Payback

Payback Delivers Everything I Love: Dark, Intense, Emotional, and Absolutely Addictive

This is probably one of the longest reviews I have ever written, but some stories leave such a powerful impression that they deserve more than just a few simple words. Payback is one of those rare series that stayed with me long after the final episode, not only because of its intense storyline, unforgettable chemistry, and incredible performances, but also because of the emotions, pain, healing, and deeper messages hidden beneath the surface.

I do not usually write reviews this detailed, but this drama impacted me in a way that very few BL series have.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my thoughts. This review is divided into the following sections:
1. Introduction about loving revenge/mafia stories
2. Min as Sun
3. Story structure and timelines
4. Sun's backstory and revenge journey
5. Toptap as Jay
6. NC scenes and chemistry
7. Episode 8 love scene and emotional climax
8. Episode count discussion (12 episodes vs 10 episodes)
9. Entertainment industry commentary
10. Adaptation paragraph (novel/manhwa comparison)
11. Overall acting, story, music
12. Final verdict

What a fantastic series. This is exactly my kind of drama. I love stories centered around violence, revenge, and the mafia world because they create such an intense and thrilling atmosphere, and Payback delivered that from the very first minute.

This is my first time watching Min as Sun, and I am genuinely impressed. His performance is incredible. From his facial expressions to the changes in his hairstyle and hair color, he makes every version of Sun feel distinct and believable. I especially love how the series uses Sun's changing hair color to clearly show which timeline we are in. The constant transitions between the past and present are handled so well. The flashbacks never feel confusing or unnecessary. Instead, they gradually answer questions while introducing new mysteries, allowing the audience to piece everything together naturally. It is such a smart storytelling choice and one of my favorite aspects of the episode.

Sun's story immediately pulled me in. After years of carrying guilt over the deaths of his mother and younger brother, he continues to blame himself for a tragedy that was never truly his fault. The real betrayal came from someone he once trusted, and that pain fuels the revenge at the heart of the story. The title Payback feels fitting because every emotion, every wound, and every act of betrayal is building toward something powerful.

It is also my first time watching Toptap, and he made a strong impression as Jay. He was only 21 when he filmed this series. He once said that if he didn't get the role in Payback, he would have worked an ordinary job instead, but if he did get the role, he would give it everything he had. He definitely lived up to that promise. For someone so young, he delivered an incredible performance and showed remarkable talent. This was his first leading role, and I truly hope he gets many more lead roles in future series because he absolutely deserves them.

It's so hard to find a series that delivers both a strong, engaging plot and genuinely great NC scenes, but this series absolutely delivers on both, making it one of the most complete BLs I've ever watched. The kissing scene at the end of Episode 3 was intense and unforgettable. If you watch closely, you can even see the saliva dripping, which made it feel even more real, and I'm so glad it was an actual kiss rather than a fake one. The chemistry between them was intense, thrilling, and completely captivating. The riding scenes at the beginning of Episodes 4 and 6 were just as incredible and easily some of the hottest scenes I've seen.

And after watching more than 500+ BL series, I can honestly say Episode 8 delivered the most beautiful, intimate, and realistic love scene I have ever seen in the genre, and I am still SPEECHLESS. It never felt like I was watching two actors, it felt like I was witnessing two souls who truly belonged to each other. When Jay stand there holding the umbrella and Sun ran into his arms, holding him so tightly and begging him to cry, to finally let go of every wound, every grief, and every silent burden he had been carrying, my heart completely broke. It was heartbreaking and breathtaking at the same time. Every touch carried years of longing, every glance spoke louder than words, and every embrace burned with a quiet passion that felt impossibly real. The chemistry was undeniable, the emotions were overwhelming, and the cinematography captured every fragile heartbeat with such tenderness that the line between fiction and reality simply disappeared. It was not just a hot love scene, it was love finding its way through pain, sorrow, and healing, leaving behind a moment so raw, vulnerable, and unforgettable that it will stay with me for a very long time.

