GODDAMN IS THIS GOOD.
I get how some people could find this kind of slow or even repetitive at parts, because there was a lot of flashbacks that were of the same events just from different povs, but I really enjoyed that. I loved the way the flashbacks were woven within the rest of the plot and how they added to the mystery of just exactly what is going on. And my god don’t even get me started on the cinematography, it was so good. In the moments that people probably thought were kind of boring I found myself just sitting there, admiring the cinematography. And the acting oh my GOD was it incredible. This is really a great drama. I feel like it might fly under the radar a bit just because of how K-dramas fans are nowadays, but hopefully it will get more attention because Lee Dongwook is in it.Was this review helpful to you?
A drama suitable for someone who's not tired of American action movies.
A drama suitable for someone who's not tired of American action movies, where a professional sniper always misses, and the main character miraculously dodges every bullet. The action takes place within one day, with flashbacks reaching far back. In my opinion, they are too long and often artificially extended. Irritating moments occur when the characters behave completely irrationally, for example: not taking a weapon, but opting to fight with their fists, not finishing off opponents, a guy slips and falls straight into a trap. The immortality of the remaining positive characters is also surprising. I really liked the concept of the series, but I believe it could have been done better in terms of action scenes. The acting is excellent. I have high hopes for the second season, as judging by the ending, it may not contain as many flashbacks.Was this review helpful to you?
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Prepare for a heart-pounding thrill ride with A Shop for Killers! This adrenaline-fueled drama is a rollercoaster of suspense, action, and intrigue that will leave you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.Meet Jian, a college student whose life takes a drastic turn when she receives a chilling call from the local police informing her of her uncle's supposed suicide. But something doesn't add up – her uncle Jeong Jin Man was always enigmatic, but suicidal? Never.
Before Jian can even process the news, her world is thrown into chaos as she becomes the target of a deadly game orchestrated by a ruthless group of assassins. From gunfire to murder drones, Jian finds herself thrust into a deadly cat-and-mouse chase for survival.
Pinned down in her uncle's home, Jian must draw upon the mysterious training he imparted on her throughout her life if she has any hope of making it out alive. But as she unravels the secrets of her uncle's past, she discovers a web of deceit and betrayal that runs deeper than she ever imagined.
A Shop for Killers is a masterclass in suspense, keeping viewers guessing with each twist and turn. The action sequences are pulse-pounding and expertly choreographed, drawing you further into Jian's perilous journey.
At the heart of the drama is Jian herself, portrayed with strength and vulnerability by Kim Hye Joon. Her journey from a naive college student to a determined survivor is captivating to watch, and you can't help but root for her every step of the way.
The supporting cast is equally stellar, with each character adding layers to the intricate plot. From enigmatic allies to sinister adversaries, every interaction keeps you guessing about who can be trusted.
Visually stunning and expertly paced, Shadows of Deception is a must-watch for fans of gripping thrillers. It's a heart-stopping ride that will leave you breathless until the very end. So buckle up and get ready for a wild journey into the shadows of deception.
I had wished there was more of Lee Dong Wook and am hoping for season 2.
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Good Enough
Korean Drama '' A Shop for Killers '' is the sequel to the '' A Killer's Shopping List '' drama, though, they differ both in genre and in atmosphere.This time around, the story is less comical and more of a family drama, with lots of action scenes that were well executed. The mystery of the uncle was also well constructed, revealing the truth slowly and through the flashbacks. The ending was, in addition, especially good, but left a lot of questions unanswered.
Finally, the performances were all enjoyable by everyone in the cast and, especially, the two main leads. The characters were also pretty interesting and they were well handled, with smooth character development when it came to the main female lead.
So, overall, nine out of ten.
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What makes a good killer?
