Doubtful Victory review

Drama name: Doubtful Victory/ Oh Il-Seung
Country: South Korea
Year: Nov 2017- Jan 2018

The drama trailer was advertised on TV and the car chase scene caught my attention. Decided to give it a go when it started airing...

So, what's this drama about?

Kim Jong Sam is a death row inmate, he was falsely accused of murdering a prosecutor and a lady restaurant owner while he was a teenager. His friend, Ddakji was also accused for the same crime but as an accomplice so his sentence was just imprisonment not death row. 

One day, one of their psychopath inmates got hold of Ddakji's sister's photo. Things got worse when that psycho was being released. Ddakji panicked that something bad might happen to his sister... Kim Jong Sam decided to do something to stop that psycho. 

Now, Kim Jong Sam was no ordinary teenager when he was arrested back then. He and Ddakji was known to be petty thieves, breaking into ppl's homes and stealing stuff. He was caught one day by a detective and later became that detective's informant. He was trained with detective skills and that was how he ended up working at the restaurant where the murder took place. He even took the police entrance exams but he was arrested right before the results were announced. :'(

With those skills in hand, Kim Jong Sam noticed another inmate's shoes. It was muddy and it was impossible because they were all in prison. He realised that it was in one of the solitary confinement cells that there was an escape route, which that inmate used to get in and out of the prison. 

Kim Jong Sam used that escape route to get out and to stop the psycho from harming Ddakji's sister. Unfortunately, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.... He witnessed the dumping of a body by two secret agents while coming out of the prison escape route.

It was from there that Kim Jong Sam got into a bigger mess including taking on the identity of a dead detective (the body which the two secret agents were dumping earlier) Lol, poor guy! The rest of the story goes on with him trying to get out of the web of murder, cover-ups and eventually clearing the murder charges on him and Ddakji. 

Overall thoughts

The first episode was action packed with the car chase and everything... Even with each episode there are twists and turns which will keep you hanging in suspense. Sadly, as the story progressed it got more and more ridiculous so much that you would have to leave your brain behind. XD 

Best parts of the drama

Well, there are no beautiful interiors or anything since the show's settings start from the prison. However, the bromance between Kim Jong Sam and Ddakji was pretty sweet. It was really like the hyung looking after his younger sibling. 

The silly antics of the secret agents make some comedic relief... However, I am wondering how their conscience is knowing full well that they are murdering ppl in name of their job and their agency... 

There were scenes between these two secret agents and the cops which were funny too but I'm not going to go through the whole series again just to screenshot them... XD The detective team has good chemistry throughout the series...

As I have mentioned above that you'll hanging in suspense at the end of each episode... The many plot twists will make you baffled and scratching your head! Haha, although I must say it is entertaining to some point because it has action, suspense, anger and sad moments all rolled into one. 

I also like the pop art style of the posters of this drama... It's pretty cool, like comic style graphics...

Special mention

I must highlight this character, Gwak from this drama because of his fierce loyalty to his master, the lady in charge of the secret agents. No romantic liaisons here just plain allegiance to his master. Although at times I wanted to strangle him during the series but in the end I found myself saluting him for his loyalty.

Conclusion

With all the ridiculous plot twists and turns, everything boils down to the fact that hunger for power and greed will drive anyone to do anything to gain it. 

Kim Jong Sam finally found out who framed him and Ddjakji ten years ago and it turns out to be the ex-president who is also his father. What???!!! Hahaha!! I know, I was flipping tables as well... XD All the murders including Kim Jong Sam's mother, the lady detective's father, the prosecutor and restaurant lady owner was to cover up the fact that the ex-president had a child outside his marriage, and that child is Kim Jong Sam. The irony is that the son came back to bite him in the ass.... XD 

For those who are wondering is there any romance in this drama? Nope. Just some hints of attraction but no fluffy love moments or that kind of stuff. I am glad that it didn't have any! :D It ends with Kim Jong Sam finally coming out of prison, being cleared of all charges (including impersonating a detective) and the lady detective meeting him outside the prison gates. Kinda like an open ending where there is a suggestion that they might fall in love later... 

I wouldn't recommend you to watch this drama unless you're into this kind of detective suspense shows (without much logic! ;P) Other than that, the lead actor is kinda cute... Haha! He's like this tall clumsy guy which is kinda adorable at times... Thanks for stopping by! Until the next review, see you in dramaland! ;D 

*Image credits: Saint Google, Dramabeans etc...*