Face Me (2024)

Could Have Been Better.. Should Have Been Better..

Face Me is another attempt at medical crime thriller drama that had the potential to stand out but it falls short due to the lazy screenplay and narrative.. The whole concept felt off at the beginning.. Even the initial cases failed to create any real pull towards the story.. The dialogues were not that great.. I guess thats why the initial episodes felt boring..

Lee Min ki and Han Ji Hyun both delivered good performances but I felt they are far better actors and they were underutilised in Face Me.. Especially Lee Min Ki.. Han Ji Hyun is a lively character.. I hope she does a historical drama soon..

Lee Yi Kyung was also good in his role.. 2024 has been a great year for him.. Marry My Husband and Face Me.. And even Marry YOU.. He is showing his range and gaining more attention as well..

They could have made the scene where the real culprit is revealed much more dramatic.. It should have been a goosebumps moment.. I mean imagine realizing the person who killed your father and tried to kill you.. The culprit you have been looking for / hiding from is right in front of your eyes about to operate on you.. And you only realise this as you are slipping into unconsciousness.. If only they had made it more edgy or exhilarating..

I actually think Face Me is a better drama than what the ratings and comments indicate.. I guess the rating is below 8 because most of them were expecting some romance even if it's not the main focus.. And also they were expecting something more dramatic i guess?? What were they expecting?? A killer who changes his/her face after every murder??

Overall the drama was good.. The ending didn’t feel rushed.. And the conclusion hinted at a romance between the leads.. Which was nice.. However I would have loved it if they had explored that a bit more.. What harm would an extra 15 minutes in the final episode have done??

P.S.. The subtitles were poor again.. What will it take for them to hire someone skilled to handle the subtitles properly??

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Could've done better

Having just finished watching *Face Me*, I can confidently say this Korean drama stands out as a gripping medical thriller that intertwines the complexities of human emotions with the intensity of crime-solving. The drama left me with mixed feelings—moments of awe and appreciation for its brilliance but also frustrations over missed opportunities.

Plot
The story revolves around Cha Jung-Woo, a highly skilled plastic surgeon who becomes embroiled in criminal investigations after taking on reconstructive surgeries for crime victims. Haunted by the unsolved death of his lover, Jung-Woo’s expertise in reconstructing faces becomes a vital tool in solving gruesome crimes.
What impressed me most about the plot was how it seamlessly blended the world of medicine with crime-solving. Each episode kept me on edge with its intricate cases and unpredictable twists. However, there were moments where the pacing felt uneven—certain episodes dragged, while others rushed through significant plot points. Despite this, the overarching narrative about grief, justice, and redemption was compelling enough to keep me hooked.

Characters
The characters are the heart of *Face Me*, and the performances were stellar across the board.

-Cha Jung-Woo (Lee Min-Ki): Jung-Woo is a fascinating protagonist. His cold and analytical approach to both his surgeries and his investigations was mesmerizing to watch, but it also made him feel distant and hard to connect with emotionally at times. However, as the series delved into his past and his motivations, I found myself rooting for him. Lee Min-Ki portrayed the character’s pain and resolve with incredible depth.

- Lee Min-Hyung (Han Ji-Hyun): Min-Hyung was a breath of fresh air. Her fiery determination and empathy contrasted beautifully with Jung-Woo’s aloofness, making their partnership dynamic and engaging. Han Ji-Hyun’s performance brought a lot of heart to the drama, and I particularly enjoyed her character's evolution as she faced her own demons.

- Han Woo-Jin (Lee Yi-Kyung):Woo-Jin served as Jung-Woo’s emotional anchor, providing much-needed warmth and camaraderie. His presence added depth to Jung-Woo’s character and highlighted their shared history, but I wished the series explored Woo-Jin’s personal struggles a bit more.

- Kim Seok-Hoon (Jeon Bae-Soo): As a mentor figure, Seok-Hoon added a layer of wisdom to the narrative. His interactions with Jung-Woo often raised ethical questions about the intersection of medicine and justice, which I found thought-provoking.

Cinematography
Visually, *Face Me* was stunning. The cinematography played a crucial role in building the series’ tense and brooding atmosphere. The muted tones and careful framing of each shot heightened the suspense, while the detailed depictions of surgeries and crime scenes added a sense of realism. I particularly loved how lighting was used to reflect the characters’ emotional states—dim and shadowy for Jung-Woo’s internal struggles, brighter and more dynamic during breakthroughs in the investigations.

Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the drama’s biggest strengths was its ability to balance medical ethics and crime-solving in a way that felt fresh and engaging. The cases were intriguing, and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters added depth to the story. However, the show occasionally leaned on predictable tropes, and some subplots felt underdeveloped.
The tonal shifts were also a bit jarring at times. The transition between the intense crime scenes and the emotional character moments didn’t always flow smoothly, which sometimes disrupted the immersion.

Overall Thoughts
Despite its flaws, *Face Me* is a drama that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys medical thrillers or crime dramas. The combination of a unique premise, strong performances, and stunning visuals makes it worth watching. It’s not perfect, but its exploration of themes like grief, justice, and the blurred lines between right and wrong left a lasting impression on me.

My Rating: 8/10
*Face Me* is a solid addition to the Korean drama landscape. It may not break entirely new ground, but it’s a gripping and thought-provoking series that I’m glad I took the time to watch.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama '' Face Me '' is a police drama that blends medical drama with police investigation.

