Fantastic female antagonist
The reason you should give this a watch is for an outstanding female antagonist unlike anyone you have ever seen before. Song Yoon Ah who played Choi Yoo Jin is truly remarkable and her character has so much depth that she deservedly outshines everyone in this drama and beyond. I couldn't help but empathize with her throughout the story due to her emotive acting and was constantly rooting for her even though she was the main antagonist.Things I liked:
- Best female antagonist (unbelievably, she wasn't even nominated for Best Actress at Baeksang Art Awards)
- Fast paced screenplay
- Good action choreography (over the top but enjoyable)
Things I didn't like:
- Few implausible events in the plot
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Pros
Overall plot is well-developed. In each episodes you will understand why things happen the way they are. You just have to pay attention to details in order to appreciate it more.
Clap-clap-clap for the writers and directors. They give me a really hard time figuring out who is the real antagonist. When I find myself hating Choi Yoo Jin then I will find myself hating more Park Kwan Soo and feeling sympathetic towards Madam Choi instead. When I find myself liking Chairman Choi but I ended up hating him most. You will also hate Assemblyman Jang but you will realize what kind of father he is. This drama is a push and pull of emotions.
Thumbs-up to Choi Yoo Jin’s character. IMO, she’s the one who shines most among all the characters. You’ll get confuse if you’ll hate her or understand her. But in the end, you will want to embrace her for she is just a girl wanting to be love by people around her. Assemblyman Jang, what a horrible father and politician he is - that’s my first impression. But then, give him chance to prove himself in this drama. Chairman Choi and Assemblyman Park, beware - don’t be tricked by these two.
Anna/Kim Yuna, I’m actually expecting a lot from her and she didn’t disappoint me. She’s good but not at her best.
Kim Je Ha/Ji Chang Wook, you never fail to surprise me. You’re really at your best when it comes to fighting and acting. Je Ha and Anna do have chemistry and I like them both but I don’t ship with them.
By the way, get ready to see the hotness of Ji Chang Wook. I think, he puts extra effort to build his body more for this drama.
Cons
There’s only one thing I hate about this drama. Why writers and directors? As in why did you make Kim Je Ha a superman? Not literally but IMHO, no normal person can fight alone a load of enemies if he is badly injured and ill.
Even if it is because of his adrenalin rush, I still couldn’t see it realistic. I almost want to skip that scene but thankfully I’m not a kind of viewer who will skip an episode because I don’t want to comment onto something I didn’t watch as a whole.
I’m not an action-drama fanatic. In all honesty, I gave this drama a chance because of Ji Chang Wook and it's worth it.
Should you want to go away for the meantime in your cliché romance-comedy drama, why not give this drama a chance? I can’t say that it’s a breath of fresh air but expect something rational enough.
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Story 8/10
What i like?
- The redeeming heroic and sacrificial scenes of Yoojin and Assembyman Jang! This actually wrapped up neatly the somehow loose story of K2.
- the non-stop-adrenaline-rush action scenes especially of JCW!
What I do not like?
- the loose writing, I am actually waiting on the "revenge" plot of Jeha but to my surprised that becames so lame! I dont even know what is Jeha upto? The story turned out to be a bodyguard protecting a damsel in distress plot which is far from its iniital premises!
- writernim introducing various and new plots almost every episodes that makes it more obvious that there is no solid plot line!
- rushed, overly acted, cheesy romance (although I know romance is needed, but I hope they did not spend so much time sacrificing the most important character dvelopment and story plot)
Acting/Cast 9/10
What I like?
- JCW as Jeha as I have said JCW just breathe in a new life to the awesome and beautiful character of Jeha. His looks aura and charisma just add up to the total Jeha character! His acting as a soldier, mercenary, a laborer, a bodyguard are just beautifully executed and acted! Jeha is JCW and JCW is Jeha! He owns the character! Although, at some point the character may seems flat, but I guess it is not JCW's fault, it is more of the writing. I must say the character was underdeveloped until the drama ends! Just the same, because of JCW's acting prowess, he just perfectly executed enough to satisfy us until the finale.
