Bloodhounds is the newest K-Drama to drop on Netflix. The eight-episode series based on the webcomic Sanyanggaedeul by Jung Chan follows two amateur boxers who take on the loan shark that’s been taking advantage of Seoul’s most vulnerable residents. Directed by Kim Joo-hwan, this is an ideal show for fans of fast-paced martial arts sequences.
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Where can you watch Bloodhounds in the UAE?
Bloodhounds is now streaming on Netflix in the UAE. If you don’t have one, you can create an account to watch this movie and other shows on Netflix. Unfortunately, Netflix does not offer any free trials.
Bloodhounds review
- Excellent action scenes
- Strong performances
- Terrifying villain
- Dialogue is a bit repetitive
- Little character development
- Too long
What is the premise of Bloodhounds?
At its core, Bloodhounds is a K-Drama about two ordinary friends standing up for what’s right. Gun-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi) are two amateur boxers who start hanging out after facing each other in the ring.
The year is 2020, and the Covid pandemic is in full swing. Both men have been personally affected by the lockdowns, with Gun-woo’s mother struggling to pay rent for her little cafe, while Woo-jin lost his job teaching gym classes at a local school. While Gun-woo is shy and introverted, his new friend is the life-of-the-party type of guy. Despite their differing personalities, they bond over their shared time in the Marines, love for boxing, and appreciation for good Korean barbecue.
Kim Myeong-gil (Park Sung-woong) is the show’s main scar-faced villain. Using his facetiously named company, Smile Capital, he runs several loan scams against those desperate enough to borrow from him. As soon as the person struggles to pay the exorbitant fees listed in the very fine print, Kim Myeong-gil sends his goons to intimidate the poor debtor. Park Sung-woong’s performance as the unscrupulous loan shark is the K-Drama’s standout. His devotion to evildoings and ability to plan his schemes to the last detail is equally terrifying and fascinating to watch.
When Gun-woo’s mother falls in debt with Smile Capital, putting both of them in mortal danger, he seeks employment with President Choi (Huh Joon-ho), a former loan shark turned benevolent billionaire who offers poor people interest-free loans. President Choi employs the two boxers as bodyguards for his adopted granddaughter, Hyeon-ju (Kim Sae-ron). The three start investigating Kim Myeong-gil’s scams and vow to put an end to them.
Plenty of action, not enough story
The action sequences in Bloodhounds are brilliantly planned and executed, while the fight scenes are exceptionally choreographed. From fast punches to car chases, there’s plenty of bloody violence to entertain the most stringent of action fans. Each episode features an action set piece, and they get better as the series progresses.
It’s hard not to find the “bromance” between the two leads endearing. They become fast friends over their shared love of boxing and military experience. And they are ready to help and support each other during traumatic life events. And Kim Sae-ron’s character makes for a great addition to this tight-knit trio of friends willing to do whatever it takes to help those left vulnerable by the pandemic.
However, the story does get a bit drawn out with each passing episode. There’s little character development, and by the fourth episode, the dialogue seems to be an endless stream of repetitiveness. It feels like they were trying to fill in the blanks between action sequences rather than add anything meaningful to the story.
There’s also some clumsy social commentary about those who took advantage of the pandemic for financial gain. But it doesn’t land as well as expected. The series could have easily been set in the mid-90s with little to no plot changes.
Despite some relatively minor setbacks, Bloodhounds is still a brilliant action series. It’s easy to overlook plot issues when the show has so many excellent action-packed sequences. We also get strong performances from a talented cast and a feel-good David versus Goliath story to complete the viewing experience.
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