When it was good it was very very good, when it was bad ...
A mortal sin for any writer is to undermine the credibility of their characters. But that becomes a cardinal sin when they do it just to try and raise a cheap laugh or serve the demands of the plot. There was so much to like about Fiery Priest and also Vincenzo (same writer), but in the end I couldn’t finish Vincenzo because I refused to watch a great character destroyed by its creator in collaboration with the director and I struggled with Fiery Priest.In both dramas, the problem really kicked in for me about a third of the way through, when the stakes become increasingly serious. I felt that early in the drama, I had been invited to believe that Kim Hae Il was a bona fide professional, operating in a world where ruthlessness and violence are central. But a little later on, he repeatedly behaved like an amateur, and a stupid amateur at that. This attempt to marry comedy with hard core action failed because the comedy felt forced at the expense of both credibility and (worse) character integrity. The result was to destroy my connection to the main character and leave me confused about how to view him. Instead of being the cool dude that many characters in the drama thought he was, in key scenes, Kim Hae Il was presented to the viewer as an incompetent idiot to be laughed at, not with. To be honest, I was so pissed early on with the writer and director for spoiling what had the potential to be a really good drama that I nearly stopped watching.
But not being someone who wants to give up easily, I found there was enough merit in the cast to keep me going. Around two thirds of the way through, the drama had been reduced to farce. And yes, it is very funny. So I just gave up and went with the flow and enjoyed the comedy and suspended my disbelief when things got serious and his character flipped. However, Kim Hae Il is simply not credible as any sort of cohesive character and I think it would have been much better if I had never been asked to take him seriously. I felt that Kim Nam Gil was as confused about the character as I was, but did his best to convince me.
If you are prepared for your hero to exhibit multiple, contradictory personalities, encompassing super cool action hero, ruthless killer, sexy priest, tortured soul, fluffy bunny, goofy adolescent, angry man, and a totally cringeworthy imitation of Johnny English, then this is absolutely a good drama for you. As many before me have said, it offers up in spades in so many other departments, with some wonderful performances, great characters and inventive fight choreography. A shout out to Lee Ha Nee and Go Jun, who were exceptionally good.
What my rating means: 7+ A watchable drama, but nothing exceptional. Good enough to qualify for the race, but finished with the pack. The sort of thing that promises more than it delivers.
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the good:
+ the teammance (this is what I always want, a big unique team)
+++ Kim Nam Gil
++ the comedy sense
+ Park Kyung Sun (I'd have preferred it if she joined the team faster, but I like the freshness of her, she's like a girl vr of siwon?)
+ hip hop girl and her normal non obsessive crush (I kinda shipped her with Ssongsag)
+ the action scenes
+ the costumes xD
things I didn't like:
- the story
- the small plots
- the pace (things started really moving by the 2nd half, especially after ep14)
- the bad guys (I really couldn't careless about them they were slightly too weak)
- the bad guys screentime was a waste of time ;)
ps. my rewatch value is either a 1 or a 10
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Pure entertainment!
Let me introduce you to the characters: There are 3 priests.Two of them are to --Forgive me Father cause i sinned-level because of their hotness!!The oldest one is a mentor and unfortunately he dies!Is not a spoiler is written in the synopsisis,LOL!The younger one has a heart made of gold,And then we have our main char.A troubled man full of remorses who carries the sins of his past and turned to Church to find peace guided by his mentor.He is hot-tempered as hell,he has a bad mouth(he swears alot for a priest!)he kicks asses like there is no tomorrow,he is hilarious,he is FIRE!I Love Him!We also have a nun,with a naughty past,a devilish prosecutor with the sweetest dimples ever.We love to hate her and we end to love her!A detective,he used to be a good one but he lost his way.A rookie young detective with her values high,she kicks asses as well and also she raps!
And of course we have our villains too!Some of them are pure evil and we hate their guts.Some others are evil but we sympathize them and even like them.At least i did!
The story is well written and simple.Our characters work together to find who murdered the oldest priest,Is a crime investigation with suspense,with many heartwarming scenes,with many good fighting scenes,with pain and tears,a large range of emotions and with the most hilarious funny moments.Seriously be careful while watching i spitted my coffee several times!
WWB!Iam so glad there is a S2!I CANT WAIT!
So what are you waiting for?Go and watch it now!
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Superpriest!
