This review may contain spoilers
Revenge is best served with a cold as heck attitude.
With themes of empathy, apathy, abuse, revenge, forgiveness, temptation, sins & glory this definitely stands as one of my favorite revenge dramas out there. While Part 1 is a lot of setup it still intrigues the audience with a lot of fun ideas. It was so interesting watching this girl who had nothing persevere & reach just barely to the top to finally try to get revenge on the people who hurt her so much. This drama had just the right amount of everything that it never felt too much of anything. The heavy topic of abuse & how many ways it comes makes it work cohesively. So without further ado:
Pros:
- The story/writing is really good as throughout the series the story is clearly well mapped out already. The writers/directors clearly double checked the story multiple times to make sure that everything makes sense for the most part. As such we the audience never feel like there's a whiplash. we watch so many things get setup & actually have payoffs. Things like showing us her homeroom teacher's son early on just goes to show how Dong Eun's mind works. She was holding a grudge & planning incredibly early on. It shows how meticulous she is. Even her inner thoughts work as she's the only one who's thoughts we hear.
- The characters were off the charts like the amount of pain Dong Eun shows without really showing it & how Song Hye Kyo conveys it through body language and subtlety was top notch. And of course the bully gang was just so hateable, but enjoyable to watch too, bcuz they all don't even seem to like/respect each other that much. Lee Do Hyun & his character Joo Yeo Jung do feel the weakest out of the characters, but even then he does a fine job that has its merits. The other characters too were so well acted that any scene they are in contributes to the story & themes. Such as the Kang Hyun Nam storyline where her family are victims of family abuse by the father.
- Cinematography wise the show is also beautiful looking. I don't remember if there were any clever camera tricks, the series clearly didn't need any. It was a case of the series being so good that I either missed it or the story is so good it doesn't need too many fancy camera tricks to sell the series.
- Other production qualities like make-up, costuming & other production are also good too. Each character has their own look & you can really tell from how they look. It makes them all feel like their own people.
- Music creates so much tense & cathartic situations that it was so horrible to see the horrible stuff & so fun to see her edging closer & closer to her revenge.
Cons:
- I do feel like a romance in the midst of a revenge was a weird choice. Not to mention Song Hye Kyo's chemistry wasn't nearly as strong with Lee Dong Hyun. She had stronger chemistry Jung Sung Il so I do think that dampened their relationship a bit. But then again I do think it also works, bcuz we need to be convinced Ha Do Young is infatuated with her.
- Sometimes the bully characters do have to overact & some of those times I think it was too much.
- I feel like the bullies didn't really, put up a "fight" against her. Like I sort of get it as some of them were either too weak or just so full of themselves that they didn't do it. But this is a drama where Dong Eun happens to meet Yeo Jung who happens to have the right skills to help her. So I feel like a bit of a fight would make the downfall of the characters more glorious.
- The shaman story. Just no.
- The ending where they go to prison to complete Yeo Jung's story is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I also didn't really like how Dong Eun needed to leave Yeo Jung at the last ep to go find herself only to come back later & help him. I still don't see the point of it. I think it could've been easily skipped.
Overall, the show is really good for me. One of the things I absolutely love is that Dong Eun gave these people chances, but they never repent & take that chance so when doesn't hold back in her revenge it was satisfying. Too many times I've seen Kdramas get "revenge" but they play the higher ground & its like stop being the nice person. Or worst yet try to redeem them like a parent or something. The show doesn't do that & lives up to all its build up & even more at times. It truly deserves its hype & its glory.
Pros:
- The story/writing is really good as throughout the series the story is clearly well mapped out already. The writers/directors clearly double checked the story multiple times to make sure that everything makes sense for the most part. As such we the audience never feel like there's a whiplash. we watch so many things get setup & actually have payoffs. Things like showing us her homeroom teacher's son early on just goes to show how Dong Eun's mind works. She was holding a grudge & planning incredibly early on. It shows how meticulous she is. Even her inner thoughts work as she's the only one who's thoughts we hear.
- The characters were off the charts like the amount of pain Dong Eun shows without really showing it & how Song Hye Kyo conveys it through body language and subtlety was top notch. And of course the bully gang was just so hateable, but enjoyable to watch too, bcuz they all don't even seem to like/respect each other that much. Lee Do Hyun & his character Joo Yeo Jung do feel the weakest out of the characters, but even then he does a fine job that has its merits. The other characters too were so well acted that any scene they are in contributes to the story & themes. Such as the Kang Hyun Nam storyline where her family are victims of family abuse by the father.
- Cinematography wise the show is also beautiful looking. I don't remember if there were any clever camera tricks, the series clearly didn't need any. It was a case of the series being so good that I either missed it or the story is so good it doesn't need too many fancy camera tricks to sell the series.
- Other production qualities like make-up, costuming & other production are also good too. Each character has their own look & you can really tell from how they look. It makes them all feel like their own people.
- Music creates so much tense & cathartic situations that it was so horrible to see the horrible stuff & so fun to see her edging closer & closer to her revenge.
Cons:
- I do feel like a romance in the midst of a revenge was a weird choice. Not to mention Song Hye Kyo's chemistry wasn't nearly as strong with Lee Dong Hyun. She had stronger chemistry Jung Sung Il so I do think that dampened their relationship a bit. But then again I do think it also works, bcuz we need to be convinced Ha Do Young is infatuated with her.
- Sometimes the bully characters do have to overact & some of those times I think it was too much.
- I feel like the bullies didn't really, put up a "fight" against her. Like I sort of get it as some of them were either too weak or just so full of themselves that they didn't do it. But this is a drama where Dong Eun happens to meet Yeo Jung who happens to have the right skills to help her. So I feel like a bit of a fight would make the downfall of the characters more glorious.
- The shaman story. Just no.
- The ending where they go to prison to complete Yeo Jung's story is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I also didn't really like how Dong Eun needed to leave Yeo Jung at the last ep to go find herself only to come back later & help him. I still don't see the point of it. I think it could've been easily skipped.
Overall, the show is really good for me. One of the things I absolutely love is that Dong Eun gave these people chances, but they never repent & take that chance so when doesn't hold back in her revenge it was satisfying. Too many times I've seen Kdramas get "revenge" but they play the higher ground & its like stop being the nice person. Or worst yet try to redeem them like a parent or something. The show doesn't do that & lives up to all its build up & even more at times. It truly deserves its hype & its glory.
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