This review may contain spoilers
Pinocchio on the surface is about a bunch of reporters who learn what reporting is truly all about. Or at least, that's what I was expecting until I heard Lee Jong Suk joined the cast. I swear nobody has a knack for good roles the way he does. He just knows how to pick an amazing role and make it even more amazing with his acting skills. And that's what this drama was. Absolutely AMAZING. Every episode took me deeper and deeper into their story and by the time I was done, I was crying like a wild horse (if wild horses cry). Every character, every situation and every decision (made by Dal Po) either turned me into a huge of puddle of emotional mess or brought a huge, shiny grin on my face. Some stuff got me slapping my computer screen so hard (I'll make it up to you babe). There were no in-betweens. Also there were no dull moments. Coming to characters. Dal Po is amazing. And not just your everyday amazing but amazing amazing. While I was watching I can't even count the number of times I would've made a choice completely different from him. He was so brave and just so right. The kind of path he took, there was no assurance that he would be able to avenge his family at all and as we moved further into the story, we realize that if he hadn't made the choices that he did, he wouldn't even have been able to catch the right culprit. As for Park Shin Hye, I've really only liked her in You're Beautiful. Her characters in Heirs and Flower Boy Next Door were extremely disappointing. But this is her best portrayal. I loved Choi In Ha and her blunt attitude (not that she had a choice considering the Pinocchio Syndrome). I think I'll have a hard time remembering it's not a real syndrome.
The supporting cast was amazing, especially Yoon Yoo Rae. Her little love-story towards the end was really cute (I'm trying really hard not to give spoilers here, but I'm so excited I can barely contain it, lol). In Ha's mom, her dad, her grandpa, everyone was great. Both the Caps and OMG the whole staff at YGN. I absolutely loved them. Especially the dude with the creepy grin and the hairband. He was awesome! Ahn Chan Soo was awesome. Kim Hae Sook is one of my favorite actors when it comes to moms and other older roles and the parts she plays always have something great to offer. Same happened here. Her character started out as a sweet and overly-protective mom which reminded me of her roles in Marriage Not Dating and I Hear Your Voice but it grew into so much more. Last (but most definitely not the least) Ki Jae Myung was mesmerizing. You know what he does is wrong, yet all you feel for him is sympathy and make excuses for him, because the emotional turmoil he goes through is simply palpable. He suffered through years of pain and guilt and he suffered all by himself. It was beautiful, the way his character was shaped.
The music is good, though not extremely good. It's melodious, relaxing and not too dramatic. Every Single Day has composed some nice ones for the OST.
Comparisons to I Hear Your voice are inevitable since the lead actor along with supporting cast and the writer-director were same for both dramas. And there is an essence of IHYV here in this drama, which makes it just as great. But nothing is repetitive and Pinocchio easily holds it's own. I would recommend it to everyone now that all the episodes are out and you don't have to live in agony waiting for new episodes.
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The story was simply genius. The twists and turns didn't seem deliberate, the characters were true to life, the sub-plots were all significant as well! Nothing, and I really mean NOTHING was out of place. No side characters seemed forcefully added or hastily exited (Although the finale did seem to exclude an end to a tiny plot the writers were building, but I'm willing to squelch that itch in my brain). The story itself taught so much! I still remember the great things I learned from I Hear Your Voice and the writers haven't failed to teach me several things in this show either. There was such commendable courage, unconditional love, and selflessness shown in this drama, it simplifies many things that have become complicated in our lives these days. The main pivotal element, that brought freshness and brilliancy to the story, was the drama's namesake medical condition - Pinocchio Syndrome. The inability to lie brings such delightful reprieve from all the deceits and hidden truths and misunderstandings that come along with relationships. If only people were usually so honest and open about their emotions, things wouldn't be so complex. There are some of the most beautiful bonds that I saw in this show that I will never forget. I could go on and on about how remarkable the story of this show was, and still not say enough.
