The flaws aren't the performances
The writers of this clearly had ideas but didn't handle them well. The confusing or irritating elements were further muddled by editing and quite likely also by some director decisions.
Allowing for the plot-linked changes, there were major failings on basic consistency within each character and their having credible rationales and actions for what they did. Bad psychology. Jung Sa Bin most frequently came over as worryingly erratic and irrational in her behaviour and that undermined the narrative credibility really badly. That's on the writers, not the actress. While Choi Dae Chul was given a largely more credible path for Seo Tae Ha, there was a jarring change in a relationship with a main character in the final episodes where the writer's made his character's reaction to it an unbelievably full u-turn. Kim Hee Jung was also given a character whose scripted behaviour broke suspension of disbelief for me.
The script had some clanging contradictions (mob lackey going to kill a female car passenger when later reveal is that mob has a rule against targeting any women) and some very heavy handed moments despite some really well-written scenes. Painful inconsistency letting the whole thing down. There was a lot of frustration even with apparently overlooked consistency issues that were eventually addressed, as it left the viewer grated by the internal inconsistency too long so the respinse to the good bits was too polluted.
That's a real shame because this show was aiming for a lot of subtlety (in performance and script) and when it got that right it was beautiful. I liked the camera work a lot too and the soundtrack was a perfect fit.
Jang Ki Yong did what was possible with a difficult character who seemed almost designed by the writers for long periods from episode 5 on to disengage viewers. One major change to the reborn person lacked any explanation.
Jin Se Yeon delivered as well as anyone coukd have with what they gave her. A pity for the actress that she was given a mess.
Lee Soo Hyuk was very well cast and his performance was very well judged and executed, though a few of the lines he was given were a jarringly bad fit for the character or just made no sense. There was one whole long scene that really made my blood boil because they'd written themselves into a corner giving him so few people he could be shown to discuss his inner feelings with so Kim Soo Hyuk behaved with brutal insensitivity and undeserved cruelty in a massive breach of relationship etiquette that seemed really out if character and repellent. Dishonourable. I was outraged on behalf of the other party, who to Kim Soo Hyuk's knowledge was entirely innocent of fault.
Lee Seo El had a character written with little subtlety in behavious or character, which stood out compared to the rest. I can't judge her oerformance because I can't decide what was writing or direction and what the actress brought to it.
Kim Jung Nan had an good role and did well with it, as did Choi Kwang Il. Some of their one-on-one conversations with a main character were really well scripted and captivatingly well played by eveyone in the scene, making them high points for me.
Jang Won Young gave a good performance in another of the support roles.
Jung Sa Bin's social circle wasn't given a lot of screen time or plot to work with and always seemed oddly peripheral to her life, including not being called in fast or often when she was taken sick, leaving the live interests most oriminent in hospitals.
The child actors were pretty solid, though the stand out for me was Lee Joo Won in the early episodes.
I have a very major problem with a non-consensual kiss forced on an unconscious character who has made their lack of romantic interest in the kisser very clear at that point.
There is one emotionally wrenching scene played out at a graveside where someone has just been laid peacefully to rest that made me furious - that scene could have been played out exactly like that but with just a cut to even a very slight change in location (even eithin the graveyard) rather than as an (in the context) desecration of the peace of the dead.
I watched to the end but those who decided episode 4 or episode 20 were good stopping points made valid choices.
The final episode should arguably have ended as elevator doors shut on a scene - what followed that point was no improvement. If you priceed further, I strongly advise against watching the very brief Epilogue right at the end which is a hot mess with no redeeming features.
My favourite moments included a beautiful proposal but the standout memories for me are actually two really unique scenes one just a tiny moment) between Kim Soo Hyuk and Jung Sung Eun.
Allowing for the plot-linked changes, there were major failings on basic consistency within each character and their having credible rationales and actions for what they did. Bad psychology. Jung Sa Bin most frequently came over as worryingly erratic and irrational in her behaviour and that undermined the narrative credibility really badly. That's on the writers, not the actress. While Choi Dae Chul was given a largely more credible path for Seo Tae Ha, there was a jarring change in a relationship with a main character in the final episodes where the writer's made his character's reaction to it an unbelievably full u-turn. Kim Hee Jung was also given a character whose scripted behaviour broke suspension of disbelief for me.
The script had some clanging contradictions (mob lackey going to kill a female car passenger when later reveal is that mob has a rule against targeting any women) and some very heavy handed moments despite some really well-written scenes. Painful inconsistency letting the whole thing down. There was a lot of frustration even with apparently overlooked consistency issues that were eventually addressed, as it left the viewer grated by the internal inconsistency too long so the respinse to the good bits was too polluted.
That's a real shame because this show was aiming for a lot of subtlety (in performance and script) and when it got that right it was beautiful. I liked the camera work a lot too and the soundtrack was a perfect fit.
Jang Ki Yong did what was possible with a difficult character who seemed almost designed by the writers for long periods from episode 5 on to disengage viewers. One major change to the reborn person lacked any explanation.
Jin Se Yeon delivered as well as anyone coukd have with what they gave her. A pity for the actress that she was given a mess.
Lee Soo Hyuk was very well cast and his performance was very well judged and executed, though a few of the lines he was given were a jarringly bad fit for the character or just made no sense. There was one whole long scene that really made my blood boil because they'd written themselves into a corner giving him so few people he could be shown to discuss his inner feelings with so Kim Soo Hyuk behaved with brutal insensitivity and undeserved cruelty in a massive breach of relationship etiquette that seemed really out if character and repellent. Dishonourable. I was outraged on behalf of the other party, who to Kim Soo Hyuk's knowledge was entirely innocent of fault.
Lee Seo El had a character written with little subtlety in behavious or character, which stood out compared to the rest. I can't judge her oerformance because I can't decide what was writing or direction and what the actress brought to it.
Kim Jung Nan had an good role and did well with it, as did Choi Kwang Il. Some of their one-on-one conversations with a main character were really well scripted and captivatingly well played by eveyone in the scene, making them high points for me.
Jang Won Young gave a good performance in another of the support roles.
Jung Sa Bin's social circle wasn't given a lot of screen time or plot to work with and always seemed oddly peripheral to her life, including not being called in fast or often when she was taken sick, leaving the live interests most oriminent in hospitals.
The child actors were pretty solid, though the stand out for me was Lee Joo Won in the early episodes.
I have a very major problem with a non-consensual kiss forced on an unconscious character who has made their lack of romantic interest in the kisser very clear at that point.
There is one emotionally wrenching scene played out at a graveside where someone has just been laid peacefully to rest that made me furious - that scene could have been played out exactly like that but with just a cut to even a very slight change in location (even eithin the graveyard) rather than as an (in the context) desecration of the peace of the dead.
I watched to the end but those who decided episode 4 or episode 20 were good stopping points made valid choices.
The final episode should arguably have ended as elevator doors shut on a scene - what followed that point was no improvement. If you priceed further, I strongly advise against watching the very brief Epilogue right at the end which is a hot mess with no redeeming features.
My favourite moments included a beautiful proposal but the standout memories for me are actually two really unique scenes one just a tiny moment) between Kim Soo Hyuk and Jung Sung Eun.
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