The movie stumbles in pacing, particularly in the middle, and the ending feels rushed and underwhelming. However, the leads deliver great performances and the cinematography - especially the drone shots shifting between the inside and outside of the tunnel - is nicely handled. The visual effects make the collapses feel tangible adding to increasing feeling of claustrophobia and urgency.
The built-in commentary on humanity taking a backseat to money and front-page news is well-executed and humor is sprinkled in without overdoing it. Standout moments include the drone scene with the news reporters and the FL’s final call to her husband. That call, in particular, with the ML’s realization sinking in was heart-wrenching to watch.
I might just switch to Samsung, because that battery life was next level.
A 5 star rating, and I’m still conflicted on whether that’s overly generous. A good cast with too little to work with. The final 30 minutes are spent in intense annoyance and disbelief. Enjoy.
Don't make the mistake of almost skipping this, as I did, assuming it's "just another hijacking action movie". This is a finely crafted piece of cinema with a tightly told story, solid-to-stellar performances from the entire cast and quite a few impressive-looking aerial sequences. The ending is thrilling, deeply moving and satisfying. The last 30 minutes were inevitable - I was crying through most of them - then the final punch is delivered, and you learn this is based on real events.
For all the terrible things humans do, it's nice to be reminded now and then of the bravery, selflessness and sheer resilience they are also capable of.
This story is bonkers, and I'm charmed and intrigued by how it manages to mix in a lot of unusual with the familiar. Episodes 5-6 were easily the best yet. The change-up in tone and pacing caught me off guard —like I was shifting rapidly through genres after being comfortably stuck in slow-burn melo-gear for four episodes.
Still puzzled by cop friend and his "storyline", but I hope he will tie into the main plot (and players) at some point. Either way, this mystery (and drama) has me hooked.
I loved When the Weather Is Fine (Eun Seob, best character!), which was also slow-paced and deeply melancholic. But in that drama, I was invested in the romance from the start. Here, after four episodes, it’s not even on my radar. I’m far more intrigued by the mystery, their individual story arcs, and the cop friend. Why was he so withdrawn back then? And why is he getting a separate storyline that doesn’t really feel like a storyline? He’s interesting. I also enjoy the use of data mining as a tool to unravel the mystery—it’s at least something I haven’t seen before.
That said, the ML is giving… unwell. I get it—we’re in the K-drama romance department, and this is supposedly (?) going to evolve into something swoon-worthy (?). But my guy is out here lurking in dark alleys, rifling through mail, sneaking into buildings, quitting jobs, and straight-up hustling people out of their apartments—all because of a school crush turned full-blown obsession. He’s also terrible at respecting boundaries. They play it off as cute and funny, but that poor convenience store guy could not have been any clearer. I’m rolling with it, but let’s be real—it’s sus.
FL definitely noticed him during their school days as well. This was shown directly in two or three separate scenes and subtly hinted at when she sensed someone following her, when he was acting like a creeper after spotting her in the subway.
I probably wasn’t supposed to laugh at all the accidents and deaths, but they just kept piling up—each one more absurd than the last.
For now I'm into this. Park Jin Young's acting is usually worth my time. I wouldn't mind, they dropped any romance, and made ML a villain, that cop friend catches on to.
The plot took an unexpected turn in the first couple of episodes that caught me so off guard, I almost dropped the show. But after that initial speed bump, it became an entertaining, crazy ride until the final two completely unnecessary episodes.
The comedy and how it was sprinkled in wasn't for me. Baek Sa Eon's office manager, in particular, was so grating. I’ve been fine with that exact character in multiple shows, but he was much better when he toned down the clownery and acted like an....office manager.
Heo Nam Jun was hot(!), everyone mostly got what they deserved, I'm glad Park Do Jae got a second chance, and Yoo Yeon Seok played tsundere-to-swooney really well. The man can deliver a good kiss, that's for sure.