I need to take a deep breath before I begin about the actors. Why? Because I need to make coherent sentences from the heap of positive adjectives that are popping in my head. All I can think of, are words such as - Perfect, incredible, incomparable, outstanding, amazing, brilliant, etc. etc. I can certainly say that from the leads to the guest appearances, EVERY single actor, that worked on this show, deserves an applause or a pat on the back at least. I've never seen such a plethora of great performances, all in one show. Each performance of the actors seems to be imprinted in my head. Lee Jong Suk was positively dazzling throughout the series! And Park Shin Hye pleasantly surprised me with her remarkable portrayal of Choi In Ha. I'd never been a fan of hers, but I have to admit, she gave an absolutely stunning performance. The veteran actors, that were part of the cast, need no extra praise, they were great as always. A special mention for Jin Kyung and Kim Hae Sook though, these two ladies gave such captivating performances as the antagonists that I couldn't help but respect and admire their characters even while hating them. Kim Young Kwang and Lee Yoo Bi looked really promising! I've seen other works by these two, but Pinocchio definitely brought out the best of them, as well as every other actor in the cast.
The OSTs in the drama struck a chord in every situation they were played in. The music really brought forth the emotions and conveyed the intensity of the moments spectacularly. There were so many scenes where I simply shed tears because of the perfect harmony of the music and the script.
Which reminds me to mention the powerful script that the show had! Such impactful words, such brilliant dialogues! The chemistry between, not just the lead pair, but every actor was evident and impressive. I've run out of adjectives that I usually get to use while describing a show, but I still have many things I haven't been able to mention. The list of things that worked in the favor of the show is too long to post in this already too long review. If anybody has had the patience to read till now, I'd like to request you Dear Reader, do not let anything stop you from watching this show, it'll be one of the best you've ever seen. I can guarantee that. I'm off to place this in the top slot of my favorite dramas.
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The first time I ever saw Lee Jong Suk was in Secret Garden and I remember thinking, 'this man has the looks to make it big'. Ofcourse, at that time I wasn't aware that he had already made it pretty damn big. Seeing him in Pinocchio, there's no denying that he has a talent for acting, combine that with his heavenly looks and you get an almost perfect package.
Even though the name of the drama is based on the female lead, it's obvious that Dal Po is the star of the show. The plot revolves around him and despite the fact that the side characters bring their own charisma, they are ultimately in his orbit.
Park-Shin Hye came to be a pleasant surprise. I'm not going to lie, I disliked her in almost every show she appeared in previously and due to my bad experience with her acting, I had developed a sort of negative bias for her. However, it's always amazing when an actor or a show surprises you and surpasses your expectations. PSH somehow managed to make In Ha a sweet and likable character who the viewers constantly rooted for. The fact that she has to hiccup repeatedly came out as adorable instead of annoying and I couldn't believe myself when I started to feel affection for her.
A lot of people were even happy that she finally improved her kissing techniques. That, I think is pushing it a little bit because if you look at it closely, her movements are as non-existent as ever, but due to some skillful camera work, Lee Jong Suk's kissing prowess is incredibly highlighted which makes it somehow appear as if she's a proficient partner too. But oh well- technicalities.
However, for me the biggest flaw of the show was that the protagonists were not on equal footing. Dal Po clearly over-powers In Ha in the relationship and he comes out as far less commited and invested in the love story. Which is why the romance factor didn't do much for me. They do the right things, say the right words, their union makes complete sense and yet, there is no emotional connection whatsoever.
In Ha makes so many sacrifices for Dal Po, her affection is completely genuine and she let's him take the spotlight from her time and time again whereas Dal Po seems almost detached when it comes to her.
Ultimately, this unequality between the leads was something that started to rub me the wrong way. There were moments where I wanted In Ha to shine individually and to be given more credit for everything she does. Essentially, she's such a huge part of the show and if we ponder about it; she's the backbone behind Dal Po's success and yet, she's never valued enough. The moment she does something substantial is followed by Dal-Po countering it with something more and it always manages to downplay her importance. This is the reason why they are both outstanding and lovable personas in their own right but their co-existence is rather stiff and unnatural.
So, in my opinion the best way to watch Pinocchio is to think of romance as just a subplot and focus on the main story. I had so much love for almost every single character in the show and they are so thoroughly well-developed that I could write a lengthy character sketch on all of them. The drama is filled with small, utterly poignant moments that move you. The script is excellently written and the story flows with a smooth efficiency. The antagonists are three-dimensional and I never truly disliked any of them. Pinocchio thrives on the emotional interactions between its characters and it shows exactly how powerful familial love is.
