Bloodhounds

this show is annoying

dog water

first two episodes were good and from there a complete down hill trash

Read More

You Just Might Feel Like You've Gone a Few Rounds Yourself With This Incredible Series!

“Bloodhounds” reminded me a little of “My Name,” one of the most spectacular thrillers I’ve seen in a long time. If you go into this series thinking it’s just about two boxers mixing it up, you’re only scratching the surface. As with so many fantastic Korean shows, there’s so much more going on, and you barely have to watch even half of the first episode to realize that this story—like so many others—is like an onion. Peel back one layer, and there’s another one waiting. That’s the sophistication of the writing of this series.

Kim Geon Woo is a professional boxer who is doing all he can to help his mother pay the rent on the small café that she owns. Little does Geon Woo realize that his mother has taken out a loan, via one of the most notorious loan sharks in the business. The story is set during COVID-19 when so many businesses are struggling to survive, and so many of them are turning to alternative means to try and keep going. Unfortunately, this falls right into the hands of Kim Myung Gil, a ruthless mob boss. You might be a little surprised to find that Geon Woo is polite and courteous, even when he’s knocking his opponents down, he rushes over to make sure they’re all right.

Hong Woo Jin is the fiery, impulsive professional boxer who is actually a bit familiar with the loan shark world, as he’s been a “bloodhound” which is basically another word for a “collector.” After losing to Geon Woo in a fight, he’s shocked when Geon Woo wants to strike up a friendship. Woo Jin is pulled back into the loan shark world when Geon Woo is ruthlessly beaten in his attempt to defend his mother.

Both fighters are soon brought under the protective umbrella of Choi Tae Ho, a former powerful loan shark who’s only too familiar with Myung Gil and his tactics. Choi Tae Ho now uses his immense wealth to give out principal-only loans (no interest) to those in desperate need. However, once he finds out that Myung Gil is behind the series of plots to take over a building in order to open a casino and bleed foreign customers dry, Choi Tae Ho comes out of the shadows to try and bring Myung Gil down, his former lieutenant.

The series is brutally honest and realistic in its violence, which can be difficult to watch. As good as Woo Jin and Geon Woo are, they can’t escape getting beaten, battered, and bruised, including cutting up their knuckles. It’s one of those rare times when you realistically see that knuckles get cut up during a fight, which impressed me, since this is a detail that most scenes of this caliber too often overlook.

Myung Gil is a fantastic villain, and a series like this can only go so far as how good the villain is. He’s smart, cunning, and absolutely ruthless threatening to punish anyone who gets in his way like a massive tidal wave. However, like so many people like Myung Gil, he believes he’s untouchable, and that ultimately leads to his downfall.

I was incredibly impressed with Woo Do Hwan (Geon Woo) and Lee Sang Yi (Woo Jin). They must have trained with professional fighters, because their movements and tactics are spot on! And they also do it so fast and effectively, that you’ll likely marvel at the fight scenes! I’d be curious how long it took to choreograph just one fight scenes (and there are a number of them throughout this 8-episode series).

The Korean underworld is dark. The sun doesn’t even really come out. Even in the daytime, it’s cloudy, as if marking the level of corruption that dwells within the city of Seoul. Too many times, we actually wonder if this small group can finally come out on top over Myung Gil. Each time Geon Woo, Woo Jin, and Choi Tae Ho score a point, Myung Gil finds a way to score two. The entire series plays out very much like a boxing match. Two sides, bobbing, weaving, trying to outthink their opponents, while scoring a hit and then moving back into defensive mode.

What impressed me the most was the naivety of Geon Woo and Woo Jin. They may be able to box, but they know very little about the Korean mob world and what to do. They are anxious and eager to help, but Choi Tae Ho and his lieutenants have to teach them and share the wisdom of their own experiences.

This is an intense but bingeworthy series! As soon as you finish one episode, you immediately have to keep going to find out what happens next. By the time the series is over, you feel like you need to sit in the corner to get a breather!

