Relentless journey ...!
Story:The story itself is pretty good. After going through the misery and tragedy both protagonist and villain chose different path to walk on, and that led this drama to go on. One walks on the path of justice and other creates his own reality after getting betrayed by the nation which strangles him down.
I liked how every episode ends with suspense which holds your mind to keep going on
Acting and cast:-
The Nam Goong Min shows never really disappoint, this goes same with this show too...except his "weird walk" which I can understand after going through a lot of training. And not to forget that, this is a action packed drama, so you get pretty good action scenes but the number of scenes are very few.
Ost:-
I liked the ost played at the end of each episode.
Overall all I got satisfied with this one. Might have next season coming too..! I liked yoo je yi's trust towards her sunbae and how he finally got a reliable comrade! Give it a go if you are looking for action, thrilled mistery drama.
Please let me know about any mistakes!. This is my first review and I didn't really have any idea how to write a proper one even after reading so many of yours.
Thank you!
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Wasted potentials (as always?)
It's really disappointing to see a drama with a good and enjoyable start just to wither away later on, that includes everything even the cast. As if every single person that was involved in making the drama got tired of the project. Although the earlier parts were enjoyable but I was rolling my eyes every single time Je Yi & Soo Yeon show up on the screen and broke the momentum. They were both easily the worst part of the drama in general. As expected, by the time we got to see the real culprit, it turned out to be a caroonish joker knock off with zero effort put into writing him. To state the obvious, Namkoong was doing an unbelievable amount of heavy lifting to keep this drama afloat. The OST was decent at the right time, while other times it was just some background noise. It's still a decent watch and the slightly shorter runtime was helpful but temper your expectations a bit.Was this review helpful to you?
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MUCH UNDERRATED DRAMA
This was a really fun journey, loved how it keeps you hook till the end the thing that made this drama so good was obviously it's solid plot, the acting of the actors and handwork of the staff but the chemistry between the leads was just out off the charts even without any romance they were able to deliver their bond which was more of a like soulmate type thing( The fact she(yoo je yi) was the only one who trusted and believed in him (han jihyuk) till the end and how he acknowledged it while telling it to her dad melts my heart this is much better then romance and confession idc) they indeed were very well written characters and hats off to the actors for giving their characters that justice...this drama should've been a hitWas this review helpful to you?
Slow but engaging
A thrilling and mysterious spy series, packed with solid action scenes and excellent acting. Honestly, any drama with Namgoong Min is going to be at least a 7/10. The man is one of the best actors in the Korean entertainment business and his performance in this drama is no different. Female Lead Ji-Eun also delivers a believable and realistic character.The series starts strong, lots of unknowns and the writer does a great job of unpacking of it through good dialogue, plot and character development. It gets a bit slow in the middle, but picks up again towards the end. The worst part of any Kdrama is when you can tell the writers get lazy and leave things to coincidence for the resolution to occur. This is certainly not the case for 'The Veil'.
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Nice thriller to discover.
The Veil is a spy investigation series that tells the story of a top National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent, Han Ji Hyuk, who during a mission that ended up with the death of his two colleagues and the revelation of many agents Korean secrets in China, disappeared and was presumed dead. A year later, he reappears without the memory of the past year.He therefore begins to investigate to discover an internal traitor who wants his downfall, but he confronts a much bigger enemy behind a secret organization. He is joined by Je Yi, who is a young NIS agent with her own motives and becomes Han Ji Hyuk's partner.
The series is very mysterious, honestly we are suspicious of everyone, especially those who wish to "help" our protagonist, without forgetting that he himself because of his mental state makes us doubt his character.
Who is he really ? How far can he go to complete a mission ? What happened a year ago ?
It is really a complex character that plays Namkoong Min successfully. This character is cold, distant and determined, he wants the truth at any cost and has little pity for those who are his enemies, no matter how "close" to him that person was.
He quickly understands that he cannot trust anyone but despite this, he still goes from disappointment to disappointment.
I must say that the mystery thickens with the passage of time instead of the opposite, until the last episode.
I thank the writers of the series who did not want to invest in a ridiculous fast romance, so we were able to focus on the intensity of the series entirely without scenes made to satisfy fangirls in search of romance. And oddly, it makes the FL enjoyable, we can understand her motivations, and appreciate her character.
The series is dark, the tones are dark, the characters are all mysterious and complex, it is difficult to know who stands on which side, they all have multiple layers and even the antagonists are relatable and on the contrary sometimes we asks if our protagonists are that "good" and if they are not the "bad guys".
The action scenes, be it the fights, the car chases, they are all done with realism and excellent choreography.
The theme of the series revolves around the truth, the truth which is always different and altered according to the person, his memories and emotions. But also the series speaks of sacrifice, of those people who hold power and who according to them work for the country when in truth they only want power. The sacrifice of common people in the service of these people in power, ending up being nothing more than pawns and collateral damage, but also of the revenge that comes from suffering.
If there is cause for revenge, how should it be done ? On who ?
It's really a series that addresses these aspects of being human is this search for truth, for a goal to accomplish that could pull the most desperate people out of the arms of death.