Over-all this drama, with its brilliant acting, consistent story-line and satisfying ending, manages to bring forth a current of continous entertainment from beginning to end.
Indeed, a good watch.
Enjoy!
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Pinocchio's story is intriguing, very captivating, well written and highly thought-provoking. It's also very well executed, in terms of acting, camera work and plot development. I enjoyed all episodes and was eager to watch the next.
So why have I given I Hear Your Voice a full 10, and bestowed this one a "mere" 8,5?
In rating a drama I always try to be as objective as I can be - try being the key word. A show that awakens the intellect deserves high scores, but it's the emotional share which earns it a perfect score. I was intellectually very engaged by Pinocchio, but I felt slightly detached when it came to the heart. Among other things, the romance didn't make my heart flutter, not even once. Honestly, I can't even pinpoint a reason for this: Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk are both beautiful, very sweet in a puppy-like way, their respective characters lovable and their love story believable. And yet, it seems to me it lacked romantic tension, it was like watching two cute people in a commercial for shoes, or coats.
The moment they stopped being on screen, in my mind they also stopped being a couple.
On the contrary, I think Hye Song and Soo Ha are still dating, overcoming their differences and being happy together. I could mention many other drama couples that, to me, are still a reality somewhere in that evanescent world created by fantasy and therefore linger in my heart. Dal Po and In Ha are not among them.
Nobody's fault, mind you. The acting of all was above average and I was positively impressed by Park Shin Hye's performance. It must not be easy to interrupt every other sentence with a hiccup and make it sound believable. Her character isn't a champion of resolution, but she's very sweet and I liked her a lot. Lee Jong Suk is clearly a rising star in the drama world and can play this kind of role better and better. I loved the supporting cast, villain(s) included.
The music didn't make much of an impact on me either.
To explain my re-watch score, I'm going to confess a weak spot of mine: when a particular scene has a strong impact on me, I can't help but watch it again as soon as the episode is over. I haven't done so with any of Pinocchio's scenes. I may re-watch the entire show one day, but for now this ride, as much as it was enjoyable, is over.
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But the story in Pinocchio was very intelligent and was not boring at all. I was worried about halfway through, wondering how they would pull 20 episodes of story out of this plot, but somehow they not only managed to do so, but did so very well. There were lots of thought provoking decisions and choices made by the characters and the show is set up around a topic that is very relevant today, especially in the era of accusations of "fake news" and misleading headlines- truth in media and how news stories are presented to the public.
I enjoyed all the characters and was consistently surprised at the decisions that Choi Dal Po/ Gi Ha Myeong made. The side characters were all utilized well, and were interesting. I most loved both Yoon Yoo Rae and Seo Beom Jo. Yoo Rae was adorable and funny. I look forward to seeing more of the actress, Lee Yoo Bi. Kim Young Kwang is always a favorite and did not disappoint! His character really surprised me several times as well. The YGN Cap, Hwang Gyo Dong, played by Lee Pil Mo, was another favorite. In fact, there was not one badly done character in the show. I'd feel a little silly listing all the characters and what I loved about each one, so I will stop there. :)
I don't really re-watch many shows, but I think this show has a decent rewatch value. The story would hold up well to repeated viewing.
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This is one of the best dramas I've seen, I enjoyed all the ride without getting bored for a single moment, the story in this drama is constant: Ethic versus impact, how a reporter should give news.
The characters are very likeable, Lee Jong suk makes a great job as Choi Dal Po/ Ki Ha Myeong always wondering how to act should he surrender at the revenge or on the contrary keep on with his life and act according to his principles.
Cho In Ha /Park Shin Hye, she is an adorable character, always sincere, good hearted, and of course strong, very strong. I really love that she is not a clumsy and crybaby girl as we usually see in other dramas, if she has to criticize you, she'll do it, if she has to ask forgiveness, she'll do it too.
Seo Bum Yoo/ Kim Young Kwang: The second male, I love this character, If you think that he is the typical rich and evil jerk who wants to destroy the main couple, well think again, not this time, he is not an ornament, he has his own battle to fight.
