rok shines so bright even when he practices,” he isn’t just admiring him but encouraging him to remain true to his passion. In a similar vein, Chae-rok’s care and concern for Deok-chul, especially after discovering that the latter has Alzheimer’s, and how he becomes worried and protective about him while still encouraging his dream, is a reminder that a little love can go a long way.
Navillera wins in its portrayal of life’s bittersweet nature through Deok Chul’s diagnosis. In life, every goodbye becomes a lesson in the preciousness of time, as Deok Chul says, “Every single day is precious because I don’t have much time left.” This fragility between life and time is where Deok Chul finds his rhythm, his steps faltering yet fixed on learning ballet, defying society and family. As Director Han Dong-hwa reflected in an interview, “I think everyone gets on the stage called life. On that stage, there will be a first act, a second act, and a third act. I hope that viewers will never lose hope but rather challenge themselves and leap forward through the various stages in life.”
Navillera also presents a thoughtful look at family dynamics, personal identity, and the complexities that arise in human relationships. Through Deok-chul’s experience, we see how those around us can be judgmental and limiting as we age. His wife, Choi Hae-nam (Na Moon-hee), and their children, Shim Sung-san (Jung Hae-kyun) and Shim Sung-gwan (Jo Bok-rae), struggle to accept their father’s newfound passion due to his age and their own perceptions of him. Still, his diligent efforts gradually win them over, and his influence starts permeating their lives. For example, Sung-gwan, Deok-chul’s second son, gains newfound inspiration from his father after giving up being a doctor to pursue his dream of becoming a film director. Chae-rok’s complex relationship with his father, on the other hand, keeps weighing on him. Thanks to Deok-chul’s presence, Chae-rok is brought back on track. Their relationship has a ripple effect on those around them, including Chae-rok’s cynical ballet teacher, Mr. Ki (Kim Tae-hoon), and Deok-chul’s granddaughter, Shim Eun-ho (Hong Seung-hee), who finds Deok-chul’s pursuit of ballet relating to her own journey of self-discovery as she finds her passion for writing and learns to seize opportunities.
The word “Navillera” apparently comes from a Korean poem called Dance the Monk by Cho Ji-hoon, where it’s described as something fluttering around like a butterfly, as shared by Reddit user Johnnystation. In the drama, ballet isn’t just about the dance form—it’s a symbol of life itself. The butterfly concept shows the beauty that ballet is, but more than anything else, I think it perfectly captures Deok-chul’s journey to spread his wings and follow his dreams. Navillera draws a unique parallel between the difficult technical elements of ballet and the emotional ups and downs that the characters go through. The final duet performance of Deok-chul and Chae-rok conveys the theme of the show in the best possible way, highlighting how artistic expression and the human spirit can change us and help us become more of what we want to be.
The ending scene is just surreal—Deok-chul and Chae-rok reunite three years later in the snow, wrapping up the drama with a perfect bow. Even as Deok-chul’s memory fades, his eyes still light up seeing his ballet teacher—proof that perhaps he remembers him and what they have shared. As the story wraps up, what Chae-rok once told Deok-chul comes to mind: “Even if you don’t remember me, I’ll remember you,” reminding us how some connections are meant to be forever; they never fade or fail, even when memories do.
Watch Navillera if you haven’t, watch the performances, and see how the K-drama navigates emotions and captures the beauty and pain of life—it might just change you and your life for the better.