Only One Person (2021)

Great acting meets somewhat weak writing

This show had a fantastic start. As I begun watching it I was certain it would be one of my favorites of the year, a certainty that slowly waned over time. Now it's solidified as a wonderful drama, I will probably never revisit again. The first half was really strong, but it was after the 10 episode mark, (when one of the supporting actors, who in my opinion shined brighter then all the others, left the show) when the writing became repetitive and boring. It was however rescued by a powerful ending that left me in tears.

The premise of the drama was what drew me to it. I was led to believe it was about terminally ill patiens who goes on a killing spree to rid the world of evil before they die. This is not quite what we got. Am I disappointed? Only slightly.
I personally love moral dilemmas, and watching dramas that make you question what's right and wrong. This one wasn't as morally grey as I'd hoped, but the wonderful acting and heartwarming story more than made up for it.

The strongest point this drama has going for it, is the representation of female friendship. It delivers it with lots of tears and laughter. The women of this drama carried it on their back since the beginning. Their ride or die friendship more than made up for some of the boring parts of this drama. I loved how with Seyeon and Mido's help, Insook found the will to live for the first time in her life. Not just survive. Too bad it happened on her death-bed.

If you are like me, and hate dramas where the police are bumbling idiot, leaving the main characters to deal with everything, then you won't be disappointed with this drama. The police are intelligent (aside from a select few), and work hard to sove the case. They were in my opinion a delight to watch (especially you Cho Shiyoung, I fucking love you). The sad trade-off is that the main characters lack a bit in the brains department. I blame Insook's brain-cancer. It messed a bit with her critical thinking skills.

The acting was what in my opinion made this show worth watching. Everyone was believable in their role, to the point I cried when they cried, and laughed when they laughed.

But I would like to finish of by giving special appreciation to Do Sangwoo who played Detective Cho Shiyoung. This is the first drama I've seen him in, and I've truly found another actor to look out for. For many of the episodes I found his scenes to be the most interesting, and I was sad to see him go a little more than halfway through.

All in all, a good enough drama that I'll recommend to everyone who likes this genre.

Read More