The music was awesome too, it reflects perfectly the emotions in this drama, love, sadness, anguish, comedy and best of all, they don't abuse the music to provoke tears.
Overall Imression: Another great work of Jo Soo-Won and Park Hye-Ryun (director and writer), I expected no less from the creators of "I Hear your voice" (another masterpiece).
If you want to see a realistic drama this has to be your choice, the development of the characters is brutal and when you think you know how this story will end, bumm another plot twist.
REPEAT: IT'S A MUST SEE
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This review may contain spoilers
I rate dramas on how I felt while watching the drama and if I was emotionally involved with the characters. All dramas are going to have flaws, but if the story and acting can overcome them, then I give it a high score. I felt great watching Pinocchio each and every week. The writer did an excellent job with the flow of the story, well written dialog and excellent character development. I could not find any holes in the story line and nothing seemed contrived even with all of the coincidental meetings. I loved that the characters are flawed. I usually hate a lot of extra characters, but all of the characters in this drama add to the story and quite a few of them are daebak. The cast is great. I'm not sure where to start so I will begin with Park Shin Hye. I'm not a big fan of hers although I have pretty much seen every drama she has been in. I constantly remark that she must have saved a country in her past life due to working with excellent male leads. Finally Lee Jong Suk taught her how to kiss. Apparently she has taken some acting lessons, because she did In Ha proud. Lee Jong Suk to me is perfection. He is good looking, can act, and has moved away from those stupid high school rolls in his last 3 dramas. Dal Po will be with me for a while. Where did Yoon Gyun Sang come from and why hasn't he been in more dramas? Seriously. As Ki Jae Myung he isn't even in the drama very much, but his scenes have an impact and I was truly moved by his character. I believe I have seen almost everything that Kim Young Kwang has been in. Although I don't think that he is the best actor out there, he really showed what he can do as Seo Bum Jo. That one part where he is talking to Dal Po and he is half crying and half laughing was so well done that I cried with him. A rare occurrence for me. I have see Lee Joo Seung in several dramas and I have always thought he is so adorable and a good actor. He adds so much to this drama as Ahn Chan Soo. He is basically the catalyst to the entire drama. Now to the two extra characters that made this show worth watching if for nothing else but to see their quirky and adorable selves, Lee Yoo Bi as Yoon Yoo Rae and Lee Pil Mo as Hwang Gyo Dong. I loved all of their scenes. There are other extra characters that are fun to watch also, but those two stand out. There are also some guest rolls that are funny and appropriate like Yoon Sang Hyun as Lawyer Cha from IHYV in Ep.12 and Lee Joon in Ep. 19. Last but certainly not least is Jin Kyung as Song Cha Ok. She makes for an excellent cold-hearted woman. SPOILERISH >>> At first I thought her character change toward the end would be a mistake, but the writer gave an outstanding explanation and developed her character to where it made since. <<<SPOILERISH Kim Hae Sook knows how to play crazy better than most people and she delivered as Oh Mal Su. Gotta love to hate her.
The music is good and appropriate.
I will rewatch this some day for sure.
I know this was a long review, but I hope it makes you want to watch this drama. I highly recommend it to everyone.
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This show has pretty much everything - a compelling romance, exciting mysteries and action scenes. In a way the story felt very similar to I Hear Your Voice, probably because they share the same writer-director team.
I love that the central relationship is strong - Choi In Ha and Choi Dal Po, and there isn't too much unnecessary angst as is too often the case in Korean dramas, and it gave us so many scenes of cuteness.
Well it certainly seems like everything Lee Jong Suk touches on TV turns to gold. While his character in this show really reminds me of his character in I Hear Your Voice, I didn't feel there was any baggage in his portrayal of the character. I was compelled and won over to his side, and rooting for him and his relationships and journalistic career. Can I also say Lee Jong Suk is a damn good crier?
Park Shin Hye finally was given the opportunities to show her abilities in dramatic and comedic acting which seem to have been buried somewhere after You're Beautiful.
I am a fan of Roy Kim and was pleasantly surprised at Tiger JK's inclusion in a drama soundtrack, so I quite enjoyed this soundtrack.