I also saw many people saying the series should have had 12 episodes instead of 10, but I think it is worth looking at the actual runtime rather than just the episode count. The later episodes were much longer than a typical drama, with Episode 7 around 75 minutes, Episode 8 at 87 minutes, Episode 9 at 68 minutes, and Episode 10 at 72 minutes. A standard series episode is usually around 50 minutes, so 12 episodes would be roughly 600 minutes in total. After adding up Payback’s actual runtime, the series already exceeds the length of many typical 12 episode dramas. For me, the issue is not about having more episodes, but how the story chose to use its time. I think the emotional journey and character development matter more than simply adding extra episodes.

One thing I want to mention is that I haven't read the novel or the manhwa, so I went into this series with no expectations and judged it purely as a drama rather than as an adaptation. I have seen many comments saying that the revenge was not as satisfying as it was in the original story, or that the drama did not fully capture the impact and depth of the novel or manhwa.
I understand why some people felt that revenge was not enough, but I personally see it in a different way. Sometimes revenge is not always about an eye for an eye or making someone pay in the same way. Sometimes the greatest revenge is simply finding peace and taking back control of your own life. For Sun, his true revenge was being able to heal, let go of the guilt and pain he had carried for so long, and finally allow himself to be happy. Seeing him stop living for revenge and start living for himself made his redemption arc even more meaningful and emotional.
I can see why people are comparing this series to the original novel and manhwa, and why some people may feel disappointed or unsatisfied. When you already have a strong emotional connection to a story, it is only natural to hope that the adaptation can capture the same feelings, impact, and satisfaction that made the original so meaningful. Howeve, I also believe that an adaptation should be judged based on what it achieves as its own medium. A novel or manhwa has more space to explore a character's thoughts, motivations, and inner struggles, while a drama has to rely on acting, cinematography, pacing, music, and visual storytelling to create the same impact. Changes are sometimes necessary, and the fact that something is different from the original does not automatically mean it is worse. Since I experienced Payback for the first time through the drama, I was able to appreciate the story, the characters, and the emotions without constantly comparing it to another version. For me, the revenge journey, the character development, and the emotional payoff were still powerful and engaging. In fact, this series has made me want to read the novel and manhwa afterwards because I am genuinely curious to see how they tell the story differently.

I also love how this series explores the dark truth behind the entertainment industry. It shows how older, more powerful people take advantage of young artists, manipulating and grooming them, not only through words but through sexual abuse, while convincing them that if they refuse, their dreams will never come true.
Imagine being a young actor with an entire life full of hope ahead of you, only to have it stolen by people you were taught to trust. It is heartbreaking to watch, yet it feels painfully real. I cannot help but believe that stories like this have happened in real life. This drama does not simply tell us about that reality. It makes us feel it, carrying us through the fear, the silence, and the pain that so many young people may have endured behind the spotlight.

Overall the acting is excellent, the story is engaging, the dark and intense tone is exactly what I was looking for, and the fight scenes were well executed. I also loved the music, which elevated many of the emotional and action-packed moments.

Payback has everything I want in a drama: compelling characters, emotional depth, revenge, chemistry, action, and a dark atmosphere that keeps you invested. It’s so rare to find a series that delivers a strong plot, excellent acting, and some of the best NC scenes all at the same time. This series has absolutely nailed every single box for me.

Payback has officially reached an incredible 8.9 on MDL, making it the highest rated BL ever! 🔥

For me, PAYBACK is shaping up to be the best Thai BL of 2026. ❤️

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A deeper dive into a gripping tale of revenge, redemption and karma meeting heartfelt drama of life

A webtoon adaptation that did justice and honored the original creation without messing up with the storyline; a proper execution of its true kind!

⚠️ Disclaimer: Before you proceed, you need to know that I read both the novel and the manhwa; so my review will have comparison of both original content and the adaptation.

