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All's fair in war and pottery

I came across Low Life by accident and the plot piqued my interest. After reading some comments that claimed that it was really underrated, I decided to give it a try just to check by myself if it's truly underrated. And oh boy, was I in for a hectic journey!

Low Life's plot is not that groundbreaking. We have a bunch of characters who want to get their hands on some old pottery. Everyone wants to use it for their own benefit but eventually, all of them are made to work together in order to achieve their goal. And while on paper this plot might not sound that interesting, the way the series got crafted manages to present it in a way that makes you want to continue watching.

The story is taking place in '70s and just by watching the first episode, I almost felt like I had time travelled. Throughout the whole series, I was getting immersed by the visuals and the settings. Everything was done so meticulously, it's clear that a great effort was put to the production and the result is more than stunning. The clothes, the settings, the hairstyles, the props, everything was as accurate as possible, capturing the vintage vibe of the times accurately enough. I love myself a series with good visuals and Low Life was certainly a joy to look at.

The score was equally good. The soundtrack from the intro is stuck in my mind. The soundtrack was used effectively in order to create the proper atmosphere. Cheerful and charming when the scenes were lighter, mysterious and intimidating when the plot required a darker tone. I even got some western vibes and overall, the soundtrack matched perfectly with the gangsterish nature of the plot.

What I did not expect from Low Life was its subtle and black humour. It certainly cannot be described as a comedy but the series had surprisingly many good comedic moments under its sleeve. The gimmicks of the characters and their interactions were so funny at times, it's not your typical in-your-face humour but the subtlety was perfect for me. It really helped that the funnier parts did not feel forced at all. While some of the characters' actions and dialogues lifted the mood, it all came naturally.

While the built-up was slow, after the sixth episode the twists kept incoming. Bombshells got dropped, backstabbings kept taking place... The plot became hectic in a very entertaining way, I just had to sit back and see all this mess unfold before my eyes. The slow pacing was necessary in order to establish the ground of the story and the characters but once it was done, everything started to shatter. It was mildly amusing to see how the tables turned and I was very curious about the fate of the characters and the story.

What made Low Life so interesting was the characterisation. The drama is a classic example of an ensemble series. You have the main character, Heedong, but every character mattered and everyone played their role in the hunt for pottery. On the first episodes, more and more people got introduced and eventually, all of them became integrated into this journey. Personally, I had no issue following the different subplots and stories but I can understand why some people found the new additions confusing.

I want to warn you: if you are not ready to watch a story full of morally grey, corrupted people, who will hesitate to do nothing in order to achieve their goals, Low Life might no be for you. There are barely any characters whom I could describe as "good". And yet...I couldn't help but root for some of them. Yes, they did many evil things but once I got to learn more of them, I started thinking more about their circumstances and motives.

The characters' interactions and different relationships was one of the best parts of the story. I had a blast watching these dirty and corrupted people join forces in order to dig up more pottery. There were many funny moments among the crew and at parts, it was as if I was watching a bunch of teenagers. I almost wished that they would work together as a genuine team instead of trying to get on each other's throat. The tensions were very high and I just had to wait and see when things would escalate.

The story did a great job at revealing the connections between the characters. Instead of giving all the information at once, we got small montages of their backstories at the beginning of most episodes and by the end, it made sense why so many people got involved in this pottery adventure. All of these people found themselves tied to this mess either because of their own choice or other external forces. At one point, it was so funny to see how many people became interested in the ancient pottery and one could only guess how this would end.

The chairwoman, Yang Jung-Sook, was one of my most favourite characters and one of the most complex ones. The more I learned about her, the more conflicted I became. While I didn't support all of her actions, I could sympathize with her and understand where she came from. She started from the bottom and she wanted to reach the top. She felt suffocated by her husband's control and she wanted to gain more power. On the surface, she appeared as a cold woman but when she let her mask slip, I could see a woman in need for love and validation, eager to prove her worth in a world commanded by men of power. I take my hat off Im Soo-Jung, whose excellent portrayal brought the character to life. Meticulous, manipulative and alluring, she commanded the screen and I couldn't take my eyes off her when she appeared.

I also found myself rooting for Heedong, the main character. While he was anything but vicious, he grew up with messed up morals due to his involvement in his uncle's dirty businesses. Throughout the whole story, we see how he grows more and more distant from the world he previously knew. He lived a dirty and low life but his ethics were not shattered altogether. Yang Se-Jong did a great job at portraying Heedong's character, his facial expressions and body language conveyed Heedong's conflicted feelings and he was really good in the dramatic scenes where he had to express Heedong's pain and anger.

And of course I cannot ignore Ryu Seung-Ryong, who played Gwan-Seok, Heedong's uncle. He was perfect as a gangster who does dirty jobs for a living and it was so amusing watching him manipulate the other characters for his own benefit. He is far from being described as a likeable character but I had a blast observing his maneuvers and how he made the rest of his crew follow his orders. He was clever but money hungry and he proved many times that he wouldn't hesitate to go to great lengths in order to get more cash - even if he had to paint his hands with blood.

Low Life was much more than a mere adventure drama. Amidst the chaos, the betrayals and the search for the treasure, the series tackles various heavy themes. There is subtle commentary regarding class and gender differences. The characters themselves come from different backgrounds. Ultimately, it's these differences that shaped them and their decisions. However, there were some traits that they had in common: greed and ambition. Greed for more money and power and ambition for a better future. Everyone looked out for themselves and the force that kept driving them was none other than money. Just like Squid Game, Low Life is another kdrama that demonstrated the great lengths people will go to in order to gain financial prosperity.

During the whole series, Gwan-Seok repeated at Heedong that money can do anything. And we see that at the end when the chairman gets released from prison. Power and money are the catalysts in society and all the characters realise that. Desperate for more, they kept getting involve in the search for pottery and their desperation drove them to heisty and even paranoid actions. Even when they had chances to save their lives, they would always return to the pottery because they believed they could be saved by the money it would bring.

But was this all worth it? That's the real question. Sure, money and good status are very beneficial and they can certainly improve your life. But when does the hunt for more cash become too much? When do the lines between survival and greed start to blur? The drama raises some interesting questions and by putting you in the characters' shoes, it makes you wonder if you would have behaved any differently.

In the end, all of that was for nothing. Think about the tower of Babel. All of these characters poured so much effort in the search of pottery. Money, equipment, human power. They bought, bribed, deceived, stole, killed. They built their own "tower" just to make it crumble and shatter because of their own ambition and greed. As the saying says, "he who grasps too much, grasps little".

I enjoyed Low Life so much more than I expected. That being said, I admit that there were some moments when my interest loosened and sometimes, the pacing became slower than I liked. But that wasn't a big issue. My main issue was the ending. Many side characters did not get a proper conclusion and the writers did not tie up all loose ends. I understand that they probably wanted to leave a possibility for a second season but there's a difference between a proper ending and a rushed one.

Overall, Low Life was one of the most chaotic kdramas I've watched so far in the best way possible. I really feel sad for its lack of popularity among international fans and I hope that more people will catch up. Granted, it's not the typical style of a kdrama but more people should give it a try.

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Decent action movie that left much to be desired

I think that to some extent, my disappointment over Mantis derive from my expectations. I was very excited when I had seen that Si Wan and Park Gyu Young would be in an action movie. The plot of Mantis sounded very promising and the rest of the cast caught my interest, so it was only logical that I would be excited.

Looking back at my initial reaction, I think I should have set back my expectations.

Even from pretty early on onto the movie, I was getting some mixed signals. The film started off well but it lacked the thrill and the pacing was off, especially during the middle part. To be frank, I'm not even sure if the writers were certain about the direction of the movie. Throughout the whole time I was watching, the writing felt disjointed and messy and for the most part, my interest was low.

The direction of Mantis was not very clear. While in Kill Bok Soon the direction of the story was clear from the start, in Mantis I genuinely did not know what to expect. And I'm not saying that as a compliment. Did they want to focus on the comedy? Ha Nul's crush on Jae Yi? Hierarchy and power? It was as if they wanted to cram many things together but since the movie is not even 2 hours long, they couldn't flesh out the story properly.

I appreciate the fact that just like in Kill Bok Soon, the writers wanted to highlight the characters' relationships, particularly Jae Yi and Ha Nul's. Even though I didn't expect the movie to lean on that aspect, I didn't necessarily complain and for the most part, I found their dynamic to be quite interesting. But just like the rest of the story, it fell flat pretty quickly. I wish we had gotten more scenes from their past to add more depth in their friendship and backstory. It was clear that both cared about each other but their relationship was presented in a superficial way.

The action scenes were good and well choreographed. Jae Yi and Ha Nul's fighting scenes were exciting to watch and I liked the differences in their fighting styles. That being said, for a movie that marketed itself as an action-packed one, Mantis did not have many thrilling fighting scenes. The action aspect was not that strong to leave a strong impression and the fighting scenes, albeit serviceable, were lackluster. I was especially disappointed at how little we saw of Si Wan in action, you advertise his character as one of the top assassins and give him so few fighting scenes?

Aside from the poorly written story, the characterisation also left much to be desired. The actors did their job of course, they carried the movie on their backs but their writing didn't do a lot to make them very interesting.

Jae Yi was by far the most developed and explored character. I liked the direction of her motives and how her inferiority complex towards Ha Nul was handled. Park Gyu Young did an excellent job portraying Jae Yi's frustration and bottled up feelings through her expressions and body language, you could easily tell what Jae Yi thought and why she did what she did.

Jo Woo Jin also did a good job with his character, Dok Go who was Min Gyu's former friend. He was commanding and despite his calm exterior, you could sense how dangerous he could be. I admit that relationship and fall-out with Min Gyu mirrored very well Ha Nul and Jae Yi's relationship, I liked the parallels between them. Still, I think that in terms of writing, Min Gyu in Kill Bok Soon was more interesting to watch. Dok Go was kinda one dimensional and I didn't find myself caring a lot about him.

Choi Hyun Wook was a pleasure to watch. His character was also pretty shallow but his performance made him more than entertaining. I liked the way he carried himself, he certainly fit in Benjamin's cocky and overconfident personality and he delivered exactly what was expected from him.

Unfortunately, Ha Nul's character was one of my biggest let-downs. I had expected something entirely different and although I was willing to see the direction of his character once I realised that, the writing didn't do him much favor. I expected a ruthless assassin and I got a kinda immature professional who constantly yearned for his crush. Which is not necessarily bad. We love yearners in this house but in order for me to do so, the character himself should be written in more depth. That wasn't the case with Ha Nul. He came across as too one-dimensional for me to care about him more. His main motive was to protect Jae Yi because he loved her and had a crush on her. Okay. Anything more than that? The film didn't elaborate any further regarding his feelings. The writers (and the characters) tell us that Ha Nul likes Jae Yi and viewers have to accept it. His personality was reduced on his crush, there were some attempts to add more layers in his motives but anything else fell flat. Had it not been for Si Wan's acting, nothing would be able to save Ha Nul from this disastrous writing. For a main character, he really was pretty boring.

Additionally, even though the film tried to establish Mantis as this unbeatable assassin, whom everyone respects, the writing never left any room for him to shine and showcase his potential, until we reached the final part. I was never convinced about Mantis being one of the top assassins like I was with Gil Bok Soon, the writers certainly didn't do much justice to his reputation.

So, Mantis was an average action movie that fell flat in terms of writing. It's a pity that with such a great cast and good production the writers couldn't lock in and provide a better story. Although Kill Bok Soon also had its flaws, it was more thrilling to watch and the story and characterisation were more engaging. I would recommend Mantis to people who're looking for an action movie but do not go in with high expectations.

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Justice is a dish served with chicken

There's no doubt about Shin's Project being one of the best and most underrated kdramas this year. I started it because of its comedic and unique premise but I ended up gaining much more than that.

First and foremost, I'd like to praise the writers for bringing up such a clever script on the table. A story about a former negotiator who is the owner of a chicken restaurant and who fights injustice? Count me in! I became invested in Shin and his team from the get-go, the plot was so refreshing and the setting was shown to deliver what was expected.

The first half of the drama focused on different individual cases which Shin, Philip and Sion had to solve while the second half focused more on the case about Shin's son. The drama remained consistent, there were no boring episodes and every case contributed in the development of the story and the characters.

It was mildly amusing watching Shin negotiating with all of these people or even manipulating them in order to triumph against the ones who had wronged the victims. His philosophy regarding justice appeared to be peculiar on the surface but once you got to know his character, you'd understand where it derived from. Each case was handled in a different way, I wasn't able to predict Shin's next move and the procession of his plan was always fascinating to observe.

Shin's Projects handled the themes about justice and corruption wery well. Even though this is a fictional work, every case felt painfully relevant. Unfortunately, there are many vicious people who take advantage of others and who are not afraid to go to great lengths in order to gain power. The law cannot always ensure the protection of the victims, nor punish their perpetrators. So when law fails to provide justice, what's left to do? To what extent is it ethical to take matters into our own hands and seek justice for ourselves? These are some of the questions that are raised while watching the drama and while it's not easy to answer them, one thing was certain: no matter what, Shin would do the job.

It was so refreshing to see Shin and the rest of the characters work as a team to help those in need. As someone who is fed up with all the corruption and injustice that takes place every day, watching them handle the cases and bring some comfort to the people gave me so much satisfaction. For one hour, I was able to relax and just observe Shin doing his job, without having to worry about his attempt being jeopardized.

But event hough it was nice to see Shin handling all these cases, the main point of the series is not that we need more "Shins" in our world. What needs to happen is to establish a system which will not favour those with power against common folks. Measures must be taken in order for lawyers to be diligent and help the victims in the best way possible. While that's a difficult task, small steps can bring us closer to a society that will be rightful. Yes, it would be nice if we had more people like Shin, people who are not afraid to call out those who abuse their power and who are determined to bring justice. But what we actually need is a rightful system so there would be no need for more "Shins".

Aside from these cases, the plot also resolves around Shin's son's death and who orchestrated it. Slowly but steadily, the setting is established in order to fully unveil this story. It was very exciting to try and guess the motives behind this murder and why the culprit did it. The writers handled this part very well, they didn't let it overshadow the other incidents and when it was time to bring light into this murder, it was done with caution.

Shin's Project blended many genres in such a clever way. Comedy and mystery are the strongest ones of course but there were some moments that added more emotional depth. The scenes about Shin mourning his son never failed to bring tears to my eyes, especially during the eleventh episode. There were always some funny parts to elevate the mood but they never diminished the cases, nor disregarded the victims' feelings. Everything was balanced and done with care and I must applaud the writers for shifting between the genres so effortlessly. Not to mention that the drama made me carve some chicken, hehe.

While I'm not a huge romance fan, especially when it comes to romance subplots in non-romance dramas, Philip and Sion's developing chemistry was cute. Philip was literally besotted by her and his reactions were always so funny to see, he was literally a lovesick puppy. The writers did a good job to show their developing feelings, they had some nice interactions and it felt natural for them to grow closer. It helped that both actors had good chemistry together.

