Trigger (2025)

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Review: “Trigger” (2025) – A Dystopian Masterpiece That Hits Hard

Trigger is not just another action-packed K-drama—it’s a chilling, thought-provoking dive into a dystopian South Korea where gun violence suddenly erupts in a society that once prided itself on strict firearm control. Directed by Kwon Oh-seung and starring the magnetic Kim Nam-gil and Kim Young-kwang, this Netflix original delivers a potent mix of suspense, emotion, and social commentary.

From the very first episode, the tension is palpable. Lee Do, a former sniper turned detective, and his enigmatic partner Moon Baek navigate a surge in illegal firearms and the psychological unraveling of a nation. The storytelling is razor-sharp, and the pacing never lets up. The Trigger | Official Trailer | Netflix sets the tone perfectly—dark, intense, and deeply human.

What makes Trigger stand out is its emotional depth. The characters aren’t just heroes or villains—they’re people pushed to their limits. The Trigger Review : bhai! intense ride..|| Trigger Kdrama Review ... captures this beautifully, highlighting how the series blurs moral lines and forces viewers to question their own sense of justice.

The cinematography is sleek and haunting, and the action sequences are brutal yet meaningful. But it’s the social critique—on class disparity, mental health, and systemic failure—that elevates Trigger into something unforgettable. As explored in Trigger (2025) Netflix Review, the show doesn’t just entertain—it challenges.

If you’re looking for a drama that combines edge-of-your-seat thrills with real-world relevance, Trigger is a must-watch. It’s a bold reminder that even in fiction, the echoes of reality can be deafening. Hopefully there is a season 2

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Brilliant acting, brilliant pholisophical ideas, minor weaknesses

So, after I had dropped this at episode 2 some months ago due to the only but major weakness of this drama - the fight/shooting scenes especially when it involves the main police officer - I gave it a second try because Kim Young Kwang is the second lead and I just had to see it to the end anyways because of that.

pro:

-brilliant acting of many actors in this one, Kim Young Kwang, sure, but also many side characters were so so good in this (the student in the goshiwon who finally lost it and snapped (Woo Ju Hyun), the police station chief when he finds out his daughter died (Kim Won Hae) , the very shy and silent bullied nurse (Kang Chae Young), Son Bo Seung as very friendly and gentle high schooler who snaps at some point understandably, and especially Park Hoon as Koo Jeong Man - fantastic acting, he really left an impression actingwise with me)

-the storyline is very intriguing on many levels. It throws many fundamental questions at you. How are humans in general, and why? What happens if you change fundamental parameters in a human society? What are ancient mass mechanisms and how are they triggered? How are they stopped? I really enjoyed this and found it intelligent and something everyone should spend some time thinking about. How do I see this? How do I feel about it? And the series got me, at some point, when the two bullied high-schoolers snap and one starts a shooting spree, I found myself understanding his actions, and I found myself thinking 'shoot the main bully, he deserves it' - the show intrigued you to feel that way and then question this feeling.

- Moon Baek - yes, I understand his view of the world too. Given his extreme childhood story and the view he very early had to have about what and how humans are? It's undertandable he feels the way he does. He has cancer too, another joke of fate, after he had it so tough very early on, so he's got nothing to lose really. And in the end he does ask very good and right questions in the last conversation with Lee Do. He does feel Lee Do is kind of self-rightous telling everyone revenge is not the answer and a deceiving feeling - how can he know for other people? Is it really what he feels or is it what he made himself believe he feels because he couldn't go on otherwise? How is it ok he shot a 100 people before and now he shoots one but not the other enemy? I found myself understanding Moon Baek to a rather great extent, and not agreeing with Lee Do on many things to be honest. That doesn't mean Moon Baek isn't a psycho of course, but not everything he says is wrong, the opposite even.

-one of the best scenes psychologically is the one where police chief Cho Hyeon Sik stand before his foe, gun pointing, tears in his eyes, and when Lee Do tries to convince him that pulling that trigger won't help, he says something I feel very true - he says ' I was wrong when I told you that back then, I didn't know anything' (until now, until I MYSELF am suffering this unbearable pain and loss of someone loved through the doing of some scum criminal, NOW I truly undertand that putting such people in jail over and over again does not bring any justice, law is not sufficient this way to bring justice). Very strong acting by Kim Won Hae, he portrayed this pain and anger very believable for me.

