Vagabond

Started strong but ended on a cliffhanger.

Vegabond started so strong with the action and emotion, but the ending left me furcated. I loved the series because just when I thought I knew who the bad guy behind everything, it would turn out to be someone else. You really had to pay attention and think about each character and what they would gain from the plane crash.

One of the first things I loved was that for once an action KDrama had female characters that were not completely useless. Go Hae Ri was not always loveable and had moments where she was annoying but she able to take care of herself. Jessica Lee was amazing I loved/hated her from start to finish. Then there was Lily an assassin who I loved even though I maybe should not. I could go into each character and how I enjoyed them but watch for yourself to see.

The only thing that made me upset about this show was the ending. The last episode was rushed only to end with a cliffhanger. One of the things I love about KDrama is everything gets wrapped up in the last episode and there is a happy ending. But not with this one and there is not much of a chance of this getting a 2nd season after 3 years. I still enjoyed watching the show up to the last second when it just cut off with no real ending.

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Vagabond has something missing

I preface, I first watched this drama years ago and recently rewatched it as before I loved it but found it aged terribly.

I'll start with the pros, it's visually well done and the shots are some of the best seen in an action drama. It starts with a very promising premise and the first set of episodes, and for a while the acting is great.

The cons are that it goes downhill and lacks something that makes it unique and a good watch. I find the story quite erratic and hard to follow at times, and I feel like there are too many plot holes for me. I also wish the dynamics of the main leads were better because they do improve and it's frustrating. Also, the ending is well, not the best in my opinion and a season 2 is definitely needed for it to work,

Overall, I think it is an entertaining drama though and is showing promising talent within the film but not enough for it to be well, considered good, so I would simply consider it average.

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I enjoyed it a lot... until the last episode

I don't think it's a spoiler to warn that this show doesn't end. Maybe they'll make a second season to end the story and it will but, so far, the story is unfinished.

I have to say I enjoyed a lot the action scenes, the plot, the villains, the good guys... even the hints of romance. It is a very fun series to watch and I would've probably rated it with a 9 or more if they had finished the story. They set up the plot and left it unfinished, I wouldn't even say it's a cliffhanger where many storylines are resolved but something happens to move the story in a different direction, no, it's just that as they couldn't wrap up everything in the last episode, they left the story there.

I have to say I like the actors and the casting in general was charismatic and good for their roles.

The action sequences were good, though I think they could've been improved if they had cut them less often: it looks like they have good stuntpeople to make them work without so many cuts and that, in my opinion, allows the viewer to enjoy them more.

I loved the OST, it's full of great songs.

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Can’t say yet

I tried watching this show few months back and dropped it, I picked it up again to watch after watching The Devil Judge (special shout out to the one and only YoHan aka Ji Sung, you were perfection).
I am yet to make my judgement on the rave reviews about this being the best action series, the reviewers here claim to have seen because I haven’t gotten that far yet.
As much as I want to drop this again, I will give it 2 more eps to see, because this 1st ep is blowing my mind and not in a good way.
Michael called the airport control line and an agent picked up, after the phone call we suddenly have fire and the fire alarm blaring at the control center and said agent was murdered. How did the assassin know he was going to call and call at that very moment and who the agent that was going to pick the call in order to set the fire and murder the agent in a very “flawless” manner, I shook my head so bad @ the ridiculousness of it.. The scene was beyond unbelievable and almost too much for me to tolerate but tolerate for 2 more eps I will in hopes that, that illogical mess can be somehow redeemed. Fingers crossed

Update @ ep4: Ofcourse they had to make the female lead dumb. She is an NIS agent, a trained paid one at that, as she has stated several times but she has zero spatial awareness, they have tried to kill them several times but girl, go ahead and co-join hands with your friend/colleague in the airport and chat about food and why don’t you ladies skip also while you are at it. While the ML is scanning for any hidden threats. Typical KDrama where the ML is better at everything and smarter also than the FL. Smh
They just arrived in the country and the journalist already knew that. How the hell did the journalist know that they were arriving on that particular day and also knew the restaurant they were going to. They are hiding from the people that are trying to kill them and these people can supposedly scrub crime scenes, tamper with evidence faster than you can say Jack Robinson but yeah stay in a building where all the blinds are wide open that anyone can see them. Damn. So many head scratching plot holes and illogical decisions by supposed intelligence agents.
It’s gotten a lot more interesting I must admit but the plot holes and dumbs decisions are so glaring, it’s wild.

Why does Cha Dal Geon have to scream and shout every time he’s talking. That only makes him sound crazy and silly. Whether he shouts or not is not going to make people believe him or not (it actually does make it less likely people will believe him because they will think he’s coming from a place of grief), they ended up just giving the viewers unnecessary migraine from all those screaming.

Update @ ep6: my patience is seriously wearing thin at this point. She is a trained agent and can’t keep her composure because she shot someone and almost gave the gig up with her hiccuping, really. Smh. I am going to drop this for now because if I don’t and continue, I might just drop it completely with how so over it I feel right now.

