Story:
The premise of this show is really, really good - but somewhere along the way the writer seemed to have forgotten what it is they wanted to tell and tried to do way too much. We never really learned all that much about the title character K2, and there were so many loose ends that weren't properly resolved. Not to mention - in regards to the direction, episode by episode, there wasn't a whole lot of development and value add to the overall storyline - the actors did a phenomenal job in trying to convey the tension and buildup of conflicts, but the pacing of the show never really allowed that to happen in an organic way. The action scenes were well done, but not well shot. I'm all about action scenes (especially ones starring JCW), but when they are repetitive and senseless, it starts hurting your product big-time.
The romance in this was not allowed to develop well - it was essentially forced down our throats, which is a pity, because I do like the idea of the couple. I did find them cute and liked that they brought something different to each other's world - but this was another area that could have been done so much better. I would have also liked to see a little more development on what was going on with Jeha and Yoojin, because oh man did they have good chemistry.
The political machinations were interesting and boring at the same time - I really only cared about what was going on from Choi Yoojin's angle, and found the plot lagging at times when it focused too much on the other shady figures who were trying to manipulate from behind the scenes. The dialogue was actually pretty fascinating, if only because the actors did such a good job delivering their lines that they may have conveyed more depth than the writer had intended.
For a drama that was focused a lot on revenge in the beginning, that part just kind of fizzled out later on. In a way, I do kind of understand why, given the later developments, but it would have been nice to have a little more exploration on that subject (especially if you're going to use it as the main motivation for all the characters early on). It kind of felt like the writer forgot about certain elements and then suddenly remembered them in the last couple of episodes.
Acting/Cast:
The characters were honestly the saving grace of this drama - while the writing wasn't tight at all, the four main characters were given compelling personalities and background stories, and were actually fairly fleshed out (I would have liked to have seen a little more personality exploration of Jeha though - but hey, it's totally okay that we still didn't know very much about him when the show came to an end). And of course, the cast took those characters and brought them to life.
It's been said pretty much everywhere - but Song Yoona was an absolute queen. Her character was complex and had so many different layers, and yet Song Yoona was able to convey each and every one of them perfectly. She was such a cruel and ruthless character, but also had a vulnerability that you couldn't help but sympathize with. The character was written very well, and Song Yoona was outstanding in her portrayal of the bitter and hardened mastermind.
I also think the fact that Yoojin was such a complicated character overshadowed everybody and everything else - this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when it becomes all about one character (or the writing seems lopsided in character development), it can detract from the overall production.
Jo Sung Ha was so great as the politician who was probably just as ruthless as his wife in some respects, and they were absolutely dynamite as a power couple in politics.
Ji Chang Wook did more with his character than he was given - and while I would have liked him to have been given a meatier role, he was fantastic in his action scenes and gave a little bit more life to the character of Jeha. While his scenes with Yoona were very cute (if a little out of place in an otherwise dark drama), his scenes with Song Yoona were sizzling. It felt like he and Yoona were essentially casted for their popularity/faces, and were basically marketing bait for overseas promotions.
I was intrigued by Yoona's character in the beginning but she had limited scenes in the first half of the drama and was basically a constant damsel in distress in the second half. She has improved as an actress, but this role itself was limited (the character was good - development of that character's story was not) and makes me wonder if the producers were so keen on getting her just for her name alone. She and JCW were very, very pretty together, though, so there's that.
Music:
Basically all choral, all the time, but I actually did like the dramatic effect of the OST. Also, the songs were beautiful.
Overall:
The thing is, I could rewatch this just for the characters and cast alone. Too often, there may be good quality dramas where I'm not emotionally invested because I just don't care for the characters (and this is especially true in melodramas), so the fact that I liked all four of the main characters was a huge plus for me. The weakest link is the writing - which does matter a lot, of course - but at some point the characters do have a life of their own and I think it really does help supplement some of the issues with the plot.
