True Sword Battle (2022)

Good Bad Prosecutor

This has no romance genre but I still love the subtle lovely moments between jin jeong and shin ara. if you have time to spare, this is a good drama to watch. also, the hair of jin jeong is not for me 😭 the story is wrapped up in 12 episodes, but there are still missing subjects that require more attention. the ending scene also open a possible season 2, but i prefer to have this season only. Doh Kyungsoo totally pulled off the character of Jin Jeong with a balance of intensity and comedy. Lee Se Hee is so pretty and her expressions in funny scenes make me laugh. the 'found family' trope in this kdrama is so cute. overall, I enjoyed the thrill and twists of this drama 💗

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Well acted

I wasn't expecting this to be as dark as it was. The only thing I knew going into this drama was that Kyungsoo was the main character. The acting is incredible which isn't surprising considering the star-studded cast. I enjoyed the slight comedy because it provided some relief from the plain brutality of some scenes. The drama went so dark, it was almost suffocating, but it pulled through in the end. The action scenes were the best part of the series because they were well-choreographed with interesting directing choices.

I thought the story arc was predictable initially. Jin Jung faces injustice and pulls clever stunts or heists with his criminally ambiguous friends to get one step closer to defeating the main boss. Until his luck runs out and his team is in jeopardy. This is all until the plot twist at the end. I never thought he'd turn up as a witness. It changed my mind about the series as a whole. I did find the writing a bit boring at times, and the strong emphasis on the importance of being a prosecutor felt forced at times, but it was a decent script. If it had been a 16-episode drama, I think the writing would have worked better. I wanted more from a script that landed such a star-studded cast.

I did have a few annoyances, besides the writing. The "villains" were so easy to spot, maybe it was because the actors they chose to play them are usually typecasted as such (at least in the dramas/movies I've seen them in). Great actors, just they're well known to be good at playing bad/shady people. No surprise who was the bad guys, or at least the ones involved in shady business. Speaking of shady characters, Oh Do Wan really annoyed me. He was constantly trying to leech off the most powerful person, but for what reason? A successful and influential career? He was a lackey, not a successor like he was made out to be. His last-minute, rushed redemption wasn't enough. This may be because all the good he does is shown in a quick flashback montage. Suddenly, he's fishing with Jung and acting like long-time friends.

Bottom line: I probably won't rewatch it. It was good but it suffered from its shortened episode count. I hope it gets a second season.

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Underwhelming

I LOVE crime dramas and law dramas. Unfortunately, this one failed at both. Do Kyungsoo does a wonderful job portraying prosecutor Jin Jung, who is more than willing to bend the rules in order to punish people for their crimes. As a new prosecutor, he tends to get easy cases that don't involve too much digging - but when a seemingly clear-cut murder case comes across his desk, the more he reads into it, the more complicated it gets. However, it seems there are a lot of people that don't want this case investigated.

In the classic "prosecutor takes on the Ultimate Bad Guy" fashion, Bad Prosecutor is set up to be a very enjoyable show where the villain and protagonist go back and forth on who has the upper hand in their series-long battle. However, there a few things that this series got wrong that just made it significantly less fun to watch than most other crime/law dramas I've seen:

1) Predictability. There were very few times in this series that I was actually surprised by a twist (and liked the twist). Most of the time, the ending of the episode could be predictable by halfway through the episode, and that made what should have been cliffhangers underwhelming.
2) Protagonist. While Do Kyungsoo did an excellent job portraying Jin Jung, I still didn't love the character. I was hoping for a morally gray prosecutor who didn't care whether he was breaking the law to get what he thought justice was. Instead, we got a prosecutor willing to go around the law, but still abide by it when push comes to shove. In his eyes, "Justice = Laws", which I feel could have been played around with more, especially with the horrible things the villain in this series had done.
3) Law. Considering the title, I assumed there would be a lot more courtroom scenes in this show. While I still enjoyed watching them chase after the villain, I think my expectations were a bit different considering Jin Jung is a prosecutor, not a cop.
4) Outcomes. There were many times where they could have had bigger and better (or sometimes, worse) outcomes for a character's actions, but they seemed to downplay any repercussions that should have occurred to both the protagonist and antagonist. I was waiting for the ending battle to really kick in and it never really did. It was much more anticlimactic in that sense than I expected.

If you enjoy crime/law dramas, you'll probably still enjoy this! Just beware its more of a cop show than a courtroom show, and you might be able to sense exactly where it's going (and be right 95% of the time) pretty easily.

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Good Prosecutor

I have mixed feelings about this series. On one hand, it is the most fun that I have had with a Korean series. On the other hand, I had to skip many scenes in every episode. This story manages to be both entertaining and boring, so I cannot decide if I should praise it or criticize it. Let me tell you what I liked and what I disliked – you will decide for yourselves whether to watch it.

