"Local Hero" review: Three camps for one truth!

This month discover our opinion on a K-drama broadcast on the Dramapassion platform. This is Local Hero which, as its title suggests, will be action-packed, with an atmosphere of espionage and corruption. A series to discover in full on the platform, whenever you want!

We follow a determined former agent, uncovering the whole truth behind the murder of his teammate and friend. Reversals of situations will be required, as well as action and twists.

This review contains important elements from K-Drama and spoilers. To be read at your own risk.

Local Hero

Original title: 동네의 영웅

Gender: Action – Thriller – Drama

Country: South Korea

Episodes : 16

Broadcast channel: NCO

Year of release: 2016

Broadcasting platform: Dramapassion

Synopsis

Former secret agent, Baek Shi-Yoon decides to hide his past to devote himself to the opening of a small neighborhood bar. Determined to avenge the death of one of his colleagues, he becomes a true vigilante and sets out to solve the problems of the customers of his bar. One day, he meets a young man aspiring to become a policeman, takes him under his wing and teaches him the tricks of the trade… (Source : Dramapassion)

Main cast

Driven by revenge

Local Hero is a drama, which we talked about when it was released two years ago. The scenario is quite classic, while being in a typically Korean register. The story immediately invites us to go on a mission with secret agent Baek Shi-Yoon in Macau. A mission that will also end in failure, since one of his colleagues will lose his life; He spent three years in prison for insubordination. The tone is then set and it is not difficult for us to appreciate the character of this hero bruised and shaped by his desire for revenge.

Only, the latter must act in the shadows in order to carry out his plan and not arouse the suspicions of those concerned by the case that has been hushed up. Thus, by pure chance, our man enters a bar for sale, offering him the perfect cover for his business. Shi-Yoon thus becomes the owner of a retro bar, full of charm, reminding us of that of Chicago Typewriter and revealing himself to be the haunt of a former SRC agent, just like him. A cover that could well prove useful for the future, on many levels!

Alone and yet…

The narrative focuses mainly on Baek Shi-Yoon's past through the traumatic mission that changed him forever. The actor manages to identify his character and make him charismatic, mysterious and full of talent. His duet with Choi Chan-Gyu who takes him as a model, gives the impression of seeing two brothers, as their complicity is evident on the screen.

Let's talk about the character of Choi Chan-Gyu. Unlike the one he admires, the actor plays a man torn between two choices. He wants to become a police officer and yet, his need for money to help his father and brother, pushes him against his vision of justice. The young man has not finished taking you on a boat by playing on both sides.

Detective Im Tae-Ho, who could have been described as a person of integrity given his job, is not to be outdone behind Chan-Gyu. Since he follows an almost identical pattern, which pushes him to do the opposite of what he thinks. This father may work as much as possible, the proposal to earn more and easily will put him in dirty sheets!

To perfect this trio of men, we needed a feminine presence and a dose of freshness! What Bae Jung-Yeon does with devotion. The waitress of the Bar du Coin, whose dream is to be a recognized screenwriter, finally finds herself involved in the setbacks of neighborhood life. Since a man saved his friend from two thugs, she wants to see him again, unaware of his identity, except for a cap with an H.

Each character faces his demons and dreams of touching his goal. A table in several parts that is very interesting to follow!

Three camps and power games

We have introduced the camp of the "good guys", but what about the dark side? If we have to mention only one character, we must admit that that of Yoon Sang-Min impressed us rudely. Indeed, the actor plays us a rich man with a lackluster past, ready to do anything to achieve his goal. If he seems unsympathetic, accumulating interventions always strong, but ending in failures, we must admit that we appreciated this man.

The drama did not just bring together two opposing camps, since a third camp is also present with Kim Seo-Ahn, the head of the SRC. One of the strong links in this organization rotten by money. The perfect opportunity to give amplitude to this power that occupies a large place in the drama. Thus, the plot tosses us from one camp to another, while offering us to discover the smallest details thanks to the point of view of several characters. We also find this diagram of the three camps in Return.

A not-so-fictional K-drama

The K-Drama Local Hero touches on subjects already seen for the less novices, with a classic scenario and yet… It is captivating. The scenario is not the most original, but the past of our protagonist and those who come to graft to him makes it quickly addictive. Everything holds up, or almost. Nevertheless, we have noted some missteps that have not hindered the smooth and interesting viewing. The subjects are serious and close to a certain realism, whether it is bribes, politics or the purchase of a neighborhood. The workings involved are explained simply, while remaining consistent and distilling at the right time.

On the production side, we have nothing to complain about, except that the scenes of street fights are well orquestrated, as well as the shots of car chases. It's almost like it! On the soundtrack side, the OST are few, but correspond well to the atmosphere of the drama, appearing at the right time and disappearing when necessary. Everything fits together with fluidity and ease, thanks in part to actors who bring humor and relief to their roles.

The Korean drama Local Hero, is a well-conducted thriller, whose adventures of a neighborhood take on a masterful look. The story is ideal for fans of the genre, as well as for novices who will find a good drama! To see or review on dramapassion!

Local Hero trailer:

https://youtu.be/QpCvPArO0jw