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A Tale of Three Boys All On Their Own

The commonality of the 3 main characters were their school and personal lives. All were growing up on their own and having to watch out for themselves. In school they all were the targets of bullies but handled it in different ways. Their paths collided in Weak Hero: Class 1 and ignited a poignant tale of survival, betrayal, and loss.

Si Eun - the ML. He is an exceptionally quiet loner focusing on his studying. He has a routine he sticks with day in and day out. He has parents but they are busy with their careers and frequently out of the picture so he is alone most of the time. In the first couple of episodes, he becomes the target of a gang of bullies in his class. Two things help him. His intense stare along with the clicking of his pen (which acts as a threat), and another classmate, Su ho, who is an expert fighter and takes on these class hoodlums.

Su ho - the class sleeper who uses a cute pink pillow. He is not interested in school at all and not planning on going to college. Outside of school he works 3 jobs and takes care of his grandmother. He does not have parents. Along the way he has trained in fighting so can defend himself when necessary, and uses it to defend others. In this storyline, he defends Si Eun and they become friends.

Beom Seok - a transfer student who also gets targeted by the class bullies. Su ho defends him and all three become a tight friend group. Of the three, I believe Beom Seok had the hardest life which made him different from the other two. The writer did not develop his storyline too well, but this is the jist of what I got. He is the adopted son of a high up politician who works all the time and needs a perfect image. He has a family, but not really. There is a picture of Beom Seok, his political father, a "wife" and a "sister" in their expensive, luxurious apartment. Beom Seok tells Si Eun and Su ho that he was adopted, the others were stand-ins to give the appearance of a family. His father treats him horribly and regularly beats him in cruel and demeaning ways. So Beom Seok is abused by bullies at school, and abused at home by his father. He has no where that is safe nor secure, or loving nor nurturing. His life day and night is surviving the abuse. The damage to him emotionally and mentally shows up in the latter part of the story.

All three boys support each other first in school by getting the main bully kicked out and the others leave them alone. They are also targeted by the head of a gang who extorts kids for money and lures them in for a life of crime whom they lead the police to and get him arrested. This part of Weak Hero Class 1 is the best. After this the 3 are best friends and hang out everyday together.

Then the story changes, mainly because of a girl. When Yeongi comes into the picture, Beom Seok feels left out and abandoned by his other two friends. He hardens his heart and turns against them, especially Su ho. The story becomes really dark as Beom Seok sinks into maddening urges to get even and destroy.

The drama is sprinkled through with a variety of fights complete with blood, broken bones, bruises, and even some hospital stays. It does not end well for any of the 3 main characters, and the preview for season 2 appears to keep the darkness and fighting going. What made this drama great were the actors in all of the 3 lead parts. Their characters and their acting was superb. What makes this drama not so great is the darkness of bullying, constant fighting, and the emotional cost is takes on a person's mental stability. We are being taken on a journey of the main character, how he just keeps to himself trying to study, but there are those who keep messing with him, so he does what he has to in order to survive. His survival includes others joining in to help him survive but (though no fault of his) end up paying serious consequences for it. The story also shows Si Eun sinking more and more into darkness and emotional instability. It's a push and pull of your senses and emotions as you cheer him on in defending himself, but you cringe at the lengths he is willing to go to hurt others in that defensive moment.

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How to Know When to Let Go

"But the world outside of movies was always harsh and burdensome. There were no well-crafted plots or heartwarming lines. Life was just lonely and desolate." Ko Gyeom

Humans would rather hide in a pretend world than face the true reality of living. This series follows four characters as they work their way out of the blinders they placed on themselves in order to please others, but really....to hide from the hard truths of their lives and themselves . The two main leads, Ko Gyeom and Mu Bi are adults still dealing with the loss of their parents at a young age. For Mu Bi it was the loss of her father, whom she felt never loved her or wanted to be with her. For Ko Gyeom it was an over dependence on his older brother who gave up everything to raise Gyeon when they lost their parents. Kim Jae Wook plays the loving, protective, yet depressed brother so well. He is the fifth character in the story that cannot find a way to move on and forward past the harshness life has dealt him. After his brother's death, Gyeon realizes how much his brother sacrificed for him, how little he knew about him especially his unhappiness, and how his own selfish dependence kept the both of them living in an endless loop of pretending life was like the movies. This leads to Gyeon working on a movie set where he meets Mu Bi, who like her father, made movies her career. An attraction between the two begins, but as fast as it sparks, it gets interrupted. They disappear from each other's lives for 5 years, then suddenly find they are living across the street from each other. The rest of the story is how the two get together and also how they work out their individual pain that loss and guilt has left them with.