I feel absolutely terrible now that I've completed watching this drama. First and foremost --- DO NOT LET THE ABSENCE OF ROMANCE TAG DETER YOU FROM WATCHING THIS GEM!Whew! Now that I've got that out of my system, I'll try to write a review that atleast appears to be legible. Personally, according to me, good dramas are the ones that need to be truly experienced first hand instead of leaving the viewer in a dilemma as to whether to watch or not by reading the synopsis and reviews.
The very first episode introduces us to a rather eccentric and hot tempered priest, Father Kim Hae Il, who is sent back to his church in Gudam after beating up a bunch of thugs in another town. I kid you not, the priest is the very reason I began this drama. And he along with his Tsunami gang is what made me stick till the very end.
I digress, so let me return to the plot... well. Within a matter of days, his mentor and the Head Father of the Church, Father Lee, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. When the Prosecutor Seong Ok decides to close the case without futher investigation despite Father Kim's frequent pleas, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
A drastic decision offers him complete authority to personally oversee the case... which is handed over to Dae Seok, an incompetant detective, by the perpetrators who instigated the crime. Now with multiple people attempting to hinder the truth from coming to light, Father Kim takes drastic measures while grappling with his own guilt.
This is one of the most genuinely funny and witty dramas I've ever seen. The basic storyline is pretty overused: a group of people with the ultimate power utilizes and compromises the safety and security of the people. The characters aren't really gem worthy -- they are real, raw humans who have made mistakes or "are" making mistakes.
There is also plenty of action! I have actually hyped for every single one of them! This might sound pretty un-Godly, but Father Kim need not change who he was to become a messenger of God. Sometimes, it is the power of fists that delineate our boundaries.
There is Bromance and comradeship that keeps the whole drama afloat. I loved and adored the friendship between Song Sac and Yoo Oh Han. They were secondary characters, but were one of the hearts of the show. Jang Ryung, the bob hair guy and villain was someone I couldn't hate. He was so stupid and funny. Hwang Cheol Bum, a thug turned owner of a trading store, was another interesting character. Both of them were people whom I believe turned out to be who they were due their circumstances. Not because they were genuinely evil individuals.
And the OST?! AWESOME!! I feel to laugh just by listening to them. (Extreme Gootham City is one of my absolute favorites.)
The drama does have intense emotional scenes. The underlying theme is uncovering the truth behind Father Lee's death, so there are times that we must take deep breaths. Nobody gets away unscathed. Not even our Tsunami Priest and his friends.
By the last episode, I was upset that the drama was ending. I wanted to see more punches and fights and Team Tsunami in action. It was completely fulfilling, funny, heartwarming, witty and absolutely lovable!
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you should watch this when your bored or if you just want to watch a drama
Th plot was good and there wasn’t anything bad about it particularly. very funny i laughed a lot especially the middle of the drama was the most humorous. At the beginning i was just watching this drama while playing some games and i watch trailers on this app in between watching the drama yet i didn’t get as much distracted and manage to watch everything.The acting cast did great. All of them were very charming in their own way... ahem I might’ve fell for that one gangster guy and both of his sidekick.. cause like they are hot.. anyways the cast did great very very charming cast.
The music was great i guess but somehow i dont remember the music, only the ‘honey honey’ part
Although the drama was great i will not rewatch it so i can cherish the drama
Overall i gave it a 9 out of 10 because it was great. I laughed a lot and enjoyed the drama, the comedy in this is a stress relief. Watch it when your feeling down, you might forget about your worries!
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This review may contain spoilers
The show The Fiery Priest was new to me as I mainly watch romance dramas and even in that genre it’s pretty specific in the main ideas I want displayed. However I genuinely enjoyed this show as it was very exciting fast paced show that I enjoyed a lot . As a romance lover, I cannot deny I wanted some romance to happen however there was none and yet it seemed complete in many ways.Story:
Goods: The writing, the directing and everything else was used to make sure the story is frontline and center. The plot line is exciting and gripping and it never seems to lose side of what really matters ( the story ) . This story can make you lose nights of sleep so be aware as it’s very addicting. The side plots are equally as entertaining as the main plot.
Bad: Even though the story was amazing it was definitely cliche and often overplayed. There were many side effects and the ending was satisfactory however it wasn’t amazing . The story is good yet this show is more of a one time watch and not really something you can watch again because of the cliches.
