If you are tired of watching the same old crime dramas and suspense thrillers with the same monotonous plots and very predictable endings, Netflix’s original Korean thriller, A Killer Paradox, could be the perfect choice to refresh your mind. A Killer Paradox is an eight-part series revolving around an ordinary young boy named Lee Tang and his extraordinary power to eliminate evil people. Even though the killings take a toll on Lee Tang’s mind, causing him to feel guilty for what he did, he eventually realizes that those he killed deserved to die. Let’s discuss the series’ storyline to see if the authorities manage to capture Lee Tang after all the killings he has committed.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happened In Season 1?
Lee Tang, an ordinary student, dreamed of going to Australia for higher studies, and his parents were pretty proud of him. As a part-time worker, Tang used to work in a store, where one day he had to deal with a customer who acted very erratically. Tang didn’t pay much attention to it and took a hammer from the store because he needed it to fix something in his room. As Tang went outside, he spotted the customer lying on the street. Having no idea what was going on, Tang followed the other guy whom he had spotted with the customer earlier, but as Tang asked him to take his friend home, the man started beating him up. Tang lost his cool, grabbed his hammer, and battered the man to death in an act of self-defense, but he instantly realized that he had done something terribly wrong. No one was there to witness what Tang just did except for a blind woman who was walking her dog and passing by. The next morning, the investigation started, and Detective Jang Nam-gam took over the case. Shortly after the investigation started, it was revealed that the man whom Tang had killed was a serial killer who had killed the previous customer Tang had had to entertain. Tang was a bit content realizing that he had killed someone who deserved to die, but he wasn’t aware of his unique powers yet.
A few days later, the blind woman showed up at the store where Tang worked and straight-up approached him, revealing that she wasn’t actually blind but was pretending to be. She would shut her mouth so long as Tang would give her 2 million won every month, which Tang initially had to comply with. He showed up at the woman’s place with the money, but as the woman kept on demanding more money and blackmailed him by showing him the murder weapon (the hammer) that she had collected from the murder scene, Tang lost his cool again and beat her to death.
Why Did Roh-Bin Help Nam-Gam Find Chon?
Tang realized that he was out of his control and killing people driven by a supernatural power because, this time, it was not self-defense, but a deliberate act. Not only the serial killer or the blackmailing woman, he killed a lot of evil people afterward, like two corrupt young men on the street, Prosecutor Ji, and many more, but he got away with each murder by leaving no evidence behind, so it became almost impossible for the detectives to track down the killer. However, Nam-gam had his suspicions about Tang, but with no strong evidence, he couldn’t arrest him. In the meantime, another vigilante named Roh-Bin was a witness to one of the murders committed by Tang, so he joined him, and together, they decided to carry on the killings in the name of justice. But as the detectives finally managed to track the two of them down and prepare for their arrest, a tragedy struck Nam-gam’s life. Nam-gam had been grappling with his father being bedridden for years due to his paralysis, but when a vigilante named Song-Chon killed Nam-gam’s father in the hospital to put an end to his misery, Nam-gam sought revenge. Song-Chon was the one who had severely beaten up his father and left his whole body paralyzed. Therefore, all his life, Nam-gam wanted to track down Chon and kill him, so after his father’s death, when he learned that Chon was in the vicinity, he couldn’t lose the chance to capture his nemesis and put an end to his atrocities.
On the other hand, Tang and Roh-Bin decided to move out of the country to evade justice, but in the end, Roh-Bin decided to sacrifice himself for Tang’s sake. Roh-Bin knew that Tang had a unique power that would help him kill the evil people of this society without getting caught, but Roh-Bin was just an ordinary person, so he decided to turn himself in to save Tang’s life. He wanted Tang to leave the country, so he went to meet Nam-gam to surrender himself as well as help him catch his nemesis, Song-Chon. Roh-Bin intended to help Nam-gam in his pursuit so that, in exchange, the detective would leave Tang alone. He gave justifications for Tang’s actions, saying that all the people Tang had killed were evil people with sinister motives, and they deserved the punishment.
What’s The Truth About Nam-Gam’s Father?
Song-Chon was another vigilante who also knew about the killings committed by Tang, but he was curious if Tang had been carrying out these killings for the sake of justice or out of passion. After Song-Chon killed Nam-gam’s father, he hid himself in an abandoned factory, but he knew very well that Nam-gam would eventually find him. Roh-Bin knew where Song-Chon could be found, so he went to the factory and confronted him. Nam-gam was also there, pointing his gun at Chon, but in the meantime, Tang arrived there because he believed he was supposed to kill Chon, not Nam-gam, who had never killed anyone in his life. The four of them got into a scuffle, and Chon shot Roh-Bin to death. Chon was also injured, and Nam-gam wanted to put an end to his existence, but before he could pull the trigger, Chon revealed that what Nam-gam had known about his father all his life was nothing but a lie. Nam-gam’s father was not an honest police officer, but a corrupt one. Initially, Nam-gam struggled to believe Chon, but he still chose to listen to him.
Chon’s father was also a criminal, and after his death, Nam-gam’s father, Detective Jang, gave him an opportunity in life, but Chon realized that Jang had pitied him instead of being understanding of his situation. Chon wanted to become a detective like Jang, but whenever he tried to prove his worth, Jang belittled him in front of everyone. One day, when Jang asked Chon to deliver a box to a woman, Chon complied with his commands, but later he found out that the woman to whom he had delivered the box was arrested in an airport for selling drugs in it. The woman was innocent, as she had no idea what was in the box, so Chon thought of confronting Jang about it. Upon being questioned by Chon, Jang completely denied giving him any boxes earlier, making Chon realize that Jang was a corrupt officer who was affiliated with the drug dealers. Out of anger, Chon beat him up, forgetting what the consequences might be, which was the reason Jang’s whole body was paralyzed, causing him to become a bedridden patient for the rest of his life. Nam-gam couldn’t believe what Chon said, but deep in his mind, he suspected his father as well for hiding his secrets from his family. However, he still couldn’t forgive Song-Chon and ended his life by shooting him to death.
What Happened To Lee Tang?
The entire factory caught fire, and Nam-gam escaped from the scene, but what happened to Lee Tang then? Lee Tang not only had the unique power of spotting evil people and killing them, but his luck was also his super strength. When Tang wanted Nam-gam to kill him, Nam-gam couldn’t shoot him; instead, he asked him to leave the country. Later, when another investigator took over the case and interrogated Nam-gam to see if he had any idea where Tang was, Nam-gam maintained his discretion about Tang. Tang never wanted to be a killer, but circumstances made him one because the authorities were unable to provide justice. Nam-gam had no option left but to kill Song-Chon, but he didn’t want the same with Tang, so he gave him a chance to rectify his mistakes, but Tang couldn’t distract himself from the power he possessed. Tang tried hard to refrain from killing and left for Philippines, but there he was arrested by the cops for not having a passport. The cops checked that Tang had no criminal record, so he was sent back to Korea. However, upon his return to Korea, he once again resumed his killings in the name of justice. Nam-gam heard the news of a murder and instantly realized that Tang was back in town.
What To Expect Next?
A Killer Paradox ended with Tang walking out onto a street in Busan, where he bumped into a guy who might have had some sinister motives. Tang instantly realized that this guy could be his next target. Season 1 ended with a cliffhanger, so we may expect that in the upcoming season, Tang will continue his pursuit of justice and become the next target of the Korean authorities. So, if the streaming giant ever decides to bring it back on our screens, let’s hope for another thrilling ride from A Killer Paradox season 2.