I enjoy a good melodrama and have a decent threshold for soapiness, but no amount of shirtless kissing can make up for horrible writing decisions. What in the world was episode 12?! I watched it in equal parts annoyance and disbelief. The final episode was bad - really bad.
"See The Light" is a beautiful ballad. The BTOB men always deliver.
As expected from a Japanese production, the story didn’t shy away from complex yet mundane issues, explored through equally mundane and imperfect characters—who, as a result, felt human. Sei and Hagiwara both reached their needed individual arcs, but at one point during the finale, I wondered if their end would be different, and realized that I would be okay with that.
Fujisawa’s arc felt unsatisfying, wrapped up too quickly and neatly. It needed a longer conversation, a little more time spent on their past and his motivations. I disagree with those who felt the show needed to explicitly spell out what happened between them in episode 6. It was very clearly shown and there's simply no way to interpret it as anything else. I don’t believe Fujisawa’s arc was meant to be redemptive and a dramatic confrontation wasn't needed. Both he and Sei understood exactly who he was and what he had done. There was no going back from that—Sei simply followed through on his words. I think, how they handled it is also closer to real life. That goes for both couples, really.
The cinematography stood out in several key moments, and the acting was strong. The nuanced, understated performances of the actors who played Kaori and Fujisawa were particularly striking in the episodes where everything came to a head and then unraveled. Matsumoto Hiroki is very handsome.
The first 5 episodes were toptier, but they fumbled it toward the end—especially in the final episode, which felt rushed and uneven in focus. At least one more episode or longer runtimes to give the story and it's characters more room to breathe would've made this a standout show. Still, this was such a great watch overall.
The slowest of burns until it takes off and goes a little overboard towards the end. I binged it over two days, but definitely should've stretched it out more. A 10-episode run worked, but 8 might have been better. The story demands some leaps of logic, deep breaths, and a lot of patience—but despite that, I was still entertained. The father-daughter relationship was wrapped up well, even if their convoluted and painfully inefficient communication drove me up the wall for most of the show. My god, people—stop circling and just spit it out! Noh Jae Won broke my heart in Daily Dose of Sunshine, and he did it again here. Every scene he shared with the kid was so moving.
I was really looking forward to PJY’s acting, and this is the first drama of his that I’m watching. I’m…
Besides The Devil Judge, as someone mentioned, I'd also recommend the movie A Christmas Carol if you want to see more of Park Jin-young's acting range. He takes on a dual role, and his performance floored me (and broke my heart). Just a heads-up—it's a very dark film.
No, but seriously—what is this show?! How does it shift so effortlessly between gut-wrenching, hilarious, heart-warming and completely unhinged. The mom?! I literally knocked over my coffee cheering. I don't like the circus, but I love this one and all of its clowns. I'm so entertained!
Episodes 9 and 10 were amazing and so engaging to watch! I can only imagine how tough it must have been to run those booths. Some contestants really rose to the challenge, discovering new strengths and talents during those days. Of course, with the added pressure and stress, conflicts had to arise, but how they were handled made all the difference in determining who stayed and who left. I agreed with the eliminations, except one. Watching him go was really tough.
I locked in my final lineup right before the 1-pick/team voting began, but it wasn't easy:
Woongki Park Han JL Jinho Kairi Joohyung Steven (Jiang Fan and Zen Zen would be on deck.)
If Woongki doesn't make it this time, it'll probably hit me the hardest out of all the survival shows, I've watched so far. I've leaned toward GROOVE throughout most of the show, but the BEAT lineup going into the finale is incredibly interesting and well-balanced. I feel so bad for this team, because they've been fighting an uphill battle for most of the show, while many of their performances and members haven't received the attention and praise, they deserve.
Going in as a BTOB fan, I was nervous about how Changsub would be as a director, but he has exceeded my expectations. It’s been so satisfying to watch his hands-on approach, his gameplay and treatment of the trainees. If there were a director trophy, he’s earned it.
