[Drama 2016] 38 Task Force (Squad 38) / 38사기동대 / Special eps (8/12) @11 PM KST (OCN)

[elviraxxx]

@Lady_Fay Chingu-ya... So sorry cannot join the conversation/serious discussion about 38 on Sunday. Something get in the way, I watched last ep. last night [partly because something really was got in the way, and mostly because I don't want 38 to end, so I was kinda delaying the ending. Gee... So childish].

This drama has the best material to be #1 OCN's drama this year. The writing, the actors, the bromance <3, even the villains. Hahahaha... 

Talking about villains [because our con artists, I believe, have been garnered praise], are the actors playing the villains trying to escape the good/bad image from their previous/current works? Or trying to prove their versatility in acting? Lee Ho Jae (who's playing Chairman Choi [the 100 million tax evader]) was a loving father in 'Doctors' and he's a evil king of all things that evil in this drama. Jung In Ki (who's playing Detective Sa) was always playing a great dad (e.g. in SeGa) and playing lovable character in Lucky Romance, here he's playing this hugely annoying and disgusting detective. Oh Dae Hwan who plays Ma Jin Suk was always playing baddies, but I kinda like his character here... and other more baddies in 38.
 

Spoiler

I love that there's a reference to another OCN's big hit 'Bad Guys'; Papa Bear twins. *fandoms collide*

Anw, is that how JD saved chairman Wang back in the jail too? Why do I kinda believe that he's the one 'controlling' Park Woong Chul (Papa Bear's twins) from behind the bars to throw 20 million from the university?

I know I shouldn't be hoping for more of 38, but the ending makes me kinda wishing there'll be more of them. Hear, hear, ye DramaGods.

I love that 38 keeps my stomach in knots in every episode. Can you even believe the plot twist is there until the end?

I have nothing but praise for the whole crew and congratulation that 38 has ended well, both story wise and rating wise, despite at first it's considered one of the low-key dramas this year. 
This is the longest I've posted in any forum. Feels like breaking up after 38 ends. I mean, HOW CAN I SPEND MY WEEKEND NOW?

[Guest phi3nk]

Police Unit 38: Episode 15

Backs get stabbed and plans backfire when the antagonists of our show prove themselves to be just as clever as our professional conmen. Despite rising uncertainties and a potential win for the other side, our heroic duo finds that when you trust your team to have have your back and refuse to let your faith in your friends be diluted, even a temporary loss can be born with equanimity.

EPISODE 15 RECAP

Working late at the Freezer, Sung-il gets up to wash his face and take a call from Ma Jin-seok. He returns to find Chairman Choi sitting at his desk, surrounded by papers detailing their con on his company. The chairman asks if he is Baek Sung-il and introduces himself. Sung-il hides his alarm and calls Jung-do, asking him to hurry over because they have a guest.

Sung-il asks the chairman why he came, but the man smiles benignly and doesn’t answer. It seems he was waiting for Jung-do to arrive, because as soon as he enters their workroom, Chairman Choi says that he thought it would be rude of him not to return the gesture after Jung-do took the trouble of seeking him out to warn him.

MORE http://www.dramabeans.com/2016/08/police-unit-38-episode-15/

[Lady_Fay]

okay, sometimes real life and work are simply interfering with drama-addictions. I did not have time yet to reply to all of the points raised here but I loved reading the different points.

@bebebisous33 Thanks. Your explanation about why Choi did not end up in jail makes sense. If he controlled the mayor and some other local officials he can buy the support of higher-up official during an investigation  for illegal campaign funding as well. And him still being a free man allows him to be one of the baddies of sesean 2 again. And considering the fact that he was a worthy opponent of our con-team that outmaneuver them more than once it would be an epic battle between them agin. He now knows how they think and work, so it would bee even tougher to make him pay for all the wrong-doings he will most likely still commit in future.

@pafaccio I'm still thinking about the point you raised considering the motivation of the con-team members for actually working together for the greater good. I kind of agree with what @40somethingahjumma said about them having decent sides as well and just needing a certain incentive as well as doing it for the thrills. But I would like to add that I actually think they did not turn completely - they are not the good guys (in the sense of seeing he world in black and white). I think its likely that each and every one of them is still working in their own special field. Wallet is most likely still the high end loan shark she was introduced to be, Burner is still running his own shady deals from the warehouse and Keyboard is most likely still into internet criminality. I think they are still living their own seperate lives but now they know they have own own make-shift family they could trun to in case of need and that is coming together to help out for the greater good whenever BSI is telling them to work as a team again.

