Despite the serious topics the film deals with, however, it’s also genuinely funny, seamlessly switching between comedy and drama. Veteran also has a deeply moral core, exploring social divisions and abuses of power within Korean society. A bare-knuckled face-off between Hwang and Jo in one of the final scenes of the film is especially exciting. However, Veteran doesn’t feel derivative, instead, it mixes its own unique characters with a heady mixture of action and suspense. The setup of Veteran is a familiar concept : tough police detective Seo Do-cheol ( Hwang Jung-min) is determined to bring arrogant millionaire Jo Tae-oh ( Yoo Ah-in), who runs his own crime syndicate and tried to murder Hwang’s friend, to justice despite overwhelming odds.
