The Killing Vote

This show has been my insomnia fuel for the past week so I'll say at the very least it's entertaining. However, between the poorly written women characters and predictable ending, it doesn't have any replay value. Do I regret my time watching it? Not at all. Would I watch it again? Absolutely not.

There was clearly a lot of money put into this production, but it seems like the writing got the least amount of the budget. There's some serious plot holes and suspending my judgment doesn't change that. The last 4 episodes feel like a different show than the first 8 episodes which would be cool if it was intentional. It wasn't though, and it seemed as though the suspense they built was for nothing. Overall, it was just OK.

Korean Drama '' The Killing Vote '' is a chilling thriller that combines many criminal cases, but mainly focuses on the mystery of the dog-masked man who kills those whom the law doesn't punish accordingly.

The drama, therefore, has an intense story, with some crimes being really dark and harsh to follow. Also, towards the ending, everything comes together, even those characters that seemed pointless to watch all this time have their own part in the mystery. Actually, all the characters were interesting, especially the professor, who was a tragic character. The performances were pretty great as well, and there should be a special shout out to the younger members of the cast who really shone.

However, on the other hand, the ending was lukewarm. Sure, there were some moments when the drama started getting blunt and tiring to follow, as they kept dragging, but the ending could have wrapped up things more smoothly.

So, overall, six and a half out of ten.

What is happening to Korean dramas? It's certainly not the sole responsibility of Netflix as some people think, because kdramas are now more evenly spread over multiple streaming platforms. This show is listed as a drama and a thriller on IMDb, yet some of the performances are bordering on comedic. I get you can't have intensity every minute, but the lighter moments of this show are quite awkward at best and seem very misplaced contextually.

The premise is decent. People who allegedly got away with heinous crimes when judged by the legal system are now being judged by the public. A masked person called "Dog Mask" selects a 'criminal', opens up the voting to the public, and if over 50% feel the 'criminal' needs to be punished, that person is murdered.

Most of the actors are fine in their roles. I know they are limited to the script as written and are guided by a director. The delivery of the dialogue and the accompanying physicality through gestures and movement, however, are usually left to the discretion of the actor.

One person is particular is taking me out of the story in nearly every scene she's in. It's Lim Ji Yeon, who I recognize as the evil sadist from The Glory. In that production, her performance was oftentimes way over the top. I mean, seriously over the top. I chalked it up to her interpretation of the character. But I do recall noting at the time that the performance was almost a caricature. It was difficult to watch her. She just didn't ring true to me. Now she's back in The Killing Vote and once again the physical gestures and the maniacal acting out is far too much for me.

I'm going to try to stick with The Killing Vote, but with the amateurish comedy which never lands as it should, and the lack of talent in some of the performers, I can't promise I'll finish all 12 episodes. I may just read recaps. 2023 hasn't been a banner year for Korean cinematic endeavors. Let's hope in 2024 we return to the high standards we've come to expect.

****Edit. After watching episode 6, I must acknowledge they do a very good job of ratcheting up the tension and most of the cast with the exception of Lim Ji Yeon is excellent. The story seems to have found its rhythm, but we have many episodes left.

The killing vote starts from a very clever premise: the justice system is corrupt and inefficient, the people's justice will find and punish devils deemed innocent. Sometimes the story drags too much, some of the dialogue is forced, but the drama is there, some of the actors are really outstanding, and the others are good. There are many twists and turns, many of which are simply brilliant, while others were unnecessary. But overall, it is a series that will make you want to watch it to the end as the story progresses.

I disagree with the reviews of those who criticize the moments of levity in the series. These moments are well contextualized with the characters. You will never see the "professor" (the most dramatic character in the series) laughing, just as you will never see the antagonists making jokes. The series also lends itself to interesting philosophical debates on justice, the writers have done their homework in that Cesare Beccaria is also quoted in the series, and several references to modern digital rights.

The weak point of the series is the ending, but I can understand the decision of the writers to keep things a little open to propose a second season. I strongly suggest watching it in the original language with subtitles; the Korean language is very expressive, so watching it dubbed would kill much of the acting.

If you are a Park Hae Jin fan you will love this drama! PHJ is such a versatile actor. He's quite evil in this drama. Don't worry you will quickly adjust to his menacing role. I've only watched 2 episodes and they left me on the edge of the couch! I am waiting for episode 3 because episode 2 was a nail biter. If you like action and murder mysteries you will love this drama! The cast of actors are excellent and the female lead is from the Glory drama. The only downfall is one episode weekly. I am use to Koreans drama airing twice weekly.

This drama will give many clues throughout the episodes to assist you with determining who the suspects may be. The first episode reveals a relationship. I will say no more. Please watch this excellent drama!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