Finished the series in 2 days. Not sure why the ratings here suddenly dropped so much. IMO, it was an exciting series filled with action and some gore (heads up for those who can't stand it). I appreciate how the writer did not over-complicate the plot because it was already action-packed. A complicated plot really wasn't necessary since they only had 9 episodes. Still, I won't say that the plot was very simple. It was rather straightforward and had some layers.

Acting-wise, it was top-notch. Especially loved the scenes with Kim Nam Gil, Cha Jung Hwa, and Lee Ho Jung. The three of them are my favorite characters in this series. They really gave off three-siblings vibes. Loved how chaotic they were. Even the Dojeok squad was very chaotic itself and fun to watch.

Cinematography was very captivating. The pace and the editing were all very smooth. Fighting sequences (be it guns, fists, swords, arrow, axe) were thrilling and well-choreographed in my opinion. One of the scenes with Eon Nyeonyi, played by Lee Ho Jung, reminded me of Kill Bill with the whole silhouette and blood splatter. She really impressed me with her acting in both action and non-action scenes. She had many scenes (including fighting scenes) with Kim Nam Gil alone and she wasn't overshadowed at all. Her appearance in this series is definitely worth a watch.

Not sure if many were expecting a lot of romance, but I know I wasn't. Lol. So I wasn't disappointed in that aspect at all. It had just enough to add a little bit more sentimental aspect, but I like that it was more like a side plot because the focus was still on fighting for their country and protecting their people. With action taking up most of the plot, I was not disappointed at all.

The ending definitely left an opening for season 2 and I REALLY hope we get it!!! Seo Hyun's character, Hee Shin, felt a bit overshadowed by the others. Maybe because she didn't have many scenes, or her character just somehow didn't leave a strong impact. Not to say that what Hee Shin did wasn't important, in fact, it was. But we didn't get to see her do much? IDK. I can't really put my finger on it. But with season 1's ending, things have certainly gotten more interesting. And we'll probably get to see more of Hee Shin in action. Her chemistry with Kim Nam Gil was subtle but quite nice. Curious to see what will happen to them.

Song of the Bandits was overall an enjoyable series and I will definitely rewatch it sometime for the action and Kim Nam Gil. Though the only thing I didn't like much was the choice of OST, because it felt too Western and modern. Not just due to the English lyrics, but the melody was a bit too....bright? Perhaps it was to match the Western genre or they wanted to appeal to international audiences. But IMO, someone really made a bad call on that coz both songs just didn't fit at all. They were alright when played during the opening and ending credits, but when it was used during the episode, it just felt odd and out of place. Maybe if they used Korean lyrics instead of English, it would have captured the emotions of the characters and the tone of the series better. Other than the OST, though, I've got no other complaints and I really hope we will get season 2!!!!