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The story is well built, the characters are well articulated and portrayed - every single one of them, even the supporting roles, the music goes along with the scene, just adding more emotion to it, and the way the episodes were developed was magnificent! I don't find myself so amazed by a drama since Reply 1997!
Generally k-dramas have this thing for making you scream of anger while watching them, but in this one, the screeches were of agony, because the feelings - especially pain, of course - were being so nicely portrayed that it wasn't possible to not feel along with the characters.
I like how the characters are human. I mean, none of them are completely perfect or completely awful, all of them have good and bad feelings - the want to do the good and the bad thing. Even the villains - you can't call them that, seriously, but let's go with it - have genuine emotions and actions, and everything is substantial and explicable.
Things in this drama happen like you would see happening in real life, the plot twists aren't something you would laugh about because they are so ridiculous (seriously, some dramas are impossible to be serious about). And for me, it's so good to see believable acts and events, especially because the plot is all about something that is inherently present in our everyday lives. There was only this or that scenes that probably wouldn't be possible to see (hello, Yoon Yu Rae, I'm talking to you), but they were made for the comic relief, so I just laughed and moved on.
Overall, Pinocchio is a great choice if you want to see a realistic drama. Kudos for Park Shin Hye for not making me want to kill her because of her acting and character - the first one is her fault, but the second I know it's not, I'm just glad she finally chose a character that wasn't developed by the screenwriters so... ugh. (Go Minam... Eun Sang... just no.)
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I just completed this drama half an hour back and I'm already missing it. Believe me when I say that one of the things I avoid doing the most is touching any currently airing drama. Suspense and waiting for the next week is like taking multiple gun shots! Initially, I did that with Pinocchio, until the 7th or 8th episode. When suddenly saw netizens storming on about Pinocchio, I couldn't run away from the temptation! And ended up making stupid promises to myself such as ' I'll just watch the first episode, see how it is, and give it a full run from the 2nd episode onwards until it ends'.
But boy oh boy, I watched all the 7/8 episodes aired by then, in one day and took a stab for realizing that now I had to start waiting for another damn week. Hard times! (if you're a drama addict, you know what I mean :P)
I'll go by the rating table. Story? Here let me ask you this, what do you think would come out of the drama written by the same team of writers who gave us &amp;quot;I Hear Your Voice&amp;quot;, teaming up again with Lee Jong Suk? Yes, a great story with all the elements one expects after watching the trailer. Actors? Honestly, I had few concerns about Park Shin Hye but I'm glad she lived up well to her character of Choi In Ha, a character outline I liked when I read about it on various websites. Lee Jong Suk was awesome as always. I liked Lee Yoo Bin since &amp;quot;Innocent Man&amp;quot; and liked her even more in this drama especially, her character's story with Hwang Gyo Dong (Lee Pil Mo). It was very cute and I think it was a good idea to add such light comedy to the drama. I liked everyone's acting from both MSC and YGN news company. Kim Young Kwang moved me in the last few episodes, trust me. Special mention to Kim Hae Sook as Park Ro Sa (Seo Bum Jo's mom) who portrayed the character of a villain pretty well.
Soundtrack? Instead of doing an online search on the OST list, I waited for all the tracks to play in the drama which made me like them even more. &amp;quot;Non-fiction&amp;quot; by Echo is my favorite track. (:
What more should I do to actually/ literally tell you that this drama is worth watching for its story, cast and music because I rated it a 10, both for Rewatch Value (I don't rewatch much) and this drama as an Overall?
If you're into stories such as this one, it'll be worth it. Enjoy! :)
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Well, I Certainly Won’t Be “ Hiccuping ” To Say That This Drama Has Its Flaws...
With numerous reviews over the years upon the drama, it wouldn’t be surprising if this review easily becomes disregarded amongst others. Nevertheless, it’s important to give an honest and objective verdict on whether “ Pinnochio” still lives up to its legacy as a “ good” series , or is overrated for what its worth.
