Hounds (2023)

Pleasantly Surprised...

Wow what an epic show, it had me at the edge of my seat each episode.
I liked the overall story and even more I liked the character and how fully fleshed out they felt. I especially have a soft spot for the villain because he is my favorite out of the whole ensemble.
If I had to rate them:
1- Kim Myeong-il aka the villain, that actually felt like a proper human being that's blinded by greed and that would do anything to get what he wants. He also felt like an actual mafia boss, from the way he organized his surroundings to his expansion projects.
He is actually intimidating, and I will not shut up about how powerful Park Sungwoong is as a villain. Fucking hell he ate that and left not even a little droplet of h20.

2- Obviously Gun Woo and Woojin. I can't rate them separately because there is no Gun woo without Woojin and vice-versa, they are so adorable and funny when they're together. I especially loved how they first met, it felt so real and sincere I can only hope to meet such a friend like that in this lifetime. They lift each other up and support one another no matter what, especially during such hard times where its to each their own. They uphold their values, morals and integrity, so I can't tell you how broken I was when Gun woo broke down as h realized that he himself had become a bloodhound but his big bro Woojin was there to remind him of what brought them to this point. I love their dynamic sm, I just smile whenever they come on.
I could write tons of paragraph about how they are the best bromance pair I have seen in all of k-drama history, but imma hold back lol.

3- Mr. Choi. I don' t have much to say other than I liked how they built his character, how the actor managed to actually make us feel that this man had been through sm and was trying to change but also tired of the world he had once ruled. Maybe I don't actually like the characters lmao, I have some mad respect for the acting. Once he left the show, the hole that he left was truly massive.

4- Hyeonju. Oh, dear Hyeonju what a missed opportunity you were. For those who don't know, Park Saeron who portrays her had a DUI scandal during the filming and thus why she was hastily written out. Her presence was really important, and it felt too unnatural that she of all people would run away after the death of Mr. Choi, they tried to replce her with Dami, but it was a failure especially since she was introduced only two episodes away from the end.

5- Im Beom...why? I just really liked seeing that huge mountain like Blackbear get squandered like a bug by Gun woo and Woojin, so I put him here. Appreciate the actor for being so good to the point of making me want to punch him even though I would just break my bones.

I would add the other characters such as Duyeong and Yangjun (the knife masters) who were really cool but I'm still mentally recovering from what happened to them.

So why was I pleasantly surprised? I was pissed off when the story decided to kill off 3 of, if not the most, important characters in the show. The knife maters and Mr. Choi.
But then I cried, complaining that I was watching the show to escape reality and they were just serving me a cold plate of wake-up soup. Yes, I hate how sudden their death was, but it felt so gut wrenchingly realistic, reminding us of how dangerous this was, how high the stakes are and in the words of Mr. Choi: "All this will end with someone dying".

Which pisses me off even more because as we got closer to the ending, I was surprised how easily KMI had gone down. The same fearless man who fought knife to knife with a master but couldn't have a go against two rookie boxers. When he killed the Mr.Choi and his men, KMI had understood that his boys could not stand against the Gun-Woojin duo and so calculatively attacked them from all sides. But you're telling me this man went down after a simply auditing?

I'm not very happy with the ending nor the characters introduced around that time except for the chaebol's cousin. Speaking f I hate the chaebol and would never trust him with the gold, he looked like he would be laundering it all away from the main guys.

Overall, I still like it and I understand that the difficulties that arose externally to the show, shaped the ending. Still highly recommend it. 9/10!

Also I refuse to accept Duyeong, his wife and kids are dead... they died off screen so bring me the proof!!!!

