As a K-Drama fan for years, Punch is one of the few narratives that can leave the audience with a surreal feeling!
Punch is a literal badass with its intelligent writing. Full of surprises, it will make the viewers grab their hair out of frustration. I wondered how much hate the writer might have stored in himself to motivate him to write a chronicle that was able to maintain a level of grit all throughout the depiction of the corrupt Korean Prosecutors’ Office.
- Main Cast: Kim Rae Won | Kim A Joong
- Thrill/Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: Vincenzo | Defendant | Doctor Prisoner |
*Originally published on my blog in March 2015
Punch Series Highlights
Enthralling Narrative
Awed and at the edge of my seat every episode’s finishing kick, I can’t help but wonder how brilliant the writer is in bringing out a drama where heroes and villains don’t waste time out-manipulating each other to secure the highest possible position befitting to their greed and wickedness.
With a dying man as a lead hero in charge to intellectually brawl with his superiors in the Prosecutor’s office, the stake was always at the highest as the people involved raced to protect their families, reputations, and personal ambitions.
The characters centered on high-ranking officers of the Prosecution’s office who were able to propel amazing cast ensembles that will take your wit all the way to the Milky Way. It was a nerve-wracking display of shrewdness played equally well by all the characters who were in the running to claim the vilest of ’em all crown.
Park Jung Hwan
At some point, it felt exhausting how Punch can’t seem to put every trick in its sleeve in one go. It kept bouncing the plot twists that there’s no choice but to worry about Park Jung Hwan.
I also ruminated on why the drama was titled Punch. After finishing the series, it made sense owing to every episode of combat spectacle of cleverness. Punch is a story of a dying prosecutor who is on a quest to clean up the corrupt high officials of the office he belongs to.
His strategic thinking defied the power his superiors used when he was on a spree to reveal their evil doings. It was a hard and frustrating battle, but he managed to expose the truth before his passing.
Punch Series Musings
What viewers would love about Punch is the ability of the hero to bounce back from the oppression even without much trump card to fight off the huge power and walls his superiors built to hinder his outrage. It’s your classic underdog story but very well polished in a Mafia grit kind of way. They made phone calls, had afternoon tea, and ate jajangmyun a literal thrilling visual feast.
The antagonists displayed impossible levels of wickedness that even when they got what they deserved in the closing chapter, the rage buildup would make you fuming and wishing they suffer a bit more.
There’s no fleeting romantic interlude in this drama but it is filled with family love and lessons about choosing the right decisions in life.
Story-wise, Punch deserves the 2015 Best K-Drama badge for its remarkable writing and heartfelt character portrayals. If you want a dose of serious-themed drama, this one is for you.
Amazement surely will assault you with how the dark hero of the series rebranded claiming justice with unparalleled bravado.
If you are a Kim Rae Won fan, this will definitely leave a significant impression and affirmation of why you adore him as an actor.
Photos: SBS
[wpedon id=”3227″ align=”center”]
