The Good, The Bad, The Weird

[Susano]

The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

The Good, The Bad, and The Weird (a.k.a. Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom) is a Korean film, described by the director as a “kimchee” Western. Much like the spaghetti Westerns from which it draws a lot of influence, TGTBTW is a pure action film, with only the most basic of plots to hold things together (not that it really needs any thing complex.)

 

Taking place in 1930s Manchuria, it features Woo-sung Jung (who played Yeo-sol the spearman in Musa) as Park Do-woon, a bounty hunter (the “Good”), Byung-hun Lee (who played Storm Shadow in the recent GI Joe movie) as Park Chang-yi, a vicious killer (the “Bad”), and Kang-ho Song (who played Park Hang-Du, the befuddled father in The Host) as Yoon Tae-goo, a small-time bandit (the “Weird”).

 

The plot, such as it, concerns a treasure map, and the desire for several of the characters (and other rival factions) to get said map and be the first to find the treasure. Aside from our three main characters, we also have to deal with the Ghost Market Gang, the Japanese Army, Korean freedom fighters, and a mixed bag of bandits from the Mongolian border.

 

Paying homage to the films of Sergio Leone any chance it can get, The Good, The Bad, and The Weird simply tears along, with gunfights galore, as well as chases, captures, escapes, explosions, and the occasional comedic incident (courtesy of the Weird mostly). It’s certainly not a “deep” movie, and people looking for character development and exploration best look elsewhere. The Good, The Bad, and The Weird is an action film, pure and simple, with nothing extraneous -- there’re no tacked-on love interests, no discussions of philosophy or morality, and if you get down to it, no real “good guys” (although the “Good” is far nicer than Clint Eastwood’s character of the “Good” from The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly.) Much like a Sergio Leone western, there are just varying shades of gray (although the Bad is definitely “the Bad.”)

 

If you're looking for ideas for a Pulp Hero game set in 1930s China, go no further. In fact, the basic plot and structure of The Good, The Bad, and The Weird could be used for any number of genres, including Pulp, Fantasy, and even Post-Apocalyptic.

 

Warning: These character sheets contain spoilers!!!

[Susano]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

Park Chang-Yi

(“The Bad”)

 

[b]Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes[/b]
18	STR	8	13-	Lift 303.1 kg; 3 ½d6 HTH Damage [4]
18	DEX	16	13-
15	CON	5	12-
10	INT	0	11-	PER Roll 13-
11	EGO	1	11-
20	PRE	10	13-	PRE Attack:  4d6

6	OCV	15	
6	DCV	15	
3	OMCV	0	
3	DMCV	0	
4	SPD	20		Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12

6	PD	4		Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
5	ED	3		Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
7	REC	3
30	END	2
13	BODY	3
30	STUN	5		[b]Total Characteristic Cost:  110

Movement:[/b]	Running:	12m/24m 
Leaping:	4m/8m
Swimming:	4m/8m

[b]Cost	Powers & Skills
Martial Arts:[/b]  [i]Knifefighting[/i]
[b]Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage[/b]
4	Block	+2	+2	Block, Abort
4	Dodge	--	+5	Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
4	Slashes	+0	+2	Weapon +2 DC Strike
5	Thrusts	+1	+3	Weapon  Strike
0	Weapon Element:  Blades

5	[b]Fearless:[/b]  +10 PRE; Only To Protect Against Presence Attacks (-1)
13	[b]Active Defense:[/b]  +4 DCV; Costs Endurance (-½), END 2
16	[b]Rapid Fire:[/b]  Area Of Effect (16m Cone; +½), Selective (+¼) for up to 
60 Active Points of any non-Autofire firearm; OIF (any Handgun; -½), 
Cannot Use Targeting (-½), No Range (-½), Must Use 1 Charge Per 
Target Fired At (-¼)
24	[b]Can Take A Punch:[/b]  Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; 
Character Must Be Aware Of Attack (-¼)
6	[b]Observant:[/b]  +2 PER with all Sense Groups

[b]Perks[/b]
40	Follower (12 x 100 point Competent Normals)
4	Positive Reputation:  best in all of Manchuria (Manchuria) 14-, 
+2/+2d6

[b]Skills[/b]
20	+2 with All Attacks
16	+2 with HTH Combat
19	+8 versus Hit Location Modifiers with Small Arms; Concentration 
(½ DCV; -¼)

