Popular K-Drama’s Extremely Violent Plot Triggers Massive Backlash And Viewership To Hit All Time Low

Popular action comedy K-Drama Good Boy, starring Park Bo Gum, is currently under fire from viewers for its increasingly violent and exhausting plot.

The series, which follows a group of former elite athletes who become special police officers, initially received praise for its fresh concept and strong cast. However, as the show enters its final stretch, the response has started to shift — and not in its favor.

A recent viral post on the online forum TheQoo shared the frustrations viewers seemingly have with the recent episodes. Specifically, episode 12 has become the center of criticism due to the seemingly relentless suffering of the main character, Yoon Dongjoo.

‘Good Boy’ Episode 12’s progression seems insane

Yoon Dongjoo, while already suffering from punch-drunk syndrome, gets ambushed and beaten up by multiple people, then gets beat up one-on-one by Oh Jonggu,  gets injected with a lethal dose of drugs by Min Jooyoung, jumps out of a moving truck, rolls on the ground, then gets ambushed again and even stabbed in the stomach.

He’s not even a superhuman. It’s a miracle he’s still alive.

— Fan via X (formerly known as Twitter)

The repetitive scenes of violence and little progression in plot have left viewers frustrated, with many saying they can no longer bear to watch the character constantly suffer.

The once promising ratings reflect this dissatisfaction. Viewership has gradually declined after reaching a peak of 6.48 percent in Seoul following episode 8. Most recently, episode 12 recorded the lowest rating yet in Seoul at 4.9 percent.

• “I like it when the male lead goes through blood, sweat, and tears, but there has to be a storyline behind it.”
• “What kind of drama has no plot, just beatings and rolling around over and over again… there’s no narrative.”
• “There’s no content, the direction is excessive, and all the acting is just overacting.”
• “It’s too violent.”
• “But seriously, the story is terrible… What’s with the Russian guy? It got so cringeworthy as soon as he appeared, I turned it off.”
• “It’s not fun, the acting isn’t good either. I had high hopes because I like the actors, so it’s disappointing.”

There are still four episodes left to air, but many viewers are unfortunately already dropping the show.