TV show 'Bad Detective' captivates viewers

TV show 'Bad Detective' captivates viewers. December. 31, 2018 07:32. easy@donga.com.
Woo Tae-suk (starred by Shin Ha-gyun) in MBC’s TV Show "Bad Detective" is a homicide detective who even breaks the law to realize his own justice. He tortures a criminal to save a victim in captivity and threatens a suspect with fake proof. He even pushes off a serial killer who begs to save him hanging onto the guardrail of a high building.

Cops are not supposed to and do not break the law in reality. But the "dark hero" Woo’s active investigation gives vicarious satisfaction to viewers who are tired of listening to cruel crimes. Shin Ha-gyun’s excellent acting performance makes the preposterous character alive, and the stylistic directing of the show is also noticeable. The screen is full of cold, dark and dry colors as well as graphic violence which is almost the level of adult crime movies.

The show combined a long story with the settings of the original British show "Luther," which weakened the narrative of the show. This may be the reason why the viewing rate is hovering around eight percent, which is slightly lower than that of the earlier episodes. A bold decision is needed to keep receiving positive reviews. The show has been well-received given that it is different from other Korean TV shows.