Pinocchio tells the story a man ( Lee Jong Suk) whose life was devastated by corrupt reporters. Seeking revenge since childhood, he takes up another identity as “ Dal Po” ; the deceased son of an old man suffering from denial and mental illness called Choi Gong Pil ( Byun Hee Bong). Together with his “ niece” and sufferer of the fictionalised illness “Pinocchio Syndrome”, Choi In Ha ( Park Shin Hye), the two go on a journey of self-discovery that forces them to face some uncomfortable truths.
Undeniably the most intriguing concept present within the show was the ideology of Pinocchio Syndrome; a (fairy tale-inspired) condition which causes the individual to hiccup whenever he or she lies. As someone suffering from the condition, In Ha is often subject to discrimination and prejudice by wider society, however, this concept of the show did lack genuine or factual explanation to viewers towards its causes- is it hereditary, psychological or just a cause of random gene mutations? Although it is notable neither of In Ha’s parents suffer from this disease, it did remain a lingering question towards exactly how and when In Ha was diagnosed with Pinocchio Syndrome and the actual science behind this fictionalised disease.
Instead, the fantasy concept of Pinocchio Syndrome is truly reduced to more than an asset plot device to accompany more prevalent focal point of journalism within the show. The aspects of critiquing the competitive and exploitative natures of the industry of media did notably help to present a surprisingly realistic and somewhat fairly profound depth to the storyline.
Dal Po’s entire character is driven by his enmity and obligated feelings of revenge for his family . Yet by becoming the very thing he hated more than anything in the world, he stumbles upon the truth that the world of journalism is not as black and white as he originally had the preconception of ; news outlets, individuals and reporters may twist certain stories for their own gain whilst the true victims remain without voices. Whilst Lee Jong Suk has often had a mixed bag of performances over the years, his role as Dal- Po did seem to capture multifaceted and depth to his character. This is because Dal- Po is still motivated by his intentions for revenge, but he also learns to forgive and learn that sometimes honesty is the greatest weapon of them all.
Yet this also moves us on to the obvious problem of the drama. The ridiculous amount of cliche coincidences happening in the subtext of thirteen years of secret messaging between the second male Beom Jo ( Kim Young Kwang) and In Ha, the notable “ chances” which arise for Dal-Po being able to land a job as a journalist despite his limited qualifications ( regardless of his intelligence) and of course the sudden reversal of “ external forces” which kept away characters such as Dal-Po and In Ha from developing relationships in order to suddenly have a “ happy ending”. Although a preferred choice for the dramatised events of the series, it was initially off-putting at times within the cliche and unrealistic setups which suddenly manifested without prior build-up.
Yet perhaps the biggest problem in the series was the dragging sensation of storyline in places. Initially this is somewhat ironic for a show which has surprisingly quite good pacing for the majority of the show , but the duration of episodes in addition to transition in places upon plot devices, over actual characterisation often resulted in this problem.
The biggest example of this problem can be found through In Ha as a character. Although Shin Hye can’t be faulted within her stellar performance and her character does initially having an interesting backstory, her actual relevance to the storyline often felt minimal and intrinsically quite lacklustre. In Ha simply does not have notable character growth in the series. Arguably a lot of In Ha’s problems and the drama wouldn’t have been as effective without In Ha having remained the same, however, this is also a somewhat nonsensical venture into In Ha as a character. Considering her experiences and scenarios growing up, In Ha neither really seems to be given the chance to confront them openly and actually learn and develop, often resulting in her character coming off as a plot device in order to keep the story motivated such as her relationship with her mother and Dal Po , than an individual in her own right.
In terms of the latter mentioned point , the relationship between Dal Po and In Ha was a little questionable over the course of the series. Although not relatives by blood ( giving the obvious explanation against the otherwise incestuous proposal) , a lot of viewers often forget that In Ha and Dal Po grew up together for more than thirteen years as uncle and niece as well as during their younger years having a notably fraternal relationship - the pairing between the two characters just felt odd and mismatched. Actors Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye did help to cover up some of the more awkward onscreen moments through their performances and the show acknowledged it to some extent , it still seemed oddly problematic to romanticise this pairing in the first place as well as the striking differences between both characters and their personalities.
Perhaps the most praiseworthy relationship in the show occurred between Dal-Po and his biological, revenge driven brother Ki Jae Myeong(portrayed by Yoon Gyun Sang), provided the zeal of the revenge story and the clear differences in motive and experiences of both brothers.
