Awesome show with badass fl & sweetheart ml!
I just wanna say that till now ( i. e 12th April 2020) 9.5/10 is the highest rating I have given for a show and this is the only show I have given that rating to! This show is that awesome! :)If you don't mind grey characters (Everyone's grey here, including ML & FL) and love to watch a really good romance between a badass FL and a smart ML set in a shady legal world, then this drama is for you! :)
This drama had everything I ever hope for in a show:
1) Fast pacing of the scenes, no dragging or filler scenes whatsoever! I am just sad it wasn’t extended for few more episodes...
2) Strong FL (not just physically strong but most importantly, emotionally strong!). Jgj has entered into my list of all time fav heroines!
3) Smart ML who is willing to adapt to new ideas and is super witty on top of it! Did I mention he's super loyal too? <3 :) He makes you go "awwww" so many times that you will lose count! ;)
4) Smart opponents! Because the game will be boring if your opponents are complete pushovers...
5) Awesome BGM/ost that actually suit the narrative instead of hindering the flow of the scenes.
6) Beautiful set designs and cinematography for that added visual appeal.
7) Awesome set of actors, right from both the fantastic lead actors (I have become a fan of them both after this) to the equally entertaining supporting actors. It was a fab cast! Spl mention for the quirky secretary of our FL in the supporting cast, the show wouldn't have been the same without her! :)
8) Entertaining story. I wouldn't say that the story was something out of this world or anything, but it surely had a bit of everything for everyone... It had a good dose of romance and comedy with a decent amount of legal /investigation drama. It also had a generous peppering of feel good scenes between all the team members. And on top of it all, it has a really really satisfying ending too! :)
Plus it gave me the same feels I used to get while watching 'Castle', an US drama series. Especially the leads romance gave me CasKett feels! <3 So basically, highly recommended! :D
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This review may contain spoilers
Hyenas eat the bones of their preys whether they're alive or dead.
My knowledge of law and how courtrooms operate is incredibly limited, so this review will not comment on how realistically they portrayed lawyers and attorneys, because not only I don't know, but it's also not the reason why I watched this drama in the first place.This drama begins quite differently than any other I've ever seen: the main couple starts dating very quickly on the first episode, there are kisses, hugs, affection, she goes to his house-- the whole deal. And by the end of the episode, we learn that she's not just a woman our male lead had a meet cute with: she's actually the lawyer he has to face in court. This isn't shocking considering that one rule of kdramas is that if the couple starts dating early, they will absolutely break up soon. The shock of seeing her is what ultimately makes him lose a case that was supposed to be an easy win, and it's a very hard blow on his ego, as well as his emotional wellbeing. After all, he had actually fallen for her.
Something that I absolutely loved about this drama is that their romance and feelings for each other seem to be the driving force of the plot one way or the other, but in a way that does not seem forced or annoying. He's everywhere in her life, and she's everywhere in his. I want to say that he fell for her way harder than she did for him because I think it's true, but I also feel like because of the nature of our female lead's personality you can never fully know how she truly feels about someone and to what extent she cares about them. She definitely fell for him without wanting to (and who wouldn't, honestly).
That being said, even though the sexual tension is off the charts, the actual physical contact is quite limited with the exception of the first episode. However, there's a kiss around the middle of the drama that's so intense it's worth like ten kisses instead, so I can't really say I minded the lack of physical contact/affection in this one. Also, the lack of it made sense in the context of the show, so it's not like you find yourself feeling like they should've kissed at certain moments when they didn't. There aren't really moments that warrant a kiss or a hug or whatever it may be-- except maybe at the end. I definitely could've used a kiss at the end.
One thing to know going in, is that our two main characters are not pure and sweet angels, they are two smart people who can be gigantic assholes when they want to be, both to each other and to other people. A lot of people have categorized this drama as "mature", and I suppose it is fitting-- especially because our leads are two grown adults. It's very different from many other popular dramas, and even though at times it may seem that the romance between the leads is not the main theme, it's so intricately weaved into the storylines that, like I said before, their feelings for each other always end up seeming to be the driving force of the drama.
I don't usually watch law dramas because it's not what I'm interested in, but Hyena completely stole my heart. A great story that pulls you in from start to finish, with a solid beginning, great middle and a very satisfying ending.
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If you love dramas which will keep you on the edge and thinking, keep you laughing and let you find yourself smiling at the couple's antics, you should watch this drama. Also, if you love strong female characters and law dramas then definitely, decision to watch this drama is a no-brainer. Binge.