- SYA as Yoojin, the QUEEN OF DRAMA! She is the ultimate heroine/villainess rolled in one! She is brilliant, smart and intelligent! As Yoojin, she is evil but also a victim! She can make everyone her pawn. She can kill a person just by lifting her fingers. But she never felt loved eversince even by her father! Yes, people around her are loyal to her but only to a certain extent! She is a person in need of love and affection! But she also need to be punished for her wrong doings which are a lot. The writer neatly give the punishmen she deserves at the end which is satisfying, redeeming and heroic!
Others support also did their job well! All the actors and characters lived up to the expectations in terms of acting.
Music ( 8/10) - the OST's are just adequate to make the emotions more moving. I dont like though the chanting background music.
Rewatch Value (7/10) - if there are scenes I would like to rewatch it would all be the scenes with SYA and JCW! Man, they are explosive, romantic or not, they are just palpable!
Overall, even if this show has numerous flaws, I would still want to recommend this to fans who loves action and JCW!!!
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Overall,it was a good run. No boring episodes. Good action scenes, and the cast did a great job. I ignored a lot of details that's why I found it good.
PS. Don't compare it to Healer too much. (as healer is perfection)
PS.2. Choi yoo jin is now literally my favorite "evil?" character. I didn't actually view her as evil, so I'm not sure what to call her. She was THE BOSS!! Admirable "clap"!!
PS.3. Ji Chang Wook is love, Ji Chang Wook is life.
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This show is called K2 for a reason. It’s all about Ji Chang Wook’s role and everyone else is sort of useless. It really shows in Episode 13 when Ji Chang Wook is working hard and using his brains and the politicians are shaking hands and his girlfriend is lying in bed watching TV, and the secret agents are peeling beans in the kitchen.
The drama takes a while to get interesting. It’s a gentle and subtle sort of story but it stays with you and the big moments are big moments. I like the sort of strange premise of bad guys getting beaten by other bad guys and then taken care of by the good guys.
It’s really interesting to see how Je Ha can sympathise with Madame even while knowing how perfectly evil she is and how he can be nice to her while even knowing the full extent of her selfishness. And he hides his contempt well and he sees so clearly right through her.
Je Ha – male lead
I've only seen Ji Chang Wook in Healer. Je Ha has more confidence than Jung Hoo from Healer. I think Je Ha’s attitude was really great. He was always useful, always willing, yet always in control.
“He’s not a hunting dog. He’s a wolf.”
JCW’s character is both action and brains. You gotta love that. One of the skills of Koreans is getting into the heart of the matter. They really know how to hit a bad guy where it hurts.
I love how ruthless JCW is.
If Yoo Jin insults him with her petty ways he takes it up a level.
There’s nothing more satisfying than getting under the bad guy’s skin.
I'm not one for political thrillers. But this one reeled me right in. The characters are chilling.
I really loved Je Ha's snarky language, “your unsolicited concern” and “So all you people need to do is pray that I get through each and every day alive, no matter what” hahahah
He doesn’t let anyone step on him. And it’s interesting how verbal he is with getting what he wants. He’s not a “hit first talk later” kind of guy.
With his relationship with Yoo Jin, I think he also sees a bit of himself in her. The way she fights so hard and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty to survive.
Ji Chang Wook is so good at being badass and vulnerable in a heart beat. I like how Je Ha is confident of his own value.
He’s actually pretty tough in the romance and I liked that. He doesn’t give a lot when he doesn’t want to. He’s confident with the way he handles Anna.
Anna – female lead
Yoona kind of gets the short end of the stick. Her role is not very exciting at all. All she does is cry and scream and tremble. I think her appeal for Je Ha is that he has found a creature who is more forlorn and bizarre than him. I liked that he had compassion for her, that he was interested in her. It was cute.
