Mad Dog (2017)

Filler drama

It's the story of a group of people who find themselves working together two years after a suspicious airplane crash took place. Choi Kang Woo created his own investigation team, after he lost his wife and son in the accident. He and his team meet Kim Min Joon, a genius former swindler whose brother was also a victim of the crash.

Now, overall the series was nice, I have to say that it actually started off very slow, and even though I wasn't super entertained by the story, I think it's not bad. The story is pretty basic actually, we've seen it before, it's the typical trope of people banding together to uncover the truth behind a tragic incident that ultimately has to deal with powerful people using their power to make money regardless of the victims. Here, the only change is that we have the insurance aspect.

So afterwards, I don't think anyone will be amazed by the story, but they did an overall good job.

I saw a review called Woo Do Hwan a "show-stealer" and I can only agree on that. This actor, whom I have seen now in a few series and different roles, is truly a talent of his generation. Not only for me he is the one who made the show interesting, but all the scenes in which he appears are just really good. The character Choi Kang Woo, who is the grieving father and husband, is supposed to appeal to my empathy but I haven't once felt like I connected to his character. While the only time Kim Min Joon, Woo Do Hwan's character, cried, I had tears in my eyes. He had quite a mischievous character played, I could see his eyes fill with mischief, sometimes he was bold and cold, sometimes touching, sometimes funny, he was everything.
It's to say the contrast, a young actor, so I want to mention that here it was only his second main role in a series manages to touch the viewer while a veteran actor does not even make me smile.

Now, I don't want to slander Yoo Ji Tae, but he's not a fabulous actor to begin with, I've seen him in a few other series, and no matter the role, he always seems the same to me. His tears are just overrated, his character here is basically dumb as he gets out-smarted by Woo Do Hwan most of the time. For his role, I expected him to live up to Woo Do Hwan who shone. I don't know if it's the script, but even Woo Do Hwan managed to shine in it, so I'd say it's really the actor who is the problem.
However, don't take my words as saying he sucked into it, I'd just say he was pretty decent, he was there to be there, to fulfill his role, it's just that his acting wasn't good enough to rival that of his co-star Woo Do Hwan.

As for the other characters, I would say that Ryu Hwa Young was written and performed with some depth, and even though we don't get to dig deep into her character, she does shine the most after Woo Do Hwan, which is a surprise for me because female leads tend to be annoying. She shows several layers, and I would have liked her to be explored more as there was so much potential.
As for Kim Hye Sung and Jo Jae Yoon's characters, they were there typically for the comic relief moments, they didn't bring much else, but their characters were enjoyable for what little light they got.

I won't drag this out any longer, but if I had to sum up this show, it's kind of a filler after a show that's been very intense, it was long and to be honest I skipped several scenes but it's got a bit of everything - comedy, action, emotion and drama, a bit romantic echo - it's pretty basic and enjoyable for the most part. The production is good, the script correct and Woo Do Hwan was THE highlight.

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Mad Dog is one of the dramas which doesn‘t focus on romance but friendship and revenge. And I like it even though I love romance dramas. But sometimes there are other things which are more important. And honestly, this drama wouldn‘t have suit a big romance, so I was very satified with what we got.

 Story: Mad Dog is about a small group made of people who want to take down people who commit insurance fraud. The theme is different from most of the crime and investigation dramas I have seen so far and this gave me one big reason to watch. The other reason was the Cast but I want to talk about the story first. Some people said the story was slow, but in my opnion it was the right rate. Many Korean dramas are very fast forward these days and I don‘t like it. The more the story developed the more the viewer got to know about the characters and their past especially the main characters.

 Cast: Seriously I need only one word to describe the Cast: Amazing! Yes all of the main characters were amazing in their roles. The Acting, the feelings...There isn‘t anything I want to complain. But I want to write about the main Characters who got my attention.
 First of All, Yoo Jitae. I watched him in Healer and I liked his Acting very much back then. His role was the Leader of the group „Mad Dog“ and an Ex-Cop. He has a personal reason for the work as the leader of „Mad Dog“ and if you know which reason you will love him even more. He seems nice to his friends, but if he doesn‘t like someone the person knows it...or he/she will. Yoo Jitae acted very well. His emotions were heartbreaking and I understand him and his reasons very much.
 The next Actor I was amazed by was Woo Doohwan. Like Yang Sejong he is a rookie Actor but if you don‘t know that fact you wouldn‘t think a litttle bit about it. Mad Dog was my first drama, because I didn‘t want to watch Save me when I only have time in the evening. In Mad Dog he plays Kim Minjoon. He is mysterious and seems to be very cold but he has a warm heart. He is very lonely and has a reason for his actions. Woo Doohwan plays excellent. I cried with him and I laughed with him and this means very much.
 Now I want to write about the only Female „Mad Dog“ Member. Ryu Hwayoung plays a young woman who worked with Yoo Jitaes character before. She seems a little bit arrogant, but she is hurt and she understands people who are hurt very good. Maybe Hwayoungs personality isn‘t very likable but she is an excellent actress, no doubt.
 The Love-Hate relationship between Ryu Hwayoung and Woo Dohwan is another Reason why I loved the Drama. The two of the should do a romantic melodrama together (but Doohwan acts opposite Rvs Joy-.-). Another Reason to watch this drama is the Bromance between Yoo Jitae and Woo Doohwan. The two of them have a very good chemistrya together.
 The other two Mad Dog Members, played byJo Jaeyoon and Kim Hyesung, were very good, too. Also Hong Soohyun as Yoo Jitaes Hoobae from the university.

