K-Drama 
This review may contain spoilers
I had a lot of fun watching this. It had the same thrill factor as Squid Game and Alice and Borderland. It kind of reminded me of John Wick meets Home Alone. A definite watch for those who like fast paced action series.
Lee Dong Wok was good as uncle Jiman, but I don't think it's so much his acting, but that he fits the role of a moody and mysterious character. Kim Hye Jun also did well as the overwhelmed, but capable Jian. I like how they showed her as strong and capable, but at the same time, did not overpower her to the point that it was unrealistic. I don't expect a show to be 100% realistic, but it would have been too much for me if they showed her overpowering a room full of assassins who've had years of experience ahead of her. I was most impressed with the child actress who played Jian as a child, though. The scene in the morgue was really chilling. I also like the scene where she escaped from her kidnappers, as well as the cat and mouse chase in the hospital. The dynamic between uncle and niece was good throughout.
Another thing I liked were the plot twists. How a seemingly creepy character turned out to be misunderstood (Brother) and conversely, how a seemingly kind and supportive friend (Bae Jong Min) turned out to be a backstabber.
My favorite side characters were definitely Pasin and So Min Hye. Their action scenes were some of the best and the only thing that topped those for me was the duel (the knife fight) between Jiman and Bale and the last episode which showed what really happened to them during the military mission.
Bale was also a really good villain who really did seem like a menace. His joyful expression right before he killed someone was spot on and the actor did a believable job playing a psychopath. It's too bad we didn't get to see a final showdown between him and Jiman. I normally wouldn't have anything against building him up for the next season, but from what I heard, he's basically wasted there.
That's the only criticism I have for this drama- that it seems to be building up towards something big and a really good showdown with an ace villain, but falls flat on its face in the second season, with the first season ending in a cliffhanger. I want to be positive about the second season, but I've seen so many dramas that have had great first seasons but with second seasons that are either mediocre at best or bad at worst, which is really disappointing. However, the high rating I gave this is strictly for the first season.
Lee Dong Wok was good as uncle Jiman, but I don't think it's so much his acting, but that he fits the role of a moody and mysterious character. Kim Hye Jun also did well as the overwhelmed, but capable Jian. I like how they showed her as strong and capable, but at the same time, did not overpower her to the point that it was unrealistic. I don't expect a show to be 100% realistic, but it would have been too much for me if they showed her overpowering a room full of assassins who've had years of experience ahead of her. I was most impressed with the child actress who played Jian as a child, though. The scene in the morgue was really chilling. I also like the scene where she escaped from her kidnappers, as well as the cat and mouse chase in the hospital. The dynamic between uncle and niece was good throughout.
Another thing I liked were the plot twists. How a seemingly creepy character turned out to be misunderstood (Brother) and conversely, how a seemingly kind and supportive friend (Bae Jong Min) turned out to be a backstabber.
My favorite side characters were definitely Pasin and So Min Hye. Their action scenes were some of the best and the only thing that topped those for me was the duel (the knife fight) between Jiman and Bale and the last episode which showed what really happened to them during the military mission.
Bale was also a really good villain who really did seem like a menace. His joyful expression right before he killed someone was spot on and the actor did a believable job playing a psychopath. It's too bad we didn't get to see a final showdown between him and Jiman. I normally wouldn't have anything against building him up for the next season, but from what I heard, he's basically wasted there.
That's the only criticism I have for this drama- that it seems to be building up towards something big and a really good showdown with an ace villain, but falls flat on its face in the second season, with the first season ending in a cliffhanger. I want to be positive about the second season, but I've seen so many dramas that have had great first seasons but with second seasons that are either mediocre at best or bad at worst, which is really disappointing. However, the high rating I gave this is strictly for the first season.
Was this review helpful to you?
