The Worst of Evil (2023)

overall, well made drama, but my personal preference dropped the rating

Overall, this was a very well done drama. The actors’ performances, the production, and the general filming/editing were all really good. I had really high hopes for it when it started, but started to have some issues with it towards the middle/end.

For me, the best part of the drama was the relationship between the three leads. Because, in general, I’ve seen this type of story told before, but what made this drama stand apart from others was the characters and how they interacted with each other.
I loved that Junmo was married and that his wife ended up part of the investigation. I liked seeing the trust they had for each other when in other stories there would only be jealousy and no understanding of the situation. This was something that I don’t normally see in stories like this. Of course, that all changed in the end, which bothered me so much. I think I could’ve handled the ending no matter what happened, if I knew that Junmo and Euijung were going to be okay. I understand that we, the viewers, are supposed to see that Junmo has changed too much to go back to who he used to be, but I didn’t want that (and obviously, this is very much just a personal preference). I guess, I would’ve liked to have seen more of Junmo changing. I know the turning point was the slaughter in the hallway; he got a little more unhinged after that, but I’m not really sure at what point he decided that he actually liked Jung Kichul enough to let him go at the end (but then turn around and shoot him? Why?). Along those same lines, when did he grow fond of Lee Haeryeon? Their relationship was a little weird/red flag to me, especially when she initially tried to sleep with him. That didn’t seem very wanted on his end.

I guess, in the end, I got myself into this one. This drama really never made any secret of the fact that it was only going to end one way and that was horribly. So my rating is mostly just because I’m annoyed by how it ended and not because it isn’t well made or acted.

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Infidelity and Love Triangles dressed up as a Gangster Movie

This is a really odd drama but at its heart it is not an action packed noir gangster movie, I mean it is but thats not what its actually about.

Its really about a married couple slowly being driven apart by the demands of ML work and the FLs infidelity with her ex.

The biggest plot is the FLs devotion to and her desire to protect, her undercover cop husband shifting in every way to instead being her devotion to and desire to protect her ex bf first love and oh yes the gangster her hubby is trying to bring down.

Its kinda makjang really.

Of course to make it seem less simple the ML is presented with a love interest of sorts. (He cant really avoid her or he blows his cover).

It is clear though that what this story is about is the FL and the ex rekindling their first love and the FL cheating on the ML basically in front of him and slowly revealing to him and us and herself that she loves the other guy more.

If you enjoy that sort of angsty torture good for you. I certainly do not.

On the plus for this mess of a drama i do admire the ingenious and different than the usual weary disfunctional domestic scenario this tired plot was wrapped in.

The last scene where the ML alone visits the grave and sees his wife has already been there alone and left flowers and the symbol of her love for the 2ML (she waved it in his face throughout) and then leaves his wedding ring tells you exactly what this show was really all about.

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Alternative title suggestion: How to Feel Sorry for Drug Dealers

What a mixed bag this drama was. While the quality of acting and special effects was outstanding, the ultimately weak, far-fetched plot was what really dragged this show down. A twist on the trope of the whole drug dealer/undercover cop scenario, this story's angle shone the spotlight more on the lengths that the 'good' guys will resort to, to get what they want or achieve what they consider 'right', regardless of the means used or the collateral damage.
I found the ending a huge disappointment; by the final episode you're really glad to be finally finished with Ji Chang Wook's character, who was an ambitious, selfish, jealous little toad from the outset.
Supporting male characters were excellent, particularly the knife-wielding lunatic Chief Seo, but as usual the female characters were weak pitiful creations, designed only to support the male lead. Shameful writing.
Really glad to be finished with this one and move on to something hopefully better.

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A Tale of Two Men

Ji Chang-wook returns to crime action in this historical thriller about the South Korean underworld in the late 1990s. He dons the blue uniform as Park Jun-mo, a low-ranking detective co-opted by his superiors to infiltrate an enterprising Gangnam gang operating nightclubs openly and dealing in methamphetamines in secret. He is married to Yu Eui-jeong (Im Se-mi) a fellow police officer who at the start of the show is already an inspector transferring to the security division. As a result Jun-mo is routinely made to feel his place by his snobbish in-laws who are all elite officers themselves. When first approached by the prosecutor-in-charge and his senior, Jun-mo hesitates. But with the prospect of promotion (and respectability) waved under his nose, he eventually succumbs and agrees.

