Pratik Handore
Created by writer-director Jason Kim, Netflix’s ‘Bloodhounds’ is a South Korean action crime series revolving around Kim Gun-woo and Hong Woo-jin, two boxers who enter the dangerous world of loan sharks to repay their debts. However, they come across a dangerous and must fight to stop his nefarious schemes. It is based on Jeong Chan’s Korean-language Webtoon comic of the same name. Given the show’s high-octane action and heartfelt storytelling, viewers must wonder how its title encapsulates the narrative threads and themes.
The Meaning of Bloodhounds Title
‘Bloodhounds’ follows Kim Gun-woo (Woo Do-hwan), a former Marine turned boxer who works odd jobs to help his mother pay rent for her cafe amidst the financial strain of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, his mother’s cafe is trashed after she fails to repay Smile Capital, which embezzles money under the guise of providing low-interest loans to small business owners. Meanwhile, Gun-woo also meets fellow boxer Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), who formerly worked as a debt collector for a loan shark.
In the series, Gun-woo and Woo-jin’s financial woes help them realize how loan sharks are taking advantage of the situation small business owners are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the friends team up with Mr. Choi and his granddaughter, Hyeon-Ju, to take down nefarious loan shark Kim Myeong-Gil. However, finding the right path and choosing to fight for justice, the dynamic duo almost veer down the path of becoming debt collectors to repay the money they owe to Smile Capital. In loan shark circles, these debt collectors who use intimidation tactics and violence to collect payments are called “Bloodhounds.”
The show’s title references the thugs and goons the loan sharks use to intimidate their clients and embezzle money. A bloodhound is a species of dog that is known for its strong sense of ability to discern human scent. Thus, a bloodhound is ideal for hunting and tracking. The same idea is represented by the debt collectors who track down the due payments and “hound” the loan takers to repay the loan sharks’ money. However, these debt collectors are treated like “dogs” and can be extremely loyal to their bosses, as evidenced by Hwang Yang-jung and Lee Doo-young, who are dedicated to Mr. Choi.
On the other hand, it is also a derogatory term, as seen when Gun-woo and Woo-Jin are offered the job of debt collectors. However, by hunting down the loan sharks and seeking justice for the injustice caused by them, Gun-woo and Woo-Jin provide a new meaning to the “Bloodhounds” title by embracing its positive side. Their kind-heartedness, nobility, and aggressive and dedicated fighting approach make them “hounds” threatening the loan sharks’ power. Ultimately, ‘Bloodhounds’ is the story of the fight against injustice, and the title initially is slang for a servant who collects debt. However, the title takes a deeper meaning through Gun-woo’s loyalty to Mr. Choi and his keeping Mr. Choi’s ideals and continuing his fight, turning it into a story of repaying the loan of kindness extended to him.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s Bloodhounds Filmed?
