This review may contain spoilers
Most of the die-hard fans of this drama will hate me for this, but "Nice Guy" honestly isn't anything new in the world of revenge dramas. You have your typical hodgepodge of birth secrets, revenge stories, murders and amnesia- not just once, but twice. There are gaping plot holes, crazy scenarios and messed up character motivations, but if you abandon all reasoning and logical thinking, this drama can be one of the best you've seen.Story: I liked the idea that Ma-Ru at the beginning was a much darker character than we've seen in other revenge dramas. He wasn't afraid to use people and was okay with being used himself. What made him interesting was watching his transition from a shell of a human to someone who had something to lose. I also loved Eun-Gi's character in the beginning, she was passionate yet cold, bitchy but kind, and was an amazing mix of all these opposite traits. I didn't particularly like her personality transformation in the second half of the drama because I felt like the writers only changed her to fit the plot and she became a puppet to the rest of the show's whims, but she swung back in my favor later.
Actors: Let's face it. "Nice Guy" would not have been as popular if Song Joong-Ki hadn't played the main lead. Because he is an A-list actor, it drew in a crowd, since he is a good actor, this drama kept its crowd. That being said, Joong-Ki is the actor that holds this drama together. I'm not saying that Moon Chae-won and Park Si-Yeon were bad- they were actually surprisingly good in their roles- it's just that Joong-Ki stole the show.
Music: Nice and dramatic, it was used well to tie together certain scenes in the show.
Rewatch Value: Since this show was one of the more unpredictable ones, the second time around will not be as good, but it will be alright.
Overall: I feel like "Nice Guy" should come with a big neon sign that says: "All ye who enter, abandon all logic here". Because honestly, the only way you will enjoy this drama is if you don't think about it too much and just go with it.
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This review may contain spoilers
* SPOILERS AHEAD. READ ONLY IF YOU'VE WATCHED THE SERIES* Things that annoyed me about Innocent Man:
1) The heroine that was used as little more than a beauty prop. The heroine is basically introduced to us as this badass, ruthless businesswoman who's the sole heir to a multi-national company. She is supposed to be a complete WOP, strutting in her high heels donning a zero-fucks-given attitude. And at first, she legit got me shouting, 'That's ma girl!' And, then ofc it all came to an end as soon as the guy walked in. From there onward, started the four-staged transition of our heroine from a boss ass bitch to just another irrelevant not-that-pretty face. Dx
Stage 1: When we realize that all the talk about her supposed badassery was just that, talk. For, when she is given a chance to actually prove her worth; she, despite being a Harvard graduate, famous child prodigy and an all-around genius, spends all her time banging her head against a desk and then, passes out in the garden. Whereas, the hero; a med school drop-out who doesn’t know the ABC of business, freaking flies from another country, learn everything about accounting and marketing on an hour-long phone call with his dumb best friend. And overnight, devises a fool-proof and practical investment plan. Like, m888 pls there's pushing it and then there is freaking bullshitting it to Hades and back. Ofc, all the while the heroine just stared at him; tongue wagging and hearty eyes shining.
Stage 2: Now obv, no-one can resist heartless badboys, so ofc she instantly falls in love with him. He is, unsurprisingly, using her for a revenge scheme against his ex (who's coincidentally also the heroine's step mom/sugar daddy's arm piece who wants to steal all her fortune) and ends up breaking her heart. Just seconds after the breakup, she gets a call that her father is on his death bed and wants her there with him but because she is just so fucking heartbroken, instead of going to her dying father she says fuck my privileged life and deliberately crashes into an oncoming car. (Ofc the car belonged to the hero and both of them then, dab their broken bones into the ICU)
Stage 3: Then came a nice dramatic twist where she loses all her memories 'cause of the car crash -joy- and is quickly transformed into a fragile, wimpy, spineless walking talking sob story who constantly whines about how much of a fragile, wimpy, spineless walking talking sob story she is. Double joy with happy tears on top.
