Tried to post a review but there's a glitch. Review below.
"The dark side of human nature. Everyone has it."
As the quote reveals, this is on the darker side or noir crime dramas. There's a closed room murder mystery with only 3 possible suspects. Police officer Chen who has kept himself busy guarding sheep from sandstorms and robbers is called in to reinvestigate, as not everything seems right with the previous investigation. This sets off a chain of events which ends with the same murder scenario repeating itself.
Chen Jiang He is delightfully temperamental but also a broken humbled man, due to an accident involving his senior police officer. He believes that patiently finding out about the lives and motives of the people surrounding the murder mystery will eventually lead to a breakthrough. We gradually get to know the families of the 3 suspects and their histories. One thing I particularly liked about the drama is how there were no boring psycho killers. The sad incidents resulted from partly accidents, partly deceptions and selfishness.
The plot tightens toward the end, and the last 3 episodes are particularly heartbreaking.
The mountaineous half-desert location is very beautiful and also very harsh. We see and almost feel the dust and sand in the air. Watching Sandstorm felt like being there. Highly recommended for friends of c-noir.
These post should 'ALL' be taken down cyber bullying is a crime. You either love or hate him. Debate in a good…
Yes indeed it should be taken down. Hopefully it will happen soon. Too many comments that violate basic rules (racism, ageism, sexual language, death wishes, etc) to even bother to report. There are no moderators.
Thanks for the info and link. It's like a green island in an ocean of filth, but these hot emotions are still…
That's it, the hate comes from unfulfilled lives. It would be sad in principle. But the haters go far too low and seem to be poisoned by their own vitriol.
"As the chaos persists with no signs of slowing, some weary speculators have begun to question if the media continues to take things too far."
The intense coverage of Kim Soo-hyun and his emotional press conference on March 31 has gotten some to reflect on a long list of celebrities who suffered from Korea's notoriously relentless scrutiny; just how severely is this contributing to a mental health deterioration among entertainers? "
media coverage of the scandal, which "purposefully highlights and exaggerates the most sensationalist aspects of a story," violates the core principles of journalism.
Such coverage is a far cry from safeguarding the public’s right to know, or as an act of serving the public interest, Choi stressed.
As the public was once again swamped with wave after wave of headlines, some demanded the media hold itself to a higher standard.
“While the definition of ‘public interest’ may differ, I do not believe the ongoing reporting [on the Kim Soo-hyun scandal] serves that interest,” said Yoo Hyun-jae, a journalism professor at Sogang University.
“It appears that YouTubers are leading the narrative, and mainstream outlets are just echoing their claims without sufficient verification,” Yoo suggested, criticizing media outlets for “cherry-picking more sensational aspects to capitalize on the issue.”
"Korea’s tabloid culture is no stranger to criticism, often accused of enforcing unrealistically high ethical standards for celebrities and toxicity to the point of pushing them toward self-harm. "
Kim Sae-ron was also subject to excessive media attention following a high-profile drunk-driving scandal in 2022 that brought her career to a screeching halt.
The incident was followed by a wave of news coverage, as well as rumors and malicious speculations, many originating from so-called cyberwrecker YouTubers and further amplified by media outlets. A major broadcaster released CCTV footage of the crash almost immediately after the news broke out, triggering a surge of critical coverage against the actor that even prompted her to express fear about the intense coverage.
"There have been too many news articles written about things that are not true, I can't explain them," Kim told reporters on April 5, 2023, on her way out of court for the DUI case. "I'm scared."
“Is the media truly unaware of how many celebrities have been victimized by sensationalist reporting that does not serve the public interest?” said the Citizens’ Coalition for Democratic Media, a civic organization, in a strongly worded statement released on Feb. 18, two days after Kim Sae-ron’s death. “Sensationalized journalism justified with a pretense of ‘the public’s right to know’ is nothing short of bullying.”
“Just as the public once was quick to demonize HYBE after Min Hee-jin’s claims, and the late actor Lee Sun-kyun over his drug use allegations, this cycle appears to be repeating itself, producing more victims,” said cultural critic Ha Jae-geun, referencing the apparent death by suicide of the prolific actor on Dec. 27, 2023.
The late “Parasite” (2019) actor was found dead while he was subject to a police investigation into drug use. Lee’s former colleagues and entertainment industry leaders, including Bong Joon-ho, blamed both law enforcement and the press, condemning sensationalist coverage by news media as “abuses of yellow journalism.”
Choi of Sungkonghoe University stressed that coverage of stories involving high-profile figures and scandals must remain fact-based and straightforward, while maintaining a neutral and impartial tone.
“While exposing facts about public figures that raise legitimate ethical concerns should not be considered problematic, selectively amplifying only the most sensational aspects or twisting the narrative into something only sensational is indeed a problem,” said the professor.
and this is the problem. this was also what happened to Kim sae Ron. many people who attack celebrities are not…
The article was addressing the treatment of Kim Sae Ron. I don't take sides but speak about the treatment of all SK actors. Only a nation of adult children needs their celebrities to be role models. Everyone has a public life and a private life and the private life is a protected, no-go zone. This is basic ethics 101. Let's not say watching a real life Squid Game is something that adds to social and mental well-being of anyone. "Getting mad" when being incited by gossip rags to get mad leaves you in the role of a mob member. Rather than being an individual able to withhold judgements. We will never know the truth about these cases.