There are pros and cons to the format of the show, but the team-centered concept has made me more invested in and aware of each of the contestants than ever before. The downside is that I’ve grown attached to pretty much everyone, making it so hard to see any of them go home. The biggest drawback, however, has been the increasingly toxic online behavior of some viewers. It's nothing new, but still kinda sad, because everyone on the show is so talented, likeable and most of all supportive of each other.
I really hope the popular theory about the final lineup turns out to be true!
it's so nice to see Togawa randomly be people's profile pic on here. It always makes me rewatch Old Fashioned…
Haha. Togawa and Kurosawa are at the very top of my list over fave drama characters. It's been awhile since I rewatched Old Fashioned, so thanks for the reminder.
Season 2 was just as good, if not better, than Season 1. While I loved the teams in both seasons, this season stood out with all the extra challenges that truly pushed the team to come up with creative solutions and adapt their strategy. Their teamwork, heartwarming interactions with the locals, and all the amazing food made for a wholesome and thoroughly entertaining watch. Lee Kyu Hyung charmed me just as much in this season as BamBam did in the first. I’m glad, that we’re getting a Season 3!
How is he even at the bottom 18, seriously?!?! I am about to give up voting and this show altogether. GongB and…
The 1-pick struggle is hitting right now. I really want CongB to debut, but at the same time, I'm hesitant to pull my vote from Hangyul, because he "looks safe". That strategy has backfired before.
Ling Qi and Hikari tore me apart. I’ve been voting for Ling Qi, so I should feel happy, but those speeches… Ling Qi was absolutely heartbroken, and Hikari did everything he could to hold it together. I just can’t... 😭😭
And that CongB ranking? No way that’s accurate. Come on, people—let’s focus!
Xuan You telling Hangyul, X1 was the first idol group, he liked, and then getting a hug. 😭😭
They did Sihun dirty with that edit. This better lead to a redemption arc, because he can't afford this at such a crucial time in the show. The Bing Hua/Chen Yu situation broke my heart. Chen Yu looks and sounds so defeated, and he's one of the finds of the show for me. Chae Hee Ju is another. Man, there are so many talented contestants currently circling the drain. I hope, Chen Yu sees some of the praise and love, he's getting online. I hope, they all do.
....In what world of logic could Team Beat's bench team ever rank below that "Baggy Jeans" performance. And don't…
Or sexy concepts, which "Hard Carry" doesn't give, even if they pulled out the crop top. Given the consistent choice of well-known/loved songs, I just expected more focus on performance quality in voting. "Baggy Jeans" was clearly the weakest of the three—something even the directors and teams recognized. I like the overall concept more than the other current airing survivial shows, but I guess, it's dawning on me a little late, how much weight audience votes have on the outcome/who gets the yellow cards.
The built-in commentary on humanity taking a backseat to money and front-page news is well-executed and humor is sprinkled in without overdoing it. Standout moments include the drone scene with the news reporters and the FL’s final call to her husband. That call, in particular, with the ML’s realization sinking in was heart-wrenching to watch.
I might just switch to Samsung, because that battery life was next level.
For all the terrible things humans do, it's nice to be reminded now and then of the bravery, selflessness and sheer resilience they are also capable of.
Highly recommeded.
Still puzzled by cop friend and his "storyline", but I hope he will tie into the main plot (and players) at some point. Either way, this mystery (and drama) has me hooked.
That said, the ML is giving… unwell. I get it—we’re in the K-drama romance department, and this is supposedly (?) going to evolve into something swoon-worthy (?). But my guy is out here lurking in dark alleys, rifling through mail, sneaking into buildings, quitting jobs, and straight-up hustling people out of their apartments—all because of a school crush turned full-blown obsession. He’s also terrible at respecting boundaries. They play it off as cute and funny, but that poor convenience store guy could not have been any clearer. I’m rolling with it, but let’s be real—it’s sus.
