Bad Guys (2014)

Say that you are a fan of something? Lets say that that something is charming psychopaths in tv shows and drama. Then let say that shows continue to ruin these shows by implementing some kind of “the thing you came here to see is a lie”.
Before I begin my spoiler review I will say this if you are a fan of darker shows with redeemable bad guys then you will enjoy this show.

Let’s start!

The story:
So the story seem to be pretty straightforward. You have a gritty and hard-to-control police man that gets to be a team-leader over a group of criminals. Their purpose is to catch other bad people like murderers and gangsters. Every time they succeed, they are rewarded by a couple of years shortening of their prison time.
You have the professional and cold hitman killer, the strong gangster and the rumored youngest serial-killer and psychopath.
Alongside the different crimes they try to solve there also exists another storyline. That of the psychopath and his memory loss. He do not remember killing anyone yet he still has a life sentence in jail. Why are people continually trying to get him killed and is he the one that killed the team-leaders daughter? All of this is what the show tries to answer for us. This is where the show get ruined. You see, dear reader, I am a big fan of psychopaths when watching shows and I do not like fake outs or redemption when talking of these characters. Yet that is exactly what this drama chooses to do.
Let us make the best and coolest character on the show actually be innocent so that we show that good people can be emotionless as well. I just wanted to watch a good Korean drama with a psycho that kept these characters dark. I am not only talking about the psycho now. The show gives redemption to all of the bad guys on the team. The gangster want to become an honorable man, the hired killer realize the damage and pain he caused by interacting with a pretty lady and as mentioned just now the famous serial-killer is in fact not a killer at all.
This is triggering and irritating. What if I am a person that likes to cheer for bad people in fictional stories? Why do we have to make the main characters actually good people just because they are the main characters? WHY?

The characters:
Initially all of the cast are great! The difference of their personalities and all of their violent tendencies clashes in a comedic fashion making their interactions both interesting and entertaining to watch. They start off working together not because they care or respect one another but because they need to and can utilize the others skills to gain positive results for themselves. The gangster is a typical slow and aggressive type that still have some loyalty. The hired killer keep a cold expression whenever dealing with violence and the genius psychopath never changes his facial expression, whether it be because of anger or being attacked.
But again all of this falters when they start to care more about each other than their own set of rules they have created for themselves.
The gangster almost chooses to die himself instead of killing Psycho for his boss. Same with the hired killer. Throwing away all they know because they hope to become ”human” once more.
The biggest disappointment for me was the psychopath. I kept on waiting for that one moment where his calmness would transizione into the behavior of a psychopath. This never happened and that made me feel stuck with a gloomy fellow that had nothing more to offer than being smart.
Then we have the rest of the cast. The policewoman everybody’s watching hates, the prosecutor everyone think is a bad person an secretly the one behind everything and the mad dog, team leader. Revenge and hatred incarnate.
Look at that. The policewoman keeps on being boring and irritating. The team leader chose these people for a reason beyond catching bad people and he is deep in depression after the loss of his daughter. Enough to do anything to avenge her death.
And finally, the prosecutor! Surprise surprise, he is a bad bad man and crocked in all the ways.
It all could have been so good! Why!
The acting is amazing and incredible, do not get me wrong, the writers are to blame here.

The music was good enough. It helped building suspence and shivering thriller feels.

I won’t be watching this again. I guess one could say that I have been scared by this experience. All I wanted was bad people to cheer for, instead I get bad people, actually being good people, trying their best at returning to a normal life.
Overall and lastly: if anybody has a drama that utilizes bad guys like psychopaths and let them stay bad, please recommend them to me. I am tired of all main character being good heroic people.

Have fun!

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So much action. There is a lot of fighting. so many secrets. I Just don't like the way the good criminals are treated. Plus, there is a humongous Plot twist in the end. Like the last 3 or 4 episodes. Really fun and exciting to watch. A lot of suspense coz the characters have to go through dangerous missions in like every episode. It’s a matter of life and death. Each role has their own reason why they got into jail. Their reasons are pretty well. It’s really shocking about how one of the characters got into jail. I just don’t like the way they get treated in the beginning cuz they are technically bad guys but they are not cuz they are helping catch criminals. Really confusing if somebody explains it. So, to know the entire story you better watch it.

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For a drama with only 11 episodes, Bad Guys did not left the viewers with any "incomplete" feeling. This is one of those "no BS, no fillers" drama. Everything connects, every little details, background, and cases matter. The feeling when you finally see all the puzzle pieces connecting is just so amazing.

