Red Swan

OK, but lacking in some areas, and too much in others

So this was OK, but I found it to be lacking in some areas, and a bit "too much" in others.
And I have to write a disclaimer: I had a long break in the middle of this, so my impression and memories are a bit disrupted.

The good and the not-so-good (in reverse order):

I found that I didn't really connect with the characters - hence this is where I feel the show was lacking "something". My main impression is that this is down to the story and the script, not the acting. Although especially the FL was too "one-dimensional" for me most of the time. I feel however that this was not only down to the actress, but how the character was written. I do wish she could have pulled out a bit "more" sometimes though.

As to the "too much", it is just the whole plot: This is your stereotypical chaebol-family-power-fighting on steroids.

The chemistry between FL and ML ... this could also be because I had a long break after watching some episodes, but I couldn't quite pick up on why/how they supposedly started liking each other. And I do know they didn't really act on it due to her marriage, but still ... the scenes where you should have been able to feel the sparks flying even if they withheld them, were kind of ...not there?

So what was good?
The action/fight scenes were pretty well done (by my POV – I am far from any expert!).

Some of the actors: I thought Jung Gyu Woon as FL's husband did a good job, and even though her character was rather despicable, Seo Yi Sook acted the role as FL's mother-in-law brilliantly.
ML (Rain) was also quite good, although again I felt it was a little lacking.

Should you watch it?
If you like fighting/action and don't mind chaebol intrigues, then yes, go for it.

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RAINNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You and your face card!!!!*soul sigh* I luh you but...

Listen...listen...I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEee me some Rain...LOVE me some Bi Rain. LOVE him.
However...not even his perfect face card, body, and charismatic allure can make me say that I LOVED this dang haberdashery of a trope-filled to our eyeballs genre action-melodrama-thriller-comedy-romance-Micheal Bay-inspired tomfoolery!!!! NOTHING! I turned this on for pure, PURE support as a day-one Bi-Rain/Rain fan, and sat there slack-jawed and laughing my butt off at the writers playing around with this man and his FL, who both were grasping for whatever meat, potatoes, kimchi, and pantry seasonings of sauce that they could find to keep this hot mess of a written show together. This mess was clearing a check grab for our two popular and strong leads, as well as work/checks for everyone else in it who must have needed it due to recessions and past pandemic woes. LIKE....WTH was I watching!! It hurt my feelings to the bone! I do not recommend UNLESS you want to watch for Rain's deliciousness, and if you want to predict the outcome of the whole show by the time you finish episodes 1-3 thanks to every dang predictable trope that the writing room threw in this show, and then some. Errrmahgawd!

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strong potential in the storyline... failed to reach its peak

Hated all the characters, hated the chairwoman the most , while hated Yong Guk the least .

Oh Wan Su kissing the bodyguard while still technically married, took away all her credibility and the saint image she was given. It was a flagrant error in the plot . embarrassing way to ruin the build up and the purity of her feelings towards her bodyguard. They should v stuck to hugging.

The ending had its good and bad points...

-Yong Guk s death(despite my sympathy for the character, his death was necessary to accentuate the tragic effect), Mr Han and his son in jail were much deserved closures .

-Oh Wan Su reuniting with the bodyguard ruined everything about her character. Despite the different context, she showed how similar she is to the chairwoman. depending on a man , getting too emotionally invested, and simply not being the strong women they were painted to b throughout the show. Very disappointing

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Among My Swan

A much-anticipated action drama, not least because of its outstanding cast, ‘Red Swan’ unfortunately ends up betraying expectations, turning out to be a mid-level, almost routine release that fails to innovate the genre, slipping into an accumulation of entirely predictable narrative clichés.

Apart from the good start, a solid first episode that, as is often the case, plays its best cards with a skilful use of various locations, the development of the drama wearily deals with narrative stylistic features that have been abundantly exploited in every makjang represented previously;

The most classic of the rich families, the usual viper's nest where everyone is ready to eliminate each other, slaves also to their own vices and unmentionable secrets, with a despotic and unbearable matriarch (a Seo Yi Sook decidedly over the top), an all too ‘efficient’ official in the administration of the family companies (a calibrated Yoon Je Moon, one of the best things in the drama) and the usual round of more or less legitimate children, concubines, lovers, etc.. all in the shadow of the patriarch, who obviously died in ‘mysterious’ circumstances and around whom the whole affair revolves, considering also the obvious inheritance that triggers the most unthinkable actions...

Obviously, a victim of circumstances, we find the main character O Wan Su (Kim Ha Neul), a former professional golf player, now Chairwoman of a charity created to help the most needy in the world, married -it is easy to imagine with what degree of happiness- to the eldest son of the rich family; Of incredible sadism is the choice of the writers, who force poor O Wan Su to face and accumulate over the course of the 10 episodes a catastrophic series of calamities so unbelievable and ridiculously absurd, with the beautiful Ha Neul who, untamed and imperturbably covered in blood (literally! ) advances through the accumulation of misfortunes with a temper of steel, backed by the policeman/bodyguard Seo Do Yun, played by a functional Rain, also an all-out hero -never a smile, at least until the final moments- determined to vindicate his friend colleague, killed while investigating the death of the aforementioned patriarch...