-and as the show progresses, more questions come up. What if you really provide guns for just everyone? How would people react? Would it bring any justice? Or would it end in bloody chaos because humans in masses are not able to deal with it? And they depicted that wonderfully, when pro and anti gun people started fighting and even shooting each other. I believe it would be exactly like that would it happen in reality.



cons:

once again the shooting/fighting scenes, in that case of Lee Do. Absolutely ridiculous what they did there =D I know they wanted to make him this ex special op guy, moving silently like a wolf in the shadows taking everyone down, but they really overdid it here. The scenes are so unrealistic it's hard to watch when you know ANYthing about how real situations like these look like ( And I do for some reason). Totally impossible he walks into a small house unarmed and there are about 30 street thugs with knives ( and not afraid to use them full force) and he takes all of them out - no way in hell.

Even more absurd was the scene when Lee Do wants to take down Koo Jeong-man - he has a sniper riffle, runs up to a rooftop ( in an area he does not know by the way!) and while in reality the car with Koo Jeon-man would have been long gone anyways until Lee Do had reached the rooftop, they seriously show him at the edge of the rooftop, with a sniper gun suuuuper far away and trying to hit a VERY fast and unsteady moving vehicle and Lee Do is standing (a sniper NEVER shoots standing, impossible to hit precisely) and shooting a car tire and of course he hits it - Ri di cu lous! Impossible.

And a third one, quite in the end, Lee Do, once again unarmed, and funnily enough fresh from the hospital after he had been shot in the upper body SEVERAL times (which means the man can NOT move normally, let alone fight) is confronted with about 10 guys with loaded machine guns all pointing at him, and again, he takes all these pro guys with machine guns down and out - Laughable of course, he'd be dead in 5 seconds latest.


Conclusion:

I really enjoyed this because it was an intelligent, thought-provoking storyline with a topic everyone is confronted with in the news ever so often all around the globe. It puts you at the spot, making you think how do I see this? What is my opinion and why? Is there a solution? Is it the one or the other option shown here? Or none of both? So as this is so well done, and many actors in this show were more than brilliant I give this a 9 (and if they hadn't f 00ked up the fighting/shooting scenes once again like in so many such showsOo) it would have been a 10 even.
So, if you like action-loaded and tense shows but WITH brain, this one could be for you.

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To Pull The Trigger or Not??

Trigger was a mixed experience, both compelling and frustrating at times. It had its strengths but also noticeable flaws. Overall, it took me on a journey filled with moments of admiration and disappointment.


What I Liked

1. Concept: The core concept was bold and morally complex. It constantly made you question, is it ever okay to take justice into your own hands?? Should ordinary people be allowed to punish criminals when the system fails?? Sometimes, it felt satisfying to watch people with guns punish those who truly deserved it. But the show also made you realize the danger of granting that kind of freedom. It presented both sides with balance and nuance. Unlike typical vigilante dramas where the hero is glorified, Trigger made you reflect deeply. It delivered a strong message, that even in the face of injustice, turning society into a lawless battleground isnt the answer. That made the concept not just unique, but impactful.

2. Action Sequences: The action scenes were intense and brilliantly choreographed. Every gunfight was executed with precision and Kim Nam Gil’s performance was phenomenal. Definitely one of the show’s strongest aspects.

3. The Villain: The villain was oddly entertaining and charismatic. He was a psychopath with typical tragic backstory but still managed to be engaging in his own way. Although his identity was predictable from the beginning (despite attempts to hide it) his presence still added a lot to the show.

4. Emotional Story Arcs: Several subplots really touched my heart:

*The old woman protesting for her dead son. (She acted as a mother figure to the ML.)

*The story of the bullying victims, which was portrayed with sincerity and pain.

*Most of all, the arc involving the ML’s team captain, who was pushed to the edge after what happened to his daughter. The flashbacks to his past with the ML were powerful. These arcs showed that people often dont understand the pain and desperation caused by injustice, until it happens to someone they love.


