Drama name: 38 Task Force/ Squad 38
Country: South Korea
Year: June- Aug 2016
My then (now ex-colleague) introduced me to this drama because of Seo In Guk. I had just finished watching Shopping King Louis at that time and she told me this show was pretty good. So, I downloaded it but never gotten around to watching it...(^_^V) During the lockdown in March, I remembered this drama and decided to watch it after all these years! :D
So,what's this drama about?
Baek Sung-Il is a public servant working as a tax collector. His job is to collect taxes from everyone in the city, ranging from the very rich to the very poor. He leads a small team that goes around to companies and individuals to collect the unpaid taxes. As we all know, there will be those who evade tax and that makes his job tougher. His team gets chased, beaten or threatened on a daily basis.
What makes his job worse is that his superior sets a target of 20 million to be collected. Baek then decides to go after the biggest tax defaulter, which is actually protected by his superior and even the mayor. It is a twisted world, where the rich are being let off while the poor are being taxed to the max.
Baek Sung-Il doesn't earn much. One day he tried to get a second hand car and got conned. He was so upset that he got help from his detective friend to help get his money back. This is how Baek met Yang Jung-Do. Jung-Do is a professional con artist, and he was on a mission to con a list of people for revenge.
As Baek was facing mounting pressure to reach his 20 million target and tired of being stepped on by untouchable rich people, he asks Jung-Do for help in exchange for not pressing charges against him for the car con.
The story goes on with the unlikely duo teaming up to collect unpaid taxes from the rich, forming a friendship and also uncovering the secret agenda behind Jung-Do helping Baek to collect taxes.
Overall thoughts
It was kinda of ridiculous to think that a government servant would ask help from a con artist to collect tax. Maybe because I have watched the later dramas such as Switch and Mad Dog, I found this drama pale in comparison. It was only saved by the good acting of the two male leads.
Best parts of the drama
I thought it could be a mukjang drama, with all the yummy food being shown in the first few minutes and also throughout the episodes...
The bromance between Baek and Jung-Do... From a thin line to a strong bond between the two men while executing the cons together.
The rag tag team of con artists formed by Jung-Do... It's always nice to see people working together to accomplish a task and feeling great afterwards...
Okay, wait... what... no interiors today? Of course there is one! :D Jung-Do's apartment, he is staying in a posh place with all that money he conned from others... dayum...
Notable scenes
My fav would be the first successful con from the big shot... Jung-Do instructed Madam Noh to dump all the money unto the streets from the building... It was raining money!
Special mention
Madam Noh's right hand woman, who is her daughter actually. She's so badass. Love her!
Conclusion
It was a series of cons and it always seemed that the group failed but then actually they succeeded. I guess this is the world of conmen... Con to be conned... Hahaha... Jung-Do had to sacrifice himself for the final con, and he went to jail. Baek gets to keep his job as a tax collector, the mayor steps down and the bad guys somewhat defeated. A good ending overall, just a small twist in the jail where Jung-Do meets a guy that looks exactly like Baek! Haha! I wonder what was the writer aiming for, a second season or something... who knows....
The drama is an okay one for me. Not really over the top, just alright. If you are into these kind of team action dramas then it will be a nice watch. I still prefer the newer dramas to this, I guess it's not really fair because this drama came out first and the later ones improved on it.. Haha, sorry man! Just my honest thoughts... ;D
Alright, that's all for now. Hope you are staying safe, I have not been watching any new dramas because of the overall down mood... Covid, life... I'm sure many out there are also feeling the same. Just hope things will improve slowly... Take care everyone.
I'll leave you with Jung-Do and Baek with the truth about life...