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Tough and nail biting

Oct 2023
The very early episodes that lay the foundations for this very violent, gripping and fast paced drama, go from causing feelings of mild anxiousness to all out threat, fairly quickly.
It is not easy watching ordinary people being strong armed out of their livelihoods, all their savings and conned into crippling debts they'll never be able to repay.
The ferocity with which the strong-arm gangs operate is sickening. That people could do this to others, totally blows my mind (gang wars happen in real life).
We are then moved on to Geon-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and his new found friend from boxing, Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), getting drawn ever deeper into conflict with the legitimate business fronted, highly successful and wealthy loan shark, Myung-gil (Park Sung-woong ~ always a brilliant villain).
The story sees them joining forces with someone whose past has a strong connection to Myung-gil. Then, together with characters involved with one another as veterans and members of the Marines (their military service), they decide they have no choice but to take him and his entire organisation, down.
The fight scenes are something else and the efforts both WDH and LSY must have gone to, to get as fit as they look in this, don't bear thinking about!
In terms of how characters are dealt with by the drama/writer, it reminded me of the early days of The Walking Dead... no one is safe and there are shocks aplenty. The sudden departure of one character in particular was very odd but might be to do with the actress.
Excellent writing, as some very witty dialogue and interactions pepper most episodes, which counters the angst and violence.
I love the cast and was really surprised to see Choi Siwan (didn't even realise he was in it), in a very different and [to me] surprising role for him.
Much of it is very OTT in terms of being a long way from what's possible, but, this is an action and justice/revenge drama, not a slice- of-real-life story or a documentary. It's entertainment and I loved it!
The ending held some shocks and I wasn't disappointed, but (why's there always a but?
;-D ), I would have loved to see some characters actually suffer the consequences of their disgusting deeds, and get legally punished by the system, with a nightmare life behind bars!
The most hateful character for me was In-beom, MG's muscle and right-hand man... what a mindless neanderthal. One of my favourites was the quirky and unflappable Oh Da-min, who makes her appearance in later episodes.
If the brutal treatment of others and quite high levels of threat are not for you, then the drama probably won't be either, but otherwise, it's a great and compact watch.

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Divertido e rápido.

A reta final deixou a desejar. Parece que foi escrita por outro autor. A nota é alta pela minha experiência que foi maravilhosa, mas os últimos 2 episodio são muito desconexos e corridos pra caber em 8 episódios. Ate as mortes tem MUITO pouco significado.

E, na reta final, aquele significado absurdo (em tudo) que é sempre notado e lembrado pelos personagens, parece ter muito pouco valor, sabe? Eles tinham uma puta oportunidade de tornar o final algo tão absurdo e foi tão broxa.. sla

Pecaram na cena final também e de simplesmente abandonar a mina em Roma, vão se foder

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Everyone is dumb and the writers think I'm dumb too

one thing I hate in media is when we get introduced to a character who is incredibly smart and then force him to make an incredibly stupid decision to get rid of him. that just pisses me off so bad and it happens not to one but THREE people in this drama (episode six pissed me off). this is weak writing an there is no excuses ! I could go in details but im not that passionate about this drama honestly.

Started this for dohwan but then the most horrific thing ... he is playing a grown adult acting like a child NOOOOOOOOO omg I almost *redacted* myself. I hate when it happens to female characters and its even more painful on a guy. anyway bunch of stupid guys making stupid decisions over and over again until almost everyone is dead. at some point I expected them to be more ruthless but no. AND THEN HE HAD THE AUDACITY TO SAY AT THE END "IVE BECOME LIKE THEM UWU" ARE YOU DUMB ??? (lowering the score as I wrote that bcs what ???) Actually its the opposite you are so unlike them might as well be a p*ssy. the writers are spitting on me and telling me its raining. needed them to be smarter. also they gave the money to a billionaire they barely know like why are they torturing me like this.

Why did I stay ? well, once again hate made me stay. I was introduced to someone on ep 1 that I needed to see suffer. so I watched all of it and once again I was let down bcs I did not get to see him suffer.

It looked good, the acting was good. the action was very good, the punches felt so good and powerful especially after the time-skip. If they fixed the script just a little bit this would be a 10/10 which is all the more upsetting.