Jun-mo’s primary foil is Jung Gi-cheul (Wi Ha-joon) the founder and head of the Gangnam Union. Formerly a popular nightclub disc jockey who grew up in the area, the savvy and ambitious Gi-cheul takes up the offer by a local mob boss to head up his own nightclub. His inner circle consists of a group of friends from high school and their loyalty to him seems unwavering. Not content to be earning chump change, he wants to expand his operations to drug distribution but is flatly rejected by his backer, a notorious figure known as Sgt Jang. Like Jun-mo, Gi-cheul craves respect which he thinks money will bring. He is tired of being trampled underfoot by rich junkies and his direct supervisor so he devises a coup then buys over the biggest mob boss in the country based in Busan.

Despite all the violent blood-letting that’s on display, this is essentially a character study of two men. They’ve been dealt a similar hand at the start but made different choices along the way. Due to unforeseen circumstances, interventions and choices they end up in different places. The proposition that Gi-cheul could have ended up with Eui-jeong is not too far-fetched or that Jun-mo could have ended up as a member of a gang is highly probable. The moral argument (and the show's contribution to the nature vs. nurture debate) seems to be that human beings are the sum of their choices regardless of external intervention.

It's been a while since I've read F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary classic but Jung Gi-cheul bears more than a passing resemblance to Jay Gatsby. Instead of bootleg, Gi-cheul is the purveyor of an item known as Gangnam Crystal. He is the South Korean link in a deadly drug distribution triangle that includes Japan and mainland China. His goal from the first to the last is the girl -- Yu Eui-jeong, a woman he's been in love with since high school. Like his American counterpart, he is the symbol of the South Korean dream. Accumulate wealth as quickly as possible. Gain respectability. Get the girl one way or another. He's a tragic figure in the Gatsby mould and while I never felt the urge to root for him to win, I did want redemption for him.

I didn’t have huge expectations coming into this but this was just one of those unmissable collaborations that don't come very often. A veritable casting coup as it turns out. Our male leads -- Ji Chang-wook and Wi Ha-joon -- certainly lived up to expectations with thoughtful performances as cop and criminal. It's hard to say who was really the protagonist or antagonist. As a whole it was an entertaining emotional rollercoaster experience. The script is serviceable (unabashedly inspired by 90s Hong Kong gangland films) and nothing particularly groundbreaking. Still there are fascinating turns in the plot and implicit repudiations of standard K drama tropes. In the final analysis what elevates this show for me are its presentation of messaging and themes.

In ways explicit within the narrative The Worst of Evil is a Christian allegory about greed, desire and the road to destruction. While the world-building revolves around cops and gangsters playing cat and mouse, at its core is a cautionary tale of two men and their problematic relationship with success — and a particularly narrow view of what that looks like. Both men crave success not for its own sake but in order to attain that Holy Grail of respectability. The desire for respectability propels them forward right to the bitter end. Success, whatever form that takes, opens the door to acceptance by their betters and their peers. Jung Gi-cheul, in particular, is the poster child for this. Raised in the church and at some point a choir member, he would have been schooled in that often misquoted admonishment found in the New Testament. “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10, KJV) His pursuit of wealth in order to gain respectability in a world that values status as well as to win over the woman he loved, kicked him off the straight and narrow. In the case of Park Jun-mo, it is for the love of a woman that he accepts the undercover gig. To shine and abrogate her family's disdain of him. To prove himself worthy of her and to prove them wrong.

The insinuation of Im Se-mi's Yu Eui-jeong into the investigation is a double-edged sword for both men. Even with all the drug talk, she is at the core of this story -- the point of intersection for their trajectories. She is inextricably tied to the desire line of both men. She symbolizes an elusive respectability for both. Nonetheless the de facto love triangle is not a romance but a journey of discovery that the great South Korean dream is not for everyone but a select few. Those who are born in Gangnam don't necessarily succeed in Gangnam. Effort alone don't cut it. Hence the outlook here is bleak and pessimistic.

The drama boasts a stellar ensemble of veteran character actors and promising youngsters . No one puts a foot wrong including newcomer Bibi who turns in a memorable performance as Lee Hae-ryeon the scion of the Chinese distributor. Also of note is Lee Shin-gi as the dagger-wielding Chief Seo, the menacing enforcer of the Gangnam Union. The action sequences are certainly designed and calculated to shock with its relentless brutality. All that contributes to the world-building that harkens back to a different time -- a more chaotic time.


