Lim Ji-yeon, Park Hae-jin redefine justice in ‘The Killing Vote’ on Prime Video
What if justice is in your own hands?
That is the central question in The Killing Vote on Prime Video starring Park Hae-jin, Lim Ji-yeon, and Park Sung-woong. The thriller drama dabbles on the idea of a national death penalty vote, instigated by a central character called “Dog Mask.” Those who have evaded punishment of the law are subjected to a people’s vote and their life (or death) is determined by the poll.
The Killing Vote on Prime Video offers a fresh take on revenge that has been a popular theme in Korean dramas as of late. The talented cast of this engaging series spoke to PhilSTAR Life about their characters and the complexity of justice.
Lim Ji-yeon, who starred in another revenge-filled drama The Glory, takes on the role of the righteous police officer Joo Hyun.
“Through the series, you can feel a sense of catharsis and a refreshing excitement from the unpredictable story. As the series relays the message asking what true justice is, your five senses will be satisfied,” she describes the charm of their drama.
Park Hae-jin (Cheese in the Trap), meanwhile, plays Kim Moo-chan, who is tasked to investigate the identity of Dog Mask. The actor details what makes their series fresh and exciting.
"Our drama has a lot of devices in the process of finding out who is a good character, a bad character, and eventually who is 'Dog Mask.' The person that many people expect could be 'Dog Mask' or a person that is completely unexpected could be 'Dog Mask.' Please stay on your toes, everyone," he says.
Park Hae-jin is reunited with his Man to Man co-star Park Sung-woong, who plays Kwon Seok-ju, a legal scholar who was incarcerated for killing his daughter’s rapist. Park Sung-woong veers away this time from his typical villain characters.
“I didn't want the evil type of character that I've shown thus far to be reflected. I made a lot of efforts to portray Kwon Seok-ju as being between good and evil, so that he would not look evil,” he shares.
The three central characters represent different views of achieving justice.
“When asked whether the character Kim Moo-chan is a righteous person or not, I always answer both,” Park Hae-jin says. "Kim Moo-chan is a character who would go through fire and water for justice. Even if the method for justice is wrong, as long as it's for justice. Kim Moo-chan thinks that what he thinks is right is justice.”
Lim Ji-yeon is all praises for her character who actively tries to fight for justice in the series. “I think justice is possible because there are people like Joo Hyun. It is not easy to realize justice, but won’t a more just society be achieved through the efforts of people like Joo Hyun?”
In the time of "cancel culture," when people are quick to judge amid the spread of false information, the question remains—will one be able to achieve real justice?
Lim Ji-yeon says the series gives an opportunity to think about this conundrum. “As social media and the internet spread, faster information and the truth can be found but false news is also spreading, so there can be people who suffer because of it. I think our drama provides an opportunity to think about this a little more.”
The Killing Vote is streaming on Prime Video. Watch the trailer below.