There is a secondary couple whose storyline is one of the best I've seen in a drama series. Their story is how young love fails to grow which leads to breaking up. Five years later, they come back into each other's lives to work on a project together. One has moved on, one is stuck in the past, but they are both mourning the loss of the great love they once had. Lee Jun Young and Jeon So Nee are excellent in these roles. The writing and the acting really came together on this one, and dare I say, these supporting actors and their storyline eclipsed the leads. I really think this was one of the best parts of this series.

All in all, this series has an important message. As humans we become lost if we stay too much in the past, especially if we are caught up in guilt and anger. We have to allow ourselves to take time to heal, and then we need to bravely step back into our lives again and into the future. A message beautifully told with Melo Movie.

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Intense, gripping, enormously satisfying...a must-watch!!

For anyone who has been on the receiving end of bullying and oppression, and would love to see their oppressors get what's coming to them, this is the series you'll love. It's a hard watch, especially the beginning which sets the stage showing Dong Eun's history of being bullied, which was really being tortured at the hands of classmates. Planning and preparing for years, the remaining storyline is about what she sets into motion to seek her revenge. There are twists and turns, additional characters and secondary storylines that add layers and complexity to the main plot. It will have you on the edge of your seat as you watch episode after episode. You will be shocked, be angered, be scared, then be relieved only to have the story take you through all those emotions again. It was quite a ride, and well worth it. I think it's the best Kdrama of 2023 so far.

The production was top-notch from start to finish. The cast were perfect in roles that could not have been easy to portray. Kudos and applause to both cast and crew for this outstanding series!!

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Perfectly Imperfect

An amazing and well-written story of three individuals traumatized in childhood. The storyline weaves a tale of discovery in the connection of these traumas to each other, yet examines their individuality as each character breaks through the trauma and begins to experience life on the other side. At times it felt scary, almost too much of a thriller. There are scenes I held my hands up in front of the screen to protect myself from the "gotcha" moment. At other times I laughed out loud as the secondary characters provided the comic relief, and cried alongside those who felt pain and hurt. I thought all the main leads, Kim Too Hyun, Seo Yea Ji, and Oh Jung Se were perfect for their roles and the acting was extraordinaire. However, the secondary parts were amazing as well. I knew Kim Chang Wan from his despicable character in Hwarang, and loved seeing him play the director/counselor/father-figure to those at the OK Psychiatric Center. He is an amazingly versatile actor. So were the other characters played by some of my favorite actors from other dramas, Kim Joo Heon, Kim Mi Kyung, Park Jin Woo, and Park Gym Young. The casting director for this drama should take a bow for getting the right actors into the right roles.

The storyline keeps you caught up in the story by weaving the connections between past and present. I don't really recall a time while watching that I felt the story lagged. There is also a twist that I did not see coming, and I have to say it was a blow to my ego. I'm fairly good at figuring out plot lines in books, tv, and movies. This twist I did not see coming at all. That's how good the writing was. I'm adding this to my top 3 best dramas I've watched this year.

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A Thrilling Fantasy Tale

Normally I'm not drawn to a fantasy genre, but this had such good reviews, and I'm a fan of actress Jung So Min so I thought I would give it a few episodes. I was caught up in the story from the first episode. The strength of this drama are the visuals, from costumes, to sets, to the actors, to the CGI magical effects, it has been done with great quality and attention to detail. I also enjoy period pieces that mix some modern-day touches in with the historical. The production transports you into the fictitious Daeho and makes you feel this is a real place. The ending surprised me, that is all I will say about it. However, it did end in a way to set up Season 2 and I'm thrilled there will be a second season. It is well worth the 20 episodes.

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Sweet, refreshing, the characters will take you away.

It had all the aspects of a typical romantic Kdrama, but presented it in a new and refreshing way. The two main strengths of this drama were the storyline, and the main actors. The storyline showed the reality of how relationships are impacted by the pressures and insecurities of being human. I like that the main characters were flawed, yet they found a way to overcome and still come together. I like that the main characters were stubbornly themselves, instead of being cliched, throughout the entire story, which showed the realities of how hard it is to be ourselves and be together all at the same time. They had to work at their relationship. It wasn't a perfect fairytale.

The highlight of this drama were the actors, of which there were several, but I will focus on the two main characters, Choi Ung (Choi Woo Shik) and Kook Yeon Soo (Kim Da Mi) first. Equally strong characters actors who partnered together to carry the audience through an array of emotional angst, insecurity, happiness, new love, then anger and love rekindled. It was if I could feel what they were feeling by watching their emotions bubble up through their very souls, into their eyes, and onto they're facial expressions. This connection held me through the entire drama. Equally strong in their roles were the side characters, especially Kim Sung Choel.

There was a third strength to this drama, and that was the music. The right music was patterned with the right scene, and kept you completely immersed in the story. I noticed the music, but I didn't, which means it was done very well.