What I liked:
1. It involves law and it is not dragging, perhaps exciting and will most likely have you to binge watch.
I personally like dramas about law like Lawless lawyer because they seldom lag because of different cases encountered along with the main case which is the case for Hyena. There is just a different excitement in courtroom.
2. No skipping scenes.
This one has a very good story line. cases are packed, well-written and will keep you looking forward to the next episode. I have watched 6 dramas ever since the corona virus quarantine started with Hyena being the 6th. I used to have a habit of skipping scenes a lot especially scenes without dialogues. However, Hyena was different. You get to enjoy the cinematography which is good and I rarely skip scenes in Hyena which is rare for me. Whenever I would think of skipping scenes, I would stop myself then I would enjoy every bit of scenes. Each episode is an hour-length but I find other 30-min. length dramas longer. It is that filled. Also, although each episode is packed, the story didn't get messed up.
3.The characters. I can't emphasize more on this.
I have known Joo Ji Hoon from other dramas and even had him as my Ipad wallpaper before. He never failed to give justice to a character in different genres. As for Kim Hye Soo, although she has other dramas, this is the first time that I saw her. Song Hye Kyo was offered the character but she turned it down and I'm so glad she turned it down. Don't get me wrong, I also love Song Hye Kyo but there is something different with Kim Hye Soo. Whenever I picture Song Hye Kyo being Geum Ja, it's just not that right now that I've watched Hye Soo. Hye Kyo is very beautiful and a very good actress but Hye Soo has the aura and charisma that could match Ji Hoon's charisma, or even overpower him. If Hye Kyo has beauty and charm, Hye Soo has beauty and charisma and she did so much justice on Geum Ja's character. Overall, the characters, not only the main, were so good. They make you feel the journey and the emotions. They make you feel involved especially how mature Geum Ja and Hee Jae handles their relationship.
4. The kisses and laughs.
The supporting roles definitely played the major role for comedy that's why no character is wasted.
The romance. Oh the romance. I often find myself smiling in front of the screen, feeling the butterflies in my stomach and that is rare for me. The chemistry of Ji Hoon and Hye Soo is so so so so good. They are both mature and really fit characters so good. And speaking of mature, the kisses! Although there's like at most three to five kissing scenes they were real kisses! Like not just lips steadily touching for three seconds but french! They're smoking hot that my face still turn red with a grin and makes me crave for more but... (I won't write any spoilers. GO AND WATCH).
5. Music to dance for and to feel for
Hyena by Yeoeun, On the road by Baekhyun, Hyena by Giriboy are some of the OST that got me hooked especially Hyena by Giriboy. They really fit as ost. GO AND LISTEN.
What I didn't like:
1. That it finished
2. The ending could have been written better. I don't know if there would be so much casualties if they were to add one more episode but seriously, one more episode is needed to say that this drama is perfect. Because of that I was a little disappointed. If the story and the characters didn't grow on me, I would not be disappointed but they did and as a writer myself, there could be a better ending. Maybe, just maybe, they could not permit another episode which explains the ending. However, although I was wishing for a better ending, the way they ended it considering the airtime only allotted for the drama, it was a clean finish. My love for the drama was still greater.
In summary:
DO NOT THINK ABOUT IT. WATCH IT. RIGHT NOW.
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Our female protagonist is a colorful character to put it lightly. She is dressed like a 90's rapper: tacky, flashy, over the top, all with matching pimp rings to tie it together. While I had no problem with this (even though her hair looked like a hat most of the time), I did have an issue with how she dominated everything when she could have been easily discarded. Let's be honest the female lead should have been disbarred the first or second episode. From blackmail to illegally obtaining documentation/information, our main lead has no issues with getting down and dirty(even if it is far-fetched) .
The story begins to step into hella-far-fetched territory during EP 4. The writers poorly try to keep the two leads together by giving them cases to somehow connect them. It drags, and the punches become expected after EP 5. You sit back and say "here he/she(main leads) come." Predictability isn't a bad thing, but when the story relies on intellect and twist it becomes boring. The main male lead always fumbling when he encounters her took away from his character. He should have been ruthless, hard, not easily shaken, and witty. But since he wasn't during those forced encounters, he became weak as an overall lead. Overall I finished..... But like a $15.00 buffet with mediocre food, I got my moneys worth eating all I could, why not I am already here. But I wouldn't go back for a second time even if i was offered the chance.