What I Disliked

1. Lack of Logic in the Final Episodes: While the last few episodes were exciting, they threw logic out the window. When the villain publicly announced he would distribute guns to anyone in South Korea, the police and military did nothing. With the ML injured, it felt unrealistic that no one else in the country could stop him. This stretch of plot felt forced just to heighten the drama.

2. Unnecessary Gangster Filler: The middle portion included a dull and unnecessary gangster subplot that took up 3-4 episodes. It dragged the pacing down and felt completely out of place compared to the more meaningful cases involving mass murderers or deeper psychological themes.

3. Unfair Resolution in the Bullying Arc: While the message against revenge was important, it was frustrating to see the main bully escape punishment while innocent students were killed. It made the resolution feel incomplete and unsatisfying.


Final Thoughts

Despite its flaws, especially in logic and pacing, Trigger stood out for its strong moral message, impactful story arcs and excellent action. Some parts i skipped but the overall impact of the show still stayed with me.

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Trigger: A beautiful moral and social issue drama.

Trigger opens in a near-future South Korea that has successfully banned firearms for decades, creating a society that believes itself to be peaceful and secure. But that illusion shatters when illegal guns suddenly begin flooding the country, igniting fear, chaos, and violence. At the heart of this national crisis is Lee Do-hyeon, a former military sniper turned detective, who is pulled into a rapidly escalating war against a mysterious and highly organized gun trafficking operation. As he hunts down the elusive arms broker Kang Joo-hyun, the show evolves into a gripping examination of justice, morality, and how quickly society can unravel once its sense of safety is stripped away.

What makes Trigger stand out is not just its action-packed sequences or crime-thriller intensity, but its unflinching dive into urgent societal and moral questions. This is a show that dares to ask: what would happen if a gun-free nation was suddenly armed overnight? It imagines the terrifying real-world consequences, portraying how quickly fear spreads and how deeply it corrodes trust in institutions, communities, and even family.

The drama doesn't romanticize violence—it shows its horrifying unpredictability. Everyday people are suddenly placed in life-or-death situations, and Trigger thoughtfully explores how they respond. Some cling to their values, others spiral into fear-driven aggression, and many begin to question what "justice" really means when survival is on the line. The tension is not just physical but deeply psychological and ethical.

This is a series that clearly holds a mirror up to our own world, drawing parallels to real debates around gun control, government failure, and public panic. It doesn’t feel like fiction—it feels like a chillingly possible scenario.

The performances in Trigger are nothing short of phenomenal. Kim Nam-gil brings incredible emotional weight to the role of Lee Do-hyeon. His portrayal of a man haunted by war and burdened with responsibility is raw and deeply affecting. He balances physical presence with a deeply internalized struggle, making every decision feel layered with past trauma and moral conflict.

Opposite him, Kim Young-kwang shines as Kang Joo-hyun, a character who could have easily been reduced to a one-dimensional villain. Instead, he brings complexity and charisma to the role, offering a chilling look into the mind of someone who thrives in chaos. Their scenes together are electric—tense, philosophical, and emotionally charged.

Even the supporting cast delivers, with believable, grounded performances that further humanize the story. Whether it's grieving civilians, stressed-out law enforcement, or morally conflicted government officials, every character feels like a real person trying to survive a nightmare.

From the very first scene, Trigger announces its production quality with authority. The cinematography is sleek, modern, and atmospheric, often leaning into a cool, urban palette that emphasizes tension and unease. Each episode is shot with cinematic care, with compositions that feel more like a feature film than a traditional drama.

Action scenes are crisp, brutal, and terrifyingly realistic. Unlike shows that glorify gunplay, Trigger frames violence as chaotic and life-altering. The gunshots are loud, the consequences are immediate, and the fear is palpable. Sound design, editing, and pacing all work together to maintain intensity without becoming overwhelming.

The show also benefits from a hauntingly effective score that heightens the tension without ever overpowering the drama. It looks and sounds like prestige television—and it never lets you forget the stakes.

