Netflix’s Hit 7-Part Martial Arts Thriller Is As Good As Jean-Claude Van Damme’s 1988 Classic

One of Netflix‘s best action thriller shows has finally returned with another season, and, this time around, it seems nearly as good as one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s best action movies from the 1980s. The Netflix show in question is a Webtoon adaptation and is packed with one action set piece after another throughout its season 2’s seven-episode runtime.

Jean-Claude Van Damme has starred in a long line of memorable action movies. However, his legacy as an action movie star is often associated with one iconic movie from the 1980s, Bloodsport. From a critical standpoint, Bloodsport does not rank among the best action movies. However, despite this, the film proved to be a major hit after its premiere and even spawned several follow-ups.

While none of Bloodsport‘s sequels proved to be as good as the original film, the new season of a Netflix K-drama, Bloodhounds, seems to fill the void it left behind. In just seven episodes, Bloodhounds season 2, like Bloodsport, leaves viewers with dozens of rewatchable high-takes action sequences that brim with raw intensity and bloodshed.

Bloodhounds Season 2 Is The Perfect Show For Fans Of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Bloodsport

Soyun Jeon, Seowoo Jung / Netflix

Netflix’s hit action K-drama, Bloodhounds, has already etched a solid identity for itself in the genre. However, in more ways than one, it seems similar to Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Bloodsport. The Netflix show seems to borrow many action movie tropes that also made Bloodsport successful in the 1980s. For instance, an underground fighting tournament serves as the central plot device in both.

In Bloodsport, Frank Dux goes to Hong Kong to compete in a secret, full-contact fighting tournament. Although Bloodhounds‘ Gun-woo does not willingly participate in an illegal tournament, he, too, is forced to compete in one after professionally proving his boxing forte. The tournaments in both the movie and the show are absolutely brutal, where participants even end up losing their lives.

Like Chong Li in Bloodsport, Bloodhounds‘ Baek-jeong is portrayed as an overpowered villain who does not shy away from killing his opponents. In both narratives, the main heroes are no less skilled. However, when they enter the ring in their final battles against the main villains, they seem inferior in more ways than one. Yet, they train hard and defy all odds to eventually emerge victorious.

Similar to Bloodsport, Bloodhounds perfectly portrays the high stakes of every action scene by featuring one competitive showdown after another. The show also does not hold back from violence and bloodshed, which makes its fight scenes even more white-knuckling. The main characters in both are also driven by their desire to seek revenge and protect their loved ones, making their stories seem relatable.

While the action scenes in both Bloodsport and Bloodhounds can seem a little too over-the-top at times, this adds to their overall appeal. Considering all the similarities between the two, it would be fair to say that Bloodhounds is the perfect show for fans of Bloodsport.

Bloodsport Is Also Surprisingly Getting A New Remake

Interestingly, Bloodsport is also getting an official reboot. As reports suggest, A24 has acquired the rights to the project, and it is being written and directed by Michaela Coel. No casting updates about the upcoming project have been made, but the film will reportedly focus less on the campy elements of the film and more on the psychological toll of its isolated setting on its central fighter characters.

On paper, the remake sounds like an intriguing follow-up to the original Bloodsport.

However, considering the history of failed action remakes in Hollywood, it is hard not to be skeptical about it. Regardless of how the movie turns out, fans of the action genre can always check out the classic Jean-Claude Van Damme movie or tune into Netflix‘s Bloodhounds to get their fix of grounded, hard-hitting portrayal of combat sports on the screen.