This review may contain spoilers
Even A Champion Can Fight Dirty!
Wow what a ride that was!
I thought I was going to take my time with this show and watch it over a week since it was 7 episodes but I ended up binging it last night and oh my god was it worth it!!
I actually didn't enjoy s1 that much outside of the camaraderie with the leads. The plot felt really sloppy and the pacing felt wrong, and I hated the time skip out of nowhere etc etc
But s2 was so clean and smooth from start to finish. It seemed exactly like they planned for a 7 ep drama coz every episode felt adequate and well paced. The bromance was still solid, Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sangyi deliver on all the fronts from physique to chemistry and performance. They nail every scene whether it's a fight or an emotional moment. The fact that Gunwoo's fists are a murder machine but his heart is as soft as a baby's is an adorable contrast that doesn't feel superficial but deeply entrenched into who he is and the influence he then has on everyone around him who chooses to root for him.
Likewise Woojin being his charming and swoonworthy brother figure who also has a sense of humor when it matters but an equal heart of gold makes for a compelling partner in crime as usual.
Jason Kim the director does duo action comedies so well with Midnight Runners being another favorite of mine and Bloodhounds s2 seems to have a lot of his usual charm in the filmmaking aspect as well.
There were so many cameos I almost lost count after a while, each with their own quirks, characters returning, all while keeping the core character arcs of both the leads consistent.
Gunwoo goes from considering boxing played by the rules the only way a champion can defeat even evil to utilizing whatever strengths and loopholes he can to get back at the villains, while Woo Jin stays his mentor and brother, going from being irresponsible and reckless in s1 to dependable and loyal. A moment that particularly stands out is when they gave us a glimpse of the old Woojin in that moment where they're dealing with a disrespectful drug peddling bratty woman who is testing their patience and Woojin is holding their marine friend back from hitting her but then Woojin finally almost snaps and gives her the same bone chilling look...but he still holds back! I think that's incredible character growth coz we know the old Woojin wouldn't have held back. But like he's continued to tell Gunwoo this season, Gunwoo's influence on him is immense and the only reason he is living well and that has made him the mature, level headed and patient man he is in s2. I do miss his earlier ferocity but it makes sense for his arc.
Having said all that, this is still a show that is best approached with a "switch off your mind and enjoy the fights" mindset. There are small plot holes and character decisions that feel really stupid like when elite officers barge into a hotel room knowing one of the bad guys there is specialized in making explosives, but on the other hand, making the good guys not invincible in this manner is also the heart of this show.
The fact that Gunwoo and Woojin continue to take so many hits but still win in the end is ultimately what builds all that adrenaline and makes the viewers root for them. Tho I have to say I felt like this season had both of them, especially Woo Jin be a lot more "weak". I thought they might be building up to their peak strength by the end, but it felt like the show flipped the switch and made the villain the ultimate invincible opponent. It's not entirely a bad thing, because again, they make it work in that final fight scene when Woo Jin sets the stage for Gunwoo to take over and finish the job like perfect teamwork.
The fight scenes are the highlight and the whole point of the show. Every single one is so well choreographed and I can't imagine the work that went into making them happen. This season is a lot more violent and gorey with the villains. And it also felt like a lot of screentime went to the supporting cast too.
I did want to see more of Gunwoo and Woojin fighting the bad guys together making their own decisions. It felt like their larger brotherhood carried a lot of the momentum of plan building forward while the leads just fought and executed those plans. While this helps the worldbuilding of Bloodhounds and it's heartening to know just how many people are willing to show up for these kind hearted men, I wish they balance this better and give us more of Gunwoo and Woojin fighting together as a formidable duo if there is a s3.
Which brings me to the psa: don't skip the end credits in ep 7!
They're clearly setting up the stage for s3 from the looks of it. If it ever happens, I do hope the wait won't be as long as it was for s2. Park seo joon and Dex and even Rain look like they all will be having bigger roles there, and we might even be getting some Thai villains and hopefully some muay thai fight scenes hahaha
I hope s2 becomes a solid hit so they can continue this story to a s3. I for one am really looking forward to seeing them expand this world even more.
