A Cruel Variation of the Trolley Problem, Asking the Definition of Justice
Do you know the "Trolley Problem," one of the most widely cited dilemmas in ethics and behavioral economics? A train with broken brakes is running, and there are five workers on the track ahead. If you pull a lever, the train changes direction, sacrificing only one worker to save five. Would you pull the lever? From a utilitarian perspective of "the greatest happiness for the greatest number," saving five might seem rational, but the debate over whether it is morally right to calculate human life in numbers is endless. The newly released drama Bloody Flower on Disney+ is a controversial work that grafts this classic philosophical problem onto the crime thriller genre, throwing a cool and heavy question to the viewers. If a murderer developed medical skills to save more lives based on those sacrifices, could we condemn him?
The Power of a Solid Original, Bringing Lee Dong-gun's 'Flower of Death' to the Screen
The greatest virtue of this drama lies in its solid narrative structure. Based on the popular novel Flower of Death by author Lee Dong-gun, it successfully built a dense narrative, avoiding the risk of flowing into provocative sensationalism. The power of the text possessed by the original work was given a more three-dimensional tension as it was transferred to the screen. While ordinary investigation dramas or thrillers depict the struggle to catch the culprit, Bloody Flower starts with an unconventional development where the culprit is arrested early in the first episode. This clearly shows that the core of the drama is not "Whodunit" (finding the culprit), but the topic thrown by the captured criminal and the psychological changes of the characters surrounding him, that is, the "Why" (reason and justification).
The Self-Arrested Genius Killer, The Madness of Medical School Dropout Lee Woo-gyum
At the center of the drama is the serial killer "Lee Woo-gyum," played by actor Ryeoun. A promising medical student who chose to drop out, he is not a simple pleasure killer but closer to a "mad scientist" who picked up a scalpel to realize his twisted beliefs. He commits terrible crimes of kidnapping, murdering, and dismembering innocent people, but he packages it as a noble sacrifice for humanity, calling it an "experiment." Viewers feel a thrill when it is revealed that even his arrest by the police was not a mistake but part of a huge picture he drew. Ryeoun throws off the image of a youth star he has shown so far and leads the tension of the play by expressing the eerie madness hidden behind a clear face.
A Father Standing at the Edge of Despair, Lawyer Park Han-jun Who Shook Hands with the Devil
The person who confronts or gets swept up in Lee Woo-gyum's madness is the lawyer "Park Han-jun," played by Sung Dong-il. He is a father who was once a successful lawyer but was driven to the edge of a cliff after being scammed while running around to cure his daughter's incurable disease. Lee Woo-gyum digs into this exact point. He makes a devil's proposal that if Park defends him and gets him acquitted or gives him a reduced sentence, he will provide a treatment method to cure his daughter's incurable disease. The reason Lee Woo-gyum pointed out Park Han-jun among countless lawyers was to use his weakness of "paternal love." Sung Dong-il firmly holds the center of gravity of the play by digesting the inner side of Park Han-jun, who agonizes between the conscience of a legal professional and the desperation of a father, with his unique deep acting skills.
"If You Kill Me, Thousands Die," The Killer's Arrogance and Sophistry
Lee Woo-gyum's logic is eerily arrogant. He claims that he developed a cure for incurable diseases through the sacrifices of the people he killed, and if this is commercialized, it can save thousands or tens of thousands of lives in the future. In other words, his life is not just the life of a criminal but a "key" to save humanity. His attitude of "Can you execute me with this outstanding medical skill and data I have?" is underpinned by narcissism identifying himself with God. While this sophistry provokes anger in viewers, it also presents a dilemma that makes them hesitate in front of the subjunctive mood, "What if my family had an incurable disease?" Can salvation for the majority guaranteed by the sacrifice of a few be justified?
The Journey to Chase the Truth, Is the Miracle Real?
Park Han-jun decides to take on Lee Woo-gyum's defense, but he does not fully trust him. He begins to track Lee's past actions to verify whether the "miracle cure" Lee claims actually exists. in this process, Park Han-jun meets people who were subjects of Lee Woo-gyum's experiments but miraculously survived and were cured, falling into confusion. This is because evidence too clear to be dismissed as a swindler's lie appears. The drama follows Park Han-jun's gaze and constantly makes viewers play a tug-of-war between doubt and belief. The hope that this cruel killer can really cure his daughter's illness, which even his doctor wife couldn't cure, is salvation and hell at the same time for Park Han-jun.
Uncompromising Justice, The Confrontation of Principled Prosecutor Cha Yi-yeon
The person who puts the brakes on the dangerous deal between Lee Woo-gyum and Park Han-jun is the prosecutor "Cha Yi-yeon," played by Keum Sae-rok. She is a principled person with a firm belief that no story or reason can justify murder. Her position is that even if the medical achievements claimed by Lee Woo-gyum are true, he is just a cruel killer on the judgment stand of the law. Unlike the cheerful or emotional characters she has shown so far, Keum Sae-rok attempted an acting transformation by taking on the role of a cool-headed and sharp prosecutor. However, seeing her somewhat rigid appearance between the intense characters Lee Woo-gyum and Park Han-jun, some viewers might feel a slight awkwardness.
A Psychological Thriller Masked as a Legal Drama, A New Texture of Truth Battle
Formally, Bloody Flower takes the form of a legal drama. However, while general legal dramas focus on evidence battles and proving the culprit, this drama battles over the "intention" of the serial killer sitting in the defendant's seat and the "message" he throws at society. The courtroom becomes not just a place for judgment, but a philosophical forum where ethics, life, and the value of justice collide. Lee Woo-gyum tries to use the courtroom as a stage to preach his ideas, and Park Han-jun suffers the double torture of having to play along to save his daughter while finding legal loopholes. This unique composition provides fresh fun with a different texture from existing legal dramas.
Ensemble of Actors, Unexpected Screen Time, and Helpers
Before watching the drama, I expected Ryeoun, who plays the killer, to take up an overwhelming proportion, but upon opening it, the narrator who practically leads the play is Sung Dong-il. Ryeoun appears mainly in limited spaces such as the prison meeting room or the defendant's seat in court, but he shows off his presence by leaving a strong impact in those short moments. Rather, Sung Dong-il's desperate paternal acting dominates the emotional line of the drama and helps the viewers' immersion. Here, Shin Seung-hwan, who plays reporter Jo Woo-chul appearing as a helper to Park Han-jun, sheds his villain image and shows human charm, and Jung So-ri, who plays Yoon Min-kyung, also breathes vitality as Park Han-jun's reliable partner.
Curiosity Toward the Ending, Salvation or Judgment?
As the episodes repeat, the drama carries both the mystery "Is Lee Woo-gyum's treatment real?" and the suspense "Can Park Han-jun save his daughter?" simultaneously. The question of whether it is right to save a life even by borrowing the hand of a killer, or whether it is right to uphold social justice even if sacrifices follow, will torment viewers until the end. Whatever conclusion the drama reaches, it seems it will leave a heavy lingering effect beyond simple poetic justice or a happy ending. Bloody Flower, which stands out with its unique subject matter and the passionate performances of the actors, is a well-made drama worth binge-watching that makes us think once again about human dignity and ethics.
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