On the other hand, the backstory of the two main characters both shaped by past trauma, felt a little cliché. Not bad, just something we’ve seen quite a bit in this genre.
Honestly, I expected a more intense climax between them. Their relationship and conflict had been building for a while, so when the ending came... it felt a bit underwhelming. Still meaningful, just not as explosive or emotionally charged as I hoped.
Overall, it’s definitely worth watching, especially if you’re into thrillers with a bit of social commentary.
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Started good
I know im writing this review and i haven't actually finished yet, but im currently on episode 8 and i feel after the previous episode ive started to lose concentration.it started off really cool actually and it definitely is action packed but it got a bit cartoony as the shows carried on. I know not everything has to be realistic and it's not like something like this is impossible, but I think I prefer a drama that is a bit more on the realer side. tense action scenes downgraded by the music
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Apocalypse
I’ve just finished it, and it left me with a lot to think about—not through action, but through the idea behind it. I don’t know if the screenwriter intended it this way, but to me, it feels inspired by the story of the Apocalypse.The Apocalypse not as an end, but in its true meaning — Apokalypsi, a revelation, a truth — a harsh light brought through chaos. What remains afterward? A world that might begin anew. Or one that sinks even deeper into its wounds, frustrations, violence, pettiness, anguish, anxieties, despair.
Sometimes, the one who smiles the kindest, who seems to help the most and asks for nothing in return, is the very one who lights the fuse.
And maybe, in that gesture, lies the most sincere gift given to a world that has done everything it could to destroy him.
It’s not the best series I’ve ever seen, but it’s certainly one of the most compelling portrayals of the Apocalypse, and one of the most powerful portraits of Lucifer.
Lucifer—the one who felt betrayed, abandoned, used, wounded—and who asks only that people have the courage to look in the mirror and truly see themselves, with both the good and all the smallness buried in their souls.
He places them before the ultimate choice, because “we each have a trigger in our minds.”
Some choose to pull it, others don’t.
Among those who don’t, some long to, but lack the courage or choose to obey laws and moral norms. Others reject the possibility altogether.
A new world may rise from chaos—or from honestly facing the mirror.
There’s nothing mystical about the story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Thrilling Start But Weak Payoff
This is essentially the story of Lee Do, a man with a tragic past who became an exceptional soldier (and killer), but later chose to continue his career away from high-risk zones and firearms. The plot revolves around guns becoming increasingly accessible to Korean citizens secretly, showing different motivations: someone struggling with mental illness and pushed around, a grieving parent who never got justice for their child, a bullied student, a sexual offender seeking revenge on the police, and more.Case by case, Lee Do unravels the threads, tracing them back to uncover where it all began, or from who. Overall, it’s a solid thriller with good pacing. However, the ending felt anticlimactic, we never learn what happened to the antagonist, and it’s clear that the forces behind him still intend to spread guns nationwide in Korea. In the end, very little is resolved, and the final episode lacked tension to the point that I watched it at 2x speed.
It seems to be hinting at a second season, though honestly, they could have wrapped it up in this one, or at least within 12 episodes. So, I do recommend, it has good scenes but do not expect a pay-off.
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Ridiculous, pointless drama saved by amazing acting
I found this drama through Kim Nam-Gil, my favourite actor. Was this drama bad? Yes. Do I regret watching it? It's complicated...Just as I pointed out in the headline, this drama, if not for the amazing acting delivered mostly by the lead actors, wouldn't be so popular. Although the acting and the high budget, that seemingly went into all these action-packed scenes was very visible, the plot itself fell flat. It was genuinely so ass - so ridiculous and absurd. I guess it just didn't fit my tastes, but I would definitely drop this drama after the second episode if not for Moon Baek's appearance.
I continued watching it out of curiosity about Lee Don and Moon Baek's relationship, that was really fun to see at the beginning. I really hoped to see a silly lead x serious lead dynamic, bonded by their similar unresolved traumas and in a small conflict over their beliefs. This part about the show was definitely my favourite, so I was extremely disappointed seeing Moon Baek's sudden shift into a typical, cynical antagonist that works for the Americans.
The shooting scenes itself were really good - they were unimaginably immersive, especially the one in the school. I was genuinely stressed over them, as they pretty realistically portrayed the awful, awful violence the guns bring in our world. But besides that it was sooooo absurd. Moon Baek knew that the school student would go to the city centre near a shooting club, so he organized a street fight, stole a gun from the nearby bar and started throwing cool ass moves to impress the young kid.... What the hell?
