Definitely Worth a Watch.... Please season 2.............
Mind blowing drama? ,I usually tend to avoid this genre, but to my surprise, I found myself completely engrossed in it. As someone who often fast-forwards through many scenes while watching a K-drama, this specific series had an incredible ability to keep me hooked. I was so captivated that I even went back and rewatched several key moments. The overall experience was genuinely enjoyable
The kidnapping day adapted from novel series .... storyline was pretty impressive. The plot and narrative kept me engaged throughout. never imagined that this drama gonna hook me up .Every Wednesday & Thursday I used to treat myself with this drama. The cast did a very goos job. Lastly , Child actress (Yuna ) was so good.? The tandem of Rohe and Myung Joon is the best. Looking forward for Season 2. Job well done ??
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This young actress killed it.
This young actress killed it. She carried the entire show on her back along with her way in over his head kidnapper. Their pseudo father-daughter relationship on screen is awkward, funny, and endearing, despite the unfortunate circumstances that have brought them to their current situation. Since the new family dynamic was the focus of the earlier episodes, I found the beginning more enjoyable than the latter half, as the big mystery of the show naturally started taking over.The show's central mystery of who did what to whom, which landed our fugitive duo in their predicament, is intriguing but ultimately unoriginal. The gradual revelation of a single crime scene and the events that transpired can become somewhat repetitive; however, it still managed to hold my attention. Fortunately, this series consists of only 12 episodes.
The bad guy is comically… a rich villain stereotype—something you've seen countless times before. In contrast, the other villain who works under him and handles all the dirty work is surprisingly decent. I found myself liking him because, deep down, he is actually a softie.
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Monologuing
This will circle back to "The Kidnapping Day" but it will be a bit of a scenic route.It's easy to pinpoint the scene that transformed Bill Murray from one of many cast contributors on an after-dark weekend sketch comedy show. Sure, he was already known as one of the charter members of Saturday Night Live but he was anything but a bankable movie star. But one modestly budgeted, lightly raunchy summer camp comedy changed that. In the late 1970's and early 1980's, the summer camp setting was became one of Hollywood's favorite locations for everything from horror to teen drama to comedy. In 1979, the poor ragtag kids camp up against the rich, spoiled kids on the other side of the lake was the basis for one such movie. In "Meatballs", Bill Murray played the first of the many iterations of the sardonic, sarcastic, lazy, laconic and acidic cool loner. And like in many other of these roles, the centerpiece of the role is an extended monologue where he sheds his aloofness and delivers a fiery speech to rally his followers to new heights.
The rest of "Meatballs"? Pretty generic stuff. But the monologue from Murray is spectacular. Much of it is simply repeating over and over and over again "It just doesn't matter!". Screaming the same phrase at the top of his lungs. It just doesn't matter. Repeatedly. It just doesn't matter. Again and again and again.
It just doesn't matter.
"The Kidnapping Day" is a drama, unsurprisingly, about a kidnapping. Myeong Jun, a dad down on his luck with a critically sick daughter, kidnaps Ro Hee, the daughter of a rich doctor, hoping to ransom er for enough money to pay for his daughter's surgery. But nothing goes as planned because nothing in Myeong Jun's life does. As things spiral out of control, there's almost everything but aliens and ghosts and mermaids thrown in. Murders. Crooked police. Power hungry wealthy families. Stoic killers. Mouthy bad guys. Unethical medical experimentation. Orphanages. Slums. Mansions. Hospitals. Boats. Beaches. There's so many elements that it's impossible to coherently piece them together.
It just doesn't matter.
The rich family floats in and out when necessary as a plot device but they're mostly there to advance some forward action by the bad guy. The bad guy is basically a mouthy venture capitalist. He's not a flop as a villain, but it's a fairly generic character. The crooked cops are even less prominent than the rich family.
It just doesn't matter.
Kim Sang Ho plays a critical support role but the script asks far too little of him and it's one of his least compelling performances. The problem is less severe with Kim Shin Rok's Hye Eun (Myeong Jun's ex wife). She's meant to be a morally ambiguous character, part regretful mother and part brilliant schemer. But the mother side is never convincing and the schemer side rarely makes sense. If she's supposed to be in hiding, why would she wear some of the most garish outfits in the Eastern Hemisphere? Why has she anticipated so many things but left an absolutely vital item unaddressed until far too late? And for a character that viewers should be on the fence about, she's indefatigably unlikable. The performance by Shin Rok is solid but she's too often asked to do things with the character that are, even in the most charitable light, confounding.
But it just doesn't matter.
Even Park Sung Hoon who has been on a tear of scintiallating performances in 2023 with terrific performances in "The Glory" and as an unconventional police officer in "Not Others" comes across flat here. It's the maverick cop with a heart of gold. And it's not a fresh take on the archetype.
Guess what? It just doesn't matter.