This review is adapted from several posts made on my blog https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/

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Pain of human nature, whether it's a cop or a gangster

The birth of a monster inside a person who was once considered moral and pure along with the very human and raw sides of somebody we were expected to solely think of as a villain is what I witnessed watching The Worst of Evil.

Beyond the obvious observations --the phenomenal acting, storyline and even unexpected twists-- what I would like to point out is the sad, regretful feeling I was left with when I finished watching the last episode. Junmo's spiral was to be expected from the moment he took on the case, but it was still heartbreaking to watch his life being destroyed.

He ended up becoming a murderer, something he tried in many ways to avoid but was inevitable when hesitating was no longer an option, as Euijung became involved. Steadily he started losing himself, no longer telling right from wrong clearly and easily. Losing his loved ones, the immediate aftermath of it all. His captain, his wife and his unexpected partner, Jung Gichul, he lost them along with a vital part of his humanity.

There was no happy ending to await from this drama, but the end still left me wincing even as I write this.

A few notable mentions: first of all, just as I expected, druglord Jung Gichul tugged on my heartstrings and I never had him as a villain in my head as I watched the show. He was mostly pitiful and if Junmo felt guilty for betraying him in the end, when that was his job all along, it goes without saying that I too wished a better ending for him. Secondly, miss Lee Haeryun falling in love and paying such a high price for that made me feel for her. At least she knows her Kwon Seungho tipped her off to spare her from getting caught, hope that serves as some sort of consolation. Lastly, the music was so good in this show. I basically wrote this review to mention just that. I just finished watching it so I'll be off to search everything about the soundtrack.

Highly recommended drama. Ji Changwook killed it.
(Bibi killed it too)

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Worst Evil

The first three episodes of The Worst of Evil series,
The series does not depict the life of the Korean mafia, but rather it exposes you to the nighttime street gangs in Gangnam Province, which work in protecting nightclubs, restaurants, and stores as a form of camouflage for the major crime of “drug smuggling.”
Gang life follows a hierarchy. The leader controls all the districts, followed by the leaders of those districts. One of them is the leader of “Gangnam,” which is the Villain character played by Wi Ha Joon, and so on, we arrive at the newcomer with the lowest rank, which is Ji Chang Wook, who plays the role of an undercover policeman within the gang. .
I was hoping that the level of gangs in Korea would rise to the point where it could be defined as the mafia, similar to the “Italian” and “Russian” and even Japanese mafia..but Korean drama continues to be reserved about addressing this field, unlike cinema..
The Worst of Evil series did not bring anything new to this entity, but I liked its very important detail, which is the recruitment of freshmen from secondary schools. I liked it because it is a real phenomenon that was very widespread between the eighties and nineties of the last century in the continent of Asia in general, and perhaps it was the most prominent. In the state of Japan in an attempt to revive the Yakuza organization after its intellectual and ideological death.
What is most important in the detail of secondary schools is that it reminds us a little of the atmosphere of the mafia, which is formed on the foundations and principles of loyalty, appreciation and respect emanating from the “family”. There are no strangers in this organization, but rather it is a unified cohesion, and for this reason the assignment is carried out from the secondary school where the new recruits are in communication. They are connected to their new world, and they already carry intellectual imprints without being taught that.
Here it is quite natural for the matter to be limited to a gang battle rather than a mafia war. Up to this point, of course, the matter could develop.
Building the character of the gang leader, from a DJ who lives a quiet life to the leader of a dangerous criminal organization, was rather good without mentioning the details of the leader’s background. Rather, the pace was fast as an arrow from the starting point up to the level that the leader reached and will remain at until he meets the main character and the main plot begins to move. .
The method of infiltration into the "Gangnam" gang by the policeman is considered the best glimpse in these episodes. It is a good method in terms of wording and does not lead viewers into confusion. There are great details that the policeman went through in order to reach this complex position.
The style of action and the depiction of gang battles was balanced, or we can say that it was not impressive. We cannot say that it was brutal or we could also say that it was censored. It was a “normal” style of action that carried the usual Korean touch in action series, with the addition of some blood and weapons. Al-Bayda, especially some of the dead, so that we, as viewers, accept the idea of ​​the criminal organization and what it could lead to in order to achieve its highest goals, the most prominent of which is the acquisition and control of the provinces.
As for the character of the detective, the wife of the undercover policeman, she is one of the secondary characters on which a course of events that enhances the main plot will be built. At least in this series, a female character will be inserted, but “we have a convincing reason for that.”
His acting performance is very special. Ji Chang Wook finally abandoned his gentle and friendly features and his light series, which of course failed. Not because he cannot act, but because they are lower than normal series in terms of quality. Finally, the spirit of the actor that was lost for about seven years has returned. He is a professional. Entirely in the action categories, he still carries the same enthusiasm and passion for such types of drama, and most importantly, he has improved his performance and fitness. People like Ji Chang Wook cannot judge their acting performance, because he gives you a very wonderful impression in a series like this. Then you see another person performing poorly in light dramatic works, and for this reason we say that good choice of work is one of the most important factors for the success of actors.
Then we talk about the all-around actor, Wi Ha Joon. Honestly, he is a very amazing actor!
Wei Hajun cannot rise to be a mafia leader. Such complex characters are easy to emulate for South Korean movie tycoons. It will be a long journey for him to reach that point.
But the actor gives you the impression of conviction when you watch him perform any character! He actually played the character of the "policeman", "the psychopath", the "lover", even though he played the role of a fictional character and described him as a gang leader. He is an actor who always diversifies his work and roles and gives you a realistic personality and depth. He is a very diligent character. Perhaps the most prominent thing that he worked hard at in this series is the pitch of voice and the method of delivery, and the actor, frankly, has a face and features that any character can be based on, whether it is Prota or Anti.
The soundtrack is almost non-existent, but some of the instrumentals are quite good.
The most important thing we will talk about about this series is the “story” itself. Did it bring a new The Worst of Evil? The answer: No. Even the director himself is aware of this. It is an idea that was circulated by all authors in the world after the success of the movie Infernal Affairs in 2002. More importantly, it is a very predictable idea, meaning you can easily predict the course of events. Rather, you can predict events as well.
However, the method of formulating the story and its solemnity in the night atmosphere and the continuous style of movement still kills some of the stereotypes of the work, and Korea needs such series to break the routine of crime in drama. We have become accustomed to the style of chase, and now in this work we are familiar with the style of battles and intrigues.

