The concept of the drama was based on Insurance crime and for those who don't know much about it, it might as well be a little complicated to follow. The scenes where all the schemes and cases were explained were dialogue heavy with some technical terms and for watchers who want their shows easy to digest, it could be a bit of a problem.
That's not the case with me though. I don't like my dramas to hand me everything on a platter. I want to be able to think about the events taking place and then have this lightbulb moment of 'Oh, so this was what happened.' I like it when a show makes me replay some scenes to catch a dialogue I missed because this means that I care and a drama has to be good if it makes me care.
I'm not gonna say Mad Dog was perfect. It had some flaws here and there, some plot-holes, some illogical things but when you looked at it as a bigger picture you saw that actually yes, this could've happened in real life too. It wasn't far-fetched from reality and you realized that the plot was indeed very well-connected and backed up by smart characters with brilliant planning who were always trying to one-up each other.
While the show started off slow, focusing more on introducing all the characters and their dilemmas, once it hit the 9th episode mark- it skyrocketed and the real action came out in play.
However, the strength of the show wasn't its plot, rather it was the character development. This was a story about how a team (Mad Dog) of lovable individuals each with their own unique talents joined hands with a lone wolf, scam artist (Kim Min Joon) and how together they grew into one tight knit group that was closer than family.
Every role was beautifully constructed and the moment I felt that a character wasn't getting much attention, the script changed its course and swallowed down all my complaints. Besides our amazing team, there were some very endearing side characters (Nurse Sem and Manager Park) along with intriguing and well-portrayed antagonists that helped the show retain its charisma.
Yoo Ji Tae is an actor that emotes with his eyes and Mr. Choi with his vengeful looks and determined actions gave me so much life, especially because YJT's acting was exceptionally brilliant towards the end. Jo Jae Yun (my all time favorite supporting actor) once again brought forth a memorable character. Cheetah shi was so cute with his matchmaking skills, a softie heart and the gangster ways. Kim Hye Sung with his adorable Pentium; a genius and kind-hearted boy, stole many hearts and Ryu Hwa Young gave life to the badass, headstrong but caring Jang Ha Ri that you couldn't help but adore.
But, despite the presence of the more experienced and brilliant cast members, Woo Do Hwan once again snatched all the spotlights. He should honestly be named 'show-stealer' because whenever he takes a role he owns it so completely that other people are given a deadly run for their money.
Try as I might, I couldn't believe this was just the second show he's starred in because he's just too fucking good. He's the kind of artist, I can imagine in every possible role because of his humongous talent and versatile personality. Without bias, I can say that despite being a newbie he's one of the best actors in dramaworld. I love the way he walks, his charming quirks, his beautiful smile and his amazing voice. (Now, is where the bias is speaking.)
So there was no surprise in the fact that Woo Do Hwan's Kim Min Joo slayed me completely and then went for more. Kim Min Joo with his German adlibs, sneaky personality and fearless swag was truly one of a kind. He was incredibily smart with a talent in annoying people to death. He loved pulling everyone's leg, all the while calmly laughing while doing so. He was a bit arrogant, definitely not one to mess with but ultimately, a huge sweetheart. I loved how realistic his character was. He didn't develop magical super powers when people came to kill him (and they came a lot) nope, he innocently got beaten every time instead, was a huge scaredy cat and couldn't even throw a punch properly. And I loved that. The highlight of the show was seeing him warm up to other people and letting go of his trust issues and finally being given a family that he could rely upon.
The dynamics within the Mad Dog team (Kim Min Joon included) were simply everything. The way they had each other's back was extremely heart touching. These people had so much love for each other that at one point, I was shipping every-one with everyone. I loved their little missions, their secretive and conspiring shared glances, their smart strategies and their protectiveness of one another, so much.
And last but not the least: The romance. Even though it was done as a sub-plot only, it was so so good. Kim Min Joon and Jang Ha Ri were a match made in heaven. The small moments they had with each other were so incredibily sweet and their chemistry was fire. The minor touch of romance in this show was far well-done than some of the wholesome love stories I have seen. I think I've never wished for a kiss scene before in my entire life. But ah, we can't have it all now can we?
While Mad Dog did have some great 'Oh shit, what's going to happen next' scenes, it wasn't a show centered on 'the bext big thing'. The beauty of the show was in the small, intimate moments between the characters, the way they grew on each other and the way they evolved together and as individuals.
If you let it, Mad Dog will make you feel. It will touch your heart deeply and make you feel joy, sadness and love. So much love.
I really enjoyed the OST of the show. From NiiHwa's popping and catchy track to Eric Nam's soulful ballad- the sound track did great things for the mood of the drama.
