Moving (2023)

Perfect and does everything it wanted to do.

Only in recent times have i gotten into kdramas but from the amount of supernational and hero based shows I have seen in all mediums; Moving in my opinion was perfect. I have completed around 22 Kdramas as of writing this, 6 extra which i dropped after minimum of 3 episodes each, and my want to watch is endless so leave it.
I have watched alot of different genres in this medium to kind of make myself know all the tropes and basic stuff every medium has. I did same with anime, manga, manhwa, Hollywood etc in the past. I feel I am in tune with the tropes and kind of culture potrayed in Kdramas but I'll apologize in advance incase i misinterpret or say something that's wrong on my side.
Moving, I found when I was searching highschool romances to fill the thirst 2521 had left for me. The two shows I decided to watch after countless reddit posts about kdrama recommend posts were Who Are You School 2015 and Moving. I started school 2015 but got bored after ep 1 and as was about to sleep I jus looked over the Moving entry on MDL and got even more intrigued. I started ep 1 and binged the whole night, the first 4 episodes and now 3 days later I i finished the whole show.
The Writing:-
PERFECT WRITING. The way they give us little little pieces here and there to put together and find out the whole picture ourselves was amazing. The stories of Bongseok and Huisoo along with the class was interesting from the start but what really sold me was the lock in for the parent's arcs. When Minyun and Doosik story began I was just expecting a cheap flashback where they will show what happened and go back to the present; but the fact that they went all in and told the whole story while building the world was amazing. And the switch to Juwon's story right when I was getting bored of Doosik story was insane and a perfect move. The writers knew what we wanted and gave that. Even the more worse parts of the writing were sooo well covered up by the way the stories proggressed.
The north korean flashbacks towards the end was the only part which I felt was bad writing but they made sense for the characters which were gonna stay moving forward. It wasn't jarring just poorly executed. This is just me nitpicking because I genuinely can't find a flaw in the story.
The Music & ACTION (insert Monster Juwon Theme):-
You know a kdrama is good when the background score isn't some kpop song or a mediocre track made for the sake of the show not feeling silent. Music always plays a huge part in my media and I am surprised how well Moving handled. Ofc it wasn't Hanz Zimmer type award winning soundtrack but it did what it needed to do and that was INSTILL HYPE.
The first juwon fight and that guitar riff made me jump out of my chair; after that whenever the theme came on I would throw my hands in the air and just say absolute cinema, not even joking I did that multiple times. The action set piece in Episode 7, Romanticist; has to be one of the best action set pieces in television history. The absolute length the fight had gone to just to show us how much of an insanely unkillable monster juwon was perfect in my opinion. It became soo dumb the cars crashing and exploding and him walking out like nothing happened. This also helped the character alot because later on when he would struggle against other character it just showed the scale of how strong the other characters were.
The Acting and Screenplay:-
None of the characters felt like acting, maybe the classmate who kept recording felt a bit off but other than that most of the main cast felt like real people who are the characters. They weren't acting the characters, they were the characters. I loved Han Hyo Joo's potrayal of Lee Mi Hyun; she was phoneomal from start to finish. She protrayed the character development soo well that when she finally laughed and was being more human, it made me realize how much these characters grew. Not just her almost every main character excelled at their role and made my opinion that South Korea has the best actors strengthened even more.
Screenplay is something a normal viewer like most of us don't realize. Unless its bad we don't point it out because when screenplay is good we don't don't even realize it because of the smooth flow everything is moving. Its genuinely amazing how very little I felt bored, every episode had stuff going on and I didn't feel bored at all. The switch to completely tell the flashbacks was an amazing choice because it built the world, made us understand the characters and kept things fresh so we wouldn't get bored. Again the only part where it felt jarring was after the backstories had finished we were in the present but for the sake of cheap reveal and reaction porn shows have been doing in recent times; the writers left some parts of the flashback for these grandiose reveals during the present time scenes. Honestly it didn't bother me much but I do wish they told the whole flashback at one and left nothing for future reveals.
Final Thoughts:-
Moving is an amazing kdrama telling a similar story we have seen before but the way it presents itself with its unique screenplay and depthful character writing makes u appreceate it alot. When a Kdrama makes me remember all the characters names means that it did a good job. The the insane fights juwon had, the cute romance of Huisoo and Doosik, the shitty decisions done by Director Nim and many more, I will it forget since they impacted me in such a way that all of this were really happening. I can't wait for season 2 since I am soooo fucking excited to see where things go. Will the north and south team up to fight the governments? Will Bongseok become the first real super hero? Will Class President betray his school frnds for the orgo? All the romances how will they go??? What will Bang Ki Soo do?? The questions are endless and I am soo eager that I wanna read the manhwa but I will wait since season 2 is confirmed.

