The guy: I was hiding this to protect this person. I was evasive cos I forgot. I can’t tell right now. I have to handle something.
then goes on a rampage of blunders and juvenile tantrums exposing himself to more damage while the lawyer is running after him in those goddamn heels. 🤦🏻♀️
I love that they have shown the girl as a competent lawyer and her competence as a lawyer isn't getting swayed by her fangirl life. I did however feel a little cringe at the start of episode 3. But the girl is acting really nice.
Now I will say the unpopular part - Do Ra Ik's character is undercooked and overly relying on Idol tropes and exaggerating the heck out of the myth of the character. Tortured idol, bad behaviour has a reason and a story, i.e. troubled past, irresponsible parent, hubris that is hiding vulnerability, jealous groupies, doesn't trust anyone, not even his legal counsel (lol), has a condition (tinnitus) that makes him curl up in a fetal like incapacitated creature. But he does end up throwing fits of tantrums and flying bouts of rage while being irresponsible about his safety and/or legal troubles, while an active investigation is going on he is walking around neighbourhoods getting beat by teen punks or having gangster outbursts, causing more drama than necessary, acting all insufferable uncooperative with his lawyer right after she lulled him into a calm and he agreed in front of reporters that he will find the killer to the very end. And when faced with the prosecutor, becoming all tongue-tied and meek. It's just a frustrating drag. Totally unnecessary. I don't feel sorry for such cartoonishly exaggerated characters.
So instead of using his mass acclaim from that cheese trap of a show (Lovely Runner) BWS is gonna continue to work in cheese traps after cheese traps? I can't take an actor seriously if they don't even change their look for a role. From project to project, all you get is BWS adorning the idol look and serving BWS.
Okay done with Episode 4. And post 3 and 4 installment this is my hot take: Episode 4 is the clumsiest of the 4 installments.
I have to say, thank goodness they didn't make Baek Ki Tae invincible. He grovels and becomes pathetic when he is in trouble. But once he survives a setback, he comes back like a predator. And Hyun Bin!!! Man has nailed this character.
JWS is still not convincing. I know he is a senior actor with acclaimed work in his filmography. I have seen his work. But in this one, his performance is a caricature of the character he's playing. Up against Hyun Bin, his acting looks lukewarm at best.
Also, Baek Ki Hyun has a backstory. Hmm.. it's funny how a character who has no screentime in the two released episodes keeps coming up in mention. Is this a foreshadowing of the role he will play in his brother's trajectory?
Jang Gun Yeong and O Ye Jin - how did they find out where the trade (fish market) will take place? How did they know that intel. They were only keeping an eye on Baek Ki Tae's movement in Osaka. They didn't know where he'd go to do the deal. And both of them disguised shabbily as two fish market carters and are following them around the whole place taking pics. In those days the cameras made a lot of noise whenever the picture was captured. How are they getting away with it?
Okay done with episode 3 and I have gotta say Cho Yeo Jung who plays Bae Geum Ji had me in her web. What a great, effortless and charming performance. I loved her. Her performance was so mesmerising, I really was transported.
And of course, Hyun Bin is just owning his character and it's magnetism. We are starting to see his flaws and insecurities. We know what will be his undoing after all. But he is really leading the pack of great acting performances.
He has been a high-budget disaster this year. Nothing has worked out cos he keeps reaching for formulaic good-guy, hot commodity male lead roles. Let's please not mention Pachinko. He attempted to break into Hollywood with that one and it was very much an LA production and not a "Lee Min Ho" star show. He had to audition for it. The role wasn't handed to him like it is in Korea. So I won't count that as "his" project.
Is it any good? Like I hated Typhoon Family. And Good Boy this year. Don't know why this one is giving me similar vibes, i.e: bad writing and cartoonish characters and storytelling powered by slapstick humour and acting.
And post episode two: I like it. I really liked what I watched. The feel, the look the smell, the essence of a high-stakes period drama are there.
The show feels like a movie. It’s NOT gawdy and shoddily done. I mean, some period dramas out of Korea did rely too heavily on colour treatment and costume-like feel and ended up feeling forced. Not this one. So far, at least.
Cinematography of MIK is such a visual treat. It can’t be as grand as a movie. But even for small screen, it's detailed and stunning.
Hyun Bin carries his character and his presence throughout episode 1 like an English cup of tea with his pinky sticking out to perfection. In fact, I will give it to him. He commands the two episodes. Hyun Bin eats it like cake. You can’t take your eyes off him. The juxtaposition of the magnetic, towering figure of Baek Ki Tae, who is tall and imposing, yes, but not as tall as JWS in height. Yet, he towers over him in the face-off scene.
JWS has a character who hunches. Maybe he is crooked by the scepticism and suspicion he experiences, witnessing the corruption through his profession. Will he devolve into moral grey areas? We will find out.