Trigger is far more than just a gripping crime series. It’s a thought-provoking social drama that feels timely, urgent, and uncomfortably real. It explores how quickly people can change when fear sets in—how thin the line is between order and chaos. The acting is exceptional, the writing is bold, and the production quality elevates every moment to cinematic levels.

And yes — I watched the entire thing in one day. That’s how addictive and consistently compelling it is.

This is not just a great Korean thriller—it’s a necessary one. Trigger forces us to confront difficult questions about power, fear, and responsibility, and it does so with a level of emotional and narrative sophistication that’s rare in action-driven dramas.

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An Insult to Police Officers Everywhere!

The story has a good premise, but after the third episode, when a gunman invades a police station, I'd had enough with the incompetence of the writers and filmmakers.

This series is an insult to police officers everywhere! I dropped this "joke" of a series during the 3rd episode when a gunman invades a police station. The cop there doesn't bother to warn everyone else in the building. He even has a chance to shoot the gunman but doesn't. Your job as a police officer is to protect and save lives. Absolutely horrendous job! These are the worst police officers I have ever seen, and I'm sure none of them accurately depict their job! The writer and director should be arrested and locked up just for putting out the festering joke of a series!

A friend of mine is a retired police captain. I showed him the clip of the gunman. He shook his head and said, "These guys have to be the dumbest and most incompetent cops on the planet! I wouldn't trust one of them to have my back. Who the hell made this series?! They obviously know nothing about the job."

I'm amazed that any studio would agree to put this on air.

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Revenge destroys those who engage in it

Excellent writing. A drama that tackles important problems and makes you think. Nearly perfect, imo. Gripping, intense and intelligent (expect those moments when Kim Nam Gil becomes an immortal superhero fighter but after Good Boy we don't care about that lol).

Kim Nam Gil and Kim Yang Kwang are perfect in their roles. It's very difficult to make a villain role well without resorting to the usual twisted grinning psycho mannerisms, but Kim Yang Kwang supercedes all that. Remarkably. Kim Nam Gil is back with another emotional, controlled and fully immersed role after Through the Darkness (we will now forget that Fiery Priest 2 ever happened).

I give this drama a rare 9/10. Binged it in 2 days without needing any breaks, without skipping any parts. The reason why this is not a 10/10 is that the Gong and Go gangster crews had too much screen time. They were less interesting, and I think this drama would have stronger without them.

The writer deserves an award for the script. How tackle an eternal problem in a way that makes strong story and experience, is not an easy task. The director created many magic moments and the pacing was perfect.

Some of the most memorable moments and aesthetics: the moment when Kim and Gong lied dying on the floor facing each other. Kim Yang Kwang in all-white in the smokey haze, looking like a god almost, blood oozing from his chest.

The most memorable line: Revenge destroys those who engage in it.

After all the morally questionable revenge dramas this is something that can't be said often enough.

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Trigger (트리거): An Emotional Firepower

Netflix's «Trigger» («트리거») is a powerful and emotionally charged Kdrama. It plunges the viewer into the dangers of gun violence, clearly aligned with the anti-gun perspective. But while the drama is hard-edged, it also feels one-sided—warning without room for complexity, painting humanity in stark black and white.

From my vantage point in the Philippines—a nation with both legal gun ownership and active enforcement—«Trigger» («트리거») comes off as a closed monologue, not a dialogue. It speaks loud but misses the important points of the debate.

## 🇵🇭 The Philippine Model: Licensed, Regulated, Enforced

In the Philippines, civilian gun ownership is allowed—but only under strict licensing, background and psychological evaluations, mandatory training, renewal processes, and active enforcement. Recent data shows around 10,936 gun-related incidents between 2022–2024, with 5,172 cases in 2022, 4,956 in 2023, and 808 so far in early 2024, with a population of 110 million.

Total gun deaths in the Philippines stood at about 9,268 in 2025, ranking it 7th globally in total firearms deaths—but per capita, its death rate is around 8 per 100,000 people (≈ 0.008%). That is lower than many Latin American countries. Yet mass shootings—like those devastating attacks the US has suffered—are non-existent, thanks to cultural restraints and responsibilities in Philippine society—often referred to as "hiyâ" (shame), which discourages acts that dishonour their family and their community.

