Acting/Cast: A Love To Kill is one of Rain's best drama. Although my opinion on his acting has changed and I honestly don't really like him as much as before, I feel that he did a very good job playing out his role in this movie. You'd hate him for his actions, you'd think he's better off dead, but at the same time, you feel sorry for him, you understand his pain and his need to detach himself from every other emotion aside from anger. Although the female lead is mainly victimized throughout the series, I don't dislike her acting-she does do a good job- I just mainly dislike her role and how she seems helpless most of the time. To me, the most interesting character is the male protagonist, but it was just enough to keep me watching. I felt that Rain made him very "cool."
Story: The tension throughout the story was built up very well, perhaps some might call it "overly dramatic" but I think the events that happened really fit the whole story up until the very end. It's an example of the older type of infamous Korea dramas: the type that was filled with angst, sorrow and death but it is also the type that moves us most. So if you watch it, be prepared to cry.
Soundtrack: This series' soundtrack is pretty much my favorite. It's the only OST that I bothered to buy. They had very talented artists like K.Will making it and most of the songs were very emotional. Although I would say that more than half of the songs in the OST are sad songs, there are some light-hearted ones as well. It's the best combination of REAL Korean music and not the mainstream K-pop ones we hear nowadays.
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This review may contain spoilers
A spoiler free, 5 star review with my opinions, likes and non-existent dislikes of this drama and it's drop-dead perfection that deserves to be seen by all and every. A Love To Kill is, Hands Down, one of the best dramas I have EVER seen. And I'm saying that with over 150 dramas under my belt. If you're in the mood for a romantic, suspenseful, tragedy, first/true-love story.. buckle your seat belts because this will break your heart and yet keep you coming back for more.
I am a huge fan of Rain, and I say that having seen almost every one of his dramas (well at least having STARTED every one of his dramas) and loving and admiring his work. So yes, I may be a tad biased towards his dramas but for good reason. He's a TERRIFIC actor!
Shin MinA startled me with her beauty, her depth, and her vulnerability in creating this character.
Despite making this drama seem really intense, tragic and heartbreaking (which it is) It's also really sweet and there is a lot of hidden depth to each and every scene, as well as every character and change in attitude and view. Although I'm not super fond of all the characters, they all have their own struggle and their own story.
I cannot begin to explain to you the excellence in the writing of this script, you will only be able to know by watching it for yourself and realizing how lovable and re-watchable (coming from someone who REALLY doesn't re-watch dramas) this one is. Going back to re-watch scenes and episodes every once in a while, it's really incredible to see how connected everything is. From episode one, something occurs that later will be either explained or somehow related to something in a later episode. It's incredible.
The music is so perfect and beautiful and heartbreaking that EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear the OST I fall in love with it all over again and even begin to tear up. It's catchy, soothing, melancholy and is played at the most perfect and fitting times.
If you pay close attention to the dialog throughout the drama, from the beginning to end, everything intertwines and means something at some point or another. In the very last scene, there is a vital part of information you'll miss if you don't pay close enough attention, which will simply crush the courage you built up to hold in the tears.
I really want to give a hand to the cast and their acting because it really was something.Consider yourself warned, this is a hard-core melodrama and if you aren't in the mood to be swept off your feet by a river of tears, don't watch A Love To Kill because it will break your heart. But It's SOOOO worth it and I want you to watch it anyway so we can rant and discuss and cry over it together! The acting, as I was saying, was simply incredible. Each cast member did a fantastic job of portraying their character and each and every thought that went through that characters head at every scene they were in. The longing in Shin MinA's eyes, the passion in Rain's, the outrage in Lee Ki-Woo's eyes. Everything was perfectly done and in the most unsuspecting way.
Now, like every older melodrama there usually seems to be a lot of lagging parts in the middle with stupid seemingly fixable problems. Although this drama has NONE and let me say that again, NONE of those draggy-boring moments. Let me assure you, every scene has meaning and some sort of depth. You may not see it right away but you shouldn't skip parts because later it will come up and you will wish you had read deeper into the moment you skipped.
There is so much more I'd like to say about this drama but there isn't anything I can add without giving examples that would be spoilers or simply repeating the words, "I LOVE THIS DRAMA SO FRIGGIN MUCH!!!" So I just won't continue. YOu should watch it. That's all I have to say. If you still aren't interested by the 3rd episode then drop it. Otherwise... You're in for a treat.
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The only slump for me was the plot. It was a great plot, beautiful and touching. But the end was..ridiculous. It was stupid. I didn't even cry. All I was thinking was "Are you kidding me?". If that's the kind of end they were supposed to have, why go through so much hassle? I was real disappointed with the end. But overall the plot was good. I might've given this drama a 9 if they had a different ending. I'm not even asking for a happy ending exactly. Just something that makes more sense.
The OST was really good and powerful. The kind that attracts you with it's beautiful voices, not the catchy music. It was great and I want it on my phone!
Overall I feel people should give this drama a try. It's a little underrated here on MDL.