When I got the news that "Payback" manhwa would get a Thai adaptation, initially I was skeptical as the original language and the setting of the drama were in Korean. So, naturally, I thought we'd lose lots of cultural nuances in the adaptation, as both countries possess different cultures and characteristics of their own. But to my surprise, it was way better than I expected it to be! They religiously followed the manhwa and added all the important scenes and, honestly, I can't be happier. Unlike the Korean adaptations, this Thai adaptation gave justice to the storyline and proved why, in making BLs, Thailand is superior to other countries. The adaptation faithful towards its original material and they preserved all of its raw and unhinged emotions intact to the point that it felt like I was seeing those manhwa characters coming out of the page and taking a human form to present exactly what I had read. I didn't watch this, it consumed me.

"When you truly understand karma, then you realize you are responsible for everything in your life."
Sun knew it.

Storyline wise, this drama has everything, from a sad backstory, thrilling revenge plan, emotional turmoil, finding oneself, a dramatic roller-coaster ride of a rotten system to falling in love with unexpected people in unexpected ways. It covered everything skillfully with its true emotional intensity. This had the most gripping atmosphere spread throughout the series so that one cannot just stop at one episode and keep it for another day. It's so deliciously addicting, that watching this ongoing might feel like an emotional torture.
It'd be a crime if I didn't mention how the intimate scenes of Jay and Sun were unexpectedly bold and beautiful at the same time. They just nailed the right balance of the seen and unseen emotions as they did not hesitate to illustrate their body chemistry. Jay displayed toxic, controlling, and possessive behavior towards Sun initially looked concerning but soon Jay's constant coercion and unfiltered love-shower made Sun break his black and white concrete boundaries and let him free from his suffocated shackles he bound himself with and see the colourful moments of life like everyone else.

Acting wise, I have to say I couldn't find any flaws here. If you have read the manhwa, you'll know how composed, emotionless and indifferent the Sun was. Minlee portrayed the originally written character so well that at first it might feel like he's frozen and can't act well, but his character is like that in the manhwa. On the other hand, Toptap as Jay was a brilliant cast. His overall figure, body postures, way of talking and doing things were too good! He perfectly grabbed the cocky, crazy yet smart, calm and cool executive director aura. Even though both of them were playing the lead role for the first time, they did their homework very well.
From the supporting characters, Sky, manager Kajorn and Jay's uncle Jo stole my heart. They were fabulous. Sky's acting and his backstory brought tears to my eyes. Even Sun's story couldn't do that. I'm just so in love with the manager, Kajorn, and his unwavering commitment to his artists. He was clumsy, nervous at times, funny and heartwarmingly lovely father and manager. He only wanted the best for them. And uncle Jo, maybe he was there for some comic relief, but it was well needed. He was the only one who made Sun smile for the first time. With his silly words, he kept the mood light when Sun was tensed and agitated. The intricate detailing of each and every character was brilliantly portrayed on screen.

Without the clean cinematography and pumped up OST, it would be as impactful as it is including them. They kept the suspense and mysterious atmosphere of the thrill alive.

Overall, I had a great time binging this series. It kept me on the edge till the end of the series to see what happens to the characters. So, if you want to watch something that is thrilling, spicy and full of shady people doing people dirty, then you can trust my words and give it a try.

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Just watch this already or you will miss a great series

Wow what an amazing series. Everything is just too perfect. Main leads acting is too fabulous. It doesn't feel like they are performing for the first time. And about series main leads have acted too real to feel real emotions. When i first saw the trailer of the payback i was like hmm it is ok, i don't like them too much but after watching ep 1 i totally fall in love with them and with their acting and chemistry. This series has captured everything romance, entertainment, revenge, everything. This is 10/10 series for me. I will never forget this series .Toptap minlee will remain my forever favorite actors. This series will remain top 1 in my heart. The main leads actors acting feels too real to me whether it is romance, kiss, or their intimate scenes. I wish if they could have special episode . It is 2026 best series. I wish them to progress a lot in the future and achieve a lot of love , success and lot of support of fans in their life.

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Not enough payback

At the start of this show, I really loved it. A main character is driven by revenge against his ex, only to discover his ex's now successful life as an actor is embedded within a much larger, systemically corrupt problem. From the outside, and the first few episodes, this looked like something I would love. Unfortunately, as the show went on, it became more about our main character's career as an actor and less about the actual revenge.