I thought I was going to take my time with this show and watch it over a week since it was 7 episodes but I ended up binging it last night and oh my god was it worth it!!
I actually didn't enjoy s1 that much outside of the camaraderie with the leads. The plot felt really sloppy and the pacing felt wrong, and I hated the time skip out of nowhere etc etc
But s2 was so clean and smooth from start to finish. It seemed exactly like they planned for a 7 ep drama coz every episode felt adequate and well paced. The bromance was still solid, Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sangyi deliver on all the fronts from physique to chemistry and performance. They nail every scene whether it's a fight or an emotional moment. The fact that Gunwoo's fists are a murder machine but his heart is as soft as a baby's is an adorable contrast that doesn't feel superficial but deeply entrenched into who he is and the influence he then has on everyone around him who chooses to root for him.
Likewise Woojin being his charming and swoonworthy brother figure who also has a sense of humor when it matters but an equal heart of gold makes for a compelling partner in crime as usual.
Jason Kim the director does duo action comedies so well with Midnight Runners being another favorite of mine and Bloodhounds s2 seems to have a lot of his usual charm in the filmmaking aspect as well.
There were so many cameos I almost lost count after a while, each with their own quirks, characters returning, all while keeping the core character arcs of both the leads consistent.
Gunwoo goes from considering boxing played by the rules the only way a champion can defeat even evil to utilizing whatever strengths and loopholes he can to get back at the villains, while Woo Jin stays his mentor and brother, going from being irresponsible and reckless in s1 to dependable and loyal. A moment that particularly stands out is when they gave us a glimpse of the old Woojin in that moment where they're dealing with a disrespectful drug peddling bratty woman who is testing their patience and Woojin is holding their marine friend back from hitting her but then Woojin finally almost snaps and gives her the same bone chilling look...but he still holds back! I think that's incredible character growth coz we know the old Woojin wouldn't have held back. But like he's continued to tell Gunwoo this season, Gunwoo's influence on him is immense and the only reason he is living well and that has made him the mature, level headed and patient man he is in s2. I do miss his earlier ferocity but it makes sense for his arc.
Having said all that, this is still a show that is best approached with a "switch off your mind and enjoy the fights" mindset. There are small plot holes and character decisions that feel really stupid like when elite officers barge into a hotel room knowing one of the bad guys there is specialized in making explosives, but on the other hand, making the good guys not invincible in this manner is also the heart of this show.
The fact that Gunwoo and Woojin continue to take so many hits but still win in the end is ultimately what builds all that adrenaline and makes the viewers root for them. Tho I have to say I felt like this season had both of them, especially Woo Jin be a lot more "weak". I thought they might be building up to their peak strength by the end, but it felt like the show flipped the switch and made the villain the ultimate invincible opponent. It's not entirely a bad thing, because again, they make it work in that final fight scene when Woo Jin sets the stage for Gunwoo to take over and finish the job like perfect teamwork.
The fight scenes are the highlight and the whole point of the show. Every single one is so well choreographed and I can't imagine the work that went into making them happen. This season is a lot more violent and gorey with the villains. And it also felt like a lot of screentime went to the supporting cast too.
I did want to see more of Gunwoo and Woojin fighting the bad guys together making their own decisions. It felt like their larger brotherhood carried a lot of the momentum of plan building forward while the leads just fought and executed those plans. While this helps the worldbuilding of Bloodhounds and it's heartening to know just how many people are willing to show up for these kind hearted men, I wish they balance this better and give us more of Gunwoo and Woojin fighting together as a formidable duo if there is a s3.
Which brings me to the psa: don't skip the end credits in ep 7!
They're clearly setting up the stage for s3 from the looks of it. If it ever happens, I do hope the wait won't be as long as it was for s2. Park seo joon and Dex and even Rain look like they all will be having bigger roles there, and we might even be getting some Thai villains and hopefully some muay thai fight scenes hahaha
I hope s2 becomes a solid hit so they can continue this story to a s3. I for one am really looking forward to seeing them expand this world even more.
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