O Lado Obscuro de Gangnam (2024)

A Dark and Brutal Ride Through the Underworld

I aim to keep my reviews short, spoiler-free, and focused on the key points to help you decide if a drama is worth your time. I never fast-forward and always strive to watch the entire series to give a fair and thorough perspective.

This drama delivers an intense and violent depiction of South Korea's underworld, exploring themes of drugs, corruption, and survival.

The first episode is intentionally disorienting, leaving you questioning how the characters are connected and what their motives are. While the premise is intriguing, the series struggles with character depth. It's hard to connect with anyone besides the pimp, who himself feels so hollow that it’s challenging to fully invest in his journey.

The action scenes are a standout, with well-choreographed fights and relentless pacing. While the drama includes the familiar trope of 1v10 fight scenes, the choreography is generally well-done and satisfying. However, the violence is graphic, and the themes of drug use and prostitution make this show unsuitable for everyone. While the latter is cautiously portrayed due to its taboo nature, it still aligns with current social issues in South Korea, including runaway youth and systemic corruption.

The drama does well in explaining how the main characters started working together, but more character development would have made it easier to care about their fates. Most of the cops and prosecutors are shallow caricatures of corruption, lacking the complexity that would have made their motivations more compelling.

Despite its shortcomings, the show remains entertaining, with a steady stream of chases, murders, and kidnappings. For once, the villains are smart, and the main characters don't have to make foolish decisions to drive the plot forward. However, the story falters in the final episode, where poor writing and unnecessary missteps by the villains drag down the climax.

The OST is understated, complementing the action scenes but not leaving a lasting impression.

Ultimately, the show falls short of the best in its genre (like My Name), but it’s still an entertaining watch for fans of gritty, action-packed dramas. Its depiction of the harsh realities of the night life, including drugs and corruption, feels relevant but occasionally theatrical. With a stronger ending and more nuanced writing, it could have been a standout series.

Leia Mais

The Immortal Pimp

The drama should’ve been titled “The Immortal Pimp” 😌👌 because that’s the most accurate summary of the entire series.

Now, let me start by saying I love Ji Chang Wook—he’s one of my favorite Korean actors. But even his charm couldn’t save this mess of a show. This drama is painfully average at best, and honestly, calling it average feels like I’m being generous. Where do I even begin?

First, the characters. Or should I say, cardboard cutouts masquerading as people. There’s absolutely zero character depth, and development? Forget about it. The leads are so one-dimensional it’s almost impressive. They seem to have two modes: evil or dumb—there’s no in-between. It’s like the writers got bored halfway through and decided, "Let’s make everyone insufferable." The only person I remotely cared about was the prosecutor. The rest? I wouldn’t have blinked if they all fell off a cliff.

Then there’s the storytelling. What storytelling, you ask? Exactly. The plot is an incoherent, jumbled mess. It’s like someone threw a bunch of clichés, random violence, and melodrama into a blender and hit "puree." Speaking of violence, it’s completely senseless and over the top. Instead of adding tension, it just feels like a cheap gimmick to shock the audience.

Oh, and let’s talk about those "fights," because apparently, this drama secretly moonlights as a fantasy. Our male leads here are basically superhuman. Fighting dozens of thugs at once, etting stabbed multiple times in the stomach, slashed in the arm, hit with metal pipes? Child’s play. At one point, I half-expected him to regenerate Wolverine-style or start glowing like Iron Man. I mean, seriously, is this supposed to be gritty crime drama or Super Pimp vs. the World? The sheer absurdity of these scenes makes you wonder if someone in the writer’s room mistakenly thought they were working on a Marvel script.

The one redeeming factor should’ve been the cast, right? I mean, the lineup is stacked. But nope, not even they could salvage this train wreck. It’s like watching a group of world-class chefs trying to make a gourmet meal with expired instant noodles.

Re-watch value? Zero. Not even a second glance. For anyone curious about this show, let me save you some time: skip it. Do yourself a favor and watch The Worst of Evil instead if you didn't yet.

Honestly, the only thing this drama succeeded in was making me reconsider my life choices for sticking with it until the end.

Leia Mais

Less of a traditional drama and more like an acting laboratory

For anyone that has not watched "Gangnam B-Side", enter the experience with the expectation that it is not traditional drama fare. Because of the characteristics that typically are associated with a drama, it is remarkably bereft of any of them.

Do not watch expecting some coherent story arc with humanlike characters with somewhat meaningfully fleshed out personalities and dialogue that contains the occasional complete sentence. This vehicle seems more interested in taking actors and asking them to do things to see if they work or not. Some of the things that the production team seemed interested in testing are:

Does anyone know who Jo Woo Jin is without having to look up his biography on MDL?

Would anyone believe it if the pre-release marketing said that Ji Chang Wook was cast as a true villain? Like not a bad guy that is still likable and sort of a good guy inside and immeasurably cool?