1. What I did not like:

The plot is consistently predictable.
South Korea produces a large number of procedural series. It is natural that at some point making up a unique story in the genre becomes challenging, and I did not expect much from the scriptwriters. However, this script did not live up even to my low expectations. I could see almost every plot twist and story development coming from miles away. I knew who the bad guys are immediately because they either look and behave obviously suspiciously or proclaim their evil plans out loud like Disney villains. I quickly started skipping their scenes.

The story underestimates the viewers' intelligence and memory.
The outcome of the investigation that it focuses on can be predicted by anyone who has watched a procedural series – or a romantic comedy, or any other genre in which Korean scriptwriters have included characters who solve crime, catch elusive criminals, and punish corrupt influential people. Every time new information was revealed, though, the script of Bad Prosecutor spoonfed it to me. Furthermore, the same flashbacks were shown three or four times – a waste of screen time.

2. What I liked:

Jin Jung is such an interesting main character. He is a brave, smart, principled person with a kind heart and a great deadpan sense of humor, who quickly endeared himself to me. The comedy in Korean series usually does not appeal to me, so I was surprised to realize that with the bad prosecutor the fun does not fizzle out. As the story progresses, he becomes increasingly more entertaining. If you, like me, prefer subtle humor, you will enjoy watching him a lot.
Doh Kyung Soo did a great job playing his unconventional character. The only time that his performance was a little unconvincing was when he had to portray shock and grief.

For me, Shin Ah Ra is one of the most likeable Korean female leads that I have seen. She is neither a damsel in distress nor rude, violent, and unreasonably stubborn. A kind person and a supportive, understanding partner, she makes up for her lack of physical strength with intelligence and observational skills. Aside from several scenes in the initial episodes, she is also free from the hysterics and screeching that characterize the behavior of many women in Korean series.

Jin Jung's friends are another highlight. Quirky and hilarious, they introduce an element of unpredictability as they stumble through the missions that Jin Jung assigns to them. For a second female lead, Baek Eun Ji is a surprisingly nice, cool person. I like that the scriptwriters did not go for the clichéd trope of making her toxic, manipulative, and evil. Go Joong Do and Park Jae Kyung are also memorable, each in his own way. They do not fall into the category of supporting characters whose scenes I skip.

The romance is cute, subtle, and unproblematic – just how I like it. Although there is no physical intimacy, it is obvious that Jin Jung and Shin Ah Ra are fond of each other. They made me root for their relationship – both as friends and co-workers and as a potential couple.

Overall, this series is worth the watch if you are looking for a light-hearted, funny story with likeable characters and heart-warming interactions between them, but not if you want an intriguing crime investigation. Although he likes to punish bad guys and defend good people, Jin Jung is not a morally gray, relentless vigilante, so do not expect anything intense. This story is more like a well-written, way funnier version of Café Minamdang.

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Evil cannot win

"A monster must be killed, not controlled with a leash."

A crime thriller comedy with such brilliant tone and manic energy that's always building to something unexpected and explosive. Bad Prosecutor doesn't take itself too seriously even as it tackles corruption, tragedy and murder. This is part of its secret, what makes it so entertaining, but it strikes a perfect balance between zaniness and heavier themes.

And genius actor D.O. Kyungsoo makes his triumphant return to dramaland after a 3 year absence! This drama is a nice change of pace from his previous series, 100 Days My Prince (2018), an unsurpassed romantic melodrama.

Certain scenes recall A Hard Day (2014) but overall it has the same slapstick and relentless action. And it’s full of endlessly satisfying choreographed fight scenes! An American version of this show would be deadly serious with muddy lighting and would drag on for eight seasons. The titular character would not be a zany crime fighter who stops at nothing, even illegal means, to secure justice. He would be dour and hard-faced and I'm bored by him already.

But the role of Jin Jeong seems tailor made for Kyungsoo. He's a tireless crusader for justice, he even swings a sword around. I can't remember which director it was who called him an acting genius, but a more fitting title doesn't exist. (At least for this particular gift of his). There were glimpses of his comic timing in 100 Days, but primarily he's known for tragic and intense roles. So it's a lot of fun to watch him be so unserious and goofy, a literal cartoon character with the same kind of elasticity. And the intensity is still there. It is immensely rewarding to watch him transform in each new role. Such an expressive performer with the skill to make his deep passion look effortless.

Kyungsoo is my favorite working actor next to Denzel and each new project reminds me why. Bravo all around to Bad Prosecutor, its star, and the colorful ensemble.