Stage 4: Finally after 5, hour consuming episodes, she gets her memories back. And at this point, I was all pumped up and was like "Okay girl, let's bring the swag back on. This is your time to conquer and get back the billion-dollar company that was rightfully yours and show 'em who's the boss". But alas, I just got a stuck up, self-pitying brat who, instead of bringing her best revenge game just pouted, screamed and walked around with her arms crossed. #RIP Not to mention that after she gets her memories back and she finally remembers all that shit the hero did (he basically ruined her life), all she does is show a lil attitude and even in that duration, half of her thoughts are spent on pining after the dude. #RIPx2
2) The highly unnecessary martyr syndrome:
So at the end, both of our MC's realize that they can't live without each other (shocker), and they run around the city, tryna find the other when at last, their eyes connect over a heavily trafficked road. So, the red signal comes up and while all the other obviously dumb pedestrians rush to cross the road, these two geniuses start their slo-mo jaywalk towards each other. Conveniently, the killer (who wants to stab the heroine and take over her company) arrives just when they're steps away from embracing and then outta nowhere the hero magically lights nitrous under his ass, does a fancy little twirl in the air -where he spins the heroine a full 360 degree, while simultaneously giving her a bear hug- and gets stabbed in her place. BRAVO. I mean, I get that he needed his sixty seconds of stardom but in the time he did all that shit, he coulda just pushed her to the side and saved both of their sorry asses. #AllHailGlory
3) The horribly put together ending.
Like, if you're gonna invest in producing 30 hours of screen-time, the least you could do is film a proper ending. Instead, everything is wrapped up in a measly 15 minutes. We are teleported to seven years later; where apparently, it's the hero's turn to lose all his memories. LMAO. 100% Dead-ass. It is revealed that the accident they were involved in had apparently caused him some brain damage too (just like the heroine) and his surgery caused memory loss. How divine. So, basically, he forgets everything that happened and is now starting over with the heroine in a rural town. WTF.
There is no inkling as to where the multinational company (which was the whole focus of the show) went to. The heroine, who was a billionaire in her own right and was basically built to lead the business, is reduced to a giggling girl who spends her time baking horrible goods at a cheap store (that nobody buys) and not-so-discreetly snapping pictures of the hero. They also show the fail killer walking somewhere out of his own volition (hopefully to jail) and the drama ends with a "Love trumps all" moral.
So yes, Innocent Man does come with its fair share of flaws but it still wrenched a 7.0 rating out of me because even despite all of its ludicrousness, I somehow ended up enjoying the drama. The acting is satisfactory. Not a single episode is boring and it would keep you at the edge of your seat till the end. Even though Eun Chae lost her character half way through the show, she had got me on her side with her personality in the beginning and so I was still cheering her on till the end. Kang Ma Roo also had his moments.
Moon Chae Won and Soon Joong Ki are both good actors and even though they did appear rather blank sometimes, I feel like they played their roles nicely. Won't rewatch it all but I might revisit some of the more interesting scenes in the future. Who knows?
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This review may contain spoilers
I don’t know where to start to express my feelings toward this drama, if you’re watching it from the beginning till the end and you will know and understand how I feel. It's a huge big feeling like you want to scream it to the world. You need to watch it”. THIS IS MUST WATCH DRAMA OF THE YEAR.Overall: Innocent Man or Nice Guy or Chakan Namja is not an ordinary drama you see nowadays, because the leading characters both are smart, not easily be fooled around and they both are having a strong personalities, you will love them no matter how intense and cruel situations they were in. From the very beginning, this drama is having very good pacing, never felt bored or trying to skip it because each scene is too precious to skip it. For a moment I wonder, do we need to sacrifice that much for someone we love? Until the 19th episode, storylines explained why this story was made and executed this way. If really such an innocent nice guy really happens to exist in this real world?
Acting: Song Joong Ki as Kang Ma Roo, I was shocked when I fell for him and his cold staring eyes, how can this cute guy can change my perceptions toward him and he can be so manly just with both of his eyes, he is so talented and flawless in acting, seeking revenge against someone he loves so much, too complicated how he endured mixed feelings, but he never failed to convince me and I believe in him from the first scene till the last ones. Moon Chae Won as Seo Eun Gi also succeeded in portraying a smart, arrogant, and stubborn young lady and the only daughter of the Taesan Group owner. She is an awesome girl who can be in any personality and she did it well, funny thing about her, no matter how rude and harsh she is but I bet you still love her for being bold and strong. Park Si Yeon as Han Jae Hee also did a very good job in acting although I hate her character in this drama she succeeded in being a ‘femme fatale” in this drama. Her character was confusing me from the start, LOL, I tried to understand her but I’m still confused about her true feelings toward others. Supporting roles like Jae Gil the funniest, Choco the warmest, Att Park the shy one, and Att Ahn the mysterious lawyer on earth haha. All mentioned characters did a very good job as supporting lead roles also they have a strong character of their own, their side stories can be scary and cute too.
