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Cashero tells the story of Sang Ung, an ordinary citizen who inherits a peculiar superpower from his father: he is able to access superhuman strength but in order for his power to get activated, he must carry physical cash. Sang Ung finds himself entangled in a complicated situation. On the one hand, he just wants to save money in order to settle with his girlfriend and build his own life. On the other hand, he cannot turn away from people who need help, even at the cost of losing money. And thus, a great question arises: how much does it cost to do good?

First and foremost, I want to clarify that I haven't read the webtoon. This review is solely based on what I watched on the adaptation, therefore I'm not aware of any further clarifications or changes that might have happened in the original source.

I dived into Cashero pretty much blindly. Prior watching the series, I wasn't really familiar with the plot and I only knew that it would involve some superheroes. Truth be said, the biggest reason I decided to give the series a try was Lee Jun Ho, whom caught my interest in Typhoon Family. Therefore, I didn't know what to expect, besides an action series with some comedy.

The premise of the story was very interesting and it provided a unique take regarding superheroes. Superheroes stories have been integrated into society from the beginning of times. Be it mythology, history, comics etc, people have always felt the need to create individuals who can play the role of their saviors and role models. Superheroes embody many virtues and they remind us that no matter what, there are people out there who look out for us.

And this is where Cashero differs from the typical superhero stories. The first episodes showed that Sang Ung was reluctant to take up his role a hero, simply because that was never his ambition to begin with. He was a regular citizen who wanted to live comfortably with his girlfriend and in order to do so, he needed to save up money. Inheriting a superpower that was fed from cash was not a blessing. And by receiving this power, he finds himself stuck in a moral dilemma: ignore those who are in need for help and save as much money as he can or start using his power to assist others?

I found Sang Ung's character to be very realistic at the beginning. I couldn't really blame him for thinking the way he did. We live in a capitalistic society where it requires money in order to live a modest life. When it's hard to afford to live, how easy would it be to lose money while helping others? Many times I have thought about this matter. When I bypass fundraisers or beggars, I might consider whether I can afford to donate a small portion or not. How much money should I give? How much money do I need? If I give it, will it be okay later or is there a chance I'll need it? For some people, this might not even be an issue or something to think hard on. But for others who might not be well off, this type of decisions can require more time.

Aside from the money problem, it was very natural for Sang Ung to not rush to play some type of hero. He didn't want to gain fame. He didn't have any ambitions related to power. He just wanted an easy life. Nothing more, nothing else. How could he turn into some type of hero all of a sudden? His approach was very refreshing to see because deep down, I believe that many people would relate with him.

Sang Ung's dynamic with his girlfriend, Min Suk, was rather charming. Compared to Sang Ung's, Min Suk was a more efficient and responsible person when it came to money. I understand that some people found her annoying but in my opinion, she was anything but that. Her reaction to Sang Ung's powers was actually very realistic. I mean, if you wanted to save up money in order to build your future, only to learn that your partner had gained a superpower that needed cash in order to be activated, how would you react? Her initial suggestion to Sang Ung stop using his strength too much was practical and logical. But once she realised that Sang Ung's powers could be used for good, she supported him and didn't push him to not use them.

I was so glad to see that the writers didn't paint Min Suk as the stereotypical girlfriend of a superhero, who doesn't stick with him once she discovers his powers or who wants him to stop helping others and focus on his relationship. Min Suk worried about Sang Ung but she acknowledged that his powers could be used for good. She always expressed her unconditional support, even if sometimes she would have every reason to feel angry at him. When she discovered Sang Ung's debt, her reaction was calmer than I expected and she never tried to blame him for his power, even though it was insufficient. She was one of the people who knew his character and instead of persuading him to stop assisting others, she acknowledged his good nature and supported him in her own way.

The rest of the characters were also fun to watch. Ho In and Eun Mi's superpowers were very creative and the bond they formed with Sang Ung was wholesome, especially between Eun Mi and Sang Ung. The villains were decent and the actors really elevated them. Both Kang Han Na and Lee Chae Min nailed the playful yet dangerous vibes of Anna and Jonathan respectively, their expressions and tone of their voice perfectly encapsulated the characters' thirst for power and ruthless nature.

Another positive aspect was the usage of VFX and CGI. Granted, I understand that it wasn't flawless but the production was good in this aspect. The special effects didn't come across as off-putting compared to other kdramas (Twelve, I'm looking at you) and most of the time, the action scenes looked good and visually entertaining.

While Cashero offers a unique perspective of superhero stories, I'm afraid that the final result was lackluster. What could have been an interesting story that combined action and social issues, ended up being an average drama which didn't have any extraordinary qualities.

