Early Access: Good Boy Episodes 1-2 – The Fangirl Verdict
Hi everyone!
I hope you enjoyed my recent episode 1-4 notes on Our Unwritten Seoul (here!).
Today I’m sharing my episode 1-2 notes on Good Boy, because I am enjoying it nicely, and I was wondering if you’d like to join me? 🤗
These are my episode 1-2 notes, exactly as they appear on Patreon, ie, without screenshots (I’m saving those for the actual review).
I hope you all enjoy, and I hope you’ll consider joining us over on Patreon, for the rest of the discussions! ❤️
Episode notes:
E1-2. This show has been so highly anticipated for so long, that I didn’t quite know what to expect, and, I felt a little concerned, that Show wouldn’t be able to live up to the expectations that we – ok, I – had inadvertently built up for it.
After watching these first two episodes, I’m pleased to say that I like it, my friends.
It did take a bit of time to settle, and I did balk at the movie-length premiere (1 hour and 30 minutes! 😱), but by the time I got to the end of episode 1, I found myself literally clapping and gurgling with glee.
That is quite some turnaround, YES.
Which is my slightly roundabout way of saying, give Show a bit of time, it does come together, given some time.
This seems like a good time to talk about what Show comes together to become, because it really does seem to have a lot of sides to its personality, and Show does seem to rotate among these quite blithely, and with vigor.
It feels like part screwball comedy, part crime-busting story, part individual journey, part rom-com (maybe?), the thread that stands out to me the most, after these episodes, is the underdog story.
I love me a good underdog story, and this show is scratching that itch, while serving up unexpected elements around Olympians trying to live normal lives, and I think it’s working really well.
As you can probably guess, the reason I found myself gurgling with glee and clapping my hands at the end of episode 1, had everything to do with the underdog story taking solid shape, and our underdogs rising up to take their moment of glory. YESS.
Well. More on that later.
One of the big trippy things that keeps coming up in these initial episodes, is how our various Olympians legit get looked down upon, as they try to embrace normal life.
Yes, it makes sense that people would get disdainful of someone getting a job without the requisite training, but it’s still trippy to me that these are people who’ve literally won Olympic medals.
Doesn’t that makes them a very, very rare breed of human?
The idea that this very rare breed of human, works suuuper hard for many years, in order to win those medals – only to be quickly forgotten, once they’re out of the spotlight, is so sad, honestly.
It feels unjust, because these people literally bring glory to their country, by dedicating their lives to their sport.
When they’re in their element while competing, they have the entire nation behind them, cheering them on, and glorying in their victories.
It feels so wrong, that now, after they retire, people would look down on them for being “parachuted” into their roles, and think of them as being “useless;” it really boggles my mind. 😅
So yes, I’m already primed to root for these Olympians-turned-police-officers, to prove all their naysayers wrong; like, who said that these people were washed up and useless – they’re heroes, ok?!?
My biggest reason for looking forward to this show, was the chance to see Park Bo Gum on my screen.
I had no idea why the drama was called “Good Boy,” but if there ever was a “good boy,” Park Bo Gum would be it, so even though I didn’t understand it, the title felt perfect to me. 😁
So of course, I feel like I should talk about Park Bo Gum’s character, Dong Ju, first.
I’m so used to the idea of Park Bo Gum being the quintessential “good boy” and this show is even titled “Good Boy,” that it did take me a long second to wrap my brain around the fact that Dong Ju’s a bit of a troublemaker – without even trying.
He creates trouble for himself and others, just by being his earnest, overly-principled, instinctive, act-before-he-thinks self.
I do find Dong Ju very likable, and I can’t lie; I’m sure that a lot of that has to do with Park Bo Gum’s personal charm, and how taken I am, by his smile. 🥰
Of course, part of it has to do with Dong Ju’s characterization, and one of the things that really strikes me about Dong Ju, is how he cares more about people and relationships, than about his medals.
I mean, he literally sells his gold medal, without looking the least bit regretful, so that he’s able to buy back the signboard for Gyeong Il’s mother’s noodle shop.
I think that says everything about Dong Ju; our boy is all heart, and I already love him for it. 🥲
It’s not quite clear what the situation is, with him and Gyeong Il (Lee Jung Ha! Whom I didn’t even recognize, with that blonde hair! 🤯), but I do wonder whether Dong Ju had had anything to do with Gyeong Il’s accident, that’s left him with that disability.
After all, when that shady dude Jeong Gu tries to persuade Dong Ju to become an MMA fighter, in that flashback, he does bring up the ability to pay for Gyeong Il’s hospital bills, as one of the reasons Dong Ju ought to accept.
