Completed
the_sapio_nerd
50 people found this review helpful
Dec 18, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Justice is the right that one fights for, if one seeks fairness.

Reminds me of a quote by Voltaire that goes like, "It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one." Indeed, one innocent must not be convicted of guilt even so it acquits a thousand criminals; in simple words, Innocent until proven guilty". The entire story of "One Ordinary Day" revolves around this single moral and is a perfect example of how truth and justice always prevails over injustice.

Trigger Warning: The drama involves violence, sex, nudity and blood.

Directed by the star PD Lee Myung Woo and written by seemingly rookie writer Kwon Soon Gyu, One Ordinary Day (어느 날: oneul nal) is a crime thriller or murder mystery story that revolves around Kim Hyun Soo (Kim Soo Hyun), a regular university guy who on an usual day of his life, becomes a murder suspect and find himself trapped in complicated situation. He, an ordinary guy who had led a simple and ordinary life had no idea what was gonna happen to him on another ordinary day.

We also have Shin Joong Han (Cha Seung Won) as a lawyer, who becomes Hyun Soo's attorney to get him justice. He got a bad reputation among the area of profession but is quick-witted and a brilliant investigator.

The acting department is full of all amazing actors; starting from Kim Soo Hyun and Cha Seung Won, the drama also has, Kim Shin Rok, Lee Sul, Kim Hong Pa, Kim Sung Gyu, Yoo Seung Mok, So Hee Jung, etc. in major characters.

I checked the writer has worked on only 4 scripts including this, that too with long gaps and previous 3 were all sageuk (historical). I know the drama is a remake from the BBC original show "Criminal Justice" but recreating it with Korean elements and making changes with relation to Korean laws would have not been as easy as it seems. The elements used to connect plots, underlaying Hyun Soo's subconscious is something that intrigued ne to be honest. Morever, the steady progression was gripping and several revelations made were at appropriate timing.

The plot development is a quick one, in fact the first episode itself indicates how the grip of the story didn't want to calm down. It felt like the writer didn't want to lay a foundation by thorough introduction of characters or the storyline; I'm just saying and not complaining at all, because nobody had the time given it's only 8 episodes. There are also few related side plots used. The screenwriting deserves good points.

The post-crime procedures portrayed in the drama are different as the writer has introduced realistic methods of police-level investigations with proper sequences. The realistic approach is also made for courtroom scenes and legal proceedings; obviously there are melo and thrilling elements as well. The dramatic investigative ways by Joong Han was also nice, loved how tenacious and witty he was when it came to figuring things out and drawing a picture of any scenario. There was also a soft side to him that only Hyun Soo could brought forward, it was visible.

The direction is amazing, no wonder Lee PD-nim is a pro. The screenplay is amazingly handled, along with the organization of scenes and overal screen-editing. The sound-editing also uo to par.

Both alcohol & drug abuse and it's consequences is a major element used in the drama. The common habit of attachment to strangers as well as the unusual urge of sexual activities among youth are also something emphasized in the drama by indirect means. Criminal psychology is an aspect that the writer has also tried to showcase through the main character. The life in prison (both during detainment and imprisonment), corruption, inmate behaviour and illegal activities taking place inside are also a part of the script.

Apart from the topnotch acting or performance from this superb actors, the impulsively gripping plot development and investigative methods used are the reasons, that make OOD is a superbly produced piece of work, despite the number of episodes it has. The credit should be given to the entire cast and crew for bringing forward such an amazing drama in just 8 hours (approx.); i wish it were a full-length 16 episode cable drama.

The ending.... I think the ending sequences could have a little better. I am not disappointed or something but I had high expectations from it given the way the story was progressing. Also, it felt a bit rushed but again that's a side effect of 10 eps or less Korean shows. I wish they would take one more episode, at least by taking out the extra 10 minutes from ep 3-6.

To sum up everything, the drama is not about what's wrong or what's right, nor does the show emphasizes on punishment or rewards, it particularly is a reflection of the judiciary, the way it works and it's impact on the society as well as the individuals.