Acting:
Good: The cast was mostly very good. Kim Hae Ils character definitely feels like the perfect match as it just seems natural when he says ridiculous lines even when they don’t make sense. Park Kyeong Seon and Gu Dae Yeong s actors were also very good and even Seung Ah ‘s actors because they were able to do the roles and gave you the right emotions to feel. I think the underrated actors were Hwang Cheol Beom and Jang Ryong because they make you feel so grey and confused and totally charmed me. (Funny story: I cried when Jang Ryongs hair got cut ). Also Songsak and Yo Han definitely were very entertaining.
Bad: This just goes to the True Villains of the drama. Most of them look a bit cartoonish while they’re acting especially the NIS agent and Chief Kang. They seem like they’re not very comfortable while filming and weren’t blending well with their characters. They fail to look evil and just seem like little kids most of the time.
Writing:
Good: the writing was funny and well timed ,it definitely seemed they thought the script true and fell like a really fun drama. The script also brought the characters to life and added a lot of life to the drama.
Bad: This is more to do with the little intricacies in the script. But how are so many characters dumb. Like their moves are predictable and foolish. It definitely didn’t show how smart villains usually are and how hard it is to pull things off. However as I said I’m just picking on the small details.
Main Point:
The Fiery Priest is very enjoyable and I would definitely recommend to watch it as it removes a lot of stress with its fun engaging script. There are a few plait holes which is which is why I didn’t give it a higher score but I did really enjoy it. All the characters are interesting even if some actors aren’t the best at portraying them. I will miss watching this as it definitely was a really fun ride throughout it all.
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The perfect balance of comedy-crime drama
Close to perfect. I wonder why I always hesitated to watch this before. Amazing plot, various character developments, good comedy, great acting, cool action scenes, and exciting suspension. Nothing is a bit unnecessary for me, but the shortcoming was maybe at the first episode it was a bit slow, but it keeps getting better on each next episode. I love how it focuses not only on the priest or the prosecutor but also on other supporting roles' character development like Jang Ryeong and Ssongsak. Having the main character as a priest makes it more interesting than most of the same drama in this genre. In the end, the main idea of people repenting their sins feels align with the purpose of the priest himself. It makes me emotionally attached to each character. When it's characterized and comedy-crime, it doesn't lack the thrill when the action came in. Props to Kim Namgil for his great acting. But what I truly love the most is their good chemistry and how their relationship evolved from some stranger, some enemy, some acquaintance, to become one as family. Everything is beautiful and well-written.Ps: I love how some sad and heart-breaking scenes not really using sad ost that makes you cry but rather they use the upbeat scores that make you feel furious and want to get revenge on those villains while watching it. It doesn't feel like I have to cry every time.
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Such an enjoyable watch ??
I watched this one for the FL lead I am a new fan of this actress after her 2024 project Knight Flower.This was an enjoyable watch and looking forward to season 2. This is coming from someone who isn't a fan of multiple season shows.
PROS:
◇The acting
◇The chemistry 🙌🏽
◇Writing
◇The 2nd have was more enjoyable for me personally. Really enjoyed when the whole team was completed 👌🏽
◇The ending
CONS:
◇Certian topics I wish were developed more. In Ep 15 & 16 they were beautifully done just wanted more time. Hope that makes sense, really trying not to spoil anything.
◇ I was a little long they could have cut it down 5 episodes or make each ep 1 hr and it could have been 20 eps.
◇The Humor didn't alway land for me personally. I did get used to it so it didn't bother me as much in the 2nd half.
This was a fantastic watch and really happy I picked it up. 🩷📺
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This review may contain spoilers
Great martial arts action scenes, comedy throughout, well written with characters you will miss
10/10 is my rating. This is a 2019 South Korean Comedy, Crime Action drama with either 20, 1 hour or 40 1/2 hour episodes.I will first provide a synopsis then review
Synopsis
Many combat soldiers suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and when coupled with guilt resulting from innocents in the combat zone It can be severe. Kim Hae-il / Michael Kim (Kim Nam-Gil) has severe PTSD from things that happened when he was with the National Intelligence Service (NIS). Hae-il found solace in the church when his father figure and mentor, Priest Lee Young-joon (Jung Dong-hwan) encouraged him to heal through faith. Following the murder of Priest Lee, which corrupt officials proclaim a suicide, Hae il is determined to call on his skills and resources as a former NIS agent to solve the crime and obtain justice. Comedy surrounds the simple fact that there is a priest who is willing to use force to punish transgressors. Hae il must not only combat a group of gangsters but corrupt officials such as female prosecutor Park Kyung-sun (Lee Hanee). Kyung sun and others are surprised when this priest says you are not welcome in God's house if you think you can shed your sin and go out and sin again. His first requirement is don't come to confession until you genuinely apologize to those you sinned against. With near super hero like skills, the Fiery Father will take them all on, save a few souls and get those beyond redemption locked up.