The plot meanders through the kidnapping, the morally murky medical people, the venture capitalists, the police, the power hungry family and ends up with a weak final confrontation. A cliffhanger from the end of one episode transitions to a completely different place and an almost total absence of a resolution to a main character on the verge of death. The police are dumb when it's convenient that they be dumb. And then they wise up at the most convenient time. The crime scene is abandoned. Literally. The investigators take the bodies and apparently then just leave. It's bizarrely implausible.
One last time. It just doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter because the characters of Ro Hee and Myeong Jun and the performances by Yoon Kye Sang and 12 year old Yuna are transcendent. They are magical when they are together and the moments when they are pulled from each other are heartbreaking. It's an oddball pair, the rich girl from a sheltered life and a guy with a lifetime of fumbling away his chances at every opportunity. For Yoon Kye Sang, it is without question and by a considerable margin his best work of recent vintage. And for Yuna? It's a performance that can hardly be believed to have been rendered by someone of such young age. Among non-romantic relationships that have been portrayed in this genre, it is in acutely rarefied air. And it is why all of the other things just don't matter.
Minor items:
It is always welcome to see Kang Ha Neul in a brief but excellent cameo.
Same with Kim Ki Doo.
Kim Dong Won does a nice job with the nearly mute assassin with unclear loyalties role quite nicely.
It just doesn't matter? Actually, nah. Not at all.
"The Kidnapping Day" is a tremendously entertaining drama thanks to the lead performances and it is highly, highly recommended watch.
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Good Enough
Korean Drama '' The Kidnapping Day '' is an intense thriller with a sensitive side.The drama starts off quite strongly, with the pair of kidnapper-child being enjoyable to follow, as they start bonding and forming a somewhat family. Their relationship was also what kept things going when the drama started flaking as well.
Actually, towards the ending, the drama's twists were a bit over the top and, again, the strong duo were there to save the day, even if the rest of the characters were frustrating to follow.
The performances, finally, were all great.
So, overall, six out of ten.
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Sobbing rn
Honestly I never expected to root for a wholesome friendship between a kidnapper and his victim until I watched this.Really though, it was so, incredibly engaging and the ending of the eleventh episode absolutely destroyed me. I didn't know how attached I'd get to this show! The acting was so well done and it was fast paced too (good for me because I have a horrible attention span), but I felt as if some parts weren't cleared up at the end? Hoping for a season 2 because wow, that ending left me on a cliffhanger.
Some people didn't like this show, which I can understand, but I adored it. 9.5/10 for me. If you liked Glitch (2022), Parasite (2019) or Revenge of Others (2022), it kinda gave off those vibes for me. Other than that... I have no words, it was so amazing. Hope this can be somewhat helpful :)
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Well worth watching.
This drama kept me watching and had to force myself to go to sleep or I would have stayed up all night. The two main characters were great. Very interesting plot which kept me guessing. Yuna performed this role just excellent for such a young age. At first I just thought she was older but looked really young and that is the reason she was selected. I looked her up and she is actually very young. She a great performer.Yoon Kye Sang also did a great job. He must have gained weight for this role. He looks totally different. Loved his performance. Great job on the writing of this story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Exceptional Acting
For me, this drama had an unnecessarily convoluted plot, and it seemed like every episode I was thinking, "Ah, yet ANOTHER bad guy." That being said, if you haven't watched this show, you really should. I'll admit that this isn't my normal genre. I have watched other shows of this type, but never have I seen better acting or such a wonderful relationship as the two leads had.Yoon Kye Sang as Myung Joon. He's a father desperate to save his daughter, and as such he will do anything. However, we see throughout the drama that he still has a moral compass and wants to do the right thing. I've seen him in a couple of other shows and enjoyed him, but here, in this part, he absolutely shone.
Yuna as Ro Hee. She is someone to watch, for sure. Her part was emotionally intense, difficult to play without showing too much emotion. She had been used in her short life, and when she comes across Myung Joon, she finally finds someone that cares for her. More often than not, she is the adult of the relationship, and that's fun to watch. Her emotional range is amazing. For the most part, she was required to be unemotional, but in the last episode the dam breaks and she falls apart. I fell apart with her. Watch her closely, she doesn't have the mannerisms of a child, but of an adult. When sitting on the couch, her hands are folded the way an adult in charge would be. She was exceptional.
I also appreciated the respect she commanded, that people listened to her even though she was "just a kid".
This drama was worth the time, and then some!
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Completely Smitten
I was in the mood for something not a romcom, nor pure crime drama. This had a unique premise so I was hopeful. Wow. I was hooked in the first 5 minutes. The scene is set with such precision that it was instantly understandable and relatable. No, you might not yet have all the facts, but desperation is universally palpable and I was immediately invested through this approach.The outstanding star is Yuna as Choi Ro Hee. My goodness, she is a rising star to follow and I am floored by her range and presence. She’s bratty but logically so. She’s a child without a child’s usual antennae. And when she feels, she makes you feel it too.