A Shop for Killers is a very unique take on the contract killer plotline. It was a show that I was very excited to start, especially as a fan of Lee Dongwook, and it was very entertaining all the way through. However, I felt like there were a few parts of the show that felt off. The first bit will be free of spoilers, so I'll mark where they start.The opening scene of the show has Jeong Jian, our protagonist, getting shot at in her home. A very striking opening scene that had me excited to see both what happens next and how we got there. However, it's the latter that I have to complain about. This show jumps back and forth a LOT between the present and the past. Jian has an uncle, Jeong Jinman, who seems to be up to some shady business. These jumps to the past allow us to understand what exactly that shady business is, and how it concerns her. However, it is very non-linear in its storytelling. I think the one thing that bothered me the most about this wasn't the fact that we kept jumping between times, but the fact that they replayed scenes we had seen before so many times to orient the viewer in the timeline, but it was just excessive and unnecessary most of the time. The replayed scenes were so much longer than they needed to be, especially because this is an 8 episode series. If you've forgotten THAT much of the show when it's so short, it's probably because you weren't paying attention.
Another fault brought about by this non-linear storytelling was the fact that the viewer didn't get to learn the truth alongside Jian, but rather knew before her. You learn very early on about Jinman's career as a contract killer, but you have to watch a confused and scared Jian learn this WAY later than you do, at which point it doesn't pack the same punch. I will say though, watching Jian go through so many emotions in the span of just a few days is an incredible watch, and the actress did a great job portraying her.
**Spoilers start here**
My last and biggest issue with this show was the ending. What a copout! You get to watch Jian go through all this internal turmoil of should I kill or should I not, how could I ever run this business, etc. just for all that to go out the window because Jinman is ALIVE?? The entire story could have been avoided. You could argue that that's what makes Jian such a tragic character, but I thought that leaving the storyline right before they introduced Jinman at the end would have been a perfectly fine ending - a young girl, left to figure out the world with no one on her side. Could Jian become a killer like Jinman? Does she have what it takes, or is she only fueled by the rage that her parents' and uncle's death caused? I guess these questions don't really matter, because she doesn't need to be on her own anymore!
Overall, it was a good show and an engaging watch. Besides some issue with the storytelling and the ending, it was very interesting to watch the plot unfold both in the past and present. Frankly, I think this could have have spanned two seasons, with one season being all about Jinman and one about Jian, but the back and forth didn't get too messy. Worth checking out if you like short and dark thrillers.
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SEASON 2 IN 20......... ?
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The drama had a very well-developed plot and a well-written story, and the dynamics of the episodes intertwining the future and the flashbacks were not boring or unreasoned, especially in episodes 6 and 7, which brought in detail everything that happened to get to where we are.
In the first episode, I reported and suspected Ji-Man's inert reaction, but the episodes mentioned above showed how he suffered and was desperate for the death of his loved ones. The fight scenes and weapon technologies were completely above average and showed Disney's investment power in the drama. The entire cast was very good, but the highlight for me was Pasin, who excellently portrayed his role, with Thai mannerisms and accent to give greater authenticity to the character.
I think the negative point, if we can call it that, was this super open ending for a hypothetical second season. Sometimes they don't even continue it, but with endings like this, there we are waiting. Anyway, I liked it and would watch it if there is a second season.
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perfection
it was perfect and i mean it the casting the acting its perfect. there were a lot disturbing scenes i think but i dont mind it too much i think this is one of the best dramas i watched in a longggg time i binged it in the middle of the night i dont remember the time i was so into drama actually. i watched it because of dong wook but completely fell in love with the actress god i loved it so muchhhhh. so tu sum up its perfect the plot, actors, acting itself watch it if you are not afraid of blood and thing like that 10/10? (dont mind the grammar i am writing 3 in the morning half asleep)Was this review helpful to you?
Short and Spicy drama
This drama is really short and spicy...I started watching just because I was bore but turns out to be one of the amazing dramas I have seen.
From start to end there wasn't a single lag. I just faced issue with few parts where the scenes where dark but the story kept me waiting...
As soon as 1 episode is done I started seeing the next one
The ending was clearly unpredictable. I had a gut feeling about it then I also felt like how can it be but boom it happened . The one who watched will understand this and the one didn't watch is mostly eager to know.