Music: Suspend weird music, I wonder why they chose this music for a melodrama in the beginning but now I understand and can blend it well with the story and Song Joong Ki’s song, “Really” only one word can describe it. WOW!. I really have no idea this guy can sing really well, his voice is smooth like his face, and sounds so innocent.
Rewatch value: To be honest, I already rewatched it. I did roll back the best scenes from previous episodes while waiting for the finale.
I’ll nominate this drama for TOP 5 dramas in 2012. Hope Innocent man will win a lot of awards because you already owned my heart.
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(Beware though, because the whole Jae Hee/Ma Ru fiasco might just drive you nuts, and the ending is ever so slightly disappointing.)
However, whilst Innocent Man appears to be an external drama - with the plot affecting the characters - at its core it's an intensely internal drama. Typical outward gestures are turned on their heads because the audience doesn't actually know if these outward gestures are sincere are not. This is especially the case with Kang Ma Ru - whose own personal struggles make it difficult for him to even realise his own sincerity. It is definitely incredibly difficult to discern whether one should be rooting for him or not which causes huge amount of internal conflict and drama. I guess that's part of the reason why Innocent Man is so good - the internal and external conflict bounce off of each other, with plot driving the characters and vice versa.
The main highlight of the drama was definitely the cast. We've got three very brilliantly written, troubled and complicated characters. A fail performance could ruin them. But that didn't happen; instead we got nuanced performances from all three actors who convincingly portrayed the highs and lows of these multi-faceted characters.
However, special mention goes to SONG JOONG KI who was absolutely - excuse my foul language - fucking fantastic as the engima that is Kang Ma Ru. His performance never faltered. Song managed to captivate Kang Ma Ru's character development in way that is just unimaginably perfect. He IS Kang Ma Ru the naive genius who is head-over-heels in love with his noona. He IS Kang Ma Ru the tortured, embittered and selfish player who'll do anything for revenge. Song doesn't even need to speak to convey the emotions or state of thought that Ma Ru is in - one can just see it if they are to look into his eyes. I can't even imagine any other actor being able to successfully play a role as complex as Kang Ma Ru (who is a genius that actually feels like a genius throughout the whole show, although that has more to do with the skill of the writer rather than the actor. But, then again, SJK is a genius himself). It's probably a career defining performance for Song Joong Ki.
Innocent Man is a polished and sophisticated drama that draws you in with its unpredicatable, fast-paced and addictive plot. The leads may messed up to the highest degrees, but they're compelling and human - the performances successfully captivate the sheer complexity of the characters, allowing the audience to believe that such people could exist in real life (no matter how unrealistic their situations are).
P.S. I watched Innocent Man in one sitting. Me, who never misses sleep, missed sleep for this and boy do I have no regrets.
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For me melodrama definitely has its limits. Innocent Man thankfully didn't cross those limits. It was obviously absurd, but over-analyzing ruins pretty much every drama out there. If you take it as just entertainment, it does a good job of it. Also there is Song Joong Ki to make things easier for the female viewers. The occasional nonsense in the drama only got bearable thanks to a good cast. I believe every one of them put up a good effort and did a good job of their characters.
While I have lots of issues with this drama, I think this might be the best melodrama to exist with a not completely horrible ending. Of course that doesn't make the ending okay in any way because it is actually the weakest part of the whole drama if you ask me. Another thing that got to me was the overuse of amnesia in the plot. It felt like a cheap plot device just to make things dramatic. That is a very big flaw on the writer's part.
Apart from these things, the drama has some very interesting moments to keep a viewer hooked. It has lots of cool revenge and scheming that is enjoyable to watch. But then again- it being a Kdrama things tend to get very repetitive. I suppose I can forgive that bit though.
