when embarking on a journey of punishment, make sure to dig two graves
a previous reviewer mentioned that show could have been squid game-level iconic, and i would like to extrapolate on that concept b.c i completely agree. if only they would have committed to the promise of the sordid premise, we would have gotten a compelling narrative and narratively complete story.i'll start with our lynchpin, superintendent kim muchan. we're introduced to a character (and a team) that has an end-justifies-the-means approach to criminal-napping without regards for procedure, shame, or morals. i was really looking forward to that because i only watched tkv /for/ park haejin, and morally-gray really brings out the colour of his eyes... but this is not the character we get throughout the show. several times, the superintendent contradicts his own values, and i'd even go so far as to say he loses focus. too often he shows regard and places trust into people that at minimum have no reason to do the same to him! or they have straight up (ostensibly) betrayed him. so many factors would be different if only he were more consistent, and i believe the scriptwriters did this to portray him sympathetically—unnecessarily, i will underscore.
on a similar note, i was very confused by all the blurring in the show. what is the point of creating a show like this when you're going to censor not just mutilated bodies but also graffiti and knives? if you care so much about viewers' sensibilities, then produce a romcom instead. much of what made squid game so successful was how visceral it was, even for non-gruesome scenes (the tongue stuff during the dalgona event comes to mind). in my opinion, censoring visual aspects the way tkv did is not just a disservice to the story they're telling but also an insult to the audience.
finally, tkv did not lean into the moral quandaries enough, which is a shame because messages/themes stay with viewers far longer than cliffhangers and plot twists. how complicit are the public who votes, the media who elevate gaetal's platform, the legislature for generating laws that can be abused? so much focus is on the police (and really, #acab) that none of these other systems are called into question, which is a major shortcoming of the show. gaetal creates a "national death penalty," but not enough of the nation and how it works is involved in the story.
if these aspects were rectified, i would have been much more satisfied with the show, regardless of how i felt about certain characters.
but now i will go onto my personal disdain for certain characters lol i grew a strong disdain for the sisters as the plot progressed. joo hyun is too incompetent as a field detective to have attempted over half the stuff she did in the show. why was she always going places without backup?? if you're gonna work in cyber, you /have/ to accept that half of your worth is playing guy-in-the-chair for the brawn enforcement. plus, she was always emotionally compromised by her little sister's well-being. i'm not saying she shouldn't be worried, but i /am/ saying she shouldn't be going out in the field if she's going to lose her composure so easily. leave that to the traumatised and unattached members of the special investigation unit, please. (half-joking) i have these same gripes with her sister, but magnified tenfold because she's literally just a teenager and hurt more than she helped every single time she got involved.
i will wrap my review with this: park haejin explained in an interview that he asked the writers not to include a romance between the main leads as it would have distracted from the show. before watching, i disagreed with him - i'm of the opinion that romance is never extraneous. however, finishing this show made me appreciate how he is apparently the only one on this show who cared about the intended story. this show would have sucked even harder if they made me sit through a jank and haphazard romance subplot xD let's ignore the fact that i ended up really disliking joo hyun and being disappointed by the characterisation of kim muchan: this show is ~860 mins long. with all that time at its disposal, it /still/ didn't tell the story it should have/that i was wanting to see. if any of that time was relegated to developing a romance, who knows how much more the mystery-thriller aspects would have suffered ☠️ we all need to bow and thank park haejin for his service!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
An Interesting Watch
I was keeping up with this drama’s updates since it was announced. I kinda wanted to read the original Manhwa but then I thought otherwise because I didn’t want to spoil anything for myself.The first half is interesting to say the least. There’s lots of characters, we see a bunch of side stories and the the cat and mouse game begins. But right after that it almost felt like they were just dragging the storyline a bit too much. The underage characters annoyed me so much to the point I went through the comments to check if anyone else was finding them annoying. Lo and Behold, some people did.
I really wanted to see character development for some characters especially Mu Chan. Man it hurts so much to see him being the way he is ? even in the end. If I were to say the ending just brings us back to square one then it wouldn’t be an understatement. We basically end up at a dead end. Unless they’re planning a s2, it was a very half assed ending in my opinion.
Coming back to the characters, Kim Mu Chan my boy you let me down. The FL was okayish. The professor’s character was good and my favourite has to be the teacher guy (don’t mind me I finished watching this like a month ago so I cannot remember their names)
I shipped the main protagonists ? and loved their banters in the beginning. When she goes to his house, how he experience a “nightmare”, when she picks up a gun and decides to shoot the villain guy. I really wished they had more moments together because in the later half they started acting like strangers. All that chemistry just for them to be estranged? tsk tsk
Now the plot. I hate how Korean cyber unit couldn’t trace the IP address for the life of them. The whole steaming thing was very unrealistic but I get it, it’s fiction. I let it slide but still it was just hard to swallow.
The character motivations often didn’t align with their personalities. I hate how they killed that ONE character in the end. It was so unnecessary. (unless they’re planning on playing a trick on us??)