Final Review:-
Moving is a perfectly crafted action show which puts it's fingers in most of the genres but does it in a tasteful way. The characters are memorable, the story is amazing and the action is the highlight of the show. The highs are soo high that I may be overlooking the lows, but I can definitely say in full confidence that every time I hear juwon's theme I will become an APE. 10/10

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Interesting concept but a little overrated

I will admit... I kept putting this off thinking that watching it will be a chore. I am not one to be ecstatic about dramas with over 16 episodes. Things tend to be dragged on for too long and I get bored easily, even with 16 episodes. I was also under the false impression that it was a political drama with superheroes for some reason which made me avoid it like the plague. But, seeing the high rating, the reviews, and Han Hyo Joo in the cast list, I kept it on my PTW planning on checking it out eventually. This was recommended to me by @Lighter for the 2025 Recommendation Challenge by Xiao Zi and I chose it for February to prevent myself from delaying watching it even further. I ended up completing it in four days after I started it, finishing it 2/27/2025.

After finishing the show, here are my thoughts:

I love shows with superheroes and the fact that this was about that made me intrigued from the first episode. I loved the variety of powers our main characters had. Also the shows duration time wasn't over an hour like I feared but maintained relatively around 45 minutes which I loved. It felt more engaging without having overwhelming long episodes.

I LOVED the teenagers! They were so cute and heartwarming and I was assuming that the show was going to be focused on them more than what it was. But it unfortunately wasn't. After only a few episodes with the kids, it changed to the parent's backstories and I couldn't help myself but wonder when it was going to change back to the present. The show's tone changed very drastically and I couldn't appreciate it. I love brutal violence, but it wasn't how the show presented itself for the first few episodes, so it was too sudden. Now don't get me wrong, I wanted to know the parents backstories and it gave me background on the whole show, but it lasted a little too long when I cared more about the kids. I don't like watching romance in my action dramas, but I loved the romance between Lee Mi Hyeon and Kim Du Sik and Jang Ju Won and Hwang Ji Hui. It kept me invested in the parents backstories and prevented my rating from going to an 8.

(A little spoilery after this section)

They underutilized very interesting characters that I felt should've been part of it more. For example, Frank was an interesting character and I wanted to see him more but his departure from the show felt too sudden. I kept expecting him to pop out randomly at the end but he didn't. Another example would be the North Korean agents. Im Jae Seok didn't have enough depth for me to feel sympathy for him when he died. I also didn't care for Kwon Yong Deuk's second chance as a character I knew barely anything about. I thought they should've put more focus on how the two main antagonists of the NIS (the head of the NIS and the "principal) were dealt with. Their deaths were just kinda thrown in my face without anything satisfying enough given that they were absolutely terrible human beings.

I also didn't appreciate how none of the parents prepared their kids for any potential dangers. Come on, they were all part of the NIS. Those kids could have easily been killed by the trained North Koreans. Which reminds me of the gym scene. Since Lee Mi Hyeon didn't train Beong Seok on flying at all and he was very amateur at it, it's not very believable that he's able to control it in a few minutes. I know he tried practicing outside, but I didn't see enough of his efforts to lead me to think that he would suddenly get relatively good at flying.

Even though I loved the fight scenes and the violence, it did feel a little repetitive sometimes and the end fight lasted for a little too many episodes. I wanted to see more of Lee Mi Hyeon than what was shown, making her feel kinda secondary to the others that had a lot of screentime in the fight scenes.

Lastly, the end scene with Kim Du Sik reuniting with his family should've been way longer than what was given. Like I mentioned earlier, the screentime went to the "Uncle" with his second chance. The reuniting scene should have been way more emotional than what it was. It was also shot oddly as well, like we're floating in the air staring down at them. It felt odd and insignificant.

Anyway, I conclude this review with what I said in the beginning, interesting concept but a little overrated. If there was news of a second season, I would tune in to watch it but I wouldn't go in with high expectations. I don't regret watching it and I would turn to my past self that was so adamant about avoiding it to just watch it because it definitely wasn't a waste of time. I want to thank @Lighter for recommending this to me, because I probably would've continued to avoid it without your recommendation.

Final rating: 8.5/10

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Not for Children or Squeamish Adults!