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Actually, the two main characters were the heart and soul of the whole drama. Especially the leading lady, who, more often than not, dominated her scenes and overshadowed her partner. However, she did got a bit endearing after a while. The subtle romance with the male lead was messy and probably should have been avoided, as they have better chemistry as partners rather than lovers. The theme about lawyers representing the elite was kind of refreshing, as most legal dramas tend to go for the more emotional, underdog stories. However, soon it was obvious that the cases were more about one family in particular rather than a series of cases. And it got a bit boring too.
So, overall, six and a half out of ten.
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One of the tightly written plots I've seen in a long time, no filler episodes. Flawed but interesting characters. This is my first time watching a law drama that deals with the shady and business-minded side of law rather than the usual "Justice will be served" court dramas. But I have to say what kept me hooked was the unusual romance between Hee Jae and Geum Ja. Those two were cute beyond measure and I enjoyed every moment they were together on screen.
Recommended for those who are watching out for strong female characters, uncommon romantic relationship dynamics, and a fast-paced plot.
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This review may contain spoilers
YES MA`AM!
First of all, I want to thank the writers of this show for giving us a strong female lead whose only trait is NOT that she`s strong and/or fueled by something overly moral and heroic. She just wants to make money to buy a building which she considers as her root. She`s cunning, savvy, not overly empathetic, fun, sarcastic and smart all the way through. And best of all, she`s morally GRAY!I cannot give enough praise to producers who decide to make their leads like this, whether they are male or female. We all make wrong decisions and are tempted by greed, pride or whatever. No one is exempt from this, yet dramas and entertainment seem to insist on convincing us that main characters are always either PERFECT in their beliefs and cannot waver for anything OR are cartoonishly evil, but they can change!!That isn`t to say that our main lead doesn't go through a transformation of her own. She does, and though I wish that transformation was done a little bit more subtly, I`m grateful that her prideful stance doesn`t change at all and stays the backbone of her character throughout. There were moments when I caught myself rooting for her despite the fact that what she was doing wasn`t morally sound in my eyes. But I like that. I like questioning my own standards and ways and it`s great when a drama can get me to do that. You won`t always agree with Geum Ja, in fact you might outright hate her sometimes(mainly at the start of the show), but I love being challenged and faced with different molds of characters which I can analyze.
This isn`t to say that the male lead isn`t great too and his development comes in due time and it is every bit as beautiful as female lead`s. In fact I would say that his change went even smoother. Hee Jae was, like Geum Ja would call him, a rich brat who got where he is on the back of his family. And this is true at the start. He WAS that twerp running errands for corrupt rich without question, but what is more important, he felt entitled to impose his moral compass on someone who doesn't accept it. She more like flips that thing and destroys it, which is why he loses to her. Still, Hee Jae doesn`t feel like a bad guy. He`s more morally sound than Geum Ja but has the same objectives as her, which is why their change wouldn't be possible without each other and if that isn't the best kind of adult love, them I don`t know what is. He becomes patient, understanding and threads lightly, which after everything they`ve been through, is the best way.
Other characters are a delight as well and although he was a touch cartoonish, Song Pil-Joong was a good villain. Like, I was genuinely happy when Geum Ja erased that stupid smirk off his face.
Now, I do need to nitpick for a bit. I wish we saw just a bit more of an interaction between Geum Ja and Hee Jae. Like 10 minutes more would`ve been perfect since their comradeship and chemistry is very believable and it would`ve also cemented their relationship as something that`s gonna last. I do also have to complain about some missteps the writers made in regards to how Geum Ja distributes the vital information she receives as sometimes that`s exactly what gets them in trouble in the first place. I wish they didn`t make such a highly intelligent character go to the big bad wolf directly to spell out her plan so that he could, of course, stop her for plot convenience sake. Otherwise, the writing is quite clever in places, such as when Geum Ja tells her client:"Do you know why hyenas shit out white poop?Because they eat the bones of their pray, no matter if dead or alive. So watch me how I eat your mother."I loved it. She`s unapologetically savage and not what a badass female today should look like at all, by Hollywood`s standards. She`s older, dresses differently, curses and is overall the opposite of ruined bad woman ideal. And I love, love it.
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How far could one go for his dreams to come true?
I hope my time becomes yours...one of the catchy lines from this drama. Even the first episode had me reeled-in, big time!How far could one go for his dreams to come true? Can you sacrifice principles over survival?
Watching this drama brought out the feminist side of me. In this modern-day and age, women still need to work ten times harder than men. I know that society has changed a lot compared to what was. For women, success and competition are always cutthroat, no matter what profession and industry that maybe.
Nevertheless, a woman can sometimes change the world. I have to agree with this statement that even nations rage war over a woman. Man can be fierce at work. But when his woman comes calling, even the toughest guy can turn into mush!