The mafia story was very forgettable and really Whatever. I guess the actors were playing really well, but I feel like the drama itself would survive without the whole mafia plot, really.
And the ending... The ending was genuinely so pointless. Don't get me wrong, I love Lee Do's whole character - I'm a big fan of savior complexed, hopeful characters, that would rather protect the innocents than kill the main antagonist, that caused the chaos in the first place. But what the hell? The ending was so unrealistic, since in the real world nobody cares after seeing scene of crying children comforted by adults in midst of war. The whole point of the show was that the society nowadays is so doomed, that they would easily become violent if they ever got the opportunity. So why would the citizens, the insensitive society that straight up ran to get guns to kill each others and get their "justice", suddenly shifted their mindset after seeing one video of it?
Overall, definitely wouldn't rewatch it. Why did I finish the show? Out of sheer curiosity about what else this drama has to offer, since, really, this show was pure comedy. So much lost potential and waste of talented actors and the massive budget - it would be amazing if it went into something more realistic and really hopeful, something with a message about our society and the long history of violence instead.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not-so-subtle American Propaganda
American and Korean soldiers invading the Middle East to kill children but let's make it pallatable by putting a gun in a child's hand so now killing brown kids is heroic and a matter of duty. A Korean child who was sold to America grew up and started distributing guns illegally in SK. Let's make sure everyone knows he's evil by making him wear a keffiyah similar to Palestinians to depict he's scary and evil. Well done Netflix! After kpop, it's kdramas trying to normalise genocide.Now besides throwing in forced nudity (and yes Trigger is no exception), we also have to be forced to see American war propaganda in Korean dramas thanks to Netflix?
After successfully killing 99 people in the Middle East, our ex-soldier cop grows a conscience vowing to never kill again. Except he'll kill again or else why are we watching a show called Trigger?
Let's get to the main plot. One day, someone starts distributing guns to people who seem frustrated by their circumstances. Instead of a vigilante siltuation where he personally decides to help people, he lets them take matters into their own hands by giving them a gun. On one hand he is giving a bullied school kid and a bullied nurse a gun, on the other hand he sends one to a violent man who comitted a sexual crime. He sends one to someone who lost their son to bad company safety regulations and also gives guns to gang members. There is no logic. You don't need to create a sad backstory for a person who just wants to create chaos due to his childhood circumstances.
But remember he's a bad guy. He illegally taps everyone's guns through hacking of their phones. Only American and other governments are allowed to do to spy on their citizens using Israeli Pegasus software. No one should have access to people's personal information except private companies like Spotify demanding your legal ID. Also remember 3 letter agencies are the good guys. They rescue internationally trafficked kids and definitely don't ship off civilians to a prison in Cuba or Alcatraz.
This show has a lot of senseless violence and killing including school violence. Ironically the bullies and scammers survive amidst all of that. Yay!
If the point was that guns are dangerous and civilians should not hope for legalization of guns, then the solution should be to root out the reason why a civilian would need a gun by creating strong laws. Protect children from being bullied, prevent human trafficking with harsh punishments to traffickers as well as scammers, give longer sentences to rapists, etc. Improve the law and you'll have order. This show really lost itself and the point that it was trying to make by creating an extremely unlikely and absurd scenario where people get a gun and don't question why it was even sent to them. They don't question anything and just start shooting.
Someone else mentioned this that when our smart cop knew a gunman was headed to the police station, why didn't they lock it down? Also, why didn't they alert everyone there? Just shows their inadequacies rather than heroism.
I also found it strange that at the first shooting site, our hero cop sees an opportunity to shoot the killer and he just goes back out. It reminded me of a real incident in a US school shooting where the cops wouldn't go into the school and prevented parents from going in to save their kids as well.
The reason I keep bringing up real life issues especially political ones is because this is a politically charged drama and ignores the reality that those that are trained to kill aren't exactly our saviours.
I'm sure there are better dramas where you can see heroic cops save the day without this much American propaganda push. I normally love everything Kim Nam Gil does but him chosing this project was disappointing.
If you want to mindlessly watch some action then go for it.
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Good start but weak buildup
The show starts with a promising two or three episodes. It makes you question your whole view on a safe society and how it affects ordinary people. But soon goes sideways with unnecessary plot points and characters. It's like the creators lost their vision halfway through and got back to it on the final Episodes but it was kind of late and couldn't give it a good wrap up. The ending episode especially seemed so weak especially for the two main characters. They could have spent more time exploring these two main's point of view and the affect of the whole situation on the society. But all they showed was chaos and a weak climax.The strong point of the whole serie was the acting and the effort actors put in their roles although the creators made most of them so basic and Black and white. They needed more depth. Honestly no rewatch value cause what's the point? It's one of those series that you give it a shot and forget about it in a few months.