"One mistake, a lifetime sentence A single mistake — sometimes even just a slip of the tongue — can lead to career annihilation. The public, acting as self-appointed moral arbiters, ruthlessly “exposes” and “cancels” celebrities in the name of justice. There is a psychological mechanism at play — condemning others for moral failings reinforces one’s own sense of superiority. With the power to make or break careers, the public wields near-unchecked authority over celebrities' fates, often treating digital mobbing as a rightful consumer privilege. "
"Yale psychiatrist Na Jong-ho wrote on social media: “A society that permanently exiles individuals for mistakes without allowing redemption is not a healthy society. Watching people fall and then pretending nothing happened feels like a real-life Squid Game.” "
“How many more lives must be lost before we stop weaponizing shame?” he asked. “It’s time for serious reflection.”
Everyone makes mistakes. If someone serves their punishment and sincerely repents, they should be allowed to start over. The real question is: Are we — the people so eager to destroy those who fall from grace — as morally pure as we demand celebrities to be?
THIS"Only possible in SK to continue pushing celebrities to severe depression and death. Only a nation of adult…
Yes so sick. After the excessive punishment and complete destruction of his career they just want to punish Yoo Ah In more.
And that article about Ji Soo.... being criticized of saying he never met Kim Soo Hyun as "too lighthearted". The netizens are trying to dictate everything that celebrities are allowed to say and do. Ji Soo was actually really just a middle schooler, 12 years old, when the alleged school bullying happened. And someone came up 15 years later with the accusations just when he started getting bigger roles. And everybody immediately cancelled him.
I can't respect the fact that the actors are currently not taking stronger stands against cyberbullying and hateful commenting. Their contracts demand this "examplary behavior" but it's time they start to fight this. Otherwise they'll all just be condemned to spend time at their homes and hide in their basements.
Yes indeed everybody has conveniently forgotten what the reaction was after Lee Sun Kyun's death. The filmmakers even proposed The Lee Sun Kyun Law. The media will not change though, the same predatory practices are allowed time and time again, bc of money. Not an ounce of humanity.
This was the first and last time I looked at those disgusting gossip rags. How they manipulate with their writing and kids lap it all up.
Don't ask for whom the bells tolls, it tolls for you.
What does this mean?
Copilot: The quote "Don't ask for whom the bell tolls" comes from a meditation by John Donne, a 17th-century poet and cleric. It reflects the idea that humanity is interconnected, and any loss or suffering affects us all. The "bell" refers to funeral bells, which were rung to announce someone's death. Donne's message is that when you hear the bell toll, it tolls for everyone, including you, because we are all part of a greater whole.
This sentiment is beautifully expressed in Donne's work Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, where he writes, "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." It’s a reminder of our shared humanity and mortality.
If like me you like Breaking the Shadows, you'll probably like Sandstorm too. (I like Sandstorm even slightly more than this). I wish it would get more watchers bc it's uploaded too slowly on (xxxx.kh)
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1 
As the quote reveals, this is on the darker side or noir crime dramas. There's a closed room murder mystery with only 3 possible suspects. Police officer Chen who has kept himself busy guarding sheep from sandstorms and robbers is called in to reinvestigate, as not everything seems right with the previous investigation. This sets off a chain of events which ends with the same murder scenario repeating itself.
Chen Jiang He is delightfully temperamental but also a broken humbled man, due to an accident involving his senior police officer. He believes that patiently finding out about the lives and motives of the people surrounding the murder mystery will eventually lead to a breakthrough. We gradually get to know the families of the 3 suspects and their histories. One thing I particularly liked about the drama is how there were no boring psycho killers. The sad incidents resulted from partly accidents, partly deceptions and selfishness.
The plot tightens toward the end, and the last 3 episodes are particularly heartbreaking.
The mountaineous half-desert location is very beautiful and also very harsh. We see and almost feel the dust and sand in the air. Watching Sandstorm felt like being there. Highly recommended for friends of c-noir.
"As the chaos persists with no signs of slowing, some weary speculators have begun to question if the media continues to take things too far."
The intense coverage of Kim Soo-hyun and his emotional press conference on March 31 has gotten some to reflect on a long list of celebrities who suffered from Korea's notoriously relentless scrutiny; just how severely is this contributing to a mental health deterioration among entertainers? "
media coverage of the scandal, which "purposefully highlights and exaggerates the most sensationalist aspects of a story," violates the core principles of journalism.
Such coverage is a far cry from safeguarding the public’s right to know, or as an act of serving the public interest, Choi stressed.
As the public was once again swamped with wave after wave of headlines, some demanded the media hold itself to a higher standard.
“While the definition of ‘public interest’ may differ, I do not believe the ongoing reporting [on the Kim Soo-hyun scandal] serves that interest,” said Yoo Hyun-jae, a journalism professor at Sogang University.
