Rugal

Presentation

For more…

Preview

Synopsis

​Kang Gi Beom is an upright police officer. He fights against a powerful organization called Argos. After an altercation with Argos’ chief Hwang Deok Goo, Kang Gi Beom’s wife is killed and his eyes taken out. However, he manages to survive thanks to the help of a secret police force called Rugal, trying to destroy Argos. Kang Gi Beom joins the team and together try to prevent any more damages caused by Argos, while looking for his wife’s murderer. 

My Opinion (No Spoilers)

​The original idea of the drama was interesting since we had characters who were given special abilities thanks to artificial intelligence. The plus of the drama are: the fighting scenes that are well done and credible and the friendship that unites Rugal’s members is moving, knowing that all of them have a difficult back story and therefore trust issues. 

Moreover, Park Sung Woong is a magnificent actor when it comes to embodying an evil man, and you will learn how to hate him as much as the characters of the drama. If you’re are looking for a tense and thrilling drama, I clearly recommend it. 

My problem was that some parts of the drama were either expected or redundant, so that the story could have ended faster. Yet, it is a very good adaptation of the comic book!

My interest for the drama while watching oscillated between a total disinterest (because too slow or too obvious) and a real focus (in action scenes and by the end of the drama mostly). 

​But, if you want to watch a drama that is not too complex or confusing and action-worthy, then you should check it out!

Analysis

• Characters
• Ambiance
• What are the themes tackled?

Characters: Choi Jin Hyuk plays the role of Kang Gi Beom, who lost everything because of Argos. Therefore, he is revengeful and also very stubborn, which made me want to slap him at some point. Indeed, he never listens to other team members  and puts them in danger several times. Nevertheless, he remains a very resourceful, intelligent and determined character, who doesn’t crumble, even after everything he’s been through. 
​
Hwang Deuk Goo (Park Sung Woong) is literally evil! On top of that, he’s extremely clever. He knows his enemies and how to use their weaknesses. He is also capable of leading an organization and turning the chairwoman into a puppet, fighting against Rugal and many other things. Despite all that, he becomes somewhat human by the end of the drama, as we get to know his past. We might even feel empathetic towards him. 

​The other members of Rugal are well written too, especially the team leader Han Tae Woong (Jo Dong Hyuk) and the maknae Lee Gwang Cheol (Park Sun Ho). However, female roles prove to be a big disappointment. The two main female characters have important position (one in Rugal, the other as Argos’ chairwoman) but are unfortunately useless throughout the entire drama. Especially chairwoman Choi Ye Won (Han Jin Wan)! She is always manipulated by everyone, she is incapable of saving her own life without asking for help and wants to act all tough, when in reality she is clearly not up for the job! She is even lucky that Hwang Deok Goo likes her, otherwise she would have been dead before the end of episode 2! And Song Mi Na (Jung Hye In) could be an indispensable part of the team, yet she is the one being rescued most of the time. 
​
Actually, the characters that are the most interesting, and not stereotyped (because the drama itself is too me a clichéd action drama) are the supporting characters. The brilliant doctor Bradley (Jang In Sub) and his mysterious colleague Susan (Jang Seok Kyung), whom I think should have been more present; the police officer Seol Min Joon (Kim Da Hyun) – who was awesome by the way – and Rugal’s chief Choi Gun Cheol (played by Kim Min Sang) who turns out to be worse than Hwang Deok Goo. 

Ambiance: I have mixed feelings. The drama is either boring with unnecessary moments or very stirring with exciting scenes. And if it was just that, it could’ve gone smoothly. But, I also find both the story and characters to be quite unrealistic. I understand that it is an adaptation in the first place; but on the one side, some of the situations seem impossible to overcome, yet they manage; and on the other side some circumstances are obviously traps and anyone would see it, yet they have these dumb and annoying reactions. Anyway, a huge bravo to the incredible fighting scenes (I hadn’t seen such good fighting scenes in a long time!) and good integration of artificial intelligence. 

​What are the themes tackled?

Obviously, the one theme that always comes back in this kind of dramas: Evil and powerful organizations doing bad, and good heroes fighting against them. I agree that it was not entirely dichotomous (like in certain dramas) but it was still seen, unseen and re-seen. The second theme (the most interesting one personally) is artificial intelligence. For once, it was pushed to its limits with the dangers of it (when Kang Gi Beom’s eyes try to take control over him), the fight for it (the doctor who created them is purely a genius) and the unfortunate and disgusting side effects, such as experimenting on people to turn them into weapons with their actual consent. 
The way Argos treats human beings is very dark and frightening but it remains a dystopic view on how one institution can take advantage of its power and violate human rights to fulfill its ambitions (Let’s hope it will not be the case in real life!). ​

P.S.: Does anyone also have a soft point for Choi Jin Hyuk’s smile?