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Then, I didn't know who the protagonist even is, is it the Golden Time Team leader woman? Or Jang Hyuk? His partner Baek Sung hyun gets severely injured and he's just going about doing other things. WTF? The characters interactions with each other is strictly business so what the hell am I supposed to root for? The son who I barely saw in maybe two episodes, tops? Who also btw they conveniently forget unless they want to use him for a plot line. I enjoyed the little mysteries constantly coming up, that was pretty much the only enjoyable thing because the main story arc was ruined by two main leads who had zero relatability. They just went about solving the plot lines, no deep actual conversation, no insights into their psyche, their needs wants, nothing except for 'that bad thing that happened in the past.' It just started to drag and became pointless after a while. Let's say leave the fact that the main leads don't feel any emotions for anyone period ???? (call me hyung or unni and I'll care for you BARELY for the length of an episode WTF ????) no relationship building over time, it doesn't have to be a romance, can't they just still care for SOMEONE???? It was all just a surface, shallow, story until then.
They put so much emphasis on making everything look good, they forgot to add substance to the script. Even the mystery plot got affected by the fact that the SECOND the ACTUAL villain appears, you know it's them ???????????????????? literally, where was the suspense? The person appears in way too late in the story! I've seen romantic comedies with better mystery plots (Do Bong Soon for instance). See, if you don't want to have romances and bromances, then make the main story arc something epic and subtle like Fargo. There was nothing subtle about Jang Hyuk's acting or anyone else for that matter! It was the typical "who screams louder" Korean drama fest so just make it Korean drama good then! The script was again, just okay.
Bad Guys at least had a fabulous script and epic bromance but Vile City had the same kind of issues VOICE has. All glitter and glamor but zero substance. I did cry a bunch of times, mostly for the secondary characters, like Yesung, when they show the stories and solve that was done brilliantly. Honestly, I was considering ditching it when Kim Jae wook showed up! !!! In love with him ???? even his acting was subtle and not loud, just wow. Honestly, I wouldn't have actually finished it if it wasn't for him. Btw, this show is really disturbing but that was the one thing I actually liked! They were not afraid to get their hands dirty. But having a script where at one point Jang Hyuk says to his nine year old son "Men should always be brave" when he's crying after being traumatized, made me question what year this show was made in ???? so yeah. Some really good stuff but an overwhelming amount of pointlessness and by the middle I was honestly cringing every time Jang Hyuk went on one of his stupid and pointless and terribly delivered tirades mostly "I'll rip you apart blah blah" and the female lead wasn't much better. The secondary characters were acting so much better.
The things that I fell in love with: The messed up darkness, visually it's shot so well aesthetically pleasing, the OST, and of course Jae wook! Even the story started getting more addictive after Birth of the Devil. But I have to admit, the final two episodes, sheer BRILLIANCE. I was completely speechless. Even the main leads annoying habits couldn't destroy that, so I basically went from a ten rating in the beginning, to a six in the middle, to an eight when Jae wook enters, to a straight ten for the last two episodes! So, I'm going to rate an overall 9 because in the end, this show gave me a lot more than it annoyed me and because Jae wook deserved it and whoever decided to make it so dark and messed up deserves it.
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A bit lacking in emotional depth. More violent than the last one, and there's Ji Soo, so naturally I had a great time. But it's pretty messed up, so be warned. But the cinematography is excellent.
Emotional depth wise I prefer the first season with Park Hae Jin. But plenty of content for those who can take violence. Another thing, in the last one they were actual serial killers but in this show pretty much all the back stories reveal people who are basically innocent.
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Choi Minho plays the role of a young man surviving on the streets with three others, including the girl he's in love with. They commit crimes to keep themselves fed and don't even have a bed to sleep on. The painful reality of people surviving in the underbelly of a big city will make you feel all kinds of emotion.
The things throwaway abandoned kids have to go through to survive each day, it's downright brutal. The whole thing is extremely realistic so it breaks your heart and you can't help being thrilled for them when they get away with some minor crime.
One night, in dire straits, the girlfriend suggests they do a sex scam. She claims they won't actually have to do anything, just scam the guy. Minho refuses and after a bit of an argument he shuts her down. The next day, the girl, in an attempt to fix their money situation, decides to do the sex scam without telling her boyfriend and with the help of the friend they find someone.
But things don't go as planned.
What I loved about the movie was the strength of their love and how passionate they were. There was no selfishness there, it really gets to you when things go awry.
Just in love with this one.
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This movie is a sheer masterpiece. It doesn't walk around cliches to force laughter and keep you engaged by trickery. It's a narrative that relies on visual story telling and dialog that will cut through your soul and force you to look at the world you keep ignoring.
It's not a coming of age story as much as the retelling of the very moment you become a pawn in someone else's game. The actors delivery is so on point, it becomes a grueling performance. It's the story of people who want to be heros, without realizing the sheer brutality of their world.
Ji Soo was the main lead, plays a young man who is not happy with his best friend's (Kim Junmyeon-Suho) decision to go to the military because of his grandmother's destitute financial situation. The entire first part is about Ji Soo convincing Suho not to go just yet so they can all go together. But Suho doesn't like the idea of his grandmother having to still work to pay for his tuition.
These two and two other boys also best buddies, all four of them decide to go on a drive and have a great time before their lives change forever and before they have to say goodbye to their friend for a long time. It's all kind of bittersweet and neither of them are able to convince Suho to stay.
They get drunk and are having a good time, when in their own car they see some odd movement in the car parked in front of them. Thinking the couple are making out, they all joke about it but suddenly the couple are outside the car and the man starts to viciously beat the woman.
Neither of them know what to do, and are cautious about getting out but Ji Soo has had enough of it and instead of listening to Suho, he ventures out and gets in the man's face stops him from hitting the woman. They start having an altercation and the other friends join in and they all try to get the man to stop but he continues to be violent and Ji Soo gets violent himself and it turns into a battle.
I feel like what happens next is something you should experience without spoilers.
All in all, this movie is a creative work of art that deserves more recognition and should not be avoided just because it's not a happy story.
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