Where’s the backstory for our protagonists?? Kim Mu Chan lost his mother but what happened next?? What’s the story behind the FL’s scar? Why do we never find any closure for their traumas? Maybe they’re planning all of that for S2. ??♀️
But this Kdrama did bring me out of my Kdrama slump. I feel like 2023 was a bad year for crime-thriller genre. This was a good addition to it and a good way to end such a terrible year.
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Очікування не виправдались…
Почну с плюсов: стильна музика та картинка, класні актори у роли командира та шкільного вчителя. Також, така бісяча Лім Джі Йон у «Слава» тут гармонійно вжилась у роль. І на цьому з плюсами все.Перші кілька серій наче створили враження цікавого детектива, де нам обіцяють противоборство розумів головного злочинця та поліцейського. І їм ми подовше притримати інтригу, хто є головним злочинцем. Але ні, нам майже на початку першої половини серіалу все зливають. А от передивляючись другу половину в мене склалось враження, що сценарист не знав, як закінчити те, що почав. Наче і цікаво, і натяк на другий сезон нам кинули. Але розвʼязка якась прісна. Все так передбачувано і через це чарівність перших серій була зруйнована. Ще нам доволі стисло показали минуле головних героїв, по суті не достатньо розкрив їхні мотиви.
В цілому, очікування були значно вище.
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Good Enough
Korean Drama '' The Killing Vote '' is a chilling thriller that combines many criminal cases, but mainly focuses on the mystery of the dog-masked man who kills those whom the law doesn't punish accordingly.The drama, therefore, has an intense story, with some crimes being really dark and harsh to follow. Also, towards the ending, everything comes together, even those characters that seemed pointless to watch all this time have their own part in the mystery. Actually, all the characters were interesting, especially the professor, who was a tragic character. The performances were pretty great as well, and there should be a special shout out to the younger members of the cast who really shone.
However, on the other hand, the ending was lukewarm. Sure, there were some moments when the drama started getting blunt and tiring to follow, as they kept dragging, but the ending could have wrapped up things more smoothly.
So, overall, six and a half out of ten.
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Hooked, Frustrated, Still Entertained
Let me start by saying, I was hyped from the get-go. I mean, who wouldn't be intrigued by a drama where citizens get to vote on whether criminals should face the death penalty? The concept had me hooked from the moment it was announced. But, as they say, not all that glitters is gold, and this drama had its fair share of ups and downs.The first half? Oh, it was like diving headfirst into a whirlwind of suspense and mystery. The cat-and-mouse game between the characters had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating each twist and turn. But then, just when I thought things couldn't get any more intense, the storyline started dragging its feet a bit.
But hey, it wasn't all doom and gloom. The banter between the main protagonists? Pure gold. I shipped them so hard in the beginning, I could practically feel the sparks flying off my screen. But then, somewhere along the line, they started acting like strangers, and I was left wondering what happened to all that chemistry.
And don't even get me started on the plot holes. I mean, seriously, how is it that the Korean cyber unit couldn't trace an IP address to save their lives? And don't even get me started on the whole streaming debacle. But hey, it's fiction, right? Sometimes you just gotta suspend disbelief and roll with it.
Overall, "The Killing Vote" was a wild ride of emotions. It had its highs and lows, its twists and turns, and its fair share of unanswered questions. But hey, isn't that what makes a drama interesting? Despite its flaws, I couldn't help but get sucked into the drama's world, eagerly awaiting each new episode to see where the story would take me next.
So, would I recommend "The Killing Vote"? Absolutely! Just be prepared for a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and whatever you do, don't let the plot holes get you down. After all, sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.
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Need to write a review because one person misunderstood it and write bad review
This is from a webtoon with the same name published in 2016, it is not the same as the Devil Judge (2021) although the same voting thing.1. The drama is mystery thriller, so the writer will give clues for each episodes, you must be alert and pick the clues.
2. Some watchers ignore the clues from episode 1 and missed the connection.
3. Every characters has connections even the simplest character.
4. Main complain I found (up to ep. 3):
-Why the FL was choose to investigate- she is related to the whole story
-Why use robot voice for the Gaetal? the voice need modulation to hide the real person
-Why the FL act like that? she has her history with the case
-Why the school students-also related to the case.
-Why the residents acted like that - It is like that in korea, people hate the police and their government decision with death penalties
Please wait before complaining and throw unrelated comments or review.
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This review may contain spoilers
My disappointment
The killing vote and the whole thing is good but we can easily guess some characters role in this drama no one questioned heroin sister for being in the live with gaetal and the boy who killed jihoon is escape easily.. no one talk about that.. at some points there is no logic and there is no explanation why that doctor helped kwon and why the police office help to mix nicotine in Lee's drink and who is he or how they make him to help. and the people who helped to escape jihoon from Hyun how did they know jihoon is gaetel who texted them.. if you watch this drama just for thriller without expecting perfect logic this is good dramaWas this review helpful to you?
So predictable
It was off to a great start honestly, but by the second and third episode it became so predictable. The stuff I had figured out by episode three was showed as such a "HUGE" reveal in the later episodes like???? Anyone could have predicted that PLS. The acting was amazing of course. Overall, the first half was fun to watch, but the later half not so much.Was this review helpful to you?