As a plot device, does it make sense to disappear the most compelling character from virtually the start to the end?

Might someone/anyone in the Eastern Hemisphere have a different take on how to portray a dirty cop or corrupt prosecutor?

Is there a noticeable difference in Bibi's approach to playing a drug lord's daughter/protege' and a street-wise call girl?

Can Ha Yoon Kyung sell a no-nonsense morally ambiguous prosecutor character after about a dozen consecutive roles as the painfully cute, syrupy sweet secondary love interest?

If Bibi and Oh Ye Ju's characters are put in almost identical predicaments, is there any entertainment value for the second time through the same subplot?

With respect, it's possible for some dedicated viewers or family members of Jo Woo Jin that the answer to the first query is "Yes" but otherwise, none of these emerge from the mess that is this production positively. Jo Woo Jin is not lead material. Ji Chang Wook is a bad guy, but not the villain. Bibi's Jae Hui is the most compelling character but is either missing or kidnapped or otherwise not around for almost the entire show. The bad cops and sleazy prosecutors are the same as any other drama. Bibi is great as this type of character but it's indistinguishable from her character in "Worst of Evil". Ha Yoon Kyung scores brownie points for trying, but she does not deliver the weight and intensity that this role needed. And this plot badly needed to go in a different direction for the second half.

Which is not to say that everything is bad here. Jung Ga Ram is surprisingly adept in his hyperbolic, bad boy night club denizen. Great? No, but much improved over the wooden, shallow type from his previous work. It's yet to be seen how much range Bibi has as an actor, but she has the desperate, lawbreaking, not-to-be-trifled-with, buttkicking maneater character SO DOWN. Jung Man Shik can play shady, slimy & icky like very few others can. And nobody shines as much as Ok Ja Yeon as a sort of den mother to the party girls (a better version of this production would have elevated this character to one of the leads with a full backstory).

The show has lots of blinking lights and bells and whistles. There's more collapsible batons than anywhere outside of the collapsible baton factory. And the martial arts coordinator has one of the few credits I've seen for that job on MDL so there's that little nugget.

And it's definitely got a lot of grit. There is no romance here. This is not a fairytale about nice people or nice places. With a capable group to write some actual dialogue instead of recycling profanity and generic threats of violence, choreograph a fight scene with a scintilla of connection to reality and just one character that an audience could hope emerges from all the trauma in one piece physically and emotionally, "Gangnam B-Side" could have been a taut, compelling thriller.

Even for ardent fans of Ji Chang Wook or any of the other actors, can not recommend.

Leia Mais

For Fans alone, this is good, otherwise overhyped.

The series falters due to its incoherent narrative and poorly executed production. Nonsensical character arcs, particularly Jenny's apparent suicide and the random inclusion of a K-pop idol, YeoSeo's random acts, disrupt the flow and diminish the potential depth of the story. The lack of logical progression in the characters' actions further undermines the overall experience.

Production-wise, the series suffers from significant shortcomings. The poorly executed fight scenes, often limited to aftermath shots, suggest creative limitations. As the series progresses, character intelligence wanes and plot coherence deteriorates, leaving viewers with a sense of disappointment.

While die-hard fans of the actors may find some appeal, the series is not recommended for those seeking a well-crafted and engaging narrative. A rating of 7-7.5/10 seems overly generous, given its numerous flaws and limited watchability.

Leia Mais

Softboy JCW is nice, but Action JCW is better

Fast paced drama that brings you into the dark side of Gangnam, Seoul Korea.

A good drama that will hook you in within the first 10 mins of the first ep. Plot line was good, though predictable bc it's not a "new" plot .. just new characters.

Acting was 10/10. BIBI did great in her role, despite having less screen time than I excepted. JCW as always delivered in his action scenes and emotional scenes. There is a hint of romance but don't except much (esp if you're coming from 'worst of evil' and wanting BIBI and JCW to have more romance). Articles said that JCW took on a villain role, but I thought of it more of him being a vigilante.

The moment I started watching this drama, I immediately thought about the burning sun scandal ESP with how the first half of the drama was going.

Overall, 8 episodes was perfect. Didn't feel like it was dragging and every question I wanted answers for were answered.

Leia Mais

Gangnam B-Side (2024): A Forgettable Disaster Masquerading as a Drama

"Gangnam B-Side (2024) is a masterclass in wasted potential and generic storytelling. From start to finish, it feels like the writers threw together every cliché they could find, sprinkled in some overly dramatic moments, and called it a day. The plot tries to be deep and meaningful but ends up being a confusing mess that fails to engage or make sense.

The characters? Cardboard cutouts at best, with no real development or chemistry to speak of. The lead performances are either painfully overacted or so flat that you wonder if they’re just as bored as the audience. The dialogue feels like it was written by someone who just Googled 'how to sound cool in 2024' but skipped the part about making it authentic or relatable.