And how much do I love the fact that it's no longer just CSH knowing about BSI's Robin Hood like second life but his whole old tax team. Cause the way they smiled when the secret donation for the university was annocunced in the news was just telling.

Can we talk about the scene between the mayor and BSI at the end of episode 16? Am I the only one that felt like the mayor actually hoped for BSI to have stopped him earlier in all his wrong-doings. Cause when the mayor finally tried to confess about him covering up the murder of Minshik he was so shocked to learn that BSI already knew. I somehow felt his tone when asking BSII why he did not do something (like coming to him and beating him up) was like his own way of trying to convince himself that he would have stopped his wrong path if someone would have confronted him earlier. I loved BSI's answer cause it showed that while BSI actually wanted to just do that he decided to actually keep quiet and fight the fight the mayor could not fight any longer after having been corrupted. Cause BSI showed that he knew the mayor well and that he knew the mayor was a good person that got swayed on the way - and he told him as much. He even asked that the mayor should return to the way he was before being elected as mayor. He knew that if he would have confronted the mayor directly it would not have changed the path the mayor was walking on.

I wonder whether the prison time for YJD at the end of the series is maybe more than just YJD sacrificing himself for the others. Maybe the OCN and the writer already hoped for being able to secure a second season as the show turned out to be so successful and maybe the prison term for YJD actually gives way to at least hope for the original cast of being secured again. Cause having the main lead in jail could actually collide with SIG's impending military service. So maybe they already had first dicussions behind the scenes of whether the cast would be interested to reunite in 2 years from now.

And just for having the the complete recaps for the series posted, here are the last recaps from 'Cimiart' and 'Dramas with a Side of Kimchi'...

38 Task Force ep 15 recap kdrama

38 Task Force – 38사기동대

 Episode 15

Sung Il calls to Jung Do to get over to the warehouse – they have an unwelcome guest. Choi Chul Woo tracked them down just to show his face and let them know they aren’t as clever as they might think. One thing is certain; it has caught Jung Do and Sung Il off guard.   

“By the way, how did you find this place?” Jung Do asks him. CEO Choi’s answer is unnerving, “That is precisely why you guys can’t beat us. You don’t know what’s important.” Jung Do realizes there are holes in the plan that are messing things up.

full recap: https://cimiart.wordpress.com/2016/08/06/38-task-force-ep-15-recap-kdrama/

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38 Task Force episode 16 finale recap

38 Task Force – 38사기동대

 Episode 16 

It’s now or never, sink or swim for our con team. With one last tag session Jung Do lays out the plan. Wallet asks if it’s Chairman Wang’s orders but Jung Do tells her that this time, it is his decision. With Burner and Keyboard recuperating from their injuries, it’s down to Wallet, her assistant Ms. Choi, and Mi Joo along with Sung Il and Jung Do. Sung Il cautiously reminds everyone that if something goes bad they’re on their own to find a way out. You never know when a back-up might be needed. 

full recap: https://cimiart.wordpress.com/2016/08/07/38-task-force-episode-16-finale-recap/

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Squad 38 Episode 14 – Out of Prison and Ready to Con.

On August 7, 2016 By amberkmuseIn Drama Recaps

I will be totally honest.  While there were some really cute scenes in this episode, for the most part I was a tiny bit bored.  So I am going to just breeze through this recap by focusing on the few scenes I did enjoy then start watching episode 15 and hoping for a little bit more connection than I felt in the last hour.

Chairman Gangster

Aww.  Jung Do getting his ear pulled by The Chairman was cute.  I kind of wish we could have seen a lot more of their relationship.  Maybe that will be rectified in the final two episodes.

full review: https://dramaswithasideofkimchi.wordpress.com/2016/08/07/squad-38-episode-14-out-of-prison-and-ready-to-con/

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Squad 38 Episode 15 – Is There Still A Con Going On?

