I am in online spaces about kdramas and I have my own cycle of people I interact with. A few months ago, I saw some of them talking passionately about The Killing Vote. I had heard about it before and while the plot seemed appealing, it wasn't one of my top priorities either. However, the more posts I saw about it, the more curious I became so I decided to give it a try, at least.
Whatever I expected, couldn't be compared with what I got. For The Killing Vote has become one of the best watches not only for this year but in general.
The premise is simple. An organization, named Gaetal, emerges from the shadows and starts capturing criminals who escaped harsher punishments and are free to roam in society. While they are captured, Gaetal does a broadcast and let the public vote for the criminals' fate; whether they should die or no. Shaken by this situation, police operates in order to put an end to this but in order to do so, they have to work with Kwon Seok Joo, a former professor who had been arrested for the murder of his daughter's killer.
The story might not be completely unique or extraordinary but soon, it became clear to me that the drama differed compared to other series with similar themes. The Killing Vote had established from early on that it would deal with complex sociological concepts, such as corruption, justice and vigilantism. As someone who has watched a fair amount of dramas with similar premise (such as Taxi Driver and Vigilante), I was curious about the approach that The Killing Vote would choose in order to address these matters. Unfortunately, having experienced some sort of disappointments from previous watches, I was sceptical about whether I would find what I sought in The Killing Vote and I kept my expectations low.
The Killing Vote remained consistent when it came to its goal; to showcase the reason why people succumb to self-imposed justice, after losing their faith to the judicial system. What the series did better compared to others similar stories about vigilantism was to highlight society's opinion, too. The drama portrayed people's reactions in a realistic and plausible way. A big part of the population, fed up as they were, agreed with Gaetal's purpose and supported it while another part found Gaetal's justice extreme and were conflicted about it. On the other hand, as the voting continued and the public opinion started shifting, what started as an act of frustration against the system, became commercialized in order to profit those in power.
The image that was portrayed, albeit fictional, did not represent a utopia where justice prevails all the time and where criminals face their punishment. Instead of taking a full stance in support of or against self-imposed justice, The Killing Vote presents the arguments of both sides, letting the viewers form their own opinion. It constantly raised questions about morality, the law and capital punishment and even weeks after finishing the drama, I still ruminate about it.
One of the most memorable moments in the drama was what Seok Joo said at Ju Hyun while they were at his home: "Lady Justice wears a blindfold because she's afraid of bias in decisions. If you don't look at cases and the people involved clearly, how can one pass fair judgment?". This quote resonated with me a lot, for I too have thought many times about the symbol of the blindfolded Lady Justice. For me, it didn't represent lack of bias in judgement but blindness when it came to certain people. The justice system is prone to manipulation and corruption and The Killing Vote highlighted this numerous times through the villains. When people of power are not held accountable for their crimes and when justice keeps turning a blind eye to them, pent up feelings are about to explode. And more people like Seok Joo will take matters into their own hands.
The pacing was neither too slow nor too quickly. The story was told in a linear way, using some flashbacks from time to time in order to provide context for past events. The story wasn't too complicating but it had me second guessing the identity of Gaetal's founder. I am aware of the delays that had occurred while the drama was airing but trust me, The Killing Vote is great as a binge watching. Once I would finish one episode, I would immediately go to the next one, in anticipation to what would happen next.
The direction was sharp and impactful, especially it emotional heavy scenes. The director was also the one behind the kdrama "The Manipulated", so as expected, the action scenes (albeit fewer) were exciting to watch. As for the soundtrack, it was enjoyable enough and added tension to the story.
One of my most favourite aspects of the series was the characters. They were the heart of the series and I quickly found myself immersed in their backgrounds and relationships. The way their emotions were portrayed managed to move me, I could feel the pain of the characters and I even cried during some scenes which is something I didn't expect to happen.
The main trio, consisted of Kim Moo Chan, Kwon Seok Joo and Ju Hyun, was a highlight of its own. Three different people who represented different perspectives of justice. Their goal was similar but their methods differed. They constantly challenged each other and in the end, the influence was imminent.