I loved the cast and their antics, so much so, that I really didn't have the heart to let them go till the very end. Although the ending was a little bit rushed, it left me with a wide smile and some heartfelt happy tears.
So while Mad Dog might not be everybody's cup of tea, it was a steaming mug of delicious cappuccino for me.
Definitely one of the better shows of 2017 and one I surely recommend.
Enjoy!
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Best thing I did that month.Because I didn't knew anything about the drama, I didn't had much expectation but that was a good thing. Because it blew me away. It completely took me by surprise.
Though I really really enjoyed it, it might not be every-ones cup of tea. It's heavy on the crime part of the plot and there are some jaggersons or technical words- which are hard to understand. But once you get past that part it's all gold.
The story. It's a crime story. The good guys taking on the bad. There are some plot holes - like every other stories. But beauty of this drama is that you can never guess what's gonna happen next. Every time I thought 'oh, i know whats gonna happen next' nothing like that happen. Sometimes I had no idea what was going on, until ten minute later.
And it doesn't resolve around the good guys. It shows the 'evil' peoples side too, their reasoning, their plan. A side to their story. I really like that.
This isn't heavy on the romance which I was ok with it, because it isn't a romance story, the lack of that romance tag says it all. But Min Joon and Ha Ri's chemistry was a bit to ....hot. I was screaming ship, ship from the moment I saw them. Another slow romance couple is in there but I'm not going to spoil it. Same is the bromance. It's more on to the brotherly-love bromance and that goes perfect with the story line. Makes more sense.And I really really really liked the ending.
The cast is amazing. There is no point on saying how great they were, because we all know that. I am not going to take a single person apart and talk about them, because I liked all of them. I loved how Woo Do Hwan played Min Joon. I liked Jang ha Ri and Ryu Hwa Young's attitude just made her ten times more sassy. I liked Yoo Ji Tea playing Choi Kang Woo, he brings a different set of emotion to the table. This is also the first time I saw him and I am going to check on his other dramas. Then there is Jo Jea Yun playing soft hearted, ex-gangster cheetah-shi and Kim Hye Sung playing Noo Ri. And Cho Won Young playing JH. He is a really versatile actor. I really liked his last scene.
There are three songs in this drama. All of them are so so good! NiiHwa's song is my jam!!
Totally gonna re-watch it. Have to.
Again I am not gonna tell you that you have to watch it. But if you give it a try it will win you over on its own. So do try it!
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Seriously at first I didn't had much interest in this drama . I started this drama becz of the song what I want by NiiHwa.
The story is based on Kim Min Join ( Woo Doo-hwan) and Choi Kang ( Yoo Ji - Tae) who lost their family members . Basically they are fighting for justice. And about romance which is very less mainly slow romance and teamwork is well depicted in it And brotherly love between Seong and Cheetah . In most of the drama we get to know what's going to happen next but here seriously u can't imagine what's going happen in the next few minutes . At the end of each episodes there will be a suspense waiting for u. End of the drama is the best.
Thumbs up for the casting .All of them played their role very well. I actually like Kim Hye-Seong (Noo Ri) even the negative roles were also played well . The chemistry between Min joon and Jang Hang Ri was perfect . Affection of Cheetah towards Oh Seo Ra was also perfect .
About the songs , there are 3 songs in which WHAT I WANT by NiiHwa is the best song for me.
I recommend everyone to watch this drama .It will definitely make u to rewatch it .One of the best drama of 2017
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The strong point for this drama was by far the characters and the acting. As others have stated the Kang Woo/Min Joo relationship was enjoyable to watch grow and develop. Both actors deliver strong performances and create likeable and relatable characters. Actress Ryu Hwa Young is a bias of mine and she delivered a solid performance as did the rest of the Mad Dog team. Ultimately though, the actor who really stole the show was Choi Won Young (Hyun Gi). His character was pure evil, but at the same time, in some weird way, charismatic. From his stupid neck ties to his chilling, arrogant demeanor he stole most of the scenes he was in.
While the characters and actors were top notch, in the end, Mad Dog would have been better off spending even more time on developing the characters and less on the exposing of the crime. The case, which spans the entire 16 episodes, simply bogs down after a while. It became a drawn out battle where the upper hand passes back and forth SO frequently that the viewer loses interest. It’s as if the “bad guys” are one step ahead of the “good guys.” Then we realize that, no, the good guys were actually two steps ahead of the bad guys and foresaw the move in advance. But wait, the bad guys are actually three steps ahead! Oh no, actually the good guys are four steps ahead. It became quite repetitive after a while.
