The Law works the same no matter what part of the world you're in
Normally you would think this is a series of good against evil, but there's so many bad people in this, you find yourself rooting for a few of them. Yuya Yagira was perfect playing this role. A lawyer who fights for injustice and the less fortunate, but also shows how to manipulate the system of law. He shows the guilty how to become innocent if you do it right.You are always rooting for him, even though some of his actions are not exactly ethical. It's the classic line, the end justifies the means.
The rest of the cast plays well. I'm always a fan of Keita Machida. He gives us a character that you really hadn't seen him play before, and he does a great job at it. He's got some bad in him, but definitely gets put on the side of the "good guys".
I think the only really negative I had with the series was the way it ended up. You're hoping for a great conclusion in the final episode, but it just doesn't come to be. I'm guessing we were set up for a season 2?? It can't come soon enough, because we were really left hanging in the wind!!
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Good Crime Drama, But Had So Much More Potential
This series starts out as a really good premiss, a former child star who took a wrong path for survival. It shows the dark side of drugs and crime in Japan (just like any other place in the world). The main protagonist, Kyonosuke is portrayed really well by Daigo Nishihata. I'm not really familiar with his past work as an actor, but you definitely are on his side as you get deeper into the drama. You can't help but feel for him and his position he got himself into.I think the one problem I had with giving this a much higher review , was the simple fact that the other main characters in this were so unlikable. The cop and narcotics agent are considered the "good guys", but they were really just as cold hearted as the drug dealers. They treated Diago horribly throughout each episode. It's difficult to really like a series, when most of the main protagonists are very dislikable people.
Overall, it had a continuing good story to follow and the ending was somewhat satisfying. Toru eventually realizes how important Daigo has been. As for Akito, he never redeems himself, making him a very disappointing "good guy" right to the end.
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Such An Underrated Series
Looking at the rating numbers before watching this drama, I was not expecting this to be one of the best series I've see in quite a while. This is so underrated. Once you start watching, you will not be able to stop!!There are so many layers to this story, with some characters turning good to bad, and some the reverse, bad to good. It keeps you guess who to trust, with everything just about thrown into it ... murder, revenge, love, friendship, betrayal, greed, school bullying, retribution & so much more.
If you like Ryoma Takeuchi from other roles, you'll love him in this. He's definitely at his best with a very powerful performance. He, along with one of the best antagonist father and son duos to hate, make for a great series to watch. The supporting cast matches up fantastically as well. Everyone adds something to keep each episode interesting and suspenseful.
The one this the writers did that I normally dislike, was do the "jump ahead" later in the series ... when you see "Four Years Later" I immediately cringed ... this never seems to make a good feel to the series or it seems rushed with the rest of the story, BUT, not this time. The skipping ahead a few years actually fit perfectly with the series, as well as the actors looking four years older, too. It was a great storyline which made a very satisfying conclusion.
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Series with a blend of everything ...
This was an extremely enjoyable series, giving us a mix of just about everything, drama, comedy, romance, along with old fashion thinking blended with modern day logic.Being a fan of Ryoma Takeuchi, he again shows a side of himself different from past roles. The story starts out simple enough, showing how "old" customs still exist in Japan, but some are not for the better ...
I think what makes this series so enjoyable, is watching each character evolve so much as each episode goes deeper into the series. At times you feel for both protagonists, seeing how they are dealing with the changing personality of their significant other.
I must admit, you really don't sense any chemistry between these two main characters in the beginning, but as time goes on, you can't help but feel how they've become a great match for each other. It's brilliant by the writing, showing us different sides of each actor, not to mention the actors themselves, they really are great in their performances. They, along with a great supporting cast, truly make this a great series to just sit back and enjoy.
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Extremely Enjoyable
This was an absolutely brilliant and enjoyable series from start to finish. Ji Sung is always fantastic, so it was no surprise how he was the perfect protagonist to root for all the way. Besides his great acting, I have to say, you'll never watch and despise a better antagonist that goes up against him more than Cha Min Ho. Ki Joon makes you hate his character so much, it's a flawless performance. Deeper and deeper into each episode, you really begins to count down how he's finally going to get what's coming to him, some way, some how!!!The rest of the supporting cast clicks together with just the right chemistry, especially Rin Ah. This little girl steals every scene she's in. Absolutely adorable, bringing tears to your eyes with her emotions.