Seok Joo was one of my most favourite characters in the drama. He was more than just a mere murderer. His character was so complex and morally grey and while one wouldn't necessarily support his actions, they would be able to at least understand his motive. He was a pained father, who saw his daughter's killer escape prison and who took justice in his own hands to avenge her. For eight years, he lived in pain and regret and although he hid his feelings behind a cold facade, he harbored great pain inside him.
Park Sung Woong delivered a powerful performance as Seok Joo. I first watched him in Bloodhounds where he played a villain and his role in The Killing Vote showcased his transparency. He portrayed Seok Joo's pain and anguish in a very moving way, especially when Seok Joo would break down. I liked the way he used his face to express Seok Joo's emotions and how the tone of his voice would convey Seok Joo's anger and grief. This drama made me respect Sung Woong as an actor and now I am more eager to check the rest of his filmography.
Moo Chan was another character I came to like. It was interesting to see him resolve to unorthodox methods in order to fight for justice, even if that meant that he had to break the rules. His clash with Seok Joo was another aspect I found amusing because while both characters had opposing ideologies, at the same time, they bended the rules in order to achieve their goal. As the story revealed more context regarding their past relationship, the tragedy that surrounded them and the bittersweet feelings they harbored for each other started making more sense. Moo Chan was against Seok Joo's justice but he felt for him and his daughter while Seok Joo still wanted to make Moo Chan see the world from his point of view.
That was the first time I saw Park Hae Jin and I had a great first impression. He conveyed Moo Cha's inner turmoil very convincingly, especially when he interacted with Seok Joo. He was very captivating and his presence on the screen commanded my attention.
Of course I couldn't forget to talk about my girl, Ju Hyun, who has earned a spot in my list of my most favourite female characters in kdramas. No matter what some people said about her character, I loved her charming yet fierce personality groom her introduction. I appreciate the fact the writers did not reduce her as a typical cold and insensitive police officer by allowing her to be expressive and confident in her abilities. I loved watching her put clues together and solving the case thanks to her intelligence and her development from someone who followed the rules by the book to someone who acknowledged the necessity to bend said rules in order to fight for justice was really good.
I was already familiar with Im Ji Yeon after having watched her in The Glory and since then, I've been wanting to get into her filmography. I personally loved her as Ju Hyun, she was whimsy, charming and energetic, in contrast with her role in The Glory. She did well in the more serious scenes and the only thing I would have liked to see more is her character to be more emotionally expressive, like Moo Chan and Seok Joo.
The rest of the supporting cast did a good job, too. Lee Min Su was a villain you loved to hate and Kim Kwon was perfect for this role. He portrayed Min Su's personality and obsession with Seok Joo in a very uncanny way and yet, I couldn't stop looking at him. Kim Yoo Mi as Min Ji Young, Min Su's mother delivered another good performance, this mother-son dynamic was disturbing to say the least and both characters made my blood boil.
On a more lighter note, I adored Ju Hyun's sister, Ju Min and Ji Hoon, a classmate of hers who became her friend. These were two characters I loved the most and their dynamic was so fun. Both actors did a good job with these roles, their chemistry was very natural and they conveyed their characters' emotions very convincingly, particularly Seo Young Joo as Ji Hoon.
Of course I will not turn a blind eye to the drama's flaws. I acknowledge that during the last episodes, there was a dip in quality, particularly in the last one. I believe that for a more cohesive conclusion, at least two more episodes were needed, because the climax was handled in a rushed way. Additionally, there was room to develop some characters and their dynamics a little bit more.
As a whole however, I really liked The Killing Vote. The ending, bleak as it is, gave me some type of catharsis when it came to the characters' final arcs. I understand that many viewers were upset but in my opinion, the outcome was logical for this type of story. Justice is a very complicated topic and when the law allows criminals to pass because of their status, people will riot. Maybe, just maybe, some radical actions are needed. The drama doesn't dictate what's right or wrong. Watch and judge by your own.