She was kind of like his pet. Like a tamagochi. When she went all prickly it was satisfying to see her being won over by Je Ha’s chivalry. I wasn’t sure if I’d like the relationship between her and Je Ha but Ji Chang Wook has got so much chemistry, I shouldn’t have worried. Just a word from Je Ha, and Anna starts thinking of other people instead of just herself and it’s really nice how she applies her revelation straight away.
I really liked that he talked some sense into her. He called her a cry baby hahaha.
I really like that even though the mother was the victim, the drama didn’t sugar coat her personality and her flaws. Anna knew to remember her fully and not just as the perfect dead mother.
When Anna starts interacting with people, it’s actually really fun.
Anna’s character is pretty weak but she was pretty damn useful and quick in a fight.
There’s a surprising amount of equality in the relationship.
Yoo Jin
“I’ve never betrayed anyone who’s never betrayed me before.”
I like that Madame Yoo Jin is so seldom sincere that the people around her can’t even detect her vulnerable moments because they think she’s just up to something.
“She’s the type to not shed blood in public even when she’s been shot!”
I was worried about her being annoying, but I kind of rooted for her as well. I liked the way she was calculating and how if someone made her uncomfortable she would make them uncomfortable right back.
In a way, I thought it would be more fun if she was more cold, and we later got to see her break. But, I guess it’s alright that she has a lot of observable pain right from the start.
I really like the filming when Madam calls Je Ha “K2” before the mission. I loved how the drama showed that Madame cared about Je Ha.
“If you find yourself in a situation that’s too dangerous, it’s ok to come back.”
I like how the plot came down to the two siblings.
I also liked how Choi Yoo Jin’s scary relationship with her husband progressed.
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But as for the drama as a whole?
It was a mixed bag.
Some things just didn't work. There were many plot inconsistencies and things revealed near the end (I just finished the last episode a few minutes ago...) that weren't explained enough or were kind of rushed. I feel like the whole story could have been fleshed out more. Also, you have to take a lot of what happens with a grain of salt. Dramaland is very strong in this drama. K2 should not have been capable of what he was capable of, especially near the end.
There are too many little inconsistencies and faults that I can't remember them all. I'd have to watch the show again and write them all down. I won't do that though. You'll just have to see for yourself.
By far, the first 5-6 episodes were the best out of the entire show. After that it went downhill most of the time with a few bumps here and there. I mean, it wasn't that bad, but nothing beats those first few episodes. They sucked me in immediately.
The characters were okay, but like I said before with the plot inconsistencies, they apply to the characters too. Near the end I really wasn't sure what some of these characters were about. Also, the relationship between the two leads never moved my heart. It felt misplaced. The transition needed to be done better.
There were a few cheesy moments here and there as well. The end was weird too. I felt like some of the reactions these people had to things were backwards and they need to get checked out by doctors.
The action scenes were fantastic! Though sometimes even those didn't make sense. A lot of the times guns weren't used when they were within reach and I'm pretty sure it was just a plot device to help out K2. But other than that the fighting was just breath-taking.
The music was amazing! I want to download the soundtrack as soon as possible.
Overall, it wasn't a bad show. If you are watching it for the same reason I did, Ji Chang Wook, you'll be pleased. If not, you might just want to concentrate on the action and music and not question what's going on. If you don't want to do either of those two things, at least check out the soundtrack and pass on the show. The soundtrack is at least worth listening to.
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The story is about politics, corruption, a dysfunctional family, and revenge. The story is also kind of like a fairytale. Wherein the female lead is taken captive by her evil stepmother and the male lead is her prince charming. The first half of the show is good. It all went downhill when the female lead took the spotlight away. Her character is so dull, boring, and annoying. She is like a filler in the story. Her romance with the male lead was forced and was unnecessary. The second female lead (Choi Yoo Jin), on the other hand, nailed this one, what a phenomenal acting. Her character is very well written and is one of the best antagonists ever.
Cast and Characters
• Ji Chang-wook as Kim Je Ha, or K2: His action scenes were entertaining. He had better chemistry with Song Yoon-ah, despite their age difference.
• Yoona as An-na: Her acting is totally fine with me. The problem is with how her character was written.
