This review may contain spoilers
A dysfunctional friendship connected through their past
Connection has an intriguing premise: What happens when the leading investigator in the drug department is forcibly addicted to the very substance he routinely hunts down? Situated among a group of friends who have known each other since school and remain connected into adulthood, bound by a paradoxical relationship between affection and resentment, Connection sets up a mystery that repeatedly questions and places these bonds under scrutiny.
The show performs very well for about nine episodes, connecting multiple plotlines that are intrinsically linked from different angles. After that point, however, the trick behind the series becomes visible and reveals the inherent flaws the thriller stubbornly tries to brute-force its way through in order to maintain progression. At one stage, the drama repeatedly relies on the same mechanisms to move the plot forward, whether through eavesdropping, a character coincidentally arriving at the right moment, or the use of surveillance cameras.
Overall, the drama balances positive and negative elements, which makes it a worthwhile watch, even though it cannot fully conceal its weaknesses. Characterisation, as well as the dynamics and development between characters, particularly the main lead's, are handled well. While the mystery often points toward one particular figure, the drama continues to raise questions that demand resolution.
This leads to the ending and one major gripe the series normalises, which renders the friendship trope somewhat unsettling. The main characters nonchalantly accept that their deceased friend was cheated on by his wife, and not only do they continue to support her and attempt to maintain a friendship, but they also financially assist her using the money they inherited from their late friend. Aside from this issue, the resolution of the central mystery is largely satisfactory, though it should have occurred four episodes earlier. But it reflects a broader issue within K-dramas, where extended episodes often harm the quality.
The show performs very well for about nine episodes, connecting multiple plotlines that are intrinsically linked from different angles. After that point, however, the trick behind the series becomes visible and reveals the inherent flaws the thriller stubbornly tries to brute-force its way through in order to maintain progression. At one stage, the drama repeatedly relies on the same mechanisms to move the plot forward, whether through eavesdropping, a character coincidentally arriving at the right moment, or the use of surveillance cameras.
Overall, the drama balances positive and negative elements, which makes it a worthwhile watch, even though it cannot fully conceal its weaknesses. Characterisation, as well as the dynamics and development between characters, particularly the main lead's, are handled well. While the mystery often points toward one particular figure, the drama continues to raise questions that demand resolution.
This leads to the ending and one major gripe the series normalises, which renders the friendship trope somewhat unsettling. The main characters nonchalantly accept that their deceased friend was cheated on by his wife, and not only do they continue to support her and attempt to maintain a friendship, but they also financially assist her using the money they inherited from their late friend. Aside from this issue, the resolution of the central mystery is largely satisfactory, though it should have occurred four episodes earlier. But it reflects a broader issue within K-dramas, where extended episodes often harm the quality.
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