The characterisation was another great aspect that made me love the drama. I'll start with Shin since he's one of the most complex characters in a kdrama this year. On the surface, Shin appeared to be carefree, always with a smile plastered on his face and always ready to help others. From the very first scene, we see how much empathy he holds for people who have been wronged and that he always helps without seeking fame or recognition. But the more we get to know him, the more we realise how much pain he holds inside him. He is a mourning father who blames himself for his son's death. The sick irony of saving Madame Ju's daughter while being unable to save his own son made me so much sad. Obviously Shin wouldn't be able to do something sooner. But he's drowning in his own guilt and he is desperate to atone by making sure that no other people will experience the same type of pain.

This was my first Han Suk Kyu project and it's needless to say that I couldn't have chosen a better drama to get introduced to him. He embodied so many different emotions and he literally transformed into Shin. Happiness, sadness, anger, determination, he displayed every aspect of Shin's personality so naturally. I loved the way he used his face (especially his eyes) to convey Shin's thoughts and feelings and his subtle maneuvers in some scenes added more depth to Shin's character. They couldn't have chosen a better actor, he made me warm up to Shin and feel close to him from the very first moment (dare I say the poster?) and he owned the role.

Philip, the lawyer who got appointed to work with Shin in his restaurant, was another well-written character, who underwent the biggest development too. At first, he was bewildered at having to work at a chicken restaurant instead of an actual law office or something related to his studies. I had a blast with his reactions and inner commentary but at the same time, I admired the fact that he was still willing to work with Shin instead of giving up.

The writers did a great job showcasing his inner conflict regarding what he knew about law and Shin's philosophy for justice. As a law student, Philip believed that justice could be served only through law. But the more he worked with Shin, the more he realised how easy it was to manipulate the law and how corrupted the system is. He questioned Shin's methods, which defied his perceptive of what it's "legal" but at the same time, he came to understand that sometimes it's necessary to jump into unorthodox methods in order to serve justice. I beamed seeing how far Philip came, he learned so much under Shin and he applied that in his cases.

Bae Hyun Jung was great in this role, he was charming, funny and loveable. He never came across as awkward or unconvincing while portraying Philip's embarrassment or awkwardness. He made the character so entertaining and he nailed Philip's softness. It goes without saying that he food is an actor whose works I want to watch more.

As for the third member of the main trio, Si On was a joy to watch. Fierce and yet so kind and caring towards the people she cared about. I adored her bond with Shin and how much she cared about him. Her relationship with Philip was very charming as I mentioned above, her teasing was fun to watch. Lee Ree was great as Si On, she delivered precisely what was required and she was great to see. I discovered that she started as a child actor so I'm looking forward to see more of her future projects.

From the very first episodes, the chemistry between Shin, Philip and Si On was undeniable. It's very important to establish the dynamics between the characters from early on and the writers passed with flying colors. I immediately became attached to the characters and their precious bond. I am a sucker for the found family trope and Shin's Project did not disappoint. Watching them work together as a team was very interesting and fun but I lived for the domestic moments when they showcased their deep love and gratitude towards each other. They had each other's back and that was so lovely to see.

The rest of the cast was equally great, every single actor nailed their role, no matter how big or small it was. Kim Sung Oh was great as Detective Choi, he portrayed Choi's guilt over Shin's son's death very well and I was looking forward to his scenes. Jung Eun Pyo as Kim Su Dong was so fun to watch, I liked how Shin trusted him and how much he cared for Shin in return. The villains were great, everyone nailed their role and made me hate them so much. And I want to give a special nod to Choi Dae Hoon, who made a guest appearance on episode 9. He ate up his 10 minutes of screen time.

There were some flaws that prevented me from rating Shin's Project higher. As much as I enjoyed Philip and Si On, I think that their characters could have been utilized even more. After a while, the romance subplot seemed to consume them, I do not complain but it was as if they couldn't exist outside of it. I wish we had seen more interactions between Si On and her family, to grasp even better the sacrifices she had to make and it would have also been nice if we had seen more of Philip's inner turmoil. Another minor setback was that sometimes, the story was less engaging, of course it held my attention but there were times when my interest was kinda low. Additionally, sometimes the comedy was a hit or miss and the final episode felt anticlimactic and drugged but overall, nothing was too bad in order to spoil my overall impression for this drama.

In conclusion, I had an amazing time watching Shin's Project. Itreally felt like a warm hug and it gave me hope for a better society, where people will look out after each other and justice will prevail no matter what. It had its bittersweet and comedic moments, nice mystery and stellar acting. I will miss these characters so much!

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A nail-biting drama which is not for the weak of heart

Walking On Thin Ice is one of the most stressful dramas I've watched so far. And I say that in a positive way. I picked it up because of Kim Young Kwang and the intriguing plot but it's safe to say that I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

In the drama, Eun Soo, who is a devoted mother and wife to her family, sees her reality get shattered when it's revealed that her husband has lost money and their family might lose the house too. On top of that, her husband gets diagnosed with cancer, which puts his life at risk. Eun Soo needs money in order to help her family and after a bizarre turn of events, she stumbles upon an illegal bad full of a drugs. In a desperate attempt to gain money, Eun Soo decides to dive into the dangerous business of drugs trafficking and finds herself forming a partnership with the most unexpected person: her daughter's art teacher, Gyeong.

Walking On Thin Ice's story might appear simple and while I didn't expect anything extraordinary, I wasn't prepared for the amount of stress it would put me under. Every single episode lived up to the drama's name. It always felt like we were walking on eggshells alongside the characters. There were so many moments where I had to pause the drama and calm my nerves. But at the same time, I was unable to take my eyes off the screen, I was so captivated and curious to see how each situation would turn out. Every episode left me wanting more and more and the messier the story became, the more I wondered how it would wrap.

If I could describe Walking On Thin Ice's story in one word, that would be messy - but in a good way. Not many kdramas can handle these types of scripts but the writers did a good job. It was honestly so hilarious to see how complicated Eun Soo and Gyeong's situation became, at one point I stopped wishing for a smooth turn of events and embraced the chaos. When things would seem to develop in a good way, a misfortune would occur and our heroes would have their backs against the wall. Police, drug dealers, the people from their daily lives, everyone was a potential threat, especially for Eun Soo who had to constantly hide her secret activities from her family.

What I appreciated with this drama is that it doesn't attempt to glorify drugs. The scenes where Gyeong's rich clients indulged in their drugs while partying were directed in a way that made you feel almost uncomfortable and overwhelmed. Drugs are not a joke. They are addictive and they can ruin lives. Even though the story focused more on the trafficking aspect, there were still some moments which highlighted the destructive consequences (for example, when Hwi Rim started hallucinating due to his addiction and stabbed his hand).

On the other hand, we have the other side of the coin: people who commit illegal actions in order to survive. Until the very last episode, the drama asks these questions: how far is one willing to go in order to survive? And how circumstances can dictate our actions? Eun Soo, Gyeong, Dong Hyun, everyone did what they did for the sake of their families. Eun Soo wanted money for her husband's treatment and his debt. Gyeong wanted to avenge his family's ruined reputation. Dong Hyun wanted a better future for himself and his brother. All of them did questionable things, no one can deny that but the drama really makes you sympathize with their struggles. As Tae Gu said: criminals should be arrested but there are times when people commit crimes due to desperation. This complex morality made the story more thought-provoking, especially considering how it could be applied to our society.

From a technical standpoint, Walking On Thin Ice was very good. I really liked the cinematography, particularly during the calmer scenes. The quiet, relaxing moments, albeit few, toned down the tension and felt like a breath of fresh air. The camera work was also very good, especially during the action scenes and the slow motion sequences were handled well, without being overused. If I could name some of my favourite bits, one would be the scene where Eun Soo and Gyeong chased the criminals who had stolen the bag with the drugs and their escape after (the scene that is depicted on the poster). Another scene I remember fondly was the one between Eun Soo and Gyeong at the tree, when Eun Soo was finally free to let her guard down and open up to Gyeong. It was a very relaxing and beautiful scene.

I must applaud the writers for misleading the audience by shaping up Gyeong Do as the potential spy inside the police team. For the most part, I thought that he was the one who was connected with Phantom but when it turned out it was Tae Gu, I was shocked. That was a nice plot twist.

Of course I couldn't forget the soundtrack, it goes without saying that the opening song is my favourite, but the rest of the OST was very good as well. It captured the vibes of the story perfectly and in some cases, provoked the required amount of emotional depth.

Aside from its interesting story, a big part of Walking On Thin Ice's appeal can be attributed to its characters and talented cast. As I have already mentioned above, Kim Young Kwang was a big factor for my interest in this drama but as I began watching it, the rest of the cast won me over too.

Before watching Walking On Thin Ice, I wasn't very familiar with Lee Young Ae. I had watched Joined Security Area but I wasn't aware she was the actress that had played Sophie. I didn't know what to expect from her but she captured my attention from the very first episode. Eun Soo was a complex and interesting character. She wasn't a gifted gangster, she was a simple woman who got herself immersed into the crime world in order to protect her family. I liked how the writers did not make her overconfident and extremely skilled. She felt very realistic. She was afraid, she was reckless but the more she became entangled in the drugs trafficking, the more confident she became. Eun Soo's subtle development shaped her from a quiet, easygoing woman to someone who realized how much her worth is and who refused to remain the stepping stone to others.

Lee Young Ae portrayed Eun Soo's anxiety, fear and frustration perfectly. The details in her acting (her body language, the tremor in her voice, her expressions) displayed so many emotions. It was easy for me to sympathize with Eun Soo thanks to Lee Young Ae's acting and I rooted for her from the first episode. I also liked how her struggle with her morality was depicted. You could see how conflicted she was everytime she fall deeper into the drug business and betrayed her own morals.

But the drama would have never been as good as it was if it weren't for the chemistry between the main duo. Kim Young Kwang delivered exactly what was expected and some more. His character was already multilayered: Gyeong the teacher, Gyeong the son and "James", the drug seller. Kim Young Kwang captured each aspect of Gyeong's personality in a masterful way. The way he switched was just so effortless. One moment Gyeong was portrayed as the kind and helpful art teacher and then he would transform to a confident and meticulous drug dealer. Gyeong was truly fascinating to watch, all thanks to Kim Young Kwang's portrayal. Gyeong was a very morally grey character, he cannot be classified as a villain but he wasn't very righteous either. He prioritized himself and he wanted to do what would be best for his own benefit.

Just like Eun Soo, Gyeong also had a deeper motive for becoming involved with drugs. The early episodes gave some hints regarding that and the second half of the drama revealed the truth about Gyeong's past. Gyeong wanted to take revenge from Hwi Rim, who was responsible for Gyeong's false imprisonment for being an accomplish in a murder, resulting in Gyeong's family's reputation getting tainted. I was very invested in his backstory and his plan to get back on those who wronged him and until the very last moment, I just hoped that he would succeed in his revenge.

Eun Soo and Gyeong's partnership and bond was one of the best elements in the drama. Describing them as a chaotic duo would be an understatement. Eun Soo hadn't the slightest idea of the process behind drug trafficking and Gyeong had to make her learn more about this field. Their bickering was always so funny to watch, they acted like children and they constantly got on each other's throat. But while they started off on the wrong foot, they eventually warmed up to each other. There was distrust and caution between them but they learned to co-exist and work together, especially when their lives were in danger. Both of them cared about each other, they just didn't express it openly.

Out of these two, Gyeong was the one who didn't take his partner seriously at first. He thought Eun Soo as incapable and uncut for this job but eventually, he became more interested in her, especially once she proved her qualities. He was still hesitant about opening up to her concerning his past and interior motives and that resulted in their major clash but once he told her about his backstory, Eun Soo understood him more and they teamed up one last time. Kim Young Kwang did a great job portraying Gyeong's change towards Eun Soo, his gaze encapsulated Gyeong's interest and fondness very convincingly.

Another actor that stole the spotlight was Park Yong Woo who portrayed Jang Tae Gu. This man did such a terrific job, he made me be afraid of the character and hate on him at the same time. It was very nice to see that ever from early on the writers depicted him as a competent police officer, who could be a big threat for Eun Soo and Gyeong. It made the hide-and-seek game much more exciting and although I was hella worried, I was so excited to see how the events would unfold.

The rest of the cast was also good, Kwon Ji Woo as Gyeong Do, Tae Gu's right hand, delivered some great scenes as the episodes went by and Do Sang Woo as Hwi Rim made me hate the character so much. He nailed Hwi Rim's arrogance and hysteria. As for Kim Shi Ah, whom I had already seen in Kill Bok Soon and The Closet, she was very good as Sua's Eun Soo's daughter. Definitely an actress that I need to keep in mind for the future.

With all things considered, even though Walking On Thin Ice is definitely one of the best dramas I've watched this year, it still had its flaws. I believe that some parts of the story could have been more tied, there were some minor loopholes in some cases and some parts felt too overdramatized even for this type of drama. And even though I didn't expect to watch a documentary about drugs and their effects, it would have been nice if the writers had dived deeper into that aspect. I appreciate the subtle tackling of this matter but considering the role drugs played in the story, the drama could have addressed this issue less superficially.

My biggest issue, however, was the characterisation of the other characters (or lack thereof). During the last 2 episodes, the series decided to focus more on Eun Soo's husband, who after his conflicted feelings once he learned the truth, decided to support Eun Soo. I appreciate the fact that they didn't follow the classic route of the bad husband who cheats on his wife with her best friend (as it was hinted) but I needed more in order to understand his character. The first episode had handled his situation in a very interesting way. He was aware of the fact that he had messed up and that he had put his family in a dangerous position. He also felt guilty for his illness and he felt like a burden. All of that should have been addressed more in order to make him more fleshed out. I would have also liked to see more of his interactions with Eun Soo. It would have added more depth in their relationship (and make Eun Soo's devotion more convincing). He was kinda underutilized, which is a pity.

As for Gyeong, I really wish we had gotten to see more of his backstory. Thankfully, the second half focused more on that aspect but the bits we got were still a few. I wanted to see more of his past and his broken relationship with his family. Moreover, compared to Eun Soo, I feel like the writers sidelined Gyeong's motives and inner turmoil. He was still well-written, don't get me wrong, but compared to Eun Soo, I feel like he was less explored as a character. Furthermore, had we seen more of him and his family, the betrayal of his father would have hit harder. The scene was still very impactful thanks to Kim Young Kwang's performance but it still felt kinda underwhelming.

Last but not least, I found the finale to be both rushed and weird in terms of pacing. The last episodes were overly packed and some issues were wrapped very quickly, without leaving room for a better build up. The overall ending was nice but the events that led to it could have been developed more smoothly.

All in all, Walking On Thin Ice is definitely a must-watch kdrama if you're a fan of nail-biting stories and action. The acting alone is enough to carry the series and the plot itself can grab your attention very quickly. I cannot recommend it enough and I hope more people will discover it.

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Charming, funny but it could have beeen better

The Winning Try is my first sports kdrama and it's safe to say that my introduction to this genre started with a blast!