On August 9, 2016 By amberkmuseIn Drama Recaps

I

f last Saturday was a bit of a slow episode, they made up for it in Episode 15.  They literally threw everything they could into the hour making it just a tiny bit overwhelming.  I am still trying to figure out what is part of the con, what is unexpected, and who is on which side.  At this point, I am not sure if the characters even have the answers to these questions.  We will discuss the pros and cons of this style of storytelling in a while, but first, let’s chat about the highlight events of Episode 15.

full review: https://dramaswithasideofkimchi.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/squad-38-episode-15-is-there-still-a-con-going-on/

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Squad 38 Episode 16 (Finale) – Pros & Cons

On August 9, 2016 By amberkmuseIn Drama Recaps

We are at the end of yet another drama and it is time to calculate all the factors and decide whether this drama is a keeper or whether we should shove it into the kdrama vault and forget it exists.  Which means it is time for us to balance out the pros and cons. 

PRO: We finally have a complete picture as to what the con was and how it was executed.  Thank goodness because all of those quick phone calls at the end of episode 15 were stressing me out.

full review: https://dramaswithasideofkimchi.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/squad-38-episode-16-finale-pros-cons/

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@phi3nk Maybe you could post the quick-links to all the complete recaps from Dramabeans, @xxPeepsxx and all the other blogs within the introductionary post. Maybe it convinces those that think about checking it out to actually give it a try. Cause I think almost all of us agree that this is a show that deserves to be praised and advertised.

@psycribbler, @thecrazedkfangirl is there a chance that the international Sooyoung fans will stream the special episode next weekend just in case our normal stream is not interested in watching it? Cause I would love to see all of us reunite here to actually watch the special episode together as well. I kind of do not want to let go of that show...

[Guest phi3nk]

Police Unit 38: Episode 16 (Final)

How many times can a show blow your mind before there isn’t any mind left? When you think there just CAN’T be any more twists, Police Unit 38 ups the ante once again, taking a whole new direction as the past collides with the present in one last, all-out, life-or-death showdown between the bad guys, the other bad guys, the not-so-bad guys, the maybe-bad guys, and our resident bears. But when your philosophy is to fight until you win…surely it’s only a matter of time?

FINAL EPISODE RECAP

Jung-do wraps up his council of war at the Freezer and thanks Madam Noh for agreeing to the plan. He sends Mi-joo along with her, but before they go, Sung-il instructs them to each save themselves, should things go wrong.

Afterwards, the two men remain in silence, Jung-do with his head bowed, until Sung-il asks if he’s not going to tell them the whole plan, since they’ll be hurt when they find out later. “So what if they get hurt?” Jung-do replies, raising his head with a half-smile, “Ajusshi, I’m a con artist.” But despite his words, it’s clear he cares.

Madam Noh parts with Mi-joo with the warning that this scam could end them all, so she should find her own way out. She and Ji-yeon drive away, and Madam Noh agrees when Ji-yeon says they should do as Chairman Wang tells them.

more : http://www.dramabeans.com/2016/08/police-unit-38-episode-16-final/

 

@Lady_Fay Ok, I'll try to do that. Yes, this drama needs more recognitions. Such well-written dramas are rare to happen in Kdramaland. I hope all the chingus here would come together on the last broadcast. Let's party here while we are eating and drinking favorite snack, enjoy the last moment together.

[pafaccio]

@phi3nk The last broadcast is going to be Friday or Saturday? Same time? I'm planning to watch it and comment here!

It's so sad that the drama already ended up? If they are going to do Part II without SIG or with different actors for sure I'm not going to watch it! These characters belongs to these actors!!!! There is no way that I can watch the same gender with different people!!!!

It was the same for me with Reply 1997. That drama was so good (actually one of my favorites dramas; every detail, the cast, he story, the reflections, everything is perfect) that I tried to start watching Reply 1994 because there was a cameo of the original cast, but after 3 episodes I stopped!!! And then Reply 1988 never watch it, and not planning to do it! It's definitely not the same!!!!!

[Guest phi3nk]

@pafaccio as long as I know, that's going to be Friday. But Idk if we can watch it in the usual site. 

https://www.instagram.com/ocn_squad38_official/

There's an event for Friday. We have to left a message on OCN official FB account about Squad 38. The 3 winners can get the gifts above.