Sun (Min) was once in a happy relationship with Bank (Fuaiz), but that ended when Bank took Sun's money, ran off to become an actor, and left him with no way to pay for his mother's cancer treatment. Sun becomes hell bent on getting revenge, and after paying his mother's medical debt, is sick and tired of seeing Bank's face, who now goes by the name Sunny, on billboards. Sun auditions for the same entertainment company as Sunny in order to drag him down from the inside, and discovers a much more corrupt system than he expected.

Min as Sun was perfect - he totally delivered the cold, emotionless Sun. Plus, watching Toptap as the love interest was great. Did I enjoy the relationship dynamic between them as they fell in love? Honestly, not at all. It felt predatory, and like Sun was a victim of the very system he was seeking to destroy. Still, the actors did a great job portraying the characters even though I found Jay (Toptap) to be kind of unbearable for most of the show. I will say, if you're going into this thinking it's some crazy revenge thriller, it honestly isn't. This is more about the story of Sun's life as he struggles to claw his way out of debt, motivated only by revenge, and the way he falls in love as he's pursuing this. While still a great show, I think the revenge portion deserved way more time that it got.

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A Revenge Plot Ruined by Its Own Romance

My 2 Cents on Payback:

I finally finished Payback after starting it mostly due to FOMO, and I’m honestly baffled by the hypetrain surrounding this show.
A revenge plot is usually right up my alley, but the central romance completely ruined the execution. The biggest issue? Director Arthur. He is a terribly written character: flat, dimensional as a sheet of paper, and deeply unlikable. Instead of coming off as a compelling romantic lead, his instant obsession with Sun felt pushy, creepy, and boundary-crossing. The idea that a high-powered CEO has endless time to persistently harass a random stranger, all while harboring a weirdly convenient fixation on his mysterious "pink bunny" strains logic beyond belief.
The performance didn't help either. Arthur’s acting fell completely flat, and while Sun was a much better character with actual depth and motivation, even he struggled to carry certain scenes. Their chemistry was thoroughly off, and throwing graphic NC scenes at the audience can't magically fix a lack of genuine spark.
Between Arthur's terrible characterization and the weak acting, I never felt a shred of true love from them. it came off as a sick, toxic dynamic rather than genuine romance.
What makes this so frustrating is that the glimpse into the toxic side of the entertainment industry was genuinely fascinating. I would’ve loved to see the show highlight that dark plot instead of abandoning it for cheap romance.

Ironically, the side characters carried the show. Sun, Sky, and the manager made a fantastic, entertaining trio, and I would’ve happily traded the predictable, forced romance for more of their dynamic. To top it off, the finale was a rushed mess trying to tie up loose ends way too quickly.

Verdict: Decent production value and a premise with potential, but plagued by weak acting and an insufferable lead. If you’re looking for strong chemistry or an intricate plot, this one will leave you frustrated.

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A Strong Story That Didn't Quite Reach Its Potential

PayBack had an ambitious story with revenge, corruption, the entertainment industry, and romance all woven together. It clearly had a solid budget and a strong supporting cast, making it feel bigger than many BL productions.

What stayed with me most was not the revenge itself, but Sun's realization that he was never truly alone. Believing he had lost everything, he slowly discovered that many people genuinely cared about him. That emotional journey was the heart of the series.

Jay and Sun's relationship was also memorable. Their reunion in the finale was emotional, especially the scene where Jay tried to free Sun from his overwhelming guilt. It was one of the strongest moments in the drama.

However, the final episode felt rushed. Many conflicts were wrapped up in quick succession, while some important questions—especially Sunny's motivations and psychological background—were never fully explored. I also wished Sun had shown a wider emotional range. His quiet personality matched his tragic past, but a few more moments of emotional intensity would have made him a more memorable protagonist.

Overall, PayBack was an entertaining revenge drama with a satisfying ending, even if it didn't reach its full potential.

I have always liked FUAIZ, so it was a little disappointing that BANK never developed beyond being an unlikeable character. I hope to see him in a bigger and more memorable role next time.