From the very first episode, I was immediately hooked by the story and the characters. I love stories about rookies who want to prove their worth. Add funny moments, personal growth and strong bond and you've officially won me over. I rooted for the Hanyang rugby team from the moment I got introduced to the players and I was so excited to see their growth.

The direction of the series was very good, the games were very intense and the editing in the funnier scenes enhanced the comedic elements. The OST was perfect, very charming and hopeful and the intro song is stuck in my head. Kudos to the actors for singing it, when I learned that they were the ones who sang it I was ecstatic! They brought the right energy!

The acting in The Winning Try really elevated the story and the dynamics between the characters. All of them poured their hearts out forthese roles and it showed. Yoon Kye-Sang delivered an amazing performance as Ju Ga-Ram, I literally fell in love with the character shortly after his introduction and that didn't change throughout the series. He owned this role, it was as if it was written for him specifically. He portrayed many different emotions and conveyed Ju Ga-Ram's complexity in a way that made you understand him and feel sympathy for his character. He also had great chemistry with Im Se-Mi, who portrayed Bae I-ji, Ju Ga-Ram's former girlfriend.

I was very impressed by Kim Dan who portrayed Ung. For a rookie actor, he did a marvelous job. He was also given the task to portray a complex character and he gave his everything. The scene with Ung and his father before he went to Hanyang almost brought me to tears. Kim Dan was excellent playing the kind and kinda naive Ung but he did a terrific job in the dramatic scenes as well, showcasing more of his talent. It goes without saying that from now on, I'll keep track of his future projects.

Last but not least, Kim Yo-Han was another actor who caught my eye. He was great as Seong-Jun and as the episodes went on, he won me over more and more. He nailed Seong-Jun's awkward character and he never came across as too cringe. At the same time, he was a determined leader of the team who knew when he had to step up and guide his teammates. The scenes between Seong-Jun and his mother or Ju Ga-Ram where the ones where Yo-Han shined the brightest. He portrayed Seong-Jun's desperation and sadness very convincingly, it always broke my heart seeing him experiencing feelings of inferiority and self-doubt.

One of the best elements in the series and one that has been praised the most was the chemistry between the rugby team. Whether it was between Ju Ga-Ram and the boys or the boys only, you couldn't question how close they were. The chemistry on and off-screen was more than evident and I was always looking forward to their interactions. They were so funny and yet so heartfelt. Comedy blent with emotional impact and in the end, I couldn't help but feel so proud and nostalgic of how far they had come. I could have watched scenes between Ju Ga-Ram and the team for hours, he became the guardian they needed and he really turned into their shield by protecting them from other people's doubtful and belittling words.

As a sports kdrama, The Winning Try did a decent job in bringing light to the world of sports. It portrays both the beauty and the ugliness of it. We see how delighted the athletes were once they got good results but we also see the pressure that is put on them. Just Ga-Ram himself felt suffocated from that. Being the No1 rugby player in South Korea, he had a great weight on his shoulders and he couldn't stand not being able to play well or stop playing rugby altogether - which led him to questionable choices.

In contrast to JU Ga-Ram and I-Ji's gentle and supportive attitude towards their athletes, the shooting coach Nak-Gyeon worked as a reminder of how many incapable coaches are out there. Not only was he sexist towards I-Ji by belittling her and questioning her abilities both as a coach and athlete, but he played favouritism with U-Jin and Seol-Hyun. Out of all the villains in this series, he was by far the most despicable one. It's really sad to think that there are many people like him in the sports industry and my heart breaks just from thinking of all these athletes who break down under the false guidance of incompetent trainers.

The Winning Try gave great emphasis on the importance of a good relationship between a reliable coach and an athlete. From Ju Ga-Ram's relationship with the rugby team to I-Ji's bond with U-Jin, the series portrays howgood coaches should be with their athletes. The coach is the catalyst to an athlete's career. An athlete needs the right guidance in order to succeed. No matter how talented you are, unless you have the right coach, you cannot go far. Both Ju Ga-Ram and I-ji cared about their kids (for this is how they viewed them) so much and they were willing to go to great lengths in order to support them.

In addition to the pressure that comes with bringing good results, through Seong-Jun and U-Jin's mothers, we see another obstacle that halts an athlete's progress: the pressure some parents will put on their children. In Seong-Jun's case, his mother disapproves of him playing rugby because she believes he won't get far and urges him to sacrifice his career in order to support his star football player brother. As for U-Jin, she tries to live up to her mother's dream, who was a former shooting player and who was unable to go far in her shooting career. We have two sides of the same coin: two mothers who ruin the mentality of their children for different reasons. One who doesn't support her child's dream of becoming a rugby player and one who sees her own child as a trophy in which she can object her bitterness for her career. The fact that the athletes felt safer and more comfortable around their coaches says a lot and it was emotional seeing how much Just Ga-Ram and I-Ji cared for them and showered them with the love and support they had been deprived from.

So, as you can probably see, I have praised The Winning Try a lot. It was a refreshing kdrama, with many important messages and one that I mostly enjoyed.

But unfortunately, I must say that even though I had a good time for the most part, it failed to become a favourite of mine as I initially expected.

First of all, the major problem with the series was the amount of subplots. We had so many issues going on at once and the story became messy. The preparations for the Nationals, Ju Ga-Ram's illness, Ju Ga-Ram and I-Ji's loveline, the villains schemings against the rugby team, the drama with the shooting team, the players' evolution...I get what the writers wanted to do but you cannot fit so many things in just 12 episodes and deliver a smooth result. Yes, most of these subplots connected with each other but some of them took too much screen time which could have been used for other aspects.

After the first two episodes, for the majority of the episodes, the drama started to focus less on the rugby team itself Yes, each episode had its own moments but it was as if their bond was not the heart of the series anymore. I totally understand that The Winning Try wouldn't center around the rugby team only. I also understand that we couldn't get them playing rugby matches in every single episode. If the audience wanted pure rugby, they could watch actual rugby matches instead. But it would have been nice to see them playing against other teams or watch them train more in order to observe their development and teamwork even better. We had three actual rugby matches and all of them were against the same school. At one point, you almost forgot you're supposed to watch a kdrama that advertised itself around rugby.

Unfortunately, due to the numerous subplots, the interactions between the rugby team weren't as many as in the first episodes. There were some nice moments here and there but at one point, their relationship was sidelined by the rest of the story. And that applies to their individual development. Besides Ung and Seong-Jun (and Yeong-Kwang, to some extent), the rest of the players got crumbs.

The politics and the drama with the shooting team frustrated me but for the wrong reasons. I didn't mind that the drama wanted to address the ugly side of the sports industry. But I got fed up by the amount of screen time the villains were getting. Too much time wasted on them circling around the rugby team's disband and Ju Ga-Ram's resign when we could have gotten more interactions between the rugby team and Ju Ga-Ram. Politics are nice and interesting but in a sports kdrama like The Winning Try, they dragged the story so much and made it less interesting. The actions of the vice principal felt way too cartoonish, I couldn't take his beef with the team and Ju Ga-Ram seriously. I understand his reasons and why he didn't approve of the rugby team but his philosophy regarding sports was explored in a very poor way.

At one point, the plot began going around in circles. When things seemed to settle, something bad would happen and the characters were called to find a way to solve it. It's a typical structure for kdramas but all of this drama felt way too tiring. I really wish the writers had toned it down. I especially disliked the subplot about Ju Ga-Ram's illness. Again, I understand that it was supposed to fuel the story and add more depth to Ju Ga-Ram's actions and emotions but honestly, had they kept the original concept of him doing dopping, the drama would have been far better. We wouldn't have to play this hide-and-seek game of him hiding his illness and we would see how he would make amends with everyone and grow as a person in the process.

Due to the various subplots and the limited screen time, some characters were not explored as much as they could have. I am very disappointed with how underutilized Seong-Jun's inferiority complex compared to his brother was. We should have seen more of him and the writers should have explored his feelings in more depth. He never had a proper confrontation with his mom and his character lacked some depth in some areas to make me fully connect with him. Another missed opportunity was Seol-Hyun and the aerobics coach. Both characters were handled in a rushed way, the writers clearly intended to make them appear evil at first only to be redeemed later but their writing felt superficial.

It's a pity I didn't get to love The Winning Try as much as many people did. I loved some aspects like the rugby team but they unfortunately couldn't make up for my lack of interest. I admit that the ending was satisfying and provided a proper closure but had the series been 16 episodes long, the plot would have developed more smoothly. Even though I overall liked the plot and the characters, I couldn't connect with them fully because the way they got explored did not allow me to feel anything deeper about them.

Nevertheless, The Winning Try remained a good watch and I recommend it if you're looking for something fun with important messages. I myself do not regret watching it so give it a try! Who knows, it might win your heart!

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A thriller about justice, abuse and motherly love

When I learned about the plot of Queen Mantis, I became interested from the get-go. I love stories that center around complex female characters and the premise of a son who has to work with his imprisoned mother in order to catch the culprit promised a complex story with many opportunities for a deep insight into psychological aspects.

The first episodes made me so excited. The beginning was very strong and I got immersed very quickly. Each episode had me on the edge of my seat, my eyes were glued on the screen in order to not miss a single detail that could lead to more clues about the copycat killer.

When I learned that Queen Mantis and Black Out shared the same director, my expectations arose even more. Black Out is one of my most favourite kdramas so I expected Queen Mantis to be at least half as good as the director's previous work. And I wasn't disappointed. The camera work was really effective, during the investigation scenes it was chilling to see the arrangement of the weapons and how the culprit worked. The closeups of the characters during their dialogues added more tension, especially the ones between I Sin and Su Yeol. It was a very effective method that added more emotional impact in their clashes.

The writing for the main characters was overall good and made me feel for them a lot. Su Yeol is a really complex character who saw his life turn into hell because of his mother (at least, this is what he believes). In his eyes, I Sin is nothing more than a cold-hearted criminal. A murderer who killed people without remorse and who didn't think of the consequences of her own actions. He resents her for ruining his life. He is afraid of becoming like her and that fear still lingers inside him, even after becoming a cop in order to not step into his mother's shoes. Hate and anger accompanies I Sin's memories throughout the years.

And yet, there's a tiny glimpse of another emotion buried deep in his heart. And that emotion is love. Su Yeol hates his mother but he still cares about her, even though he'd rather die than admit it. The abandonment he felt and the trauma he went through made him build a wall between him and I Sin. But as he reconnected with her, even if it was because of the investigation's case, that wall started to crumble. And for the first time, Su Yeol's twisted image of his mother starts to shift.

Jang Dong Yoon was very good as Su Yeol. He perfectly captured Su Yeol's feelings. You could feel his frustration and tiredness from his expressions alone. His eyes always conveyed a hint of desperation and pent up anger. Desperation for truth and anger for I Sin. Dong Yoon was very strong in the more dramatic scenes, especially the ones between Su Yeol and I Sin. Every time Su Yeol would let his emotions take a tool on himself, I couldn't help but watch in awe at Dong Yoon's performance. Su Yeol's emotions were valid to a great extent and Dong Yoon did a good job at making his character look more sympathetic (even if the audience might not share the same opinion as him about I Sin).

And then we have the Queen herself: Jeong I Sin, also known as "Mantis". It goes without saying that I Sin became a favourite character of mine from the very first episode. Her skillful maneuvers, her soft-spoken voice, her expressions, her motives...It was inevitable not to care about her. I will not hide behind my finger and deny that I opposed to her actions. Yes, I believe of the importance of law and I also believe that taking justice into our own hands is not the best solution. But when the justice system itself fails to protect the victims, what's left to do? I Sin killed men who abused their families and tormented them. She saw that the police was unable to put a stop on this and decided to step up. And even though she remains a criminal, the audience cannot help but justify her actions (or even support them).

I Sin is by far one of the most complex heroines I've encountered in kdramas. She's meticulous. Dangerous. Manipulative. Unpredictable. But not a monster. Never a monster. She is not the cold hearted criminal who was incapable of feeling love, like Su Yeol's believed. She is an abused woman who became Mantis led by the abuse she endured from the men in her life. And above all: she's a mother first and foremost who did everything in order to protect her child.

There are not enough words to describe Go Hyun Jung's performance. No words will do justice to this magnificent performance. Hyun Jung carried herself in such an effortless way. She didn't just play I Sin. She became I Sin. Every movement, every expression, every utter of words was carefully planned by Hyun Jung. Her performance alone was enough to carry the series, particularly during the second half when the plot started to become less engaging. I couldn't take my eyes off her every time she appeared, I was enamored and I got chills just by observing her. During the final episode, when I Sin finally broke down and let her emotions free after repressing them for so long, I couldn't help but cry with her. Hyun Jung's performance deeply moved me and I really wanted to give I Sin a hug and apologise for how the world failed to protect her.

The relationship between Su Yeol and I Sin is ultimately the catalyst of this story. Queen Mantis was not just a mystery thriller. It was an exploration of the complex dynamic between a mother and her son. The contrast between Su Yeol and I Sin added more layers in their interactions and personalities. On the one hand, Su Yeol was rightful for being unable to understand his mother after experiencing so much trauma and repressing his memories and feelings. He attitude was understandable for the most part and I couldn't blame him for his dislike towards her. On the other hand, I Sin was not the monster he painted her to be. Su Yeol, blinded by his sense of justice was unable to comprehend his mother's motives and threw accusations at her. Driven by denial and internal conflict, he refuses to excuse her or forgive her for abandoning him. And yet, I Sin never stopped caring about her son. Even if she expressed her love and care in a bizarre way and even if she caused distress to Su Yeol, she always cared about him and wanted to protect him and his family. Gradually, mother and son come closer and Su Yeol finally sees I Sin as the woman she is: a victim of abuse who did everything in her power to protect him.

In order for a thriller to maintain its thrill, it needs a fully fleshed story and unfortunately, in this area, Queen Mantis fell short. The plot about the copycat killer was interesting at first and I had many theories but after a while, I kinda lost interest. I think that the character of the actual killer was explored in a shallow way. Having an abused transgender woman following the path of Mantis could have been interesting if the writers had invested more in her character. I understand her motives to some extent and her admiration towards Mantis but they were presented in a sloppy way.

The police squad's incompetence and mistrust really got on my nerves. I could understand where they came from, it was logical for them to question Su Yeol's and Chief Jung Ho's closeness or Su Yeol's connection with Mantis but this hide-and-seek game became really tiring. It was clear that the writers wanted to add more tension and drama but there were better ways to do so. The squad saw how competent Su Yeol was and yet they were still questioning his abilities. It became irritating, it was as if I was watching a bunch of children, especially when it came to Na Hee and Sung Gyu.

I understand that since Queen Mantis was 8 episodes long, there wasn't room for much character development regarding the secondary ones. But this was another weak element which didn't help me connect with the story as a whole. Many characters had potential for something more but because of limited time, their personalities and motives weren't written in depth. I was disappointed at how Na Hee was handled because the writers could have done so much with her, even make her mirror I Sin in a way. By the time the writers attempted to add more depth in the last two episodes, it was late.