Whatever it is, Dong Ju is clearly hugely protective over Gyeong Il, and I do enjoy this “hyung” energy from Dong Ju.
I also love the detail that Dong Ju’s very persistent and resilient; like, once he’s got his teeth into something, he’s like a dog with a bone.
We see that come up several times in these episodes, and while this quality does get him into trouble sometimes (look at the way he literally ends up hitching an unexpected ride from the driver of that fancy car, when his arm gets stuck in the window), I also think that this quality is likely going to be the thing that eventually makes him a hero. 🥲
Another thing about Dong Ju is how he wears his heart on his sleeve, when it comes to his crush on Han Na (Kim So Hyun).
Han Na has made it clear to him that she’s not interested, but that doesn’t stop him from shooting heart-eyes at her, and looking out for her, and while it does get a little in-yo-face at times, I somehow find it quite endearing – again, most likely due in no small part, to Park Bo Gum’s personal charm. 😁
It’s not clear whether anything will come out of Dong Ju’s crush, but because I find it endearing how he’s not deterred from wearing his heart-eyes openly, even though she keeps turning him away, I’m kind of hoping that Han Na will change her mind.
So far, it does kind of seem like Han Na does have at least a bit of a soft spot for Dong Ju, when he isn’t looking.
Like the way she perks up to see him at that athlete’s dinner, when he shows up in his Olympian suit to see Jeong Gu, and the way she decides to leave, after she watches Dong Ju walk out.
And the way she seems a little wistful, when Dong Ju isn’t hanging around her neighborhood, waiting for her.
As for Han Na herself, the sense that I get, is that she’s much more interested in finding a place for herself in the world, than in love.
She gets all annoyed, consistently, when Commissioner Cho taps on her Olympic shooter background, for PR.
Instead, she’s much more interested in being out in the field and doing investigative work; she just doesn’t get the chance to do it.
And there’s also Lee Sang Yi’s character, retired Olympian fencer Jong Hyeon, who also happens to be Han Na’s ex-boyfriend.
Well. That’s a backstory that I hadn’t been expecting, though I do think that this might add a nice layer of emotional texture to our group dynamics.
Speaking of emotional texture, there are definitely underlying layers to Jong Hyeon.
On the surface, he’s quite successful, being an active part of the Audit and Inspections unit, and having fangirls who want his autograph.
Beyond that, though, there’s the way dirty cops make trouble for him, for getting in their dirty ways, and the way he definitely has some trauma from his fencing days, when he’d been stabbed in the chest, as we see in that flashback.
I’d like to see him overcome that trauma and rise above it, and I have a feeling that that’s exactly what we’re going to get, later in our story.
And then there’s Heo Sung Tae, who plays Man Sik, a former special recruit himself, who takes Dong Ju under his wing, and eventually requests to form the special unit made up of special recruits.
The way I see it, there’s a lot of pathos in Man Sik’s character, coupled with a lot of screwball comedy.
Pathos, because he has to suffer disdain and violence so much of the time, from his big boss, Commissioner Cho, who has a penchant for hitting him on the shin, plus he’s a goose father, living and working alone in Korea, while his wife and child are in the Philippines.
He blusters a lot about not wanting to have Dong Ju under his wing, and how Dong Ju’s a no-good troublemaker, but when push comes to shove, the way Man Sik goes to great lengths to clean up Dong Ju’s messes, is so poignant.
That scene, where he endures that mock wrestling match with Commissioner Cho, is a great example.
It’s humiliating for him, as a retired Olympian, to fulfill Commissioner Cho’s idle wrestling dreams, but he does it anyway, because that’s what it takes.
I feel so bad for him, but at the same time, I also find his selflessness touching.
And then comedy because, well, it seems like Man Sik’s writer-nim’s punching bag, when it comes to serving up the Intended Funny.
Sometimes the Funny doesn’t make me laugh, like when Man Sik’s peeing in that abandoned toilet and comes face to face with Golden Bunny.
But sometimes the Funny makes me laugh, in spite of myself, like when Man Sik eats that spiked candy, and acts all crazy while spouting delirious nonsense, during what should have been a sting operation.
I felt bad for Man Sik, but I also laughed anyway. 😅
We also have Jae Hong, a retired Olympic discus athlete who’s now stuck in the traffic division, with no immediate options for promotion.
We barely see him in episode 1, coz he’s busy trying to keep his head down while directing traffic at a school crosswalk, but when he picks up that manhole cover at the end of episode 1 and starts swinging it in order to throw it like a gigantic discus, I whooped with glee.