Final Thoughts: One Ordinary Day with amazing actors and high production value, is definitely a fabulous drama to look forward, so go ahead with a second thought. I can't put it in the "must watch" category but for me, it was surely an enjoyable watch. It's a treat for everyone, despite their choice of genre or tatste in Kdramas.

P. S. I have tried my best to not write a lot about the story and characters as the drama has only 8 episodes and I was afraid I would end up spoiling. In case you come across anything that can serve as a spoiler, please let me know.

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Completed
Marshmallow-Chocoholic
35 people found this review helpful
Dec 19, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Kim Soo-Hyun’s Sublime Return To Thrillers…



Remake dramas can often go down two selective routes; diverging from the originality of its predecessor, or offering viewers a production en par with the original. Thankfully Coupang Play’s first series led by director
Lee Myung-woo, ‘ One Ordinary Day ‘ ( a remake of the original BBC series ‘ Criminal Justice’), offered viewers a fairly knockout adaptation with arguably darker explorations of the criminal judicial system, an intriguing setup as well as a brilliant cast lineup ( most notably A-list actor Kim Soo-Hyun as the main lead).

The series focuses upon seemingly “ model student” college-student Kim Hyeon-soo (Kim Soo-hyun). In an effort to apparently gain popularity Hyeon-Soo decided to hook up one night with Hong Kook-Hwa ( Hwang Se-on); a mysterious yet beguiling troublemaker. However Hyeon-Su’s fantastical night is cut short as he wakes up to a horrifying sight. Seemingly framed for a crime he didn’t commit, few seem to believe his plea for innocence- apart from gruff lawyer Shin Joon-Han ( Cha Seung-won). Alongside soft-spoken novice lawyer Seo Soo Jin ( Lee Seol), Joon-Han is determined to prove Hyeon-Su’s innocence yet as further problems arise in the case, the true question of justice begins to become more clouded along the way…

‘ One Ordinary Day’ delivers anything but mundanity for viewers - its heavy-going and macabre themes upon murder, crime, prison, corruption and injustice will likely not appeal to everyone. Whilst the first episode admittedly offers viewers a fast-paced and adrenal-infused episode, the latter episodes do hit a slight rut at times of struggling to maintain the same alacrity. ( Admittedly whilst some of these scenes were necessary for slowing down and building -up setups and characters, they’d sometimes disengage episodes from keeping viewers captivated by moving at a quicker pace.)

Casting top-actors in a lesser-known and more mature production can always be a gamble for both the actor as well as the company. However Kim Soo Hyun does not disappoint bringing forth a gut-wrenching performance as the main lead . Hyun-Soo is the ultimate enigma for viewers- a bright student and seemingly a kindhearted son, but his myriad of reckless decision-making causes him to start his hellish journey throughout the series. Naturally whilst the storyline never wanted to give too much away about Hyun-Soo’s ultimate final verdict , there were admittedly moments in the series surrounding Hyun-Soo which felt as though they could’ve been shown in more intrinsic depth. ( Including further insight into his relationship with his parents , his experiences with peers during his younger years ,Hyun-Soo’s college life as well as about his fight for survival in prison.)Even if the drama had offered these some of these moments as merely “Red Herrings” it could’ve allowed for more opportunities to have seen a multilayered onset for Hyun Soo as a character.

Alongside Kim Soo Hyun is costar Cha Seung Won who played the role of the unkempt lawyer with an air of rugged charm. Yet admittedly whilst there were intriguing elements to Seung Won as a written-character, the deuteragonist could often lack some greater and definitive focus on his backstory. Of course this isn’t to say that Shin Joong Han is a poorly-written character by any stretch of the imagination; the male lead is far from being a perceived as an impeccable guardian angel and instead nearly plays devil’s advocate in the courtroom - he has his own demons to deal with, personal motives for taking on his clientele for and is widely dismissed by the inner-circle of judges and prosecutor as being “ third-rate”. However the storyline could’ve admittedly been smoothed down more if the drama had given opportunities to understand more about his past.