“It appears that YouTubers are leading the narrative, and mainstream outlets are just echoing their claims without sufficient verification,” Yoo suggested, criticizing media outlets for “cherry-picking more sensational aspects to capitalize on the issue.”
"Korea’s tabloid culture is no stranger to criticism, often accused of enforcing unrealistically high ethical standards for celebrities and toxicity to the point of pushing them toward self-harm. "
Kim Sae-ron was also subject to excessive media attention following a high-profile drunk-driving scandal in 2022 that brought her career to a screeching halt.
The incident was followed by a wave of news coverage, as well as rumors and malicious speculations, many originating from so-called cyberwrecker YouTubers and further amplified by media outlets. A major broadcaster released CCTV footage of the crash almost immediately after the news broke out, triggering a surge of critical coverage against the actor that even prompted her to express fear about the intense coverage.
"There have been too many news articles written about things that are not true, I can't explain them," Kim told reporters on April 5, 2023, on her way out of court for the DUI case. "I'm scared."
“Is the media truly unaware of how many celebrities have been victimized by sensationalist reporting that does not serve the public interest?” said the Citizens’ Coalition for Democratic Media, a civic organization, in a strongly worded statement released on Feb. 18, two days after Kim Sae-ron’s death. “Sensationalized journalism justified with a pretense of ‘the public’s right to know’ is nothing short of bullying.”
“Just as the public once was quick to demonize HYBE after Min Hee-jin’s claims, and the late actor Lee Sun-kyun over his drug use allegations, this cycle appears to be repeating itself, producing more victims,” said cultural critic Ha Jae-geun, referencing the apparent death by suicide of the prolific actor on Dec. 27, 2023.
The late “Parasite” (2019) actor was found dead while he was subject to a police investigation into drug use. Lee’s former colleagues and entertainment industry leaders, including Bong Joon-ho, blamed both law enforcement and the press, condemning sensationalist coverage by news media as “abuses of yellow journalism.”
Choi of Sungkonghoe University stressed that coverage of stories involving high-profile figures and scandals must remain fact-based and straightforward, while maintaining a neutral and impartial tone.
“While exposing facts about public figures that raise legitimate ethical concerns should not be considered problematic, selectively amplifying only the most sensational aspects or twisting the narrative into something only sensational is indeed a problem,” said the professor.
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-04-10/national/socialAffairs/Cavalier-coverage-of-Kim-Soohyun-overshadows-necessary-discussion-on-protecting-youth/2281194
A single mistake — sometimes even just a slip of the tongue — can lead to career annihilation. The public, acting as self-appointed moral arbiters, ruthlessly “exposes” and “cancels” celebrities in the name of justice. There is a psychological mechanism at play — condemning others for moral failings reinforces one’s own sense of superiority. With the power to make or break careers, the public wields near-unchecked authority over celebrities' fates, often treating digital mobbing as a rightful consumer privilege. "
"Yale psychiatrist Na Jong-ho wrote on social media: “A society that permanently exiles individuals for mistakes without allowing redemption is not a healthy society. Watching people fall and then pretending nothing happened feels like a real-life Squid Game.” "
“How many more lives must be lost before we stop weaponizing shame?” he asked. “It’s time for serious reflection.”
Everyone makes mistakes. If someone serves their punishment and sincerely repents, they should be allowed to start over. The real question is: Are we — the people so eager to destroy those who fall from grace — as morally pure as we demand celebrities to be?
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-02-21/opinion/columns/Koreas-relentless-cycle-of-celebrity-tragedy/2246373?detailWord=
And that article about Ji Soo.... being criticized of saying he never met Kim Soo Hyun as "too lighthearted". The netizens are trying to dictate everything that celebrities are allowed to say and do. Ji Soo was actually really just a middle schooler, 12 years old, when the alleged school bullying happened. And someone came up 15 years later with the accusations just when he started getting bigger roles. And everybody immediately cancelled him.
I can't respect the fact that the actors are currently not taking stronger stands against cyberbullying and hateful commenting. Their contracts demand this "examplary behavior" but it's time they start to fight this. Otherwise they'll all just be condemned to spend time at their homes and hide in their basements.
Yes indeed everybody has conveniently forgotten what the reaction was after Lee Sun Kyun's death. The filmmakers even proposed The Lee Sun Kyun Law. The media will not change though, the same predatory practices are allowed time and time again, bc of money. Not an ounce of humanity.
This was the first and last time I looked at those disgusting gossip rags. How they manipulate with their writing and kids lap it all up.
What does this mean?
Copilot: The quote "Don't ask for whom the bell tolls" comes from a meditation by John Donne, a 17th-century poet and cleric. It reflects the idea that humanity is interconnected, and any loss or suffering affects us all. The "bell" refers to funeral bells, which were rung to announce someone's death. Donne's message is that when you hear the bell toll, it tolls for everyone, including you, because we are all part of a greater whole.
This sentiment is beautifully expressed in Donne's work Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, where he writes, "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." It’s a reminder of our shared humanity and mortality.