Moreover, I would have liked to see a deeper commentary regarding the justice system and how it fails many victims of abuse. The drama tries to do so by having Jung Ho silently approve of I Sin's actions since police didn't do anything to prevent the mistreatment of the victims but it was very superficial. If done well, even more questions could have been risen and more topics could be addressed.

Thankfully, the ending was satisfying enough and did not leave me with a bitter taste. It's a pity that Queen Mantis wasn't as strong as it began but it still left a lasting impression on me. It raised many questions regarding abuse and justice and it gave me a complex and yet beautiful mother-son relationship. I would recommend it to people who enjoy psychological thrillers for Hyun Jung's acting alone and I consider it as one of the most interesting thrillers out there.

P. S. Hyun Jung, I'll get you that Baeksang, Queen.

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Empty and boring

Well, this was certainly a drama that lived up to its name for there was no mercy for my patience. When I came across this series, I was intrigued by the concept. I like revenge stories and the involvement of deepfake technology made the story more appealing. The drama was short so even though I picked it up when the first 5 episodes had already aired, I managed to catch up.

Looking back at it, I probably shouldn't have been so eager to jump straight into it.

If I had to describe No Mercy with one word, that would be mid. Everything was painfully average. The story, the production, the score, the acting. There was nothing exceptional or remarkable. I'm not saying that dramas should be groundbreaking. There have been many instances where a simple story and production can do wonders. But for that to happen, the overall writing must offer something. And unfortunately, No Mercy did not deliver what was promised.

The plot was a hot mess, it was clear that not much thought had been put into it. I cannot even bother pointing out all the plot holes that took place in every single episode. If I started, I'm afraid that my review would become a thesis. I can sometimes excuse some loopholes, I understand that not everything needs a proper explanation when we're talking about fiction but at one point, the writers need to realise that there are some limits. Sure, I can tune my brain off and just pretend that everything is normal but one can only endure only so much! When you don't bother explaining how the characters act the way they do, how they manage to do what they do, how they use the equipment etc, it's a sign of lazy writing.

Truth be said, after a particular revelation in episode 6, the story became more interesting because up until this point, it was going around in circles. The plot twist still didn't make sense, nor moved me but it was an interesting turn of events. Even though it was late for the series to pick up so late, at least I was invested in the last episodes and I was curious to see how the story would end. Plus, there was another nice twist in the end (even though it was kinda far fetched) which I didn't see it coming.

I'm kinda salty about the fact that such an interesting premise got wasted on bad writing. A revenge story that involves the usage of deepfake technology and scamming could have been so interesting to see. With the rapid development and spread of AI, one would think that the writers would have attempted to bring light into the dangers of technology and the stealing of identities online. However, that wasn't the case here. Even though the ground had been set for a unique setting and a story that could be relevant too, the creators simply did not know how to utilize it and the themes.

Throughout the eight episodes, there were some few moments in which the drama tried to highlight the dangers of deepfake technology and scamming. But instead of going into depth, it barely scratched the surface. Granted, I wasn't expecting from a revenge-driven thriller to educate me about the dangers in the online world, but when the whole setting revolves around it, they could have exploited it much more efficiently.

The pacing was all over the place. I don't even know how to put it into words properly, but after every episode, I had the impression that so many things had happened at once and nothing had occurred at the same time. While the story kept escalating, especially towards the middle part, the pacing was very weird. Many scenes seemed to drag and some others felt like fillers. The episodes' length was short and yet I felt so tired, as if I had finished a 3 hours long movie.

When a series does not offer an engaging story, I will try to cling into the characters in order to find some sort of thrill. But just like the rest of the drama, the characterisation was empty. I felt like I was starring into the void. Even know, after having watched the drama, I cannot pinpoint the characters' personalities for they were written as archetypes instead of actual human beings. The majority of them were one-dimensional, there wasn't an ounce of meaningful development and their emotions were nonexistent. The dynamics between them were handled in such a poor way to the point I couldn't even be convinced about their bond. And because of the poor writing, I just couldn't care less about the characters. I feel sad to admit it but I was indifferent towards So Min's parents loss. Okay, it was sad but why should I care? The writers didn't elaborate any further on their relationship, therefore I wasn't obliged to feel moved.

Aside from the lackluster characterisation, I'm saddened to say that the acting didn't do anything to elevate the characters. I am aware of the fact that this must have been a fault of the director too but the actors themselves didn't offer anything interesting in order to make me care about the characters. Lee Joo Young was good in the scenes where So Min used her manipulation skills to achieve her revenge but she was constantly wearing the same expressions. Even in some more dramatic scenes, she acted in an underwhelming way, particularly the plot twist on episode 6. She's by no means a bad actress, it's just that in this role, her acting was off.

The same criticism applies to Jun Hoe. He was ok, don't get me wrong but I cannot say I was impressed from his acting. At least he managed to bring some sort of charm when it was required and both him and Joo Young did their best with the material they were given.

If I had to name one good aspect from No Mercy, that would be Ji Seung Hyun's performance. Although his character wasn't particularly well-written, he owned the role from the very first moment I saw him. He managed to be charming, intimidating, dangerous and cunning at the same time. The way he changed his emotions, especially when he shifted from a confident criminal to a submissive servant of the Chairman, was truly impressive. I kid you not, at one point I almost started rooting for the villain, he was my most favourite character thanks to Seung Hyun's acting and I always looked forward to his scenes.

All in all, No Mercy was an empty mess. For me, the real crime is not the one that happened in the series. It's the fact that the writers screwed up such an interesting premise. I don't think I'd recommend this thriller to anyone, unless you're looking for something quick to watch. There are many better series out there, so you will not miss anything by not watching No Mercy (unless you have no mercy for yourself).

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A beautiful story that shows how our dream life has always been before our eyes

Meet Kim Nak Su, a middle-aged salesman with an experience of 25 years. On the surface, Nak Su appears to have the perfect life: a good job, a loving family, an apartment in Seoul. But Nak Su isn't satisfied. He chases bigger achievements. In his pursuit of his dream life, Nak Su makes many questionable choices in order to achieve his dream life. And thus, he embarks on a hectic journey to self-growth.

The Dream Life of Mr Kim is one of the biggest surprises this year. I didn't expect to love it as much as I did and yet here I am gushing over it. I love this type of stories about older people who rediscover themselves and undergo a big development. I understand why they might not appeal to the masses but they can be so beautiful if done well. And The Dream Life of Mr Kim passed this test.

From the get-go, the series makes it plainly clear that Nak Su is not a likeable character. He is arrogant, overconfident, strict, dismissive, he displays conservative ideas. In short, he's the type of character you will not love so easily. Taking into account the fact he's such a controversial person, it makes sense why viewers might not feel connected to him or even choose to give up on this drama. But me, personally, I felt a pull towards this character particularly because he seemed so unlikeable.

Nak Su was a very realistic character. He is the embodiment of many men around his age, not only in South Korea, but in other countries in general. He believed he was faultless, that no matter what his decision was always right and everyone who thought otherwise couldn't be more wrong. He took many things for granted and instead of improving, he insisted on following his old methods. His views reflected his upbringing and the patriarchal nature of South Korean society and he undermined his wife's skills while trying to pressure his son into following a career he didn't like.

Underneath his facade, Kim Nak Su hid many insecurities. He strived to be better and he constantly compared his lifestyle to others. A colleague has an expensive suitcase? He will purchase the next best brand. An "inferior" employee owns an expensive car? Nak Su would need to step up his game. His life was a constant game of comparisons, not only on a professional level but a personal too.

I will not lie, there were times when I got annoyed by Nak Su's attitude. His know-it-all attitude and his refusal to take accountability of his actions puzzled me a lot. How could someone be so ignorant of their actions and their behavior? His inability to communicate properly with his colleagues almost gave me second-hand embarrassment and some of his choices were so infuriating, to the point I wanted to scream at him through my screen.

And yet, even after all that, Nak Su still managed to win my heart, in the most peculiar way. Although I strongly disagreed with his initial attitude, I secretly rooted for him to finally find his dream life. Watching him getting beaten down after every bad decision, made me both satisfied and yet so sad. He needed to fall from grace in order to develop and realise what he had lost but at the same time, my heart bled for him.

Nak Su might had been unlikeable but he wasn't heartless. Clueless yes. Selfish too. But he wasn't incapable of caring for others and their feelings. We saw that with Tae Hwan and the factory workers and as the story progressed, he allowed himself to be more open about his concern and affection. In his own way, Nak Su did everything for his family's case. He didn't express it but he cared for their well-being and he wanted to be the provider of it. So once he started losing his footing, he began to think that his life didn't have a purpose.

And even then, after losing almost everything, he insisted on clinging to the idea of proving everyone wrong. He was desperate to showcase his value and prove his worth as a salesman and a capable man who's the head of his family. He couldn't stand the idea of the company thriving despite his absence. He couldn't allow his wife to earn more than him. He couldn't accept reality in general. And that was his major flaw - and the beginning towards his self-discovery.

I could talk for hours about Nak Su's growth. At first, I was worried about how the writers would depict it because the first four episodes barely had any progress. But as the story went on, Nak Su started changing. Little by little, his old personality began to crumble and he allowed himself to be more vulnerable and open. His shattered life allowed him to open his eyes and reconnect not only with his loved ones but himself to.

As someone who studies psychology, I especially enjoyed and appreciated how the drama handled Nak Su's treatment of his mental health. His scenes with his therapist felt like a breath of fresh air and his initial reluctance in treatment was so realistic and consistent with his character. More kdramas need to address the topic of mental health and I'm glad to see that The Dream Life of Mr Kim did not overlook it.

As expected from a drama like this, The Dream Life of Mr Kim hit me right in the feelings. It caused me a plethora of emotions. Sadness, anger, confusion, cheerfulness, happiness. Just like real life, the drama makes you undergo many different emotional experiences, both positives and negatives. Above all, the drama included some heavy scenes that put tears in my eyes, like the one where Nak Su confessed to his brother how their parents' comparison shaped him up as a person or where he cried after giving up his job.

Of course a big part of my fondness towards Nak Su must be attributed to Ryu Seung Ryong's performance. This man does not disappoint with his roles. It's not easy to play an unlikeable character and make your audience root for him simultaneously but Ryu Seung Ryong did. He never failed to reveal Nak Su's real emotions, even his microexpressions like a twitch on his face or his furrowed eyebrows could convey so much. His acting really shined during the emotional moments and this is when he truly made me sympathize with Nak Su's struggles, as if they were my own. I am not exaggerating when I'm saying that he deserves to receive many nominations and awards for such a compelling performance.

Aside from Nak Su's personal growth and re-birth, The Dream Life of Mr Kim offered some other interesting topics in the story. For starters, it was amusing to see how workplace environments can be and observe the politics behind them. Through Nak Su's employees, we see what it feels like to have a demanding yet incompetent boss and through the background activities, it's revealed that corporations will often turn to shady activities if its profitable for them, without regarding their employees and how they'll be affected.

I was beyond surprised to learn that what the drama depicted is very accurate for South Korea: Korean companies will fire you, without actually firing you. That's the case in The Dream Life of Mr Kim, too. Nak Su doesn't get fired. Instead, he is shipped off as the team leader for Asan Factory Safety Management. It was so interesting to have more insight about companies in Korea and how they treat employees and once again, I couldn't help but still feel sorry for Nak Su (even though it was understandable for him to lose his position).

Another interesting aspect of the story was the development of Nak Su's wife, Ha Jin and their son, Su Gyeom. I was heavily rooting for both Ha Jin and Su Gyeom, especially Ha Jin. Her determination to become a real estate manager and resume her studies made me admire her a lot. I was happy to see that the writers didn't settle with making her a mere background character whose purpose would be to uplift Nak Su's development. She was a person of her own, with her own dreams and feelings and that was very refreshing to see.

I loved how she cared for Nak Su and yet still called him out for his behavior and decisions. Nak Su needed more people to knock some sense into him and hearing this from his own wife had a great impact on him. Similar to how she wasn't afraid to talk some sense into her husband, Ha Jin was not willing to let others step on her. She defended herself and refused to go down without putting a battle, which made her even more exciting to see.

As for Su Gyeom, I found his arc to be realistic and relatable. He was a young adult who wanted to earn his independence and pursue his own career path. It was quickly proven that this wouldn't be an easy road to cross and yet, with the help of his family, he didn't give up. I admit that at first I was bored during his scenes and I found his story to be the least engaging but as the episodes went by, I warmed up to him and I quietly supported his developing career.

Nak Su and Su Gyeom's relationship was complex and yet so beautiful. Both father and son deeply cared about each other. The problem was due to Nak Su's pride and his devotion towards his job, they drifted apart and this, Su Gyeom developed a disliking towards his father's ideas. It was only after Nak Su hitting the rock bottom that they began understanding each other better. Watching them bond and rekindle their relationship made my heart melt. Nak Su supported Su Gyeom and Su Gyeom supported Nak Su in return and their actions could speak louder than words.

The directing and cinematography highlighted the emotional impact and the characters' stories. The camera work and editing were very effective during the dialogues, they added so much tension and accompanied by the delightful yet intense piano notes in the background, they made me bite my nails in distress. Another example of the drama's excellent cinematography were the scenes of Nak Su having a panic attack. The way it was filmed made it feel like I was the one experiencing it. As someone who has experienced panic attacks before, their portrayal in the drama was realistic and grounded. They weren't overused to the point they lost their impact but they were equally effective and set up the ground for Nak Su's anxiety spiral.

If I could voice some minor complaints, they would be about some story points. As I mentioned above, Su Gyeom's arc took a while to make me invested. I got kinda bored with his interactions between Han Na and this whole "will-they-won't-they" situation between them was kinda annoying. Additionally, although I still believe that the writers handled Nak Su's development very well, the writing could have been a little bit tighter in some areas, particularly the first four or five episodes. Had the series been a little longer (say 14 episodes), Nak Su's growth could have been presented in an even more compelling way.

But even these minor flaws didn't ruin my overall impression. Although the first episodes had given me a lukewarm feeling, The Dream Life of Mr Kim actually got better as the story progressed. It's a drama with messages that can resonate with many people, no matter how old they are. Just like Nak Su, many of us are constantly trying to climb the ranks of society, while trying to build "the perfect life". But while trying to survive in a society that wants us to move forward and then stop once we'll reach a limit, we forget one important thing: we forget to LIVE. Life is not about luxurious, superficial things. It's not about owning a big apartment at the capital of your city. It's not about pleasing your higher-ups just to receive a promotion. It's not about buying expensive goods just to feel superior. It's about the memories we build with our loved ones and the small things that bring us joy.

Finding a purpose in this world is difficult. And if we have gotten used to a routine that provided us with some sort of stability and security, losing it might make us crumble. That doesn't mean we should give up. Every ending can lead to a new beginning. Sometimes, instead of clinging to our pride and unreachable dreams, it's okay to settle back and just accept reality.

