I just can't believe how amazing this writer is? And to think that I was about to drop this show when I watched the first episodes... It's so amazing how, at first, a man getting breast cancer was portrayed as something humorous (although it's a serious issue, there were still funny moments), but the writer turned it all around in ep 22, I remember laughing at some scenes used in the flashbacks, for example that one scene where his mom saw him wearing a bra, but now, seeing these, my heart broke. I'm so glad that the writer isn't using breast cancer to make her show more unique but rather to convey a message. Just like Hwa Sin said, I hope South Korea and all the countries over the world will become places where minority can live comfortably.
Could someone recommend me a drama that's more fatalistic in terms of a main character's development?…
I'm not really sure about sageuks because I don't watch many, but a show that fits your description is Cruel City. It fits your description as the main character does the dirtiest things one could do, but is still convinced he's the good one there and everyone else is just wrong. And as more things don't go his way, he's beginning to doubt himself. That's all I can say without spoilering much.
Another show with people that lose themselves while making world a better place is "Awl", honestly this show is not as focused on the hero as "Cruel City", but there's still a character (played by Ahn Nae Sang) who's respected and appreciated by many people, especially the other lead who, at the start of the show, sees him as a wonderful man who dedicates his life to others and respects him a lot, but as he gets to know the hero more, he sees more faults in him and begins to turn away from him slowly. And at some point, the hero does admit that he might be the bad one here (mainly because he's disappointed that the man who respected him so much turned his back on him), and I thought it's such an interesting dynamic, because the hero was admired and loved by many people, while thinking he's the bad one. Honestly, the show doesn't 100% focus on that hero but there still was this character you might find interestnig.
If you're looking for shows with woman like these, I recommend "Secret Love Affair", it's basically about a powerful and rich woman, who has dedicated her life to her work and tried to make as much connections as possible since she was young. But then, she meets a young man and falls in love with him. He tries to convince her saying that she shouldn't be living like that, and if she gives everything up and admits her wrongdoings, they'd be able to live together happily. But still, the woman is not brave enough to give up everything she's worked for her whole life. That was also an amazing character - because you truly start to doubt if she's living her life the right way or the wrong way. At the first glance, she seems to be a rightful person, but you can see how greed slowly takes over her.
That's such a long comment, sorry! I was planning to only mention "Cruel City", but then other shows came to my mind and couldn't stop writing, also - sorry about the fact that the shows I recommended aren't sageuks either. Still, I really recommend them and they seem to contain the plotline you're looking for!
The loveline between JH & Anna still feels forced to me, sorry. I mean, I found his reaction to Anna's fainting and him being so worried so unnatural. Even her dad kept his cool and knew he needs to protect her first. But JH jumping around like that and trying to do his best for Anna just doesn't fit his character. Yes, he feels bad for her but I still fail to see any kind of connection between them. If somebody looked at them without watching the show, they'd have thought JH & Anna went through many things together so now he's so kind towards her. But I feel like we skipped over that moment of them bonding? Because, he was literally watching her cook ramen and then a few days later they act like they're friends.
If only the loveline was awkward... but the writer forcing this romance also makes Je Ha seem so badly-written. One moment, he's burning with rage towards PGS, wants to take revenge for Raniya, and then in the next moment all he cares about is Anna? I don't like how they ruined his relationship with Yoon Jin too, because I can already see Je Ha betraying Yoon Jin in the upcoming eps. YES! YJ definitely is evil and is the villain here, but I thought that JH proposing her to be her friend and her offering him to help in getting revenge (or how she said that his reason behind his hate towards GS is totally understandable! like, she's probably the only person who knows about this, offered him her help and said she understands him) will develop their relationship. Meanwhile, in the last two episodes we got JH turning away from YJ when she's the one who wants to help him + protects him when he's about to get fired... I thought the first thing JH would want to do is getting revenge (because that's what seemed to be his biggest goal?) and turning away from his chance to get it JUST because of Anna makes no sense.
The thing about the relationship between Anna & Je Ha is that it just feels so... shallow? Like, they've barely had any scenes together and it's hard for me to understand why Je Ha looks at her with so much affection (ramen scene). It might be that he pities her and sees some kind of connection/similarity between the two of them, but it felt so weird for me during the ramen scene. Like, they haven't even had a proper moment together (except for JH watching her on the cameras or their brief meeting in the first ep), and seeing JH so excited felt so out-of-character for me, because we all know he's a cold-hearted person after what he went through. If the writer at least showed us some connection between Anna & Je Ha in the first place, and him gradually becoming curious about her, then maybe that moment (or his general affection for Anna) wouldn't have felt so off.
