Kathryn_51

Sang-ah looks happy in this photo - but it seems it was all an act by a premier actress. 😢 I'm thinking there are no happy endings for a single character in this drama.

MDL ratings really don't matter that much. It's #1 on Disney+ Korea and doing very well for the ENA Mon-Tues time slot.

Sneak Peek Ep. 5.

Jung-uk tries to avoid a phone call from Tae-seop who learns that it is The Chairman's birthday. Tae-seop says he is headed there (not sure where from the auto translate) but says that he has been holding a "card" for the right time and it is "The Joker". Presumably the Chairman's connection to the assassination of Oh Kwang-jae, but I still think the real culprit was Yang-mi.

https://x.com/Kent_Updates/status/2037370785808236867

Who ever is was, hope they were banned.

@Tia wasn't fighting - she merely commented. This whole thread should be removed.

I just posted above video of recent interview with ML/FL. They said the drama is about "High-stakes survival story about Prosecutor Bang Tae Seop who dives into a powerful cartel to rise to the top in Korea and the people around him. "

So, I think the story is more about how much he is willing to sacrifice - including his wife - to "rise to the top". Does he make it? Is she destroyed in the process - or is he able to protect her? That's the story I see. But, could be wrong, of course. 😊

"There's only room for one at the top". Hmmmmmm - that's the theme that Viki chose for the drama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHFsjMA3STk

Very cute/lively Q&A with Ju Ji-hoon and Ha Ji-won.

Q: what is it about? A: "High-stakes survival story about Prosecutor Bang Tae Seop who dives into a powerful cartel to rise to the top in Korea and the people around him. " In other words, it IS Bang Tae-seop's story. I hope the end is satisfactory - whether or not he gets to the top, he is at peace with the final outcome.

Q: "What scene is the "climax" moment"? A: (by both) - "The ending." Hmmmmmm. . . .hope it's satisfactory for both characters and, of course, that Yang-mi is NOT happy at the end. In fact, I hope she has a final end with the Doberman. 😊I mean, SOMEONE has to have a final conflict with that dog, right? Otherwise, why insert it into the drama. Just not the ML or FL, please.

I've been watching teasers/trailers and my current guess is that she betrays Sang-ah once she gets a chance at the spotlight. Wouldn't be surprised if she also tries to seduce Tae-seop. Of course, Yang-mi seems to be on that same course. Right now, TAe-seop is my favorite character - hope he comes out of this alive. 😊

People who love each other say hurtful things all of the time. As of Ep. 4, I think he has fallen in love with her. Or, fallen into some sort of obsessive love over her. One of the first lines in the drama was "I did everything I could to protect you, but maybe I chose the wrong way". He didn't plan on it, but this is where he is at. Thus far in the drama, I don't get the feeling that she has ever done anything to help him - but there may be more to come.

Which interview did they say the characters remain loyal to each other? I would really like to see that one. [The one I did watch they said that they both became "monsters". 😒😒😒]

I've never seen him before, but his character resonates deeply with me. He wanted to avenge his father's death (unjust prosecution) and found himself mired in the same corrupt cesspool that destroyed his father. Do I admire the character of Bang Tae Seop - heck no. But in this drama, there is not one single "admirable" character thus far and the actor is walking that very fine line between good (for his wife and his career) and the corrupt (the system).

@Tia - I don't believe I have watched either one in a drama (or film). The actress has been on hiatus for years - since before I began to watch kdramas.

Both are excellent - the entire cast is phenomenal. I'm not sure I'll be happy with the final end (seems to be headed on a "War of the Roses" train wreck), but very much enjoying every single performance, the cinematography, direction.

As for the main couple - I am far more intrigued by the ML than the FL. That's not misogynist - it's simply my perception of the script.

This went on my watchlist because of Cha Joo-young, but I hope that Lee Yang-Mi (aka Ghislaine Maxwell) is torn apart by that Doberman in the end.

I've been gone all day, so this is the first post I see tonight (my time). You see people praising JuJi-hoon and somehow feel the need to. . . . what? Compare him to Ha-Ji-won? Why? Two excellent actors portraying very, very different characters.

A simple post praising Ha Ji-won's performance and giving your reasons would be persuasive. Relying on Daesang awards from over 10 years ago is not persuasive. You want to boost your favorite? Go for it - but explain why. Which scenes really impacted you? What specifically makes her performance stand out for you? You are a fan? Go for it.

Cheers.

Re: the twin. Episode 1, Mark 34 (yes, I take notes when I watch a mystery), there is a narrative about the W family and the one and only mention of the twin. at some point (after Chairman's 2nd marriage?), the twin announced he wasn't interested in management and thus the rivalry between Jung-uk and Yang-mi began. Something like that.

I read this on the Viu web site: Ji-soo was “operating within the entertainment industry orbit that intersects with both Sang Ah’s fading career and Yang Mi’s sphere of control.” My impression is that while Sang Ha's career was doing well (perhaps because of the Chairman's sponsorship?), Ji-soo was never going to make it big with Oh Kwang-jae.

The disgraced mayor accused Yang-mi of pimping for the Chairman "just like your mother did." After OKJ was killed, Yang-mi married the Chairman. It's not clear (yet) how those got together but it may have been blackmail.

If Oh Kwang-jae was Jeffrey Epstein, then there's no doubt in my mind that Lee Yang Mi was his Ghislaine Maxwell. I hope that she meets her end at the mouth of that Doberman.

Ji-soo wasn't famous. She was a D-list "adult" (+19) actress who wasn't getting any real acting jobs. But she should have faded away like the others - She left a younger brother alone - no parents. so there's a good chance she didn't commit suicide.

From what I could tell (but it was fuzzy reasoning), this what happened:

1. Someone (unknown to viewer) stabbed Oh Kwang-jae.
2. Park Jae Sang planned to kill OKJ, but he was already badly injured. He did touch the knife.
3. The hired assassin arrived and did the final fatal stabbing.

So, who was the first person to stab OKJ?? And who knows about the hired assassin?

Tae-seok believes Sang-ah did the first stabbing; he has always known that it was the assassin that wielded the fatal blow.
Park Jae-sang thinks it is Sang-ah; he doesn't know about the hired assassin, so he took the fall for her.
Sang-ah didn't stab him first; she thought Park Jae-sang did it but her concern was keeping her name out of it. She just now found out that the fatal blow was the hired assassin.

I'll be shocked if it doesn't turn out to be Yang-mi that stabbed him first. In fact, I'll be unhappy if it turns out to be Jong-uk or his twin brother.

I need to rewatch whatever scene it was that led Tae-seok to the hired assassin's role in this.

I've been posting about Sang-ah being Chairman's illegitimate daughter since last week. It was a wild guess last week, but they are adding more subtle hints. Another subtle hint today? Her mom died when she was young - but no mention of Papa?

The twin is alive, married with a teen daughter according to the family photo. I doubt we will ever see the women, but the twin is on the character chart so he must play into this somewhere.

Sneak Peek Ep. 4

Sang-ah, Teo-Seok and Kwang-jae at Ji-soo's memorial. I guess this is when ML and FL first met.

https://x.com/Channel_ENA/status/2036235364218896453

Spoiler - don't read unless you want to learn while watching.

Spoiler - but it's on the ENA web site.

Nana character was accused of murdering her father and ML was the prosecutor. After she was "released" (not clear if she served time or was simply arrested), he saw her potential and hired her as his informant.

Me? I don't like her. I think she might betrays ML AND FL when she gets the chance to become a star. The hints are there.