3	AK: Manchuria 11-
4	KS: Criminal Underworld In Manchuria 12-
5	Fast Draw:  Handguns 14-
0	Language:  Korean (idiomatic; literate)
5	Riding 14-
5	Streetwise 14-
3	Survival (Desert, Temperate/Subtropical Plains) 11-
0	TF:  Equines
4	WF:  Small Arms, Blades, Thrown Knives, Axes, and Darts

[b]Total Powers & Skill Cost:  209
Total Cost:  319

175+	Matching Complications[/b]
10	Distinctive Features:  Scars On Face, Missing Finger (Concealable; 
Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
15	Negative Reputation:  assassin, criminal, killer, and so on, Very 
Frequently (Extreme;  Known Only Criminal Underworld)
15	Psychological Complication:  Casual Killer (Common; Strong)
20	Psychological Complication:  Utterly Ruthless When In Pursuit Of 
His Goals (Common; Total)
15	Social Complication:  Wanted Criminal (Infrequently, Severe)
144	Experience Points

[b]319	Total Disadvantage Points[/b]

[b]EQUIPMENT CARRIED
Equipment
Throwing Knife:[/b] HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 w/STR), Range Based On STR (+¼), 
Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-¼)
[b]Webley Mk IV Revolver:[/b] RKA 2d6-1, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+¼); 
OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾), Side Effects (-1 RMod; -½), Real 
Weapon (-¼), Beam (-¼), [6]

 

Background/History: We know almost nothing about the origins of Park Chang-Yi, other than he’s from Korea and has been in Manchuria for some time. At some point in his past he ran afoul of Yoon Tae-Goo (a.k.a. the “Finger Chopper”) and lost the forefinger of his right hand. Later, he was found stumbling around drunk and brought into the care of a Korean business man, who sobered him up and made Chang-Yi into the most feared assassin in Manchuria.

 

Personality/Motivation: Chang-Yi is, in a word, ruthless. He kills without a second thought, and guns down a number of people for crime of simply being in his way. He can also be cruel, as is scene to toy with an opponent, dodging their strikes while slowly slashing them to bits with his knife. While he demands loyalty from his men, he shows little care for them, and goes through followers at an alarming rate. In addition, he can be quite single-minded once he has his eyes set on a goal, and will pursue his quarry across all of Manchuria if needed to get at what he wants.

 

By-the-way—make no mistake, Chang-Yi hates Yoon Tae-Goo. Not only did Tae-Goo chop off one of Chang-Yi’s fingers, he also humiliated Chang-Yi. Chang-Yi has looked for a rematch ever since and wants nothing more than to see Tae-Goo dead. Even mention Tae-Goo’s name is enough to set Chang-Yi off.

 

Quote: “Does it hurt?”

"Funny ain’t it? People must know they’ll all die some day.But they live as if they never will."

 

Powers/Tactics: Skilled with both gun and knife, Chang-Yi is quite lethal in a fight. In battle he’ll use whatever seems best, and switches freely between a rifle, pistol, and blade as needed. He’s good enough with a gun to drop a half-dozen men with a rapid burst of shots, while his knife-throwing skills allow him to pin a centipede to a wall (he also pounds the knife home with a few well-paced pistol shots.) In a knife flight he seems unstoppable, and as mentioned, cuts Yoon Tae-Goo’s friend Man-Gil almost to pieces, laughing all the time.

 

Appearance: Tall, with nary any body fat, Chang-Yi’s once-handsome face is marred with several scars. He wears his hair down over his face, usually covering one eye, has rings in one ear, and is almost never seen without his gloves on (as he’s missing the right index finger.) He normally dresses in a black suit with a white shirt.

 

Designer’s Notes: Park Chang-Yi, played by Byung-hun Lee, is the “bad” in Jee-woon Kim’s “kimchee western” film The Good, the Bad, the Weird. An obvious take on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, TGTBTW is a pulp-era romp though the deserts of northern Manchuria. This character sheet is (IMO) a little sparse, but only because the characterization in the film is a little sparse. Game Masters wishing to use the Bad in their games can easily expand on his martial arts and gun skills, as well as his list of Skills (Lockpicking, for example.)

 

(Park Chang-Yi created by Byung-hun Lee and Jee-woon Kim; character sheet by Michael Surbrook.)

