While some of the gritty street violence in the movie reflects the atmosphere of early 2000s Seoul gang activity, the core partnership—a crime boss and a detective—is a dramatization of the intense, desperate efforts to curb random crime. The "Devil" — Kang Kyung-ho
While there is no official record of a major mob boss and a detective forming a formal partnership to catch a killer, the film's premise is inspired by a 2005 case where police and organized crime elements inadvertently crossed paths during a manhunt for a prolific murderer.
wants the killer to secure a promotion and satisfy justice.
In short, The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil is an action-thriller designed for entertainment. It is an original narrative about an unlikely alliance, not a depiction of historical fact. is the gangster the cop the devil based on true story
Some reviews and viewers note that the concept of criminals and police working together to catch a more dangerous threat is a "true tale", though most critics view the specific alliance in the film as an "inventive reworking" of tropes rather than a literal historical record. Useful Review Summary
The character of the "Devil" is heavily modeled after Yoo Young-chul , a real serial killer who terrorized Seoul between 2003 and 2004.
However, the event that triggers the plot—the killer accidentally targeting a hardened criminal who fights back—is loosely adapted from real police logs where attackers unknowingly targeted individuals capable of overwhelming them, leading to vital physical evidence being left behind. The Alliance While some of the gritty street violence in
The film depicts a police force that is sometimes hampered by bureaucracy or under the thumb of local bosses. This reflects real-life tensions where police and gangs occasionally shared information—though rarely to the extent of a formal partnership.
In the real 2005 case, the police caught Cho through traditional investigative work, forensic science, and public tips, rather than a collaborative underworld alliance.
The film's ending offers a more theatrical form of "justice" that differs from the legal reality of the life sentence/death row status of real-life killers like Yoo Young-chul. real-life investigation In short, The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil
into the "Raincoat Killer" or perhaps details on the upcoming American remake
The antagonist, Kang Kyung-ho, represents a specific type of criminal that haunted South Korea in the 2000s. His random, motiveless stabbing spree mirrors the real-life case of , known as the "Rainy Night Murderer."