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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Action sequences are the only saving grace of this draggy and repetitive drama

Summary of drama :
ML is a guy suffering from past trauma meets people just like him

Goes to fight injustice
Beats up a few people
They strike back and kick his ass badly
Give him trauma both physical/mental
Cries about it but gets back up on his feet

Goes back to fight injustice again
Beats up a few people again
They strike back and kick his ass badly again
Give him trauma both physical/mental again
Cries about it but gets back up on his feet again

........The Loop Continues

The storyline and so repetitive, that you can already guess what will go down in the next ep. This drama could have been kept upto 12 eps at max but instead was turned into a total drag. Even the action isn't that entertaining anymore with how crappy things get.

- The ending was decent and so were the last 2-3 eps but over all it was a letdown.

-The cast did their job be it acting or action well but the screen play and writing just wasn't good. The leads have almost little to no chemistry and it's not their acting that screws things up but their character and relationship progression. Park Bogum had more chemistry with Lee Sang Yi than with So Hyun.

- (6.5/10)

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Good Boy was a mixed bag for me.. But I would say my overall feelings are more positive than not.. There are certain things this drama does really well that you can’t help but imagine how great it could have been if the messier parts were fixed.. For what it is though, it’s flawed, sure, but also bold and entertaining in its own way..

Good Boy isn’t a perfect drama.. It’s a good one.. But the slow dragging plot was a real issue.. And the way it handled the health related issues of the ML felt unrealistic.. Not something you would expect from a high budget production with such a strong cast..

The casting is undeniably sublime.. With Park Bo Gum and Oh Jung Se being the standouts.. Kim So Hyun also deserves praise for being a total badass and really making the role her own.. Lee Sang Yi was good too, just as expected from him..

I liked the villain’s characterization.. He is just an ordinary government employee in the customs department, but the power he holds is almost unimaginable.. There was something mysterious about him that made you curious and want to know more..

Now, there were a few things that felt exaggerated and out of touch.. The ML acted very immature in the beginning.. I get that he was desperate but his actions felt too rushed and honestly just made him look foolish.. Once his condition started to worsen why was it so hard for him to just go to a hospital and get checked?? He kept putting it off until things got worse.. It was honestly a miracle he survived that long after taking so many hits.. And honestly they really overdid those scenes.. He was stabbed, hit by a car, beaten multiple times.. That garage fight?? He was completely knocked out.. There's no realistic way he could have survived all that.. They should have tried to keep it at least a little believable..

The fight scenes were a bit of a mixed bag.. They were either too crowded, poorly edited or kept jumping between characters too abruptly.. It all felt a bit choppy.. As for the ML’s fights, they weren’t anything special.. There was no real grace Park Bo Gum as a boxer.. Outside the ring he just didnt feel like one.. There were brief moments where he showed some skill but overall it was pretty underwhelming.. I don’t think he trained even half as hard as Woo Do Hwan did for Bloodhounds.. I am not complaining that he kept getting beaten up but what I am pointing out is that he didn’t fight like a boxer.. For someone who is supposed to be a champion, you would expect boxing instincts to kick in naturally.. But that just wasn’t there..

This is something I have seen way too many times in KDramas and I still don’t get it.. Why do characters always start running during emergencies when there’s literally a car right in front of them?? It makes no sense..

For me, there were two standout scenes.. One was a 10–15 minute sequence in ep 4 where the Dong Ju parkours around a neighborhood chasing the antagonist’s car.. I don’t even know exactly why it worked so well but it did.. It showed his desperation and the whole thing was executed really well..

“To catch the bastard, I have to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee..”

The other one wasn’t just one scene.. It stretched across eps 13 and 14.. There was basically a full hour of action and most of it was Han Na being a total badass.. I really liked that they gave the FL such a strong moment and used it to elevate her character..

“The only way to conquer fear is to advance, no matter what.”

The comedy worked really well.. There were moments that were funny even without trying and I genuinely enjoyed those.. I was expecting the SML to be the third wheel but our dear FL ended up being the third wheel.. I know its probably unrealistic to expect any sequels and they likely won’t happen but I would still love to see more of the squad..

Now the finale, the whole story builds up to a frankly mediocre final act.. It tries to raise the stakes with characters rushing around to stop this or that but it just doesn’t give the impact.. In the end it felt like a sour note to end this story arc..

Overall, it’s not exactly stellar as a character driven story and the dragging plot definitely gets messy.. But honestly?? It’s still worth the time..