The story is tautly written, and the performances throughout are absolutely spot-on! This is a fantastic series, that when it’s all over, you may feel like you’ve gone 15 rounds!

Read More

A little disappointed

I had a lot of trouble getting through the first three episodes of this series. From the very beginning, I went in with extremely high expectations, mainly because of all the hype surrounding K-dramas lately. Everyone seems to praise them for their storytelling, emotional depth, and unique visuals, so I genuinely expected to be immediately hooked. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for me. The start felt slow, and I struggled to connect with the characters or feel invested in the plot. At times, it even felt like I was forcing myself to continue, hoping it would eventually get better.

Because of that initial disappointment, I found it hard to fully enjoy what followed. Even when the story started to pick up and the pacing improved, I couldn’t completely forget how underwhelmed I felt at the beginning. It created a sort of distance between me and the series, as if my expectations had already been broken too early. That said, I have to admit that the rest of the episodes did manage to do their job. The plot became more engaging, the stakes felt higher, and I started to appreciate certain character developments and narrative choices.

Despite this improvement, I can’t say I truly loved the series. I liked it, yes, but there’s still a lingering sense of disappointment that I can’t ignore. I think a big part of it comes from the contrast between what I expected and what I actually experienced. When expectations are set so high, it becomes much harder for any show to fully satisfy them, and this one, unfortunately, didn’t completely succeed in doing so for me.

On the other hand, I really want to highlight the final fights. Those scenes genuinely surprised me in a very positive way. The intensity, choreography, and overall execution were impressive and much more impactful than I had anticipated after the slow beginning. It felt like the series suddenly reached its full potential during those moments, delivering something truly memorable. In fact, I think those final sequences are what ultimately raised my overall rating. Without them, my opinion would probably have been much more negative.

Read More

An Emotional Action-Packed Drama That Keeps You On Edge

I saw great reviews about this drama and have been wanting to try it and I did not expect it to be so good! I almost binged all 8 episodes in one day because each episode kept me on the edge of my seat. I just couldn't stop watching.

There are so many great aspects of this drama. Acting. Action Sequences. Characters. Script. I haven't watched such a thrilling action drama in a long time. The writers did an excellent job at the world-building and character introductions so that you get what is going on quickly and also connect emotionally to the main characters even if they don't have many scenes. I really felt for everyone on Choi Tae Ho's team and it was very emotional. I have to say that I bawled hard for certain moments, not to spoil anything. The bromance between Geon Woo and Woo Jin was also amazing! I did not expect their bromance chemistry to be that strong but it worked well and they had cute interactions like real friends (but they are actually friends in real life too). As you watch, you can see how they each developed their personalities and boxing skills. I liked Choi's team the most and I wish we could see more of them working together. Even the villains are developed so well that you fully hate them because they show you all the reasons they are evil and deserve the worst. I hated Kim Myung gil... I really do. He really does a great evil smirk and it left a really strong impression. I don't think I ever seen him play such an evil character before.

The action sequences are the highlight of this drama though. I haven't watched boxing before but wow, they sure looked handsome while fighting. I didn't know boxing could look that good. Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi brought their characters to life and it felt like they were real boxers, though it helped that they actually learned to box for their roles. The charisma was just flying out of the screen :) I couldn't get enough of their fight scenes, especially the ones when they fought together. They should take on more action dramas because they have the skill. I am now looking forward to their future projects. Such talented actors! All the fight scenes and action parts were just so thrilling to watch! I want to applaud all the actors and stunt actors for their hard work on those scenes. It must have been tough pulling it off so well.

