[Herald Review] ‘Vigilante,’ a reflection of public outrage against criminals

“Vigilante,” director Choi Jeong-yeol’s crime/action thriller based on a webtoon of the same title by Kim Kyu-sam, offers a reflection of growing public frustration and fury over what some view as the justice system's failure to adequately punish those who commit the most heinous crimes.

Accidents caused by drunk drivers, drugs, domestic violence, attempted murders and insurance fraud are all crimes we read about in the news on a near-daily basis. For Kim Ji-yong (Nam Joo-hyuk), a police academy cadet, these crimes are personal, and he deals with them head-on, upholding the law by day and dealing out vigilante justice by night.

After a hellish childhood living with his father, a vicious perpetrator of domestic violence, Ji-yong begins to hold a grudge against the Korean justice system and the loopholes that allowed his father to go free.

Holding the opinion that Korean laws are incapable of protecting the victims of crimes, Ji-yong delivers the punishment that he believes the criminals deserve.

While “Vigilante” follows the personal story of Ji-yong, specifically his motives and goals on his journey to become a police officer, the show entertains viewers with hard-boiled action, complete with fighting scenes as Ji-yong delivers justice in a black zip-up hoodie.

The stories of society's most heinous crimes, the shameless behavior of the perpetrators, and the laws that fail to protect their victims will leave viewers with a sense of exasperation and anger. But these emotions are soon put to rest as Ji-yong exacts his spectacular revenge.

Though “Vigilante” is not based on a true story, viewers can certainly see elements of the real world reflected in the show, specifically how the justice system can sometimes fall short in the eyes of the public.

A case in point is that of convicted child rapist Cho Doo-soon, who was set free in December 2022 after completing a 12-year prison term. The case led to public outcry, with many arguing that Cho had gotten off lightly.

In its sentencing, the court had said that Cho should have been given a life sentence. However, the sentence was reduced under the Criminal Act, which allows for mitigated punishment for a person who is deficient in making a decision or exercising sufficient control over themselves.

Cho claimed that he had lost control under the influence of alcohol, which was considered as a mitigating factor and led to a reduced sentence.

Cho’s release was strongly opposed by both offline and online protesters, who called for him to be executed or expelled from the city where he settled upon his release from prison.

Ji-yong's story in "Vigilante" and his personal pursuit of justice raises the question as to whether personal revenge is ever truly justified

The show's story intensifies as the police try to hunt down and identify this "Korean Batman" who has taken justice into his own hands, as Ji-yong camouflages himself among their ranks.

The eight-part action thriller is scheduled to premiere with the release of two episodes Wednesday on Disney+.