The Worst Evil (2023)

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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LEFT ME WITH A HEAD FULL OF THOUGHTS

This is a kdrama with every kind of emotion you can think of. But I have to say if you don’t like gore or violence then this may not be for you.
this is truly one of the best action, mind bending shows I have ever watched the acting was amazing as well as the selection for the cast and directing.
The key concept that this drama left me with was mending and determining the contrast between good and evil and how it can change our ways and morals beyond to what you would ever expect or imagine. Ji Chan Wooks character shows this marvelously and it was intriguing to see him change as the show progressed, it makes you realize how certain events can really change a persons morals and actions in order to achieve a given goal, how you can grow apart from people as well as deeper understand the people you once misunderstood by stepping into their world firsthand while excluding your own life experiences even your own identity as a whole. This drama had my eyes glued to screen always wanting to know what happens next and how the chatecters will grow and act while living in different environments as well as how their relationships will grow or drift. I won’t spoil the ending so you’ll have to determine your thoughts and opinions on the ending by responding to this review but I have to say that it really left me almost to tears making me think about ones experiences throughout different relationships and ways of life whether it be the interpretation on life, Thinking “Who’s good, Who’s evil?”, “What does good mean to you, What does evil look like?”
it is unbelievable how life can take its turns without you even realizing or noticing and this drama really does a great job of showing how the human race CAN really “get used” or adapt to other environments and how we as people can manipulate/train our brain to see different living situations, points of views, people, etc. and most importantly how we can actually reveal a whole different side of ourselves that we never knew possible.

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Ji Chang Wook INCREIBLE

La serie, dentro de que se encuentra en el tipico drama de policia infiltrado en terreno hostil, te atrapa de una manera especial.
La intereaccion entre los dos personajer principales es perfecta.
Y en cuanto a las escenas de lucha, dentro de que a mi no me vuelven loca, son algo increibles. Ji Chang, hace uno de sus mejores papeles en estas escenas entrando en la perfección.
Hay que reconocer,ademas, que la aparición de las dos actrices protagonistas te crea ciertas dudas sobre si todo esta permitido para conseguir un proposito o no.
Reconozco que soy una fanatica de Ji Chang Wook y he visto todas las series de él, bien sea en versión original o traducidas, y esta se puede considerar un cambio en su carrera, aunque me gustan todas.

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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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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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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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Why must you watch?

The series is short with mind blowing story, cast and acting. The series can make you binge watch itself. It's worth your time.The set is shown of 1990's revolving an undercover narcotic trade for which narcotic department takes upon a massive risky investigation which involves couples protecting each other throughout it. The whole story gives us a intriguing plot and captivating acting.What sets this drama apart is how it brilliantly showcases the interconnectedness of its characters, all engaged in their mind games and strategies. The acting of every cast member is truly outstanding, and they're all nailing their respective roles.
I hope you add it to your watching list.

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The alternate ending i wanted

After everything completed junmo divorce his wife and left the police job and went to hong kong to free of everything. There he meets bibi coincidentally and a conversation happens that goes like this....
Bibi: are you here to arrest me..?
Junmo: (takes out the cigarette and lights) i stopped working for police.
Bibi: although you betrayed everyone...i believe you.so why did u leave...i thought the department will give you promotion and you will be happy with your wife
Junmo: the job made me lose a lot of things and wife...haa i think i lost her when i started going undercover.
Bibi: so why did you come to me..?
Junmo: to say thank you and sorry...thank you for loving me even after knowing me...sorry for betraying you...
Bibi: so since you said what you want ...do you leave...
Junmo: i was planning to leave after see you live happily but even you have everything and being free ypu are not happy...why?
Bibi: you want to make me happy....then be with me. I am not a stupid person i know even after everything, you tried to protect me and jincheol. Will you continue to be my side and protect me...?
Junmo: if i want to leave will you let me go..?
Bibi: i would but i don't want to
Junmo:(smiling ) looks like i don't have any choice. Lets repent what we did and enjoy what we can.

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A good gangsters vs cops dramas in an old Hong Kong movie style.