The final episode is everything you can hope for and more. It's 100 percent worth waiting for. All dramas should take a lesson from this one, on how the story is spread out evenly, nothing is rushed and it never gets boring.
Great entertainment!!!
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Brilliant in every way possible!
This series kind of caught me by surprise on how fantastic it turned out to be. The story lines blend into each other with great precision. You find yourself so drawn into this series with each passing "death" .. it's kind of difficult to stop watching it, even if you tried.In Guk gives a flawless performance one death after the next, along with Mi Kyung as his mother, who delivers a great performance as well.
Anyone who has lost someone close to them, can appreciate the pain these characters are showing on screen. If you happen to be religious, this series is even more powerful.
As you continue through this drama, you start to wonder how this will work out. It can go in so many directions, for the good or bad. You need to carry it over into part 2, because it's just brilliant on how things end up. It was so satisfying and truly unexpected the way things will conclude in part 2. There's a line used toward the end that truly applies ... "It's ok to fail, as long as you keep going"
Life is worth living, no matter how bad things seem at your lowest of times!!
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Very Underrated Series
This is such a "good feel" series and so realistic!If you're looking for an action packed or suspenseful drama filled with excitement, this series is NOT for you. This is ten episodes of just pure entertainment at a very relaxing pace. Eiji Akaso is at his best with such a believable performance as the lead protagonist, Satoru Mukai. You go along for the ride with him as he tries to figure out love and friendship from past and present relationships. Just when you think he finds the perfect match, it just doesn't work out .. each and every time.
The supporting cast blends perfectly with several stories going on at the same time. They all intertwine with each other, making for a great final episode. I think my only complaint was that there were only ten episodes. I could have watched another ten, it was just that entertaining.
There's a line used at the very end of the series, "Being an adult is fun. It's not as grown-up as I thought it would be"
That pretty much sums up the series.
Great drama with just a touch of comedy. Extremely enjoyable!!!
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Incredible Acting, Incredible Story
Once you start watching this, it's difficult to stop. Although I must admit, going from episode one to sixteen, it's like night and day. Early on you see a nice amount of comedy blended in with some drama and suspense ... but that quickly changes the deeper you get into the series. At times it not only gets suspenseful, but rather dark and disturbing with certain revelations in the story.Jin Young, who I'm always a fan of, was absolutely amazing in this role. He brought every emotion out in just about every scene he was in. Ye Eun was equally brilliant. These two protagonists not only deliver such strong performances, but they blend perfectly together, making for an enjoyable duo, watching their chemistry get stronger together as the episodes unfold.
With a very talented supporting cast, it really makes for great entertainment. The friendship between Lee Ahn & Dae Bong, although not a main storyline, it really plays an important part of the series. Jong Hyun was a great fit for this role.
Just when you think you understand this complex story, the last four episodes change everything. Shocking events from episode 12 right through to the end, send this series into so many unpredictable directions. Anything you thought you had figured out, is completely shattered going into the final two episodes.
One line used late in this drama really puts an outline of what this series was all about ... "If you miss the timing to treat the wound, the wound becomes a scar"
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Wonderful enjoyment from start to finish
I'm always a fan of Kyung Ho, and once again, he was just fantastic. This part was made for him or maybe he made the part. I definitely saw some resemblance to his character from "Oh My Ghost Clients" ... but totally different as well.The story itself has a perfect blend of drama and comedy .. with just the right touch of sorrow and sadness to balance it out. Besides our lead protagonist, the supporting cast is marvelous. Each one adding something to the story. I must admit, about halfway through, due to the story line, the pro bono team turns on Kang David. I thought it was a bit overdone how they threw him under the bus in such a quick manner. He kept having to prove himself over and over again. BUT, once you get past those events, the story is flawless, as is everyone's acting.
Going toward the ending, it has to be one of the best final episodes I've seen in some time. They managed to take care of all the villain in such a way, it's extremely satisfying to watch it play out.