FL definitely noticed him during their school days as well. This was shown directly in two or three separate scenes and subtly hinted at when she sensed someone following her, when he was acting like a creeper after spotting her in the subway.
I probably wasn’t supposed to laugh at all the accidents and deaths, but they just kept piling up—each one more absurd than the last.
For now I'm into this. Park Jin Young's acting is usually worth my time. I wouldn't mind, they dropped any romance, and made ML a villain, that cop friend catches on to.
The comedy and how it was sprinkled in wasn't for me. Baek Sa Eon's office manager, in particular, was so grating. I’ve been fine with that exact character in multiple shows, but he was much better when he toned down the clownery and acted like an....office manager.
Heo Nam Jun was hot(!), everyone mostly got what they deserved, I'm glad Park Do Jae got a second chance, and Yoo Yeon Seok played tsundere-to-swooney really well. The man can deliver a good kiss, that's for sure.
I enjoy a good melodrama and have a decent threshold for soapiness, but no amount of shirtless kissing can make up for horrible writing decisions. What in the world was episode 12?! I watched it in equal parts annoyance and disbelief. The final episode was bad - really bad.
"See The Light" is a beautiful ballad. The BTOB men always deliver.
Fujisawa’s arc felt unsatisfying, wrapped up too quickly and neatly. It needed a longer conversation, a little more time spent on their past and his motivations. I disagree with those who felt the show needed to explicitly spell out what happened between them in episode 6. It was very clearly shown and there's simply no way to interpret it as anything else. I don’t believe Fujisawa’s arc was meant to be redemptive and a dramatic confrontation wasn't needed. Both he and Sei understood exactly who he was and what he had done. There was no going back from that—Sei simply followed through on his words. I think, how they handled it is also closer to real life. That goes for both couples, really.
The cinematography stood out in several key moments, and the acting was strong. The nuanced, understated performances of the actors who played Kaori and Fujisawa were particularly striking in the episodes where everything came to a head and then unraveled. Matsumoto Hiroki is very handsome.
The first 5 episodes were toptier, but they fumbled it toward the end—especially in the final episode, which felt rushed and uneven in focus. At least one more episode or longer runtimes to give the story and it's characters more room to breathe would've made this a standout show. Still, this was such a great watch overall.
How does it shift so effortlessly between gut-wrenching, hilarious, heart-warming and completely unhinged. The mom?! I literally knocked over my coffee cheering.
I don't like the circus, but I love this one and all of its clowns.
I'm so entertained!
Woongki
Park Han
JL
Jinho
Kairi
Joohyung
Steven
(Jiang Fan and Zen Zen would be on deck.)
If Woongki doesn't make it this time, it'll probably hit me the hardest out of all the survival shows, I've watched so far. I've leaned toward GROOVE throughout most of the show, but the BEAT lineup going into the finale is incredibly interesting and well-balanced. I feel so bad for this team, because they've been fighting an uphill battle for most of the show, while many of their performances and members haven't received the attention and praise, they deserve.
Going in as a BTOB fan, I was nervous about how Changsub would be as a director, but he has exceeded my expectations. It’s been so satisfying to watch his hands-on approach, his gameplay and treatment of the trainees. If there were a director trophy, he’s earned it.
There are pros and cons to the format of the show, but the team-centered concept has made me more invested in and aware of each of the contestants than ever before. The downside is that I’ve grown attached to pretty much everyone, making it so hard to see any of them go home. The biggest drawback, however, has been the increasingly toxic online behavior of some viewers. It's nothing new, but still kinda sad, because everyone on the show is so talented, likeable and most of all supportive of each other.
I really hope the popular theory about the final lineup turns out to be true!
And that CongB ranking? No way that’s accurate. Come on, people—let’s focus!
Xuan You telling Hangyul, X1 was the first idol group, he liked, and then getting a hug. 😭😭
I need cake.