bobandmochi
Story:
The premise of this show is really, really good - but somewhere along the way the writer seemed to have forgotten what it is they wanted to tell and tried to do way too much. We never really learned all that much about the title character K2, and there were so many loose ends that weren't properly resolved. Not to mention - in regards to the direction, episode by episode, there wasn't a whole lot of development and value add to the overall storyline - the actors did a phenomenal job in trying to convey the tension and buildup of conflicts, but the pacing of the show never really allowed that to happen in an organic way. The action scenes were well done, but not well shot. I'm all about action scenes (especially ones starring JCW), but when they are repetitive and senseless, it starts hurting your product big-time.
The romance in this was not allowed to develop well - it was essentially forced down our throats, which is a pity, because I do like the idea of the couple. I did find them cute and liked that they brought something different to each other's world - but this was another area that could have been done so much better. I would have also liked to see a little more development on what was going on with Jeha and Yoojin, because oh man did they have good chemistry.
The political machinations were interesting and boring at the same time - I really only cared about what was going on from Choi Yoojin's angle, and found the plot lagging at times when it focused too much on the other shady figures who were trying to manipulate from behind the scenes. The dialogue was actually pretty fascinating, if only because the actors did such a good job delivering their lines that they may have conveyed more depth than the writer had intended.
For a drama that was focused a lot on revenge in the beginning, that part just kind of fizzled out later on. In a way, I do kind of understand why, given the later developments, but it would have been nice to have a little more exploration on that subject (especially if you're going to use it as the main motivation for all the characters early on). It kind of felt like the writer forgot about certain elements and then suddenly remembered them in the last couple of episodes.
Acting/Cast:
The characters were honestly the saving grace of this drama - while the writing wasn't tight at all, the four main characters were given compelling personalities and background stories, and were actually fairly fleshed out (I would have liked to have seen a little more personality exploration of Jeha though - but hey, it's totally okay that we still didn't know very much about him when the show came to an end). And of course, the cast took those characters and brought them to life.
It's been said pretty much everywhere - but Song Yoona was an absolute queen. Her character was complex and had so many different layers, and yet Song Yoona was able to convey each and every one of them perfectly. She was such a cruel and ruthless character, but also had a vulnerability that you couldn't help but sympathize with. The character was written very well, and Song Yoona was outstanding in her portrayal of the bitter and hardened mastermind.
I also think the fact that Yoojin was such a complicated character overshadowed everybody and everything else - this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when it becomes all about one character (or the writing seems lopsided in character development), it can detract from the overall production.
Jo Sung Ha was so great as the politician who was probably just as ruthless as his wife in some respects, and they were absolutely dynamite as a power couple in politics.
Ji Chang Wook did more with his character than he was given - and while I would have liked him to have been given a meatier role, he was fantastic in his action scenes and gave a little bit more life to the character of Jeha. While his scenes with Yoona were very cute (if a little out of place in an otherwise dark drama), his scenes with Song Yoona were sizzling. It felt like he and Yoona were essentially casted for their popularity/faces, and were basically marketing bait for overseas promotions.
I was intrigued by Yoona's character in the beginning but she had limited scenes in the first half of the drama and was basically a constant damsel in distress in the second half. She has improved as an actress, but this role itself was limited (the character was good - development of that character's story was not) and makes me wonder if the producers were so keen on getting her just for her name alone. She and JCW were very, very pretty together, though, so there's that.
Music:
Basically all choral, all the time, but I actually did like the dramatic effect of the OST. Also, the songs were beautiful.
Overall:
The thing is, I could rewatch this just for the characters and cast alone. Too often, there may be good quality dramas where I'm not emotionally invested because I just don't care for the characters (and this is especially true in melodramas), so the fact that I liked all four of the main characters was a huge plus for me. The weakest link is the writing - which does matter a lot, of course - but at some point the characters do have a life of their own and I think it really does help supplement some of the issues with the plot.
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What we got though, was a whole lot of nothing. There was no plot to speak of and honestly, most of the characters were frankly unlikable. You should never judge an actor by the character that they play, but my goodness did this dampen my love for Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye.
Story:
Cliches galore - the drama basically took the most overused elements of Asian dramas and combined it into one. The fact is, some of the characters did have crazy parents and you could kind of understand their pain - but this was never fleshed out and instead you basically have very shallow characters who never seem to develop much. There was just a lot of posturing, a lot of yelling, and tears.
Cast/Acting:
The only reason to watch this is because the cast is visually so, so pretty. Lee Min Ho was disappointing and while he was absolutely charming in Boys Over Flowers, he faltered here, and was outshone by Kim Woo Bin, whose character was honestly terrible, but Woo Bin had a natural bad boy charm that worked really well. I get that Kim Tan was such a one-dimensional character, but I also think this showed Lee Min Ho's limitations as an actor. I've always loved Park Shin Hye despite her inability to do romance scenes, but the character of Cha Eun Sang was basically the type of character that she should never play. Park Shin Hye does best when her character is funny and sassy, and this...was not it (see: Pinocchio for an awesome PSH performance).
