Public death penalty voting to stop evil? Cast of K-drama The Killing Vote on how justice prevails in series but not real life

Some K-dramas have you squealing over fluffy romance, while others make you rethink your morals with its meaningful storylines.

If you prefer the latter, this one's for you.

In an interview with AsiaOne, the cast of ongoing K-drama The Killing Vote shared more about the series.

"There are no romance scenes," answered Park Sung-woong, 50, bluntly in response to a question asking if there's any.

"There may not be the type of romance that many people are looking forward to, but there will be camaraderie and bromance just as good as romance," said Park Hae-jin, 40, with a laugh.

The two men previously starred in the 2017 K-drama Man to Man, where viewers enjoyed their lighthearted bromance as a bodyguard and celebrity in the show.

In The Killing Vote though, they have a more serious dynamic.

Hae-jin plays head police officer Kim Moo-chan, who has an unexpected bond with Kwon Seok-joo (Sung-woong), a scholar-turned-prisoner who murdered his daughter's rapist. Lim Ji-yeon, 33, takes on the role of Joo Hyun, a lieutenant in the Cyber Safety Bureau.

Hae-jin explained that Moo-chan is someone who "leads the story by revealing what is good and evil".

The series is set in a world where heinous criminals escape punishment by law and a mysterious vigilante named Dog Mask takes justice into their own hands.

Citizens above 18 years old receive a text message to vote on whether the criminals should receive the death penalty, and if more than 50 per cent of the votes say yes, they will be murdered by Dog Mask.

While this may sound extreme to some, the criminals Dog Mask seeks out are also on the extreme end.

The show covers complex cases from sexual exploitation to insurance murders.

"There are so many horrendous cases these days, and when you hear about it through the news and the ruling on the perpetrators, sometimes it may be confusing whether the law favours the victim or the perpetrator," remarked Hae-jin.

Mentioning how there have been a lot of "violent incidents in society lately", Ji-yeon added: "The feelings you experience when you come across these cases, and the disappointment when perpetrators are not adequately punished - you'll see these kinds of cases more closely as they unfold in a new way on The Killing Vote."

Sung-woong shared similar sentiments: "The events in the drama are so realistic that actual real-life cases come to mind. If you watch The Killing Vote, where punishments that have not been achieved in reality have become possible, you will be able to relieve a little frustration."

'May be a means to stop the birth of evil'

When AsiaOne asked the cast to put their character's feelings and morals aside to make their own stance on Dog Mask's approach to justice, they gave honest answers.

"In reality, there are worse things happening than The Killing Vote, and social issues that are repeated over and over again seem to be making many people, including myself, feel exhausted and go through a difficult time," answered Sung-woong.

"In this repetitive situation, I think the emergence of the The Killing Vote may be a means to stop the birth of evil a little bit."

"I think there are a lot of things in the world that cannot be solved by law. I can't say that this is the right answer, but there are some parts that make sense," said Hae-jin.

On the other hand, Ji-yeon had "a lot of concerns".

Agreeing that some things can't be solved by law and that unfair cases occur, Ji-yeon expressed: "I could understand the situation in the drama, but on the other hand it's not possible to have complete truth [this way], so it's a situation that is troubling in many ways."

On the topic of being a citizen and voter in the world of The Killing Vote, the cast had mixed answers.

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"I don't think I could vote [to execute someone] right now," voiced Hae-jin."Of course, I think I would vote in favour of punishing someone who deserves it, but I don't think I'm confident enough to be able to handle the repercussions of the results.

"But if this were to actually happen in real life, I might change my mind."

Sung-woong had a more sure answer: "I think I will participate in the vote if I'm knowledgeable enough about the cases that come up on the national death penalty vote.

"I think how much I know about the case will be the standard for whether or not I vote."

"I don't think it'll be easy. I think I'll decide after looking at the vote and target more closely," remarked Ji-yeon.

The message of the show

While it is relatively easy to gauge the message of the show, the cast provided thoughtful perspectives.

"What kind of justice is proper? It is difficult for justice to be achieved by one person's actions. I think that movement can only be seen in the world when many people are interested and participate together," said Sung-woong, adding that he hopes many people will watch the series and "pay attention to the steps for justice".

Ji-yeon agreed: "I think it would be good for viewers to think about what real justice is after watching The Killing Vote."

Hae-jin concluded simply: "Is your justice really correct?"

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syarifahsn@asiaone.com

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