P.S. Way too many advertisements.. The least they could have done was make them feel more natural.. It kind of irked me..

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Fueled by adrenaline, ran low on substance

The premise alone of recruiting former world-champion athletes into a police task force sold it for me. The story was promising.

However, during the first episode, the series struggled to find its footing. I couldn’t quite figure out how to follow its rhythm, and as a viewer, I couldn’t pin down the direction or tone it wanted to commit to.

Production-wise, it’s clear the budget was generous (there were a number of product placements), and the casting felt spot-on, but if I'm being honest, it took me quite an effort not to exit out during the episode’s first half. There were noticeable stumbles that discouraged me, but with patience and Park Bogum’s face as incentive, I powered through.

Instead of aiming for realism, the series leaned heavily into formalism—serving up both literal and figurative (scoring, lighting, OST, editing, etc.) punches to keep viewers hooked.

While I’m aware that this isn’t some introspective slice-of-life or youth drama, maybe expecting a more grounded, lifelike narrative is asking too much, because a lot of times, some scenes grew increasingly absurd. Watching the male lead, Yun Dongju, walk away from getting run over by a car, every brutal beating and blow, and a bloodied face without a tooth and hair missing felt more unconvincing than compelling as it tested the limits of believability.

There were also far too many missed opportunities. For instance, the antagonist had countless chances to take down the male lead but kept backing off for some reason. For a supposedly ruthless villain, that inconsistency felt jarring.

Of course, the plot needs its protagonist to survive, but the encounters could’ve been written in a way that added weight and meaning to their conflict instead of relying on sheer convenience.

Another letdown was the narrow focus on the two leads, Yun Dongju and Ji Han Na, and yet still failing to explore their characters with depth. For a story with such an ensemble setup, it also felt like a disservice not to dive deeper into the rest of the team—each former athlete clearly had a story worth exploring, and yet, they were barely given any room for their narrative to come alive.

The series also weaved in a political subplot, but since it never aimed for realism, the politics stayed mostly on the sidelines. Rather than a fully developed thread, it functioned more as a dramatic lever that is pulled when the conflict needed a little extra weight.

Fast pacing makes sense in an action-centric series, but the jumpy transitions between unresolved conflicts left noticeable gaps in the plot. It made the flow feel disjointed, almost like the show was sprinting without a clear finish line in sight.

What kept me watching through all of this was Park Bogum. And I say this sans bias for his (pretty) face.

This is only the second time I’ve seen him in a drama—the first being Reply 1988 more than a decade ago—and honestly, I was floored.

He’s transformed into an actor I didn’t know he could become. With every nuance and expression, he embodied a free-spirited character who’s been dragged through life’s worst yet continues to rise with reckless hope, warmth, and unfiltered kindness.

He wasn’t playing some groundbreaking role, and this isn’t a masterpiece of a drama, but his performance deserves recognition. He gave this story a soul it otherwise wouldn’t have had.

Aside from the solid fight scenes choreography and the action-packed sequences, what truly kept me invested was the special team itself. Somewhere along the way, I found myself rooting for them, wanting to see how their individual stories would unfold—this sentiment stems more from personal preference than from how the narrative was actually built.

Towards the end, the writers clearly scrambled to throw in a few plot twists before the resolution hit. By then, I’d already lost interest. The story had dragged on and spun in circles for far too long.

That said, this isn’t a series to watch with hopes of tightly written storytelling, deep character arcs, or clean resolutions. It’s best approached with minimal expectations on those fronts. To enjoy the series, it's best to lean into the adrenaline. Bonus: the last episode ends with all of the special team members alive.

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Go hard or go home!

On paper, this show should be a slam dunk. Strong cast, interesting premise and high production value are the holy grail of any drama. This is watchable but with caveats.

The cast is the dream team. Top stars and veteran actors formed the core. The problem is that they are mostly one dimensional.

The ML is a human punching bag. He takes a lot of punishment but return them 5 folds. His boyish good looks and winning smile is his trademark. He has a very strong moral compass but he is impulsive to a fault.

The FL is smart and capable but she shows very little emotion and keeps her cards close to her chest, that is until she fell for the ML. Our leads are obviously the OTP. In fact, he has been chasing her for years. It feels a little stilted. They are cute together, I'll grant you that. It is a bittersweet romance.

The 2ML is the brain of the team. He is the FL’s ex but we know very little about their backstory. He plays it straight. The discus thrower is the standard issue gentle giant. The bumbling Captain rounds out the ensemble. He provided most of the slapstick humour. The Olympic Avengers (their words) is assembled but there is not a lot of team building. Their damaged psyche complicate things as well. It is the classic Band of Misfits.