 Music: The Song „Waht I want“ by Niihwa is a very nice song. When Mad Dog was on Air I listened to it every Day...Now I don‘t have time for that…

 Rewatch Value: I will watch the drama again, definitly...After my Exams...

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its one of my favourite drama.

i am so in to thriller crime investigation dramas. And this one is just perfect. The casting is perfect . you wont be disappointed if you are into an investigation dramas. The story is well executed .And it has lot of twist and turns. And each episode is somewhat thrilling .The bond of friendship , the way they back up each other .....is pretty good. I have watched this drama almost 3 times. And i never disappointed.

if you are looking into romance this is not for you....well there is romance but its eye to eye....

the way they execute each operation worth mentioning.

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Good, could have been greater

Mad Dog - a drama in which its' plot was built with one too many clichés, but eventually became original enough on it's own to genuinely enjoy. The majority of dramas similar are most likely going to be better but Mad Dog is still a decent watch. I think the greatest thing in regards to this drama was the fact that the cast selection was perfectly orchestrated. This means that you can expect (nearly) all characters to be acted out to an immensely impressive level. The story starts out quite boring but eventually becomes interesting enough, and I would even say 'binge-worthy'.

A few things did bother me, such as some characters sudden and one-time action's not matching their personalities, forced romance (not much romance but you'll understand what I mean if you end up watching Mad Dog), and some over-the-top scenes trying to display the 'emotions'.

I do like the easiness of the story in the sense that it was easy to follow, especially in the later stages where things started to be a good level of 'complex but not confusing'. Oh, and the CGI, especially with the plane crash, was very impressive work, it actually looked real. I don't say that at all when it comes to CGI, so props to the person or people in charge of that!

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At first the show might seem very boring but once you actually get into it, the story line makes a lot of sense. For someone who was procrastinating watching the show, I fell in love with it after episode 2. It starts off very slow but in the middle and at the end, this show gets very interesting because it actually starts to show how the past relates to the present. Insurance fraud may not seem very interesting to watch but the show really gets you into it. The screenwriter did a really excellent job of tying everything together so well from the beginning till the end.  I never found the show boring even for one episode. It did not make me want to skip to the next 5 seconds or 10 seconds of it. Honestly, this was one of the best shows this year that I watched and it is for sure my number 1 show for 2017. Kudos to the screenwriter who did such an excellent job of showing all the characters shining through and for keeping the storyline true to what it was meant to be.

The characters were very interesting to watch because each character had a different lifestyle and had a different story. Kim Min Joon was my favorite by far because his character was done so well that at the beginning you really seem to hate him but then when you actually get to the middle point of the show and you see his story, you can’t help but sympathize and love him. Woo Do Hwan was a perfect actor to portray Kim Min Joon. His acting convinced me from every expression he showed and every word he spoke. I also loved Yoo Ji Tae’s character because he was so different and opposite of Kim Min Joon. His pain and suffering really showed onscreen with his expressions. Even Ryu Hwa Young did an excellent job of being the perfect female lead who was sensitive enough to care for mad dog members but also tough enough to hold her own in missions. The slight romance gave this show a very nice touch because every scene that had a hint of romance made you take a breather from the intense storyline.

For me this show was exciting, thrilling, and a roller coaster ride. Even with the romance, I couldn’t help but squeal at each part because it was so cute. The ending didn’t seem rushed since everything was building up to the perfect ending. I loved how they didn’t just end right when all the bad guys are caught and actually showed what happens later on with the characters and where they all are in each point of their lives.
If you’re looking for an interesting and thrilling drama, I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS. This is for sure my favorite drama of 2017 and I don’t think it will change.

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A twisty-turny drama about corruption and those that pretend not to be corrupt

Wow, just when you think you know what's going on, they throw in another curve ball. This, for me, required a lot of attention, because there were a LOT of moving parts, and the "good guy/bad guy" dynamic changed quite often. I thought the script was excellent, the actors were great, and I'm SO glad I watched it. Below are random musings...

