Confession (2019)

The basic premise does not stray from the power politics Korean crime dramas habitually highlight, but what sets Confession apart is its execution.

From the get-go, Confession was promising. The first case was exciting, given the unpredictability of the suspect. And so that path led the characters to other, overlapping ones, and they led to the final destination. The writer gave liberty to the audience to explore various scenarios along with the characters. Next thing you know, you are invested in the plot. My favourite occurrences happened in the court - it was a pleasure to see Choi Do Hyun / the lead cleverly handle affairs. Sometimes, particularly in the first half, you would expect the plot to go another direction, and may even want that to happen (like myself), but the second half ensured me that the writer knew what they were doing. The pace was maintained - it may have slowed in the middle, but not unnecessarily. The characters had connections with each other due to a single event - it's nothing new in kdramaland. yet it was impactful. I had a few complaints with regards to how distant the characters felt, but my worries were eased by episode 11.

I was torn about how I should rate the acting. The actors were not given roles that were complex, but they were not simple either, so I was satisfied but not won over. I was about to settle with 8.5, but one performance stood out to me, and I believe I will not do the actor justice by being greedy. He had a small role, but it has left an impact on many, including me: the suspect in the first case, played by Ryu Gyeong Su. He stole the spotlight. He was the character I was most drawn to, and I anticipated his appearance each episode. Of course, the main cast did good with what they were given. Lee Jun Ho was persuasive in his composed portrayal, and others stayed true to their respective roles. What I appreciated was the female leads' harmonious teamwork, and their guts, especially Ha Yoo Ri.

I liked the instrumental they used. It could be loud in certain instances, but I liked how it added to the moment and nature of the drama. The OSTs were not played, so I have no comments on that.

I am not sure if one would rewatch it, knowing all the progressions in plot. If you are someone like me, you might want to watch Choi Do Hyun being a smartass in court.

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Clever as a devil?

Jun Ho's character, Do Hyun, is a figure of heroic magnitude and energy. He deliberates, resolves and exults. His "spirit" bears up unbroken, resting on its own energy and requiring no support from anything external, not even from hope itself

He undercuts his opponents by questioning what they had previously taken for granted. At times, he seems to be the only character who thinks, or in whom I best recognize what it feels like to think

The power to entangle and excite the audience is an observable feature of his figure. The greatness of his intellect lies in his intemperateness and ferocity

His heart is a tempestuous ocean, its "spirit" of justice/revenge the prow of a gallant ship, its sympathy the waves caressing the shoreline, and its determination the stormclouds that darken the horizon and bring the promise of cleansing rain. The "spirit" of justice/revenge is enhanced by the strain of something approaching tenderness. We see it again when Jun Ho (Do Hyun) is moved towards sympathy for those falsely accused of a crime. His will-power is not the expression of a nature irrevocably hardened or incapable of gentle emotion

What's missing? A season 2. Or a BL spin-off starring a man who will mend Jun Ho (Do Hyun)'s heart and wipe away his tears

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