This is typically the type of story you used to find in old Hong Kong crime movies with men and brothers fighting each other in a story of cops, crime syndicate, mafias, and undercover operations. It was usually very romanticized, violent, and dark and in the ends, the outcome left no one unhurt. This drama totally follows this path.

1/ STORY
The story is rather simple. A cop accepts to do an undercover operation for a very personal reason. This leads him into a world of gangsters where bad guys also have their values and laws which make them not so bad and good guys are not always so good but have deviant behaviors and make questionable choices. He navigates in this and meets a local boss, and they develop an understanding and a friendly bond throughout time. The problem is that two women enters the scene, and they will make the two men question themselves, who they are and who and what they want and love. The result in the end is a terrible outcome for everyone.

2/ WHAT I LIKED
- The bonding between the two male leads and the bromance despite an uneasy personal situation in connection with the FL.
- The individual character development of the ML and of the SML. As I said, they are very romanticized but there is a clear beginning, a transition and an ending that is well told.
- The action and violence. I would have liked a little more of them.
- The ML and SFL. Their interplay was endearing. Cop guy and gangster girl trying to handle each other.


3 /WHAT I DID NOT LIKE
- The schemes were not so well made. I questioned some events that looked a little bit too simple or unrealistic.
- A little too much of "Who has the bigger balls". But I guess that's inevitable in a gangster's vs cops story.
- The last 3 eps were a bit underwhelming with some plot holes and far-fetched events that make them look rushed and inconsistent.

4/ CHARACTER - ACTORS
- Joo Mo: a simple and dutiful guy who becomes a gangster to bust a drug ring but he makes encounters that change him, his values and vision of thing and make him question his job. I liked the character and JCW was good portraying him.
- Ki Chul: simple guy with big dreams but a romantic who will question himself and try to change things for the best or the worst? Endearing despite his bad actions. WHJ was convincing too.
- Eui Jung: Some say she is useless in the drama. On the contrary. What she does or do not do triggers most of the tragic events. She is the main cause of everything. Im Se Mi. Second time I see here after True Beauty. Totally different. Good acting.
- Lee Hae Ryeon: the crazy and fun character who reveals herself not as hardened as expected. Superb job from the actress.
- Hwang Min Gu: The brute cop. Too much screen time for him and his antics. But his demise was fun.
Not a lot of noticeable characters beside these.

5/ OST: I enjoyed it bit nothing memorable.

6/ REWATCH VALUE: Probably rewatchable but a little too dark.

7/OVERALL
It is darker and sadder and more violent that expected. The schemes and counter schemes kind of drag the plot at times but overall, it is a good story. I would say the mafia and crime thing is not the most impressing or the most important. It is the personal situation and development of each of the main characters. From their point of view, it is a tragedy. A well told one. I totally recommend this drama. 9/10 . I do not give 10 because of the few telling flaws of the last eps but It is a good drama.

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Outstanding

The Worst of Evil is an outstanding Kdrama, and not just in the noir genre. It is a fascinating story with captivating characters, stellar acting, great action sequences, THAT KISS, a touch of classic tragedy and a real departure from simplistic black-and-white storytelling. Very few of the characters in this drama are actually good, some are very very bad, and most of them fall somewhere in between.

The intriguing plot revolves around our policeman hero who goes undercover, partially to impress his wife’s family who think she married the wrong guy, and ends up working for his wife’s ex-boyfriend who is now a gangster and decidedly not a good person - though we forget that pretty quickly thanks to his charisma. The wife, anxious to help, gets involved with her ex, while our hero catches the fancy of a drug lord’s daughter, and is torn between real affection for the girl and loyalty to his wife. This is where the element of a classic tragedy comes into play. The wife only gets involved to help her husband, who only got involved in the first place to get her family off her back, and in a bitter case of irony, that is what destroys their marriage in the end.

The characters are so well written that I found myself rooting for the bad guys on numerous occasions. When their bag of drugs is stolen, my first thought was Oh No! before catching myself. These people make a living off the misery of others, but we don’t really care, do we, since many of the “bad” characters are really charming or have redeeming qualities. The drug lord’s daughter easily could have been a cliched figure, but she is ultimately just a girl unloved by her father, who’s a constant threat in the background, with her bodyguard / replacement father figure the only person she trusts until she meets our hero. And while not all if the gangsters are really bad, many of the “good guys" are not good at all. There is so much corruption and blind ambition displayed by some of the policemen that it is clear that the line between good and evil blurred a long time ago.

