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Duel

2017Ended1 season16 episodes~60 min/epMidcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

Jang Deuk-Cheon is the chief of a crime squad. At home, he is kind and friendly father to his daughter. He meets a human clone and gets involved in a shocking case. A battle takes place between human clones.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Duel?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Duel streaming on CJ ENM Selects via Apple TV, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

Highlights

What stands out about Duel?

Duel earns 1 badge: Crowd Pleaser.

Reception

Is Duel worth watching?

Duel's Midcredits score is the 64th percentile of all shows, from 427 ratings across 2 sources. 82% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

64th percentile

Better received than 64% of shows

60th percentile among Crime62nd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)49th
Approval (how many liked it)77th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

49th percentile of all shows

47th percentile among Crime47th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

82% liked it

77th percentile of all shows

69th percentile among Crime75th percentile among 2010s
82% rated it 7–1018% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

38th percentile

410 ratings across platforms

19th percentile among Crime45th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 57% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Yang Se-jong's multi-role performance is exceptional and believable
  • Fresh, unique take on the cloning premise with a clever slant
  • Intense, thrilling pacing that keeps you engaged throughout

What stands out

Acting92

Yang Se-jong's three distinct roles and Jung Jae-young's lead praised as top-notch

Tension85

Thrilling, intense, and mind-blowing watch

Plot and story80

Complex, coherent story with minimal plot holes; few flaws and over-the-top scenes

Pacing80

Stayed up all night; relentless momentum

Originality78

Cloning concept not new but given a unique 'slant'

Characters75

Well-differentiated clone roles and strong leads

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2017 · 16 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    Episode 1

    Jun 3, 201772 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    Episode 2

    Jun 4, 201774 min
  • S1E3
    S1E3

    Episode 3

    Jun 10, 201760 min
  • S1E4
    S1E4

    Episode 4

    Jun 11, 201760 min
  • S1E5
    S1E5

    Episode 5

    Jun 17, 201759 min
  • S1E6
    S1E6

    Episode 6

    Jun 18, 201761 min

Watch experience

What is Duel like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — a relentless watch that leaves you wrung out and released.

Setting

  • Contemporary
  • Realistic
  • Urban
  • Institutional
  • Domestic

How it leaves you

  • Cathartic
  • Thought-provoking

Story

  • Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.

What it asks of you

  • Relentless
  • Full focus
  • Heavy
  • Ambiguous

Themes

  • Parenthood
  • Identity
  • Power

Feelings

  • Tense
  • Dread
  • Contemplative

Style

  • Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
  • Cold and cerebral: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
exact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Heaviest: throughout
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe series plays its high-concept thriller premise straight, with a brooding, intense atmosphere.
The rideThe series sustains a pervasive tension from a father's unrelenting pursuit, with dread and introspection woven through every episode.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear, three-act structure across its serialized run.
Episode formatEach episode continues the same unfolding story of the kidnapping and pursuit, with no self-contained cases.
Season formatThe single season follows one continuous narrative arc, with the case driving every episode.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Why it leaves you this wayThe series delivers a tense, emotionally charged resolution that leaves the viewer satisfied and reflecting on its cloning themes.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% (this title) · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

6% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe series follows a detective whose daughter is kidnapped, driving him to hunt down the suspect across a serialized arc.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% (this title) · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Parenthood · 1% of showsIdentityPower · 5% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeA father's desperate drive to save his child collides with the corrupt systems that threaten his world and question who he is.
StanceA father's private vendetta interrogates institutional power and the moral compromises made in pursuit of justice.

The world

Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingA near-contemporary South Korean city, where police procedure and the criminal underbelly collide.

Content guide

Is Duel okay for kids?

Ratings in 1 other country
  • South Korea15

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Duel have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Duel?

Cast

Jeong Jae-yeong
as Jang Deuk-cheon
Kim Jeong-eun
as Choi Jo-hye
Yang Se-jong
as Sung Hoon
Yoon Kyung-ho
as Lee Hyeong-sik
Lee Ye-Eun
as Na Song Yi
Lee Sung-wook
as Koo Bon Seok
Choi Woong
as Na Soo-ho
Kim Ji-Yu
as Ahn Hye-joo
Jung Doo-kyum
as Woo Byeong-cheon (Chief public prosecutor)
Kim Gi-du
as Kim Ik-hong

Crew

Directed by

Lee Jong-jae

Written by

Kim Yoon-joo

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What other shows share a tag with Duel?

302 other shows share the rarest tag below, premise: kidnapping. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.