Speaking of bumbling, the commissioner is ineptitude personified. I still have flashbacks about his role in When the Stars Gossip. (Groan)

Unsurprisingly, the antagonist stands out. He has been hiding in plain sight and is the mastermind of a Cartel of Evil (I'm getting MCU vibe). He is cold, calculating, ruthless and remorseless. He looks ordinary but some of his scenes will give you nightmares. Kudos to the actor. His interaction with the team is . . . peculiar. He could and should have taken all of them out and then take a vacay in the Bahamas. I suppose the show must go on . .

The plot is fairly straightforward. Money + Greed = Corruption. Crime pays -> do more crime. Our team are earnest but they are mostly incidental heroes. The police is inept most of the time and is always one step behind. Hence the need for our Band of Misfits.

The production value is undoubtedly high. There are a number of very elaborate fight scenes and chase scenes. They are well choreographed and creatively shot. Mr Tarantino would be proud. In fact, the whole series is somewhat Tarantino-esque.

Such elaborate set pieces work great in a feature length movie. Your senses are overloaded and you hang on for the ride. When you have 16 episodes to fill, the pacing becomes an issue. The extreme highs and lows make the show feels choppy.

This brings us to the pachyderm in the chamber. The violence is egregious. There are lots of graphical violence and many innocent people are hurt in the making of this series. The show double downs on this. The body count rises and the fights gets bigger and bigger as we build towards climax. If you are thinking of recommending this to your genteel granny then don't, just don't.

Violence is no stranger to k-dramas, just look at the popularity of Squid Game. The difference with GB and Squid Game is we know dozens of faceless extras are going to die each ep. In this case, our team are the good guys. When they get beaten up, it is personal and visceral. The sheer amount of it does desensitise us.

Regardless, this show has good bones. It can soar like Icarus but also plumbs the depth of human depravities. It throws a lot of stuff at you from the start. It is like a challenge. "Can you handle this? Are you having fun?!" The show is not interested in the middle ground. Go hard or go home!

The last 2 eps is pure fan service. Our team can do no wrong. All the baddies fall like dominoes, but with extreme prejudice. ;) There are plot holes that a Big White Truck of Doom™ can drive through but who cares.

I'm sure there is an audience out there for this show. It failed to engage me completely and that's on me. The violence is excessive. The plot is surprisingly threadbare once you pare away the window dressing. It will leave you breathless at times but it lacks depth and resonance of the best in class. Peace.

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It could've been amazing.

I am writing this review with 15 out of 16 episodes watched because, I needed a break and needed to vent a little. Besides, I highly doubt watching the end is going to change my mind about this train wreck of a drama.

How is it that I went from being anxious for the weekend to come so I could watch this to literally forcing myself to finish? It was so freaking good when it started!! Those first two episodes were perfect!!! the fight scenes are so cool, the characters so likeable and my god The villain is beyond cool!! I saw another reviewer complain about him, something along the lines of " how can such a small man be so menacing" and that's actually the point, a small frail looking man that holds so much power that no one dares to touch him. Oh Jungse is a wonderful actor, an actor so brilliant that even in the worst of scripts he will turn out a 10/10 Characterization and Good boy is an excellent example of his brilliance.

The story just started unraveling and going nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

Dongju is annoyingly stupid and stubborn to the point that if he were a real person he would've died a long time ago! god if he weren't so pretty I'd slap him!

I am going to finish this disaster only because I need to see the captain survive this, I need to look at Bogum's smile a little longer and enjoy the wonderfuly played villain that is being wasted here. Also it's not that I don't like the romance plot,but, it would've been better without, not every story needs a romance plot and this one would've been far cooler if ot were just action comedy centered.

OK, so I finished it, the final episode was fun, I laughed a lot and really enjoyed the fighting scenes. If only they had done 8-10 episodes and cut the romance plot this would've easily been a 10 as it is I think a 6 is more than fair.

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started great then it became flat

this one had a great potential in the first 3 episodes like we got to know the main cast on individual level then it showed everyone's purpose of joining the police after being an athlete.

the acting , casting and music were great .

the problem with this one is they kept dragging it for too long , I mean at the beginning it was fast paced so I thought it was gonna be more than one case but I was wrong it was the same one dragged for too long .

the villians were great , for me maybe that saved the show a little .

what I really hated that this could have been wrapped up in 12 episodes or so, in the middle it felt like the plot became flat , alot of violence and fight scenes that I didn't feel were necessary like they were fighting because we have to emphasize that they were Olympic athletes and to focus on the skill the had but it didn't serve the plot in any way.