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IF ONLY WE'D MET UNDER BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES OR AT A BETTER TIME ??
choi yo jin and kim je ha 's story was 10/10 though 🤍could have loved it even more if yo jin got saved at the end .
peak acting from the lady who played choi yujin🤍.she literally ate everyone up
The part where Yo jin says farewell to kim jeha and memories of their journey flashes ,that damnnn 15-20 secs of their journey transition gonna leave rentfree in my mind forever .
stunts and performances were stellar ,I love action setpieces like this
even though I want to write about everything that was good in the drama ,but all I could think of is Choi yo jin 😭😭 .don't know how to put into words exactly but it's been a long time since a performance moved me . one thing is for sure this is not the not the last time I am watching this 'll be rewatching it again again if not the whole drama at the very least Choi yujin scenes ...................
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This review may contain spoilers
Not as good as Healer. Hope Ji Chang Wook returns to future action dramas.
- I love Ji Chang Wook in action dramas, and I wish he did more of them.- If I had to choose between this or Healer, Healer would easily win. It's a much more organized drama that's a lot less over-the-top with its dramatics. The romance in Healer is believable and has great chemistry compared to this drama. I think they spent a lot of time on Anna being almost infantile in her behavior because of her trauma, so it felt unnatural to see a romance come from it. Still, it does get a littttttle better later, so I wouldn't say it's a total loss, but it just..doesn't work for me. The relationship from start to finish in Healer is miles better. Mainly because the FL is overall *miles* better than Anna.
- The acting and music in The K2 can be very over the top (not including the agents or Ji Chang Wook, I thought they each did fine). Choi Yoo-Jin was often overly dramatic and almost a caricature of a melodrama villain. It was sometimes too cheesy to watch, and I fast-forwarded most of her scenes. I also skipped most of Anna's emotional scenes in the beginning (she adjusts later!) because I got burnt out from all her crying.
- Choreography in the action scenes was well done. I thought the bathroom scene in the beginning when K2 first showers with the guys he previously beat up were pretty hysterical. I also loved when he "rescued" Choi Yoo-Jin in the meeting when he set off the fire alarm and walked in with an umbrella. Scenes like that helped set the tone for the show and helped me "forget" the sloppier moments.
- I really liked K2 and all of his JSS bodyguard friends who started as rivals, and then later, they're all putting on face masks after a hard night, lmao. Scenes like that were really fun to watch, and they had good chemistry.
Honestly, excluding skipping through to the stronger scenes, I would pass. Not even Ji Chang Wook's gorgeousness (and his beautiful whump scenes) help the writing of this show.
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Second Time Watching
When I first watch this was 10/6/2019 and it took me until 2020 to finish it. I was very inexperienced in writing reviews. Now, this is my second time. I hope the review is much better than my first.This is actually a good action drama. Ji Chang Wook, just OMG, who played Kim Je Ha was amazing and very muscular and healthy-looking. I did my research on Ji Chang Chook and found that he wanted to learn more advanced positions in martial arts for this movie to excel in the fighting skills that he already has. Systema, Taekwondo, Aikido, and Jujutsu for this drama's action scenes I applaud and bow to him with respect His Martial Arts skills were on point. His Martial Art was like watching a dance with the great connection of his kicks and thrusts. His Stamina for doing his own stunts is very impressive. Another Korean actor will be placed at the very top of my favorite actor list. He can sing too. Since this is the second time, I have viewed this drama. I have basically watched everything he has done. Im Yoon Ah who played Ko An Na was also amazing. I loved her acting skills. Playing a weak female part is the hardest to play. The romantic chemistry was very believable between Kim Je Ha and Anna! The main actress Song Yoon Ah (Choi Yoo Jin) is very good at acting out a scheming woman. I feel this whole drama was about scheming and threats but with great fighting scenes. The actress who played Raniya wow those blue eyes were very blue! The guest roles for this were many. The storyline is very well written and so I thank the writers. Thanking all the K2 team for making this a successful drama.
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Story.