The plot was also done pretty well. There are some parts that I don't understand why it was necessary to do but I guess it helped the characters develop further. I wish they didn't have to go down that route though. I also wish that the last episode could have ended differently and shown a more detailed conclusion to all the villains so I could heal from the trauma they left me in the 8 episodes. It was also super nice that the script writer naturally included comedic moments in the drama despite the seriousness of the plot to help bring more laughter into the darkness. It was done so nicely that you can't help but chuckle. I can tell that this is the same director that did Midnight Runners- same great action and witty lines.

Overall, this drama has all the elements for those who love action. It is also only 8 episodes so it is guaranteed to be fast-paced and binge-worthy! Warning though- the fight scenes get really graphic sometimes and may be hard to watch for some. Please be careful about those scenes if you can't handle lots of blood and violence. But wow, so many great action kdramas came out this year, like Vigilante.

Read More

Moving and impactful but leaves a lot of its potential unfulfilled

I'm very conflicted writing this review, as the good parts of this show were really great, but there was too much that they left on the table by the end :(
The fight scenes were the spectacular and the best I've seen in any Korean show. The chemistry and acting of Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi was immaculate, and the supporting cast really shined. I found myself invested in almost every side character, and especially especially in Park Sung Woong's downfall. Characters who are enigmas at the beginning of some episodes are masterfully integrated throughout the show. Be warned, episode 6 will cause you to lose sleep ...

Now onto the negatives - mainly, it felt unresolved in a lot of ways, and some characters could have been actualized more.
After episode 6, we don't see Hyeon Ju again. She was one of the most interesting side characters and it would have been great to bring her back at the end or have her reprise her role during the revenge arc to bring closure for her character.

It's shown at the end through a montage that the villain Myung-Gil and all his associates are brought to justice through the justice system. But for all the awful things they did throughout the whole series, I felt like at least half an episode should have been devoted to documenting their downfall. The ending in general felt too rushed, and I would have liked to seen what could have been with 10 or 11 episodes to work with instead of 8.

Finally (spoilers) it was weird to me that after Myung-Gil killed their whole team, they left him alive at the end. The whole plot seemed to be about the dangers of leaving evil people like Myung-Gil alive, and after all they'd been through, it was kind of frustrating for them to leave him with the capacity to come back for revenge.

Read More

YES YES YES.

1) Perfect Cast - honestly, each person was extremely fit for the role played!! Every villan and sub character fits so perfectly for their character; phenomal choice of actors and honestly absolutely amazing acting, chemistry, and synergy!!!

2) Solid Plot Line + Story - loved it!! Extremely entertaining, good humour, the BONDS? Almost felt like anime feeling; the bonds between a friendship, BROTHERHOOD. Truly was left HANGING each episode. JAM PACKED information since it had like 8 episodes, so you know it will be good.

3) ACTION. - RESPECT. You can TELL these actors, staff, directors, EVERYONE PUT IN WORK. It LOOKED AND FELT so real! Really put you INTO the drama. I am not for all the gore but man the fighting scenes were still SO good!!! I felt every punch... and was punching air in some scenes myself LOLLL

4) Emotion/Mental - phewwww, roller coaster in a good way! Felt some really inspiring, heart-felt, motivating moments!!! Also felt sadness, despair, anger, frustration!!!

GOOD character development + a training arc for people?? Legit was this an anime LOL?

Totally would recommend and worth the watch.

Not all dramas or movies need this but no romance, just bromance :o) haha

Read More

Simple review

binged it in one day, I love it so much, didn’t like the way the good ones died, the president, the motorbike guy, and the sashimi guy. also didn’t like how the girl didn’t come back. I loved the action, fighting, and blood parts, hitting the bad guys was so satisfying, too bad they didn’t use gloves with spikes it would've been perfect. Woo do hwan was so hot and cute at the same time, I love how funny Lee sang yi is, and the girl made me gay panic, also sashimi guy and the other one were so freaking hot.
I LOVE the osts and music placement, it was perfect.
I screamed when kim min jae came out, just made everything perfect.