Combined together with the vivid cinematographer of Lee Myung-Woo of vivid neon night shots against the mundanity of the court room , ‘ One Ordinary Day’ becomes a suspenseful reverse-psychology series where versatile themes surrounding corruption, drugs and abuse were played carefully with the murky lightning of flashbacks presented a moody and unsettling atmosphere against the lucid mundanity of tension. Inter played when necessary with the spine-tingling OST, ‘ One Ordinary Day’ was surprisingly masterful when it came to delivering some of its impactful scenes for viewers.

Naturally this brings us onto one of the greatest downfalls for ‘ One Ordinary Day’; the ending. Naturally the ending wasn’t inherently rushed with a notably slow-paced speed weighing down a major proportion of the final episodes in order to build-up towards the finale. On the other hand whilst the ending is certainly surprising for viewers and did seem to present a powerful statement message towards the unstable corruption of the judicial system in South-Korea, it did admittedly feel slightly anticlimactic for viewers with certain original links and questions remaining unanswered even by the final episode.

Nevertheless whilst the series could sometimes struggle with attaining constant and steady pacing as well as shaping out certain subplots, ‘ One Ordinary Day’ was a fairly thrilling and gripping series which offered brilliant performances by our cast and especially Kim Soo-Hyun as well as Cha Seung Won. The ending was admittedly slightly unexpected and failed to wrap up some more quintessential loose ends for viewers, but did undeniably deliver the reminder for audiences that ‘ One Ordinary Day’ was harrowing within its portrayal of the judicial system.

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Ongoing 8/8
Anjelle
23 people found this review helpful
Dec 18, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Ongoing 2
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

They wanted me angry and they succeeded.

I'm left frustrated, which is exactly what the writers wanted me to feel. If you're looking at One Ordinary Day expecting a satisfying conclusion, you're looking in the wrong place. This isn't a drama that will give you the sort of clean, neatly closed ending that many crime dramas do, and it doesn't want you to feel good. They have an angle and they stick to it, and that's exactly why I respect this drama so much.

I'm sure I'm not alone. We're all sitting here after watching episode 8, wondering what, exactly, we just saw. Angry at the police and prosecution for the absolute joke of a case they formed against Hyun Soo, annoyed at the judge who sentenced him and every person involved who let the investigation of the Guk Hwa's murder become the joke that it was. We're frustrated with the prosecutor's promotion, the team leader's peaceful retirement, all the while our lead is stuck in prison while his very stressed-out lawyer goes and does the police's job for them, only for them to take credit for his achievements in the end. So without an apology, after watching a man die in his arms, Hyun Soo is tossed back out into the world, the family that had begun to doubt him acting as though nothing ever happened. He's expected to return to his ordinary life after all of the unfairness he experienced, knowing first-hand just how corrupt and broken the judicial system is. There's no big, dramatic reveal of who the real killer is, no flashback to the night of the murder, and no repentance from the people who botched the investigation and even demanded the death penalty for our innocent lead. Nothing.

The last several minutes show Hyun Soo returning to life, sombre when surrounded by his family, living in a house with "murderer" vandalized on the wall, buying cigarettes and consciously aware of the eyes around him. Even free, he can't return to his old life. He can't fix anything, and this is his new reality.

So One Ordinary Day doesn't leave you fulfilled. Like its characters, you're bitter and unsatisfied. But you're thinking. You're thinking and reminded of just how warped the world can be, and that's exactly what they wanted. That's some pretty good storytelling, wouldn't you say?

And, you know, the stellar acting didn't hurt. I loved seeing Kim Soo Hyun in a drama again, and Chae Seung Won is as amazing as ever. So I'm angry, but I'm very glad I watched this.

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Completed
XingBack
6 people found this review helpful
Dec 18, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 10

nobody knows

in the drama Nobody Knows they say this line, no one really knows what happened during a crime, everything is just a recap from different povs, so no one can really know, especially the people looking for the answers..