Story-wise...well, The K2 is complicated. Not easy complicated/dramatic like other dramas but there are so many plot twists and storylines that you will think the writers wrote every possible scenario for the show on a board and decided to include as many as possible. For me that was interesting because it wasn't about the same thing over and over. And let me assure you, most of the plotlines get an explanation at the end even if it may not seem so in the middle of the drama. This was definitely one of the few dramas, where I wasn't left unsatisfied at the end.
Acting/Cast.
Compliments to the whole cast especially all the leads. Their acting is so amazing that I totally forgot they were actors and didn't actually hate or despise each other in real life. Great job!!!
Here I also wanna talk about the characters...ha, I've never suffered from second lead syndrome...in this one though, I did for the first time. I also questioned my own morals, but you will probably get what I mean when you watch it yourself. This drama makes you question who to cheer for.
Music.
I speak German fluently so I noticed some dramatic choir songs with German lyrics in the background. Also there was this ending song. That's pretty much everything I remember for music. The K2 offers a lot of background sounds and songs which don't really count as a soundtrack and like 2 other songs which may be amazing but they are used...like 2 times in episodes and for the ending?
Rewatch?
The question mark is on purpose. I really enjoyed this drama. Dramatic enough to get hooked on it but not epic enough to fall into a drama slump after. Still, after watching I know I probably won't watch it again anytime soon. I know the story, I finished the ending and somehow I'm totally satisfied with that.
Overall.
Overall, The K2 is a drama for people who like soap operas with their drama / cool action scenes / good guys gone bad and the other way around or who like it dramatic. The K2 is NOT for people who just like action scenes, who are against people going crazy for love or who want to watch something fluffy and nice.
I hope I could help :D
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Characterisation is simply superb ?
Must watch drama. Don't just abandon the drama just by watching the beginning episode. The plot is very satisfying and thrilling. I fell in love with the character of madam Choi. She is so natural.simply loved it.Must watch drama. Don't just abandon the drama just by watching the beginning episode. The plot is very satisfying and thrilling.
Must watch drama. Don't just abandon the drama just by watching the beginning episode. The plot is very satisfying and thrilling.
Must watch drama. Don't just abandon the drama just by watching the beginning episode. The plot is very satisfying and thrilling.
Must watch drama. Don't just abandon the drama just by watching the beginning episode. The plot is very satisfying and thrilling.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Huntsman, Snow White, the Evil Queen, and the Dwarfs
I really did enjoy this drama. For a revenge show filled with abhorrent villains and such, I think it had a fairly simple plot line. If anything, I really enjoyed the soundtrack/score/OSTs and how each episode was divided up. I like how the romance was dealt with; it wasn’t bad at all; it was very sweet and sure. Tbh, it made me smile, and I don’t know what it is, but I really liked episode 8. The way both leads smiled at each other and comforted each other was refreshing. I’ve become a JCW fan, and I’ll also check out the other cast mates’ filmography as well. I won’t be able to move on from this drama.Although, despite what I enjoyed and how much it kept my attention. I can see why people feel the way they do about Choi Yoo Jin. But the relationship between her and K2 would’ve been doomed from the start. They wouldn’t be able to ever fully trust each other, and there were the politics, her past actions, and she had a hard time saying what she meant when it came to her good deeds in contrast to her not-so-evil deeds. Everything was a mind game for her. Yet, I thought she at least deserved a happy ending. Heck, she could’ve turned to the good side and become a nun (like they do in the Thai dramas)…or simply keep what little power she had left and become good; try to establish footing elsewhere, like she urged Anna to do. But in a way, I think the ending for her fit. But I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. And she was a bad person but she never tried to convince Anna and K2 otherwise, unlike Anna’s father who always wanted to act innocent and nonchalant even when he was just a lying and disgusting politician. The ending made him somewhat redeemable. They both kept their dignity. It was kinda sweet for both him and Ms. Choi. Almost romantic, like they’d forgiven each other.