• Song Yoon-ah as Choi Yoo-jin: Hands down, she is the best actor in this drama. She is a fantastic actress—one of the best, actually. She totally nailed it. You will hate, but at the same time, pity Choi Yoo Jin, and you will root for her despite all of the horrible things she has done.
Music
The music is good, but forgettable.
Overall
Watch it for the actions scenes and for Song Yoon-ah. She made this her own drama with her excellent acting skills.
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This review may contain spoilers
A botched fairytale attempt
In the words of one of my favourite reviewers, Autumn Topping, The K2 is a modern retelling of Snow White that raises the question of "What if the Evil Queen fell in love with the Huntsman, but the Huntsman fell for Snow White instead?".Although I watch this drama years ago...I'm finally able to properly word my thoughts.
Despite the fact that Ji Chang Wook is not my favourite actor, I enjoy him enough to have high expectations for this production. To begin on a good note, I must state that The K2 delivered on the action front with intensity (with some over the top exceptions). Now I will review each section of the good and the bad of this show.
Starting off with the romance. Oh god, where do I being? Je Ha and Yoo Jin's chemistry....let's just say I found myself sitting in agony as I question why I had to put up with Je Ha's childish crush on An Na. And I mean childish as in immature.
The main leads relationship had no chemistry and even pushed me to believe that the true stars of the show were Yoo Jin and Je Ha.
There were many moments in the show where it had reached a point where rationality no longer mattered.
It attempted to make a tale out of plainly improbable events, a massive cluster of plotholes, and outright ludicrous ideas.
An example of such an illogical plot was during Je Ha's first love's back story. His first love is Iraqi, she's entirely dressed in a gown and hijab at all times, but magically she chooses to throw off her veil and liplock with her "hero" only because he suggested they married. NOT EVEN A PROPER PROPOSAL!!! Her ONLY purpose was to die in order to create motivation for Ji Chan Wook's character to get involved in the action. She had nearly no dreams, hopes, or realistic goals.
On that note, I might as well mention the most cringe-worthy scene in all of drama romance history. Despite the fact that Je Ha is a mercenary soldier, he squeals while seeing An Na prepare ramen. As if that is the world cutest, most precious, never before been done action in the world. If I could show you all how much I rolled my eyes, I would.
There are numerous simple plot devices just holding up to spring out from all sides at the final moment to spare and draw out the show, and they're all exceedingly wry.
To summarise, The K2 was successful in generating exciting action moments, but the storyline struggled to match them. The drama started strong with a good setup in the first third, but it didn't seem to have much of a narrative to tell after that. Ji Chang Wook had a strong performance, yet some of his impacts were lost due to a lack of connection with An Na's character. This drama has enough decent things in it to appeal to fans of action and political manoeuvring, as well as Ji Chang Wook fans. While it didn't quite meet my expectations, it was a decent watch overall. I may revisit the drama a few years down the road, but I doubt my opinion will change.
X0X0 <3
---Taemangi
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This review may contain spoilers
Hmm.. Good, but not drama-of-the-year-omg-i-wont-be-able-to-sleep-for-a-week-good.Basically, there was a point after the 12th episode where I thought: "wait -- just where did those 12 hours go?" because the plot progresses so little despite many loooong scenes of veryveryvery fast action. In the first few eps, there was an accent on Je Ha's fighting abilities; he fought using systema, tae kwan do and all kinds of other martial arts, and it was quite interesting and impressive. But most of the action scenes after that were filmed in the dark and involved guns, and although you could see there was fighting involved, you couldn't really distinguish what was going on.
The beginning was promising - well, not the very beginning. The first episode [[this review contains no spoilers, i'll just explain how part of the summary is carried out in the first ep so that you get an idea of the pace]], the first episode is Anna running around town and wandering alone for an hour. She encounters Je Ha at the end and we're left with a cliffhanger. Yeah, that was one hour of her running in a dress and looking slightly out of it and full of despair. Too. long.