Spending all our lives chasing after promotions, becoming our companies' erant boy and neglecting the people close to us will become exhausting and soul draining. Maybe all we need to do is sit back, take a break and reflect on everything. And maybe, if we open our eyes, we might realise that what we've looking for has always been right in front of us.

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Ambiguous premise with lackluster execution

When I came across Aema, I got pulled in by its female centered plot and the 80s aeshetic. I haven't seen many kdramas that address the topic of female exploitation in the film industry so I immediately decided to give Aema a try.

The first episodes were interesting enough to make me continue watching. Although I wouldn't describe the drama as a pure comedy, there were some funny moments which toned down the dark plot. The scene on episode 4 where Hee-ran pointed out at Kwak In-U how ridiculous the script for "Madame Aema" was had me roling on the floor. As the story went on, the series became more serious and I got more immersed in the cruelty of the film industry. Some elements were obviously presented in an unrealistic way and some behaviors were caricatures. But the overall message is more than clear.

The drama tackles various themes but ultimately, the heart of the series was the presentation of women's exploitation by the film industry in the 80s. Since they worked in a male dominated field (as if there are many women dominated fields in the first place), actresses were made to get stripped of their dignity, unless they wanted to fall into oblivion. They had to succumb to the producers' wishes and do as they were told to, pose as the trophies of rich patrons in extravagant banquets...In Hee-ran's words, women needed to become bitches in order to survive.

The acting was great, especially from the two main leads. It was the first time I watched anything with Lee Ha Nee and it certainly won't be the last. She was absolutely captivating and captured Hee-ran's bold character perfectly. She commanded the screen with her confidence and wild determination and shaped Hee-ran into a strong woman. But that wasn't all of it. Hee-ran might have hidden under the facade of a proud, bitchy actress but she carried too much shame and pain. After being exploited for years, she wanted to keep Ju-ae away from the claws of the film industry by pushing her away and belittling her. Although she appeared to care very little about her co-star, she truly wanted to do the best in order to protect her and she wouldn't hesitate to clash with the producer in order to do so.

Alongside the magnificent Lee Ha Nee, Bang Hyo-Rin delivered an equally excellent performance. Having a real rookie actress embody the role of a rookie actress was a bold move by the writers and Bang Hyo-Rin did not disappoint. Shin Ju-ae, a nightclub dancer, dreamt of escaping her life and becoming an actress like Hee-ran, whom she looked up to. Determined to achieve her goal and not let Hee-ran's dismissal to discourage her, Ju-ae (who was oblivious of the lengths of female exploitation), did everything she was told by the producers. She did her erotic scenes without questioning their purpose, she didn't care about her sexualization and she went as far as to help the producer film the provocative scenes without having to censor them and she was overall an obedient rookie actress, who wanted to achieve success through her first film.

The contrast between the two female leads was what made them clash in the first place. Ju-ae was willing to give up her dignity for the sake of the film and she remained naive to the dangers of the industry and the lengths a woman would cross in the name of fame. Because of her innocence, the producer sent her to entertain the government officials who would than the '88s Olympics, in order to gain their favor and make them allow the filming of the movie "Madame Aema". And this is the moment Ju-ae's fantasy about showbiz was shattered.

Hyo-rin portrayed Ju-ae's disgust and fear perfectly. I could tell just by her expressions how distressed Ju-ae was. The scene where she had to sit with the President made me want to puke. I liked how the tone of the series changed once Ju-ae got exposed to the cruelty of the film industry. It became darker and bolder. The scenes deliberately evoke discomfort and even though they didn't delve into more details, they presented the dark side of an industry that treated women like mere objects.

One aspect that I liked was how the series portrayed the differences between Koo Jung-ho and Kwak In-U, the producers of " Madame Aema". The first is an unapologetic misogynist, who doesn't hesitate to make bold sexist comments and who openly objectifies women while the latter, although tamer, hides his desires under a layer of artistry (because after all, even he thought according to his d*ck). It was interesting to see the subtle hypocrisy because even though they were different in terms of how they approached the movie and the eroticism it evoked, both of them were unable to take into consideration the point of view of the female characters. The power imbalance between them was interesting too, since In-U had to succumb to Jung-ho's wishes and allow his ideas to be bastardized in order for the film to become successful.

Ultimately, what defined Aema was the relationship between Hee-ran and Ju-ae. Although the two women did not start off on the right foot, they eventually bonded over their common experience of being paraded as common objects in order to satisfy powerful men's desires. After their encounter in the government's official's party, the two women grew closer. Ju-ae got to understand Hee-ran and the way she tried to protect her while Hee-ran understood that Ju-ae's hard life was what motivated her to become an actress, in an attempt to escape poverty. Their shared passion for acting and their common treatment shaped them into a powerful duo. I must add that the writers clearly intended to give a subtle queer tone in their relationship, which is evident from the scenes where Erika, portrayed by Hee-ran, protects Aema, portrayed by Ju-ae.

The production design of the drama was very good. The settings were rich and accurate enough and the outfits capture the retro vibes of the 80s. Under the vibrant and joyful colours, however, laid the dark world of the entertainment industry and no amount of extravagant dresses, hairstyles and makeup could hide it (as Ju-ae herself realised).

No matter how much one can try, you cannot turn a blind eye on the mistreatment of women in the series. Aema does not shy away from showing the lengths of abuse of power, sexism and objectification, which continue to happen even after all of these years. The drama really makes you wonder how far women were willing to go for the sake of fame and a life that promised them a rich and comfortable lifestyle. The catalyst of this tragedy was the death of Mi-na, Jung-ho's girlfriend who was a young actress in search for her own path in the industry. Although her role was small, it serves as the heavy reminder of what happens to many young actresses who wanted to become famous. Her mistreatment from the younger VIPs which resulted to her own death was by far one of the most uncomfortable and darker moments in Aema and it almost brought me in tears.

Although Aema's intentions were good, I must say that for a drama that wanted to bring attention to the darker side of the industry, it did it in a shallow way. I expected the writers to go into more depth about what is happening behind-the-scenes and go even more in-your-face. I think that they played it quite safe which is not necessarily bad but I'm afraid that by trying to balance the social commentary with some funnier and lighter bits, the message was kinda lost in translation. Either they should have gone all in or stick in subtlety.

I am also quite disappointed at the way the relationship between Hee-ran and Ju-ae was handled. Their bond is one of the most prominent elements, there is no doubt for that but the story should have highlighted it even more. Instead of having so many scenes between the male executives, the drama should have given more scenes between the two women in order to establish their bond and shared feelings even more. I'll be honest with you, it was clear that no woman was involved in the writing and directing of the series because unfortunately, the plot retained some male-cendric aspects that robbed us from seeing more of the women themselves. I would have also liked to see more of Hee-ran's character. She was very interesting to watch but I feel like I didn't get to see much of her feelings, especially concerning her exploitation and anger towards the patriarchal society.

The premise of Aema was very ambiguous and I deeply respect the messages it wanted to convey. The problem is that because of its length (6 episodes only), the execution lacked depth. I feel like we saw everything from the surface instead of getting a deeper view of the matter. And to be frank, the pacing did not do much favour to the story. Had the drama been longer, I'm afraid that I wouldn't have finished it as quickly as I did.

Last but not least, I feel that the ending did not give a satisfactory conclusion. It felt a little bit rushed and it left some issues unfinished. It's unclear whether Hee-ran can work on her next project or not and it's a pity we didn't get to see more of the public's opinion about the expose of the male producers.

All in all, I'm happy for giving Aema a try. It was not a masterpiece but it was a good attempt to bring more attention to the cruelty of the entertainment industry. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and although the drama itself did not become a favourite of mine, the issues it addressed deeply moved me and brought much food for thought.

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Your friendly neighborhood heroes in a perfect blend of comedy and action

When I stumbled upon Heroes Next Door, I was intrigued by the plot and the fact that Yoon Kye Sang and Jin Seon Kyu were lead roles solidified my decision to give the drama a try. And while I expected this series to be to my liking, I am beyond delighted to say that I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated.

The premise of the story had caught my attention from the synopsis. I really like this type of stories of ordinary people who find themselves entangled in complicated situations and are here to save the day. The drama establishes the ground for the mystery and political aspect pretty early on and I was more than eager to find out who was behind the bombing incidents and what were their motives.

At first glance, our main characters appear to be ordinary people who want to protect their families and neighborhood. But soon enough, it's revealed that this couldn't be further from the truth. All of the main characters were reserve special forces veterans. A former member of the JDD lethal special operations unit, a former HID counter-terrorism unit member, a former special operations instructor, a former cyber operations soldier and a former mortar unit member made for a hectic yet competent team which no one should look down to - particularly the people who were responsible for the bombs.

The characters were the heart of the show and the actors greatly contributed to this. From the very first episodes, I was enthralled by their interactions and the chemistry between them was so organic. The performances were more than serviceable, all actors did their part very well and they never came across as awkward. They embodied their characters perfectly and they made sure to make them as memorable as possible.

The bond between the team made it so easy to fall in love with them. Their small banterings made me giggle and yet, despite some disagreements here and there, they always stuck together no matter what. Through their relationship and through the depiction of other dynamics between the secondary characters in the neighborhood, the drama highlighted the significant role communities can play in human relationships. It's vital to surround ourselves with people who we can trust and rely on for their support. Human bonds are always strong and our heroes proved that no matter how dangerous the circumstances were, they would never abandon their group, nay, family.

One of my most favourite dynamics was the bond between Choi Kang and his family, particularly his daughter, Do Yeon. Their interactions made my heart melt, they were just so cute together! Park Ji Yoon was simply adorable, she stole the show whenever she appeared and her on-screen chemistry with both Son Ji Hoon and Yoon Kye Sang was so good. I adored their small family and I looked forward to their scenes.

Yoon Kye Sang was undoubtedly one of the highlights. I got introduced to him in The Winning Try and I'm happy to report that I loved his character in this drama too. He shifted from an outgoing, goofy insurance investigator to a ruthless ex soldier so effortlessly. The way his expression would turn cold and stern made me both scared and excited for what was about to come. He shined in this role, comedy is definitely his strong element but I also had a great time watching him in the action scenes.

Kye Sang's performance added some more depth to Choi King's character, too. Just from the look of his safe or the tone of his voice whenever his family and friends got threatened, you could tell how worried he was about their safety. Having experienced great tragedy at JDD forces, he had to deal with PTSD and the lingering fear of losing the ones he loved. I appreciated this side of Kang's character and Kye Sang did a good job portraying his distress and caution.

The duo between Choi Kang and Kwak Byeong Nam was one of the funniest relationships and one of my most beloved dynamics too. Even though they got off on the wrong foot, they quickly became close friends who not only respected each other but were also willing to risk their lives for each other. They had so many funny moments (I still burst out in laughter when I think about the middle fingers scene) and the actors matched perfectly.

I was already familiar with Jin Seon Kyu from other projects and once again, he didn't disappoint. His character was very interesting and watching him displaying his craftsmanship was fascinating. He too was one of the actors I particularly enjoyed watching alongside Kyo Sang.

Another character I especially liked was Jung Nam Yeon. At first I was quite sceptical with her depiction as a serious and threatening woman but I quickly loved her character. She deeply cared for her family and she always expressed her concern in her own way. She was strong and independent and was capable of throwing a punch or two, which made her cooler to watch. And I adored her relationship with her husband, she scolded him yet cared about him and he admired her for her skills instead of feeling jealous over her capabilities.

The writers did a marvelous job combining comedy with action. Most jokes landed smoothly and the fighting scenes added the necessary amount of thrill. There was a perfect balance for the majority of the series and neither the funnier bits nor the action parts outweighed each other. Each episode made me laugh so hard during some scenes while others had me watch my screen in anticipation of what would happen next. That being said, if the tone of the story required it, the drama would become more serious. The funeral sequence on episode 3 brought some tears in my eyes and Sullivan's interaction with Do Yeon on episode 10 made me quite emotional too.

I shan't forget to talk about the amazing soundtrack. It was energetic, vibrant and suitable for this genre. I have been listening to both UDT and Higher on repeat for the past weeks and each time I heard the first notes on the background, I would instantly become pumped up and ready to head into action. I could literally feel the adrenaline rush consume my body. This is a great example of how to make a simple yet memorable soundtrack, one that can be easily associated with the drama and match its vibes.

Although I had an amazing time watching Heroes Next Door, I must admit that the writing fell short in some areas. While I acknowledge that the story was developed rather smoothly for a 10 episodes drama, there was room for improvement which would have made the drama even better.

While the series emphasized Choi Kang's trauma, it didn't go deeper than that. There were some flashbacks and illusions but overall, it wasn't addressed properly in my opinion. It could have been more fleshed out in order to understand even better the lengths of it and how it had shaped his current state and his navigation in life after his retirement from JDD. Furthermore, the rest of the characters could have been explored some more besides the traits that distinguished them. Jeong Hwan was in my opinion the most underutilized character from the main group, he should have been even more involved in the story and his feelings (especially after the death of My song) could have been addressed more.

My biggest issue was definitely the villain, Sullivan. I understand what the writer was aiming for but the execution was lackluster. Sullivan is supposed to be a heartbroken father who wants to avenge his daughter, whose killer hadn't received proper punishment. His anger and resentment towards the people behind this was understandable but having him go to great lengths, such as killing innocent people or trying to do so, undermined his trauma.

I'm all for having morally questionable characters. I actually love this type of heroes. But the thing is, the drama couldn't decide if Sullivan would be portrayed as a deranged villain or a wronged father. For the most part, he was painted as the former and thus, it was quite difficult to sympathize with him. The attempt to explore his motives on the last episode didn't do him much favour. I wish the writers had handled this character better, his backstory was interesting and his motives could have been explored from a different angle.

The rest of the villain could have also been better. They appeared to be too cartoonish and even though their actions were horrible, they didn't appear to be that intimidating. Which again, it's understandable, the series wanted to portray them from a more comedic point of view through their interaction but they should have been presented from a more serious standpoint.

The ending, while decent, could have been better. Like the writer's previous work, Shin's Project, Heroes Next Door suffered from the same problem of having a disjointed pacing at the finale. The last episode dragged in some parts and there were some moments which felt like fillers. The conclusion to the villains was quite unsatisfactory. I didn't like that Sullivan killed himself and that the corruption behind her death hadn't been exposed properly. I get that in real life many crimes will be shoved under the rug, but the drama brushed this off, without addressing the issue properly. There was a poor attempt with the journalist trying to raise awareness of Charlotte's death but it didn't hold any significance. As for the other villains, they were let go pretty much lightly which left a bitter taste in my mouth. All of them should have been received proper punishments but alas, since this doesn't happen in real world, I had high expectations even for a fictional story...

Choi Kang's decision to shoot Sullivan multiple times even after giving him the beating of his life was...a choice. Given that Sullivan had threatened innocent lives and had kidnapped Do Yeon, some level of frustration was more than understandable. But having Choi Kang shoot Sullivan, even when Sullivan expressed his regret of not exposing the corruption seemed irrational. If anything, Choi Kang could have been the one to look more into it. Throughout the drama, he was on his way to unveil the crime and corruption among the Ministry of Defence, so him doing that to Sullivan felt too exaggerated and out of character.