Also, she never slapped Anna (unless I have to go back to the 1st and 2nd episode, but I’m sure she did not slap her), and I think that was fair and said a lot about how she didn’t necessarily say what she meant sometimes. And she didn’t use K2’s weakness against him so much when she could have (episode 10 and 11). Therefore, suffice to say my heart really went out to her in episode 11. It made me think that if she hadn’t been so evil she could’ve been a part of what she wished she had (friends to laugh with and love). I felt empathy towards her because when she glanced out the car window that was something I could resonate with. It made me tear up. But of course everyone has to take accountability for their actions (she participated in what all the conspiracy theorists talk about when it comes to the political parties and such), but I do believe she was simply a product of her environment (plus a woman) and I understood why she was holding on to the things she had left. Low-key, I wanted her to put the celebrity reporter back in her place. Who makes a living humiliating celebs? And I think people (at least 50 percent of the people) do like to comment about Yu Jin the most because she’s really the most pitiful and sad. At least Anna got a happy ending.
In the end, I enjoyed the show and fight scenes. I think everyone played their part well, and nothing seemed too out of place. The ending was great, but I wished there could’ve been 1 more episode just to fully establish where everyone was at in their happy ending. Alas, it’s 16 episodes, and that’s the most that can be done. I also like how this had parallels to Snow White. I can definitely see the connection. The bodyguards were the dwarfs, K2 is The Huntsman, and the Evil Queen is Ms. Choi. Then there’s the mirror device Ms. Choi owns.
Overall, I liked all the characters, and the actors did well. I’ll miss Yoo Jin’s haughty and powerful smirk/grimace, K2’s fighting skills, the bodyguard’s’ camaraderie, and Anna’s soft yet stubborn demeanor.
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Only thing that kind of bothered me was how quick the love story went about. It had weak emotional build up yet the romantic scenes were so cute and heart warming, if only there was a little more emotional depth. But I live for romance and all the cute little scenes between Im Yoona and Ji Changwook made up for the little lack of emotional connection between them.
I absolutely loved Im Yoona, Ji Changwook and especially Song Yoona. Song Yoona depicted the antagonist so well, I could truly feel the character's pain which is why I was routing for her. That's very rare to be favoring the antagonist, so Song Yoona was a success. Im Yoona was incredible as well, it shocked me. I found myself crying every time she was, her acting made everything seem so real. Ji Changwook as the bad but good guy had already swept me off my feet. Overall, it was so heart wrenching, I truly enjoyed it.
If you want something heart wrenching but full of action this is definitely the show for you. I absolutely loved it.
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The way the story developed and you get to know more and more is incredible.
I loved the way they portrayed love and politics in such an honest way.
In addition I can only say that the plot twist weren't that surprising BUT I feel like I could never decide whom to trust (just like the main character, Kim Jeha).
The main actor is not just utterly handsome but has also incredible talent and it's the same with Im Yoonah and the other actresses and actors.
It became my favourite drama in a really shirt time since I binge watched it in about two days.
I can only recommend it.
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Put Away Your Critical Eye and Just Enjoy
Why would you want to watch horrible people and politicians (but I repeat myself, snicker). Because Ji Chang Wook and Song Yoon Ah's performances are worth viewing. I'm not a fan of extended fight scenes, but I could watch Ji Chang Wook skip rope on loop. That move of a knee in the face mid-air before landing, impressive! The fight scenes were pure fiction: the human body cannot sustain that much damage. I'll register my complaint here, but I still enjoyed the action scenes because of Ji Chang Wook. He excels at action, but he can play innocent, vulnerable, and sweet well. Easy on the eyes, too.The most compelling reason to watch is for Song Yoon Ah's performance as a scheming psychopath. She is evil to the core. She wouldn't bat an eye to kill someone who MIGHT be problematic to her, and it wouldn't even be worth her time to find out if they were clueless or innocent before snuffing them out. And, yet. I was mesmerized by her. Song Yoon Ah played her part with such nuance that the viewer understood her and felt her vulnerability. I've got to admit I was rooting for her in a perverse way.
I've rated it higher than most would, but Ji Chang Wook, Song Yoon Ah, and that inventive OST made this a pleasure.
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