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Thrilling scenes, corny writing

One thing I'm sure of is this has got some insane keep-you-on-the-edge action scenes. but pretty much everything else feels mediocre; the acting, the plot, the writing.. all very unnatural to the point where it's noticeable. especially what happened with the fl.. i dont undestand why they felt they had to replace her with another awkwardly placed female character when the initial trio were just done. 4 main characters were just written off 2 episodes before the finale, and the show lost its purpose which is such a shame honestly.
overall fun really, but mostly only because of the fights.

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SEASON 2 PLEASE!!!!!!

I have to say, I was thrilled! This drama captivated me from beginning to end. It was an incredibly suspenseful and captivating drama that impressed me with many surprises and twists.The cast was fantastic, the chemistry between the actors was just amazing. I was particularly impressed by the performance of Woo Do Hwan as Gin Woo and Lee Sang Yii as Hong Woo Jin. The two of them embodied their roles perfectly and thrilled me with their acting and their Bodies 😏

The villain, played by Park Sung Woong, was nothing short of terrifying. I couldn't help but be impressed by his portrayal. And of course, one must not forget the performance of Choi Si Won as director Hong Min Beom. He played the role perfectly and made me smile every time.

However, I have to say that the drama seemed far too short to me. I'd love to see a second season that gives us even more of this great cast and lets us dive deeper into the thrilling story. All in all, "Bloodhounds" was an absolute highlight for me and I'm sure other viewers will enjoy it too!

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this show is annoying

dog water

first two episodes were good and from there a complete down hill trash

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You Just Might Feel Like You've Gone a Few Rounds Yourself With This Incredible Series!

“Bloodhounds” reminded me a little of “My Name,” one of the most spectacular thrillers I’ve seen in a long time. If you go into this series thinking it’s just about two boxers mixing it up, you’re only scratching the surface. As with so many fantastic Korean shows, there’s so much more going on, and you barely have to watch even half of the first episode to realize that this story—like so many others—is like an onion. Peel back one layer, and there’s another one waiting. That’s the sophistication of the writing of this series.

Kim Geon Woo is a professional boxer who is doing all he can to help his mother pay the rent on the small café that she owns. Little does Geon Woo realize that his mother has taken out a loan, via one of the most notorious loan sharks in the business. The story is set during COVID-19 when so many businesses are struggling to survive, and so many of them are turning to alternative means to try and keep going. Unfortunately, this falls right into the hands of Kim Myung Gil, a ruthless mob boss. You might be a little surprised to find that Geon Woo is polite and courteous, even when he’s knocking his opponents down, he rushes over to make sure they’re all right.

Hong Woo Jin is the fiery, impulsive professional boxer who is actually a bit familiar with the loan shark world, as he’s been a “bloodhound” which is basically another word for a “collector.” After losing to Geon Woo in a fight, he’s shocked when Geon Woo wants to strike up a friendship. Woo Jin is pulled back into the loan shark world when Geon Woo is ruthlessly beaten in his attempt to defend his mother.

Both fighters are soon brought under the protective umbrella of Choi Tae Ho, a former powerful loan shark who’s only too familiar with Myung Gil and his tactics. Choi Tae Ho now uses his immense wealth to give out principal-only loans (no interest) to those in desperate need. However, once he finds out that Myung Gil is behind the series of plots to take over a building in order to open a casino and bleed foreign customers dry, Choi Tae Ho comes out of the shadows to try and bring Myung Gil down, his former lieutenant.

The series is brutally honest and realistic in its violence, which can be difficult to watch. As good as Woo Jin and Geon Woo are, they can’t escape getting beaten, battered, and bruised, including cutting up their knuckles. It’s one of those rare times when you realistically see that knuckles get cut up during a fight, which impressed me, since this is a detail that most scenes of this caliber too often overlook.

Myung Gil is a fantastic villain, and a series like this can only go so far as how good the villain is. He’s smart, cunning, and absolutely ruthless threatening to punish anyone who gets in his way like a massive tidal wave. However, like so many people like Myung Gil, he believes he’s untouchable, and that ultimately leads to his downfall.

