Good Boy

WHEN GREAT ACTORS ARE TRAPPED IN BAD WRITING

Wow. What a show. Truly groundbreaking stuff, if what you’re aiming for is wasting an incredible cast on a script that makes zero sense.

Let’s start with the medical storyline, because clearly, accuracy wasn’t a priority. Punch-drunk syndrome? A terminal, degenerative condition? Apparently not here! Nope, here it’s just: “I’ll be fine if I take my meds.” Oh sure, buddy. No tremors, no vision loss, no slow, painful decline. Just pop a pill and you’re good to go. Groundbreaking medical science, right?

And Dong-ju. Man survives drugging, beatings, back injuries, PTSD, and a terminal brain disorder without even breaking a sweat. Superhuman? Apparently. Consequences? Never heard of them.

The romance? Oh, don’t worry, it’s definitely there… if you enjoy watching a female lead act like she just wants attention instead of, you know, having real feelings. Kim So Hyun tried, bless her, but even she couldn’t save a character written this badly. And of course, we traded a potentially amazing bromance for this half-baked love story. Great decision, writers. Really.

Now onto Ju-yeong, our so-called villain. The man who kills people for simply annoying him... except, of course, for Dong-ju, the walking definition of “please kill me already.” Because logic is optional here. For a start, what villain threatens to kill you every other scene and still doesn’t pull the trigger? Ju-yeong had everything: control over people, the money, the containers to make bodies vanish. He could’ve sneezed in Dong-ju’s direction and won. But no, he was written like a plot puppet. That first bathroom scene was pure villain gold. Everything after was downhill at record speed.

And don’t even get me started on Heo Sung-tae. THE Heo Sung-tae, reduced to a childish, weak chief for cheap laughs. Because nothing says “thriller” like forced slapstick.

The police team? Oh, please. Elite force? More like the department everyone laughs at. They were incompetent, constantly wrong, and then magically promoted at the end… for reasons? Sure. Why not. Meanwhile, this same team bends over backward defending Dong-ju, even though his idea of police work is punching people first and thinking never. But apparently, “it’s not his fault.” No, actually, it is.

And don’t think I forgot the wasted poetic justice. Ju-yeong should’ve died by his own philosophy: “loose ends need to be tied up, so now you’re the loose end.” But nope. He died unrepentant, evil to his last breath, with no real reckoning. What a waste.

So yes. If you’re looking for a story where good actors are forced to play idiots, medical science doesn’t exist, and logic is an urban legend, this is the show for you.

At least Jong-hyun’s jealous bromance moments were fun. That’s… something, I guess.

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Strong start, dull second half! Just go in expecting a wild ride, not a perfect one!

Good Boy felt like a high-budget group project where one person insisted on running the whole thing their way, while the rest of the team, who are capable and ready, just stood by. It had a team setup but ended up spotlighting only one voice whether it made sense or not. It started with promise but somewhere along the way, the team lost its focus and simply hoped the presentation and visuals would carry all the weight.

The premise had a unique and cool concept where ex-national athletes turn into cops and somehow form a task force. The first few episodes really had me intrigued. The team dynamic was chaotic but somehow endearing and enjoyable. It had the right mix of action, comedy and emotional moments. The antagonists were really strong and smart at first and the little cat and mouse chase was interesting.

But as the novelty wore off, the cracks started to show. All the things that I enjoyed in the first half, from the vigilante justice theme to the emotional trauma, are still there in the second half, but it just stopped making me feel anything.
The pacing became inconsistent. Some parts dragged unnecessarily while the others just sped through without any significant development. And the tone whisplash here was real. One minute it was intense and the next we had an awkward comedic moment that just felt out of place. The villain arc that built up so well and gave me the impression that it was going to shake everything up, it kind of fizzled.

Another thing that exhausted me was how "perfect" Yoon Dong Ju (Park Bo Gum's character) was. I know he was the main lead, but the dramatic focus he got was borderline overkill. It's almost comical how much plot armour he carried around. He got beaten black and blue and still managed to dust himself off and take on an entire troop like he was invincible. Every time he pulled a reckless move, the rest of the team had to jump in and do damage control. Honestly, it became more of "THE YDJ Show" than an ensemble setup.
That brings me to team dynamics. Initially, I enjoyed the found family set up and expected an equal footing for the leads, but I felt they were reduced to mere cheerleaders. Don’t get me wrong, Park Bo Gum did a great job with the flimsy script he was handed. This isn’t a dig at his acting. But wasn’t this supposed to be a 'TEAM EFFORT'. (They originally had him on the poster, but later switched it to feature the whole team (current one). Honestly, if the story was always going to revolve around just one character, they probably shouldn’t have changed it because it ends up feeling a bit misleading.)

Coming to the romance section, sadly I felt a noticeable lack of chemistry between the leads. It was mild and fragmented at best. There were moments that almost worked - subtle concern, soft glances but none truly stuck. They felt more like friends or teammates who had each other's backs. I feel that part of the issue is how the drama juggled multiple tones. Romance here felt more like an afterthought. It wasn't compelling enough to root for nor subtle enough to ignore and concentrate on other parts. Honestly, the bromance between Park Bo Gum and Lee Sang-yi's character had more chemistry than the actual leads and that says a lot.

Acting-wise, Park Bo Gum was excellent. He was the reason I stuck around. From action sequences to emotional moments, I couldn't find any faults. For a drama that kept dropping in quality, his performance was one of the few highlights. Lee San Yi, Oh Jung Se and other side characters did a great job. I have seen them in other works before and with what was given, I feel they justified their role.
My real gripe was with the female lead’s acting. I had only seen her in Love Alarm before and chalked it up to a weak script, but here she genuinely felt like the weakest link. Her emotional scenes were flat. They felt too stoic, too restrained and even when she cried, I knew she was acting. It just wasn’t convincing. Now, I’m not saying she’s a bad actress. Honestly, I haven’t seen enough of her work to make that call but in this particular role, when you put her next to the rest of the cast, the difference was glaring.

Cinematography and production were backed by a solid budget, and it showed. Visually, it was polished. The action sequences were well-crafted. I particularly enjoyed the neon-lit fight scene.

Overall, Good Boy desperately wanted to be deep, emotional and thrilling but instead of pulling it all together, it kinda tripped over its own ambition. The premise and the first half delivered but the execution in the second half was dull and repetitive. It is definitely charming and chaotic at times but it started to feel more like a sunk cost situation towards the end. I would only recommend it if you are a fan of Park Bo Gum or action dramas.

Thank you for reading my review! <3 I hope you enjoy the drama more than I did.
This is a subjective take based on my personal experience with the drama. If you enjoyed it, please take this review with a grain of salt. I am a huge fan of Park Bo Gum and honestly, no one is more disappointed than I am to be rating this so low.

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