so, I got to find this comparably older movie from 2014, because I lately finally watched 'because this is my first life' - yes, real life is crappy these days for many and a friend highly recommended this drama as one with the perfect 'everything is good, poeple are good and all will be fine in the end' dramas - so I watched - and - saw Lee Min-ki for the first time.

I liked him in that drama, but not exclsuively because I (really) liked this specific drama, but because I really liked his vibe, which is rather edgy and dark in a restrained way. Even in that friendly role and unintended.
I thought that all the time, and I really enjoyed that although the script writers tried hard, he just never looked like the typical babyface , unrealistically nice and 'no intentions' guy, but instead very classically manly.
So, I checked what else he has done, and seeing the 'emperor' movie in the list plus seeing Park Sung-woong in it too, I checked further.

The description said dark, classical gangster flick, lots of blood, brutal, and adult content.
So firstly, for all those complaining here: please read the description first. If you don't like this kind of content don't watch it instead of complaining afterwards.
But now, to the movie finally:

Movie:

So, I expceted a certain setting but I was utterly surprised after only five minutes in. Yes, there is lots of blood, knives, rather nice cinematography with the flickering lights in the dark. And then there is real adult content? In a Korean movie? Real passion, real kisses, and - you know, - the real stuff, like poeple really do it at times? A woman making the real sounds, not that fake high pitched mouse squeeking stuff? I almost fell off my chair, - in a Korean movie? I really did not expect that and found it to be a nice surprise for a change.

That said, the rest is also what the description said - it's a noir gangster movie set in Busan, ( if you speak Korean it's nice hearing the actors speaking with that accent as in this gangster setting, this accent gives the right vibe)
it has all the cliches, games and betting, brothels, gangster bosses in big cars and expensive suits, lots of minions willingly going into rather unrealistic knife fights with lots of bloody action.
The music seems fitting as it felt a little dated, almost 80s like with that synthi-sound. ( so seemed Lee Min-kis hairdo with that perm, but also this fitted that role)

The whole movie seems just like a glimpse into this kind of gangster world, which, in the end, is a shark tank, the one on top always has to fear to be killed so another one can take his place.
It's all about money and yes, women who, in these settings ( and that sadly is realistic) are nothing but convenience used and abused and trying to survive somehow.

And no, it's just not the movie where you start with feministic ideas, it's simply the truth for many women in many countries who for whatever reason, find themselves in such (or way worse) life settings. I found the actress played that part convincing, having to do things she hates, using what means she can, always being threatened, and of course being sad and unhappy.
Still she at least finds short passion with Lee Hwan, they transport that first moment immediate (almost animal-) attraction feeling very convincingly. And no, there is no happy end for neither of them, in such settings there is no place for happy endings, at least that was realistic.

As for unrealistic parts: the knife scenes where nicely coreographed but far from reality. Even further from reality is the idea that a lanky ex baseball player like Lee Hwan suddenly has self defense abilities topping the best gangsters, him being outnumbered by 15 large blokes with knives and he takes them all down - yeah, no way of course, but, again, typical for these kind of movies.
There was dialouge, yes, cliche dialogue, but good enough to watch the whole movie. ( and this goes SO much worse, and in newer productions, please go watch 2022 'project wolf hunting' if you want the worst ;)

Result:

knowing what I will probably get I enjoyed this, and watched the whole movie without fast forwarding (which I did many times with actions flicks worse that this)

I was impressed by Lee Min-ki, as he can convincingly play that cruel, cold, psycho guy with a death stare one might still feel drawn to .
As I said he gives off that very reserved and restrained vibe, but there is some little dark intensity underneath, (also in interviews) which I find rather appealing and interesting in a very classical, manly way. I meanwhile saw another drama with him ('liberation notes') with yet another completely different acting vibe, so he for sure can play very versatile roles, and is obviously brave enough to simply not be yet another polished 'little boy' actor.

So, if you can just enjoy these kind of movies - brain off, - with all the typical stuff, gangsters, fights, dark vibes, - give it a go.
It's not brilliant, nothing for your intellect, it's just what it is and says to be and for that comparably enjoyable.