Overall this is a drama which was a mixed bag of feelings for me. There is stuff that I enjoyed and stuff I didn't enjoy as much. It does have a very good cast though. I have to mention that again. Sadly, in the end like almost every other melodrama it leaves no room for rewatch value. In the end, it is a highly forgettable one.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Stupid Man aka The Innocent Man
I will considered it as my First K-Drama I have watched many past 2 Years ago before I entered Thai Lakorn and I totally forgot about them except for My Golden Life. Anyways here is My Unpopular Opinion about this Drama that is full of Spoiler so Read it only if you already watched this Drama.1.) The Story is a pure mess and then it hit with a totally messed Plot Twist. I didn't expect the Amnesia thing but it can't make the Drama better. I want this Drama to be more shorter cause it was very draggy on the Middle.
2.) I don't like the Character Development cause they're getting worse every Episodes. And I don't like any from the Character literally no one is likeable.This could have been great if they make the SFL jealous and it will also help the Romance to make it better
3.) The Acting can't literally save the Whole Drama. It was so great especially SJK but would like it more if the ML Character was strong enough.
As it is Melodrama the Music wasn't something special It was pretty average.
I won't rewatch the Whole Drama but maybe the Hot Kissing Scenes between the Main Leads
Overall this Drama doesn't have satisfying Revenge it has very weak Vengeance actually. That's kinda disappointing cause I watched it because of that tags.
I didn't expect it to be heavy and I feel like it was more heavier than a Lakorn.
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Acting/Cast: The cast consists of big names in Korean drama industry and this drama just make them to be even more well-known not only for the Koreans, but also International fans. As I said earlier that although the plot is quite cliche, but it is executed extremely well by the main actors. Some flaws in acting mostly by supporting actors, however.
Music: This drama has a really cinematic music composition of the score. The soundtracks are dramatic (as expected, this is a melodrama!) but as whole they don't stand out. The score, however, has a really nice and clever touch of the use of harmonica and bandoneon for sense of tango that is linked to the manipulation-and-revenge-drama of the series. The feeling of suspense and foreboding is delivered effectively by the music
Rewatch Value: Even with its flaw, 'Nice Guy' is definitely worth to be rewatched and fangirl-ed all over again. It has certain charms that pull you into it!
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The synopsis of this movie is really awful and cliche at first when I got this movie. I decided to try since I've read many good reviews about this drama. All I can say is It will be a HUGE mistake to just passed this! This story had somewhat the same hurtfull feeling as 'I'm sorry I love You'. The same love and hatred (different problem tough),,
Soooo many touching moments. Soong Ki's act is superb, We can feel his sadness, regretful feeling, happiness, and love... Eun Gi's character is interesting too, since her stubborn way is lovely, hahaha..not exactly your typical nice, cute, and sweet main female lead :)
All of the characters are shining with their own style of acts. I cannot hate Jae hee or her die-hard antagonist man either,, and the highlight of the story is when Eun Gi finally remember our Mr. Nice Guy's (aka Ma Roo) true intention and he also realize that she already 'awake', he just stay calm and surrender. That's when our fake Mr. Nice Guy really turn into Nice Guy..
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I really like dramas that impress me beyond their promotion pictures or a raw summary provided before its premiere and dramas that involve a story of revenge and betrayal because these two emotions contribute extremely in the suspense and anxiousness of the story that keeps you hooked and if you're hooked then those actors, directors, crew members etc. have succeeded. This drama had everything I wished to see.
Park Si Yeon did an amazing job of making me hate her by acting SO real. Song Joong Ki portrayed the two sides so well that I was intrigued by both 'bad and nice' through out. Moon Chae Won is an all rounder with that perfect Korean accent and soft soft-spoken, calm voice she has. Kwang Soo and Yoo Bi, Yang Ik June, Lee Sang Yeob and Kim Tae Hoon were best at their roles.
The prolonged title is very attractive."Sesang Eodiedo Eobneun Chakan Namja"(A Nice/Kind/Gentle/Good-hearted/Pure/Innocent Man,the Likes of Which You Can't Possibly Find Anywhere in this World).
The OST has touched me very personally. It has the element of throwing away trust, taking the blame in love, loneliness, melancholy, change, darkness, chaos, calmness in every little thing in life, protection and the feeling of impatience for the sun to rise all night. It sets the mood of the drama and keeps you trapped.
I will watch it again because I was not disappointed for even a moment. It is just my kind of genre. I hope you'll be touched by it.