## Contrasts from the Extremes

### 🇺🇲 United States

- Gun ownership: roughly 120 firearms per 100 people
- Firearm deaths: about 11 per 100,000 (~0.011%)
- Mass shootings: frequent, often high-fatality events

### 🇰🇷 South Korea

- Gun death rate: around 0.05 per 100,000 (~0.00005%)
- Civilian ownership: virtually none; sporting firearms stored at police stations; strong penalties for violations

### 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

- Gun death rate: ~0.26 per 100,000 (~0.00026%)
- Strict ban & enforcement, but illicit firearms still circulate underground

## Balancing the Landscape

- Country: Firearm Deaths per 100k - Ownership Model - Mass Shootings - Notes
- Philippines: ~8 (0.008%) - Licensed, regulated, enforced - Extremely rare - Cultural checks (hiyâ), background vetting
- United States: ~11 (0.011%) - Permissive, minimal federal control - Frequent - High suicides and homicides, mass violence
- South Korea: ~0.05 (0.00005%) - Near-total prohibition - Almost none - No legal middle, possible hidden guns
- United Kingdom: ~0.26 (0.00026%) - Strict ban & enforcement - Very rare - Underground illegal guns still exist

## «Trigger» («트리거») Does Not Offer a Middle Ground to the Debate

«Trigger» («트리거») presents the horror of gun violence with cinematic precision—but it does not acknowledge our middle path. It portrays gun ownership as inherently corrupt, without recognising that responsible regulation, when paired with cultural values and enforcement, can save lives rather than cost them.

In the Philippines, despite having thousands of guns, we do not live in fear of random school massacres, revenge shootings, or indiscriminate public carnage. We do have gun-related crime—but proportionally, considering population, it is not catastrophic. Our system emphasises control, renewal, education, and community accountability. Our tragedies are usually political or clan-based in nature—extremely rarely the kind of mass-target violence that fuels global anti-gun panic.

«Trigger» («트리거») warns of a world without control—but it does not offer hope. It scares—but it does not suggest there is another way. Meanwhile, here in our islands, we live that balance every day: neither extremes nor ideology, but structure, culture, and conscience.

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- Image: Trigger (트리거), a 2025 Kdrama from Netflix was used under the fair use principle.

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root for the bad guys/ great start questionable ending

good show 9/10 recommend unlike other dramas where we root for the good guys to win this show will make you root for the bad guys because the bad guys aren't bad. have you ever heard the saying villains aren't born they're born this exactly what type of drama this let me tell you they had me yelling at the screen pull the trigger. i really love how they depicted the villain because this shows the realness on how the world works in reality. the system failed him at a young age so when he grew up he wanted to take revenge and help people that the system failed. it was truly a masterpiece. i don't like the ending because i need answers and i want moon baek to still be alive \. cant wait for season 2 whenever it comes. so overall i gave this show a 9/10 because the ending moon baek and another reason some people didn't pull the trigger and the saved the guys who bully the weak and torturer them just for the weak to retaliate on the system that failed them just for the system to fail again by saving the bad guys and failing the tormented good guys who turned bad because of the society they live in again buy arresting them but did they ever ask why. in the show they said no guns means safe place the hypocrisy they have. while letting bullying. scamming, overworked and unpaid and countless deaths

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The director made excellent casting choices

Moon Baek:
The character was incredibly calm and composed, yet carried one of the saddest backstories. Even though he was the villain, it was impossible to hate him at any point throughout the series. The writer crafted a deeply layered character, and Kim Young Kwang portrayed him with remarkable depth and nuance truly doing justice to the role.

Lee Do:
An introverted character with his own emotional wounds and trauma. Throughout the series, it felt like he never truly hated Moon Baek or held any resentment toward him. Instead, he tried to understand him and ultimately stop his actions. Kim Nam Gil, as always, delivered a powerful and emotionally grounded performance.

Story:
A very thought-provoking and modestly presented topic—one that many people might not even consider a possibility in the real world. I’ve often wondered about the causes of school fires in the U.S. and other public incidents, but never thought this particular perspective could be a reason. I absolutely loved the plot and the storyline.

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