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a solid series until the last two episodes.

this is another series that i have been screaming, crying, itching, & throwing up to watch, figuratively. i made the unwise decision of watching the first five episodes after they released then i made the grueling decision to wait to binge the final five. it was agonizing, to say the least. i would say this show went from pretty good to fairly decent. i think i was a tad generous with the rating because i liked the series but objectively the rating is probably lower.

the first eight episodes were ironclad. episode eight being the breakout because of the fluidity and numerous intimate scenes. toptap & minlee delivered in episode eight. the bus scene was hilarious and gut-warming. the reluctance of sun, his worry for jay, and then his eventual submission were displayed well. also, i resonated with the audition scenes regarding suicide and both jay's / sun's reaction + interpretation of what that meant. sun was clearly not a bad person but a good one who made horrible decisions in order to care for his family. i think it was interesting how sun was so traumatized by the result of his actions that he was okay with being used and abused, as long as others were not. i am glad he chose to live his life, in the end.

unfortunately, episode nine and ten were rushed. i have never read the source material but it was still evident. the pacing was just way off and things were not concluded properly. to give some examples, who actually murdered pawinee [songphon partially admitted to it but we never saw the murder or how it transpired]. why was bank suddenly out of his career with no repercussions or explanations? how did the corruption even unfold? why did wave randomly appear again but in death due to an overdose? who is responsible for the killing of the gray haired former executive in the car [MDL, please credit all talent in a work] out of nowhere? i could ask more questions, which is not good.

when adapting from manwha, these thai creatives need to take into consideration how to properly consolidate, if need be. they also need to ensure they have appropriate air time for adapting. this rushing throughout or at the ending is a terrible habit that basically ruins the overall score and effect of the story they are attempting to showcase to the audience. i also noticed that whoever was responsible for translating payback into english did an awful job which is unacceptable for paid users. more importantly, the themes of sexual assault in this are grossly unacceptable but most would not comment on that considering the leads are attractive.

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SUN shines again through the help of a SON of capitalism

A will that has been long lost - Pain deep within, hidden away. A past too painful to recall, yet it ignites the fire of revenge within the soul of Sun. Captured by this intense wish for remedy, Jay reaches out to get a grip on this soaring son of the flames. Will he provoke Tears that can extinguish Sun´s fierce desire?

BEST PART: Visual & Moody Elements (9.5)
Cinematography enlightens the viewers' hearts by setting scenes in the most captivating and intriguing colors. In my opinion, the team of Thai and Korean production professionals succeeded in the expression of ANGST and despair, while also leaving room for soft and romantic moments. Overall, the vibe is quite dark, but there is some relief from this darkness through colorful and bittersweet comedic sequences. Just exciting to watch all these creative and bold motives that were introduced by "Payback". It´s a real payback of the time and subscription fees paid to watch the series.

GOOD and INTRIGUING ACTING (9.0)
Toptap and Min nailed even the most micro-expressive parts. To me, Toptap's skill is to express strong emotions with lasting glares - telling an entire story just with a glimpse; Sometimes he made me feel like I´ve interrupted a significant moment of self-revelation. Shogun, Fuaiz and Khunnote were similarly able to capture my floating attention. Hope to see more of their acting in future series.

WEAKNESS:
Could be traced back to my attention span and amount of time invested in similar series (plot-wise), but sometimes I felt a bit lost with all the information in long dialogues - I take this as motivation to improve my concentration again. Additionally, I might have an unresolved personal trigger with Sun´s disheartened and stoic personality. However, I can very much understand what has caused him to have serious difficulties expressing himself and allowing himself to experience happiness.

PAYBACK is a strong player in this year's publications.

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Great Start; After That, Dissapointing.

I watched the first episode and felt completely in love. The dynamic, the gritty storyline, the many-sided suffering of the main character, everything felt thrilling and so unlike typical Thai BL.

With E2, I had some questions. With 3, I had even more of them. By the time I watched E5, I felt a growing sense of disappointment and realization that I wasn't going to get what I was hoping for.