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Did Not Stick the Landing

Vagabond was a great show…until the last episode. The first episode really established the stakes and it was unexpectedly so sad. Revenge is a drama plot line that I always find intriguing and the main character was one who was willing to do anything in order to get it, which was very compelling. The main character’s background as a stuntman was pretty hilarious and even though it didn’t make a ton of sense that it would give him a leg up on trained assassins and spies, it was still fun to watch. Vagabond was one of those action shows where the hero is completely indestructible. The action scenes were great and the lead’s stuntman past allowed for some really outlandish but very fun sequences where he would basically parkour around or do some wild stunt driving. The chase sequences were some of my favorites to watch. The one thing that was a bummer in the action scenes was the very shaky camera effects, which made some scenes almost impossible for me to watch.

Lee Seung Gi and Bae Suzy had good chemistry and it was another big disappointment with the show’s abrupt ending that they barely explored that at all. Everything, including their relationship, felt very unfinished.

Regardless of whether or not the writers were banking on there being a second season, it still was a terrible ending. It didn’t work as the finale of a drama, but it also would not have been a satisfying season finale either. They should have just made this a longer drama to allow time to tie up all the loose ends. When I finished episode 15 I could not understand how they could possibly wrap up the story in one more episode and the answer was that they didn’t. This could have easily been 20-24 episodes and allowed time to finish the story. Until the last episode, Vagabond was probably a 9/10 for me and the last episode really dropped my rating. I do still think it’s worth watching, even if simply for the action, but it’s hard not to leave the show feeling disappointed.

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I Spy ~ U Spy ~ They'll All Die ~ If We Try ✈ No S2 Yet? I Might Cry °Excellent°

This story begins with a crash: An airplane crash. Cha Gal-geon lost his nephew/ward - his son, really (CG was raising the kid) to this tragedy. CG travels with other mourners to Morocco, the site of the impact. As soon as he lands there, he recognizes a man that appeared in a video that his nephew had sent him from the plane, prior to the crash. If this man had been on the plane, he would/SHOULD be dead, not walking around Morocco.

Go Hae-ri works at the South Korean Embassy in Morocco. She's actually a fledgling intelligence officer, and is assigned to the crew assisting the mourners. She meets Cha Gal-geon and they eventually work together to bring the baddies down.

V stars the wildly popular Bae Suzy (Start-Up-8, While You Were Sleeping-7.3, Anna: Extended Version-8.1) as Go Hae Ri / "Elsa”. Lee Seung Gi (A Korean Odyssey-7.2, Mouse) is our action hero, Cha Dal Geon. Superstar director, Yu In-Sik (Dr. Romantic series, Extraordinary Attorney Woo), is at the helm, and scriptwriters Jang Young-Cheol and Jung Kyung-Soon seem to work together on most projects. They're responsible for Empress Ki, History of the Salaryman, Big Mouth and other hits. This group hasn't failed their audience yet, and they didn't fail us here. However, one would think that 16+ hours would be enough, but more and more baddies surface. The show is not complete. Season 2 has not been announced yet, but they are looking into it, and they know the fans want it.

V is exciting and well scripted. It has action, intrigue, displays of the worst and best of humanity, and the unfulfilled promise of some romance. It's difficult to tell a thrilling tale without being a little outlandish. They didn't get so crazy that it gets in the way. The plot progresses without too many bumps in the road, yet it is still quite intricate. The action and fight scenes are good. Like most action thrillers, they should have been in ICU or dead several times over, yet they manage to keep going. It's the usual trope for the genre. Why fight it anymore?

The only lasting disappointment you are likely to experience after fighting villains and corruption with Vagabond, is that you'll have to wait for season 2. The wait will be a minimum of 15 mos but a maximum of....well, never. I hope they never do /that/ to us!

IMHO...
🎬8 🤔6 🎭7.5 ⚡8 💓5 🦋5

Suggested Age 12& up

In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Love to Hate You 8.9;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9;
Love Struck in the City 7.3;
Hospital Playlist 9;
When the Camellia Blooms 8;
My Mister 9.5

Action/Sci-fi/fantasy:
K2 8;
Private Lives 8.1;
Descendants Of The Sun 8.3;
Uncanny counter season 1 only - S1-8.4 S2-4;
Sisyphus 8;
Tunnel 8.1;
Signal 8.6;
D.P. 8.4;
The Cursed 8.3;
Flower of Evil 8.9;
The Man from Nowhere 8.9;
Black 9;
Squid Game 8.4;
Kingdom 8.3;
Sweet Home 8.4

Update May 2024 - Vagabond is filming a second season in the Philippines! No details on a release date.

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!!ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL KDRAMA I'VE EVER SEEN!!