In the end, Mad Dog was likeable but definitely not a must watch.
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Mad Dog is one of the best dramas out there, it really needs more recognition. Why? Well...
Character development and acting skills is SO good!!! It really gets me goosebumps, especially Woo Do Hwan and Yoo Ji Tae's acting skills!
The storyline/plot is amazingly original and there's very much suspense / thriller in this. It really gets you thrilled for the upcoming episodes(at least, me. It did start off slow though). Not predictable like so many other dramas. Background stories of all main leads are pretty clear and well thought of.
Prettiest OST out there, Before The Sunset by Eric Nam. Honestly I still play the OST daily on Spotify lol. It's really emotional and fits every scene that you hear it with.
Filming/special effects are amazing. This drama is filmed very good, I can notice. Very nice scenery.
Only downside is some plotholes. Things that don't really make sense and the storyline could be a bit stronger with some more real "story" to it. But the acting made it really good.
The romance is not really important in here, if you're looking for cliche romance then best not be here. There's some romance in here but no multiple kissing scenes, not like that. Ofcourse, the genres are Crime/Investigation etcetera.
Absolutely LOVE it! I've seen so many dramas (DOTS, Healer, K2, Goblin, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, W, Suspicious Partner, While You Were Sleeping etc etc), this one is the BEST I've seen so far! Props to all the actors and congrats on winning awards!
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STORY: You will have a fun time with this story. Yes it has a very depressing topic but man was it exciting until the very end. It gives you all the emotions to feel in the story and is very well written. The story supports the characters and the characters support the story. It is just one wild ride all the way through where you seem to have a heart attack every episode. You will love this drama and the story it tells because it is very satisfying in the end.
ACTING/CAST: When I said the story supports the characters and the characters support the story, it is very true. The acting was great in this drama, especially with conveying emotions and let me tell you there are a lot of emotions to convey in this drama. You cry with them and laugh with them, get angry with them and yell at them when their character decides to do something stupid. You connect with the characters. This drama has a very strong cast and as a viewer you get very connected to all of the characters which speaks to the acting in this drama.
MUSIC: I loved the OSTs in this drama. I have downloaded all of them and listen to them a lot.
REWATCH VALUE: I would totally rewatch this.
OVERALL: If you like the trope Found Family and liked the drama The Player, you will love this. It is a satisfying drama with strong characters and one hell of a story. EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH THIS DRAMA!
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This drama’s plot sometimes feels like it just prods along. The time it spends on the corporate battle between the two antagonists is painstakingly boring at times due to most of the episodes focusing on white collar crimes.
Though this drama tends to get lost in corporate politics, it is worth watching just to see the Mad Dog team interact with each other. Their bantering and heartfelt moments make for a good argument to watch this drama.
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This drama is my favourite drama of all time, I loved it so much I made an account just to let everyone know how good this drama is. There are literally no words in the dictionary that can explain how good this drama is. Mad Dog is one of those dramas that after watching it, you wish you hadn't watched it so you could watch it over and over again without getting bored.
Story: The story of Mad Dog really gets you hooked and keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. Although, it does have a few flaws here and there, all of it is overlooked by the wonderfully written script. The story really makes you wonder what actually happened and when you DO find out the truth, you just unconsciously start applauding at the screen.
Cast: The cast is absolutely perfect! Everyone fitted their role flawlessly and they all did such an amazing job with their characters. First of all; Yoo Ji Tae as Choi Kang Woo. He really showed us what a great actor he is by displaying so many different emotions and actions. He made me cry, laugh, smile and get angry at his character throughout the entire show. Yoo Ji Tae once again gave us a fabulous performance. Next up is Woo Do Hwan as Kim Min Joon/ Jan Gebauer. I was absolutely speechless when I finished this drama, I literally fell in love. Woo Do Hwan is an extremely talented actor who portrayed his character perfectly. Like seriously, he is a hidden gem in the acting industry. After watching Mad Dog, I couldn't get over him and I can't wait for his future projects. Then there is Ryu Hwayoung as Jang Hari, Jo Jae Yoon as Park Soon Jung and Kim Hye Sung as Oh Noo Ri. These three were the best trio ever. They brought comedy and romance to the show with their quirky but fierce characters. One of the things I loved most about this drama was the slight romance between Kim Min Joon and Jang Hari. They are now one of my favourite kdrama couples. I've seen Ryu Hwayoung in a few other dramas and I loved her, I am really looking forward to more of her work. I've also seen Jo Jae Yoon in a couple of other dramas but he didn't really stand out until I watched Mad Dog. He brought a lot of the comedy to the show. However, this was the first time I saw Kim Hye Sung in a drama, he was so adorable and his character was so sweet. The rest of the cast are also extraordinary but I'd have to stop here because if I continued, I don't know when this review will be over.
