Here's My Plan (2021)

Compelling Rendition

My Final review take:

This has been 4 very charming episodes.

The way Yoon Ho grabbed-hugged So Hyun in the rain just striking. Palpitating darling moments, indeed.

This drama definitely has that angst, tension, thrills and a-tinge-of-romance which amped up the whole atmosphere on each scenes. And without any brooding bits, just makes it excitingly fascinating.

My first review take:

Why is it compelling? Because:

First. I am hooked with the music. Brit rock rules! Need the OST tracklist stat! Then again with this type of music tracks, it needs a good match. This drama has it, deserving storyline. It tells a story of a troubled girl. And she is even a pickpocket, for crying sake. Looking for her Dad. And just because she has unsettling mother-daughter relationship with an alcoholic Mum that is, does not justify her action for stealing. It still wrong. But, hey. Life is about planning and options with this case.

Second is the Acting. I just loves it when everybody delivers. So okay, the sweetest treats is still about a nice and kind next door boy. Yoon Ho is so adorable, and he’s the kind with Knights honor soul. The lady with vengeance is HeeJin/So Hyun with all of her ocean eleven mind game. Or is it in a way Sherlock Holmes would go the extra miles. Heroin like her and at nineteenth is a character indeed.

Third. The charm.
Attraction is made without hesitation. Confession is within a heartbeat. And that decoy kiss is just a tad of sincerity away. Bullies is tackled. But the suspense retaliation just puts you on the edge. With only 4 episode, this drama has that subtle approach. Let’s wait the next and final two episode...

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Binge worthy Teen Angst

"Here's My Plan" is the perfect example of a drama not overstaying its welcome. At four episodes, it is the perfect satisfying length for binging. Not too short but not dragged on for too long. This is a darker teen coming of age drama, although it's much more intriguing than depressing. Think more teen "Fight Club" style, complete with an inner monologue throughout explaining all the motivations behind the crazy twists and turns. This is more than a story about a plan going from bad to worse to much worse. There is a suspenseful element to the story, with a touch of revenge and romance, but mainly it's a confession from a girl dealing with her past traumas in very unconventional ways. I loved that the story was so unpredictable and kept my interest throughout, and the cast was perfect.

Leading the cast is Kim Hwan Hee who is brilliant as Lee So Hyun. What made So Hyun so interesting to me is that she isn't very likable, or a "good" person, but you kinda can't help but empathize with her. We see what fuels her choices , so even when those choices frustrated me I still sympathized with her and wanted to see her win in the end. Kim Hwan Hee brings a lot of depth to the character so you can still feel her vulnerability even when she's being cold or calculating. I also felt sadness in her smile which was something mentioned by Yoon Ho who is played so well by Kim Do Hoon. Cho Yoon Ho balances out So Hyun's more anti-social vibe with his genuine concern and caring for others. By the end of episode one I absolutely adored his character. I loved their awkward but realistic chemistry, and he showcased the kind of likability that will make him an ideal romantic lead in the future. Their odd relationship isn't exactly the main plot, so don't expect too much romance, but it definitely fuels how everything progresses.

Every member of the cast really is great! I don't want to mention too much to avoid spoilers but there are no weak links in this story. It's also a pretty small cast which gives you space to feel like you know the characters better. My favorite character by far is the Grandma! She's the real MVP!

Would I watch this again? Yes! Although some of the excitement of wondering what will happen next is gone, the performances are so solid and the story evolves so well that I can definitely see myself watching this again. Once it was over, I was satisfied and didn't feel the urge to rewatch any scene in particular (except maybe one), which is the only reason my rewatch rating isn't high.

The music is good too. I thought the retro and British punk vibe matched the angsty mood of the drama well. There's no memorable ballad or song (besides Girls & Boys), but I did think the music did well in setting the mood of the drama.

Overall, I highly recommend this drama. It's emo, it's about trauma, it's about revenge, it's heartbreaking but the pace and style makes it also... dare I say... fun to watch. If you are looking for cuteness and feel good escapism this is the wrong drama for you. I liked the theme of figuring out what happiness is and whether you can be happy even having to deal with painful circumstances, and I loved the resolution for that. Many will compare this with "Extracuricular", which is similar as far as angst and empathetic young anti-hero leads, but this is not an action thriller, it's a story of self discovery and healing told in a less conventional way. I loved that the main character's journey is messy. Some of the last episode felt a bit too easily resolved, but the story is solid throughout with no unnecessary scenes or side plots. This drama is a good example of how well that can work! It actually gives you time to binge and go out and have an actual life afterwards! Crazy, right?! I can think of a lot of dramas that I would have probably liked so much better if they were 4 episodes instead of 16. I hope they make more shorter dramas as good as this one.

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