I can highly recommend this show to anyone who enjoys the crime & mystery genre, great storytelling, or just something very far removed from the bubbly secretary and chaebol heir type of stories (though I quite enjoy these stories too). My one and only point of criticism was actually the wife’s character. Not that she hooked up with her ex, because she had a good reason. No, I thought she is way too passive during the big fight, especially as a trained policewoman. Generally speaking, nothing riles me up more than the female character just standing by while her boyfriend gets beaten up, or falling over in a dead swoon as he comes to her rescue. This is a recurring theme in Kdramas, Hollywood movies, fairytales and just about everywhere else, and it’s bloody annoying. Other than that, this drama was a perfect 10.

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JCW back with an action packed neo-noir series

The story, acting, cast, bgms, cinematography, action choreography were awesome. They delivered more than what I had expected. Would like to see JCW in action and romcom series more often.
The story thread goes something like this: Set in Seoul in the 1990s, a former DJ starts selling a new powerful drug nicknamed "Gangnam Crystal" in city nightclubs after mastering a gangster organization. Since the police know little about the origin of such drugs, in order to crack down on this rampant drug trafficking organization, rural police officer Park Jun Mu is assigned to sneak into the organization, only to discover that his wife, Yoo Eui Jung , also a detective, has volunteered to participate in this dangerous mission and seems to have an unspeakable past with the heinous underground drug king. Park Jun Mu in this drug-related mission, not only does he wholeheartedly fight the drug cartel, but also works hard to protect his wife's safety at all times.

Well, overall this was a gem of a find

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Overall good, but annoyed by the ending

To be honest I was disappointed with the ending, specifically Junmo's coldness towards Eui Jung. I think kdramas really tend to think that it's heroic for the main lead to leave a relationship when things get too difficult, aka sacrificing his love to keep overall peace. But it's just annoying, literally, some couples' therapy and PTSD work would've benefited both Junmo and Eui Jung, rather than them splitting. My ideal would've been that the investigation, and arrests, are wrapped up in episode 7, then the remaining episodes are Junmo and Eui Jung reeling with the aftermath of the events, arguing and communicating. Instead, we get a rushed ending because the drama drags out the arrests until the end. It felt too predictable, and because of that I'm only giving this drama an average rating, it could've been a very amazing drama had it gone into the nuances of the emotional state of their marriage.

On the flip side, this drama did have some great parts to it. The acting was downright amazing, so many scenes are captivating too and express how Junmo's character goes from innocent to traumatized. My favourite scene is when Junmo is over a body, fighting with the other gang, and he looks up towards Eui Jung all covered in blood. It's such a perfect angle to show how much this operation has changed him. I loved the cast so much as each actor did an amazing job portraying the characters.

Surprisingly my favourite aspect of the drama was how they portrayed the forced cheating aspect of the investigation. It's the first time I've seen a drama effectively pull off cheating in a way that makes sense. What was amazing was despite the cheating both Junmo and Eui Jung's love remains strong. The kiss scene between Junmo & Haeyrun is so uncomfortable in a way that shows just how much Junmo loves Eui Jung. Both of them didn't waver and it made for an entertaining side plot because we're left to interpret the true intentions of the characters. I strongly believe that both cops didn't waver, which is why I get frustrated at their separation at the end, it just feels like, after everything they went through.. what was the point if they weren't going to end up together again? Why did they, Jumno and Eui Jung, struggle so much? I blame Junmo for this because again the trauma makes him cold and distant...but again some serious therapy would've helped him heal, instead, he just suppresses the pain. I don't think he fell for Haeyrun, to me his feelings are more like a concerned friend. He realizes that Haeyrun is being used by her family and that she isn't entirely evil, so he wants to help her. I don't think he actually caught feelings for her.

Overall I enjoyed the drama but had hoped for a more throughout ending that would've dealt with the emotional side/psyche of Jumno & Eui Jung.

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