I was incredibly impressed with Woo Do Hwan (Geon Woo) and Lee Sang Yi (Woo Jin). They must have trained with professional fighters, because their movements and tactics are spot on! And they also do it so fast and effectively, that you’ll likely marvel at the fight scenes! I’d be curious how long it took to choreograph just one fight scenes (and there are a number of them throughout this 8-episode series).

The Korean underworld is dark. The sun doesn’t even really come out. Even in the daytime, it’s cloudy, as if marking the level of corruption that dwells within the city of Seoul. Too many times, we actually wonder if this small group can finally come out on top over Myung Gil. Each time Geon Woo, Woo Jin, and Choi Tae Ho score a point, Myung Gil finds a way to score two. The entire series plays out very much like a boxing match. Two sides, bobbing, weaving, trying to outthink their opponents, while scoring a hit and then moving back into defensive mode.

What impressed me the most was the naivety of Geon Woo and Woo Jin. They may be able to box, but they know very little about the Korean mob world and what to do. They are anxious and eager to help, but Choi Tae Ho and his lieutenants have to teach them and share the wisdom of their own experiences.

This is an intense but bingeworthy series! As soon as you finish one episode, you immediately have to keep going to find out what happens next. By the time the series is over, you feel like you need to sit in the corner to get a breather!

The story is tautly written, and the performances throughout are absolutely spot-on! This is a fantastic series, that when it’s all over, you may feel like you’ve gone 15 rounds!

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An Emotional Action-Packed Drama That Keeps You On Edge

I saw great reviews about this drama and have been wanting to try it and I did not expect it to be so good! I almost binged all 8 episodes in one day because each episode kept me on the edge of my seat. I just couldn't stop watching.

There are so many great aspects of this drama. Acting. Action Sequences. Characters. Script. I haven't watched such a thrilling action drama in a long time. The writers did an excellent job at the world-building and character introductions so that you get what is going on quickly and also connect emotionally to the main characters even if they don't have many scenes. I really felt for everyone on Choi Tae Ho's team and it was very emotional. I have to say that I bawled hard for certain moments, not to spoil anything. The bromance between Geon Woo and Woo Jin was also amazing! I did not expect their bromance chemistry to be that strong but it worked well and they had cute interactions like real friends (but they are actually friends in real life too). As you watch, you can see how they each developed their personalities and boxing skills. I liked Choi's team the most and I wish we could see more of them working together. Even the villains are developed so well that you fully hate them because they show you all the reasons they are evil and deserve the worst. I hated Kim Myung gil... I really do. He really does a great evil smirk and it left a really strong impression. I don't think I ever seen him play such an evil character before.

The action sequences are the highlight of this drama though. I haven't watched boxing before but wow, they sure looked handsome while fighting. I didn't know boxing could look that good. Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi brought their characters to life and it felt like they were real boxers, though it helped that they actually learned to box for their roles. The charisma was just flying out of the screen :) I couldn't get enough of their fight scenes, especially the ones when they fought together. They should take on more action dramas because they have the skill. I am now looking forward to their future projects. Such talented actors! All the fight scenes and action parts were just so thrilling to watch! I want to applaud all the actors and stunt actors for their hard work on those scenes. It must have been tough pulling it off so well.

The plot was also done pretty well. There are some parts that I don't understand why it was necessary to do but I guess it helped the characters develop further. I wish they didn't have to go down that route though. I also wish that the last episode could have ended differently and shown a more detailed conclusion to all the villains so I could heal from the trauma they left me in the 8 episodes. It was also super nice that the script writer naturally included comedic moments in the drama despite the seriousness of the plot to help bring more laughter into the darkness. It was done so nicely that you can't help but chuckle. I can tell that this is the same director that did Midnight Runners- same great action and witty lines.

Overall, this drama has all the elements for those who love action. It is also only 8 episodes so it is guaranteed to be fast-paced and binge-worthy! Warning though- the fight scenes get really graphic sometimes and may be hard to watch for some. Please be careful about those scenes if you can't handle lots of blood and violence. But wow, so many great action kdramas came out this year, like Vigilante.

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