From the very first episodes, I could sense that the writers themselves weren't so sure about the direction they would follow. They wanted to mingle action, comedy and social commentary but the execution was very poor. Some scenes didn't need humor and the sudden shift of the tone during some episodes didn't allow me to fully digest the emotional impact. In fact, there was barely any impact at all. In one episode, Sang Ung watched Jonathan manipulate people to their death and after such a horrific scene, the story goes on rather smoothly, without addressing this any further, while adding the usual light-hearted scenes. When the drama itself brushed off moments like this, it's inevitable that viewers wouldn't be able to fully connect with the story.

I understand the intentions of the writers and their attempt to address the issue of trying to live comfortably in a world that demands money but there were many more compelling ways to do it. Having your main character point out here and there, through internal monologues, that life is very hard unless you have money is not impactful, nor thought provoking. It's rather lazy and effortless. Prioritizing the action and comedy while brushing off the darker aspects of your story is not symbolic not exceptional. You cannot eat your cake and have it too, which is why it would have been better if the writers had committed to a stable tone from the get-go.

Because of its short length (8 episodes only), Cashero wasn't as fleshed out as it could be. The pacing was very bizarre, while some scenes moved very fast, some other would drag. The drama wasn't cohesive enough and in addition with the tonal shift, my interest started decreasing. I was bored during some scenes, waiting for something gripping to happen but alas, the drama didn't deliver as much as I anticipated.

The writers could have invested more in the exploration of the power system in this universe. I get it, we're talking about a superhero story, therefore there's no need for a complex world-building a la Tolkien style. Still, it would have been nice if we had learned more about the power system and how come some people came to inherit them.

Another aspect that was handled poorly was the characterisation. While the characters were fun on paper, I never felt any particular connection to them. Which of course cannot be a bad thing. Just because you don't connect with the characters that doesn't mean they're badly written. But in Cashero, the characters weren't written in depth in order for me to care more about them. They were fun to watch, they were inoffensively charming but that was it. There were some attempts in some bits to add more depth in their motives but they simply weren't enough.

The villains were a huge wasted potential. The trope of siblings who antagonize each other for their father's approval could have been so cool if the writers had chosen to flesh out Jonathan and Anna. Yes, not every villain needs a sob story and I'm not saying that Jonathan and Anna should have been treated as misunderstood characters but that doesn't excuse their lackluster writing. I would have enjoyed to see their relationship been explored more in order to properly grasp the depths of their history.

Some scenes between Anna and her father hinted at her being insecure but we never got anything beyond that. Some flashbacks would have provided us with more insight into their motives and relationship and if we had gotten more interactions between Anna and Jonathan, their rivalry would have been more engaging too.

I would have liked to see more of Ho In and Eun Mi's backstories. Their struggles with their powers should have been addressed more. At one point, it was shown that Ho In had developed some health issues because of his drinking habit in order to fuel his power. But the writers never brought this up again. Eun Mi didn't seem to struggle and we only knew that she was connected with another superhero that had been captured by Cho Anna.

Aside from that, both characters felt underutilized in terms of how the series handled their powers. Both of them had very interesting abilities and yet their potential wasn't as explored as it could have been. In fact, in some fight scenes I got the impression that the writers deliberately didn't allow these characters to fully unleash their potential in order to highlight Sang Ung more. Of course they remained useful, which I'm grateful for but I'd like it if they hadn't been sidelined during some scenes. They could have pushed the narrative even further but instead of being treated as part of the main trio, they were reduced to the comic relief characters.

As a result from poor writing, the acting didn't come across as strong as it could have been. While the actors did their part, their performances lacked the required emotional depth and their performances failed to sell the characters at times. But I can excuse this due to the poor writing.

The writing could have been much tighter in general. Superhero series or not, I cannot overlook some bizarre plot holes or writing decisions. The scene with Sang Ung and Min Suk at the church is a great example of a cheesy scene that serves the purpose to add more drama in what could have been resolved logically. Why would they remain inside a collapsing building which was in flames, too? Just so the villain could come, wipe Sang Ung off and leave our couple to be saved by Ho In and Eun Mi? Of course this might not be an issue for viewers who don't care for this type of writing but for me, decisions like this made me question the writing.

It's a pity that a superhero drama with such an interesting premise didn't pick up. While Cashero was overall fun, it certainly had me scratch my head in bewilderment and I wasn't able to engage with the story as much as I wanted to. If one is looking for something fun and action packed, it's a good choice but don't expect a lot.