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In his quest for promotion, dedicated police officer Joon Mo is tasked to infiltrate an illegal drug cartel led by Ki Chul. Little does he know, that his wife, Eui Jung, is investigating the same mission and she has known Ki Chul in the past. How will Moon Jo navigate this situation?

One of the most anticipated dramas this year, starring my first crush Ji Chang Wook. My first thought: the premise is one of my favourite setups! Hidden identity with action, so it's right down my alley!

Pacing is great, we get things going right away, but I am not hooked from the premise, and the story is nothing new. What's groundbreaking is the performances. The fight scenes are very gory, looks extremely dark and they’re done so well. More than the plot, I'm captivated by Ji Chang Wook, his performance is at its' finest, this man can be anyone! Directing-wise, I don’t like the parallel double-date set up and the strange flashbacks, but the acting by our leads is truly amazing! It shakes the JCW fandom worldwide, that you’re probably already spoiled by the scene by now.

The Worst of Evil could have been better presenting their leads. While watching it, I had discussions with a lovely friend and I totally agree with her insight, so I quote them: “There are great potentials that are set up but never utilized: either it’s Ki Chul’s gangster set up, or a believable marriage between Joon Mo and Eui Jung, or Joon Mo’s instability for the lack of a father figure. It would be interesting if Ki Chul has a stronger influence to Joon Mo and Joon Mo drawn to him as a father figure, more than money and power that he’s lacking in his low-rank police status, sucking him deeper into evil… It could have been a more heart-wrenching scenario for this noir.”

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WHAT CAN I SAY!! IT'S JI CHANG WOOK + ACTION

>I've never published a review for a television show before, but this drama's incredible quality motivated me to do so. So if you want to see excellent acting, excellent action, and excellent storytelling, watch this. Well, based just on the first three episodes that were released today, that is what I think.

>Personally, I believe that Ji Chang Wook's already incredible career will be furthered by this drama, and people will stop requesting action dramas in the future until he decides to produce one himself.

>Additionally, the music is excellent. watch this while wearing headphones.

CAN'T WAIT FOR EP 4 NEXT WEEK

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