Review
I waited a long time before watching this. Have seen nearly 300 Asian dramas before watching this one. I don't know why but with everything I read up to that point I thought it would be slap stick and it definitely is not. It definitely has a central comedic element but it is situationally funny. The priest himself is not simply a character that could use anger management, his character is deep and very compelling. Even the bad guys and gals in this have well developed characters and in depth stories. I love a good martial arts action scene and this has plentiful action scenes. The priest has super hero like status. He starts out very misunderstood by all but his mentor but those around him learn, as the viewer does, who he really is and he improves them through his own brand of caring and healing those around him. "When you say that you really sound like a priest," you get renditions of that throughout and will understand that he is definitely a human first. He is definitely one of God"s warriors. For me the timing of watching this was perfect as I feel like I am living through times when justice keeps getting the short stick. So seeing characters that deeply care about what is good and right and morale and not only seek justice but tow justice along sometimes kicking and screaming (you will get the pun if you watch it) is refreshing. I just recommend this one in general. This is another where you will grow to like the characters so much you will miss them when it is over. If you like comedy, crime dramas and/or action then this is definitely one that should be on all those watch lists. If you are looking for romance there are plenty of bromances and it skirts around some flirty scenes, but there is no direct romance. I am one that will rarely watch anything without a romantic element. This one is worth it regardless.
Spoilers
I really did not expect some characters would have a redemption arc and certainly not one I could buy into but the skilled writers for this series proved me wrong. Prosecutor Park or self proclaimed "Phoenix" was a wholely unlikable character in the beginning. She was rude, selfish and corrupt. She was unkind so many times to the main character that I was convinced I would never find her likable. But then their banter became amusing. And then her interactions with him, and I think God inserting some life changing events, started to turn her. But they did not try to jam down your throat that she was suddenly good or that her turn around excused her earlier actions. Same with some of the mobsters. They did not seem capable of redemption but slowly, and believably, you saw some redemption for them and yet they were not let off the hook for their past misdeeds. The priest's dark back story was heart breaking but it clearly exhibited how simply hearing "it wasn't your fault" at the right time, from the right people, can generate emotional healing. His friends and allies also came to understand him so much they knew the level of blame he would put on himself and how he would react when someone around him was hurt to get at him.
#fierypriest
#kimnamgil
#Leehanae
#KimSungkyun
#LeeHanee
#GoJun
#KeumSaerok
#JungDonghwa.
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Full of comedy
Both this and Vincenzo have the same screenwriter, so I gave it a try after watching Vincenzo. To be honest, I like Fiery priest better. Not saying Vincenzo is bad, just that people have different opinion. I prefer this one probably because of the humor. From the story, its really similar so both are good in term of story. Its about the corruption of high ranking official. We know how most of those stories goes. But the main lead is a priest, which would be weird since I thought priest wouldn't have anything to do with politic and such. But this one is hilarious, how the priest try to bring justice to a corrupt town. I also love the supporting characters, they show us that some people can change if they have the chance. It is a recommended series if you're looking for heavy drama mixed with lot of humor but not too darkWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
if you're hesitating to watch this, let me tell you: don't hesitate. watch it with full force because it's an amazing drama that's wrapped up with the most hilarious scenes and toned down with absolutely heartbreaking scenes. it seems like this drama's goal is to truly keep one's attention because there was nOT a single boring moment. some of the investigation scenes are quite questionable if you're picky with crime dramas but then you're suddenly diverted to a scene of two goofs being goofs in a convenience store and some dude with a dog mask.
what i can say is that the way the characters are written here are close to being top notch. you'd think the villains are just pure evil but then we're given a glimpse that they themselves are having a hard time in choosing the right path. the character development is well done with jang ryong and i hope we get to see him with songsak in season 2. i'm super curious how cheol beom's character will be handled in the next season as it's seen that he felt guilt though he didn't show it.
i love that this drama is not entirely heavy as the comedy timing fits well and doesn't drag the scenes too long. what's great to see is the chemistry of the police gang, the church gang and pHeOniX seOn. all of the cast did an amazing job with their portrayal of their characters especially kim nam gil; the smug remarks, the emotional scenes and badass scenes moved me and now my priest kink shall live on for many years to come.
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