1) Woo Do Hwan as Kim Min Joon. There are moments you think you might want to hate him and his selfishness, but you just can't. I think Do Hwan is the centerpiece of any show that he is in. There is something so charismatic about him that just commands your attention. His vulnerability, his bravado, his humor, his looks. This man is the whole package. You might forget to breathe when you see him smile, but when he cries, you would like to hold him.
2) Yoo Ji Tae as Kang Woo. He was great in this as the leader of the Mad Dog team, how he wanted to be a lone wolf, but the others wanted to help him and keep him safe.
3) Jo Jae Yoo as Soon Jung - I just have to say I loved seeing him as a good guy. I'm used to him as the baddie.
4) Ryu Hwa Young as Ha Ri - I really like this actress. She reminds me of Park Shin Hye, but personally I think Hwa Young is a better actress and actually has facial expressions.
5) Park In Hwan as the professor. I love this gentleman, he's just so sweet looking. If you haven't seen Navillera, watch it. He was amazing!
6) Jung Hyuk Jin as Moo Shin - he was amusing, and I'm glad he was on the side of good throughout.
7) Choi Won Young as Hyun Gi. He played a good bad guy, script wise, but I kept wishing they hadn't made him so obviously bad. Between his unfortunate haircut and his bad styling, from the moment I saw him I knew he'd be the big bad. Those stupid shirts with half of the tie going up through the collar, I kept thinking he needed to fix his collar! Not a good look. I would have much preferred that they had written him as someone that it was a surprise to find out he was bad.
8) BTS on Min Joon's ear buds when he was jogging. BTS is always a good thing!
9) The "romance" between Moon Jin and Ha Ri - I thought this was really well-written. Very understated, flying under the romance radar. The team knew that they liked each other, but the two of them had no clue. And when he sat across from her at the table and said, "I just want to sit here for a minute and look at you" - be still my heart! And she was looking everywhere but at him.
10) Soon Jung's crush/relationship with the nurse. I loved watching that relationship develop, and I loved that she was part of the team at the end.
11) The developing relationship between the members of Mad Dog and Min Joon. Here was an already tight team that suddenly had to deal with Min Joon's questionable motives. I loved the trust and caring between the team members and enjoyed watching them slowly drawing Min Joon into their circle. And when Min Joon finally called Kang Woo Hyung, all was right with the world.
12) This drama had a good mix of tension and humor.
13) My only complaint was the overabundance of corruption. A couple of people, maybe, but the corruption was rampant in this one.

I can highly recommend this one.

I normally don't care for second seasons of shows, but I'd love to see more of the Mad Dog team.

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Actually this drama was aired on last year but i was watching only now.... anyway it is superrrrrrrrrr drama the main leads are yoo ji tea, woo do hwang.; ryu hwa young, jo jea yu, kin hye hung, this are from Mad dog members. the main mad dog was choi kang woo {yoo ji tea ... he was investigator officer of insurance company... but some incident make him to form mad dog group... he investigate fraud activity against insurance company..... this was over all drama.... the all 5 lead have special bond between them... even kim min joon character was coming to mad dog forcefully the other members accept him eventually.....

i can't say there is romance.... but kim min joon and jang hari ... scence were sooo romantic... they were flirting each other... we can make a ship between them from 1 st episod itself.... i can't stop seeing there MV from youtube....

friendship , thriller... small romance make this drama worth watch... if you are interested in thriller drama definitely watch... i recommed everybody to watch for change from an romcomdey dramas.....

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Interesting

I don't understand anything about the story so far but there's still something in this Kdrama that makes me want to continue and discover. I started watching because of a specific actor but I quickly found myself interested in the others and impressed by the performance. I admit that some special effects are not to my liking and that some attitudes of the time make me uncomfortable (it's 2017, so I can't expect too much). Even so, if I'm going to watch old Kdrama I feel like I made a good choice starting with this one, it has a lot of potential and I've seen several people praising it

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Drama is good ,sone scene touch me a lot .one scene when he came to knew at the first time that his brother didn't do it . He was framed and he cried by saying hyung and then all scenes had been shown that how his brother tried his level best but he failed and then all the scene between both the brother and his brother told to him that next time you should called me hyung ,all these dialogues and that plane crash scenerio make me cry ,make me too much emotional.
I think that they can show that his brother was not died that cruel man hide his brother who went in coma due to accident ,so finding the truth about his brother he eventually found his brother and called him hyung. Actually his brother character emotionally touched to my heart and i don't like that good character have bad ending .
They can show more chemistry between kim min joo and ha ri.
Last scene of the episode make me excited ,so second season ....with new tragedy and some more and interesting character add up.

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Insurance crime drama with the right amount of everything

To be honest I jumped into this with bit of prejudice that I would not make it past three episodes. Well man.. was I wrong!! and am glad I was.

The plot progression was smooth and kept the excitement going till the last episodes. The characters were well written. Here we can find a villain/villains who can think better or on par with the leads. I found this to be more realistic than other crime thrillers that I've watched recently, since the ball wasn't with any one of the sides for long.

Another major plus for me was the romance aspect of this show. The characters weren't forced into a relationship and lots of screen time were not wasted on clichés. What we get is short and sweet version that is much more appealing.

Definitely, a re-watchable drama.

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