So i finished this show and I. Am. In. Awe. Very rarely does one find a drama where every single character delivers.…
Loved reading your analysis! I just binged thru the drama and cant get over it :). And agree with everything (except eugene isnt in korea when he calls at the end) but I think he takes to heart her advice to not hide away, so he will likely come back.
Oh this drama literally consumed me for a good while. What can I say except... amazing! Hye Yeong is ❤ - what a wonderfully written character. Lee Yoo Ri and Lee Joon were spectacular as was Kim Hae Sook. 50+ episodes fly past and you are left wanting more!
Is it a crime drama,? Yes, But more so, it's a beautiful, moving study of relationships (particularly those not of blood) and how they enrich our lives and sustain us , often unknowingly.
Atmospheric and contemplative, it starts with a standard serial killer case, but then it turns towards unravelling the whys of characters' choices(over 2 timelines, multiple crimes). Its a little slow-paced, but I personally loved the careful unpeeling of the mystery and the process of knowing the characters and their motivations (and seeing their growth).
All the characters, not just the main cast, are all wonderfully fleshed out - believable and flawed. The performances are uniformly fantastic - with Park Hoon being the most impressive. The kids too were really great.
A special mention for the superb cinematography - some of the drone shots were gorgeous.
What a beautifully done drama. Slow paced but you grow to love the characters, their relationships and the way the mystery unfolds bit by bit. Fantastic performance by everyone particularly Eikura Nana. Really enjoyed it - this is why i love jdoramas.
An exceptionally well-made drama. Tight plotting, excellent performances by the entire cast and slick editing. Yes, it has some minor flaws but it does not take away from the experience. Must watch for lovers of thrillers (even if you don't watch time travel like me!)
I love dramas with non-traditional lead pairs and this was a great combination. The MC has good chemistry and it was fun watching them and also the side characters' banter away all through the drama.
The biggest issue however was the uneven way in which the drama randomly switched from comedy to serious crime solving to melo. It felt choppy and disjointed in many places with narrative flow breaking down - but as I said, you still remained engaged, which is the charm of the drama. Cant wait to start S2
But seriously, the person in charge of BG score needs a talking to - there were so many serious moments with inappropriate cheery/jocular music *facepalm*
Ryu Joon Yeol is absolutely the heart and soul of this show. He will make you laugh, make you go aww and make your heart go faster. He manages to pull off the awkward, adorable lead to perfection, without overdoing it or making it cringy, while also coming through brilliantly in the emotional scenes. Not to mention, he’s simply drop-dead gorgeous. Wasn't expecting him to be such a good actor though.
The drama as a whole? Well, I totally loved 2/3rds of it, but Ep 12 onwards, it turned utterly bland. Like the pieces were all there, but nothing seemed to work right. Everything fell apart - the chemistry, the characterisation, the plot. The way the main plot arc got resolved felt off, and a little too pat. I honestly felt rather cheated! Despite the strange hate Hwang Jung Eum gets, she was fine here - neither awful nor exceptional.
The drama started off so well - the ML behaved unpredictably and it helped to keep things interesting. However, it went off the rails after Ep 10-11. The writers for some reason decided to amp up the melodrama without reason, which turned everything a bit ridiculous and the drama lost all intensity. Sadly it never recovered. The original revenge plot per se is interesting and remained logical all through but the biggest issue was the romance. The love story was to be the source of all the angst ....but the leads together were so ...flat, so boring, so thanda (cold) that you don't feel a thing.
The only time I was moved was not surprisingly in Jo Jin Woong's scenes. He's surely the best of the cast - such a subtle actor and was so good all through. Side characters Hong and the brother were great additions! And finally, both the major confrontation scenes were well written.
Quite enjoyed the show. Great performances all around, no filler stuff. Look forward to S2 if any. Only thing I would complain about - the backgrounds score was a bit jarring in the beginning but got toned down later (gave me very Stranger Things vibe with the 80s synth!).
Between the dense world of shogi, the disconnected plot progression ep2 onwards and difficult to understand subs, this drama was tough to finish. I suggest you watch it only if you understand shogi and Japanese to some extent.
So I am perhaps the first one in years to watch this show! Well, that's because I am watching everything with Kim Sun A.
On the whole I enjoyed the show, particularly the first half and particularly because of the really unique setting. The last 4-5 eps kinda lost steam and didn't have the same pull.
What I really loved in the show was actually the romance, which wasn't the focus but was really wonderfully done. For once the ML *shows* his love even though he hasn't yet formally confessed. I truly enjoyed watching their bickering relationship transform into a mutually supportive and comforting relationship. Excellent chemistry between the two. As for the major plot, the juxtaposition of bumbling cops (& gangs) trying to beat a powerful villain was a good idea but didn't quite work in execution. Still a fun watch, only issue? No choice except crappy res vids - I wish they'd release the show legally.
