Butterfly Review: David Jung, a former US intelligence operative, finds his past catching up to him when the consequences of a past action come back to haunt him. Pursued by the psychopathic operative, Rebecca, he must do whatever it takes to save his life.
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Showrunners & Co-creators
Ken Woodruff, Steph Cha
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Butterfly Prime Video Directors
Kitao Sakurai, Kim Jin-min, Jann Turner
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Butterfly 2025 Cast
Daniel Dae Kim, Reina Hardesty, Louis Landau, Piper Perabo, Kim Tae-hee, Park Hae-soo, Charles Parnell, Kim Ji-hoon
The series has 6 episodes, each episode with a runtime of around 50 minutes, and is based on the graphic novel by Arash Amel.
Butterfly Review
In Prime Video’s newest action thriller series, David Jung is on a mission to find the daughter he had to abandon after he was backstabbed 9 years ago. However, on the way, he finds out that there were deadlier secrets buried beneath and far more hoops to jump through to smooth things over with his daughter and get revenge.
The series, with 6 episodes, is quite short and does a good job of packing action, adventure and family drama together. The series is mostly focused on David getting his relationship with Rebecca back on track as assassins and conspiracies are thrown at them left, right and centre. The family drama takes centre stage here and it’s also quite enjoyable, discussing situations surrounding Rebecca’s abandonment issues, David desperately trying to mend their relationship and whether blood is thicker than water as Rebecca’s complicated relationship with Juno comes in between her and David.
I enjoyed these moments thoroughly, especially as we see both Juno and David struggling to figure out how to connect with their two children. Both Oliver and Rebecca feel abandoned in one way or another, but the outcomes in the end are quite different because of how different the parents are with their approach to their children. I think these are some tense situations that are heightened thanks to the fear of getting murdered every few minutes.
Coming to the action and the spy elements, I found the series to be quite obvious and generic. The action and the progression of these plots are clichéd to the point that you realise where a chase sequence is going. I found the combat sequences to be quite smooth, but there’s nothing very thrilling about it. We have seen these moments time and time again in other movies and shows, and after a while, you can figure out the patterns. I think Kim Ji-hoon is great as the mysterious and deadly Gun, but he isn’t given the proper time to truly terrify us.
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The only truly arresting moments are the relationship sequences. They are fraught with tension, and every moment feels like a battlefield! The fantastic performances by not just the principal cast but also the supporting cast just make things even better. The thing is that there are some solid actors here who complete the experience of watching the series, including Kim Tae-hee, Park Hae-soo, Sung Dong-il and Lee Il-hwa. It’s great to watch good actors come together and elevate a show like this, although I think storywise, the series could’ve definitely been better.
Final Thoughts
In the end, it’s the cliffhangers that will leave most viewers intrigued at the end of the six episodes. What is the job Kim Doo-tae is about to offer to David? Did Rebecca truly kill Eun-ju? Is she a victim, or did she just double-cross her father? There are several questions left unanswered that will definitely keep you hooked in the end, it’s just that the series should’ve been a bit more interesting in the espionage side, as it was with the dramatic elements. That being said, I enjoyed the series regardless, although it definitely could’ve been much better.
Also Read: Butterfly Ending Explained: Is David Able to Find His Daughter? What Happens to Caddis?