Korean Drama Heartless City - A Must Watch

I usually don’t watch gangster movies or dramas (Soprano, who? You’re talking opera, right?). If there is a teeny tiny possibility that the ending of the drama could be tragic, I definitely won’t watch it live (Why spend 5 days waiting impatiently just to cry buckets?).

You can’t get more gangster than Heartless City. It's at episode 10 right now and I can see tragedy coming at it full speed. A sad ending is written all over this one – in bold black Times New Roman. (Or whatever font type that was)

So why am I torturing myself this way?

To get the answer to my question you need to visit the past. And by past I mean 10 episodes ago.  (There are no spoilers in this - I just want to convince you guys to watch this. Update 7/31:Click here for a full review)

We start off with a scene where an informant gets killed by our alleged hero.

Jung Shi Hyun a.k.a Paksa Adel (Doctor's son - aka doc) a.k.a Paksa a.k.a President Jung (by a select one) is the head of the distribution channel for a drug cartel.

If you're interested in the drug cartel's organizational structure, check this image below. Each unit has it's own contacts unknown to both their higher ups and their subordinates. This is what gives them their strength and their immunity. It's also why they can't function without each other. (This might not make sense!)

Doctor's Son is a poker faced, cool character who won't sweat even when walking into certain death.  Check this fight scene out.

And his nemesis is Ji Hyung Min, a hot headed cop heading a special unit formed to bring down the drug cartel.

Ji Hyung Min is obsessed with capturing Doc to the point of being blind to the fact that maybe Doc's not such a bad guy after all. (or am I the blind one here?)

Our heroine is Yoon Soo Min, falsely accused of theft and kind-a coerced (by obsessed cop) into going undercover right into the depths of this dark organization. (Yeah, I know, a newbie untrained sitting duck... but who cares when it gives her a chance to meet Doc!)

She used to work as a cashier at a drug store and knows Jung Shi Hyun, not as Doc's son or by the myriad of his other names, but as the customer who is always hurt and buying band aids from her. It doesn't hurt her opinion of him that he once saved her from a gun-toting thief.

We also have Kim Hyun Soo, Doc's right hand man and primary bromance supplier. He can put his life on the line to follow Doc and does as well.

Doc starts a coup to bring down his boss, Scale, and gets in way too deep when the head of the drug cartel, Chairman Something-Something, decides that he doesn't need dissention in his ranks. Doc is framed for murdering an undercover cop and wanted for drug laundering.

(The tattoo isn't illegal per se, but is still a very important note)

So, as Doc tries to keep his position and freedom and life (not to mention those of his friends as well), I lose my finger nails to my teeth.

This drama is not for everyone. There is blood, there is gore. Some vomit, far too many deaths (Death By Golf Club! Really?) and near deaths (Strangulation is in no way a pretty sight) and waaaay too many blurred out knives (what's with that dramafever?).

It does not shy away from sex, from blood and definitely not from angst. It's not an easy watch; there are just too many bad guys and bad guys posing as good guys and good guys posing as bad guys and ... well, see ? I'm confused already!

But the characters are layered (All of them - even the bad guys; especially the bad guys) and very well acted. The relationships in this drama are to die for. Some are sweet, some complex, some just downright weird but all of them leave you wondering - what the hell is the story between these two?

There are twists in this drama that will make you go WTF in the best possible way. And at the end of each episode, you'll be reaching for the play-next button.

But the crowning glory is our hero. In his first post-military drama, Jung Kyung Ho plays Doc with such subtlety, strength and poise that I loved him even though he had just killed a man... or ten. This is not your sweet guy from TBDW or Smile, You. The army has made this man a MAN.

And you don't want to miss it.

Image Courtesy : http://dr-myri-blog.blogspot.in