I don't think I can imagine living in a world like the one presented by Trigger, the Korean drama on Netflix. While we've seen violence frequently (I'd even say more frequently) in Korean media, it's almost never been involving firearms. Korea has always been a strictly anti-gun country, but this new drama imagines a scenario where all residents have free access to them, regardless of age, gender, nationality, or occupation.
Terrifying, I know. But it's not just the image of Koreans being massacred at school due to bullying that's absolutely bizarre and shocking; so is the unfolding of the story. This 10-episode drama presents itself as a dystopian nightmare where everyone has a "trigger." Something that compels you to do the worst thing you can think of. Despite having a main plot, the series follows an anthology pattern, with each episode depicting a different type of scenario in which a person might pull the trigger, both literally and otherwise. In my opinion, the first episode is one of the best I've seen in an action K-drama, but it all goes downhill from there.
Stars: Kim Nam-gil, Kim Young-kwang, Park Hoon
The concept is certainly intriguing, but in trying to present something thought-provoking, the creators give us an overly long series with no real purpose. Yes, we understand that this may be a real crisis, but what's the solution? No, I don't think the series finale is realistic at all; in fact, it's quite the opposite, despite the rest of the series feeling too real. First of all, I think Netflix should stop releasing 10-episode Korean series on Fridays, because they end up being too long. Korean dramas typically have hour-long episodes, and while this series had some 30- to 40-minute episodes, the story still felt too drawn out. For binge-watchability, 8 episodes are ideal, and this story could definitely have been told in that many. The real problem is that while the series is steeped in reality, or rather, believability, the protagonist and antagonist are too black and white to seem like real humans.
One is so virtuous he seems like a god, and the other is so animated he looks like he's straight out of a superhero movie. Though I must admit, Moon Baek's costume design was quite fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed the outfits. However, this is where the series truly fails to captivate its audience. Yes, Kim Nam-Gil and Kim Young-Kwang give their all to their characters, but it's not their fault that they're incomplete and overcompensate for a shallow plot. It's the subplots that truly make the story, but that just feels familiar and repetitive. A mother who has lost her child, a boy who can't study because of the noise in the neighborhood, and a student who is bullied every day. I guess Trigger is really a warning to bullies. But the worst part of the story for me was the gangsters: unnecessary and too dated.
There's a difference between appreciated familiarity and a rehash of something boring. The gangster cliché in Korean dramas definitely fits well into the latter category. This is also the part that drags the longest, spanning about three episodes with an unnecessary plot that really detracts from the fascinating storyline of the rest of the series. Oh, and before I continue, I should warn you about the school shootings. If you're eager to watch the series, know that this is an important part of the plot.
The real problem with this series, however, is that while it seems like an unlikely scenario, the final resolution is an even more unlikely scenario. I know I seem to be repeating myself, but this is something that needs to be emphasized in much of Korean media in general. While films like Parasite and Train to Busan (albeit with a less realistic plot) have resolutions or a deeply emotional ending that will stay with you for a long time, many over-the-top series and films fail to find a happy medium for memorable, if not entirely realistic, endings. This series needed a bit of the latter, but it offers no resolution, so all the exciting action is forgotten in the final moments, which become far too sentimental for such a serious subject.
You could argue that this is the whole point, but it considerably understates the problems presented as the show's central premise. If such "triggers" existed, you'd know that a local hero wouldn't make any difference to the bigger picture. I'd say the performances are commendable, and as a dystopian series, I sincerely appreciate that it doesn't fall into the ugly color correction we've seen in recent years in Korean dramas of the genre.
I understand why Korean writers and directors are so keen to make their series more globally accessible, especially given their current massive popularity, but what they fail to understand is that their popularity stems from distinguishing themselves from typical Hollywood content. If Korean dramas looked like American television, we wouldn't watch them. That's the beauty of being able to watch media from all over the world. I think what went wrong with Trigger is that it tries too hard to fit the perceived American ideal, so it fails to impress anyone. Ironically, the most Korean aspect of the series is the drama, which felt a bit insensitive to the plot. So what I'm really trying to convey is that we need a balance between the two.
In the end, Trigger is pretty forgettable despite its shocking premise. I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars for the good attempt and the action sequences (except for the hero, who's very reminiscent of Bruce Lee).
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