So watch it asap...
And I hope there is a second part of it.
It is more than what I expected when I first came across the drama's name. I thought it would be something so funny but still very interesting one...
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action, action everywhere
Ok, I had ups and downs with this one, the beginning was very intriguing and while we were getting more informations it got more and more interesting, however, there was some boring parts.The story is basically tell in three time lines, Jinman past, Jian past and present. It was told in a flashback format, so it started with the present and the characters past were presented as memories, and I didn't think it worked so well.
I understand the suspenseful intention with using flashbacks, but it felt like stoping the whole story to tell us something that we should know, but we don't yet. I believe that the show would work better if it followed the time line.
But it was great the same way, I just LOVED the uncle niece relationship, they were amazing, as well as the support characters. And that ending... I WAS SO FKN COOL, I was kinda expecting him to come back but trying to not put my hopes too up, AND HE'S BACK!! I really hope that'll be a second season.
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I wish it was better.
I really wanted to love Love this series but it was just meh for me. It was good though, if that makes any sense.I probably shouldn't have watched it on Disney+ because there was more ad time than there was actual show and the breaks, especially during crucial times, was really aggravating. So I will no longer watch any series on Disney+. The ads made it seem like it was dragging on and on.
The fight scenes were great and everyone was interesting but it just seemed anticlimactic. Every time something happened, a ad or a cut scene to the past.
I don't understand Kdramas obsession with let the one who should have been shot, live to come after you again. I feel like Babylon knew they had a bunch of pyscho on their payroll and then let them run around free to kill. None of it actually made sense to me.
There were so many unanswered questions. I am so confused by the purpose of this series.
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WOW
This was fantastic!! There were of course scenes that I thought wasn't necessaryand didn't need to be repeated over and over again but this is a must watch. I'm disappointed
that the mute guy didn't make it. I was hoping that he just lost an arm and that was it and was
hoping that he was gonna pop up in the final episode. The way Uncle on the sneak trained her
for what was to come was I must say brilliant. I guess it wasn't fitting for us to get a hug with her seeing him turn up alive but I was glad that he was alive at the end but there are
things that wasn't tied up so I hope we get a second season. It looks like Pasin got So Min Hye out
and got her some help for her wounds so if there's a second season I hope to see the both of them as well.
Lee Dong Wook...there's not much to say except he's great in everything. Kim Hye Joon did a great job in the role of the niece but her character did more than one stupid thing but the character was a bad ass.
This was excellent.
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GREAT PLOT, CAST, ACTION SCENES, EVERYTHING! Those who loved "Moving (2023)", this is PERFECT!
Next time you feel in a mood for crime/thriller- look no further, this is IT.I finished this series in one sitting, it was way too captivating! I NEED MORE!
Tough female lead, fantastic acting by everyone, the CAST ✨✨ I found myself falling in love with a lot of new actors <3
It's not boring - not one bit. The start itself is catchy, no filler episodes or scenes at all. A short, 8 ep drama that had me saying "Oh crap what do we do now" way more times than I thought. The story is explained in a present-flashback-present format, which I loved. There's not a LOTTTT of gore, as compared to other "kill/crime" stuff (meaning you don't get to see a whole lotta blood) but there are a lot of corpses involved. Military/mercenary elements, old gang getting back together, etc. etc.
Last time I felt so good after watching a drama of this genre was just afer I finished Moving - whomever has seen it would def agree that it was a blockbluster of a show. Similar to that, here the stoy isn't focusing on the kid(s), it's about the adults and their past and what they hid from the kid about their job. This one doesn't have any romance though.
I just can't keep my excitement and stuff under control anymore SHHSHLGJGSAAHHHHHHH
PARK JEONG WOO!!!!
JEONG I HUN!!! SARANGHAEEOO!!!
ANDDDDDDDDDDD ofc, our dear Grim Reaper ✨✨✨✨✨ Amazing as always
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