[Susano]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

Park Do-Woon

(“The Good”)

 

[b]Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes[/b]
18	STR	8	13-	Lift 303.1kg; 3 ½d6 [4]
15	DEX	10	12-	OCV:  5/DCV:  5
15	CON	5	12-
14	INT	4	12-	PER Roll 14-
14	EGO	4	12-	ECV:  3 - 5
20	PRE	10	13-	PRE Attack:  4d6

5	OCV	10	
5	DCV	10	
3	OMCV	0	
5	DMCV	6	
4	SPD	20		Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12

6	PD	4		Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
5	ED	3		Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
7	REC	3
30	END	2
13	BODY	3
30	STUN	5		[b]Total Characteristic Cost:  107

Movement:[/b]	Running:	12m/24m 
Leaping:	4m/8m
Swimming:	4m/8m

[b]Cost	Powers & Skills[/b]
5	[b]Laconic And Calm In The Face Of Danger:[/b]  +10 PRE; Only To Protect 
Against Presence Attacks (-1)
13	[b]Active Defense:[/b]  +4 DCV; Costs Endurance (-½), END 2
12	[b]Boxer:[/b]  HA +2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Hand-To-Hand 
Attack (-¼)
16	[b]Rapid Fire:[/b]  Area Of Effect (16m Cone; +½), Selective (+¼) for up to 
60 Active Points of any non-Autofire firearm; OIF (any Handgun; -½), 
Cannot Use Targeting (-½), No Range (-½), Must Use 1 Charge Per 
Target Fired At (-¼)
6	[b]Working The Reins And Stirrups:[/b]  Aid  Running 3d6, Trigger (Activating 
the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Turn or 
more to reset; +¼); 4 Charges (-1), Costs Endurance (-½), Only to Aid 
Others (-½), Only Works On The Horse The Character Is Currently 
Riding (-½), Requires A Riding Roll  (14- roll; -¼), END 2
24	[b]Can Take A Punch:[/b]  Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; 
Character Must Be Aware Of Attack (-¼)
8	[b]Improvised Swinging:[/b]  Swinging 24m; OIF (appropriate swinglines of 
opportunity; -½), END 1
6	[b]Observant:[/b]  +2 PER with all Sense Groups

[b]Perks[/b]
12	Contact:  Korean Resistance Movement (Contact has significant 
Contacts of his own, Contact has useful Skills or resources, Good 
relationship with Contact), Organization Contact (x3) 8-

[b]Talents[/b]
3	+1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters)

[b]Skills[/b]
20	+2 with All Attacks
16	+2 with Ranged Combat
12	+4 versus Range Modifiers with Small Arms

2	Animal Handler (Equines) 13-
3	AK: Manchuria 12-
3	KS: Criminal Underworld In Manchuria 12-
0	Language:  Korean (idiomatic; literate)
2	Navigation (Land) 12-
3	PS: Knot-Tying 12-
7	Riding 14-
5	Streetwise 14-
3	Survival (Desert, Temperate/Subtropical Plains) 12-
3	Tracking 12-
0	TF:  Equines
3	WF:  Small Arms, Blades

[b]Total Powers & Skill Cost:  187
Total Cost:  294

175+	Matching Complications[/b]
15	Psychological Complication:  Laconic (Common; Moderate)
15	Psychological Complication:  Personal Code (Common; Strong)
109	Experience Points

[b]294	Total Disadvantage Points

EQUIPMENT CARRIED
Equipment
12 Gauge Double-Barrelled Shotgun:[/b] RKA 2 ½d6, +1 Increased STUN 
Multiplier (+¼), Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼), Autofire 
(2 shots; +1 ¼) Both Shots Must Be At The Same Target (+0); 
2 Charges (-1 ½), OAF Bulky (-1 ½), Real Weapon (-¼), 40m 
Range (-¼), Reduced Penetration (-¼), Reduced By Range (-¼), [2]
[b]Marlin Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle:[/b] RKA 2d6, +1 Increased STUN 
Multiplier (+¼); OAF (-1), 10 Charges (-¼), Real Weapon (-¼), 
Beam (-¼), [10]
[b]Colt M1917 Revolver:[/b] RKA 2d6-1, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+¼); 
OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾), Real Weapon (-¼), Beam (-¼), [6]

 

Background/History: If we know little about the origins of “the bad” (a.k.a. Park Chang-Yi), then we know almost nothing about “the good” (a.k.a. Park Do-Woon.) A Korean national, he came to Manchuria at some point, presumably to escape hardship under Japanese domination. He owns/runs what looks like small farm/tavern, and has either a daughter, or a young female ward. He supplements his income by hunting down criminals for the bounties placed on his head and has a special interest in catching the notorious “finger chopper.”