[Guest phi3nk]

Are they in vacation?

MOD EDIT: Put large files and multiple pictures in spoiler tag

Spoiler

 

 

 

And when I start to miss this squad, they release bts of the last shooting 

http://program.interest.me/ocn/taxteam38/3/Vod/View/163265

 

 

[ituaku]

Squad 38 ep.1-16

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[pafaccio]

Are we going to be able to watch the special episode today at 11:00 pm Korea time (or tomorrow at 8:00 am USA time for me)?

Do you have a working link????

 

I wish there is a last con job from writer-nim to us... and they say in the special episode that they already filmed all the episodes of part 2  and that the drama didn't ended yet!!!!

[jongski]

Yep, special episodes laterz. Of course I'm here.  I'll be here.  TF38 One of the best drama for 2016. I've said  in almost every page...this drama  ought to win an award!

Best writing, screenplay. director, ensemble cast, best actor for SIG .. because from my perspective, an actor doesn't have to have a role that cries and emote, and be all the time damn the whole will seek revenge kind of character and and be depressing. (except of course if it's JH whom I think deserves best actor for BM) 

Oh my gosh.. what's Friday and Saturday without 38TF. I got so used to  to the squad! PART 2 PLEASE!

[Lady_Fay]

in preparation for later on let me post a few more reviews or blog posts I found about the drama...

[Fangirl musings] Squad 38 – First Impressions (ep 1-2)

June 20, 2016Gabby

Yay! A new Seo In Guk drama! And it’s even a crime drama (my favourite!). I’m glad to say that the show has gotten off to a good start. If this drama is a scammer, then I’ve already taken its bait.

 

Squad 38 is unlike your typical detective drama, as the show focuses on the tax collection department that teams up with a conman to get their job done. Taxation is a dry topic, and as a taxpayer myself, I know what a pain it is to file and pay your taxes each year. The drama knows and admits that taxation is nothing fun, as it starts with our lead, Baek Sung Il (played by Ma Dong Seok), going through the same routine each day in his thankless job as a tax collector. He also meets all kinds of people on the job — from the rich guys who refuse to pay up, to the poor who simply can’t afford to cough up the money. He barely makes ends meet and has to put up with nasty backstabbing superiors, corruption and a sly conman out to squeeze him dry, and you get a very grim picture of the life of a law-abiding government official.

full post: https://daegorr.wordpress.com/2016/06/20/fangirl-musings-squad-38-first-impressions-ep-1-2/

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July 27, 2016

38 Task Force: Sung-hee

Wow. Some eagled eye viewers guessed correctly that Sung-hee and Councilor Chun are a pair of father-daughter. A nice twist in character-relationships. However…I still need to rant about Sung-hee.

I really see no purpose to Sung-hee as a character in 38, other than “proving” that Jung-do isn’t a bad egg in the past (and present). Hopefully, with the upfront knowledge (from ep11) that she is Councilor Chun’s daughter will provide a more interesting layer to her character. Currently, other than being Miss Goody-Two-Shoes and Jung-do’s ex-lover, Sung-hee hasn’t really grown much in terms of character development.

full post: https://nekosdrama.wordpress.com/2016/07/27/38-task-force-sung-hee/

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1 week ago

38 Task Force: Navigating the twists and turns

38 is one show which I find myself backtracking to re-watch segments. It is living up to central motif of scams — the narrative can be as convoluted as some of Jung-do’s best ideas. And you can experience a succession of emotions ranging from shock, nervousness, to being utterly impressed with the scammers’ level of details.

You can say it is good writing — or bad. Good, since Writer-nim keeps us on our toes guessing and second guessing Jung-do & gang’s intention, only to be played out by them again and again. Bad, cos you need to pay 300% attention to get the nuances — and that can be tiring.

full review: https://nekosdrama.wordpress.com/2016/08/03/38-task-force-navigating-the-twists-and-turns/

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TV

 

August 10, 2016

’38 Task Force’ Ends With High Viewership And Becomes The Highest Rated Drama In OCN History

Jan Omega

Last Saturday, August 6, the Orion Cinema Network’s K-drama 38 Task Force came to a conclusion. The series, starring Ma Dong Seok (Dr. Champ, Bad Guys), Seo In Guk (Reply 1997, Hello Monster), and Sooyoung (K-pop idol of Girls’ Generation), was about Baek Sung Il (Dong Seok), a task force chief who works with South Korea’s National Tax Service, and Yang Jung Do (In Guk), a professional swindler, teaming up to swindle the richest members of Korean population who avoid paying their large amounts of income taxes.