1st off, the acting was OFF THE CHARTS, and the whole idea of showing the pov of the "falsely accused" without revenge or random BIG corruption was refreshing

this had corruption, this had people who didn't care for the answer they just wanted someone to blame, they wanted to wrap it up, but it had more substance than the usual

in 2021 especially I felt like dramas have failed to capture my emotions, I used to cry over anything but lately it's just meh. that's why this was different, the emotions embodied by KSH was amazing, I could feel the tension, the struggle, the heartache and even the final emotinal burn down.


I'm not a true crime fan or whatever but I've always heard this, when they interview neighbors and witnesses of a serial killer they always say "he was quiet", "he was a good student", "he was clean cut and handsome and soft spoken", "I could never imagine he had 100 bodies in his basement"

and that's why the cop is so focused on KHS. he looks nonthreatening, he looks pitiful and vulnerable and that's triggering for him.
the prosecutor just wants to win a big case and that lawyer lady just wants to be known as the person who had that case

basically everyone was projecting their own greeds on KHS and that's why his situation is heartbreaking


SPOILERS

but if I may be the critic I am, I didn't like eps 5 and 6 because they added nothing to the drama, it was just repetition. I also didn't like who the killer was... they questioned EVERYONE, beside the drug dealer... the guy that was beneficial in the 1st trails verdict reduction? they never mentioned it again.. she gave him the drugs.. tbh I don't know law but if he had killed under the influence of drugs she gave him then as they 1st said, he didn't "do it on purpose"
it's like 14 days.. after the whole "whodunit" they go and say the killer was severely drugged

anyway... the way they caught the killer after the trails, the way the last ep played out, the scene of him on the roof (even though I get the heartache of him becoming so detached) was too long, and then they bring another similar case.. atleast he has more experience this time
but overall, I wanted to see what will happen to KHS.. would he recover, go to law school and defend the falsely blamed, or would he get eaten by the darkness and drugs..
also my poor Ji Taeand bone breaker ;(

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Completed
SeikaRin
7 people found this review helpful
Dec 18, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Innocent until proven guilty taken to the extreme

I know this is a remake of the original story from the UK. I haven't seen it yet and refrained myself from getting spoilers or try to compare both for their details or any mismatched storylines.

Perhaps, the Korean version is darker. The cinematography draws us into the abyss of a presumed innocent young man accused and most likely framed of a hideous and hate crime that took a woman's life. We see and witness his confusion, his pain and his struggles through it all. And at the same time when everyone is turning their back on him, we can see his transformation in survival mode, hence that being the name of this episode...

'When in doubt, in favor of the defendant. No one is presumed to be guilty.'

However, it's with these cliffhangers and the mysterious aura this drama portrays, that they leave us wavering between the lengths of innocence and misconduct. I like this type of scrip that messes with the viewers perceptions and beliefs, it makes us analyze the evidence alongside the characters and hope for the best result. We have been following his journey and believing him to be framed, and that the criminal is most likely out there. By each and every episode the story gets bleak and the light at the end of the tunnel keeps getting dim. To mess this way with the perception of everything presented so far is a bold move.

What is the truth behind the case? Will there be a plot twist? Or have we been right all along?

The investigation was poorly done, it sounded like a fanfic.
It was based on mere speculations and not any solid evidence.
They just needed someone to blame. And he was an easy target.

Could this be his mind being manipulated to believe he is who everyone is making him out to be?

How will he prove his innocence and live with the consequences of his life's decisions?

There's the thing about all of this. The stigma of being imprisoned, the scars it leaves on a person who has seen and felt under his skin how quick people can drop someone in desperate times. Sometimes, those being the people closer than you think. Next of keen even. It brands someone, who will have to try and return to society knowing life itself is not the same or ordinary.

The cinematography is well matched with the OST, alluring, dark and mysterious. The same goes with our many characters here, some shady, others with a hidden agenda, and some with good intentions. Too bad that in this drama those are counted by a single hand at most. The rest reveals itself as the story unfolds.