I didn't understand the first meeting between the characters. I didn't understand the awkward, seemingly random attempt at a beating. I didn't understand what they liked about each other; I didn't understand why Sunny was so focused on Sun yet didn't bother to find out what he looked like, even though everyone saw the photos; I didn't understand why revenge wasn't going anywhere; I didn't understand the humor since it seemed very out of place. I didn't understand where the acting plot was, why so much attention was given to secondary characters, why rich sponsors had to force younger actors to serve them at a gunpoint, etc.

So I went to read the novel, and I was floored because it answered every single question. Half of the confusing scenes weren't present at all; other scenes were given excellent context. The series failed to adapt it. They removed at least 60% of crucial moments, and worse, they completely forgot about revenge and defanged the main character, aka Jay.

In the novel, he's a full-blown psychopath. He's possessive, obsessive, manipulative, cold as ice; he goes through his life without feeling anything until he meets Sun. In the series, he's a mild orange flag. He's so much softer, so much more emotional, and not possessive at all. I just don't understand this weird desire to take a novel with dark characters and twist it into something light.

The revenge is extremely unsatisfying. This series has a ton of useless filler instead; they probably thought people would like it more? I don't know. It doesn't make sense, especially considering the show is called Payback. Everything really starts and ends in the last episode only, and it's very rushed. There is no slower downfall; the main antagonist is handled by the police, of all things. If it could be so simple, why did no one call the police earlier?? The novel's retribution is so much more impactful, and it leaves you forever wondering how big of a role Jay played in it.

I do not recommend this series at all. Ideally, you can watch E1 and then switch to the novel. Otherwise, it's a waste of time. The actors are mostly okay, though they do have occasional issues; the OST is fantastic, and the NC scenes are phenomenal, but that's it.

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All that build-up, only for the payoff to fall flat

Payback almost became one of the best BL dramas of the year, for me, at at least. The first half was incredibly promising. The story established its revenge plot so well, building tension and making me genuinely excited to see how everything would unfold.

Then things started going downhill.

The biggest issue was how the villains kept winning over and over again. Every episode felt like another opportunity for them to get the last laugh while the protagonists kept falling behind. Instead of feeling suspenseful, it became frustrating. I kept waiting for the revenge to finally hit, but honestly, that finale was disappointing.

After everything the antagonists had done, their downfall felt way too easy. That’s it? They were simply killed off without facing the kind of brutal, public humiliation and consequences they deserved. I was hoping for a much more satisfying payoff, especially after watching them torment everyone throughout the series. The revenge, which is the very heart of the story, didn’t feel nearly as rewarding as it should have.

As for Sun… he drove me crazy. For someone fueled by revenge, he constantly made reckless decisions and kept putting himself in danger without thinking things through. Instead of looking determined, he often came across as unnecessarily careless. Thankfully, his rich, handsome boyfriend was always one step ahead, constantly saving him from his own bad decisions.

That said, I can’t deny the cast carried the show. The actors were incredibly attractive, and they fully committed to every emotional and intimate scene. I absolutely loved the trio of P’Kajorn, Sun, and Sky. Their friendship slowly became the family they all needed, and those moments were some of my favorites. Also, we were robbed of a Sky and Pakin kiss. Their chemistry was amazing, and they deserved at least one romantic and intimate scene together.

There were honestly a lot of things I enjoyed about this drama, but the final stretch left such a strong negative impression that it overshadowed many of its strengths. Even so, the production quality remained consistently impressive, and the episode-ending cliffhangers were genuinely effective at keeping me invested week after week.

It had an engaging premise, strong performances, great chemistry, and solid production values. Unfortunately, it stumbled where it mattered most: the revenge itself. A revenge story lives or dies by the satisfaction of its payoff, and this one simply didn’t deliver the level of justice and emotional catharsis it spent the entire series building toward.

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A Writer's Hopeless Cruelty

Payback opens like a standard revenge plot, but beneath the surface, it’s a dark study in karma, corruption and exploitation within the entertainment industry, and human pain.

We are not gently guided into Sun's world, we are thrown into it, face down into the mud, with our bare asses in the air.