"Moving" can't decide if it's an uplifting, coming of age story about high school kids with extraordinary powers or a graphically violent Quentin Tarantino type flick for those adults with strong stomachs. This is not--and I repeat not--a series for kids even though the description and poster would lead you to believe that. Trust the TV-MA rating. The violence is extreme and completely unnecessary. Had 90% of the violence been eliminated, the series wouldn't have suffered one iota and the viewing audience could have easily doubled. If not for the fast forward button on my remote, I would not have made it through this series and that's a shame because the acting was superb and the story was very engaging. (I also loved the catchy OST.) I purposively stopped watching U.S. films/TV and gravitated toward Hallyu to avoid the gratuitous violence and sex--and I'm no prude. It appears that when U.S. stream services, i.e., Disney/Hulu, Netflix, etc., are involved the S. Korean film makers cave to our morally corrupt culture rather than importing everything that has been good about Hallyu. Come on S. Korea! You attracted an international audience for a reason. Please don't lose us!

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Everything's good.

Apparently its one of the rarest K dramas ever. Everything is good here, acting, cast, music, story, character development, you name it. tbh, I have no idea how did korea come up with this, because you see, these losers are known for making flowerboy garbage romantic stories all the time so THIS one is a complete refresher and I never expected such a show from korea.

Yes it has gore/blood in it. this show was a solid 8/10 then when I saw the ending I realized its 9/10 because the ending is utterly satisfying and just like how its supposed to be. Its a supernatural story and has romance in it too.

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what a great surprise !!

Waw, I'm writing this review at the end of episode 7 (yes I decided to start this series when it wasn't over yet... ayyy the pain of waiting). I'm very disappointed in Disney+ for not promoting this series properly. I haven't seen anything on this series except for a few TikTok. At one point, it piqued my curiosity and I started, without reading or seeing the trailer so I had absolutely no idea what it was about. I was surprised to see the superpowers but what a good surprise!! First, even if we talk about superhuman powers, it remains strangely coherent (human weapons, competition between countries, shooting down pensioners, inheritance of powers, schools that bring them together, etc.). The story is well done and its structure is very interesting: we develop each character at the same time (or family), and it's not boring at all!! There are 20 episodes in all so it will surely still be very well developed. In terms of cinematography: incredible. I love the positions, movements, colors of the camera. It looks great, it's fun to watch. I find the trio very endearing. We don't know much about super-man yet, but I guess it's best for last grrrr. I really like the friendship / romance between the two characters from the beginning, too cute. Besides, I really like this actress, a beauty + talent!

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OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

WOW just WOW I have no words , so that's it for this review 😫😩







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p.s. I'm gonna rewatch now 😩😂🥺

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Simply outstanding

Moving was an absolute thrill from start to finish. It delivered a perfect balance of action, emotion, and storytelling, making it easily one of the best Korean dramas I've ever watched. The pacing was relentless, ensuring that there was never a dull moment. I only wish the episodes were longer than an hour—I enjoyed it so much that I’m already on a rewatch, something I rarely ever do.

One of the highlights for me was the heartwarming friendship between Bong-seok and Hee-soo. Their interactions consistently brought a huge smile to my face, and their bond felt so natural and authentic. The teenage characters actually acted their age, which is refreshing to see in a high school-centered narrative. The actors did a phenomenal job portraying them with depth and sincerity.

The show took a thematic shift when the parents' backstories were introduced midway. While the pacing changed, I found myself loving this aspect even more than the teen drama elements at the beginning. The love stories of Kim Doo-shik and Mi-hyun, as well as Jang Ju-won and Hwang Ji-hee, were beautifully written and filled with palpable chemistry. Their relationships added layers of emotional depth to the show.

Guryongpo's backstory was another standout aspect. The way they did a deepdive into his backstory was great (I only wish they explored Kindooshik's backstory in the same way.) His character arc was compelling, and his fight scenes were an absolute spectacle—choreographed brilliantly with a touch of humor. The motel hallway fight scenes were reminiscent of *Oldboy*, and the final battles were just as epic. I had a huge smile on my face throughout the last two episodes, especially during Jang Ju-won and Jaeman’s fights. The background music during these action sequences was fantastic, enhancing the intensity and excitement. The overall OST was stellar and complemented the series beautifully.

At the beginning, the show incorporated heavy symbolism through colors in both dialogue and imagery to characterize the three main kids with superpowers—yellow for Bong-seok, orange for Hee-soo, and red for Gang-hoon/Jaeman. These colors were prominently displayed whenever their stories were explored, and while they added to the visual appeal, I had hoped for a deeper narrative significance beyond just aesthetic symbolism.