I must say that this series managed to produce what it wanted as a result, it is impactful and intense.
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"The Veil": Not Your Average Spy Glow-Up - It's Lit AF!
Holy moly, "The Veil," a true game-changer in the action-thriller genre. If you're looking for a drama that'll keep you on the edge of your seat, make you question everything you see, and leave you with your mind blown, then boy, do I have a show for you!First things first, can we take a moment to appreciate Namgoong Min? This guy isn't just an actor; he's a chameleon, and in "The Veil," he takes it to a whole new level. The dedication this man showed for his role is off the charts. We're talking serious body transformation here - it's like he became a whole new person!
He plays Han Ji-hyuk, a top NIS. The guy's got more layers than an onion, and I was here for every single one of them!
Now, let me tell you, this isn't your typical spy drama. Forget about glamorous casino scenes and martinis (shaken, not stirred). "The Veil" throws you headfirst into a gritty, complex world of espionage where nothing is as it seems. One minute you think you've got it all figured out, and the next – BAM! – they hit you with a plot twist that leaves you reeling. I swear, my brain got more of a workout than my fingers do when I'm frantically hitting 'next episode' because I just had to know what happened next!
Can we gush about the OST for a second? "Reason" by Yoari? Absolute fire! It's been on repeat since I finished the show. 10/10? Nah, make that 100/10! It fits the drama like a glove, perfectly underscoring the intensity and emotion of each scene.
The chemistry between Namgoong Min (Han Ji-hyuk) and Kim Ji-eun (Yoo Je-yi) is off the charts. But here's the kicker - it was really heartwarming to see how their bond strengthened during the journey... and they didn't need any romance to show their incredible connection. There's this scene where he confesses how much she means to him as a partner/colleague, and let me tell you, it was just awesome. I'm not crying, you're crying!
Plot-wise, "The Veil" is a masterclass in storytelling. The intricate plot, the subtle clues hidden in every scene, the carefully crafted dialogue – it all comes together to create a viewing experience that's as rewarding as it is challenging. I wasn't just watching the story; I was living it.
Namgoong Min's acting? Let me just say, give this guy all the awards! After binging this gem, I'm left craving more. Especially more dramas with Namgoong Min and Kim Ji-eun - their on-screen magic is too good to be a one-time thing
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The dark side of the soul
I've loved so much this drama! Namkoong Min is perfect in this role and his acting is brilliant, and the whole cast gave a good performance. The story is complicated, there are twists and turns, but in the end everything is explained quite clearly.I must say that there are very violent scenes that have upset me, but being a spy story I think they were necessary, we live in a bad world, and people struggle between the light and darkness of their heart.
Actually, the final episode hasn’t completely satisfied me, many key issues are told too quickly, there are unanswered questions, and the relationship between the two main leads is not clear. I’ve hoped so much for a love story between them! Are they in love with each other?
I look forward to the second season, will it be possibile? I hope so.
A suggestion to the writers and the director: please, give Han Ji Hyuk the courage to love!
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It's fine.
Yea we watched it for Nam Goongmin...His dedication to his roles is honestly unmatched. Honestly the real shining star for this show is the actors. The plot itself is a little predictable but seeing the actors pull it off was amazing.
Everyone brought their A game for sure! I was hoping that this would be as exciting as Vagabond but its a little more subdued... The action is brutal and realistic. NGM really drops his usual playful attitude and becomes someone else. Def gonna rewatch ep 1 for YEARS to come.
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It lives up to its title
It is a highly recommended short series to watch. My advise is take your time and enjoy the entire series. Each episode contributes to understanding the story. You may think by episode 9/10 things will be clear but trust us reviewers on this one that you need to not touch that fast forward button.Every cast did exemplary well portraying their role. Only thing I am unsure by ending is the relationship between Male lead and Ji Ye.
If you are looking for. Friday night binge series, this will be a great one.
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Watch the first half.
Main character has lost his memories and is being accused of crimes he didn't commit. Seen and done. But i gave it a chance(the cover convinced me).The first episode sets really high expectations. The violence is brutal and has a lot of gore. What kind of disturbing things were going on there? The MC looks wild and animalistic. What made him like this? I was so intrigued. The plots twists were amazing though, had me grabbing my head.
The action scenes are very satisfying to watch. MC's walk did snatch some attention, it was bulky and... Idk kinda weird. I don't think he needed that much muscle as he had to do a ton of running and chasing.
NKM's acting was good as ever, though i found the dialogue delivery a little stiff and weird. Only his dialogues are overly dramatic and very cringe. I've seen a lot of kdramas but these dialogues still stood out to me, i think there is some writing error.
I love the theme song, it stuck with me and evokes a lot of emotion. I don't remember if there were any other songs and i think that says enough about it.
The only major thing The Veil failed with was the plot. In the first half, there's a ton of suspense and very little truth is revealed. It is made out to be this huge disturbing truth that will rip everyone's throat when revealed. Something so unexpected that it's unimaginable. But the second half totally falls flat and ruins all of that because guess what the sick truth is: Corruption. National politics. Just that. The murder reveals were interesting though, but it was definitely not enough for what they set the viewers up to.