Bad Guys came at the viewers with one solid story and it stick to that story without going off track. Thank you for staying consistent with the story!! The actors and actresses carried out their roles perfectly - I don't know what else to say, they're so raw, so real! You'll want to rip your heart out when you see them cry, feeling happy when they get along together... ugh.. the feels are real. Great, great chemistry! Another drama to add to my Bromance list.

Overall, Bad Guys is a refreshing drama with strong plot and characters. Praise to the director, writers and producers! Please, we need more quality drama like this! As for second season, I'm having a hard time believing that they can pull it off. But that ending just threw me off and I can't help but wanting to know more! >_<

I would recommend this to everyone and anyone. It's a pretty short drama, so you'll reach the end soon without knowing it. Just hit play, sit back and enjoy one of the best crime drama you'll ever watch.

**As for rewatching ability, I gave this a 3 because of two reasons:
1) I don't usually rewatch drama/movies since I tend to remember most of it anyway
2) With thrillers like this one, the best experience is always the first one (unless it's one of those hidden messages between the lines type of drama).

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The show has a nice set up. It’s way too violent for me so lots of skips. Towards the end it gets a bit silly and repetitive and I didn’t like the fighting between the men.

You wouldn’t think that a story like this would be heart warming. But it is as its base because selfish, and cold people start caring about others and I think that’s rather awesome. They lay down their pride, their ambition, their lives, for the greater good. It’s also nice to see some helpful people that they meet along the way. But it’s a bit weird that they try and be moralistic to their old colleagues about living a better life.
There is also this contrast, that these criminals learned so quickly to become good people, given the right support and context and then there were the corrupt authorities messing things up.
Another thing I liked was how when it was a personal moment for anyone of them, they all looked a little flat and sort of unable to deal with it because they aren’t into emotions haha.

It’s nice when a rag tag bunch get together and learn to get along. There’s a lot of ego and they try and see who can be the most sinister. But it gets old fast. Basically, they’ve all been through a lot and each one thinks he’s the biggest baddest wolf in the room.
Every little attempt at getting along made me smile.
It was amazing actually to see how they stopped fighting amongst each other and began to look out for one another.

There are gangsta politics but there was a nice spin to it. And some surprise loyalties and disloyalties as they explore the hyeong and dongsaeng relationships within the hierarchy of the underworld.

Gu Tak
Our Squad Leader Oh is a surprisingly moralistic guy considering the darkness he portrays. He is also very compassionate and sees the heart and the pain of these hardened guys. I never care much for characters who are already dead, but his flashbacks with his daughter were so sweet and painful.

Jeong Mun
This guy always has his hair in his face. In a way he is the most pathetic out of all of them. The other guys get friendly pretty soon but he’s a hard egg to crack. He’s the psycho pet at the youngest, quietest and most reserved. He’s very nonchalant. Nothing ruffles his feather. He always walks.

Tae Su – contract killer
I loved this character the best. He just gets better and better as the show goes on and the actor is amazing the way he portrays everything so beautifully. He had the best arc and he was always a winner despite the crap things he did and the tragedy that hit him. I like the dignity of this character. He’s very polished and civilised. He is indeed like a wolf. I don’t know if he got in touch with humanity, or he was always quietly human as a contract killer.

“You might be an ass, but your brain works pretty well.”

“We’ll have to find him so he can explain it, right?”

“That’s enough. Should I lose my temper too? Who do you think I’d kill first?”

“Don’t always choose death. First find a way to stay alive.”

“Once we’ve found how to stay alive and have uncovered the truth, there will be plenty of time left to kill each other.”

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Don't skip it just because it's old

This might just be one of the best action thriller show- plot twist after plot twist! I really love how we have 4 (+1) main characters here with balanced screen time. This makes it really interesting when they introduce the story of each character and eventually show us how everything is linked- oh my, it makes me keep clicking the "next" button!

The actors are ALL really great at acting- and boy, it's 1st time I watch Jo Dong Hyuk- he's hot af and our Hae Jin and veteran Dong Seok didn't disappoint as usual!

I skipped this show initially as it's from 2014, so I was afraid it might be slow paced, but not at all. Its plot, action, storyline, execution, acting, everything is on point. If any, it's probably so much better than the recent shows of similar genre that is often filled with violence with no real story

This one really gets you thinking yet bring you emotional ride with lots of lessons on repentment, forgiveness, love and family.

It's just SOOOO good- love it love it love it!

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Bad Guys tells the story of the suspended detective Oh Goo Tak and his Crazy Dogs, three convicted felons, as they attempt to clean up the streets of Seoul. The world the drama paints is a dank, dark dog-eat-dog world, where you never know who to trust and nothing is what it seems. The drama primarily focuses on four central characters and how their fates have been intertwined.