 

The plot concept for the series already put the K-drama at an advantage given that most political K-dramas are not successful. Whether it’s a love story like The Prime Minister and I or far more serious like Assembly, they don’t seem to garner the viewership necessary to be considered successful. However, the K-drama showed the tax collectors supporting the “little man,” going after those who have everything but simply refuse to pay their contribution to society. Many people around the world are able to relate to that, because if the wealthy paid their taxes like those who do not have as much as they do, it would not be such a strain for the lower classes.

As a result, 38 Task Force concluded successfully with a high viewership rating for a K-drama airing on a Korean pay channel. Not only that, 38 Task Force is officially the most successful K-drama the network has aired in its history.

full post: http://www.inquisitr.com/3403686/38-task-force-ends-with-high-viewership-becomes-highest-rated-drama-ocn-history/

 

[Cat-O-Cat Kun]

I'm 5 days late to comment here but 1st of all LEE SUN BIN  in a new show

There will be an episode today!!? wow. I hope it isn't Behind the Scenes.

http://www.dramabeans.com/2016/08/lee-sun-bin-cao-lu-to-be-part-of-picnic-party/
 

Quote

 

MBC’s castaway comedy drama Picnic has added Lee Sun-bin (Police Unit 38) and Fiestar’s Cao Lu to its party of stranded idols. Originally titled Gaia, Picnic is about the survival of the members of an idol-filled plane, which crashes onto an uninhabited island. Young beautiful people in forced close proximity, golly gee, I wonder what could happen. I would gladly give up my second toe to be on that plane…

Lee Sun-bin confirmed her role a couple days ago, and she will be playing Hyeri’s arch rival, the glamorous and fresh-faced, number-one female idol Ha Ji-ah. It says that they’ve been fierce competitors from their trainee days together and that the animosity has only intensified since then.

 

 

[pafaccio]

HI! I'm here waiting!!! So excited and sad at the same time!!!!

Any signs of any possible live stream??? Please, share the link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest phi3nk]

Do you guys watching?

Like in usual site, they're now airing OCN. They have many comrcl, though this only special episode. 

[pafaccio]

Working stream is tvlive3 for me ....I'm so grateful with who is behind that stream!!!

  THANK YOU SO MUCH (whoever you are) FOR BEING LOYAL TO 38 TASK FORCE AND SHARE IT WITH US!!!!!

[jongski]

 Raw recap special ep please! waiting! gosh, we love this clever smart witty drama! Bless ya OCN!

SIG  always always picks good dramas! and his caliber of acting is just he deserves to be  one of the top actors! 

But SIG is not the in your face type actor who's into popularity... he just does his job  and we're rewarded with good acting.

The writer and this drama deserves all the accolades

[thecrazedkfangirl]

Hi guys!! I just want to tell everyone that I'm back!!  I was so busy the past week but I'm back!! omg right?
I really didn't expect the stream will work for the special ep but I'm so happy I tried it cause it does work!! HUHUHUHU
I haven't posted my thoughts about the last ep but I will.. just wait for it lol

[jongski]

@thecrazedkfangirl we're waiting... you able to recap the special? I've no stream on on my end.. ha ha. I wonder what it's all about...

[thecrazedkfangirl]

I'm afraid I can't do the recap for this special ep cause it''s not like the usual that it has a story flow that we could easily follow when looking at their faces. and with conversational korean that I could understand XD now... so many captions and interviews I couldn't understand in one viewing.. I need to focus LOL. I do hope someone will sub this huhuhu that kind of detailed subs they do in variety shows huhuhu

 

But know they're talking about SIG's adlib, "BUJA!! BUJA!!!!"="Rich" part!! He said that while looking at the people cheering, that adlib just came out naturally..

[Guest phi3nk]

@thecrazedkfangirl welcome back, chingu. Hope you enjoyed your weekend last week.

Omoooo... we need translator tonight. They start with best scenes but idk what they're talking. kkekkkee....