I have to describe this kdrama with just one word "Wonderful" It was one of the first kdramas I saw and it will always remain one of my favorites, The main characters have amazing chemistry even if they don't show it, you can tell by their looks, they act so well that it makes you wonder if it's actually a TV series or "real", amazing cast. Overall, I definitely recommend watching it. The ending will be a little sad, but it's nothing special, or at least if you're a sensitive person, I think you might be disappointed. But anyway, as I said before, every episode is worth your time 🌟🌟🌟

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extraordinary

Can't believe I started reviewing just after watching 3 ep. Stroy's gripping from the very beginning and its progress is simply phenomenal.
Though I knew it's a pack of suspense and investigation didn't expect it to have me on the edge of my seat. Stunts are well performed and co-ordinated,
I'm falling In love with the character. having a gut feeling is right but how many of us get to reap the benefits of it? this character clearly reaps them unknowingly(which is evidently necessary for the given circumstances).
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don't mind the above text. it's just for word count.

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What a ride.

Well, a journey this series.
As the synopsis suggests, the starting story is basic to dozens of action movies and series, a loved one of the main protagonist - the nephew - dies at the hands of an organization that wields powers over several institutions in the country.
The main character, here Cha Dal Gun, is obviously a capable character, he's a stunman who knows how to fight and isn't afraid to run into a wall - literally.
After his nephew's death appears to be an accident, he quickly discovers that it is not what it seems. He meets Go Hae Ri, a young woman who works for the Korean secret services and who will help him in his investigation.

I must say that my opinion is divided on the series.
I'm not going to lie, the series is very addictive, we quickly want to know the adventures of our characters, and the plot is well done.
The action scenes are to my surprise very well done although there is a bit of fiction when the character heals quickly, but that's the problem with action series and movies. I can't say that we are bored and the rhythm is very fast until the end, no break and therefore the audience is captivated.

The plot as a whole, although very fictional and basic, where corruption reigns and our characters cannot trust anyone because everyone is lying, remains in a fairly realistic and mature tone. Sometimes, we can also see the criticism of this series towards politicians, the media, and we say to ourselves at the same time as our characters "You are destroying the country you claim to want to save".
So overall, a good story that goes from twists to twists.

What bothers me are the characters.
I must say that Lee Seung Gi who plays Cha Dal Gun did a very good job, although we don't explore so many layers to his character who remains stubborn and sometimes impulsive until the end, he shows the desperate side correctly, a side that is often missing in the characters of the series who interpret the same kind of roles.
But it's still mainly an action series, so I didn't expect a lot of character development. However, I would have liked him to be less hot-headed and to be a more strategic and thoughtful character.
But I liked discovering him in this role.

However, this is where the problem arises, the bad LF syndrome. That's what I'm going to call this habit that actresses have of being FL and annoying.
Here, we supposedly have a young spy and secret service agent, okay it's quite realistic that she can't fight because in reality, all over the world, secret agents are sent for their intellectual abilities and not physical.
But her character remains annoying, when in the middle of a shooting, every time she finds that it's time to discuss and impose her opinion, namely - to stay still until she dies - and to prevent the main character to change the situation, it's annoying. Also her insane craving for recognition, looks like a kid who needs to be complimented all the time, while most of the time she makes the problem worse, she is naive and trusting, which is ridiculous for a supposed spy.
I know it's hard to find the middle ground between the clichés of the badass and the cute, weak FL one, but her performance just makes her annoying.
She's more the type to be the cause of someone's death than the one who saves the day.

The secondary characters are passable, no characters that shine in particular, the cast gives a performance that is believable but not breathtaking.

So, to sum it up, it's a series where you shouldn't expect incredible acting from the cast - except the action scenes and Lee Seung Gi. It's a series in realistic tones and is primarily made to make you feel the action, I mean, the action scenes are not overplayed but on the contrary well done.
The ML so, Lee Seung Gi is perfect in this role, the little romance with the FL is really realistic on this point, they take their time even if the acting of the FL overall is not the best.
It is therefore a series that I would say to see absolutely for entertainment, the comic moments are rather rare because the series has a serious tone but the action remains the center focus.

I hope a season 2 will see the light of day, I know that the two years that we had of Covid-19 did not help the projects in the industry and a lot of them were canceled, but knowing that the main actor said he himself wants a second season because season 1 ended on a cliffanger. And also that since the series is available on Netflix it has gained a fair amount of popularity, I hope they give us a thrilling sequel.

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I usually don't comment while watching a series...

...but this time I am, because I'm hoping that my MDL peers who have seen Vagabond will weigh in on my assessment.
Of course, Lee Sungi is amazing (his patented yelling at someone is in full effect...for reference, see the Gu Family Book), and all the actors are excellent. Except Suzi Bae. I don't know whether it is the script writing, her portrayal of the character, or both. The character seems really out of place for what should be a high-intensity drama. The story is excellent, but the execution of it sometimes seems to vacillate between seriousness, and foolishness. But that's only my view. Maybe something at the end of the series will help me understand why the character and / or her performance is so weak? I hope so.

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WTF ending?

I just want to ask the writer that if you are making thriller why not end it means why would we watch thrillers so that we can find conclusion of every happenings i was all satisfied with the story the cast and Lee seung gi is the main reason i started this drama because he is perfect with scrip selection but this is the first lee seung gi drama i was disappointed he was perfect in his role the story was good but i have just wasted my 16 hours and got no results and there is no second season????
So if someone want to watch this drama i will recommend you if you are fan of the cast and don't mind open endings

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