So, intrigue, espionage, crimes, double-crosses, betrayals (real or presumed) and all the typical repertoire of the genre that never gets going, never reaches the climax, proceeding along a banally predictable path, where all the elements end up converging on solutions already known; sin and guilt, expiation, justice, love, etc.. In the end, everything finds its usual repositioning in a kind of reparatory justicialism that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, with a reflection on the true intention of the plot;

I don't know if it is due to Disney's production, it must be said that there is anyway a lot of violence that clashes sensitively with the image of the film company, but I had the feeling that the authors chose to play on a safe path, widely experimented in similar previous series, without any courageous or innovative choices, perhaps to please international producers, maybe to facilitate their export, but ending up offering an average product, quite forgettable, where even the supposed ‘chemistry’ between the two main characters struggles to come out, but at least Rain has the chance to show off some physicality with a few rather well choreographed action scenes, while Kim Ha Neul limits herself to a performance of ordinary administration; rather modest and often pedantic musical choices (there's even the requiem!) and an ending, after the inevitable temporal ellipsis (‘a year later’) of staggering ordinariness.

To be honest, not more than 6.5 overall, because it still makes itself watchable and does not drag on for long, for a drama on which I was betting so much and which in the end, in my eyes, turned out to be extremely disappointing

Unless I have missed something, even metaphorical, as was also the case with the titles of Italian thrillers of the 1970s that often mentioned various animals, there is no trace of red swans...
6,5

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Red Swan K-Drama Episode 7 Recap

The episode begins with Wan Soo's brother being arrested. Sang Gil reports this to Mi Ran. Do Yoon was also giving the console to Wan Soo and holding his hand but then Yeong Guk comes and Do Yoon leaves. Next, we see Sang Gil who comes to Yong Min and shouts at him that why did you do this, you should have taken permission from me first. Yong Min says why should I do this, you are just a servant. Wan Soo also comes to meet her brother and asks if he is fine. Hyun Soo says don't worry about me, just don't let this news become public. Later Sang Gil comes here. Hyun Soo tells Sang Gil that this is Yong Min's work, he must have reported me to the prosecutor. But Sang Gil says why would he do this. Hyun Soo says I have all the proofs of how we both took bribes, and we also have generous accounts, if you don't want all this to leak out then release me. Sang Gil tells him that he was reported by Wan Su's bodyguard who stole the ledgers. In the next scene, Yong Min tells So Dam what he has done and that he is the one who reported Hyun Soo. Mi Ran was also asking Sang Gil who reported Hyun Soo. Sang Gil says that he has doubts about Do Yoon. We see Do Yoon in the car who was looking at the ledgers.

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Good drama, mystery-action and a lukewarm romance

Overall a good drama with great parts and a traditional time skip underwhelming ending imo.

While the action scenes and mystery parts were really done well, many mysteries remain just that at the end.

Forgetting the twist, turns and plot holes…the ending could have landed better. Especially for the romance tag on this drama.

While there was attraction, love, and respect between our leads… it was on simmer for most of the drama and occasionally it boiled for a second or two.

At the end, even though the FL was devastated from seeing the cheating husband she didn’t love or want to be married to, shot to death brutally in front of her… weeks (maybe) later the ML leaves her as a bodyguard and her lover (maybe that’s to strong).

Why? Never explained. They loved each other, there was no reason we are shown that they couldn’t be together.

Time Skip, ugh, one year later they meet seemingly randomly but it was planned. They look an each other they both have big smiles and are the happiest ever seen during the drama.

So I guess we can decide if they become involved from there or they don’t.
🤔🫣😕

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Not Good Enough

Korean Drama '' Red Swan '' is an action melodrama with a romantic twist.

The drama has plenty of action scenes which were well executed and entertaining. The twists were enjoyable as well. So, the thriller part was interesting enough, with the family secrets being scandalous enough to keep things edgy.

On the other hand, the focus on the romance was not a smart choice. It occupied too much screentime that could have been used for the mystery so that it would have been better developed. Also, it just didn't fit right with the story.

The performances were, finally, good enough.

So, overall, four out of ten.

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A Lavish Thriller with Secrets Beneath the Surface

That’s a gripping setup—Red Swan really leans into the high-stakes glamour-meets-danger vibe. If you're writing a review, you might want to highlight how the show blends suspense, romance, and social commentary.

From the outside, Oh Wan Su’s life sparkles with privilege and prestige. But beneath the designer gowns and charity galas lies a world of betrayal, corruption, and buried truths. Red Swan delivers a stylish, fast-paced drama that pulls viewers into the dark heart of South Korea’s elite. Kim Ha-neul brings grace and grit to Wan Su, while Rain’s portrayal of Seo Do Yun adds layers of mystery and quiet intensity. Their chemistry simmers as the stakes rise, and the secrets of the Hwain Group begin to unravel. Red Swan didn’t hold back when it came to the action. The fight choreography was sharp, intense, and beautifully shot, especially the scenes featuring Rain as Seo Do Yun. His background as a martial artist really showed—every move felt precise and powerful, not just flashy. Whether it was a high-stakes confrontation in a luxury penthouse or a gritty back-alley brawl, the tension was always palpable.

These weren’t just fights for spectacle—they revealed character, deepened the stakes, and often came at emotional turning points. It’s rare to see a drama blend elegance and adrenaline so seamlessly. that resilience is what made Seo Do Yun such a standout character. He wasn’t just a skilled fighter; he was driven by a sense of duty that wouldn’t let him back down, no matter how bloodied or outnumbered he was. Every time he got knocked down and rose again, it added another layer to his character—showing us that strength isn’t just about muscle, it’s about willpower.

Those scenes made the action feel so much more than spectacle. They told us something about his past, his values, and how much he was willing to risk protecting Wan Su and uncover the truth. It’s the kind of grit that sticks with you long after the credits roll.

Huge thanks to the director for crafting such a tightly woven, visually stunning drama—Red Swan wouldn't have soared without their bold vision and precise storytelling."** thank you for guiding this story with such intensity and grace. Every frame, every silence, every explosion of action told its own truth."

(gamdoknim, gamsahamnida)

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