But I wanted to see what this mysterious 'K2' was all about. In the first few screen hours he was soo cool and mature.. But boom! suddenly he meets Anna and it's LOVE (get it?) Yes. Love. Love makes people blind, or in his case, pabo. Stupid. It was impressive -you had K2, the dude no one can beat for the serious stuff, and then there was the lighthearted (TOO lighthearted) moments of the drama, Je Ha was an incredible fool for Anna. Everyone knows an annoying couple who likes to display overly public display of attention. That's them basically.
About Anna: It's futile talking about her. She has 0 character development. Ah yeah, she goes from (stupid) girl who's been trapped for years and doesn't know anything about the world yet is seeking revenge --> cutesy little girl who still gives her trust easily and is nice to everyone (she's still stupid and still seeks revenge as a hobby) Also 0 involvement. Honestly, take Anna's physical presence out of the drama and it won't change a thing.
Choi Yoo Jin.. In the end, she deceived everyone. Although she tried to portray a strong and independent woman, she was really weak, weak at heart, weak for love. Somehow naïve, too. She's the only one who supported the drama when Je Ha got a little boring. Song Yoon Ah sure can act, her character was very interesting, although not immensely profound, and some typical facial expressions of hers were overdone, but she was still interesting.
Evil characters: Lee Jung Jin (Yoo Jin's brother) and Kim Kap Su (Park Kwan Soo) have a decent acting, but their mimics were even more overdone than Yoo Jin's. At some point it becomes annoying and not credible.
I don't know if I should really go on with this review, all has been said really. I felt like Je Ha's character was perfect at the very beginning and during action and serious scenes where he had to fight and take decisions and save everyone. His relationship with Anna was unrealistic and made his whole aura fall apart. Yoo Jin sorta balanced it out. The last two episodes however took an unexpected turn. It was filled with action and last minute decisions, unlike many dramas where you suddenly have a mysterious hasard make everything easy and possible for the hero, then happy ending and it's a wrap. Nope, not here. That was nice. But (there's always a but) THE VERY LAST (and expected, so I'm not spoiling anything here) happy ending scenes literally RUINED that previous action. Again, way.too.much PDA. It was both inappropriate and irrelevant.
This, like many other dramas, could've been so much better blah blah blah unfortunately it was carried the wrong way.
In a nutshell:
Don't watch this if you're looking for a a great action drama.
Do watch it if you're bored (that's actually what I started doing after I realized my expectations were too high, only watched when I was bored and didn't really look forward to it anymore.)
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Aside from Yoo Jin, every other character is so poorly developed. While Ji Chang Wook's Kim Je Ha starts off as a promising character, he ends up with only two defining characteristics: the ability to win a fight against all odds and a tendency for saving/falling in love with the damsel in distress. Yikes. Aside from the reason he seeks revenge, he's given little backstory. His relationship with Yoo Jin is complicated and intriguing, and showed SO MUCH POTENTIAL, but it all went away when he suddenly fell in love with Anna. I can understand if they slowly built a friendship and fell in love as they got to know each other but that's not what happens. What do they even know about each other?
Even on her own, Anna's character is so flimsy. The relationship with Je Ha aside, her character could've been 10 years younger and had the same storyline. What has her life been like all these years? All we see are glimpses of her running away, but was she educated? Was she allowed to have hobbies? It didn't make any sense. (Compare her character to the main character in Graceful Family, who is sent away for years and heavily watched/guarded.)
Choi Yoo Jin's husband, the congressman, had a shockingly small role. I would have liked to see him make some of his own decisions as well as the backstory of how they met. Also, the JSS agents seemed so inept compared to Je Ha, which I always find unbelievable, but ESPECIALLY Mi Ran. I cannot believe that after making a huge mistake, Mi Ran didn't lose her job. She was the World's Worst Bodyguard, from beginning to end, and while her personality was meant for some comic relief, I just found it annoying. The most under-utilized character with potential might've been Chief Kim though. She was fierce and loyal, but we never learn why.
I really liked the ending theme song though - Today by Kim Bo Hyung.
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