A really good story. I finished it quickly because I kept wanting to see the next episode. And was sad when it ended. Well done to all the production cast and crew on this one!!!

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Something New and Different

This drama takes a break from the normal "boy meets girl, they can't stand each other but fall in love anyway" theme. It is fantasy genre and takes the viewer into an imaginary world of grim reapers. It also tackles the very hard subject of suicide, mainly suicide prevention. Each episode is a different story, but woven into this is the main plot which culminates at the end. I thought this was very cleverly done by the writers and kept me glued to both the episode storylines, and the main plot.

What really jumped out at me in this drama is how well the casting was. The right actors were cast for the right parts, and lent such a strong believability to this fantasy story. The development of the main characters, their own personal storylines showing both their strengths and weaknesses, gave such richness to the overall drama. I finished wanting more. I loved the four main characters, and would love to see another season produced. I didn't get enough of Goo Ryun, Choi Joon Woong, Park Joon Gil, and Im Ryung Goo.

A piece of advice--have tissues handy as some of the episode storylines will squeeze your heart and having you bawling like a baby.

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You Only Have One Life to Live, So Be Happy

This Kdrama resonated with me in a significant way. I grew up in a single-parent family visiting my dad in the summers. He would always say to me, "What I want most for you is to be happy in life. If you ever find you are unhappy, figure out why and change it." This story embodied this same wisdom from my father.

I know there were many who found fault with this Kdrama. I'm not going to disagree with any as I respect people's right to their individual opinions. That said....here is my opinion. One of the best dramas in 2023.

First, it has a great storyline. You don't have to give in to parental and societal pressures, you can forge your own path. Gu Won and Cheon Sa Rang were individuals first who knew what they wanted in life, what was important, and made decisions that represented these values. They were authentic to themselves first then came together as a couple. A representation of a healthy relationship.

Second, employees help make companies great so they should be appreciated and rewarded as such. Instead of looking as people in a hierarchal-type of existence, see people in terms of their contribution towards the end goal and reward them for hard work. My favorite scene was when the employees of the smaller King hotel were seeing the space that would become the employee lounge. Also, Sa Rang's work on her own vision and dream of a hotel. I'm so glad the writers and producers gave a space in this story to the dream of a visionary woman.

Lastly, the acting was superb. Whether comedy, drama, vicious drama, action, or heartwarming scenes between friends, family, and lovers, the acting was superb. My favorite Korean actor is Lee JunHo. As always, the commitment he gives to the profession, whether its music, acting, modeling, or just being himself, is of the highest value, is exemplary, and worthy of respect. I also add Im Yoon Ah to this category as I was blown away by her performance. Their interaction was sublime and perfect. I also want to give respect to Kim Sun Young (she was so delightfully vicious, well done!!), Kim Dong Ha (such angst at such a young age), Go Won Hee and Kim Ga Eun (BFF's forever!!), Ah Se Ha (this story would not be a story without his comedic contribution), Kim Jae Won (the perfect boyfriend), Kim Young Ok (I have seen her in so many dramas and she is superb!!!), and lastly Son Byung Ho (he gave the perfect performance for someone who has lots of regrets). The acting in this drama was top-notch.

There have been many good dramas this year...one could almost dub 2023 as the year of great Kdramas. So far, King the Land is my favorite and what I consider the best drama of 2023. Congratulations to the writers, producers, actors, and production staff for this drama. Well done!!! I hope you were rewarded in a King the Land fashion because you deserve it!!!

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Sequel Needed

Outstanding mafia drama! Korea just created its own version of Al Pacino's Godfather with Vincenzo. Yes, you heard me right. I think Song Joong-ki has the right balance of good and evil in his Vincenzo character to create a mafia trilogy. What I enjoy about Korean productions is the overall story value and how it ebbs and flows. I look at the big picture. This had it all. Good vs. evil, with good prevailing, but just enough bad to take the sugary edge off, suspense, comedy, romance, characters you hated, characters you wanted to have a beer with, and those you want to see more of in future dramas. I don't live in Korea so I didn't succumb to the hype of this drama, so I didn't have any expectations going into it other than it was on a list of recommended dramas. I was blown away. I thought this was a superb production. As a foreigner, I kept pausing the drama and googling Seoul locations for filming different scenes. I know so much more about Seoul now than before, and have come away from these explorations with a respect for this great city. The actors were versatile and multi-dimensional, and I've added several to my list of favorite Korean actors. I hope there will be a sequel.

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Life is About the Connections and Relationships You Have With Others

It's been awhile since a Kdrama had me bawling like a baby, but this one did it. It will not end as you hope, but the ending is important. The entire storyline and message is a good one. Life isn't about status, money, prestige, or stuff. It's about the connections and relationships you make with others.