Overall 10/10

Read More

I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it that much, so I was quite surprised when I was so hooked. Unfortunately, the series only has 8 episodes, which is probably the only thing that really annoys me, because it was great and I have nothing to complain about. I also admit that I cried like a little child during a few parts and wanted someone to finally beat up the villain, because it was getting extremely nerve-wracking. Anyway, the actors did a great job and I liked the characters so much that I actually screamed like a little child (sorry, for repeating myself, but it's real). I definitely recommend it to everyone, even if it's not your genre.

Read More

A 10 in 2023 dramas standards

*Entertainment: 8/10, in a slumpy(iPhone says skimpy) mood yet I didn’t look away too often
*Cast: 10/10, I especially loved how big actors played minor roles, most of those dudes can hold a 1ml role on their own easily
*Characters: 9/10, I didn’t like how easy they connected in one form or another, found each other or were long term enemies
But I also appreciated actors like siwon playing a “bad” person and joonho ahjussi playing a “nice guy” when both usually do the opposite
WDH; 1000/10, sad, happy, puppy face, strong, dark, pure hearted, every single emotion was conveyed beautifully. I do see my WDH as more of a serious if not even villainous persona but my precious convoys uwu well maybe he even got casted cuz of tkem and his adorable jo character
Gunwoo: 10/10 my precious he was sweet yet didn’t reach the pushover airheaded stage, he was sincere and had a heart of gold
LYS: 9.5/10 , he surprised me idk if I’ve seen him before but he certainly was different from his actual personality in I live alone. Tho I still can’t believe he’s just 1 year older than WDH🤣
Bromance: 10/10, I was kind of worried woojin would go rouge but🥺👍🏻
Soran: 4/10 tbh I actually didn’t vibe with her interpretation of the character, if that was hyunjoo’s webtoon personality she was miscasted, I’d imagine someone a bit rougher and still more playful tho saeron pull of emotion sadness well
Damon: 8/10 I was surprised by the actress cuz I didn’t recognize her, tho she also gave me IU vibes so it hit me in the feels well🥹😂
Plot: 7/10 it was sloppy sometimes as I said before it felt like a comic strip that didn’t translate well in a fast paced drama
Ending: 8/10, too picture perfect
Overall; eh I’ll be biased and say a 10 in 2023 dramas standards

Read More

Peak Action and Ultimate Brotherhood: A Flawless, High-Octane Thriller – 10/10!

If you are looking for a gritty, fast-paced action drama driven by unmatched chemistry and intense loyalty, Bloodhounds is an absolute masterpiece. It delivers high-stakes entertainment from the very first minute to the final punch.Story (10/10):The plot is incredibly gripping, dark, and filled with tension. It follows two young boxers who get dragged into the dangerous world of illegal loan sharks. What starts as a fight for survival quickly turns into a thrilling quest for justice. The pacing is relentless, balancing brutal, realistic conflicts with heartwarming moments of friendship. It’s a refreshingly straightforward story about good versus evil, executed flawlessly.Acting & Cast (10/10):Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi have legendary on-screen chemistry. Their brotherhood is the absolute beating heart of this series. The contrast between Gun Woo’s pure, innocent heart and Woo Jin’s playful, street-smart personality creates a perfect duo. Their mutual respect, shared morals, and willingness to risk their lives for each other feel incredibly genuine. The supporting cast, especially the villains, also delivered phenomenal performances.Music & Production (10/10):The production value is outstanding. The boxing-infused action choreographies are sharp, visceral, and beautifully shot—you can feel the impact of every single punch. The training montages are incredibly motivating and stylistic. Paired with a powerful, energetic soundtrack, the show maintains a high-octane atmosphere that keeps your adrenaline pumping.Overall:Bloodhounds is a top-tier action thriller that manages to be both brutally violent and deeply heartwarming. Driven by a spectacular bromance and jaw-dropping fight scenes, it’s a 10/10 ride with huge rewatch value. Don't miss it!

Read More