We first meet Sun pulling a knife out at a talent audition, not for a role but for revenge. In a story driven by grief, that impulsivity defines him.
Flashbacks reveal a brutal past. He worked for a loan shark to support his aspiring actor boyfriend, Bank, only for the violence to backfire when a ruined debtee stabs Sun's younger brother to death. On top of that, Bank then steals Sun's savings for his dying mother and flees.
​Five years later, Sun is a hollowed out delivery man who ignites his quest for vengeance after learning that Bank (now an actor called Sunny) redirected that debtee toward Sun's brother. Sun infiltrates Sunny’s agency, aligning with company outcasts and recieves the help from a man called Jay, a mysterious figure with his own dark agenda.


Set up as a fast paced, action heavy revenge show, it is in fact, the opposite. The core engine of this story isn't revenge, despite being titled Payback. It’s the destructive cycle of playing God. Ironic considering where the writers take this.

When the ruined debtee warns Sun that karma will catch up to him, it is in the form of himself, killing Sun's brother.

Sun later emulates that exact same impulse. Naive, blinded by grief, and impulsive, Sun sets out to tear down Bank, completely blind to the fact that Bank is just a tiny cog in a massive, sickening web of sexual abuse, trafficking, and executive exploitation.

What starts off as a hell yeah! narrative, quickly shows us how out of his depth and powerless Sun actually is, and in essence, us the viewer.

​The show never shies away from the crime, the poverty or the violence. I can sit with that for a while, as long as there's hope.

It was the first time I actually sought out the OG manhwa so I didnt have to stew in my own anxiety waiting for weekly episodes.

For eight weeks, that grim tension held me on the edge of my seat.

​....And then came Episode 9, and a heartbreaking narrative choice that completely shattered any enthusiasm I had maintained up to this point, and never recovered.

By then, we knew who the villains were and how utterly evil and sick they could be.
That information had been fully established, and episode 8 ended with the most sensual and realistic portrayal of sex I have ever seen from a BL.

I was on a complete high for this show.
Then came episode 9's pool scene, and all enthusiasm and defensive arguments for it fell away, and I saw the writing for what it truly was: Gratuitous torture porn.

​All that building up towards a satisfying finale was just ....gone, collapsed under the writers' desperate thirst for pure shock value.

We already knew the sponsor was a monster. We already knew Sunny and the executive were abusing their power. We had seen at least three upsetting scenes of assault already at that point.

Doubling down on that with a very explicit and violent assault and murder, without offering a single breath of reprieve, stepped past a darker plot and slid straight into shocking and triggering the viewer.

Worse still was the sheer pretentiousness of trying to mask that shock as emotional resonance. The following scene of Sunny's panicking and laughing off tears in a mirror, right after that horror felt like a slap in the face.

Why should I care more about his feelings, more than the kid who's been raped and strangled, and is now floating dead in the swimming pool? Where was his justice in the end?

In cinema, there's a line between true Horror and Splatter sensationalism. Good horror is a delicate plucking, carefully curated to give you a thrill while maintaining the illusion of control. Torture porn or Splatter, drops the art entirely for the full on, unearned exploitation of the worst of humanity.

'Because it's reality' isn't good enough or acceptable to me. If I wanted that, I would watch the news.

I gained zero new narrative insight from that scene. It didnt need to be there. It's not in the OG manhwa either. It served as nothing more than an extra layer of misery stacked on top of Sun continuing to be helpless and somewhat more useless than normal, while nearly getting killed twice. I was convinced and bracing to witness a third assault in the same hour.

We were Sun in those moments. Helpless victims with no way out. No hope, no reassurance, nothing.

​In another scene, my skin nearly crawled off my bones watching poor Sky, a previous target of sexual violence, get pushed straight into Satan’s arms while Sunny laughed in the background.

And where was Jay? The one person with an ounce of authority? He vanished into a cloud of his own sleep farts, apparently. Man had the rock music theme song playing, smirked with all the information he had gathered, ready for his move and then....poof.....gone with the wind. A sticky note would have been nice, Jay.

Turns out, in a quick step flash back, he was just buying out copyright of a song. No grand scheme or the CEO of a finance company. Nope. Just owns a song because the human traffickers can't switch to any other script to push Sunny's career. Huh?

