Bloodhounds Review: Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi Bring Formidable Titan-esque Heat to Their Heart Pounding K-drama

Bloodhounds Review | Leisurebyte

Director: Kim Joo-hwan

Date Created: 2023-06-09 12:30

Editor's Rating:
3.5

Premiering on Netflix on June 9, 2023, with Wo Do-hwan (as Kim Gun-woo) and Lee Sang-yi (as Hong Woo-jin) leading the ranks of the new South Korean series based on Jeong Chan’s webtoon of the same name, the K-drama packs a ferocious punch. Both written and directed by Kim Joo-hwan, the show also stars Park Sung-woong and Huh Joon-ho as part of the main cast, with Ryu Soo-young, Lee Hae-yeong, Choi Si-won, Kim Sae-ron and Jung Da-eun as the supporting cast members.

The K-drama has a total of 8 episodes in its premier season, each with a runtime between 54-74 minutes. English subtitles and dub are also available on Netflix for international audiences.

-Mild Spoilers-

Bloodhounds Plot

The story begins with Gun-woo, a talented rookie boxer, whose mother is conned by a private shark loan, leading to dire and fateful circumstances for their small family. Upon meeting with a fellow boxer, the bubbly and loquacious Woo-jin and the neighbourhood vigilante Hyeon-joo, he sets out into the harsh reality of the pandemic-struck world that runs circles between money and power. What awaits these young adults as they set aside their dreams to uncover a scandalous racket exploiting the downtrodden section of society? The answers make you wait till the end, and not all of it makes for a happy ending.

Bloodhounds Review: Discussion

The Bloodhounds Kdrama leaps off with realistic visions of the impact of COVID-19 on those running small businesses, but once private loan sharks get involved in the mess, things get messier and tougher for those already desperately seeking help. The same mess brings forth a bloodbath, which requires someone with power to step up for the greater good. The premise itself is well aware of the worldly reality, and it’s commendable how the action thriller series grounds itself with such a scenario originally. Dialogues like “You can’t beat the top companies. The rich always come out on top” hit home and build a great initial start to an enthralling journey of 8 episodes.

Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi’s bromance comes to the top, especially with their contrasting personalities balancing each other. Their brotherhood got me giggling soon enough and cleared up enough room for heartfelt moments in the midst of bloody action sequences that otherwise had my adrenaline rushing at a mind-boggling rate. The idea of the “heart of a boxer” is often brought into their conversations, and it primarily pushes for the altruistic humanity that guides Do-hwan’s character.

As soon as the action sequences take over, a more realistic picture of fights is painted which especially drove my attention to how they never walked off the gravel untouched. Wounds fester over time, leaving scars of the battles they’ve been in, further lending these characters a human touch instead of making them out to be superheroes despite the vigilant stance they’ve opted for.

From portraying a leather-clad vigilante (Kim Sae-ron) backed by a benevolent benefactor (Huh Joon-ho), humble boxers using their abilities to fight the good fight, cons with higher connections (Park Sung-woong), chaebols and more, a blockbuster is concocted out of all that is utilised by the show. Serving a fiery platter of pure entertainment, the Bloodhounds Netflix drama series doesn’t ask for much from the viewers.

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As I was watching it all go down, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that President Choi’s character (Joon-ho) is likened to the figure of an old and retired Bruce Wayne/Batman in the shadows, while the rest of the youngsters, now in his stead, are like the Titans in-training. It really felt as if Gotham came alive but in a more grounded South Korean context.

It’s even more interesting how the boxing analogy is incorporated into the story, as we’re reminded how the brutal sport either proclaims one as a winner or a loser, but real-life scenarios don’t end with the same result. Reality is cut-throat, merciless and unforgiving. Bringing on an underrated ensemble of cast members works in the favour of creating mystery around the characters who delve into such heartrending scenes.

Yet many of their backstories aren’t necessarily explored. By halftime, I started wondering if things could’ve been wrapped up better with the movie format. Throughout the series, the action scenes with the young trio’s chaotic sibling vibe and their explosive energy hold you close to the screen.

Another aspect that came up as a surprising highlight in the show was how usually antagonists deploy their armies of dispensable subordinates to do the dirty work. However, in Bloodhounds, Park Sung-woong’s Kim Myeong-gil admits early on that until he does some things on his own, it won’t drive fear through his adversaries’ and employees’ hearts alike. And so, his dark persona doesn’t shy away from getting his hands dirty, and it makes him all the more frightening to deal with (and watch at work).

The last two episodes take a jarring turn. There’s no denying the fact that the Bloodhounds cast adorably wins you over within the first few episodes, but the final ones go south, especially with one of the major characters (portrayed by Kim Sae-ron) missing (due to her DUI controversy). I would’ve definitely given it a higher rating depending on how much I initially enjoyed the series. However, the last two episodes turned out to be a letdown in some spaces, so the end doesn’t hold up the bar raised high by the beginning.

Final Thoughts

The first episode itself has you feeling a lot of things. If you’re a die-hard fan of action content, then this series will get your heart racing, proving there’s no such thing as too much action if all sequences and hard punches are well choreographed. Some episodes are especially jam-packed with one action scene after the other, but at no point did I want to skip them owing to their gruelling and enthralling balance.

The storyline doesn’t delve into much social critique profoundly. The initial backdrop is set up as the launching pad (the pandemic scenes adding relatability) for the action that follows. Therefore, the series is more serious about how the action fleshes out till the end, and it’s not bad either because the show is equally aware of what it’s doing.

The actors’ camaraderie balances out the heat with some lighthearted banters and laughs in the midst of it all. Ultimately, the series was a fun watch and it makes for a worthy weekend binge-watch session if you want to switch off the thoughts in your mind and be wowed by the thrilling visuals in front of you.

All 8 episodes of Bloodhounds are now streaming on Netflix.

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