 

Personality/Motivation: Do-Woon doesn’t say much, and when he does talk, his sentences tend to be short and to the point. He’s not one for messing around, and tends to deal with things as efficiently as he can, with little to no grandstanding. He seems to live by a personal code of right and wrong, and while capable of great violence, he isn’t the casual killer Chang-Yi is, and certainly lives far more within the law than does Tae-Goo. As with many heroes of his type, Do-Woon, while brutal in his methods, is only brutal to other criminals and the like.

 

Quote: "If you chase somethin’ to get somethin’, somethin’ else will come chasing you. Life is about chasing and being chased. There is no escape."

 

Powers/Tactics: While he assumes a boxing stance at one point, we never actually see Do-Woon fight hand-to-hand. However, with a gun he’s nigh-unstoppable. Like Chang-Yi he’s capable of gunning down a half-dozen targets in an eyeblink, can fire his rifle one-handed, and hit a number of targets at great distances with little to no problem. He’s also an expert horsemen, and seems capable of spurring his mount to efforts far beyond what is normal for a horse (he’s able to catch up with a convoy of trucks, for example!)

 

Appearance: Standing just around six feet in height, Do-Woon is a rather handsome man, with a thin mustaches and short back hair. He dresses in trousers, shirt, tall boots laced to around the knee, and a long duster.

 

Designer’s Notes: Park Do-Woon, played by Woo-sung Jung, is the “good” in Jee-woon Kim’s “kimchee western” film The Good, the Bad, the Weird. An obvious take on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, TGTBTW is a pulp-era romp though the deserts of northern Manchuria. This character sheet is (IMO) a little sparse, but only because the characterization in the film is a little sparse. Game Masters wishing to use the Good in their games can easily expand on his boxing skills (making it a full-fledged martial art), as well as any other Skills they feel a Bounty Hunter might need.

 

(Park Do-Wooni created by Woo-sung Jung and Woo-sung Jung; character sheet by Michael Surbrook.)

[Susano]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

Yoon Tae-Goo

(“The Weird”)

 

[b]Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes[/b]
15	STR	5	12-	Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH Damage [3]
15	DEX	10	12-
16	CON	6	12-
14	INT	4	12-	PER Roll 12-
12	EGO	2	11-
15	PRE	5	12-	PRE Attack:  3d6

5	OCV	10	
5	DCV	10	
3	OMCV	0	
4	DMCV	3	
4	SPD	20		Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12

6	PD	4		Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
5	ED	3		Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
6	REC	2
32	END	3
13	BODY	3
30	STUN	5		[b]Total Characteristic Cost:  95

Movement:[/b]	Running:	12m/24m 
Leaping:	4m/8m
Swimming:	4m/8m

[b]Cost	Powers & Skills[/b]
13	[b]Active Defense:[/b]  +4 DCV; Costs Endurance (-½), END 2
15	[b]Rapid Fire:[/b]  Autofire (5 shots; +½) for up to 60 Active Points of any 
non-Autofire firearm; OIF (any non-Autofire firearm of 
opportunity; -½), Cannot Use Targeting (-½)
24	[b]Can Take A Punch:[/b]  Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%; 
Character Must Be Aware Of Attack (-¼)
10	[b]Lucky Bastard:[/b]  Luck 2d6

[b]Perks[/b]
20	[b]Man-Gil:[/b]  Follower (100-point Competent Normal)

[b]Talents[/b]
3	Lightsleep

[b]Skills[/b]
40	+4 with All Attacks

3	Acrobatics 12-
3	AK: Manchuria 12-
2	CK: The Ghost Market 11-
3	Climbing 12-
5	Combat Driving 13-
3	Concealment 12-
4	KS: Criminal Underworld In Manchuria 13-
0	Language:  Korean (idiomatic; literate)
3	Language:  Mandarin (completely fluent)
2	Navigation (Land) 12-
7	Streetwise 14-
3	Survival (Desert, Temperate/Subtropical Plains) 12-
2	TF:  Railed Vehicles, Small Motorized Ground Vehicles, Two-Wheeled 
Motorized Ground Vehicles
5	Two-Weapon Fighting ; Ranged Weapons Only (-1)
4	WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms

[b]Total Powers & Skill Cost:  175
Total Cost:  269

175+	Matching Complications[/b]
15	DNPC:  "Granny" Infrequently (Incompetent)
10	Hunted:  Park Chang-Yi (The Bad) Infrequently (As Pow; Harshly 
Punish)
15	Psychological Complication:  Greedy and/or What's In It For Me? 
(Common; Strong)
15	Social Complication:  Secretly "The Finger Chopper" (Infrequently, 
Severe)
15	Social Complication:  Wanted Criminal (Infrequently, Severe)
5	Unluck: 1d6
94	Experience Points

