Character Relationship Map: Mad Dog

Characters

• Choi Kang-Woo (played by Yoo Ji-tae) — protagonist
• Kim Min-Joon (played by Woo Do-hwan) — protagonist
• Jang Ha-Ri (played by Ryu Hwa-young) — supporting
• Park Soon-Jung (played by Jo Jae-yun) — supporting
• On Noo-Ri (played by Kim Hye-seong) — supporting
• Cha Hong-Joo (played by Hong Soo-hyun) — supporting
• Joo Hyun-Ki (played by Choi Won-young) — minor
• Park Moo-Shin (played by Jang Hyuk-jin) — minor
• Byun Guk-Jin (played by Park In-hwan) — minor
• Choi Joo-won (played by Kim Ye-joon) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Choi Kang-Woo → Kim Min-Joon (Professional Team Leader) — Kang-woo recruits and leads Min-joon in the Mad Dog investigation team

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Kim Min-Joon → Joo Hyun-Ki (Conflict Adversary) — Min-joon opposes Hyun-Ki's attempts to cover up the crash
• Choi Kang-Woo → Choi Joo-won (Alliance Team Member) — Joo-won is part of Kang-woo's Mad Dog investigation team
• Choi Kang-Woo → Byun Guk-Jin (Alliance Team Member) — Guk-Jin is part of Kang-woo's Mad Dog investigation team
• Choi Kang-Woo → Park Moo-Shin (Alliance Team Member) — Moo-Shin is part of Kang-woo's Mad Dog investigation team
• Choi Kang-Woo → Joo Hyun-Ki (Conflict Antagonist) — Hyun-Ki is involved in covering up the truth about the crash
• Choi Kang-Woo → Cha Hong-Joo (Alliance Team Member) — Hong-Joo is part of Kang-woo's Mad Dog investigation team
• Choi Kang-Woo → On Noo-Ri (Alliance Team Member) — Noo-Ri is part of Kang-woo's Mad Dog investigation team
• Choi Kang-Woo → Park Soon-Jung (Alliance Team Member) — Soon-Jung is part of Kang-woo's Mad Dog investigation team
• Choi Kang-Woo → Jang Ha-Ri (Alliance Team Member) — Ha-ri is part of Kang-woo's Mad Dog investigation team

Story Analysis

The season follows an investigation into a plane crash that was presented as suicide but was supported by forged insurance evidence. The investigation expands from personal grief into a confrontation with institutional corruption and public deception.

Plot Progression

1. The Crash Mystery — The season begins with an insurance fraud investigation and a chance encounter with a mysterious investigator. A past missed flight and the resulting plane crash establish the central emotional wound...
2. The Living Witness — The investigators discover that a supposedly dead insurance witness is alive and connected to the crash. Pursuit, violence, and conflicting motives reveal that the accepted suicide explanation may be...
3. Forged Evidence — The former detective returns to an insurance claims department to access institutional records. Fabricated policy dates and the search for an original document expose deliberate manipulation of the cr...
4. Retaliation and Suppression — A longtime betrayal is revealed as the investigation reaches senior insurance leadership. Traps, abductions, unpaid claims, and a police-linked secret show how broadly the cover-up is protected.
5. Public Reckoning — The original black box is presented publicly, leading to arrests and a crisis for the investigative team. A senior executive attempts to shift blame onto dead associates, while the team prepares a fin...