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I thought the acting was well done especially by Rain & Shin Min A, I believed every part of it, And i really liked both of their characters. Although i did dislike alot of the secondary characters as i though they were quite selfish and pathetic at some parts so that annoyed me but you get past it.
This drama was quite tragic.....About 2 people who love each other truly and yet can't be together, It showed that love can be very painful, Yet in the end they choose to be togther and love each other.
If you're looking for a lighthearted bubbly drama then you probably shouldn't watch this but if you want a drama to make you cry and be addicted at the same time then you should watch this, I honestly did like it alot. I would definitely watch it again. This drama showed me the meaning of true love, I believe a person can fall in love as many times as a heart can beat but i believe you can only truly fall in love with one person, If you are lucky enough in this life to meet that person, that is. That's the vibe i got from this drama and i liked it. Bok Goo & Eun Seok were lucky enough to meet that person but it showed that it's not all happy go lucky that tv makes it appear to be, That it actually can be very hard and painful.
Well anyway, I think that you should give this drama a try, I really liked it and i think you will too :)
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Story:
I enjoyed the first half of the story. The characters were well fleshed out and the pace was consistent. The second half of the drama was suffering from inconsistencies - things were not making a lot of sense and a lot of the plot was sacrificed to add to the melodrama. I felt frustrated when things were made a lot harder for the main characters than they would have to be.
Acting/Cast:
I really liked the main characters. Neither of the actors seem like the greatest of actors, but they both show raw emotion and successfully get you to care about what happens to them. Shin Min Ah portrays a gentle, whimsical woman and her character feels quite real. Rain's character seems a bit off, since I tended to find him more believable as a violent hobo instead of the tender, loving man he was portraying at later stages of the drama - it felt like his character changed too much in a short time. The supporting cast was also good. You hated them when you were supposed to hate them, but later you understood that they had their reasons and they slowly grew on you.
Music:
The soundtrack was a bit repetitive (like in most Kdramas), but the songs were quite epic :D Perfect soundtrack for a melodrama in my opinion, especially since this drama is almost 10 years old.
Rewatch value:
I don't think I will be watching this drama again any time soon. This drama had only a few scenes that are really romantic or memorable. Also the pace was quite slow and a bit too painful for it to be enjoyable to watch again.
Overall:
The music, cinematography and overall mood of this drama would make this one of the quintessential melodramas for me. The only thing bringing it down is the plot that sometimes seems to fall apart and the somewhat aged production values. Still I recommend watching it if you like Rain or Shin Min Ah or if you love melodramas. It is definitely not a waste of time!
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This is a heavily character-driven drama rather than one driven by tears, cliches, tragedy and your usual makjang. It isn't one of those dramas that is set out to be depressing just so that it can be depressing. I hate it when horrible things happen to just one character in the whole drama without making sense *cough* SECRET *cough*. This drama is a psychological, dark and tormenting story of revenge with very unusual outcomes. Of course, you do have the common Kdrama cliches but they aren't as overbearing minus the last few episodes.
This drama will drain you but it is hands down the most addictive melodrama I've ever seen. After each episode, it left me wanting to find out what happens next. I finished watching it one single day. Yeah! It was THAT addictive.
I would like to call this as the most underrated melodrama ever. Perhaps because it's an older drama that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Anyway, the biggest conflict of the whole story is how can a guy that is out to seek revenge on a girl ever fall in love with her? Their story is quite unusual and you would definitely find yourself rooting for them.
Shin Min Ah and Rain are both wonderful in their roles and had good chemistry with each other. Their characters, interactions, body language- everything just worked naturally, along with their unforgettable romance. I kept jumping up and down with excitement and anticipation every scene they were in together.
I was happy because even though this drama was depressing on one hand, it gave me the right amount of romance to balance out the whole thing. I loved how the mood from the beginning to the end remains the same. Though it did get tiresome and repetitive towards, the last episode was great minus the last 10 minutes or so.
I felt like for the ending the writer tried too hard to make it 'deep' or 'romantic'. It was handled stupidly even though there was plenty of foreshadowing about what was going to happen so it wasn't a surprise for me at all. What happened to them is what I WANTED to happen. This is one of those dramas where you'd wish for a peaceful ending.
The soundtrack of the drama is pretty good too. I got tired of listening to one song in particular which sprouted up rather frequently, but it was okay.
Watch the drama for its acting and romance. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :D
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The love triangles pull at your heart because you end up liking them all and understand why they are the way they are. Rain and Shin Min Ah have great chemistry together. I especially like how Rain keeps his feelings inside (most of the time), so you're guessing whether he loves or hates her. Why did he passionately kiss her?
This writer also did I'm Sorry I Love you which has the same intense feelings. There are a lot of witty lines if you listen to the dialogue. Often writers have a difficult time with endings and I think this was the case here. I don't like the direction he took, but the lyrics to the music tell the story ahead of time. You pretty much know how things will end with the mood of the drama.
The music is outstanding and will keep this drama in your head for a long time!
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It starts to drag on a bi at the end, but a good watch if you want a good cry.
