Mostly known for secondary roles in films and dramas popular among critics more than fans, Uhm Tae Goo (Night in Paradise) plays the sweet mobster himself, Seo Ji Hwan, a reformed mobster, son and heir of mob boss Seo Tae Pyeong whom he willingly serves up to the prosecutors who promptly throw him in jail. Ji Hwan takes over what is left of his father's criminal empire, the Bulldog Gang, which he dissolves in an instant to start a new life as an ordinary man.
Stern and frightful in the true mobster way, Ji Hwan turns on his sweet side after he meets struggling youth content creator Go Eun Ha (Han Sun Hwa, Backstreet Rookie). After early encounters riddled with wrong impressions, she looks on him disapprovingly even when he is quite easily smitten. With fate playing a part in a way seen only in Korean dramas, Ji Hwan and Eun Ha rediscover what they both lost after being broken apart so abruptly many years ago.
My Sweet Mobster never really strays too far off the beaten track exploring common themes of crime, poverty and second chances. Yet the storyteller renders a fresh and certainly delightful take on an already familiar story. The writing is simple but sharp even when it is being silly. It is heartbreaking and comforting in turns, and uproariously funny most times.
Though not strikingly handsome, Uhm Tae Goo delivers a winning portrayal of Seo Ji Hwan, master in the ways of crime yet green and gauche in the ways of romance. Deep, raspy and sexy, Tae Goo is all about his voice, the happy result of an accident that hurt his vocal chords. His Ji Hwan is firm, decisive and shy. He may be flawed in a lot of ways, but Ji Hwan is a hero in every way. In a role that fits her just right, former idol Han Sun Hwa plays Go Eun Ha with an innocent charm and selfless spirit. The wonderful chemistry between Tae Goo and Sun Hwa builds slowly as the romance between Ji Hwan and Eun Ha comes full circle with the reveal of the real Oppa Hyun Woo feeling more like a nail biter than a predictable outcome.
A lively mix of crime drama, action comedy and gushy romance, what My Sweet Mobster really comes down to is Uhm Tae Goo. He is a mobster or indeed was, and he is sweet, oh absolutely.
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