All in all, Heroes Next Door was a brilliant action comedy that it's easily digestible and entertaining. It's very underrated and although it's not extraordinary, it could offer something lighthearted and thrilling to watch. I am very happy for not missing it out and if there's a possibility for a second season, you better believe I'll tune in.

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Good action scenes cannot make up for lackluster story and characterization

Before I'll elaborate any further on this drama, keep in mind that this is NOT a spoiler free review. Proceed with caution. Also, I want to apologize in advance for my poor English, it's not my first language so I'm sorry if I repeat myself or if my opinion is not clear. Feel free to ask any questions.

I got introduced to Kim Nam-Gil in Through The Darkness, which became one of my most favourite kdramas, while I first saw Kim Young-Kwang in Evilive (which I haven't finished but I'll watch it again). Both of them were great in their series so when I learned that they would be the main leads to a new thriller, you can imagine my excitement.

I LOVE thrillers. Give me a good and gripping plot with well-written characters and my money is yours. The premise of Trigger, albeit common and not that groundbreaking, caught my interest immediately. As someone who lives in a gun-free country (Greece), I cannot even fathom what would happen if people got handed guns like sweets. I was very curious to see how the series would explore this matter and based on what I had heard, I expected an intense action-packed thriller, with psychological and philosophical aspects.

Alas, I soon realized that I should had lowered my expectations.

First of all, the plot as a whole was A MESS. We have the main story between the main leads, Lee Do and Moon Baek and then other subplots that are connected to the whole gun flood. Which is totally logical. They needed to show different people who chose to "pull the trigger" under different circumstances. A mentally unstable student, a man charged with sexual assault, a wronged mother, a bullied kid, gangsters...But the problem is that due to the changes regarding the settings and the characters, the pacing became inconsistent. One moment, your attention would be focused on these characters and then the story would shift to that character, then another etc.

At one point, all of that felt pointless. The most unnecessary subplot was definitely the one regarding the gangsters, who found themselves tied to the organization that provided the guns. Too much screen time was wasted on them when they could have used for more efficient parts of the story or better character development. Because of the many different stories and characters, most of the mini arcs fell rather flat and the characters' emotions and struggles were explored in a superficial way.

The best subplots were the one with the mother (Oh Kyeong-Suk) who sought justice for her dead son, the bullied kid (Park Gyu-jin) who wanted to defend himself against his bullies and Lee Do's chief (Cho Hyun-Sik) who wanted to avenge his daughter who had committed suicide because of scammers. I actually cared about these people and I caught myself thinking about how emotions and difficult circumstances can influence our judgement.

The action scenes were one of the better parts of the series. The fighting sequences were intense and fun to watch, watching Lee Do and Moon Baek fighting and shooting was really entertaining and I had a blast. On episode 6 (one of the best by the way), the school shooting part had me at the edge of my seat. I was so anxious to see what would happen.

But good action scenes cannot make up for a lackluster story. Yes, it was cool seeing Lee Do soloing all of these criminals and thugs but I wanted something more. I wanted more exploration regarding people's psychology and despair which leads them to violence. I wanted to see more of the ethical aspects regarding guns and their use for self-defense and justice. At the drama, Lee Do got suspended for killing the sexual offender, even though he did it in order to defend other police officers. And yet we never saw how that affected the public's opinion. It would be a great opportunity to see the common mind being divided into two categories, the ones defending his action because he is a police officer and he had to kill a criminal and the others who would see that as an act of power. But that never happened.

Another aspect that was flat was the characterisation. The main leads were obviously the characters we spend more time with and yet even them were underutilized. And I say that as someone who overall enjoyed watching them (either as a duo or separately). Both actors did a great job at portraying them, Kim Nam-Gil conveyed Lee Do's soft yet ruthless character while Kim Young-Kwang killed it with Moon Baek. The acting saved the characters for me because the writing, on the other hand, was disappointing.

Lee Do was pretty complex. As a child, he saw his family getting killed and later, he had the chance to kill the murderer by pulling the trigger of a gun. But Cho Hyun-Sik stopped him. That event played a tool on his character and shaped his own ideology. When he served in the military as a sniper, the weight of the people he had killed haunted him and he joined the police as a detective to help the public without having to use a gun (I'm not going to comment on that). But in the drama he had to use a gun to take another life (the sex offender's) in order to save another one. His actions came in contrast to his believes but the series barely touched his inner conflict and it didn't explore his trauma that much. At the end, Moon Baek called him out for that and that was it. In addition, I don't think that his trauma was handled that great. In Through The Darkness, Nam-Gil's character had more depth and we saw how his traumatic experiences and the weight of dealing with all of these criminals got the best of him. In Trigger, we didn't get to see it a lot. His character remains complex but on a surface level mostly.

Speaking of Lee Do, I'm sorry but his plot armour became too ridiculous. I could excuse the fact that common citizens like the mentally ill student or the sex offender couldn't hit him with weapons. I could excuse him being able to take down whole groups of thugs who were armed with knives. But taking down Moon Baek's guards who held guns while recovering from his injuries? Having people shoot at him from many places without hitting him not even once? Unbelievable. And yes, this is an action series we're talking about, of course realism is not the priority here. But so many things were over the top to the point I couldn't take them seriously.

And now, Moon Daek. A wasted potential of a villain. He had a tough childhood: being raised from people involved in child trafficking, having his eye ripped off, getting sent to US only to end up at the hands of another child trafficking organization...Of course he would want to seek revenge and it's logical that he grew up to believe that violence is the key for justice and vengeance. But the way he was written was superficial.

For the majority of the series, he was either behaving like an energetic puppy (before his reveal) and then he settled at serving face and smugness. Which was fine by me, I still enjoyed him but I wanted more. We saw that he is meticulous and dangerous but his character wasn't given more depth. If anything, the way he explained his motive was ridiculous which again, makes sense, his sense of justice is kinda ridiculous in the first place but since he was supposed to mirror Lee Do, he should have been written better. After the reveal, the writing for his character felt lazy.

The ending was just all over the place. In the last two episodes everything was happening too fast and the final climax was not a satisfactory pay-off after all of this buildup. Some of the side characters were not provided a good conclusion either. Like, what happened with Gyu-jin and his bullies? Was Oh Kyeong-Suk arrested for killing the politician? The ending was wrapped up too roughly and at this point, I really hope that a second season will be made.

Even though the premise of a society where everyone can get to hold a gun is not groundbreaking, the questions that arise about this matter could be great food for thought. To what extent can people have the freedom of self-defense and how much does it require to be pushed off their limits in order to snap? The series tried to explore these themes but it did it very superficially. Instead of focusing on the action, it should have focused more on the political and psychological part. The first two episodes had this direction and the rest should have been the same. We wasted too much time on side characters, of "telling and not showing" and in the end, I don't think that the goal was achieved.

All in all, I do not regret watching Trigger. It's by no means a terrible drama and I would strongly recommend it to fans of action and thrillers. But if you expect a deeper exploration of guns violence and justice, you might be disappointed. I think that a second season is possible to happen since the organization responsible for the guns trafficking is still on-going and since we didn't actually see Moon Baek get killed. So let's hope for that because that ending was not worth it.

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Important messages but with lackluster execution

When I started watching Typhoon Family, I was initially hooked by its premise. I am a big fan of media that cover real events and ever since I got into kdramas, I've been interested to learn more about Korean society. As someone who comes from a country (Greece) that had experienced a big crisis a decade ago, I was immediately pulled by Typhoon Family's plot, which centered around the IMF crisis in the 1990s.

The first episodes were engaging and gave me everything I needed in order to keep watching. We got introduced to Typhoon Trading, its employees and Kang Tae Poong, the main character who's the son of Typhoon Trading's CEO, Kang Ji Yeong. As tragedy hits the Kang family after Ji Yeong's death and the declaration of the IMF crisis, Tae Poong must learn to navigate through life and provide for his family. In order to do so, he becomes the CEO of his father's company. And this, his journey begins.

Tae Poong was an interesting character, one who won me over from the moment he got introduced. From very early on, the writers had established his contrasting personality: although he appeared to be a playboy and reckless person, he was very sensitive and he cared about his family. He had inherited a passion for flowers from his father and he owned his own greenhouse of flowers, which he wanted to share with his father. But death came soon and Tae Poong had to move quickly.

I liked how the drama showed him taking action immediately after his father's death. Tae Poong might have appeared to be hot-aired but the moment the circumstances required it, he took responsibility and acknowledged his duties as a son and as the future Typhoon Trading's CEO. He wasn't the cliche main character who starts off as a jerk and warms up later. He was always kind hearted and he always cared about his closed ones.

Throughout the whole series, Tae Poong undergoes lots of trouble. While trying to find his footing in the company, his plans weren't very successful and he suffered great loses. But his loss made his determination stronger. He didn't give up and he always found a way to save the day with one way or another. His resilience and optimism were inspiring and made me root for him to succeed.

Mi Seon made for an equally interesting female lead. Her quiet yet determined nature made me love her from the beginning. She was clever, competent and she was always there to help Tae Poong and the company. Her loyalty towards Tae Poong's father and Typhoon Trading in general was so compelling, I could feel her desperation to save the company and how seriously she treated her duties. It was touching to see her care so much for those around her but at the same time, watching her neglecting her own dreams and bury her feelings broke my heart. She was a giver and a protector who provided for everyone except herself. Her development was so pivotal because she needed to learn not only to stand up for herself but be more open about her own wants to.

Alongside Tae Poong and Mi Seon, the rest of the characters shined as well. I love character driven stories and for the most part, Typhoon Family did not disappoint in that aspect. Although the main plot revolved around Tae Poong and Mi Seon, the secondary characters quickly became the heart of the show and I always looked forward to their scenes. Their relationships and heartfelt moments made my heart melt and I became very attached to my found family.

One of my most favourite secondary characters was Tae Poong's mom. I am so happy that she wasn't portrayed as a stereotypical strict and abusive mom, the type we usually see in kdramas. She might not have had a business-like mind like her husband or son but she was equally strong. Her development was so good to see. She saw her life crumble before her eyes and she needed to say goodbye to her old lifestyle. She had to work for the first time in order to survive and she had to share a house with strangers, once she and Tae Poong went to live with Mi Seon's family. But despite all that, she remained strong and kind.

I adored her interactions with Mi Seon's family. Her bond with Beom and Mi Ho made me feel so warm, she became the mother figure they needed and she accepted them without a second thought. As for Tae Poong, I loved how she always supported him and cherished him. Tae Poong needed this type of support and love and she gave it to him.

Speaking of Mi Seon's family, they were one of my most favourite parts in the drama. The siblings relationship between Mi Seon, Be Om and Mi Ho was so realistic. I appreciate that the writers did not depict Mi Ho as the typical bratty younger sister. The two sisters couldn't have been more different and yet they cared about each other so much. Mi Ho did not want Mi Seon to sacrifice her own needs in order to help her and she wanted to contribute to the family instead of relying to others. Their teasing and playful bantering felt like a breath of fresh air and their moments added a more domestic tone to the story.

There were other characters that I enjoyed seeing, such as Nam Mi, Tae Poong's best friend and Typhoon Trading's employees. All of them had to fight their own demons amid the crisis and I couldn't help but root for them. Not everyone was perfect and I understand that not all viewers would be able to sympathize with everyone.

The most prominent example is Ma Jin, who was misogynistic and diminishing towards Mi Seon during the Thailand episodes. A product of his time, Ma Jin felt insecure seeing Mi Seon handling all these trades and he projected his insecurities in his words and behavior. And yet, the series showed him learning from his mistakes and becoming a better person.

Through the characters' lives, we viewers got exposed to the hardships during this era. We see them getting deceived, beaten down, feeling desperate and lost. Everyone had their own demons to fight. But despite everything, there was always a small light of hope. With each loss, came a small win. Dealing with the hardships together, the characters came closer together and became something more than a simple team - they became a family. The drama highlighted the importance of human companionship and it showed that when we stick together, we are bound to overcame most of our problems.

Although I am not a huge fan of romance oriented stories, I found the romance in Typhoon Family to be well-crafted. Tae Poong and Mi Seon's development was nice and it felt natural thanks to the actors. Both of them complimented each other and played a fundamental role in each other's growth. While Mi Seon guided Tae Poong during his first steps as a CEO and helped his with the trades, Tae Poong brought a light into Mi Seon's life with his playful jokes and his acts of service. Watching him acting like a puppy around her was so funny and charming. They were different and yet they fit together perfectly. In other words: they became each one's cosmos.

The secondary couple, Mi Ho and Nam Mi, managed to steal my heart. Their relationship progressed faster compared to Tae Poong and Mi Seon and yet even with their brief scenes, they made me care so much about them. They cared about each other in their own way and although they started as a typical, young couple, they matured and grew alongside their love.

Of course the characters would have never been able to come to life without the performances from the actors. This was my first time watching a Lee Jun Ho and Kim Min Ha drama and it certainly won't be my last. Jun Ho was very charismatic, he embodied all Tae Poong's traits effortlessly and he delivered a very good performance. He showcased a variety of emotions and he perfectly encapsulated Tae Poong's kindness and determination.

Kim Min Ha on the other hand was equally great, I loved the way she used her eyes to convey Mi Seon's emotions and how she carried herself. She was very good in some emotionally heavy scenes too. The scene where Mi Seon finally broke down brought tears to my eyes, Kim Min Ha delivered a moving performance, one that certified my interest to her.

I appreciated the ode to the '90s and how accurate the whole setting was. The songs, the clothes, the buildings, everything was so accurate to this period. I loved the usage of Korean songs from this decade, needless to say my playlist got updated with many new songs (I'm still jamming out Black Cat Nero). You could tell that the budget was high in order to bring us back to the times of the crisis and the effort they put was clear enough.

I also liked the colour grading, it was mundane and vibrant at the same time, perfectly capturing the contrasting vibes and emotions throughout the series. The cinematography was equally well-made and there were many beautiful shots in every episode.

The soundtrack was another good aspect. It was cheerful, nostalgic and hopeful. It perfectly captured the emotions of the drama. Lee Jun Ho did an excellent job delivering it, he was the perfect choice and his voice was really pleasant to listen to in the background.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I was initially very excited for this series. The first episodes delivered everything I was expecting and some more which motivated me to keep watching. I had very high hopes and I started preparing myself for declaring Typhoon Family one of the best kdramas I would have watched this year.

Alas, my hopes crashed just like Typhoon Trading.

The first half of the series, especially the first episodes were very good. The series focused on Tae Poong and his journey as a CEO but at the same time, it brought light to the events that happened during the crisis and how they'd affect Koreans. The drama combined optimism and reality and it gave us many emotional moments that reflected the state of South Korea during IMF crisis.