Visually, the drama looks like a YouTube vlog with a slightly better budget—uninspired cinematography and lazy direction throughout. Even the soundtrack, which could have salvaged something, is forgettable.

In short, Gangnam B-Side is the kind of drama you’ll forget as soon as the credits roll—if you even make it that far. If this is the 'B-Side,' I don’t even want to know what the A-Side looks like. 2/10, and that’s me being generous."

Leia Mais

Realistically well made drama - The Drak Side of BEHIND CAMERA lives !

In South Korea - The Percentage of runaway kids 55.5% of adolescents run away from home between the ages of 13 and 15, and the number of runaways among elementary school students is increasing.

Before going to start about my views on this drama, I want to share some real-life events behind this drama and its core story. We have to know how much they worked hard to bring this drama to us. And the main point is that it's always a heavy challenge and risky work to blend the real-life events in a movie or drama. 
All the information and source were collected from the Naver News & Director Interview.
1) The story was based on the book Made in Gangnam by Jo Won-Gyu, and he is the screenwriter of this drama.
2) Ji Chang-wook's Yoon Gil Ho character role was inspired by the 17-year-old boy. The screenwriter met him while he was working as the call driver.
3) Ep 5-6 faced problems from some high people in SK because it was real.

Now, let's see about the drama.

I'm one of them who has been waiting for this drama day and night from the day they announced the cast; one of the main leads is Ji Chang-wook, and it was based on the real-life events from the book Made in Gangnam. I tried to read that book & tried to purchase it, but unfortunately it was not available in my region, so I have only one option: to wait for the release.

Drama Released:-

It was a perfect, realistically well-made drama. From the very first episode, drama clearly shows what is going to happen. It's not a mystery thriller for many plot twists. Characters are introduced one after one at the right time where the story needs them, and the characters depth is also good with a clearer motive. Yes, this is a complex story to deal with because we don't have one main protagonist here; everyone is fighting for their lives and trying to protect their loved ones. The story reveals equally about the main characters. Some watchers said in comments, "It was so confusing from the first." Let me give the answer to this one; we have the clear synopsis to understand the story. TBH, it wasn't that hard to understand what's going on there when the characters are running and protecting their lives. 


Main Theme and My Personal View :- 10/10

Drama really showed the dark side of club culture in South Korea and the secret lives of some celebrities behind the cameras. The originality of the drama is the dark side of celebrities and the corruption in the government officials in South Korea and lives of run away kids and club women director Park Noo-Ri succeeded to maintain the same originality from the first to last episode with continuous thrilling, chasing and heartbroken moments and keeping story engaging with action scenes & lil bit non rom aspect. I really appreciate how the director & writer presented the core story of the drama aspects: drugs, violence, runway kids lives, celebrities & Idols drak side lives.

According to an official website, the runway kids percentage is "55.5% of adolescents run away from home between the ages of 13 and 15,"  and the number of runaways among elementary school students is increasing. This is one of the major issues that South Korea is facing. The director and writer tried to show us something or a small part of that runaway lives - like how they're living, how the behind camera society using them. But some people who watched this drama are saying it's a bad drama, bad acting, and everything is bad! I don't understand why you're not ready to receive a drama that contains or deals with contemporary issues. I'm not saying everyone must like this drama; everyone has their preferences, but this is the serious problem: when some of the viewers don't like it, they start behaving like real critics or something, giving negative comments. Appreciate something before you're going to criticize something; that's the basic point of the critic, if you want.

Cinematography - Sound Track: 9/10
Cinematography is great, with the lighting and coloring bringing the originality of every place of filming location. An appreciation to the cinematography and lighting crew. Sound composer: Hwang Sang Jun is one of the top music composers in South Korea; he has given another adrenaline soundtrack; the opening theme is one of the best in kdrama; his tracks in this drama are wonderful; they played a crucial role in presenting any scene as a good one with perfect music.

Acting :- 10/10
Ji Chang-wook is the face card of Gangnam B Side. His acting is versatile; within the 1 year span, he acted in 5 different character roles; not everyone can do it easily like he did. His acting as Yoon Gil Ho is powerful and dominating screen presence. He completely changed his makeover for this role; that's a really awesome and badass look. The Cage action is really one of the best experiences in kdrama. His emotional acting is so deeply moving and great that everyone watching must feel his emotions. In the era where the main actors are doing the central roles of dramas, Ji Chang-wook is really taking challenges, moving from the main protagonist to one of the main protagonists in his prime. As a fan of him, I'm very proud of him and his challenges, like not going to the same cliche, same troop dramas. I want my actor to do challenges, so please be within limits while judging his script choices. If you are not interested, please move on and don't make fuss over his choices and challenges here or anywhere in the name of a kdrama lover. The OG kdrama fans always like K-actors, whatever they choose to act. Sorry, I took a long time here.