The actors in Bad Guys do an impeccable job in their roles. Kim Sang Joong's Oh Goo Tak is the stand out in the show. His transformation from loving father to the downtrodden Mad Dog is incredible. Park Hae Jin as the calculating psychopath Lee Jung Moon was career changing. Park Jin Hae's portrayal provided so much depth to the young genius. Ma Dong Seok and Jo Dong Hyuk both do amazing jobs with their performances of Park Woong Cheol and Jung Tae Soo respectively. All four do an astounding job, breathing life into their strained relationship, trying to form a team with members that they distrust from the bottom of their hearts.

Bad Guys is sooooo deliciously gritty ... In the first episode what struck me the most was the close up shots that showcase the pasty faces of the actors full of pores and imperfections. You can see the age and what a hard long life fighting for survival has cost.

Throughout the drama, it continually poses the questions of what constitutes as being human or animal as well as the search for blame versus truth. Bad Guys will attempt to answer those two questions throughout its eleven episodes. The dramas pacing is fast and concise. It feels more like a 12 hour movie than an 11 episode series. I really appreciate that aspect of the story and believe that this drama is masterfully done. I can't recommend this drama enough, especially if you are looking for a story that will keep you hungry for more.

Now with the announcement of Bad Guys: Age of Evil, the real question is why are they planning a spin-off instead of a sequel?! Ahhhhhh?!!! I need more of Oh Goo Tak and Lee Jung Moon! Why?!

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I'll just say it. I'm bias to this kind of show. I'll probably like anything similar to this. Especially when given this cast. I like the twist in all this and how they were each brought together for that same reason. These guys were all badasses. Kim Sang Joong rocked the lead role and his character was damn determined. Ma Dong Seok is always great in playing tough guy. As for the other two actors I wasn't really familiar with them. Jo Dong Hyuk, I haven't seen before this but he fit this role very well as the tall handsome anti-hero with a sad past. But Park Hae Jin, though I've seen his work before, I didn't pay attention much until this drama, he really stood out in here. and became a fan of his after this.

Overall: One a great show. If you're like me you won't get bored of it.

Rewatch: I saw it again with my sister and cousin.

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Utiliser ce que l'humanité a de pire pour rendre la justice : le pari est osé !

Alors déjà, c’est un drama OCN, donc on sait où on va : violence, sombritude, ambiance glauque, personnages à la psychologie torturée etc etc.
Honnêtement, il y a une certaine naïveté du scénariste à vouloir nous faire croire qu’un policier, même chef, pourrait sortir de prison à son gré ce genre de criminels, particulièrement un psychopathe tueur en série ! mais dans ce cas on éteint le poste tout de suite et on va se coucher !
Sinon, on accepte l’hypothèse de départ et on regarde ! Au début, c’est la classique enquête, où chaque membre de l’équipe va montrer ses capacités particulières : force physique et liens dans le Milieu pour Wung Cheol, connaissance technique parfaite de la conduite d’un tueur à gage pour Tae Soo, et intelligence brillante assortie d’une froide distanciation pour Jung moon… qui d’ailleurs n’est pas psychopathe mais sociopathe, c’est un mauvais choix de terme du scénariste.
Ensuite cela devient de plus en plus intéressant quand on entre dans la vie et le caractère des 4 hommes va se découvrir, s’affirmer au fur et à mesure qu’ils vont se débarrasser de leur individualisme pour découvrir ce qu’est une équipe, et surtout l’effet brutal et inattendu de ce qu’ils éprouvent la première fois qu’ils sauvent une vie… Parallèlement à la résolution des affaires, les propres histoires des personnages se révèlent, découvrant des pans inattendus de leur personnalité et tissant une autre intrigue tournant cette fois autour d’eux.
Ce drama aurait pu être excellent, du fait de la complexité psychologique des personnages et de leur chemins personnels vers l’acceptation de leurs actes, du prix à payer s’ils veulent « recommencer une vie décente ». Le souci, c’est une réalisation pas toujours claire, et surtout très lourde, ce qui se voit dans le jeu des acteurs poussé parfois presque à la caricature. Kim Sang Joong, que j’avais adoré dans « Rebel… » en fait des tonnes et à la fin je ne pouvais plus supporter ces mèches de cheveux artistement disposées pour lui cacher les yeux sans trop les cacher et les gros plans qui faisaient ressortir jusqu’au pores de son nez ! Le réalisateur a dû se régaler des westerns de Sergio Leone en leur temps, il en pris les manies sans le talent ! Park Hae Jin se défend plutôt bien dans le personnage du sociopathe, (là aussi problème de cheveux !! J’ai tout le temps rêvé qu’un coup de vent le décoiffe, mais… ils étaient trop bien collés ! )
Dans l’ensemble, si on aime ce genre de drama thriller et sombre, il est plutôt pas mal, se regarde sans ennui, surtout qu’il n’y a que 11 épisodes !