Kim Hyun Soo, Shin Joong Han and Do Ji Tae, are those characters that pull you in the minute they appear on screen. The actors really got immersed into their roles that every interaction, scene and conversation was worth to watch. I really like the brotherhood formed between Ji Tae and Hyun Soo. There was something in Hyun Soo, that both Joong Han and Ji Tae - who are from opposite sides, and yet with the law as a common interest as we can see by one's profession and the other's hobby - saw at first glance. They were both his pillars through the nightmare that his life had become. A balance of justice if I may say.

Unfortunate events can be turned into life lessons. There are people who come into someone's life to teach something. Ji Tae's worth was more than a guardian and a Hyung in times of need. He was a teacher, and a counselor. One who contributed towards Hyun Soo's transformation and probably smoke addiction. Well, no one said he was a good influence. They were inmates and locked inside for a reason. Although they shared more in common than one could think.

We can say Ji Tae could be a representation of what Hyun Soo's future looked like if he had no one who believed in him.
And Hyun Soo was a reminder to Ji Tae of what he used to look like in the past, before losing his freedom and himself.

Not only Kim Soo Hyun did a remarkable job on his role, but the whole cast did too - in fact - it's both the actors and production who are the true core of this drama and not only the protagonist alone. Still, we can't deny how powerful Soo Hyun's deep and silent stares in many scenes truly are. Or even turn a blind eye his desperate cries and raw emotions through this journey.

Cha Seung Won delivered a rugged image of a third-rate attorney - Shin Joong Han - with his life upside down, but with a sense of Justice within him to not give up on the most complicated case of his life.

And am sure no one was left indifferent whenever Kim Sung Gyu appeared as Do Ji Tae, with his powerful and yet calm aura. He truly embodied someone who ruled the yard and whose presence alone was somewhat respected. He yearned that given his years. In the end he was the life and soul of that prison, so that final scene with him in his cell, and the last glance Hyun Soo gives as if everything is as it was, although far from the truth given the emptiness that it is felt was symbolic.

Corruption and cases like such can happen when one least expects. There is a thin line to prove someone's innocence. This was focused on that alone and the difficulties on both parties. The accusers and the defendants. The system is despicable, seen with this point of view and with how they handled now only the case but the aftermath alone. Some win, some loose.

The prize in cases like this is not with merits and credits for something they had not part of... -The victory would be more personal, - to those who truly yearned it, who really worked hard for it, those who never gave up despite the ordeals presented, and to the victim who midway resigned with fate, not seeing a shred of hope with the outcomes, - even if it's baffled and not for the world to know, it does not lose it's worth in the end.

Because there will always be more cases out there in need of a helping hand of Justice as this end foretells...

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Completed
isa
5 people found this review helpful
Dec 19, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

Not your Typical Mystery Crime Thriller

If you're going into this series expecting a crime mystery thriller, PAUSE! This is not for you then. Even though the plot centers around a murder and the events that follow it, it does not focus on the murder part much. Rather the entire story revolves around an ordinary college student, Kim Hyunsoo who got wrapped up in a murder case and due to the deeply flawed legal justice system he was thereby incriminated.

"One Ordinary Day" is a remake of the British Show "Criminal Justice" and it also had a American remake "The Night Of" and even an Indian remake with the same name. The plot isn't something unique. It's been done before and being the previous versions being critically acclaimed it had big shoes to fill. What carries One Ordinary Day isn't the plot itself but the acting from all of the cast.

There are a lot of grim and dark scenes which is absolutely gruesome to watch and should be watched with discretion. But the pain that Kim Hyunsoo (played by Kim Soohyun, yes I get the names similarity) felt was echoed so beautifully so even a whimper made by him sent chills. Shin Joonghan (played by Cha Seungwon) had a very disheveled appearance but his pointed dialogue delivery along with his excellent comic timing gave the viewers a breather from what would be hour long episodes of continuous sadness and anxiety. For me, the scene stealer of the show was Do Jitae (played by Kim Sungkyu), his menacing and commanding aura grabbed attention and made you focus only on him.