Go now. Watch it. :)
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Could I be more wrong! None of my prediction was correct except for the betrayal part.
What I loved most about the show was it's harmony. every aspect of it were so carefully blended that nothing sticks out. This was probably the first story were I find everybody reasonable. You could easily see the reason behind one's act, though you may or may not agree. The cast did the story justice. I could not fault any one, Da gil to attorney Ahn, every one was just perfect. The female leads, Park Si Yeon and Moon Chae Won, held on their own, solid acting. I was compelled with Park Si Yeon, she probably played the most lovable protagonist of all time(at least for me).
And there remains the mystery ultimate, the deceiver, Song Joong Ki.
That guy nailed the role of Kang ma roo. I was so shocked, a guy who looked like a overgrown boy, could actually pull of intelligent, ruthless, cold- blooded reptylish persona. I am still at awe. All hail him. He made me come here and follow it every day as i was impatiently waiting for the latest episodes. And when I visit his profile, I almost had an minor heart attack just by looking at his pro pic. The same guy! Are You kidding me!
Music of the whole drama I guess was okay. If it was bad. i would have noticed it. Well to me, the point of a good score is all about just being there. It was not over powering, just fine.
As I can only speak for myself, I will re watch this drama some day............the call of Kang Ma roo is impossible to ignore.
If there is one flaw I had to, had to find, it would be the ending. I would have loved a little clarification. I had to read few comments to realize what happened.
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Story ~ I never would have ever imagined that the ending would turn out to be as cool as it gets.
Acting ~ I'm now a Kang Maru fan, 100%. I believe each of the cast made a very good job in making the viewers believe them. I'm convinced.
Music ~ honestly, the music is weird in a good way..especially the opening song but its tailored fit whenever needed.
Overall ~ if I have to describe this drama in 3 words: exciting, enchanting and heart-warming.
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Words aren’t enough in order to describe the cast and their acting. Both major and minor characters were given brilliant portrayals by the actors. But I’ll only be mentioning the three leads here due to time constraint. First, Park Si Yeon. She’s a decent actress, but I still feel a lack of connection with her. When I watch her act, I can’t fully receive the emotions she’s trying to deliver. It’s like I only receive about 70-80% of the emotions I was supposed to receive from her. Nonetheless, she’s good and the role suits her well. Honestly, I prefer her having bitchy roles like this than being the heroine, because she’s better as a bitch. Next, Moon Chae Won. If I’m not mistaken, I believe this is the first time I ever encountered her, but I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about her. And my ears definitely heard right. I was really impressed by her strong acting. How she was able to switch back and forth from the icy bitch Eungi to the soft and innocent Eungi was really commendable. And finally, the love of my life. Good things do come to those who wait. After waiting for such a long time, I rejoiced when I found out Joong Ki was cast as a lead in a drama. It’s been tiring seeing him as a supporting actor, because I know he’s too good for supporting roles. I’m really thankful that Joong Ki finally got the recognition as a drama lead. His acting was really really really flawless. From beginning to end, he was able to maintain the intensity of his acting. He was so passionate in acting that sometimes it felt like Kang Maru exists in real life. I felt like Song Joong Ki does not exist, only Kang Maru. Song Joong Ki really did an excellent portrayal of Kang Maru, one of the most tragic and unforgettable characters in Kdramaland.
I may not have been addicted to the music, but the music was nostalgic and suits the drama well. I especially like Junsu’s song. Just by listening to that song, all the emotions I had with Nice Guy suddenly rushes back to me.
I would rewatch this over and over again if only I had the time. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dramas waiting in line for me to watch, so until I finish those, Nice Guy has to wait.
For someone who’s madly in love with sappy melodramas, I initially wondered whether this drama could win the hearts of the people. Because let’s face it: successful dramas nowadays come from either the rom-com or the saeguk genre. Melodramas were iconic once upon a time. Then suddenly, people weren’t so interested in them anymore, and so the melodrama genre slightly turned bland. But I never lost interest in them. I'm glad I didn't, or I never would have ended up watching this once-in-a-lifetime drama. Filled with breathtaking sceneries and beautiful narrations, this drama not only brought melodrama to an entirely new level, but also left one important life lesson: Nothing is ever too late.
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