They swapped genuine plot progression for shock value, and then tried to gaslight the viewer into thinking it was deep character development and realism.

In the end, they just threw a bunch of random band aids onto the missing information to wrap up plot threads as fast as possible. A taser, legal documents no one bothered to look for and debt porn because trauma is a toy in this show, rather than solid, earned justice.

What stung the most is what they did to Two O. He vanished with no one knowing what happened to him or where he was. He was just forcefully dragged back into this show, solely to serve as a plot device for the sponsor's absurd death, and then be left physically scarred and traumatized out of his career.

If anyone was to be given a redemption arc, it should have been him. He deserved something other than being the quiet and sad little moral lesson for Sunny.

​They didn't solve the trauma they spent nine episodes inflicting on these characters. They just swept it under the rug, kissed on the roof and promised to travel the world.

Every viewer has an emotional line of trust a writer should never cross. Unfortunately, Payback put its foot on the pedal and drove right over mine, leaving me feeling as empty and as disappointed as Sun was when I first met him. Bleak, depressing and shallow.

The only good thing was Toptap, Min and the music.

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An Honest Response to the Negative Reviews of Payback!!!

I know everyone has their own opinions, and I respect that. But I think you should be clearer with your words because there are so many things I want to clarify. I'll explain them one by one.

1. About the main character

Almost every manhwa revolves around one main character. Payback is Sun's story—it's about his revenge/healing, not anyone else's. So I don't understand why you're expecting every other character's storyline to be explored in depth. Maybe you people haven't read many manhwas or novels, which is why you're looking at it that way.
Even fitting Sun's perspective into just ten episodes was difficult, so how could they possibly include everyone else's backstory as well?

2. "His acting is not good."

After finishing both the manhwa and the novel, I can confidently say he gave the best performance possible. I don't know how you expect someone who has lost both his mother and brother to behave. He's emotionally dead inside. He has nothing left to lose, and that's exactly how Sun is supposed to be. Jay is the person who enters his life and slowly makes it bearable again. He's the one who brings back Sun's smile, and the series portrays that beautifully. Also our pookie manager and sky.

3. Their chemistry

Again, everyone has their own opinion, but for me, they had perfect chemistry. Their kissing scenes were natural, emotional, and absolutely spot on.

4. About Jay and Sun's Relationship

Jay falls in love with Sun because he's different from everyone else. He's brave, fearless, and, in many ways, similar to Jay himself. Their connection is instant. Not everyone falls in love with their school friend or a cute office colleague. We're human, and human lives can be dark while still being deeply romantic.

5. About the director

People often criticize the direction without really understanding what a director's role is. They simply say the direction was boring. But have you watched Reclaim? It's directed by the same person. A director's job is to bring the story to life, and in Payback, the emotions, atmosphere, and pacing were exactly what the story needed.

6. About revenge

There is no such thing as a "big" or "small" revenge. Revenge is only fulfilled when the person who caused the pain is left broken and desperate enough to understand the consequences of their actions. No one can truly understand that pain except the person who has lived through it.

So, more than the depth of the revenge itself, I'm happy that Sun finally found a reason to smile again. In the end, that was the greatest victory.

7. My final thoughts

If even one person decides not to watch this series because of these comments, I genuinely feel they're missing out, because there will never be another Payback like this one.

At least watch the opening credits—they alone are enough to make you want to continue watching.

For me, Payback is raw, dark, and emotionally gripping. It makes you think about life, death, relationships, guilt, regret, and healing. It teaches you to value not only the lives of the people you love but also your own. It shows how to face your fears, overcome your regrets, and move forward.

Most importantly, this story makes you realize that life isn't about taking revenge or even fulfilling it. It's about finding a reason to live again, finding happiness, and having the strength to rise from the deepest pit.

I truly believe everyone should watch this series at least once. ( Fun fact: Payback was my favorite manhwa long before the live adaptation was announced. Even back then, I always felt that if any manhwa deserved a live-action adaptation, it would be this one. And guess what? My manifestation came true.)

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