I am proud to be one and will always will.
Keynotes I have learned from this drama.
Mistakes don’t happen by chance.
Reputation and status can be all there is for some. We live in a world where a single post can ruin friendships, relationships, and even companies.
In general, I like how the story came to be and how everything played out. Our male and female leads acting were superb that Yoon He Jae and Jung Geum Ja had me believe as real people instead of their characters/persona in the drama. Joo Ji Joon always throws that funny face! His charm had me bewitched! He is the main reason why I watched this drama in the first place. But then I saw the first episode. Bait and hooked! Three days later, I finished the drama.
The romance in this drama is not the average rom-com. It is more of the adult kind of romance befitting of the more adult viewers.
And while this has the lawyer-prosecutor setting, being lost with all the jargon is common. Hyena, however, all terms were explained and very much straightforward simple. I highly recommend this drama. It is one of the best drama-world moments of 2020.
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This review may contain spoilers
BEST DRAMA OF 2020??????????
YESare you stuck at home in quarantine with nothing to watch?
Hyena is a fast-paced drama filled with betrayal, death, and passion. You won't regret it once you start it.
This drama has a very interesting plot filled with twist and turns but the two main lead caught my heart.
I was more interested every time they interact. They fight like kids and pretend to hate each other but their passion for each other cannot be deny. These two main leads has the best chemistry that I've ever witness. It felt so real and raw.
Please do yourself a favor and watch Hyena. It's worth every minute of your time.
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This review may contain spoilers
DAPPER JU JI HOON IS DAEBAKK!!!!
As you can tell from the headline I might be a little bit bias toward our ML here since he’s the reason I really started watching this. Been infatuated with him since 2006 ya know typical fan girl stuff ;)Okay so first of all, I love how dapper JJH looks here! I mean it’s hard not to fall in love with him. He has the looks, the wits, the intelligence, and the personality (well this one is up for debate but you do you boo). What I really loved about him here is that despite the seriousness of the topics they discuss throughout the series he is still able to make us laugh. May it be thru his witty comments, his stern personality, or his random dances (love those!!! And his facial expressions too!!!!). Actually it’s not just him, all the cast here really did an outstanding performance and this drama deserved all the praises it got and maybe even more.
The only thing I think that was somewhat off in this drama is the love story. That’s the only reason I didn’t really give this one a perfect 10. I’m not sure if it’s the age gap or what, but something felt off. Even as when I was watching the ending, when both of our leads were standing in front of the building Jung Geum Ja wanted to buy and they started walking with their arms around each other’s shoulders, it looked like they were just BFFs and not lovers. And honestly, I prefer it that way. Personally, they look like brother and sister. I was actually rooting for Atty Yoon and Atty Boo to be together. They looked better as a couple for me tbh.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m not happy with our FL. In fact, it’s hard to imagine any other actress playing the role (excluding love line). Her character was a strong one. And I know initially this role was proposed to Song Hye Kyo but she declined (thank goodness). SHK is a great actress but I don’t think she can pull this character as much as KHS did.
Overall, it was a fun watch. Learned things along the way also that might be useful in life. Will definitely recommend this to someone who is looking for a witty legal drama that is not too far from reality.
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Strong points:
- the main characters were outstanding
- the romance was great
- the cases were realistic
Weak points:
- all the other characters were generic
- the cases were not exciting: it's good that we had realistic storylines but unfortunately, the director and writers failed to make them interesting for the viewers
- the antagonists were too flat, too predictable
The strongest point of this drama are the main characters. They are amazing. This is the first time that I genuinely liked and empathized with the rich, arrogant male lead from the get-go. This is all because of the first episode. We get to see different sides of his character. He is flawed for sure but what makes him different from the typical rich and the arrogant male lead is his honesty. This man was so honest about his feelings, I literally had goosebumps.
The female lead was incredible. She was not generic. She was a determined woman with a clear purpose. She had her strength and weaknesses. She is flawed for sure and I disliked her after the 1st episode, which is a great thing. How many female leads have enough personality to be disliked from the 1st episode? I enjoyed watching her grow throughout the episode.
The romance was mature and solid. The characters knew what they wanted and tried their best to get it.
The leads really balanced each other and that was refreshing to see.
But outside of the main characters and their romance. Everything was either meh or okay. The cases were okay but not memorable. The second leads were so useless. Honestly, what was the point of that second lead couple?
Most of the other characters were just part of the background.
It's a good drama but it does break some stereotypical tropes. But don't expect anything amazing
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