Dal-Po seeks revenge in a similar manner to Ki-Jae, but in the process considers and acknowledges reconciliation and forgiveness against certain individuals due to being distracted by a kind-hearted “paternal” -figure and surrounded by a fairly loving family . On the other hand, Ki-Jae’s experiences was solely driven with cause of distraction for revenge with a carte blanche given by viewers just to see how far he can gross the line of morality. This presents an intriguing relationship between brothers with Ki Jae oblivious for a major proportion of the series due to not knowing Dal-Po’s true identity. Jae Myeong’s performance was surprisingly good and a honest gift to this drama by making up for some of its more evident flaws .
So, was a “ Pinocchio ” a good series, or another overrated drama? It’s fair to say that the concept of the show was intriguing by tackling difficult issues of manipulation, injustice and exploitation, the OST was quite good, and there were some particularly well-written characters such as Dal-Po and even In Ha’s mother, Song Cha-ok ( Jin Kyung) who was surprisingly given some profound depth despite her antagonistic role in the series. Nevertheless, “ Pinocchio” isn’t as flawless as watchers truly make it up to be- the ridiculous coincidences took away from the surprising twists of storyline, In Ha as our female lead was severely underdeveloped and the relationship between both characters was ultimately a little uncomfortable considering the angle of the storyline. It is probably fair to say that “ Pinocchio ” wasn’t a dire or terrible drama by any stretch of the imagination and had many likeable assets , but it certainly was overrated within being passed off as a “ flawless” drama by some fans.
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From the very beginning it is clear that this drama is not afraid to take on tragedy, so it's not exactly lighthearted (have tissues on hand just in case for the early episodes). Still there are definitely laughs, and romance as well.
I know many reviewers will understandably compare this to I Hear your Voice. The comparison makes obvious sense, and fans of that drama's cast and story will most likely enjoy this drama too (since the writer and some of the actors are the same). As for me, between the two, I liked Pinocchio more. It took a while for me to get into I Hear your Voice, but with this drama I was hooked from the beginning till the very end.
Park Hye-ryun really knows how to blend genres well. Lots of the standard k-drama elements are included - a love triangle, parental issues, rivalries, secrets, deception, revenge - but it all still feels completely original. I had no idea what would happen next, and didn't want it all to end. The writing has something for every drama lover, and gets a 10 from me. The characters were also all well written. The entire cast did a great job, and gets a deserving 10 from me as well.
Park Shin Hye & Lee Jong Suk are great together. They have great chemistry so the fact that their romance isn't always the main focus shouldn't be a huge disappointment to romance fans. I love that In Ha isn't always likable, nor is she timid, which is always nice to see for a female lead. Any Lee Jong Suk fan should definitely watch, and he does a great job taking on a complicated character while still showcasing his charm. Their triangle is completed by Kim Young Kwang who actually plays a likable chaebol. It's also nice that their friendship dynamic is as important as the romantic storyline.
Then there is one of my all time favorite k-drama actresses Kim Hae Sook. I knew I'd love her character, since she never disappoints. I particularly like her when she plays more of a villain, but she was still completely different than I've seen her before (which is what makes her so awesome). Jin Kyung is also excellent as the cold hearted mother of In Ha. She was one of my favorites in the cast overall. I also really liked the family dynamic, which included some of the funniest parts.
The music was great, but there weren't any memorable epic songs which is why I only gave it an 8.
Rewatch value is high for me since I am already rewatching it. I was so sad when it was over, and there's so many interesting turns in the story that a second watch is still entertaining. Plus the cast is so likable, which is another good reason to want to watch it all again.
Overall all I cared a lot about the characters, was engrossed in the story, and liked the themes regarding truth, integrity, and family. I also liked how it ended, and though part of me wished there were more episodes, I think it ended perfectly, and right when it should have.
This is a definite, rare, 10 worthy drama for me, and one I highly recommend to all drama fans. I'd even recommend it to those who are curious to know how these dramas can become so damn addictive. I think this is definitely the kind of drama that could get a newbie hooked, and that's the truth!
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