Disney Plus’ new K-drama Vigilante, starring Nam Joo-Hyuk, premiered with two episodes on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. The series follows the story of Kim Ji-Yong, a dedicated and hardworking police university student by day and a vigilante by night, delivering his own brand of justice. Ji-Yong becomes a vigilante due to his tragic past, where he his mother was killed by a criminal who had no remorse for his actions.
The first two episodes of Vigilante focus on creating Kim Ji-Yong’s (Nam Joo-Hyuk) dual identity as a police university student and a vigilante. Viewers even get a glimpse of his backstory as well as Kim Ji-Yong’s way of delivering justice to the perpetrators. The episodes deliver action-packed scenes as people look out for the vigilante.
Vigilante K-drama episode 1 focuses on Nam Joo-Hyuk’s backstory
Episode 1 of Vigilante begins with Kim Ji-Yong’s backstory. In the past, his mother was killed in front of his eyes, with the perpetrator not regretting his actions. Moreover, the court convicts the criminal with a three-year sentence. Since then, Ji-Yong takes the role of a vigilante, delivering justice to criminals the way he sees fit by taking law into his own hands and filling its loopholes.
While he is a sincere police university student by the day, he turns into the vigilante at night. He comes face to face with his mother’s criminal but realizes that nothing has changed, making him even more determined in his mission. His actions spread to reporter Choi Mi-Ryeo (Kim So-Jin), who takes it as an opportunity to make a show about him. While the premiere is a hit, they await for any new updates on the vigilante’s actions.
Here, viewers get a glimpse of Kim Ji-Yong’s moral compass. He doesn’t go around punishing all criminals but only the ones that show no remorse. He lets go of criminals who repent for their actions. Meanwhile, as a way to make the show stand out, the reporter and the team introduce a vigilante special episode. To make it happen, they open up an old case, called “The Si-Yoon Case,” and reveal the perpetrator’s identity.
They successfully manage to lure in the vigilante, as he works hard to catch the sex offender named Jeong Deok-Heung. In the midst of Ji-Yong working on the case, the perpetrator disappears. Both Ji-Yong and the police race against time to protect the victim from the criminal. Eventually, Ji-Yong arrives at the right time to stop Deok-Heung from killing the victim Si-Yoon.
Ji-Yong beats up the criminal and the latter pleads for mercy. Ji-Yong agrees to let him live only if he writes an apology letter. He makes a chance encounter with reporter Choi, but she misses him as he’s dressed in his usual clothes and not the vigilante attire. She and the police spot the criminal with a bloody writing on the wall, which read, “Heaven’s net. I’m sorry. Forgive.”
Vigilante episode 2 recap: Nam Joo-Hyuk delivers a harsh punishment
After finding the criminal, everyone’s on the lookout for the vigilante. While the police, including Ji-Yong’s mentor, want to label the vigilante as a murderer, they receive opposition from the citizens, stating that the vigilante was only focused at helping and protecting the victims. Meanwhile, reporter Choi and her channel REP024h also receives hate comments for glorifying vigilante’s actions.
This time, the channel puts out a different perspective and lays three different targets for the vigilante. One of them is about the murder committed by Seo Doo-Yeop, who killed his ex-employer’s children and wife. While Doo-Yeop claims that he committed the crime under the influence of alcohol, Ji-Yong finds out that the former posts pictures of himself enjoying in clubs after the crime.
After his friends suggest to go to a club to take a break, Ji-Yong decides to accompany them and spot the murderer. However, his mission isn’t successful in the first try. As he researches more about the case, he remembers a conversation Doo-Yeop has with his friends at the club. The latter expresses being let off easy for his crimes due to insufficient evidence.
Ji-Yong discovers the social media profiles of numerous kids killed by Doo-Yeop. Eventually, the vigilante catches a hold of the criminal and asks him to turn himself in by giving him a phone number. Doo-Yeop finds out from a friend that it’s a Busan DEA agent’s contact. When he tries to escape and return to his hideout, he finds Ji-Yong waiting for him.
Ji-Yong wants the criminal to apologize to the family members of the children he killed. When Doo-Yeop chooses against it, the vigilante strangles him to death. The police arrive at the scene the next day and declare vigilante as the murderer. A special investigation unit is led by Jo Heon, who begins to look for details surrounding the recent murder.
The first two episodes of Vigilante promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. To watch what happens next, tune in to Vigilante episodes 3 and 4 on November 15, 2023, at 6 p.m. KST on Disney Plus.
