For those unfamiliar with the plot, The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil follows Jang Dong-su (Ma Dong-seok), a powerful crime lord who runs a modest loan-sharking operation. One rainy night, he is deliberately rammed by a car and then stabbed repeatedly by a mysterious, emotionless killer. Miraculously, Jang survives due to his immense physique and willpower.

| Element in Film | Based on Real Events? | |----------------|------------------------| | Serial killer stabbing random victims | Yes — patterned on Yoo Young-chul’s crimes | | Gangster survives attack | No confirmed real case | | Police-gangster alliance | No — pure fiction | | Specific killer’s methods (stabbing, calm demeanor) | Partially inspired by real killer profiles | | Final arrest via cooperation | Loosely inspired, but dramatized |

Some reviews and viewers note that the concept of criminals and police working together to catch a more dangerous threat is a "true tale", though most critics view the specific alliance in the film as an "inventive reworking" of tropes rather than a literal historical record. Useful Review Summary

In the early 2000s, Seoul’s underground was ruled by organized crime factions. One particular mob boss, whose identity has been protected in official records (though local journalists nicknamed him "Mr. Kim"), was driving home late one night. Like in the film, he was rear-ended by another vehicle at a traffic stop.

: In the film, the killer uses minor fender-bender accidents to lure victims out of their cars before stabbing them, a tactic reflective of the random and brutal nature of real-life cases from that era.