It's not your typical court room drama by any means, so if you're going into this thinking that's what you're going to watch, you may be disappointed. This is a very unique story with a very unique cast of characters.
Absolutely high marks for a really enjoyable series!!! Way to go Kyung Ho!!!
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Brilliant Crime Drama Thriller!!
There are so many layers to this story, you have no idea when it starts out, just how many side roads and detours you'll be taken down before you reach the end. You might think it would be confusing with so many sub-stories, but somehow the writing makes it all work out in an easy fashion to turn this into such a fantastic thriller.Ji Sung & Mi Do make a great protagonist duo. Naturally, their characters don't start out that way, but as the story continues on, they blend with perfection right before your eyes. With so many antagonists in this drama, it's kind of difficult to keep track of who you hate more, but that just compliments the superb supporting cast that delivers great suspense in every episode. Pretty much every person is hiding something, so it's amazing to watch how certain secrets come out later in the series, making events that happened early on, become more understandable in later episodes. It's like watching one big jigsaw puzzle come into focus, that's when you begin to realize just how horrible some of these characters truly are.
The flashback scenes were also brilliant, looking so realistic with the younger versions of the adult characters. It just added so much depth to the longtime friendship everyone had together since high school.
As you approach the later part of the series, I kept waiting for something to go wrong with the story line ... but not so. The last two episodes are the best part of the drama. Everything happened exactly as you could have hoped for, with a few shockers mixed in. In fact, right up to the last few seconds, it's a perfect ending for a truly enjoyable story.
There's a line used toward the end that really sums up what this entire story is about ... " Friendship is genuine. That's how it is with friendship, if you get obsessed, you can hurt each other. When money and greed get involved, it's no longer friendship"
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Three Dads Are Better Than None
This series starts off a bit silly, lots of comedy, taking nothing seriously in it, but by the end of episode 2 this really turns into a well written, well acted story. There's just enough of drama, comedy and coming of age emotional tones to make this such an enjoyable story to watch.I've always been a fan of Yuki Yamada, so that's what originally pulled me into watching. He was great as always, but besides Yuki, Arata Horii & Ryo Mitsuya, the two other protagonists he's teamed up with, make a well balanced trio. Three long time best friends, so different in every way, yet extremely close to each other. They're put into a surprising situation when a baby is abandoned at their home. It's great to watch how three totally different personalities come to terms with it.
For me, it was from episode 7 and beyond where the story goes into a deeper drama and somewhat of an emotional tone. It's truly a great story UNTIL ... oh that final episode. I found it somewhat upsetting to forgive someone so easily after abandoning her child for more than a year, but that's how things played out. I must say, however, as the final episode concludes, there was indeed a satisfaction in the entire outcome of the story. It's a fantastic final few scenes and it got rid of that bitterness I was feeling from several minutes earlier.
This story shows how a small child showed up at just the right time, improving the lives of three men, making them better people to each other as well as themselves.
It's quoted toward the end when asked what love is ... "Love is showing our bare hearts without a facade"
This drama/comedy shows us exactly that! Very enjoyable!!!
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They make an offer you can't refuse
I haven't seen a disappointing series involving Bo Ah yet, and this one is no exception ... I couldn't believe how intensely great this drama turned out to be from the very first episode. Shocks and surprises were intertwined from beginning to end. There were so many layers of this story, it made for such good entertainment, watching each piece of the puzzle revealed, making a much clearer picture of how the past was effecting the present day for all the protagonists.Bo Ah & Bo Hyun were the perfect professional team going up against all the evil subplots in the story. Great chemistry between the two of them.
I think what made this great, was the changing personalities of the many characters, whether a main or supporting role. Don't be fooled by who you think is good and who you think is bad, because my perception of several characters changed in the opposite direction by the end of the series. Such fantastic antagonists on screen, without a doubt one of the most evil characters you will ever see, General Hwa Young, played brilliantly by Yeon Soo. Oh wow, you could feel the coldness coming through your television when she was on screen. Her, teamed with Moon Goo was evil on top of evil.
Early on I would have included Tae Nam on that same list, but that character, which was performed fantastically by Woo Seok, fell into the category of going from bad to good. I couldn't believe I was on his side by episode 16, because early on, what a horrible person he was.