The pros and cons of the plot: Judging by the fact that it is a remake I could easily make out how the plot would go so no surprise there! Even though they changed some parts to fit it into the Korean setting the basic elements from the original version was still there. Some of the dialogues made by the prosecution in its defense for prosecuting Hyunsoo felt a bit unrealistic but the cast delivers it with such heated passion you'll not feel it at all. The lawyer, Shin Joonghan suffers from atropic dermatitis which is basically a skin condition and it mostly had effects on his feet. So, I did not enjoy the feet focus at all. All the concentration on his feet made me believe that he'll miraculously be cured but nothing came out of it.

To end my review: I'll say that One Ordinary day isn't everyone's cup of tea. Please look up trigger warnings for the show. It isnt for the lighthearted AT ALL. As someone who mostly consumes media as a form of escapism I wouldn't put One Ordinary Day on my list if you're looking for a fun weekend binge. If anything it reminds you how dark and scary the world is and how one bad decision can make you a target of the powerful here the prosecution and the police.

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Completed
Anonimus
6 people found this review helpful
Dec 22, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 4.5
Rewatch Value 3.0

Artistically, psychologically, ideologically

In this drama, I appreciate the general idea, the intention, the camera handling and the acting.
What I don't appreciate is that despite only eight episodes, everything was long-winded and boring. Many of the scenes and shots, in my opinion, have artistic overtones, while they add little or nothing to the plot itself. They don't even set the mood properly. Law dramas are my love, but this drama is full of absurdity when it comes to law and focuses almost exclusively on the psychological changes occurring in the main character from the moment of the crime to the end of the drama. The psychological aspect definitely dominates, unfortunately at the expense of the legal issues.
Another absurdity is the prison absurdity. It's a shame to even talk about how the prison was portrayed.
I suspect the drama was intended to make viewers think about the nature of law and justice, but the tools they used didn't convince me. I did not sympathize with any of the characters. I was not interested in whether the accused was guilty. I wasn't interested in what the verdict would be. In my opinion, the viewer would be more likely to reflect if they made an emotional connection with the character and could identify with them.
However, one thing stuck in my memory - the biggest absurdity was the prosecutor, from the beginning to the end. Neither the scriptwriter nor the director attached any importance to creating the whole accusation, but perhaps that was their aim.
The music was almost unnoticeable.
Overall decent drama, but for me it ran the legal spectrum wrong and had too strong, even suffocating psychological/ideological aspect.

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Ongoing 6/8
Jiyuu
9 people found this review helpful
Dec 3, 2021
6 of 8 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 7.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 2.0

Bleak and potentially disturbing. This is not for everyone.

Shows like this don’t usually make it to my watchlist because it’s too close to reality (TV for me is for relaxation and escapism). The first episode is particularly hard knowing what’s gonna come next. Impulsive actions, alcohol, drugs and a stranger looking for trouble—just two of these together is a recipe for disaster. What more when it’s all four combined.

As expected, the overall production quality is superb and the acting is topnotch. The storyline really is all you need to decide on.

For me, my love for Cha Seung Won (though he looks old and sleazy here) compels me to complete this til its potentially dreary end. The series is short enough for me to put up with it. It helps also that his character is written sympathetically.

So if you’re a fan of either of the two leads (Kim Soo Hyun and CSW), then take a peek and see if it’s for you too.

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Completed
myrnskees
2 people found this review helpful
Dec 21, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 3.0
I've been super into watching Thriller / Mystery dramas, so I was really excited that Kim Soohyun's new work fell into the genre. I ended up binging the first six episodes to get me up to speed while waiting for the last two, but as I reflect on the drama now that I'm done, I realized that I didn't really love it as much as I thought I did after finishing the first part of the drama. I'm actually really glad it was only eight episodes as after a certain point, I felt like it was starting to drag a bit. I've never watched the original show, so there's no comparison for me on that part. I do think all the actors did a great job in portraying their roles and it's no surprise just considering who is playing these roles, but the actual plot fell flat for me, especially towards the end. However, the point of showing just how flawed a judicial system can be certainly shines through the show. The twists and turns that get you to the ending though were disappointing, though likely, you'll be surprised by just what happens.

