Buttefly flies onto Prime Video

Butterfly is a spy thriller that is character-driven and explores the complex clan dynamics that exist within the perilous realm of global espionage. The film revolves around David Jung (Kim), a former US intelligence operative residing in South Korea who is enigmatic and highly unpredictable. His life is upended when the repercussions of an impossible decision from his past resurface, and he is pursued by Rebecca (Hardesty), a sociopathic young agent who is assigned to kill him, and Caddis, the malevolent spy organization for which she works.

The series that will come to Prime Video on August 13th stars Daniel Dae Kim, who came to prominence on the TV shows Lost and Hawaii Five-0. He and the rest of the cast sat down to discuss the high-action-paced drama.

Daniel spoke about portraying a man whose past is coming back to haunt him in a very threatening way. He also said how fun it was to play such a character at this point in his career.

“I have a son who is approximately the same age as Raina. Therefore, it was entirely natural to recount a narrative about a father and his offspring. Additionally, I do not have any daughters. Butterfly’s emphasis on a father-daughter relationship provided me with a blend of the familiar and the unfamiliar,” the actor states. He continued with, "I simply relish the emotional ramifications of a parent-child relationship, given that action programs often showcase a sequence of conflicts, but the emotional drama among the characters doesn't hold much importance. I appreciate the fact that a significant portion of our action is derived from our relationship, the conflicts, and the character exploration. Therefore, when the action emanates from that source, you comprehend the reason for the conflict, the consequences, and the physical manifestation of an emotional state.”

Reina Hardesty is Rebecca, who burst onto the opening credits like a firestorm. We soon learn that while she may be a deadly assassin, there’s a reason for her constant rage.Hardesty, who many people remember from the iconic CW show The Flash, opened up about what it was like to play a young woman whose emotions ranged from one extreme to another.

“When I first read the sides for the audition, I felt quite connected to the character and sort of recognized that she's highly emotional. I believe I am an extreme person who experiences intense emotions. But, you know, many of us are like that. However, over my life, I've learned to be stable and reasonable. However, this gave me permission to not be. I really like that,” she explains.

Piper Perabo portrays Juno, the mastermind behind the lunacy, who is assisted in creating the pandemonium by her son Oliver Barnes, played by Louis Landau.

The pair discussed how much fun it was to play such a maddening pair.

“Juno is there to obtain power. I rarely get to play people who are actually the villains, but in this case, I do, and it was a lot of fun,” the actress gleefully explains.

Louis, in an effort to remain in his mother's good graces, strives to match her intensity by breaking any constraints. There is nothing he would not do for her. 

“I suppose I enjoy parts that feel like a swan, where you see something stable on top of the water's surface, but underneath, it's paddling, paddling, paddling. I enjoy people who are constantly attempting to maintain a facade of normalcy or professionalism while being absolutely out of control on the inside. So the position was undoubtedly the ideal role for that,” Landau states.

The only character that appears to be normal is Eunju Kim, played by Kim Tae Hee. She married into the lunacy, not comprehending how intense it could become. The actor discussed her experience playing a role in both English and her native Korean.

“Daniel was the person I could rely on and trust. During filming, half of my lines were in English and the other half in Korean, so it was difficult for me to mix the two languages, but he encouraged me and gave me a lot of constructive advice, and he always reassured me by saying, "You did such a good job." Hee divulged that this made her feel seen. 

It’s this type of camaraderie and dedication to the show that made Butterfly such a compelling series. 

Audiences can embark on an adventure on Prime Video on August 13th.