Unfortunately, the second half felt like a totally different drama. The more the story progressed, the more I felt it started to lose its humane touch. The plot became too repetitive and formulaic to the point I was less engaged to it. I continued watching the drama but without the enthusiasm of the first episodes.

One of the biggest issues I had with the writing was the way the plot was handled. It started following the same pattern over and over again: Tae Poong would land a trading deal, Pyo family would create a scheme or something random would happen and the business wouldn't go smooth and Tae Poong would find a solution, even if it wouldn't be enough. It's understandable that the writer would create all of these problems. South Korea was under a crisis, therefore it was expected that the drama would highlight the hardships the heroes had to face. My issue wasn't that. However, if you want to create problems in order to establish the ground for further development, you ought to do it better.

The drama was about the crisis, therefore there was no need to rely on the villains' schemings in order to make the characters' lives more difficult. The problems should have been related to the crisis, not two boring villains and random exterior forces. By doing so, the story lost its dramatic tone. I no longer felt anxiety, instead I started becoming fed up and wish to be done with it once and for all. The escalation of the events became too over dramatic, instead of watching a well rounded story, it was as if I was watching a soap opera. The plot became boring and it dragged for so long, although I didn't heavily dislike Typhoon Family, it became a chore to resume watching it.

I want to address the elephant in the room and clarify that the problems themselves weren't bad. The problem was the villains who caused these problems. As many people have already said, the Pyos were one of the weakest links in the series. Instead of making them intimidating and engaging, they were like caricatures, whose sole purpose was to make Tae Poong's life miserable.

Pyo Hyun Jun is by far one of the worst villains I've encountered so far in terms of writing. There were barely any remarkable qualities about his character. He cameacross as a mere brat who antagonized Tae Poong and who was obsessed with bringing him down. It's such a pity that his character got to waste because the writer's intentions in making him more complex were promising.

Hyun Jun could have made for an interesting complex villain. Throughout his whole, it was implied that he lived under Tae Poong's shadow. Tae Poong had everything: loving parents, money, admirers, friends. Hyun Jun was jealous of that and his jealousy shaped up his insecurities. On top of that, he constantly tried to prove his worth to his father, Pyo Bak Ho and earn his approval. His father's dismissal was a catalyst for Hyun Jin's downfall but in the end, he was very underwhelming simply because the writer didn't invest in his character.

Pyo Bak Ho was equally bland and uninteresting to watch. The secrecy between his connection to Tae Poong's father and the source for his motive to get Typhoon Trading became too tiring and dragged the plot. His character could have also been written better but just like his son, he came across as too one-dimensional.

When it came to the writing, another issue was the inability to establish a proper tone. There were some shifts among the scenes that ruined their emotional impact. An example I can think of is the moment when Tae Poong's mom decides to donate her wedding ring. It was an emotional scene, one that almost brought tears to my eyes but the impact was quickly lost because not long after, a comedic scene followed. The writer seemed to struggle with this aspect and thus, I failed to feel moved during some scenes.

Another complaint of mine was the writing of the secondary characters - or actually, its lack thereof. During the first half, although Tae Poong and Mi Seon were mostly the center of attention, the drama gave other opportunities to the rest of characters to shine and showcase their interactions. After the first half, we were getting fewer and fewer scenes of them. At one point, we stopped getting scenes between Tae Poong and his mom or Mi Seon and her family, which robbed us of some quality moments between the families.

I am aware of the difficulty that comes with tackling so many different characters simultaneously. Since this was the writer's first major project, I'm willing to cut her some slack. Even though I respect the ambiguous attempt, the result remained underwhelming. It would have been much better if we had seen more of the development of the secondary characters and if we had more balance between them and the main pair. Some of their scenes in the later half felt like fillers instead of vital moments to push the story further and it pains me so much to write this.

There were so many missed opportunities regarding the personal growth of the characters. I loved Tae Poong's mom and her kind and loving personality but it was as if that was her whole personality. The first episodes had done an excellent job portraying her struggling with adapting to a new lifestyle and having a job to provide for her family. I wish we had gotten to see more of that aspect, it would have been nice to see her balancing her new life as a caretaker and an employed woman.

Despite its flaws, Typhoon Family remained an intriguing drama. It deals with a heavy topic but it reminds us that after dark times, we will always be able to see the rainbow. Typhoon Family wasn't a story about the growth of a business. It was about human relationships, community and love. It's about not giving up and trying to survive even when life beats you down. It's about finding the beauty among those whom we cherish and (most importantly) inside ourselves.

All our flowers are here.

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A MESS

If I'll have to summarize this drama in one word, that would be MESS.

When I saw people posting about Twelve, I was initially very intrigued. The concept of the zodiac angels living like humans while trying to regain their powers was very interesting and unique. I love fantasy and mythology so I decided to watch the drama from the day it started airing.

Looking back at it, I almost want to laugh at my excitement and curiosity.

The first two episodes were lukewarm to say the least. The plot didn't seem as interesting as I had expected and the characterisation wasn't engaging enough for me to care about the characters. Still, I decided to remain optimistic. It was only the beginning and the story needed more time to unfold properly. Although Twelve didn't have the strongest beginning, I still had hopes because the story had some interesting traits and I believed that as the series would go by, it would improve.

Alas, the show just went downhill and crashed harder than the Titanic.

The first red flag which indicated that this would be an unpleasant journey was the fighting scenes. Let me tell you that when I watched Tae San fighting these thugs for the first time, I was baffled. Messy choreography. Weird angles. Tacky editing. I felt like I was watching a project made by amateurs and let me tell you that I've seen fanmade videos on YouTube about different franchises that put Twelve to shame.

When you describe your drama as action heavy, one would expect something better than these chops of fighting scenes. There were times when it was so painfully obvious that the actors did not hit each other, it was honestly so laughable how unconvincing it was. And don't get me started on the bad guys getting beaten one by one, waiting for their turn patiently instead of attacking together.

The direction and production added more salt to the wound. There were times when I almost wondered if the showrunners were mocking us and if I was part of a social experiment. At least that would made a more interesting plot than the one we had. I am confident that all the budget went to the actors and the rest received dust. There's no other way to explain what I saw on my screen.

First and foremost, the costumes they showed in the flashbacks were absolutely tragic. For a fantasy series, they didn't even bother try out more effort and creativity in the clothes. I've seen cosplayers with much better attires and with clothes that do not look like cheap Shein products. The armors were so bad, the clothes were so mismatched and the wigs were so comical to look at. During some more serious scenes I just couldn't take the characters seriously because of the way they looked. The most prominent example is the scene where the 8 angels mourn the death of the other four. Aside from the bad editing, I couldn't bring myself to care and instead of focusing on the heaviness of this moment, I had to surpass my laughter every time the camera would focus on one of the Angels in these ridiculous costumes. The CGI, albeit not horrible in some parts, left some things to be desired. O Gwi's wings could have definitely be better, they looked bizarre sometimes, especially when he used them to fight.

The lack of a powerful and epic OST was another element that failed to elevate the emotional impact of Twelve. You need a good soundtrack in order to create emotions and Twelve failed to provide us with anything memorable. I'm currently watching The Untamed so I feel spoiled because every episode cause euphoria in my ears so the discrepancy between this and Twelve is very funny. There is a scene where Tae San opens Hellmouth and the background music is a hip hop track. What are we even trying to do?

When we're talking about fantasy, the visuals play a fundamental role in order to establish your setting and magic system. But I was willing to cut them some slack. Some fantasy series might not have the best effects but at least they offer an interesting script.

In Twelve's case, the story was even worse.

When you're making a drama with 8 episodes, one would expect more straightforward storytelling. With short dramas, you cannot afford to waste time. But it's clear that the budget was cut short because neither the story nor the characters delivered what was promised.

It's a serious crime to create a fantasy universe and put barely any effort to expand it. We are thrusted into this world as if we have any prior knowledge about it. Aside from the small intro from Episode 1 and some information via poor dialogues and awkward flashbacks, we never really get to learn many significant things regarding the Angels and God. And what about the Angel's identities? I had to read the description of the actors from my drama list in order to understand which Angel represented each animal. Aside from the most obvious ones (Tiger, Pig, Monkey, Snake, Dragon) the rest weren't that clear. Had I not read the information, I would be stuck trying to figure out the animals Mal Sook and Jwi Dol were supposed to be.

Aside from the poor world-building, I'm still trying to understand the reason why the series was called Twelve when four angels remained dead for the most part. If you wanted to create a series about the twelve zodiac signs, you should at least give information about all the angels and integrate them into the story. Had we seen more of the four angels and how they contributed to humanity's safety, it would have made more sense and it would have added more depth in the dynamic among the Angels. Such thing never happened and instead we basically got deceived.

The structure of the story killed every remaining possibilities of development. Everything felt so hectic and not in a good way. The pacing was painfully slow, sometimes it was as if time had stopped. I have no problem with slow-paced dramas, some of my most favourite series are actually slow-paced (Beyond Evil, Through The Darkness, Black Out). However, in these shows the pacing was necessary in order to explore the characters and the story and prepare for the built-up. In Twelve, that simply never happened. There was no deeper exploration regarding the characters, the story remained monotonous and the payoff was definitely not worth it.

The editing contributed to the amateur image of the show. Was there even an editor in the first place? I seriously doubt that. They left so many unnecessary moments uncut. Some scenes dragged so much, they felt like they lasted for hours and hours. Give me one reason why it was necessary, according to the director, to show every single Angel's reaction when something significant happened.

The four angels die? Zoom into every Angel's face and show their reactions. One by one.

Tae San arrives during a dangerous situation? Make each Angel exclaim "Tae San". One.by.one.

The Angels are fighting enemies or getting beaten? Show them fighting. ONE.BY.ONE.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA!? At one point I started taking guesses about the order of the Angels' appearances! Moments like these are the reason why the pacing was so off. We wasted too much time in insignificant scenes instead of using it for more meaningful storytelling.

The usage of flashbacks killed even the few hyped moments in the series. They were so random and the majority of them did not even contribute anything to the plot. Instead of using them meticulously in order to give further information without ruining the pacing, the writers put them in the most bizarre moments. For example, Episode 3 ends with a flashback which came after.a.supposedly.dramatic.moment. They could have chosen to end the episode then but nope, they had to ruin the mood with this good-for-nothing throwback.

I cringed so hard when the series tried to become comedic. It was so painful to witness all of these attempts to add some funny elements. As if it wasn't enough to sit through this wannabe epic fantasy tale, they tortured me with poorly written humor too. Let me tell you that I laughed harder at the scenes the writers did not intend to make funny. I wasn't like with them, I was laughing AT them.

And now the characters. Oh boy, where to begin? To put it frankly: I gave zero f*cks about them. It appears that the writers would take it for granted that the viewers would sympathize with the Angels simply because they were the good guys who had been wronged by humans. Surprise surprise, this is not enough. When the writers do not bother to put any effort in the characterisation, I am not obligated to side with the heroes. I couldn't bring myself to feel anything about these people. They didn't even have proper personalities. Some of them had interesting traits but they were never utilized. A pity if you ask me, especially since they are supposed to represent the zodiac signs so there were many opportunities to incorporate that in their personalities.

Among the Angels, the one who was highlighted a lot was Tae San, portrayed by Ma Song Seok. Which makes sense considering he was involved in the writing process too. Too bad he couldn't invest in his character. Tae San was supposed to be this sympathetic leader who has fallen into depression after the tragedies he has experienced and yet I couldn't bring myself to care. Not in the slightest. The writing of his character was so messy, instead of coming across as badass and yet vulnerable, he became comedic. Instead of having so many scenes about him or his interactions with the grandma, the screen time should have been shared among the rest of the Angels in order to flesh out their characters just a little bit.

The story tried very hard to convince me that the Angels are a family. I'm sorry but I was never sold. Whether it was the acting or writing, the chemistry among the Angels was bland and barely existant. They never gave me the vibe of a family that tried to stick together and help each other. It was like watching a bunch of coworkers. Instead of showcasing their bond more through actions, the writers tried to sell it via poorly written scenes. The worst part was the scenes with the characters having discussions while eating. They failed so much to capture the domestic feeling.

The only characters which managed to capture my interest even a little were Won Seung, Mirr and O Gwi. Won Seung was fun to look at and I was curious to see if his character would have been explored more considering he was marketed as one of the main ones (spoiler alert: he didn't receive any development). Mirr and O Gwi seemed to have interesting backstories and I wanted to learn more about them. But of course the poor writing had to ruin everything.

Can someone give me one good explanation about why Mirr was written as such a weak Angel? She was supposed to be the only one to retain her powers and yet she struggled more against the bad guys. I swear to God, for the majority of the series she was either sleeping or she was a damsel in distress. Shebarelt had any personality. I feel sad for sounding so harsh but unfortunately this is the plain truth.

O Gwi was one of the biggest letdowns. I tried to remain hopeful and believe that we would see more of him but once again, I was deceived. It's so funny how hard they tried to market him as the main threat for the Angels, only for him to barely have any significant scenes in the first episodes and then be turned into a wannabe misunderstood antihero. There were so many layers that could have been explored but clearly the writers did not care. We learned almost NOTHING regarding his backstory and his motives were presented in such a superficial way.

When the plot is not plotting, what is the best solution in order to make it more interesting? You guessed it: romance. And which characters did the writers decide to pair together? Of course the heroine with the villain, Mirr and O Gwi. The problem is that when you're writing romance, you ought to make it believable. I'm sorry but Mirr and O Gwi gotta be one of the most fraud couples in the history of kdramas. They barely had any meaningful interactions. The one kiss we got cannot even be described as a proper kiss with the way it was filmed. Tell me, why should I care about them and their story when the writers did not bother to explore it? "Oh, but you don't understand, it's a tragic love story and they wanted to be together even though everything was against them and..." AND NOTHING. You cannot write a romance in such a shallow way and expect me to care. You are not writing tropes. You are writing a love story. We never learned how they met each other. We never saw them interacting as a proper couple. We got a shitty montage of some of their happy moments as if it came straight out from a fan made YouTube video from the 2010s. And last but not least regarding this subplot: I apologize, but the actors did not have chemistry. I'm sure that both Park Hyung Sik and Lee Joo Bin are good actors but they were unable to sell the chemistry between them. Their interactions seemed so wooden. I know that this is partially fault of the writing but something was off with the actors too.

I feel so grateful for not being a fan of any of the actors prior watching the series. Had I been a fan, I would have built higher expectations regarding their screen time and characters, whereas I went blindly into the series and spared myself from a bigger disappointment. I am desperate to learn about the actors' paycheck. Did they read the script before signing up for it? Were they happy with the final results? If I were them, I would have stormed out the setting the moment they'd make me wear one of these poor excuses of wigs. It's such a pity that their talent got wasted in this mess of a show.