The plot is so overly complicated that we only know who the Actual villain in this series is in the last two episodes. Multiple people are made out to be villains, only to be revealed later that it's someone else. Again. So many names, so many tiny subplots. I've seen complicated, but this one was a hot, incomprehensible mess.
The characters act like they're hiding the recipe for cancer. Something like
"you have no idea what's waiting for you. "
"do not go further, you can't face the truth. "
"Ji Hyuk, I... " *gets shot and dies*
No one had the braincells to talk like a normal person. Throwing riddles left and right. No one would tell him ANYTHING. And tell me why everyone in that agency was lowkey working for sangmuhoe. Everyone is corrupt. And that's literally the whole truth.
And the climax? Long lost father returns as a deadly criminal amd his daughter tries to fix him with the power of love. plays his favourite song. Puts herself in danger to see if he will harm his daughter. And somehow, the most feared man's heart melts. B*TCH HE'S THE MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL EVER, THIS AIN'T A MELODRAMA.
I enjoyed the first half a lot. The rest was disappointing af.
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Mid Story-line with Great Actors?
Mid story with hella plot holes. I still can't get over CW (idrm the character's name, only the initials) dying in Ji Hyuk's flashback but then being alive in the present storyline. Idek if they addressed it. The back and forth memory loss thing was so draggy. Like yes, I get that's the premise of the drama but gosh. Namgoong Min's acting was as elite as ever. Never failed me before and never will.The whole Sangmuhoe plotline was kinda shifty as well. There were like 6 different stories that were all intertwined which on a large scale makes sense if done CORRECTLY however that was the writer's downfall. They had all these storylines which made it difficult for them to keep track of and follow. Additionally, I spent the whole time trying to guess wbo the main villian was and when you find it out it was just meh. It wasn't exciting because the villain is exactly who you expected the villain to be. Yes, they tried to do a plot twist with Ji Hyuk being the one who killed his team mates but tbh I saw that coming a mile away.
Anywho, speaking of keeping track, I genuinely cannot name 5 of the characters. This was my first time watching and drama and not being able to list the main cast characters. There was soooo much happening that I was never able to slow down and build a relationship with any of them.
Going more in depth, Jae Yi's story with her dad was actually really touching and could've been a scene stealer if much focus was placed on their relationship. When we figured out who her father actually was and the story behind it all, it would've been really nice to be given flashback (seeing as the drama was literally built on going back in time to recall one's memories). The only really touching scene we get is in episode 12 when they're on the roof top after that bomb scare.
Another thing worth mentioning is Ji Hyuk's childhood. Why did Director Lee have the info regarding his parents death and kept it hidden for so long? He had trauma because of that incident and his trauma could've been relieved if even a tad bit of that information was shared much earlier. While we're on this topic... What was the purpose of his backstory? Like i get that it's to build a solid character and show that his trauma stems from something greater but looking at it his backstory was only shown like 3 times. There was not depth to it. So, that's that as well.
Finally, I just wanted to just say that the drama is a fun watch. Minus all the plotholes ofc. The action in this is one of the best I've seen in kdramas. It's literally on par with k-movie such as dare i say, Man from Nowhere. The hand to hand combat and the stunts that were pulled by NGM was top tier. The make up team did amazingly well, too.
So, if you're looking for action and want it mixed with a lot of CORRUPTION this would be best for you. Plus, you won't even have to look hard because the villians are literally right in front of you. So mid drama with elite acting.
7/10
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This review may contain spoilers
Fight scenes...check!Car chase scenes....check!
Gun battle....check!
Espionage left and right...check!
No mushy romance....double check!!!
Boy this had EVERYTHING that I love in watching a drama. In all the Korean dramas I've watched I never seen any of these that had all of the categories listed above.
Coming off a Korean drama slump I went into this blind not knowing what I was going to get myself into. I wasn't sure if I recognized the main male lead but when I did I knew this was going to be an excellent watch. After seeing him in Good Manager where he played his role like Jim Carey in Pet Detective 1 & 2 I wondered how he would play this role and it was strictly serious throughout the whole drama. He can play a bad guy, funny guy, and serious guy to a 'T'.
What's a Korean drama without political propaganda? I know people get turned off by political dramas but I did not. I was highly curious as to the main mystery behind the main character's motives. The reason is because this reminded me of the very first Mission Impossible movie where everybody was shady and you didn't know who to trust. That's how this drama is. I haven't watched the last episode yet but I now have a gist of who's who.
The fact that every character in this drama was so shady that by I got to the 8th episode I forgot who was the main culprit. I had to remind myself of how the first episode started to get me back on track. Plus by me truly sucking at names I had to keep going back to the cast list to see who was who...I can't believe I truly suck at names! Don't even get me started on these character's real names...oy!!
All in all this held me at the edge of my seat through the first 11 episodes. I don't know if I will recap my review once I'm done with the last episode because the very last episodes of the Korean dramas are usually more misses than hits. I'm truly hoping for the latter than the former.
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