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Is this a joke or something? Who writes such stupid scenarios???
Just three episodes. That was my threshold on watching a pile of impossible plot nonsenses!Spoilers ahead.
This drama's plot is based on tbe following technically impossible scenario. A self proclaimed avenger of Judicial injustiices sends via sms on each and every single Korean person's smartphone an Android app ( like this could be even possible, I mean to send a whole app via sms ) in order to use it and vote for or against the execution of an alleged criminal.
The app auto installs ifself lol... but strangely this doesn't bother or worry a good number of people whose smartphones were actually hacked.
Instead they use the auto installed app (a.k.a maware) in order to vote for or against the execution of the criminal instead of freaking out for such a massive hacking incident and call their mobile providers and the Digital Crime Police or whatever such department deals in S. Korea with such cases. Anyway they go on and use the malware to vote not worrying that this app might make their smartphones explode or something!!
The same type of poll is repeated after 15 days with no reactions whatsoever from anyone. The hacker "avenger" is streaming a video too through the malware app straight into the hacked devices asking their owners to vote again via their hacked phones.
Which they do because due to their obviously limited or non existent IQ don' t mind having installed in their phones an app that they never willingly installed themselves, and they don' t care either who hacked their phones, while also no one else is taking any action to prevent them from doing so, either by advising them to delete the auto installed malware app, or disconnect the hacked devices from the mobile network, or take action to shutdown the mobile network temporarily in order to prevent the vote of a second killing. Letting the public vote freely in self arranged referendums, from a malware app for an execution is not so serious as COVID after all! LOL LOL LOL...!
I assume that at the fifth episode (that I didn't bother to watch) the smartphone hacker avenger asks the public if they would like him to execute the S.K prime minister! They vote yes and then justice and democracy prevails!!
And that' s all. I can't bother writing something more about that completely and utter stupidity of this plot concept but I can' t bother either to watch the rest of this nonsense of a drama.
Who writes such stupid scenarios???!
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E você votaria sim ou não para eliminar um ser humano malvado?
Quem gostou do tribunal do diabo com certeza vai gostar do voto assassino.Ele remonta um desejo antigo da humanidade de querer Vingança justa finalização com pena de morte para grandes criminosos Ou seja a população querendo fazer justiça com as próprias mãos, mas dessa vez através de um serviço anônimo, porque em ambas os dramas mostram o mesmo detalhe de que na história de que as pessoas não gostam de assumir as suas decisões publicamente.
De fato o drama é realmente muito envolvente e tem um elenco de peso que atuaram em cada detalhe com muita perfeição.
Minha única crítica seria sobre não ter aprofundado mas as vinganças do voto assassino com outros casos e não ter depois de uns episódios ficado andando em círculos mais em geral gostei muito de tudo e o final deixou um lar de quero mais mas talvez não sei não tenham segunda da série de voto assassino .
Seria bom se eu tivesse Pois é sempre legal ver séries sobre pensamentos comuns de uma população e mostrando os lados reais de quando as coisas passam para anônima.
Inevitavelmente as pessoas suas verdadeiras cores.
Se você é sensível em relação à morte e a crimes hediondos prepare o lencinho e o e um chazinho porque você vai precisar.
No mais um drama de ação policial muito centrado no que promete sem nenhuma comédia romântica.
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أساس القصة مثير لكن تطبيقها مخيب للآمال
بالبداية ، فكرة القصة فعلًا مثيرة للإهتمام ، القصص الي يكون بطلها " مجرم " وفعليًا يطبق العدالة على المجرميندائمًا تكون مثيرة للإهتمام ، ولهذا السبب تحمست جدًا للعمل من قبل صدوره ، لكن عند صورة ومع الأسف بداية مخيبة جدًا
السرد القصصي ضحل ، وما تحس بخطر الموقف ، ( ردة فعل المواطنين ايضًا مستفزة ) ما تستشعر الواقعية وانت تتابع
أيضا بالنسبة للمحققة " جون هيون " الدور الخاص فيها بهالدراما وتمثيلها كان غير مُوفق بتاتًا ، ما عندي مشكلة شخصية مع الممثلة لكن الدور بحد ذاته
من الجوانب السلبية ايضًا ( استخدام مٌغير صوت للشرير ) الحركة مبتذلة ومكررة دائمًا ، لو حطو صوت معين او ع الاقل اوهمونا انه صوت ذكاء اصطناعي وبعدها ينكشف صوته الحقيقة لما تنكشف حقيقته بتكون ممتازة الحركة
بالنسبة للجوانب التقنية بالعمل ( مثل عندما تستخدم المحققة الحاسب او المحقق الآخر ) تشعر انهم يبذلون أي جهد ليظهروا لحكم انهم محترفين بزيادة مع ان الموضوع بسيط بزيادة ( فيه مبالغة )
على العموم بعد ثلاث حلقات حرفيًا فقدت اهتمامي بالقصة وما عندي ادنى رغبة اني اكمل او اعرف تكملة القصة
للأسف الشديد فكرة قصة ممتازة لكن تم إهدارها : (
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