Meanwhile, Je Ha and Yoon Jin are the bomb together. They've had plenty scenes together and I can see how their relationship developed from ep 1. They went from being enemies, to bodyguard and his Madame, and now he even proposed her being friends. That umbrella scene or him touching her back, what was the writer thinking while writing it? Of course that'd make many people ship them!
Damn, Song Yoon Ah & Ji Chang Wook would be amazing together...
LOL, sorry for being so serious, I actually meant their characters in the drama. I somehow prefer him with SYA rather than Yoona's character after ep 2. I know he's supposed to have a loveline with Yoona but SYA is so charismatic in this show and I can't help but to imagine him turning her into a better person, this kind of loveline would have been fantastic.
Just wonderful! I've seen it a year ago but I still rewatch it and wonder how it can be perfect in every single area, including the cinematography and the music. The script is so subtle that you watch it without feeling anything in particular but then all the emotions hit you at once. And that's probably Kwak Shi Yang's best performance so far.
I'm so sad that they we didn't get any closure for Soobong and Crazy Dog :'( Both actors were brilliant... I'd love to see Heo Jung Do (Crazy Dog) as the main character in a comedy.
I just want to give a short shout-out to the actor who plays Yeon Joo's boss (Heo Jeong Do). His comic acting is so freaking great! Definitely a scene-stealer.
I just want to take a moment to appreciate Oh Hae Young's character. Damn, when was the last time I loved a female character so much? So much depth! So brave! So amazing!!!!! Seo Hyun Jin's acting just makes me wanna throw some awards at her...
I'm not the biggest fan of these two actors but then, the writer for this show is also the one who wrote "Nine Times Time Travels" and "Queen In Hyun's Man." The plot already sounds so unique, I definitely have to watch!
Another show with people that lose themselves while making world a better place is "Awl", honestly this show is not as focused on the hero as "Cruel City", but there's still a character (played by Ahn Nae Sang) who's respected and appreciated by many people, especially the other lead who, at the start of the show, sees him as a wonderful man who dedicates his life to others and respects him a lot, but as he gets to know the hero more, he sees more faults in him and begins to turn away from him slowly. And at some point, the hero does admit that he might be the bad one here (mainly because he's disappointed that the man who respected him so much turned his back on him), and I thought it's such an interesting dynamic, because the hero was admired and loved by many people, while thinking he's the bad one. Honestly, the show doesn't 100% focus on that hero but there still was this character you might find interestnig.
If you're looking for shows with woman like these, I recommend "Secret Love Affair", it's basically about a powerful and rich woman, who has dedicated her life to her work and tried to make as much connections as possible since she was young. But then, she meets a young man and falls in love with him. He tries to convince her saying that she shouldn't be living like that, and if she gives everything up and admits her wrongdoings, they'd be able to live together happily. But still, the woman is not brave enough to give up everything she's worked for her whole life. That was also an amazing character - because you truly start to doubt if she's living her life the right way or the wrong way. At the first glance, she seems to be a rightful person, but you can see how greed slowly takes over her.
That's such a long comment, sorry! I was planning to only mention "Cruel City", but then other shows came to my mind and couldn't stop writing, also - sorry about the fact that the shows I recommended aren't sageuks either. Still, I really recommend them and they seem to contain the plotline you're looking for!
If only the loveline was awkward... but the writer forcing this romance also makes Je Ha seem so badly-written. One moment, he's burning with rage towards PGS, wants to take revenge for Raniya, and then in the next moment all he cares about is Anna? I don't like how they ruined his relationship with Yoon Jin too, because I can already see Je Ha betraying Yoon Jin in the upcoming eps. YES! YJ definitely is evil and is the villain here, but I thought that JH proposing her to be her friend and her offering him to help in getting revenge (or how she said that his reason behind his hate towards GS is totally understandable! like, she's probably the only person who knows about this, offered him her help and said she understands him) will develop their relationship. Meanwhile, in the last two episodes we got JH turning away from YJ when she's the one who wants to help him + protects him when he's about to get fired... I thought the first thing JH would want to do is getting revenge (because that's what seemed to be his biggest goal?) and turning away from his chance to get it JUST because of Anna makes no sense.
Meanwhile, Je Ha and Yoon Jin are the bomb together. They've had plenty scenes together and I can see how their relationship developed from ep 1. They went from being enemies, to bodyguard and his Madame, and now he even proposed her being friends. That umbrella scene or him touching her back, what was the writer thinking while writing it? Of course that'd make many people ship them!