L’OST est plutôt bonne, avec l’arrangement de la Bachianas Brasileiras N°5 de Villalobos en fil conducteur…

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It is no secret that Park Hae Jin is my #1 oppa. I love his acting skills, the way he moves his face to show emotion, and of course, he’s pretty. I have made it a hobby to watch every single show that he is in (or at least attempt to). Typically, if the story is bad or too cheesy, I just give up. Bad Guys….I did not give up. But it took me months to watch – not because there are a lot of episodes, but it is just one gritty, dirty, bloody mass of a show. So many people get stabbed, towards the last episode where one of supporting characters is stabbed, I didn’t blink an eye.

The Story:
This show is the story of an elite crime fighting team that is composed of convicted killers pulled out of prison to catch a serial killer or a lot of serial killers. South Korea must have a very low population with all the serial killers running around in need of capture. The team consists of one drunk cop, a savvy police woman, and three convicted killers. They go on their merry way and clean up the crime ridden streets of Seoul. The subplot involves two of the killers hired to kill the third and a very strange plot twist with the drunk copy (I think I saw it coming but I was captivated just the same).

The story was good and yes, I figured out who the bad guy really was the first episode he was introduced. I thought the actor did a fine job letting the audience know there was something more about him. I won’t tell you more because that would be a spoiler.

The Acting:
Wow. Each character was portrayed very WELL. Of course, Park Hae Jin did a fabulous job as Lee Jung Moon the genius psychopath. I was pleasantly surprised to see spectacular performances from Jo Dong Hyuk and Ma Dong Seok playing the professional hired assassin and the big burly mob enforcer. Wow were their story lines complex and compelling. I loved what both of them did with the characters. They made them so HUMAN (that was the whole point of the show). It was incredible how I loved these three killers in each and ever episode. (Note: that is contrary to my character so that shows how good they were).

Kim Sang Joong played the drunk cop and frankly he did it so well and was such as mess, I wondered if he were a drunk in real life (does anyone know). Kang Ye Won is the token non-victim female in the whole show, and while her character doesn’t develop as well, she still does an incredible job portraying the angsty feeling of her position as the only normal person on the team or maybe even the entire show. But it makes me wonder…Can’t women portray scary serial killers too????? All other women on the show are victims of one kind or another. (grrrrrrr)

The Music:
Truth be told, this show is so gritty that I’m not sure what music there was on it. If the music was meant to make me feel uncomfortable or scared, it did its job. I certainly couldn’t tell you a song that stood out.

Conclusion:
If you like gritty crime dramas, this show is right up your alley. If you like suspense and blood and guts…..start watching this show immediately! If you want romance and an ending that is tied up with a nice neat bow……may I recommend Touch Your Heart or Sweet Dreams. This show is so far away from romance and sweet that you couldn’t see it with a telescope. Bad Guys was a bit intense for me but…..Park Hae Jin (sigh). Frankly if it’s a good story, no matter how nasty and gory, I’ll watch it if he’s in it (shocking..I know).

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A nice plot, memorable characters and cool fight scenes.

What I liked most was the brotherhood between the “bad guys” and how all of them showed a range of emotions and were morally grey. I like morally grey characters so I felt they were written well, however I can’t say the same for the female lead. She was given the shorter end of the stick: the typical doesn’t know how to solve a single thing kinda detective we find in crime and sci-fi series/movies. Her dialogues and how other characters never took her seriously reeked of misogyny on the director's part. However, the actress was also at fault, although she was given very little to contribute she could have managed had she acted well; it was genuinely so frustrating to see her have one expression in every situation. Also, her dialogues were filled with recurring questions or preachy monologues so her monotonous delivery made them even more boring. Except this flaw, others would be the sometimes makjang-type feel where the fight scenes also felt a little dramatic and the beast/animal metaphors they inserted in every dialogue failed to bring in the poetic feel of the metaphors as they lost meaning over repeated usage. There were a few half-baked plot points and rushed explanations to some of the crimes but overall the loopholes were negligible.

The most memorable characters are definitely of Jung Tae Soo and Park Ung Cheol. The actors did a great job at the fight scenes as well as the emotional scenes. Props to Ma Dong Seok for even being funny on top of all that. He is the one I found myself rooting for the most. Kim Tae Hoon’s acting was brilliant although some of his actions were implausible especially towards the end where they seemed out of character.

I watched this as it was nominated for Baeksang and although I was not disappointed, I was not super awed either. Hence an 8.5/10.

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