Baek Ki Tae's men are suited up - gelled back hair - on his command with military precision. While Jang Gun Yong has a bunch of morally bankrupt civil servants in his prosecutor's office who want promotion more than putting thugs behind bars
So far, the only crease/conflict I grasped in Baek Ki Tae's storyline was his younger brother. WDH's only performance this year, as he plays the reluctant younger brother. The eldest is proud of the younger one, top of the class. All the promise of potential future success in his military career. The question is not if the younger brother will become a "starred officer". It is: how many stars will he end up with on his uniform? We don't know yet why WDH's character is reluctant to accept his brother's help. It could either be because he has a feeling the older bro is dirty or he just wants to be his own person. We just know he is reluctant, and we expect to find out more answers about the overshadowed sibling in the next episodes.
On a lighter digression, I couldn't help but smile and giggle while watching Episode one at times cos I was constantly thinking about Good News. IYKYK, eh!.
Okay, good start. I feel well-fed. Best part is, only 4 episodes left in this installment.
Done with episode 1 and the smell feel and visuals of the production are top notch so far. Hyun Bin carries a magnetism that is required and expected of him and his character. Okay now onto episode 2.
K-Drama 
then goes on a rampage of blunders and juvenile tantrums exposing himself to more damage while the lawyer is running after him in those goddamn heels. 🤦🏻♀️
Now I will say the unpopular part - Do Ra Ik's character is undercooked and overly relying on Idol tropes and exaggerating the heck out of the myth of the character. Tortured idol, bad behaviour has a reason and a story, i.e. troubled past, irresponsible parent, hubris that is hiding vulnerability, jealous groupies, doesn't trust anyone, not even his legal counsel (lol), has a condition (tinnitus) that makes him curl up in a fetal like incapacitated creature. But he does end up throwing fits of tantrums and flying bouts of rage while being irresponsible about his safety and/or legal troubles, while an active investigation is going on he is walking around neighbourhoods getting beat by teen punks or having gangster outbursts, causing more drama than necessary, acting all insufferable uncooperative with his lawyer right after she lulled him into a calm and he agreed in front of reporters that he will find the killer to the very end. And when faced with the prosecutor, becoming all tongue-tied and meek. It's just a frustrating drag. Totally unnecessary. I don't feel sorry for such cartoonishly exaggerated characters.
I have to say, thank goodness they didn't make Baek Ki Tae invincible. He grovels and becomes pathetic when he is in trouble. But once he survives a setback, he comes back like a predator. And Hyun Bin!!! Man has nailed this character.
JWS is still not convincing. I know he is a senior actor with acclaimed work in his filmography. I have seen his work. But in this one, his performance is a caricature of the character he's playing. Up against Hyun Bin, his acting looks lukewarm at best.
Also, Baek Ki Hyun has a backstory. Hmm.. it's funny how a character who has no screentime in the two released episodes keeps coming up in mention. Is this a foreshadowing of the role he will play in his brother's trajectory?
And of course, Hyun Bin is just owning his character and it's magnetism. We are starting to see his flaws and insecurities. We know what will be his undoing after all. But he is really leading the pack of great acting performances.
Anyway, onto episode 4 now.
The show feels like a movie. It’s NOT gawdy and shoddily done. I mean, some period dramas out of Korea did rely too heavily on colour treatment and costume-like feel and ended up feeling forced. Not this one. So far, at least.
Cinematography of MIK is such a visual treat. It can’t be as grand as a movie. But even for small screen, it's detailed and stunning.
Hyun Bin carries his character and his presence throughout episode 1 like an English cup of tea with his pinky sticking out to perfection. In fact, I will give it to him. He commands the two episodes. Hyun Bin eats it like cake. You can’t take your eyes off him. The juxtaposition of the magnetic, towering figure of Baek Ki Tae, who is tall and imposing, yes, but not as tall as JWS in height. Yet, he towers over him in the face-off scene.
JWS has a character who hunches. Maybe he is crooked by the scepticism and suspicion he experiences, witnessing the corruption through his profession. Will he devolve into moral grey areas? We will find out.
Baek Ki Tae's men are suited up - gelled back hair - on his command with military precision. While Jang Gun Yong has a bunch of morally bankrupt civil servants in his prosecutor's office who want promotion more than putting thugs behind bars
So far, the only crease/conflict I grasped in Baek Ki Tae's storyline was his younger brother. WDH's only performance this year, as he plays the reluctant younger brother. The eldest is proud of the younger one, top of the class. All the promise of potential future success in his military career. The question is not if the younger brother will become a "starred officer". It is: how many stars will he end up with on his uniform? We don't know yet why WDH's character is reluctant to accept his brother's help. It could either be because he has a feeling the older bro is dirty or he just wants to be his own person. We just know he is reluctant, and we expect to find out more answers about the overshadowed sibling in the next episodes.
On a lighter digression, I couldn't help but smile and giggle while watching Episode one at times cos I was constantly thinking about Good News. IYKYK, eh!.
Okay, good start. I feel well-fed. Best part is, only 4 episodes left in this installment.