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Things I love:
1. The soundtrack. This show has some of my favorite OST music ever. I hear the soundtrack and I immediately feel emotions, it suits the show and sounds phenomenal, which is a tragically rare thing I can say about drama soundtracks. This doesn’t mean that a majority of soundtracks are absolute stinkers, but rather that they are, at best, a handful of memorable and suitable songs and a bunch of forgettable generic songs with a sprinkle of duds that do not fit the show in any way. This attention to detail just shows how much effort and care went into this show. Also, this show just looks like it had a sizable budget compared to other dramas at the time.
2. The editing and cinematography. I am aware that some will be put off by it but I am obsessed with it. It’s experimental in a way that is extremely rare for dramas of any level. I think it’s a shame that people (companies, directors, etc.) aren’t willing to take more risks like this, especially those with a higher budget.
3. Kim Sa-rang. I have to admit, I am the leader of the Kim Sa-rang fan club - this is the drama that woke me up to her. I am obsessed with her performance, she did the most for this drama and was paid dust in return. It is sickening that she has yet to be the lead in a character-driven, award-winning drama. She has the range. I know that she doesn’t have an agency behind her, and honestly considering the way the entertainment industry is (especially the acting industry), it’s probably for the best. She most likely was getting absolute shit roles, not getting the right pay (the classic “you owe us cause we made you”), or being exploited and harassed. Like people know that these companies often, sometimes even openly, pimp out or at least encourage their talent to “thank” certain individuals. So like Kim Sa-rang deciding to represent herself makes 100% sense and people should give her good material.
4. This is the melodrama to end all melodramas. The acting choices are always the most. Everything that can happen will happen. All is life or death. Simultaneously everything and nothing matters. If you like over the top melodramas, then this is the show for you.
5. The fashion! I know not many pay attention to the wardrobe department of a drama unless an outfit looks like an absolute joke, but whoever was in charge of this production did a very good job.
Okay, so I’m now going to complain about a lot of things. Just know that I do on some level like this show.
Things I didn’t love:
1. The writing. I know I may have implied earlier that I liked the story, and in theory, I do. But this is reality, and I want to sleep forever when I try to analyze the text. There are certain scenes, even episodes, that are phenomenal, but this was written during a time that was…not nice towards women. To quote a notable critic, me, “I literally don’t know how this is a career-high point for Rain like his image should have tanked thanks to this show. Guess the public didn’t believe women were people yet.” This is a warning for all coming fresh into this, this show treats it’s female leads (especially Shin Min-ah) awfully. Explaining how bad can be inferred by a reaction I had while rewatching the series. In one of the mid-ish episodes, Rain’s character drags Shin Min-ah to the hospital. And I mean that in the most literal, brutal sense. She is dragged for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Anyways, halfway through watching this crime unfold, I yell “Wait, is that actually Shin Min-ah!” Not a dummy, but an actual living, breathing woman. (I cannot confirm if it was Shin Min-ah or a body double, but that is still a person who was put through that.) While you can do a feminist analysis, it would be interesting but I don’t think anyone is strong enough to go through with it, it is by no means a feminist text or even woman positive.
2. The writing (the remix). Yeah, I’ma complain about the writing twice, but I swear it’s for a different reason. It’s for the pacing and relationship building of this show. It’s not the best. Especially in regards to Rain and Shin Min-ah’s relationship, it feels rushed. Like, when you get to the point where he loves her I’m like does he really though? Considering all of the insane shit he puts her through? And why does she love him? I just wish there was a natural progression from hating her to guiltily loving her and failing to repress it. Most of the issues I have with this stem from weird or right out bad writing choices.
3. The acting choices. I love most of them, but some…let’s just say I have to question some acting coaches real quick. While some of it is due to the material given to them, the stars all do phenomenal performances (let’s give it up for Ms. Kim Sa-rang). But there is one that just gets me every time, that has me questioning everything I know about acting: Kim Young Jae. Everything this man does is a Choice. He is on a whole other level of melodrama, he is at 100 constantly. I love and hate it in equal parts.
Overall, this drama comes with some warnings for quite a few yikes moments - they are supposed to add to the melodrama but the framing of these events leaves much in the air. I’d say A LOVE TO KILL is a solid 5 on the yikes scale. This is, however, not as bad as QUE SERA, SERA which is the most melodrama of all and has approximately one million warnings before you go in. (Apparently there is going to be a remake? Pour one out for the sucker who’s going to have to adapt that mess and all the crimes it commits against women for a 2020 audience. I think a QSS remake should have been killed in its inception, unless they get the original writer for it there is no way it’s going to be palatable. And from what I’ve seen already, it looks like they already don’t understand what made the original good.)
CW: violence, violence against women, attempted rape, sexual assault, just treating women poorly, coerced relationships, poor handling of disability, poor handling of trauma, poor handling of mental illness, on-screen death, not enough Kim Sa-Rang.
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-Soulmates
-Good music
-I cried
-You know it's good because you're gonna be a desperate mess by the end
-I knew what I was getting into but I did it anyway
-I still cry about it sometimes
-because soulmates
A good review just wouldn't come out, sorry.
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