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This review may contain spoilers
Stop pushing people to the edge!
Twists and unexpected turns — that’s exactly what this show is about. It is absolutely juicy, and everything is top-notch. The cast did an amazing job, and even the soundtrack was on point. The storyline was easy to follow, and it keeps you entertained episode after episode after episode.The only thing I didn’t fully enjoy was how, at certain points, it felt like Lee Do was made into a bit of a one-man show. For example, why did he have to stop the funeral to go to the rally, while the other two characters were just there to assist? At times, it felt a little overdone.
That said, I really don’t have any major complaints. I enjoyed it so much and honestly loved every seonsaengnim in the show. Amazing job all around.
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give it a shot and you wont regret it
it was a very enjoyable experience the story, the acting everything was great the ending is a bit disappointing it should've been more exciting but still it is not that bad overall it was a great series indeed one of the strongest kdrama of the year. i will definitely rewatch it at some time.the whole idea of using guns and how it affects the security and peace of countries is really terrifying this series depicts and shows how dangerous it is to let those guns be in the wrong hands to be used freely at a time like this and in a world where people could get upset and angry very quickly it can open the path for grudges and envy to rise which will by its turn create a motive for them to commit crimes and killing one another in the name of justice which of course doesn't work that way. still it shows us the cruelty of our world but despite all of this we should never let our fear or anger blind us from being humans.it was a nice idea and a cause to discuss to help the viewers be more aware.
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Unsure of itself, but still action packed
Overall a good action series. The characters were not fully developed or written in such a way that made their stories compelling enough. The story moved so fast, that it became disjointed. The writers were not sure which perspective they wanted to capture or present, so therefore ended up with a caricature of gun ownership or usage. But overall I still liked the series, the action was great and loved the chemistry between both actors!Was this review helpful to you?
Gun violence does not equal power!
I keep going back to childhood trauma and how it affects people in different ways. I rooted for Moon Baek to join forces with Lee Doo and break the cycle, but people are different.Expected more interactions between the main characters, they had great similarities and strong presence. I mean, Lee Doo was a completly different person as a firearms expert and Moon Baek as his nemesis. They would've been a great duo despite their differences.
The intro song did not fit the show at all, sounded more generic than what it was actually reporting, all the serious issues, like bullying, violence, despair and injustice, not just in South Korea, but all over the world. None of that equals power with a gun. People are the ones who need to act, fast!
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This review may contain spoilers
too easy; police always one step behind
One day, I stumbled across a post somewhere discussing how people just started to recognize Kim Nam Gil only now through his newest drama 'Trigger', like "He is such a great actor and people are just now starting to recognize him?! Where have they been?? Living under a rock?!" Calm down, sister, but I agree. I didn't know he had a new drama, but I was intrigued by the premise, so why not give it a try?Kim Nam Gil absolutely delivered as expected. From the beginning, we get to see what kind of policeman his character is - compassionate and gentle, but fierce when handling guns. If I were his subordinate, he would be my role model. I was really touched and cried a little bit during his last scene with his captain.
The action scenes were plentiful and I loved them! They weren't over the top, and really showcased how skillful both Kim Nam Gil's and Kim Young Kwang's characters are. I also found Kim Young Kwang's acting quite good. You know whose acting bothered me the most though? The foreign actors. Why does the acting of foreign actors in K-dramas always suck? So unnatural and takes me out of the scene every time because of how noticeably bad they are. Thank God they only appeared for a moment here.
Out of all the different story of the perpetrators, I liked the background story of the high schools students and the gangster. They had clear motives, and I understand why they chose the guns, not that I justified their actions. The gangster was stupid tho. After their extensive efforts to outplay their boss and steal his money, they were celebrating and throwing money in the air instead of escaping smh. The grandma had a clear motive too, but it wasn’t explored deep enough so it didn’t leave much impression on me.
Unfortunately, the story itself became more meh as it progressed. The police are always one step behind and only Kim Nam Gil can catch up with the antagonists. This happens repeatedly, so it gets tiring. Another point is that I don’t understand why Kim Nam Gil involved Kim Young Kwang in some of the chases (although the first time was unplanned) when 1.) Kim Young Kwang is not a police and 2.) Kim Nam Gil barely knows him. Moreover, the ending was really weak. My reaction was literally "That's it??" It's difficult to explain why I find the story disappointing, maybe I will update this review in the future when I'm more awake and not sleepy.
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