The six-episode season draws from real historical events like the 1970 Japan Airlines Flight 351 hijacking and focuses on ambition, corruption, family protection (including Ki-tae's brother and Geon-young's sister), and institutional power struggles without any modern ideological overlay. Its all-Korean cast operates in an authentic historical Korean setting with no alterations to established characters for race, gender, or sexuality reasons. The plot and themes stay tightly focused on traditional crime, political intrigue, and personal ambition within a 1970s authoritarian context.

There is no evidence of LGBTQ+ representation, systemic oppression narratives, identity politics, or any creator statements pushing activism or DEI priorities. This absence of progressive messaging keeps the series grounded in its historical crime drama premise and earns it a minimal woke score.