Several big episode were the backbone of this drama, especially episode 9, which seemed to be the pinnacle episode of them all. That's were pretty much everything is revealed to us, telling us exactly who everyone truly was. After that, episode 15 was the "big one". It made everything worth waiting for ... retribution for all. There were scenes I needed to watch twice, because it was just so damn good to see it play out.
In the end, everything was kind of like you wished for, although I did think the final episode may have been rushed a bit toward the end, but overall an excellent satisfying ending for a truly great series!!!
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Rollercoaster of emotions
This is an incredible story of how differently people deal with grief and tragedy. It shows us how the human mind can bury events deep inside itself, rather than face it. What's great about this story is how the two protagonists, who are both dealing with trauma from the same day, find and help each other ten years later for support. Neither one fully realizing the importance the other person played in their life that tragic day.It takes about four episodes into the series before we start to see the chain of events from ten years earlier. Bit by bit we start to realize what happened, and how gruesome things truly were.
Jun Ho, as always, is masterful in his role, delivering a powerful performance. I've always said about him, he can make you laugh and he can make you cry. As expected, he does not disappoint playing Gang Du. Perfectly match with him is Jin A. The two create a great bond together. It takes awhile, but they show us how they belong by each other's side, whether being in the past or present.
Episode nine would definitely be the pinnacle episode of the series, in which everything is suddenly remembered from years past. It's a great part of the drama, creating a truly emotional story as you head toward the later part of the series.
There's so many great quotes in this story that explain this drama in a nutshell ... "Living is a repetition of regrets and failures ...it's said that everyone has their own personal prison"
This drama proves just that. Excellent series!!
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You Gotta Have Heart
This turned into a court case like non other I've seen. It wasn't just the story about bringing all the antagonists to justice, but also the four stories that were intertwined, involving a single heart transplant and all the directions it would take. It starts out as a good vs evil courtroom drama, but quickly turns into a complicated, suspenseful & extremely entertaining series.It may be a bit confusing in the beginning, but eventually everything slowly comes together deep into the story. You find yourself saying "oh now that makes sense from two episodes ago, I got it now"
I'm always a fan of JunHo, and he once again doesn't disappoint. He is excellent in the lead role, giving a strong, emotional performance. The cast along side of him prove a perfect balance together. Jae Myung, Gi Ae & Hyun Been complete the remaining protagonists in the story, each adding greatness to the supporting crew.
The antagonist in this are evil, cold & heartless ... in other words, perfect for this series. There's too many to name, but by the later part of the drama, there's definitely a count down in your head on how each of these horrible people will see their demise.
Besides having so many episodes with great "cliff hanging" endings, without a doubt, one of the best courtroom climactic scenes occurs in the final episode. It's brilliant to watch it happen, almost in slow motion. All the people you despise, they are left with their mouths hanging open, all in the same room. It gives a great conclusion to a terrific series.
Definitely a great watch!!!
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Much much better than the reviews say ...
I'm thinking a lot of people were in bad moods when reviewing this series. I found it to be fantastic!!!It starts out a little creepy ... with a bloody hand that keeps appearing to crawl up Sin Yu, but later on, we completely understand it. Once we get beyond that, this really turns out to be a great story with great actors & great writing.
Bo Ah, who always shines in whatever she stars in, doesn't disappoint in this drama either. She & Ro Woon are perfect together, although you wouldn't think so at the start, but give it time.
Ha Joon also fits perfect, making a complete puzzle of an unlikely trio. When you add in a couple "evil" antagonists, and I do mean evil ... it balances out to make a perfect story. It makes you believe in past lives and how our destinies are already decided for us, whether we like it or not.
Later in the series, from episode 9 on ... What would a Korean story be without bringing in flashbacks from the Joseon Era. It works out great in explaining the entire past history of all the characters in the present time. It's extremely entertaining to watch it play out.
As you get to the final episode, I have to say, it may be one of the most satisfying finales to a series I've seen. Everything you want to see happen, it does exactly as it should. The good guys win across the board, and the bad souls that really got on your nerves since episode 1, they finally get what they deserve.
A great cast with great writing makes for great entertainment in this series!!!
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