The acting was not horrible. But it was poor because the writing itself was poor. The actors did not have many opportunities to showcase their range more and their performances came across as awkward. The delivery of some lines was unconvincing, it was as if the actors themselves couldn't feel the characters or the story. The only moment throughout the drama where an actor delivered a performance with some emotional impact was on Episode 6 when Won Seung mourned the death of a particular character. Kudos to Seo In Guk. The rest of the actors were unable to showcase their full potential but that is the fault of the script. Park Hyung Sik carried the character of O Gwi on his shoulders but even he wasn't enough to save this mess of a plot.

At sixth grade, me and two of my friends made a short film for an English project. Our amateur movie, filmed by my dad's phone and edited from a free computer app was more consistent and entertaining than Twelve. Whatever it was supposed to deliver, it simply didn't. I didn't want to drop it because I am the type of person who refuses to give up on series but I am so happy it was 8 episodes only. I am very sad that such an interesting concept got wasted on such a lackluster execution and I hope that none of my favourite actors will get to work with these writers and director.

A message to kdrama producers: good casting does not guarantee good writing and good numbers. Audiences are not as naive as you think. If they realise that what they're watching is poorly made, they will give up. That explains the reason why viewership plummeted after the first two episodes. May this be a lesson to everyone, viewers and creators.

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Thrilling, engaging with potential for more

The Manipulated is one of the most engaging thrillers I've watched this year. I got intrigued by the plot and although I wasn't familiar with the movie, I decided to give the drama a try. I am a sucker for a good revenge story so it seemed that this drama appealed to me.

The first episodes worked as a set up for Tae Joong's character. Unlike other thrillers that start with the action part right away, The Manipulated took its time in order to establish the main character and his background. I found the first two episodes to be some of the best ones in the whole series. The portrayal of Tae Joong's psychological trauma in the prison and his bond with Yong Sik added more sentimental layers to his character, which made it easier to root for him.

The action scenes were thrilling to say the least. The cinematography and editing added more tension and the soundtrack enhanced the epic vibes. If one enjoys action packed dramas, The Manipulated will certainly not disappoint you. The action aspect was so exciting and my eyes were glued on the screen in order not to miss anything.

The makers did a good job highlighting the different fighting styles of the main leads. Tae Joong's wasn't that polished since he wasn't a trained fighter and had no experience with the crime world prior getting imprisoned. Yo Han, on the other hand, was lethal and yet fascinating. He didn't get involved in fighting all the time but even the few scenes we got showcased how dangerous he truly was. He carried himself with ease and he handled his weapons like it was a second nature for him. Tae Joong relied on his environment and followed a street-like fighting style and unlike Yo Han, he never aimed at killing his opponents, even if he had the chance to do so. These differences made me even more hyped for their final clash.

Tae Joong was an interesting main character, one whom you couldn't help but pity. He had lost everything, from his friends and family to his freedom and yet he remained resilient and kindhearted. Throughout the series, we see him getting involved in more fights and dark activities but his humanity remains intact. I especially appreciated his bond with Yong Sik, who was his rock of support in prison and who helped him once he got out. Their scenes brought a feeling of calmness and their soft interactions made me feel cathartic. They worked as a reminder of Tae Joong's past self: an innocent, kind man who cherished the people he loved.

On the other hand, Yo Han couldn't have been more different. He didn't feel love like Tae Joong or even if he did, he expressed it with cruelty. Yo Han was cunning, charismatic and intelligent. He toyed with people, innocent and guilty ones and fabricated the perfect lie. He cared for no one but himself and the only person who got to experience his love (even in its cruel form) was his nanny. The way he calculated and predicted everything made me feel both captivated and fearful. He was the perfect rival for Tae Joong and an interesting villain in general.

While this type of psychopath villains who are bad for the sake of being bad are a hit or miss for me, Yo Han was a character who I wanted to analyse more, just to grasp even the smallest hint of his philosophy. I liked the moments when his collective and calm persona would crumble and he would succumb to anger outbursts. He always seemed so untouchable and yet he would act like a spoiled kid who didn't receive its Christmas present if things didn't go the way he wanted to. Some people have voiced their dislike for his childlike traits but in my opinion, these traits worked for his character.

I liked how the plot framed the cat-and-mouse game between Tae Joong and Yo Han. Two men who are polar opposites and who are connected in such a cruel way. Yo Han's schemings against Tae Joong intensified their rivalry and had me wondering how Tae Joong would have been able to take him down.

Watching Yo Han manipulating Tae Joong reminded me of how some predators will toy with their prey. For him, Tae Joong became something more than an "avatar" to utilize in order to save his client's life. Tae Joong was a constant enigma. How could he retain his kindness after the hell he had been through? How could he still have the support of many people, even after being labeled as a criminal? For someone like Yo Han, who was incapable of grasping the concert of empathy and kindness, Tae Joong was a puzzle to solve - and shape however he wanted to.

A big chunk of The Manipulated's success derives from the main leads' acting and chemistry. This was my first time watching a Lee Chang Wook drama and it's safe to say it won't be the last. He was perfect for the role of Tae Joong and his performance humanized Tae Joong. His eyes conveyed Tae Joong's sorrow and tiredness, you could tell how exhausted he had been and how much he clung even to the smallest possibility of proving his innocence. He was stern but not bland and he certainly proved his reputation as a capable actor.

I was beyond surprised to learn that Doh Kyung Soo is a member of the kpop group EXO. I am not familiar with their songs but I know them and I didn't expect to see one of their members in a lead role. It goes without saying that Kyung Soo delivered a captivating performance. He carried his character with ease and embodied his troublesome mind and complex emotions convincingly. Kyung Soo made me feel like I was watching a bomb ready to be set off. The tone of his voice, his expressions, his body language, everything highlighted Yo Han's deranged and unpredictable personality.

The rest of the actors also did a good job with what they were given. The prisoners were interesting to watch, especially Deok Su. Yang Dong Eun whom I saw in Squid Game, was great in this dark role. Lee Kwang Soo also did an excellent job as Baek Do Gyung, the person who used Tae Joong in order to avoid prison. I hated his character so much but at the same time, his vendetta against Yo Han was fun to watch.

I wish I could say that I liked the story until the very end. The first episodes were an amazing set up and I expected the rest to follow the same route. But the more the story escalated, the more puzzled I felt about the writing.

The Manipulated tried to differ compared to other revenge kdramas. Instead of making the hero's need for revenge his sole purpose, the writers tried to give Tae Joong more personality. I really appreciated the psychological aspect but as the story went on, it felt like their attempt to explore Tae Joong's personality got neglected. I would have liked to see more flashbacks of his hitherto happy life and I would have liked to see more interactions between him and his friends. We saw them assisting him in the finale but we never got to see them reuniting, even though it was shown in bit parts that they remained loyal to him. There were opportunities to showcase his personality even more and although I'm happy with what we got, they could have been more.

After the fifth or sixth episode, I got the impression that the pacing was inconsistent. While the episodes remained engaging, some scenes felt like fillers. Some subplots were interesting and some others weren't that much. The writers wanted to do many things in just 12 episodes to the point the writing didn't feel as fleshed out as it previously was. Revenge, corruption, kinship, all of these themes were more than interesting but they couldn't be developed properly alongside the main story.

There was an endeavor to include more heartfelt moments between Yong Sik and his daughter but by the time Eun Bi had gotten introduced, it was too late to create a strong emotional relationship between them. Of course I felt for them and I was rooting for their reconciliation but the drama didn't leave much room for their relationship to develop properly. I genuinely wanted to see more of them but their interactions weren't enough in order to get more emotionally invested. The moment when Yong Sik was about to sacrifice his life, sad as it was, failed to move me simply because we hadn't gotten much time with these characters and their past. Even their backstory wasn't presented in the best way.

Speaking of backstories, I really wish we had gotten a few flashbacks from Yo Han's past. This tell-and-don't-show method didn't contribute a lot. I'm not saying that he needed a sob story. But it was underwhelming to see his backstory being given in more dialogues.

The ending left me with a lukewarm reaction. I was happy for Tae Joong but I wasn't thrilled by the way we had reached the conclusion. The last two episodes felt too overpacked, they wanted to cram everything together to the point the story became rushed. Tae Joong and Yo Han's final confrontation could have also been handled better, especially Yo Han's downfall. I totally understand the way it was done but personally, I wanted more. We wasted too much time on secondary villains while the writers could have developed the main leads' clashing ideologies and have them spend more time together in the finale.

All in all, The Manipulated was an entertaining thriller which left some things to be desired. I was happy for getting introduced to these actors and although it didn't become a favourite of mine, it was a drama I do not regret watching and which I recommend to those who seek action and thrill.

Beware for the truth might not be what you see.

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Laughing through political chaos

Isn't it fascinating when a movie ends up becoming one of your most favourites, despite having zero expectations prior watching it? That's Good News to me, for it has become one of the best movies I've watched this year.

Good News is about a hijacking story from 1970. Members of the the Red Army Faction hijacked a commercial aircraft and demanded that the flight be rerouted to Pyongyang. Japan, South Korea, and the US deploy several strategies in order to hijack a radio signal from the airplane. The main characters, "Nobody", a mysterious man and the South Korean Seo Go Myung, work for South Korea and they're trying to bring the airplane to their country.


Before I watched Good News, I didn't have a lot of expectations. I was interested to watch it after learning that Hong Kyung and Sul Kyung Gu were in it and the story seemed interesting enough. But apart from that, I went blindly into it. I didn't even watch the trailer and I overall had a very vague impression of the story. Looking back at it, I think I made the right decision.

On the surface, Good News might appear to be a typical Korean thriller based on real events. I was aware of the fact that the movie was based on a real hijacking event, therefore I expected it to be a sort of Hijack: 1981 film. But the film quickly proved me wrong in the best way possible.

I didn't foresee that instead of a serious, historical thriller I would watch a satirical political movie, with plenty of humor. The jokes were spot on and the dialogues and interactions between the characters added more layers to the absurd events. The comedy never felt forced and the jokes flew by smoothly. I genuinely did not expect to have as much fun as I did, I laughed so hard during some scenes to the point I could feel my abs burning!

What I really liked with this film is that it poked fun at everyone. No one was excluded from its sharp humor and satire, be it South or North Korea, Japan, US, communists, marxists etc. Instead of taking sides and making fun of a specific country or political ideology, Good News portrays each side in the most bizarre and laughable way. It was a very bold and daring approach but the writers pulled it off magnificently.

Comedy and history were blended together, resulting in an overall light-hearted movie. But the message never got lost in translation (figuratively and metaphorically). Through its excessive and witty humour, Good News' ultimate goal is to show the hypocrisy of politicians and make fun of their thirst for power. While the story is centered around a hijacking event, it's not the hijackers who get framed as the villains. Throughout the whole movie, we observe how agencies in South and North Korea and Japan move their pawns in order to benefit from the hijack. Politicians from both sides claim that the ultimate goal is to save the lives of the passengers. But underneath the surface, it becomes clear that their intentions are not as humanitarian as they seem.

Corruption, greed, lies, manipulation...These are only a few of the defying traits of people in power. We see how men in powerful positions try to infiltrate people's minds for their own benefit. In order to do so, they utilize three aspects, as stated by "Nobody": real events that happened, a little bit of creativity and the willingness to suspend disbelief. Once you give people something to be afraid of, things are bound to escalate rapidly. Fear, anger and mistrust are sufficient tools at the hands of politicians, especially if they want to ensure their power and influence.

Apart from the well-written script, the film had excellent cinematography and editing. There were many great transitions and the way some scenes were filled enhanced the comedic elements. I especially liked the scenes that took place in Go Myeong's imagination, they were so hilarious and I loved how they were made.

Of course a good story needs a good cast to elevate it. Good News is one of this type of movies where every actor nailed their roles. There wasn't a single moment where I thought that an actor had been a miscast, everyone did their part so well. The interactions between the characters never felt forced and all performances managed to leave a lingering impression on me, with one way or another.

I'll start with Sul Kyung Gu, whom I already knew from The Merciless, Kill Bok Soon, Mantis and Memoir of a murderer. Good News is the fourth project with the director Byun Sung Hyun and once again, Kyung Gu didn't disappoint. He was so good as the mysterious and quirky "Nobody". He carried himself with the required type of arrogance and cleverness. "Nobody" followed orders but he also set up his own rules. Despite his comedic parts, Kyung Gu's performance added more depths to his character through his body language and tone, especially after "Nobody" 's backstory became known. It was one of my most favourite Kyung Gu's roles and I always looked forward to see him.

Ryu Seung Bum was amazing as Park Sang Hyeon, the head of KCIA. He was charming, confident and meticulous. A politician who was after power and who didn't hesitate to manipulate other people, like Go Myung, in order to establish his dominance. Even though the character was unlikeable for the most part, both the writing and Seung Bum's performance made it impossible to look away when Sang Hyeon appeared on screen. It was fascinating watching him speak and act all so full of himself, as if he knew that he would eventually have his way around.

Another actor who caught my attention was Show Kasamaru as the leader of the Red Army Faction. He played the comedic parts very naturally and he was very charismatic. Despite his funny scenes, he was equally good in the more dramatic parts too, making the viewers sympathise a little with him or at least try to understand his goal.

Other remarkable performances were Kim Sung Oh's, who has started becoming one of my most favourite actors and Takayuki Yamada's. Both of them nailed their parts and they were very fun to look at. A very unexpected yet welcome surprise was Jeon Do Yeon's cameo, she ate the 10 minutes of screen time she had like a queen.

But the gem of this movie was undoubtedly Hong Kyung. I doubt that I can do justice to his performance by describing it in mere words. He was so versatile in this role. He didn't just portray Go Myung, he transformed into him. He was absolutely captivating in the funny parts but he was also excellent in the more dramatic scenes, especially during the final act. I could feel Go Myung's emotions pour out of Hong Kyung. His confusion andannoyance at "Nobody's" antics, his fear towards his superiors, his empathy towards the passengers and his desperation to save them, his ambition to be recognised. He was a very complex character who underwent a big development and to whom I became attached until the end of the film. All thanks to Hong Kyung's spectacular performance.

Good News is not just a movie that covers a hijacking event. It's a political comedy that reminds us of the hypocrisy of politicians. It's about following orders and taking matters into your own hands. Ambition over ethics. And above all, it's a reminder of all the untold heroes out there who will never get recognised for their contributions. By the end of the movie, I found myself in deep thoughts, thinking about all the "Nobodies" out there who offer their service to powerful people, only to see their names being ignored by history and letting others take the credit. How far are people willing to go in the name of duty and power? And at the end of the day, does it matter if you get recognised for your actions as long as you're helping others unconditionally? These are only some of the questions the film attempts to answer.

The only reason the film doesn't get a 10 is that during the middle part, there were some scenes that felt like fillers or that didn't kept me interested. Additionally, while the combination of humor and political commentary was done masterfully, I think that the film would have benefited even more from some more "serious" scenes, without any comedic interruptions. Nevertheless, the movie never lost its spark and until the last second, it had my undivided attention.

Good News is by far one of the best movies I've watched this year. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did and I certainly did not expect it to handle so many important topics regarding politics. I couldn't recommend it enough, even if you're not a fan of this genre allow yourselves to give it a try. You will not forget it.

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