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Watched this drama because of Doh Kyung Soo and also this drama was in the same slot with IYWUM

I'd say that storyline it was pretty good with some flaws
I thought it would be small cases leading to a big case, but it was a big case that intertwined with another bigger cases until the end
I like how the main villain wasn't introduced since beginning, just from smaller one to the biggest one, well looking at the end of this drama, there must be another bigger villain than Seo Hyun Kyu, wonder if there would be another season of Bad Prosecutor

I really love Jin Jeong team aka Jin Jeong, Lee Chul Ki, Baek Eun Ji, and Go Joong Do
and latter Shin Ah Ra joined them, I kinda miss her getting stress over Jin Jeong, glad it was back in the latest part of last episode
while Oh Do Hwan and Seo Ji Han, well I just love to hate them and love to see them suffered, especially Seo Ji Han
I just need to know why Oh Do Hwan turned his back on Seo Hyun Kyu, I'm glad in the end he supported Jin Jeong, though it was not abrupt but they never show why he joined Jin Jeong in the end

acting wise it really hard carrying the drama, if it's not for the actors, I don't think I would enjoy this drama
I gotta say that Doh Kyung Soo, Ha Joon, Lee Si Eon, Yoo Hwan, and Kim Hi Eo Ra really incredible in this drama

and I love Deep End, Bite, and Call Me a Freak
overall it has pretty good track for osts

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A funny thriller that tugs at the heartstrings

I wasn't sure what to expect of Bad Prosecutor and D.O but I found myself loving this drama.

Jin Jung is already deemed a bit of a rebel within the Prosecution department but is inadvertently given a murder case to manage which sets the scene for him uncovering what's REALLY going on within the Prosecution department.

It's a story of a maverick prosecutor and his motley crew who fight justice in their own way. It is all legal? No. Is it fun though and gets results? Yes! It's a typical KDrama with internal corruption, power plays and money dominating the legal system but no matter how many of these you have seen this is worth the time. There isn't a lot of court room drama. Most of it is investigative and out in the field.

12 episodes was just enough to leave you wanting more but 16 would have been too draggy so this was a good call. This could easily have a season 2

Acting was superb, the story was good with twists and turns throughout and it's definitely worth a watch

This is more comedy than romance for those who are looking for that. It was fun to watch with 2 episodes weekly but would be a great binge watch too.

OST gave it energy. I don't know how much re-watch it has as the story has plot twists.

Highly recommended

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I knew D.O. mainly as a singer, but he is also a good actor.
The plot leads his character, a champion of justice, to act as a "phenomenon" in an exaggerated way.
He and his team are in danger but always work separately?!?
The big bad boss played his cards face up, it would have been simple to touch a button on the phone and record conversations. So they would have had a thousand evidences.
Why are the fair people so stupid?
This point makes me lower my rating.
The last 2 episodes were honestly the worst two, where I got the most anger.
He knows full well the power of the old bastard and how cruel and unrepentant he can be for his actions.
I wondered why he was so naive as to come up with these brilliant plans where he gets beaten up, people close to him get involved and he is blackmailed, he has the evidence and has it stolen and last but not least, he has to ask for help from that "change flag" of a prosecutor.

All's well that ends well. Fortunately in the end he redeems himself and we understand that he wasn't that stupid.

PS: His team's hacker, Lee Si Eon, had the same role as in the "Player" series.

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Fazendo Justiça na base da porrada

Nunca tinha visto promotor mais insano e louco.
Os episódios tem uma dinamica rapida entao quado se percebe maratou os 12.

Uma enredo bem escrito e bem distribuídos...e obvio que o bem vence mas ate o ultimo minuto isso nao foca claro ate que...

O elenco maravilhoso e um show de atuação com direto a muit luta bem filme de ação de sessao da tarde, onde tudo pode acontecer.

Os crime e maldade efetuadas pelo mal nao tiveram meiaa palavras e cada coisas que caia o queixo..realmente ficou claro que nao era um drama cheio de mimi, apesar de ter um pouco de cemas cômicas, mas nem esta apagam os horrores.
Quem gosta de acho...vejam

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Not what i expected to be.

When i see the title, i thought it would be interesting. A bad-ass prosecutor fighting crimes for good. But this isn't all that.
Well, some people might like it, but personally, i'm bored and not thrilled. i'm dropping this after ep 5.
First, The ML character just running around assuming and accusing the wrong people and getting into troubles. Not in a "badass-cool-smart" way, just recklessly handling the case.

Second, i know the writer want us to think who's actually good people and who's bad one. . but the mystery isn't there. They spoiled it. We know the bad guy and who behind all of this since the beginning . I'm on ep 5 and i don't have anymore curiousity.

Thus, the actors and actresses in the series are good. That we should appreciate.

Well anyway, that's my personal opinion.

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ACTION Packed! Great Acting & TWISTS!

I first watched this show because of D.O! Also, I love law related shows and stuff.

The show as filled with action every second and there was so many twists and turned including the ending involving the Prosecutor Oh and Park. The cast was able to pull of the moves and each member fit their respective characters so well. Sometime the caveat of knowing an actor or actress too well is not being able fully envision their character past their real life persona.

The only caveat is I don't see too much character development with the main characters, not too much growth or change. He was the hero and remains the hero with no bad parts to him in many ways. Which is why I docked a point. Still love the show just it could be a little more multidimensional.

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