Like reading an engrossing book, Payback vaunted a deft and solid story threading on revenge and justice-seeking heroes.
In the backdrop of a money cartel run by affluent criminals who have conspired with high-ranking government officials, the series is off to a good start.
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Opening Week Rating:PRESS CONFERENCE: “Payback” Assures A Thrilling Vengeance Series
Payback Opening Week Story
Despite growing up in poverty, Eun Yong (Lee Sun Kyun) has found ways to make his life better. From being a thug, he raised money enough to keep his promise to his sister of getting her an apartment.
Fond of his nephew Jang Tae-chun (Kang Yoo Seok), he continues his pursuit to make real money after acquiring knowledge from one of Korea’s ruthless loan sharks, Myung In-ju.
Carving his way as a money dealer, Eun Yong also established a connection with Park Jun-kyung (Moon Chae Won) and her mother Yoon Hye-rin. Appreciating how they never judged him as a juvenile delinquent, he forged a meaningful connection with them.
Eun Yong has been staying in Mongolia to amass land when Tae-chun sent a message to him claiming a promised wish when he did not accompany him to a theme park when he was young.
Fulfilling his dream as a prosecutor, Tae-chun delves into a case that involves Chairman Myung who is now a CEO of a financial company with an elite prosecutor son-in-law to back him up.
In a twist of fate, Tae-chun’s case also involved Yoon Hye-rin. Unfortunately, Eun Yong missed Jun-kyung’s email and failed to protect the woman he is indebted to for taking care of him without hesitation and questions.
“You should always payback what you owe. Don’t weigh your losses but your values.”
Returning to Korea, Eun Yong is briefed by his reliable secretary Hong Ha-na on the risks and details to consider. But he is bent on finding the truth as he does not believe CEO Yoon would commit suicide.
Meanwhile, Tae-chun continues to probe the case that would loop Chairman Myung and CEO Oh, a former chief prosecutor turned investment fund owner. However, Hwang Ki-seok (Park Hoon) who leads the Special Investigation Unit of the Prosecution’s office cleans up after his father-in-law’s mess. He uses one of CEO Oh’s minions to take the fall for the stock manipulation case involving GMI Bank.
Tracing back to the past, when Eun Yong decided to leave Chairman Myung’s business which he helped to skyrocket the profit, the greedy and evil loan shark agreed but his investment in CEO Yoon’s company was coercively seized by Chairman Myung.
Luckily, he escapes peril and relays what happened to CEO Yoon. Thanks to Eun Yong’s talent in stock reading, his proposal to overturn the tables succeeded.
Knowing his former mentor would find ways to cause trouble for him, Eun Yong made precautions. He promises not to meddle in his money affairs with the condition of not harming his family. Thereafter, he went overseas to build money away from Chairman Myung’s turf.
Learning from Secretary Hong that Jun-kyung left the prosecutor’s office as she will be questioned in the military court, he meets her with the intention to be on her side to her goal.
Payback Opening Week Musings
Neatly pictured, Payback portends a polished tale of revenge powered by a minimalist narrative framework made intriguing by expected character confrontations. SBS Friday-Saturday drama slot is famed for a reason, and Payback certainly deserves the spot.
Early on, you can see the commitment of the cast and creative team in conceiving a quality series. If stocks, investment and money ventures interest you; then you are expected to be drawn into the series. In particular, it extensively traces fund investment situations in Korea as the series switches to flashbacks in the 90s and early 2000 years.
Presumptively, the cases to be featured by the prosecutors revolve around finance, and to a certain degree the shady aspect of it.
With established heroes and villains, the story looks forward to rolling into outwitting games that would rope in corrupt government officers plus good and evil fund investors.
Smoothly delineated, the series gives the viewers an easy walkthrough of the technicalities involving money in a grand-scale setting. It also piques interest as to how the opposing camps would utilize their strengths to overturn each other.
Explore the world of money while rooting for the heroes of Payback every Friday and Saturday on SBS!
Photos: SBS Drama
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