There were a couple of other shining members of the cast: the moms, for one, and Kim Ji Won as Rachel, who was your standard Mean Girl, but Kim Ji Won's performance brought some dimension to the character. As noted by many, Krystal and Minhyuk's characters were adorable and I looked forward to their scenes (Krystal as a spoiled brat is hilarious). Kang Ha Neul and Choi Jin Hyuk were wasted in this drama and I would have loved to see more of them.
Music:
Love is the moment~
Yeah, enough said - some of the songs on the soundtrack were way, way overused and started interrupting any momentum that was building up.
If you are going to watch this, turn off your brain, and just watch it for the cast.
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Story:
I tend to be a little wary with Chinese historical dramas, because too often you get bogged down by all the palace politics and it might be intriguing for some people, but not for me. Nirvana In Fire didn't let itself get fixated on what was going on in the palace - Mei Changsu was the heart of this story, and it's so refreshing to have a drama with such an (actually) intelligent character. I'm hesitant to label this as a revenge story - I actually see it more as one of redemption. Mei Changsu was a beautifully complex character, who was once a noble and upright young man and has been hardened and jaded. That doesn't mean he's lost his moral compass, but he is no longer as innocent, and it's reflected well in how he manipulates the people around him. I loved how deftly Mei Changsu handled every situation - not that Plan A always worked out - but while he always tried to maintain several steps ahead of his opponents, he was also well aware that wasn't always possible. Prince Jing's character was essential to the story, and while I did find his sense of right and wrong tiring at times, it was awesome to see his friendship with Mei Changsu develop. Despite being fifty episodes, there wasn't a dull moment, and the writing was intelligent and well thought out, without being confusing and overwhelming. The direction was beautiful and everything was well shot - it had a very cinematic feel to it.
Also - I actually really liked the fact that the story is not based on real history. It means that the writer has a little more leeway with her characters. I especially love the existence of strong female characters here - one is a detective and one is a general, and they are both so awesome.
Characters/Acting/Cast:
The fanwars aside, this cast was absolutely amazing. I love ensemble casts because the story doesn't depend on one star - instead, they can play off each other and bring the best out of one another. With that said, props to Hu Ge - as someone who has seen a lot of his works over the years (from his very first show to his most recent one), I am astounded by how much he's grown as an actor. This was an amazing role for him, and he embodied the complexities of Mei Changsu perfectly. As I mentioned earlier, I found myself so frustrated with Prince Jing at times, but Wang Kai was absolutely great in the role - even though he played a stiff character, he was also able to convey a lot of the fears and hangups of Prince Jing.
And of course, hats off to the rest of the phenomenal cast - especially Victor Huang as Prince Yu, Liu Min Tao as Consort Jing (though when is she not awesome?), and Wang Jin Song as Marquise Yan. The latter especially actually played a small role in comparison, but he had such a great presence. One thing that the Shanying team has been great in is pairing up their youngest stars with a great veteran cast, and Nirvana In Fire was no exception.
Music: The music that they chose for this show was beautiful, both from a musical and lyrical perspective. I love the fact that Liu Tao, Hu Ge, and Wang Kai all got to sing their own versions of some of the songs - it added a bit of dimension to the music and made some scenes even more poignant.
If you've been burned by Chinese dramas in the past, don't skip out on this one - this is probably as perfect of a drama as you are going to get.
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Speaking of which - how much do I love that Signal used real cold cases and presented them to the viewer in a new light? So many cases go unsolved and you tend to forget the victims and their stories - despite the fact that it was heartbreaking at times seeing some of the cases unfold, it was a great reminder that we will never forget. The social commentary made in several of the cases was bold and refreshing - and I liked that even though it's not like the writers could solve the real cold cases, they could at least give the victims their turn at justice in a fictional world.
Story:
The writing in this was absolutely brilliant - it's so hard for police procedural dramas (especially one with a bit of a supernatural twist) to pull it off without significant flaws in logic, but I think Signal handled it very well. Not to say it was perfect - but all the cases were both compelling and still relevant to the main story. The director also played a huge role in telling the story - he emphasized the story telling side versus the crime solving, and because it added a very real, human element, it was beautiful to watch. Despite the lack of romance, the platonic relationships within the show were developed so well. Though the overall tone is heavy, there are still some great, warm moments that help to fuel you through the more depressing ones.
Characters/Acting/Cast:
Three cheers for the cast, who were absolutely phenomenal. The main three actors were given great characters as well, which is always the first step to success, but the performances were top notch. Yes, Lee Je Hoon did tend to overact in the beginning (and a little towards the end), but I still think he was fully able to show the conflicts within Park Hae Young. Jo Jin Woong was the star, and his bumbling but determined Jae Han was such a wonderful hero to have in a show where you weren't sure if justice could prevail. Kim Hye Soo deserves all the love in the world for essentially playing two characters, but still showing that they were the same person, just changed by time and circumstance.
Music.
There was never a moment where the music overwhelmed the scene - it was always a perfect match. And yes, a lot of the soundtrack was a little haunting, but it fit.
Signal is probably the most well done Asian police procedural show that I have seen, and I absolutely love that it has elevated the expectation of quality in this genre. I will say, though, that I rated it lower on rewatch value if only because I don't know if I can live through all the emotions again. If you haven't seen it yet, you need to!
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