The drama has many small cases that are interesting and, eventually, all come together to support the main case, which wasn't that great in the end, but was interesting to follow up until then.

The characters, in addition, were interesting, and the two main leads had chemistry, not romantic, fortunately, but their duo was indeed perfect for investigating the cases together.

Finally, the performances were all great by all the actors and actresses in the cast.

So, overall, seven out of ten.

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Plastic surgery that isn't skin deep

The individual case arcs were great. From DV to acid attack the main cases featured some heavy topics. The supporting actors gave powerful performances. The regular cosmetic procedures depicted various circumstances, emotions or fit in the arc. Plastic surgery and even reconstructive surgery are often barely described than sketches about botched procedures so its something to see it graphic. Also some psychological states were interesting. Nurse Yang is so lovely😊...

I guess the weak part was dragging out the myth arc through too many last episodes with misdirects and unconvincing explanations. I remember reading news of production issues long time back and something caused the delay in release. Still... It could have been tighter with better suspense and few more variety of cases put in before the finale commenced. I understood the link the main arc tried to create with plastic surgery and the title "Face Me" but felt that message got diluted somewhere. Also the mom was...uhh... There were some holes too. Bit of backstories would have helped better. It was otherwise straightforward and dropped enough of the usual clues(shown playing second fiddle always from the beginning itself gave away the possibility of having a complex and a one-sided obsession gone wrong) making the main arc ending obvious but that same simplicity worked well in how natural some things were. The cooperation between doctor and police felt right even when they went off the books(the mom tho...). More coincidences and circumstances than the usual being forced to work together type thing. Seeing the patients in the finale brought the initial few cases back to mind and everyone getting closure took a turn for the better. I felt for Nam Hyo-ju, was glad to see her get a safe ending to move on. FL's brother reaches a healing phase in his life too.

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Potential lost through boredom and lack of directing skills

Watching this drama is a great lesson for me on how not to write a story. Or how not to work with Chat. I explain why. The idea behind the story is a very good one: a doctor, due to double trauma (mental and physical), cannot remember the events of the day his fiancée died. The trauma changes his personality and he lives for 7 years in the belief that the murderer has been convicted. Only, one day, evidence begins to emerge that what he was told about the day of the accident/murder is a lie and he is somehow implicated in the case. So far so great, a really great idea from which to make a really fascinating piece of drama that will be a classic for years to come. It's just that the idea is over. Someone let the crew work with Chat.

Let's start with the characters, who are one-dimensional, uninteresting, played like wooden pegs - all of them. Since I know some of the actors, I can't demand too much, but I know they can do better, I blame the director for their pathetic acting. And I blame the screenwriter, who couldn't turn an interesting premise into interesting scenes and dialogues that made sense. At first, the drama is rather episodic and focuses on the patients' problems, but it does so pathetically that it completely wastes all its potential. I understand that the drama had huge financial constraints, this is evident in the production, but it didn't take a lot of money to write good dialogue, as there are plenty of capable, aspiring screenwriters. So I wonder if the scriptwriter got the job by acquaintance, or maybe he actually used Chat, because sometimes when I get bored and play around with Chat, the same boredom and nonsense comes out. The music is bland. The drama doesn't hold any atmosphere or tension. In fact, I have no idea what genre it wants to fall under, since it doesn't fit into any. Maybe it wanted to be an ambitious hybrid, but what came out was a bland mush, where a talentless cook threw what he had into the pot. I give this drama all of one star solely for the idea. Nine stars I take away for the nightmarishly bland execution.

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Don't take any notice of the Haters who think their opinion is important

This is a worthwhile Drama. Although I have only watched 6 Episodes I am enjoying it. The Male lead is a brilliant actor. I never begin a Review unless I have watched the whole drama but seeing the first destructive attempt at a 'Review' I am moved to say Stop! Korean Actors are vulnerable to self harm because netizens are so life denying, depressed, jealous and unhappy they want to share their misery and it often lands on the actors or their dramas. Korea has a huge Suicide problem. Adding your negative, selfish opinion adds to the probem. Shame on you the peson who left the hideous Review. Who do you realy want to hit in your life?

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Delusa

Non mi aspettavo questo genere di drama ...le premesse sembravano migliori di come invece è andato a finire...

Tutto intorno alla gelosia...il movente non mi ha soddisfatto ...nemmeno il fatto che jung woo non si fosse accorto di cosa succedeva alla donna che doveva sposare ...incentrato troppo su se stesso e il suo lavoro da non vedere cosa stavano facendo sua madre e woo jin...

I casi iniziali hanno coinvolto di più del caso poi principale ... romance se così la vogliamo chiamare gli ultimi 5 minuti che almeno quel mezzo sorriso ce l'hanno tirato fuori ...

La chirurgia plastica che può guarire l'anima curando prima ciò che c'è fuori ...questo il messaggio finale e la nuova ideologia di medico che vorrà essere jung woo in futuro...

La nostra detective aumenta di grado ..la madre espia le sue colpe con del volontariato..il cattivo in gatta buia più pazzo di prima ...quello accusato ingiustamente ha usato i sette anni im carcere per ritornare sulla giusta strada e ora vivere correttamente...

Tutti questi messaggi positivi l'ultima mezz'ora di drama come voler aggiustare i tanti buchi lasciati per strada ....

7 e sono stata brava solo perché non mi ha fatto sbadigliare e gli ultimi sorrisi di min ki mi hanno rabbonita...

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