Absolutely LOVED this drama. Largely fluffy with light touches of more serious issues making it for me the right…
And oh, if you want a serious and realistic take on love triangle involving friends, watch the cdrama The First Half of My Life. Shows just how devastating it can actually get. But I dont fault this drama to go lightly on it plus it was well done
Absolutely LOVED this drama. Largely fluffy with light touches of more serious issues making it for me the right blend. Great performances by main cast particularly the main leads who have awesome chemistry. I loved that the drama examined love and marriage from different lenses and did it without being preachy. I typically dislike flighty FLs but here while Han Mi Mo was so initially the script not only calls her out on it but also shows WHY she falls so hard and so seriously for the ML. I am so glad I watched this - it put such a smile on my face...and Song Soo Hyuk/Jung Hung Ko will forever be my ultimate type!
Interesting - made me look up my list and yep, its largely jdramas below that threshold Busujima Yuriko no Sekirara Nikki(8/10), Zeni no Senso (8/10), Nemureru Mori no Jukujo (9/10; incidentally my first jdrama) and Ashita no Kimi ga Motto Suki (6.5/10). Busujima was such a unique show with a really interesting FL character. Loved it. Oh, and 1 TwD - In Between (7/10).
Writing this note for others like me who are fans of the original US version and are curious about this version. Well, it is a true remake as in it follows the original very closely - right down to camera framing, shot sequence and the cases(with slight adaptations to suit culture). I wanted to give it a try given the talented main 2 actors, but managed to watch only half of the first episode. The main couple was fine, but the characters/actors playing Will and Diane didnt seem to match up. Given that these two were my fave characters (with Kalinda) of the original I could not shake off my disappointment. So dropped.
This was fantastic. The relationships, the progress, characters (main and sides), just amazing. I did not expect…
Just wanted to thank you for your review. I had added this drama to my PTW for Lee Sun Kyun way back. I was looking for something different recently and your comment convinced me to start it. absolutely loved the drama.
Atmospheric and contemplative, it starts with a standard serial killer case, but then it turns towards unravelling the whys of characters' choices(over 2 timelines, multiple crimes). Its a little slow-paced, but I personally loved the careful unpeeling of the mystery and the process of knowing the characters and their motivations (and seeing their growth).
All the characters, not just the main cast, are all wonderfully fleshed out - believable and flawed.
The performances are uniformly fantastic - with Park Hoon being the most impressive. The kids too were really great.
A special mention for the superb cinematography - some of the drone shots were gorgeous.
Yes, it has some minor flaws but it does not take away from the experience. Must watch for lovers of thrillers (even if you don't watch time travel like me!)
The biggest issue however was the uneven way in which the drama randomly switched from comedy to serious crime solving to melo. It felt choppy and disjointed in many places with narrative flow breaking down - but as I said, you still remained engaged, which is the charm of the drama. Cant wait to start S2
But seriously, the person in charge of BG score needs a talking to - there were so many serious moments with inappropriate cheery/jocular music *facepalm*
The drama as a whole? Well, I totally loved 2/3rds of it, but Ep 12 onwards, it turned utterly bland. Like the pieces were all there, but nothing seemed to work right. Everything fell apart - the chemistry, the characterisation, the plot. The way the main plot arc got resolved felt off, and a little too pat. I honestly felt rather cheated!
Despite the strange hate Hwang Jung Eum gets, she was fine here - neither awful nor exceptional.
The original revenge plot per se is interesting and remained logical all through but the biggest issue was the romance. The love story was to be the source of all the angst ....but the leads together were so ...flat, so boring, so thanda (cold) that you don't feel a thing.
The only time I was moved was not surprisingly in Jo Jin Woong's scenes. He's surely the best of the cast - such a subtle actor and was so good all through. Side characters Hong and the brother were great additions! And finally, both the major confrontation scenes were well written.
On the whole I enjoyed the show, particularly the first half and particularly because of the really unique setting. The last 4-5 eps kinda lost steam and didn't have the same pull.
What I really loved in the show was actually the romance, which wasn't the focus but was really wonderfully done. For once the ML *shows* his love even though he hasn't yet formally confessed. I truly enjoyed watching their bickering relationship transform into a mutually supportive and comforting relationship. Excellent chemistry between the two.
As for the major plot, the juxtaposition of bumbling cops (& gangs) trying to beat a powerful villain was a good idea but didn't quite work in execution. Still a fun watch, only issue? No choice except crappy res vids - I wish they'd release the show legally.
I typically dislike flighty FLs but here while Han Mi Mo was so initially the script not only calls her out on it but also shows WHY she falls so hard and so seriously for the ML. I am so glad I watched this - it put such a smile on my face...and Song Soo Hyuk/Jung Hung Ko will forever be my ultimate type!
Busujima Yuriko no Sekirara Nikki(8/10), Zeni no Senso (8/10), Nemureru Mori no Jukujo (9/10; incidentally my first jdrama) and Ashita no Kimi ga Motto Suki (6.5/10). Busujima was such a unique show with a really interesting FL character. Loved it. Oh, and 1 TwD - In Between (7/10).
I wanted to give it a try given the talented main 2 actors, but managed to watch only half of the first episode. The main couple was fine, but the characters/actors playing Will and Diane didnt seem to match up. Given that these two were my fave characters (with Kalinda) of the original I could not shake off my disappointment. So dropped.