A very hurt boy...hurt by the stupidity and selfishness of parents...shuts down, puts up walls, and wanders through life cold and unfeeling. Only, really, he is feeling, but doesn't realize it until he is diagnosed with a fatal disease and not much time to live. Then he realizes the relationships in life that are important to him, so he pursues these relationships relentlessly. The viewer is taken on an adventure of his last days. He finds his lost love, he finds his true father, he finds the people in his life that love and care for him, and can die feeling good about his life even though he put on an act of being aimless and cold for so much of it.

Thank you to the screenwriter, Jo Young, for this wonderful and important story. The actors were amazing. This was a very emotional drama, and there were scenes that could not have been easy to film. But they were amazing, especially Woo Do Hwan, Lee You Mi, Oh Jung Se (a favorite of mine since It's Okay to not be Okay), Kim Min Soek, and Lee El. The production value was high, the story flowed well from scene to scene and kept the viewer engaged with the storyline. The filming was sublime, the scenery was beautiful, the music score was top notch. I loved, loved, loved that Alex Landi was part of the story!! I've been a fan of his since Grey's Anatomy, and I hope to see him in more dramas.

I have to give a special note about the last scene. The Jeep all alone on the highway driving into the sunset with the music playing reminded me of the See You Again music video paying tribute to the death of Paul Walker of the Fast and Furious franchise. The car he was driving heading off alone on the highway into the sunset as the music was playing. It is sad, bittersweet, but also gives a sense of closure, as the viewer senses that a life was not in vane, but complete... when one lives as they dreamed.....excuse me....I need a Kleenex....sniffle, sniffle! I highly recommend this Kdrama!

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Stupid....couldn't watch it to the end

This might be enjoyable for some, but for me it was just too full of over-acting, nonsense behavior, and adults behaving like juveniles. It would have been more realistic if a bunch of middle school and high school-aged kids handled all the roles. Wait.....they might be too mature. The FL's character borders on psychotic and disturbing while showing us every emotion under the sun from anger to laziness to deviousness in a 24 hour period, 7 days a week. But.....this is somehow appealing to the ML???? Yea......right. I barely made it through 8 episodes. Usually this is where I will begin to speed watch my way through to the end. But, I dislike these characters so much, I'm dropping it without seeing the end, because I really don't care what happens to them.

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Welcome to Kdramal-ri--stay awhile, you will enjoy this!

This is what good Kdramas are all about. A well-written story full of delightful characters, all with their own stories to tell who take the viewer on an amazing experience. The main word I would use to describe it is heartwarming. As the main character returns to her hometown due to a scandal, she must confront a past tragedy and grief that influenced her decision to walk away from her one and only love. He too has to confront the past, the pain of losing her, and the influence his father's grief has had on his life. The two main leads did an exceptional job portraying the simultaneous emotions of heartache with attraction, and walking on eggshells with their parents. I don't think they could've gotten better actors than these two. They were so genuine with their roles and characters, with each other, and with family and friends. It was like two best friends who actually grew up together said to each other one day, "Hey let's make a movie!" Well done Ji Chang Wook and Shin Hye Sun!! And who could not help but fall in love with the Haenyeos?!! Set and filmed in both Seoul and Jeju Island, the cinematography will stir the traveler in you to get on a plane and visit these beautiful areas of South Korea. All of this wrapped in a good soundtrack and you've got the makings of viewer nirvana, which is actually what it was. Great story, good subplots, great acting, great locations, music, and a good ending. All that's left is to grab the popcorn, curl up on the couch, and watch!

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A really good soul-swapping storyline

I tuned in because of Kim Jung Hyun. I saw him in Crash Landing on You and thought his acting was superb. Plus, this drama received some high marks. There is a twist to the soul-swapping storyline in that Shin Hue Sun's character has both souls in one body fighting over who will dominate. She does an amazing job of acting masculine within a feminine body and during a submissive female cultural period of time. I think her acting dominated the storyline, and I was especially charmed by the "texting" she started with the King Cheoljong. Kim Jung Hyun's acting was again superb. He has range in his acting skills and will be a dominate leading man in many, many types of dramas, of which many I will tune into. Another character that held me through the drama was Cha Chung Hwa. I have seen her in several dramas, and she never fails to entertain. She is also an excellent and versatile character actress and commits herself to every part. The story ebbed and flowed, with some parts slower than others, but still carried the viewer forward to the finale. It was exciting, heartbreaking, romantic, intriguing, funny, and typical all in the right places. The only improvement I would recommend is in the music score. I think musical compositions can add so much to a storyline, but for some reason the producers did not feel that was necessary here, but I felt it was lacking. Other than that, I applaud the screenwriters, producers, directors, the main and supporting actors, and the rest of the cast for a really entertaining production....thank you!

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