I saw some reviewers complaining about the graphics and VFX. I thought it was outstanding—I did not notice any wires or whatever. The VFX was very believable.

Moving delivered an incredibly satisfying experience, and I am beyond excited for Season 2!

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Moving: Restoring Humanity to Superhuman

There was a time when superhero stories felt like they meant something. Before the genre became a relentless spectacle of CGI explosions and factory-assembled scripts, there was a brief, golden era where studios understood that the superhuman had to be human first. That era ended with Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. Since then, big studios have churned out one lifeless blockbuster after another, desperately chasing the high of caped crusaders while forgetting the soul underneath the suit. And then, Moving happened.

At first glance, Moving might seem like another flashy K-drama riding the superhero wave, but that assumption couldn’t be more wrong. This isn’t a story about people with powers—it’s a story about people. A mother who would do anything to protect her son. A father whose love for his daughter is his greatest strength and weakness. A young boy falling in love for the first time, terrified that his secrets might make him unlovable. The superpowers are just the seasoning; the real meat of the story is the relationships, the struggles, and the deeply personal sacrifices made in the name of love.

Kim Bong-seok (Lee Jung-ha), Jang Hee-soo (Go Youn-jung), and Lee Gang-hoon (Kim Do-hoon) may be high school students with inherited abilities, but they are first and foremost kids, trying to navigate the treacherous waters of adolescence while hiding gifts that could make them targets. Bong-seok can fly, Hee-soo heals at an unnatural speed, and Gang-hoon possesses monstrous strength and agility. Yet despite their abilities, they remain achingly relatable—awkward, uncertain, and burdened by the expectations placed upon them by forces beyond their control. Their parents, once part of a shadowy government operation, are now fighting an entirely different battle: ensuring their children have the normal lives they never did.

Moving masterfully weaves its narrative across three timelines, never once losing its momentum or emotional depth. The present-day story of the teenagers gives way to a flashback that explores the past lives of their parents, revealing the hidden scars they bear and the love stories that shaped them. This deliberate structuring isn’t just a gimmick—it enriches the overarching narrative, making every revelation hit that much harder. By the time episode 15 arrives, every missing puzzle piece falls into place, making the experience all the more rewarding. Even the so-called villains, the North Korean superhuman assassins, are given backstories that refuse to paint them in black-and-white strokes. Through the use of flashbacks, we come to understand—and even mourn—some of them by the end.

But all of this would fall flat if not for the impeccable performances from a star-studded cast. Han Hyo-joo delivers a career-defining performance as Lee Mi-hyun, Bong-seok’s mother, a former ANSP intelligence analyst whose life revolves around shielding her son from those who would exploit him. The mother-son dynamic between Mi-hyun and Bong-seok is the emotional core of the series, capturing the raw, all-consuming love of a parent who will stop at nothing to protect her child. Meanwhile, Ryu Seung-ryong as Jang Ju-won, Hee-soo’s father, brings a heart-wrenching vulnerability to a character whose regeneration ability makes him seemingly invincible but unable to heal from the wounds of loss. And then there’s Kim Sung-kyun as Lee Jae-man, Gang-hoon’s father, a man of immense strength but limited intellect, whose love for his son is unwaveringly pure. These relationships—fraught, tender, and deeply human—elevate Moving far beyond its genre trappings.

Visually, Moving is a marvel. The cinematography is breathtaking, from the exhilarating sequences of Bong-seok discovering the sheer joy (and terror) of flight, to the hauntingly brutal fight scenes that feel shockingly real despite the presence of superhuman abilities. One particularly stunning moment involves Bong-seok soaring upward, sending a cascade of water rippling across a lake, capturing the raw beauty of his power. Another sees him bursting through glass in slow-motion, desperate to save Hee-soo, each shard reflecting the weight of his emotions. Even subtle choices, like the shift in color tones to indicate flashbacks, demonstrate a meticulous attention to detail that many big-budget productions fail to achieve.

Of course, a superhero story wouldn’t be complete without action, and Moving does not disappoint. The fight choreography is nothing short of masterful, with each encounter feeling visceral and weighty. From Kim Doo-sik (Jo In-sung) unleashing the full potential of flight in black ops combat, to Hee-soo’s now-iconic 17-against-1 mud-covered brawl, the series knows when to dazzle and when to let the brutality speak for itself. Unlike the sanitized, weightless battles of Hollywood blockbusters, every punch, every wound, every desperate gasp for breath in Moving carries meaning.

