“The Worst Of Evil”: A Gripping 90s-Set Gangster-Thriller And An Unlikely Brotherhood

Disney+ continues its roll of binge-worthy K-Dramas this year with recently-concluded “The Worst of Evil“, an action-packed tale of gangsters, an undercover police operation, and human nature. Starring Ji ChangWook, Wi HaJun, Lim SeMi, and BIBI, “The Worst of Evil” uncovers the gruesome scenes of the lawless 1990s and the law trying to persecute the evil.

Lured by a double promotion after being snubbed multiple times due to his father’s crimes, Park Park JoonMo, (Ji ChangWook) bites the bullet and infiltrates the crime organization, Gangnam Union, led by Jung GiCheol (Wi HaJun) to take down the international drug syndicate. There we see JoonMo struggle as he falls into the risk of being completely swallowed by the evil, which Ji ChangWook played exceptionally. He owned the character so well, from how his looks changed from a sweet husband in a humble countryside to a rugged gangster, his swift maneuver of the action scenes, down to the spectrum of emotions he has shown — ChangWook once again exhibits his star power with his stellar performance.

While we expect dramas of this trope to have characters of pure monsters, “The Worst of Evil” takes on a slightly different approach despite its title. The characters, even the considered evil ones, still having human emotions added an extra layer to what made the drama a masterpiece. Thanks to Wi HaJun’s flawless portrayal of Jung GiCheol, whose vulnerability behind his brusque kingpin persona was completely laid bare, he became the villain we can’t fully hate. Jung GiCheol stands side-by-side with Choi DoIl from “Little Women” and Hwang JunHo from “Squid Game”  as HaJun’s most iconic on-screen characters to date.

The women of “The Worst of Evil” also deserve the same spotlight for their badass portrayals. Lim SeMi, who takes on the role of Yu EuiJeong, keeps the tension high with her commendable performance as a cop, JoonMo’s wife, and GiCheol’s ex-lover. Her multifaceted character is something to look forward to in the series.

Adding glamour and class to the almost always bloody backdrop of the series is BIBI in her role as Lee HaeRyeon, a Korean-Chinese drug distributor. The ‘BIBI Vengeance‘ singer once again treats us with her badass class and persona she is best known for in her first TV role.  

Since its first episode, the viewers are set to find the most evil of all among the characters. However, as the series unfolds, we find ourselves extending sympathy as we get to learn about their flaws and pains. But that doesn’t mean no one deserved the tragic demise they met (maybe with the exception of JoonMo, who gained a badge but in the end lost his everything). While the plot takes on the same pattern as the usual gangster-crime Korean movies, how the main characters were written is what sets “The Worst of Evil” apart. The characters forming an unlikely camaraderie despite, how JoonMo extends his one last mercy to GiCheol and HaeRyeon, and how HaeRyeon protected JoonMo proving that it is one’s choices in life that make you good or evil.

All episodes of “The Worst of Evil” are now streaming on Disney+.