[b]269	Total Disadvantage Points

EQUIPMENT CARRIED
Equipment
Walther P38 Semi-Automatic Pistol:[/b] RKA 1d6+1; OAF (-1), 
8 Charges (-½), Real Weapon (-¼), Beam (-¼), [8]
Notes: (x2 number of items)

 

Background/History: As with Park Chang-Yi and Park Do-Woon, we know little of Yoon Tae-Goo origins. However, comments made by Tae-Goo and others seems to indicate he was a criminal of some note in Korea and fled to Manchuria to avoid prosecution and/or start a new life. At some point in his past he was the criminal known as the “Finger Chopper” and operated in either Korea or Manchuria (or both.) It was during this time he encountered Park Chang-Yi (who may have been passing himself off as the Finger Chopper) and beat him in a knife fight, chopping off Park Chang-Yi’s left index finger.

 

Currently, Tae-Goo operates as a petty thief in Manchuria, robbing trains and selling the goods with the help of his close friend and partner Man-Gil. He also looks after Granny, who may (or may not) be his grandmother.

 

Personality/Motivation: Tae-Goo seems to be motived primarily by greed. He wants to strike it rich so he can retire to a farm back in Korea and raise livestock. He does seem to be trying to put his past behind him, and while he’s not a perfectly ‘good’ person, he’s no longer lopping off fingers, either. Interestingly, he does seem to care for Granny’s welfare (to an extent) and refuses to allow harm to come to any children (if he can help it.) Curiously, much of his current goofy-personality seems to be an act, designed to hide Tae-Goo’s secret past as the Finger Chopper.

 

Quote: “Should I run straight on? Or zig-zag around and make ‘em confused?"

 

Powers/Tactics: While not as physically powerful as either Chang-Yi and Do-Woon, Tae-Goo is still rather quick and fights quite well with a pistol in each hand. He’s also capable of squeezing off quite a few shots in a short period of time, usually firing three to conserve ammo. He’s also rather agile, and is seen escaping from an ambush at an inn with some interesting acrobatics (mostly involving climbing out a window and using a length of bamboo to pole-vault across a courtyard.) An excellent biker, he’s also capable behind the wheel of a jeep and even is seen driving a train. Tae-Goo is also willing to use unusual means to get what he needs. For example, he survives one gunfight be donning a diving helmet and lives through another showdown by sliding a thick sheet of metal under his coat.

 

Appearance: Shorter and stouter than either either Chang-Yi and Do-Woon, Tae-Goo dresses in what best can be described as ‘rummage sale reject.’ he wears a yellow jacket, a red vest, greenish pants, boots, and a leather flight helmet, complete with goggles.

 

Designer’s Notes: Yoon Tae-Goo, played by Kang-ho Song, is the “wierd” in Jee-woon Kim’s “kimchee western” film The Good, the Bad, the Weird. An obvious take on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, TGTBTW is a pulp-era romp though the deserts of northern Manchuria. This character sheet is (IMO) a little sparse, but only because the characterization in the film is a little sparse. Game Masters wishing to use the Weird in their games may want to consider knife-fighting skills, additional criminal skills, as well as skills that allow Tae-Goo to pass himself off as a semi-inept bumbler.

 

(Park Chang-Yi created by Woo-sung Jung and Jee-woon Kim; character sheet by Michael Surbrook.)

[L. Marcus]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

*makes popcorn, settles down to watch*

[Susano]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

*makes popcorn' date=' settles down to watch*[/quote']

 

It's loads of fun.

[L. Marcus]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

It is. I saw it a couple of months ago. I posted that right when your posts went up. ^^

 

And I must say, I see no great flaw in your write-ups.

[Susano]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

Thanks!

 

The website versions will include HD files (and some photos.)

[L. Marcus]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

... The diver's helmet was a LOL Moment. ^^

[Lucius]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

"The Good, The Bad, The Weird" would make a great title for your whole collection of characters.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

the palindromedary jibes that Lucius Alexander is responsible for the weird ones

[RexMundi]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

Seems to fit and we just watched this the other day. Great work as always.

 

~Rex

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

I've never seen this movie, but my psychic powers tell me that Susano really, really liked it.

[RexMundi]

Re: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

 

Heh, you gotta see it. Especially after a few beers.

 

~Rex