That was just epic, and I loved it. 🤩
I honestly just loved the end of episode 1, where we get to see our various retired Olympians tap on their Olympic roots, in order to rise to the occasion and not be overcome by the various baddies in our drama world.
I got a thrill from watching Jong Hyeon use his fencing skills with that broomstick, effortlessly thwacking those guys into submission, and it was great watching Han Na use her sharpshooting skills to attack those intruders.
And of course, there’s Dong Ju, taking down Golden Bunny and his entire gang, with just his fists. 🤩
This seems like a suitable time to acknowledge that Park Bo Gum’s clearly bulked up for this role.
I have never seen him look this chunky or built, and it’s a whole new flavor of Park Bo Gum, to my mind.
It makes character sense, though, and I would believe that Bogummy is dedicated enough as an actor, to put in the time and training to gain the bulk required, to make Dong Ju look believable as a middleweight boxing champion.
I also appreciate that the shower scene that we get in episode 2, doesn’t land as gratuitous.
In fact, it feels more symbolic than anything, with Dong Ju washing off all that gunk from his body, while smiling with joy and gratification, from a job successfully completed.
This scene also feels like it’s signifying a new beginning for Dong Ju, and it does feel that way, at least for a while, with Man Sik starting that new unit, with our special recruits.
That is, until things come to a record-scratching stop, when Commissioner Cho gives their case away to Dae Yong’s team, and summons the team for a PR demonstration on protective vests instead. Ouch.
I am quite in awe of Han Na, with the way she just quietly snaps, and shoots Commissioner Cho right in the chest, while he’s wearing the vest.
I mean, clearly, she knows that it’s a career ending type of move, but she is just that frustrated, and also, that convinced that she deserves more and better than this.
The way she serves up her resignation letter, stabbed to a bulletin board, is so badass too. I think I love her. 🤩
Also, I do think that where everyone else’s efforts to persuade Han Na to stay have failed, that little boy’s plea to her, to find the people who killed his dad, will be the thing that gives her a purpose to stay.
I do really like this idea that her sense of justice and her desire to help the helpless, are so strong. 🥲
As for Dong Ju and Man Sik, I really love that flashback where we see Dong Ju running to the hospital, with Man Sik folded into a shopping cart.
The fact that Dong Ju runs till he loses a shoe and ends up with a bloody foot, but that doesn’t blunt his determination to save Man Sik, totally makes up for all the trouble that Dong Ju’s ever caused, and I love that beat, where Man Sik tears up at the sight of an exhausted Dong Ju sleeping like a baby in the bed next to his. Aw. 🥹
This feels the reverse of a duckling glomming onto the first thing he sees; this is like a mama duck glomming onto her baby, and I love that. 😁
Towards the end of episode 2, is when we finally meet Oh Jung Se’s character, Min Ju Yeong, and he totally looks to be the Big Bad of our story.
The way he is so polite to Gyeong Il, before literally kicking him in the head, tells us exactly the kind of cruel this “civilized” guy is.
I feel bad for Gyeong Il, but there really seems to be no way for him to avoid being Ju Yeong’s scapegoat; I feel like even if he tried to stand his ground and say “No,” that Ju Yeong would likely beat him to death. 🙈
I appreciate how determined Dong Ju is, to prove Gyeong Il’s innocence, even though he’s confessed to a crime that he didn’t commit.
Of course, Dong Ju’s first instinct is to confront Jeong Gu, which gets him nowhere, but in the end, I can’t help but feel quite gratified, that it’s Dong Ju’s special brand of persistence, that leads him to find Ju Yeong, the actual hit and run driver who’d killed Lee Jin Su.
I don’t know if it’s the smartest or wisest thing to do, to just confront Ju Yeong like that, but it does make for a great cliffhanger, and I’m actively looking forward to seeing how this all continues to unfold.
Also, I just wanted to say that it’s so trippy to me, that our Big Bad, who’s clearly rolling in money, isn’t some high-flying hotshot, but looks to be a someone who sits in a cubicle at the Korea Customs Service.
I’m very curious to know more about this Big Bad too!
All in all, despite the crazy-long first episode and the time it took for Show to settle for me, I’m counting this to be a very strong opening week; I’m hoping for good things from this show, my friends!
*This show is being covered on the VVIP Early Access (US$20) Tier on Patreon*
To view episode 1-2 notes in Patreon, along with everyone’s comments, you can go here!
You can find my Patreon page here, and for all future episode notes for this show you can click here.
Episodes 3-4 notes will be out soon! I hope you’ll consider joining us!
It’ll be a way to have fun, and support me at the same time? 🥲❤️
PS: For more information on what the Patreon experience is like, you might like to check out my Patreon update post for June, which you can find here!
