Narcos Saints is Netflix’s newest addition to the Narcos franchise. One cannot simply ignore the fact that recently Korean cinema has become widely popular and is spreading all across the globe. Right from Parasite winning at the Oscars to Squid Game becoming a worldwide phenomenon, we can all see and feel the Korean wave. And looking at that, Netflix added a new series to its popular TV Series, “Narcos.”
Narcos Saints is a Korean web series that is based on real-life events. Its story revolves around a small-time businessman who dreams of getting rich and starting his own business, but fate betrays him, and he gets caught up in the drug trade now, his only way out is to help NIS in capturing one of the biggest Korean drug lords who is operating in America.
Cast Of Narcos Saints
Narcos Saint stars Ha Jung as the main protagonist, personally, he is one of my favorite Korean actors. His haunting performance as a serial killer in the movie The Chaser literally gave chills to the audience. In his second collaboration with director Na Hong Jin for the movie The Yellow Sea, his role as a debt-ridden taxi driver who would go to any lengths to find freedom in his life, his role was critically acclaimed by the critics and is considered one of the best Korean movies of the decade. But the movie which impressed me the most recently is his 2013 crime thriller “The Terror Live.” A movie from which I had the least expectations, but it turned out to be a thrilling and thought-provoking experience.
The lead antagonist in this Korean TV show is Hwang Jung Min – an extremely versatile actor who often goes unnoticed. Some of the popular movies where Hwang Jun has worked are The Wailing, Ode To My Father, and The Spy Gone North.
Another popular actor from Narcos Saints is Park Hae Soo, who recently achieved international fame from Netflix’s hit TV show Squid Game and the Korean Version of Money Hesit.
Narcos Saints Review
Although Narcos Saints’ outcome is quite predictable, there will be a drug bust, and the villain will either get caught or killed by the end. But what keeps us hooked throughout the show is the story that takes place in between. How Kang deals with every conflict. How he manages his way into the Narcos and how Kang tries to bring the Narcos down.
One of the best things about the show I liked is that it beautifully depicted Kang’s character, where we get to see his businessman mentality, who deals with tough situations like a business deal and manages to get away from it.
In a scene where the military tries to extort some protection money from Kang & Kang, instead of agreeing to their demands, he gives them a deal –”On a good day, I’ll give you this much money, on a bad day, I’ll give you this much. Whether it’s a good day or a bad day for me and in the end, you will end up a rich man” The military chief gets impressed with Kang’s offer and accepts his deal, and lets him go.
Narcos Saints Ending Explained
Narcos Saints’ story is based on one of NIS’s biggest drug busts in history. It tells a true story of a Korean Drug Lord who operates in South America, disguising himself as a pastor. The show tells the story of Kang In Gu, an ambitious small-time businessman who starts a fish business. His business was running smoothly when a Chinese gangster extorted him and asked for money. According to the gangster, the whole sea belonged to him, and all the fishes are his property. Kang must pay him money if he wishes to run his business without any trouble.
Now Kang is in trouble as he has no idea how to deal with him, but then he meets a pastor at church who offers him help. Soon the Chinese gangster stops asking Kang for money, and Kang is now free, but little did he know that he is now in even big trouble.
Soon one day, Kang’s fish shipment gets raided, and the NIS finds drugs being transported through Kang’s shipment. Kang gets arrested, and it is then revealed that the Pastor who helped Kang was in reality, a Drug Lord, and it was he who filled Kang’s shipment with drugs to test a new shipping route. Now Kang is in deep trouble as he is caught in the drug trade. So to help him, the NIS offers him a ticket to freedom. But to earn that ticket, Kang must infiltrate Pastor’s gang and help the NIS bring them down.
The Ending Of Narcos Saints
After Kang goes through hell and after facing countless life-or-death situations, finally, after a thrilling climax involving lots of gunfights, helicopter chase scenes, and some hand-to-hand combats, The NIS is finally able to capture The Pastor. Kang returns to his home back to South Korea. Where the NIS chief Choi Chang makes a visit to Kang. Where he tells Kang that The Pastor has given him a ball that was signed by Park Chan Cho, one of the best Korean baseball players.
Choi reveals that Yo Hwan (The Pastor) said he wanted the ball back because it was the only real thing that he ever had. Kang, who had given the signed ball to his children to play catch, gets the ball back from them and stares at the ball because he knows Yo Hwan always gave people fake souvenirs. But this time, Yo Hwan claims it’s a real souvenir and wants it back.
Could Yo Hwan give Kang a real souvenir because he trusted him more than anyone? Or does he wants his ball back to recall his old life and repent over the crime he has committed? Well, the makers decided to leave that for the audience to guess and ended the show with ambiguity.
Will There Be The 2nd Season Of Narcos Saints?
Since Narcos Saints is based on a real-life incident, and in real life, Yo Hwan (The Pastor) is arrested and is in prison right now, so the chances of a 2nd season or continuing the franchise are quite thin. As the show was released recently, it’s quite hard to assume anything this soon. Netflix may find a real-life story that could be released under “Narcos Saints,” but it would take a couple of years for Netflix to make an official announcement.