Jo Woo-Jin's role is equal to JCW ones; these two acted previously in a movie but in opposite roles, but here we can experience a slight bromance between them. Jo Woo-Jin is acting also powerfully as a detective and emotionally as a father. One of the versatile actors we have in kdrama.

Female actors Bibi and Ha Yoo-Kyung performances are notable; at some point Han Yoo-Kyung's prosecutor role gets annoyed, but we can't do anything to watch. I love Ha Yoo-Kyung and her makeover as a prosecutor; she definitely will become one of the best actresses in the coming days. Bibi, this is her 3rd work; she acted very well and brought life to the Jae Hee role.

The supporting cast gave their best to make drama more intense to watch. Special appreciation to the actor Jung Ga-Ram; his acting as idol Noh Jun-seo is really something I felt to get angry after a long time. Whenever the antagonist made the viewer angry with his acting, he did justice to his role. His crazy smile and psychotic scenes are the best example that he's the potential upcoming actor. I wish he'd get more chances.

Last Talk:- 
Sorry, I wrote it very long. But I expressed what I experienced from the drama. As previously said, I'm a fan of Ji Chang-wook; I always watch' his works with an open mind like every kdrama fan does. So, don't color me with bias here just because our preferences and standards don't meet. Just watch every drama with open eyes and enjoy it. As for Gangnam B Side, it's your time-worthy and single-seat drama with perfect binge watchable for everyone without genre-biased fans.

While some scenes are violent, just skip them if anyone doesn't like them. But reading every comment makes you confused about whether to watch it or not. Remember this typical drama so rare to produce So, just go watch and enjoy experiencing it yourself.
 
about ending you have to experience it yourself :)

Leia Mais

Gritty, raw and messy

I'm reviewing this because the synopsis is sketchy and doesn't explain what the show is about. In short, it's about human sex trafficking set against the seedy drug underbelly. Ji Chang Wook fans will be disappointed because we hardly see him and I'd call him more of a supporting role here than the main lead. He's also very roughed up and not the pretty rom-com boy we're used to, so if that's your thing, look away now. He even looked better in Worst of Evil and that's a similar genre.

Overall, I find the show very messy, but maybe that's to reflect the messiness of life in this tier of society. I can't say it's my favourite genre either but I'd rate Worst of Evil much higher for more coherent editing and storyline. This one has too many time skips back and forth to explain things but the viewer has to go 'huh????' for a while first. And there were a lot of characters introduced in the first episode so it was hard to keep up.

Leia Mais

A Gritty Crime Thriller Where Revenge and Corruption Collide

*Gangnam B-Side* (as of Episode 6) has proven to be a gripping and intricate drama, blending intense character development, dark themes, and a maze of morally complex choices. Set in the underbelly of Gangnam, it explores the dangerous world of power, corruption, and the exploitation of vulnerable people. The show does a great job of painting its characters as deeply flawed yet compelling, particularly with its leads, who are constantly caught in the tension between seeking revenge and protecting those they care about.
The central plot revolves around the criminal activities of Gangnam Trading, led by Joon-seo and various other powerful figures, including Choi and Tak. The illegal trafficking of drugs like Neon and the exploitation of escorts add a sense of urgency and suspense to the narrative. Characters like Dong-woo and Gil-ho have become somewhat tragic figures, driven by guilt, revenge, and a sense of justice, though often falling short in their attempts to protect others.
The pacing has been relatively well-balanced, with the first few episodes establishing key relationships and tensions, while episodes 4 through 6 really ramp up the stakes. There’s a delicate interplay of personal vendettas and larger criminal conspiracies, and the show delves deep into the emotional toll these secrets take on its characters. Episode 6, in particular, marks a turning point with a huge revelation regarding Gil-ho’s past and his identity, which adds another layer of mystery to his motivations.
The themes of power, betrayal, and guilt are consistently explored throughout the episodes, with each character’s arc being carefully developed. While the show can be dark and at times a little slow in its buildup, it rewards patience with intense moments and twists that keep the viewer invested. The cinematography, particularly the use of neon lights and the atmospheric tension of the scenes, also contributes significantly to the show’s tone.
There are hints of resolution in the near future, but with two episodes remaining, it seems that *Gangnam B-Side* still has plenty of dramatic developments to unfold. The final episodes are likely to tie together the fates of its main characters, who have been caught in a web of crime and vengeance, though it’s unclear who will come out on top in the end.
In short, *Gangnam B-Side* is a tense and thrilling watch that pulls you into its gritty world of crime and power, while exploring complex character dynamics and deep emotional stakes. If you're a fan of dark crime dramas that blend mystery with intense personal conflicts, this show is definitely worth a watch.

Leia Mais