This K-Drama Is a True Time Machine to the Best 90s Action
Missing actions with an unstoppable force and a heart of gold? This South Korean franchise delivers exactly that four times and counting!
The first thing I check before diving into any movie is whether it's part of a larger series. I really love discovering a new movie that's actually not a standalone project, but just one in a franchise. That way if I like the film enough, I can go on to binge the next ones. Sure, not all franchises can hold up to its first movie.
Yet the film series I want to talk about today has not one and not even two great follow-ups but three. This is the kind of series that makes you want to tell all of your friends about it, so they'll be as obsessed with it as you are.
The Roundup Series: Perfect Action and Great Comedy All at Once
Following detective Ma Seok-do (played by the charismatic powerhouse Don Lee), each film tackles true crime stories with perfect, bone-crushing action and genuinely funny moments. Based on real-life Yoon Seok-ho, Don Lee takes on the role of a no-nonsense detective who's not afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to catching the bad guys.
Each installment follows a similar formula, but somehow manages to not feel boring and predictable every single time.
If You Like 90s Action, You’ll Be Obsessed With the Roundup Franchise
The first time I watched The Outlaws ( a movie that started it all), I was absolutely blown away by how it managed to capture that pure 90s action vibe while still feeling totally fresh. And turns out I wasn't the only one who thought that way. As Redditor Huge_Macaroon_8728 wrote:
“This series reminds me so much of the golden age of action movies from the '80s and especially the '90s.”
And I don't know how, but they just keep getting better and better each time. We've got The Outlaws (2017), The Roundup (2022), The Roundup: No Way Out (2023), The Roundup: Punishment (2024).
Don Lee Confirms 4 More The Roundup Movies
The series is truly a gift that keeps on giving. In an interview to Screen Daily, Don Lee revealed:
“We are working on the scripts for [The Roundup] five, six, seven and eight right now, each with different stories and tones. I will remain the central character until eight but, after that, I’m not sure yet.”
So if you're in a mood for some action-packed movie, you have four to catch up to before the new installment comes around. The whole franchise is available on Amazon Video right now.