Yoon Kye Sang as Kim Myung Joon was right on her heels and I thoroughly enjoyed his comedic expressions and fatherly mannerisms. His relationship with Ro Hee was a heartwarming and heartbreaking delight to behold. He was also wonderful with his own child Kim Hee Ae.
The support cast was wonderful too, but the stand outs to me were Kang Young Seok as Jayden. He’s a favorite of mine since Insider - which incidentally stars Kang Ha Neul, a quite memorable guest in this drama’s episode 12. This actor, with his adorable dimples and smile, needs more main roles. He is a master of sarcasm and facial expressions that tell a different story than what he’s currently saying. His demeanor can go from 0-1,000 in a nanosecond, and I just cannot praise his performance more. I also want to mention Kim Dong Won as Ho Young. He portrayed an intimidating and dangerous character with a unique ambiguity that made his arc hit differently than I expected it to. I would have liked to see more of Oh Man Seok’s character as Choi Dong Joon, but he did well for the part as written.
I liked Park Sung Hoon as Park Sang Yoon, but he didn’t stand out as much as I’ve seen in other roles. But really, I don’t think he’s meant to. His role is peripheral and he plays it that way. Kim Shin Rok as Seo Hye Eun was not a very sympathetic character, so I struggled with how to feel about her. I will say that for how broken of a person she was, Shin Rok did her character justice.
The OST and intro music were pleasant and not distracting. Personally I prefer it that way, especially if the director is going for keeping your mind on the story.
I especially enjoyed all the little cameos and teases for a season 2 because they’re not based on a total cliffhanger or major plot holes.
Though I gave the story all the stars, I do still have a couple of minor questions that I think a season 2 would nicely round out. I would have LOVED for this to just be 16 episodes instead. That said, I really am mostly satisfied and exceedingly pleased to highly recommend this drama to everyone.
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This review may contain spoilers
It fell a bit short with the ending but it was a good run, I guess even if I remove 0.5 for plot and acting it’d still give a total of 10Anyway I wouldn’t mind more tho
Clone, twin, but what if the experiments only work on already smart and perceptive kids?
Basically dr mo’s kid and “normos” won’t benefit from it?
Tbh not saying how many years ahjussi got, and technically isn’t hyeeun’s murder, self defense?
Also basically the worst part of the experiments is hyeeun, robbed of childhood and love then abandoned
Dr mo’s kid honestly just needs a caring mom
And what about the “X” people and kang hanuel, that was a really nice twist
It left too many unanswered questions
And I’m a bit sad ahjussi didn’t have any impact at the end, tho I understood the need of young hyeeun, old hyeeun also deserved to be highlighted
She got stuck in that trauma so she basically never “grew up” but she did also have major issues
And was rohee’s dad a successful experiment or was he just smart and driven by money and his dads career path
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The drama strikes a balance between suspenseful thrills and heartwarming laughs
This drama has a rollercoaster of emotions, with twists and turns that keep you gripping the edge of your seat, but don't worry—it's the kind of rollercoaster that throws in unexpected laughs and heartwarming moments.Our hero, Kim Myeong-joon, is like your friendly neighborhood dad-next-door, except he's facing a mountain of bills and a daughter in need of surgery. In a plot twist that even he probably didn't see coming, he decides to kidnap the daughter of a rich doctor. Enter Choi Ro-Hee, the child prodigy with all the riches but none of the joy. And voila, we've got an oddball pair destined for a wild adventure!
Now, Myeong-joon isn't your typical criminal mastermind. He's more of a 'dad trying his best' kinda guy. And Ro-Hee, the pint-sized genius, adds a dash of brilliance to the mix, imagine a comedic duo navigating the chaos of a kidnapping gone wrong.
But wait, there's more! We've got mysterious family secrets, a murder case, and a sprinkle of hidden motives. It's a K-drama buffet, and you're invited to feast on the suspense and giggles. The plot is as unpredictable as a game of Twister, keeping you on your toes with every unexpected move.
Yoon Kye-sang as Myeong-joon and Yoo Na as Ro-Hee steal the show with their dynamic performances. It's like watching your favorite duo in a buddy-cop comedy, but with a kidnapping twist. The supporting cast adds spice to the mix, creating a full ensemble of characters that'll make you laugh, cry, and gasp in disbelief.
The production team deserves a round of applause for the visual feast they've created. It's not just a drama; it's a visual fiesta with clever chapter titles, quirky doodles, and a soundtrack that's basically the heartbeat of the show.
In the end, "The Kidnapping Day" is not just a drama; it's a rollercoaster adventure filled with heart, humor, and a dash of mystery. So grab your popcorn, settle into your favorite spot, and get ready for a wild ride you won't regret!
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