Anyway it was fun to watch but I had alot of wasted potential

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Dumb Boy

Started off ok, but got super dumb as the story went on.

The villain is so annoying. Like why can this man who is this little scare everyone he meets?

Also, why do the ml keep doing things on his own?
Going into buildings with no backup.. like he thinks he's in the fighting ring all the time acting like he has to fight himself. He got a team right? Then why do he act like he doesn't have anyone? It got really boring and annoying so fast. Especially seeing ml get hit every week and him not winning at all.

The story does nothing but the same thing.
Just watching a nonsensical plot.

Team figures out what the villain is doing.
Goes and try to stop villain.
Villain gets away again and again.

Drama definitely needed to be 12 episodes because the back and forth plot got boring pretty quick.

I fast forward the fight scenes because ml is always getting hit.

Romance? Boring, I immediately fast forward their scenes together. Not a fan of the fl and ml pairing..
I did think that other lady character acting was better than fl IMO.

Lastly, it should've ended earlier because 16 episodes is too much for this.

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Train wreck

This drama belongs in the "great cast, terrible writing" category. Dong-ju went blind for a minute and then still is questioning why he has to go to the hospital. Like get this guy out of my face nothing about this endears me to this dude, it just make me think he's an unserious person... why did they have to write him like this.

I'm glad I'm not the only one relieved this train wreck is finally over. It's such a pity because the cast have visibly worked so hard but yet there's only so much one can take of the constant fighting, Dong-ju's plot armour and the same thing happening every episode. What even was the point of them being former national athletes? I'm failing to see how it has been significant to the plot. How would the story have changed if they were just regular police officers?

There’s a clear lack of innovation in the writing. It’s the same old formula where law enforcers are consistently outsmarted by criminals. I’ll give this show one thing everything else flew out the window but they nailed the action and fight scenes.

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Nope

I've almost forgot to review it. Here it is: this drama is sht. I'll try to keep it short.
The actors have charisma and some of them did good acting. The cinematography was good, with some really excellent shots. And.. thats all there is to say about the "good" stuff.
Everything else about this drama is sht. The story is supposed to be about some cops that won medals at the Olympic Games. Thats supposed to mean they are kinda good at something. And yet, they suck. They are useless just until the script needs them to win. Oh, about the fight choreography. Our heroes must be some kind of superhumans. Getting hit with a baseball bat or a metal pipe? Thats oki, they still up. And I'm talking about 20-40 hits. But some other scene? Same bat or pipe brings them down in one hit. No consistency. I wont even bother about punching people with bike helmet on and they fall...... Same for the shooting (wide missing when people are somewhat close, but near missing, as in 5 cm) if they are behind a wall or something), fencing (isn't he supposed to have quick reflexes, more so because he also has taekwondo training?). The other 2 I wont even mention because they were useless until the last episode. Anyway, back to the script. Because it needed to have 16 episodes, the script is full of plot holes, plot contrivances and plot devices. Everything is set to happen in a certain way because the writer needs it to, logic be damned. It gets worse as episodes go by. Oh right, episode 15 is pure garbage. And because of this messed up story, the pacing is also weird. It feels like stuff is always happening.
Moving on. The visuals are ok. Sometimes weird vfx (especially regarding blood splatter), but it gets the job done. I assume the budget for that wasn't a priority anyway. And like I said, the cinematography was good (almost always).
Audio. The opening sequence has a good piece. Also a couple of nice songs throughout the season (I don't remember them now, but I know I wasn't bothered). Also a decent level mixing.
What else? High production value. Cmon, what else. I've got focused on the script and forgot everything else... Oh, the comedy is meh, the usual stuff. The romance is also meh unfortunately. The actors have chemistry and the little bits that they gave us were decent, but it is clear that the main focus was on the "story", the romance was always supposed to be just a thing in the background. Oh yes, about character development. Yeah, right..... :))))
So, stuff happens. You can enjoy the ride by looking at the shiny, nice, cute things on the screen but don't try to follow the story. Everything happens because the writer made it so, if people would've made smart/logic decisions the drama would've been over in 4 episodes. I'm giving it a rating of 4 based mostly on the good cinematography, the casting and the general acting. No return value, obviously...
Have a nice evening.

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