Gap-dong

Gap-dong
Genre Crime, Thriller, Drama
Written by Kwon Eum-mi
Directed by Jo Soo-won
Starring Yoon Sang-hyun
Kim Min-jung
Sung Dong-il
Lee Joon
Kim Ji-won
Country of origin South Korea
Original language(s) Korean
No. of episodes 20
Production
Executive producer(s) Kang Hee-jun
Location(s) Korea
Running time 70 minutes
Fridays and Saturdays at 20:40 (KST)
Production company(s) Pan Entertainment
CJ E&M
Distributor CJ E&M
Broadcast
Original channel tvN
Original run April 11, 2014 – June 21, 2014
Chronology
Preceded by Emergency Couple
Followed by Marriage, Not Dating
External links
Website
Production website

Gap-dong (Hangul: 갑동이; RR: Gapdongi) is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Yoon Sang-hyun, Kim Min-jung, Sung Dong-il, Lee Joon and Kim Ji-won. It aired on cable channel tvN from April 11 to June 14, 2014 on Fridays and Saturdays at 20:40 for 20 episodes.[1]

The series is based on the real-life unsolved Hwaseong serial murders case, which involved the rape and murder of ten women from 1986 to 1991 in the Taean neighborhood of Hwaseong City. The case also inspired the 2003 film Memories of Murder.

Plot

1996, the (fictional) city of Iltan in Gyeonggi Province: A young girl gets brutally murdered by an unknown person on a dark night. As the city is gripped by a succession of serial killings, a total of nine murders within a twelve-kilometer radius since 1993, the police conclude that a man they've nicknamed "Gap-dong" is behind the crimes. But detective Yang Cheol-gon is convinced that the actual killer is Ha Il-sik, a resident of the town who is intellectually challenged. His attempt to arrest the suspect fails as Ha commits suicide to prove his innocence. His death inspires his son Moo-yeom to become a cop to clear his father's name and restore his honor.

Seventeen years later, Moo-yeom is a police detective who spends his career chasing dead ends and helping juvenile delinquents. After the statute of limitations on the case expires, Moo-yeom becomes resigned to the belief that Gap-dong is dead. But then a series of incidents occur in the town that bear an eerie resemblance to Gap-dong's crimes. Cheol-gon, now a well-decorated officer, has recently transferred back to Iltan, and to his dismay, Moo-yeom joins his investigation team to catch Gap-dong once and for all.

Cast

Main characters

A detective in Iltan Police Department's violent crimes unit. He vows to avenge his wrongly accused father.[2]
A psychiatrist with a mysterious double life and a suspicious curiosity for all things Gap-dong.
He was a police inspector at the time of the original murders, and is now a well-decorated officer. Upon receiving his latest promotion, he surprises his superiors by requesting to be assigned back to Iltan, because he wants to end his career by capturing Gap-dong. Still convinced that Moo-yeom's father was the killer, he is extremely prejudiced against Moo-yeom, which makes for a combative working relationship. He also hiding grief of his daughter's death.
An inmate of a prison psychiatric hospital, who becomes a barista after his release. With a genius IQ of 150, his excellent and detailed memory may prove valuable to cracking the case, but he also happens to have the disposition to be a dangerous psychopath, and considers Gap-dong his god and hero.[3][4][5][6]
A 17-year-old high school student and webtoon artist with the pen name "Matilda." Ji-wool becomes pivotal to the case when her webtoon titled The Beast's Path ends up foretelling the crimes. When she becomes the killer's next target, it also serves as a set of clues to find him.

Supporting characters

Ratings

Episode Original airdate AGB Nielsen ratings[7][8]
Average rating
1 April 11, 2014 1.51%
2 April 12, 2014 1.98%
3 April 25, 2014 1.37%
4 April 26, 2014 1.64%
5 May 2, 2014 1.77%
6 May 3, 2014 1.76%
7 May 9, 2014 1.81%
8 May 10, 2014 2.32%
9 May 16, 2014 1.72%
10 May 17, 2014 2.00%
11 May 23, 2014 1.89%
12 May 24, 2014 2.08%
13 May 30, 2014 1.68%
14 May 31, 2014 1.91%
15 June 6, 2014 2.32%
16 June 7, 2014 2.23%
17 June 13, 2014 1.85%
18 June 14, 2014 2.17%
19 June 20, 2014 2.07%
20 June 21, 2014 2.13%
Average 1.91%

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2014 7th Korea Drama Awards Best New Actor Lee Joon Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Kim, Hee-eun (11 April 2014). "Drama based on murders familiar". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  2. ↑ "Yoon Sang Hyun Gets Intense for Upcoming tvN Drama Gapdong". Soompi. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  3. ↑ Bae, Sun-young (4 February 2014). "MBLAQ Lee Joon to Turn into Barista in New Drama". TenAsia. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  4. ↑ Kim, Hee-eun (20 March 2014). "Lee Joon joins new thriller". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  5. ↑ Hong, Grace Danbi (11 April 2014). "Lee Joon Says MBLAQ Members Liked that He Was a Psychopath in Gapdong". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  6. ↑ Jeon, Ah-ram (28 June 2014). "Interview: Lee Joon Shares on Acting as a Psychopath in Gapdong". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  7. ↑ AGB 닐슨 미디어리서치 홈페이지
  8. ↑ This drama airs on a cable channel/pay TV which has a relatively small audience compared to free TV/public broadcasters (SBS, KBS, MBC).

External links