P.S. The bromance between Kim Min Joon and Choi Kang Woo is so cute~
Music: The ost by NiiHWA called What I Want is one of the best songs ever. I have it on repeat and I just can't get sick of it. This ost is one of only three ost's that I have ever put in my song playlist. The song was just a perfect way to end an episode.
Rewatch Value: To be honest, I really can't rewatch anything. I usually skip over most parts when I attempt to rewatch a drama. Although, I'll definitely be rewatching this drama a couple of times.
Overall: I'll keep this short: this drama is stunning and it will definitely be your loss if you don't watch it. :)
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The story-line was pretty decent. I didn't know what to expect when watching the drama. I went in with high expectations though and wasn't disappointed. I'm going to be honest I watched it for Woo Do Hwan. But once I found out Yoo Ji Tae and Jo Jae Yun were in it I knew it'd be good. The story-line starts out just a bit confusing as you kind of start in the middle of the story but shortly into the series you find out what's going on and plus we get this cute side romance between two of the characters that I just loved! I love the way friendship is shown as family in this series. It's wonderful.
Acting/Cast:
They were beautiful. Woo Do Hwan continues to surprise me, he's already my favorite actor at the moment after Save Me. Psst he speaks German in this, it's just yessss... Yoo Ji Tae was amazing as well, after seeing him in Healer I knew he wouldn't disappoint. Ryu Hwa Young, I loved her character. She wasn't some helpless female like a lot of female's are portrayed in dramas. She was BA. Everyone did an amazing job. I love Hong Soo Hyun, Choi Won Young, and Jung Bo Seok for making me hate their characters as much as Do Hwan and Ji Tae's character's hated them.
Music:
I really loved the ending theme song. Check it out its called "What I Want" by NiiHwa.
Rewatch Value:
I plan on rewatching this drama with my mom! She's seen both Do Hwan and Jae Yun in Save Me, Ji Tae in Healer, and Won Young in I Remember You (Hello Monster.) So I know she'll like it!
Overall:
I recommend this so much. However a lot of people may be confused with the insurance talk. Just pay attention to the conversations had and things will make sense!
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Story [8.0/10]: The story wasn't too bad, but it's definitely not anything new. It's your typical crime drama that you often see. It often starts out with episodic cases that the main cast is trying to solve. Eventually some cases may begin to overlap and then play a larger role in overarching story. Mad Dog really isn't too different from that. In my opinion, this story lacks a little bit of rising action as well as a climax. With dramas like these, you generally have the same recurring problems. You know what happens at the beginning and at the end. The drama's job is to often tell you what happens in the middle as it helps you fill in the dots.
Acting/Cast [8.5/10]: I was more of a fan of the cast than of the story. I'm a big fan of Ryu Hwa Young who recently starred in Age of Youth as well as Hong Soo Hyun. I became a big ban of hers after watching The Princess' Man and History of the Salaryman. I only wished she got more leading roles. The male actors are not too bad as well. Jo Jae Yun is also one of my most favorite supporting characters. He's absolutely hilarious and he's the same here too while playing "Cheetah" in the drama. There are hints of romance, but there really wasn't too much of it between two of the main characters. The acting was very good as well considering you had mostly seasoned veterans playing the main roles.
Music [8.0/10]: The music was so-so. I pretty much give the same rating to most music in dramas unless it has a nice OST, is a music drama, or just has really really good songs.
Overall I was decently glad that I watched the show. It kept me mostly interested the whole time. Although I more so watched it to see my favorite actors and actresses rather than for the story itself. This show was definitely more about the characters than the actual plot.
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I have always liked character-driven stories more than plot-driven stories. I would rather stay with a bad story with great characters than a great story with bad characters. The characters in this drama, especially Kim Min Joon, were the reason I loved this drama so much. The story can be a bit slow at times and I didn't really find the villains all that interesting, but the main team makes up for that. This story does have quite a lot of political elements that some people might like, and some people might not. It does slow down the drama a bit, but not for long at the time as they have some sort of action in every episode.
The acting was done very well, especially by our two main leads. Both of them are able to portray the main characters as the complex characters they are and have great chemistry with each-other which is why their relationship works so well. Their slow-building friendship is one of the best things in this drama.
If you enjoy watching a team of complex characters working together to fight a common enemy, a bit of action and an overall serious drama (with a a little comic relief here and there) you should try this one.
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