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Completed
OnAFullMoonDay
3 people found this review helpful
Dec 24, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 5.0

Just a trashy end...

The whole drama was good and logical until the 7th episode. They just had to rush and make such a trashy ending.
The cast and OST were superb which totally managed to save the sinking boat.

The story is a slow burn and compared to the original series, the writer had tried to add a fair share of K-drama spices to it.
The cast nailed their acting and the timing of the BGM is just perfect. I have watched many of the stories written by the same writer so I feel the story could have been more detailed and elaborated, but since their main focus was 'Justice wins at the end, so it was a manageable one time watch thing.

The cast and overall story just saved the trashy end.

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Completed
Ace
1 people found this review helpful
Feb 19, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Injustice makes our blood boil

Imagine being framed for something you didn't do. Imagine having zero power to convince your peers that you are innocent. Imagine having your whole life turned upside down just by being at the wrong place, at the wrong time. This is the story of One Ordinary Day.

- STORY -
In this drama, we follow a student who goes out one night, only to end up in the most unimaginable situation possible and became the main suspect in a murder. That's essentially the entire show. It's about proving innocence when the justice system failed to find the real perpetrator. Do beware that there is a strong and rather bold narrative about our justice system and a negative view of the capitalist world we live in, as well as a couple of pretty intense scenes that you may need to pause a few times to get through. The pacing also moves fairly quickly, there are only 8 episodes in total and also no scenes felt like they were dragging. Overall, while the plot is nicely focused, I did find the ending to be rushed and some of the characters also felt pretty one-directional. But then again, I think the focus of the show is getting you to feel this exact, unfair, unjust, and frustrating situation that Kim Soo Hyun will be put through.

- ACTING -
Holy hell, here we go, wherever I read something about this drama, they always rave about the quality of the acting. And I am here to 100% confirm that. Kim Soo Hyun's performance here is out of this world. His character goes through hell in the show and it's an extremely performance-reliant role, and he nailed every bit of it. Possibly the best part of this show is how well all the levels of emotions are captured by his performance. Outside of him specifically, there are really no holes from the rest of the cast either, I think the cast selection for this drama was perfect.

- PRODUCTION -
The production quality here is also extremely high. The music and sound design fit the dire situations very well and the cinematography was intentional and powerful.

- CRITICISM -
The only complaint I have is the overemphasis on the lawyer's feet. Not sure what having fungal feet has anything to do with the story, but in almost every scene with the lawyer, the camera is set up to show his pair of big feet wide spread... could be an attempt of filling comedic relief between the intense scenes, or maybe there was a motif I missed. The ending also felt slightly rushed and was somewhat predictable, some may think it was a letdown that they didn't expand more on the actual case. But for its purpose, I think it was probably the best choice. A show like this holds its impact within the journey and not the ending. The ending will likely leave you feeling rather unsatisfied but I think it was an intentional choice to reflect the reality that the show is trying to portray.

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Completed
alfyhappy
0 people found this review helpful
Oct 30, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Good Thriller - Who Did It?

First, I am appreciative that this drama is only 8 episodes. A well done thriller with impeccable acting. How could an ordinary day for Kim Hyun Soo turn out to be a nightmare, being accused of murder, not knowing what happened, sits in jail and the only person to take his case is a down-beat lawyer who barely passed law school. This drama has all the intensity required to binge watch, chasing for the answer and conclusion to a 'whodunit' ..... highly recommended for those who enjoy a mystery thriller.
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One Ordinary Day (2021) poster

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  • Score: 8.5 (scored by 9,553 users)
  • Ranked: #608
  • Popularity: #508
  • Watchers: 30,117

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