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My Country: The New Age korean drama review
Completed
My Country: The New Age
2 people found this review helpful
by Mirae13
Apr 27, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 10
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 10.0
My Country is one of the greatest Korean dramas ever made. The writing, directing, production, cinematography, music, everything is top notch, with an outstanding performance by Yang Se Jong.

Dramas of this quality are not common. The story balances exceptionally well the personal struggles of each character and the politics at play. The pacing is perfect. Although it deals with heavy content, My Country is a character driven drama that is full of raw emotion. It’s because behind the dark politics, it tells a simple story, the story of the absolute and heartbreaking friendship of two young men. And it does it in such a meaningful way. The series also displays some of the greatest action scenes ever seen on the small screen - the one-take action battle scene of episode 3 is legendary, to name just one of them.

My Country is a masterpiece.

Among those great characters, Seo Hwi shines brightly as a fascinating hero. He is an introvert person, but a flamboyant warrior. He's sad, but warm. He's a kind and sweet man, but he can kill without hesitation to protect his loved ones. Because his best friend Nam Seon Ho betrays him in the beginning of the story, he loses everything. Then, his journey becomes more and more painful, so painful that he almost loses himself along the way. Despite that, Hwi stays loyal to his friends. Always.
At the same time, Hwi's way of capturing the ambiguous prince Lee Bang Won’s attention is also riveting throughout the drama. In fact, the more we know Hwi, the more we understand why Nam Seon Ho and Lee Bang Won are so passionate about him.

Yang Se Jong created such a beautiful hero. No other young actor could have brought such depth to Seo Hwi. He expresses in such a detailed way the multiple layers of his character. He can act extremely soft as well as incredibly intense, and all the nuances between those extremes. His fierce and desperate acting is extraordinary in the two episodes when he rushes for his sister and confronts his enemy Nam Jeon! On top of that, he is also majestic in action scenes.
During the drama, Yang Se Jong is the actor who manages the best to make us feel the weight of the years, hence the weight of the suffering. Hwi at the end looks so much older compared to the beginning. He still looks strong, but so vulnerable at the same time. It's very rare to encounter a young actor capable of showing this kind of deep transformation.

As Hwi, Yang Se Jong captivated me with his every breath and move. He delivered an extremely touching and powerful performance.

Yang Se Jong also has great chemistry Woo Do Hwan, Jang Hyuk and Ahn Nae Sang, who are all good. I like Seon Ho, even if he is a more cliched character - his whining scenes in the last part of the drama felt a bit unnecessary, but Seon Ho has his moments. From the leads to the supporting cast, everyone acts very well. Im Gyo Jin and Ji Seung Hyun especially are really compelling as Hwi’s close friends. Director Kim Jin Won is of course to thank for this overall perfection.

Well, I can't wait to watch My Country again. In the meantime, I will keep listening to the gorgeous OST over and over.
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