Yet for all its strengths, Moving isn’t without its flaws. Those expecting a lighthearted high school romance may be misled by the initial episodes, only to find themselves in a story far grander and more intense than they bargained for. The timeline shifts, while brilliantly executed, may alienate viewers who prefer straightforward storytelling. And perhaps the biggest misstep is the soundtrack—or lack thereof. Unlike many K-dramas that leave audiences with an unforgettable OST, Moving opts for an instrumental-heavy score that, while fitting, doesn’t leave a lasting impact. It’s a small gripe in the grand scheme of things, but a noticeable one nonetheless.

But these are minor quibbles in an otherwise extraordinary journey. On paper, Moving is about superhuman parents protecting their children. In reality, it is about the deeply human experience of hiding who you are to fit in, the crushing burden of inherited trauma, and the indescribable freedom that comes from embracing yourself. It is, above all else, a story about love—the love between parents and children, between friends, between those who choose to fight for each other against all odds. In doing so, Moving has accomplished what Hollywood has failed to do for years: it has put the human back in the superhuman.

A must-watch for fans of gripping storytelling, breathtaking action, and emotionally resonant drama.

Likes:
- A rare superhuman story that prioritizes human relationships, making the extraordinary feel grounded and relatable.
- Masterful use of nonlinear storytelling that adds depth and emotional weight.
- Stellar performances from an all-star cast, with emotionally rich parent-child dynamics.
- Breathtaking cinematography and visually stunning action sequences.
- Expertly choreographed fight scenes that enhance rather than overshadow the narrative.

Dislikes:
- Not a typical high school romance; may not appeal to those expecting a lighter story.
- Nonlinear timeline may be confusing for some viewers.
- Lack of a memorable OST compared to other K-dramas.

Verdict:
More than just a superhuman story, Moving is an emotional powerhouse that explores identity, family, and sacrifice. A narrative triumph that surpasses anything Hollywood has produced in the genre since Nolan’s The Dark Knight. A must-watch for anyone who craves a story with both heart and spectacle.

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This drama is a very peculiar drama but it is satisfactory on every level

1/ What I liked:
- The peculiar narration of the drama. It felt very like a comic book or a manhwa with different chapters. Each one dedicated to a specific character or group of character and them all of them in the final.
- The characters: I loved the good guys but I also some of the bad guys. It is not about good ones and bad ones, but it is about humanity.
- The dual timeline between the story of the parents and the children and how they meet in the end.
- The action which is 50% of the time made of brutality but it is a very enjoyable brutality as it is not human but superhuman. Some scene are bloody and sometime gory bit still I enjoyed them as they were like fantasy and fun.
- The story overall is really interesting from the parents ‘one to the kids ‘one told in an unconventional manner.
- The fun. Some very good fun even in the saddest or most brutal moments. It is like not intented but still fun.


2/ What I liked less:
- ML's characterization to make him innocent was pushed too far. Made him look retarded and silly. I am glad in the end he progressed fast.
- Confusing timeline with flashbacks in the flashback.

3/ OST: Appropriate. Very gripping at times.

4/ Rewatch value
So fun. I will surely rewatch it or scenes of it.

5/OVERALL
Best drama I have watched in 2023 so far. 10/10. This drama has a really great story told in a very special and nice way with endearing and complex characters, very emotional moments involving love, friendship, family love, partnership, rivalry... insisting on the human side of people facing the brutality of the real evil ones. A MUST WATCH.

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PROUD TO CALL IT MT MOST ANTICIPATED DRAMA OF 2023

Moving isn't just a super hero themed drama, it's a multi genre drama with a well balanced plot and uniqueness execution.

Moving shows us family in many heart warming series, moving shows us parents that are willing to sacrifice anything including them selves for their children.

Moving gives us variety of main casts, each with stories and each giving is amazing acting that is able to transfer emotions to the viewer.

Moving gives us amazing and exciting fight scenes that keep us at the edge of our seats and also make our hearts ponder.

Moving builds up our fantasy. Moving shows us heart warming romance and friendship from the different characters points of view.

Moving gives us heart wrenching scenes that would leave you completely moved by emotions

Moving gives us adorable and daring characters

Moving knows how to blend in comedy in the heavy and serious plot of the series
So overall moving is a multi genre drama with unique story telling amazing acting..many main characters with interesting stories, an emotional roller coaster exciting fight scenes light comedy amazing CGI and cinematography....it will be totally worth all your time.

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