Zoe
You wouldn’t think that a story like this would be heart warming. But it is as its base because selfish, and cold people start caring about others and I think that’s rather awesome. They lay down their pride, their ambition, their lives, for the greater good. It’s also nice to see some helpful people that they meet along the way. But it’s a bit weird that they try and be moralistic to their old colleagues about living a better life.
There is also this contrast, that these criminals learned so quickly to become good people, given the right support and context and then there were the corrupt authorities messing things up.
Another thing I liked was how when it was a personal moment for anyone of them, they all looked a little flat and sort of unable to deal with it because they aren’t into emotions haha.
It’s nice when a rag tag bunch get together and learn to get along. There’s a lot of ego and they try and see who can be the most sinister. But it gets old fast. Basically, they’ve all been through a lot and each one thinks he’s the biggest baddest wolf in the room.
Every little attempt at getting along made me smile.
It was amazing actually to see how they stopped fighting amongst each other and began to look out for one another.
There are gangsta politics but there was a nice spin to it. And some surprise loyalties and disloyalties as they explore the hyeong and dongsaeng relationships within the hierarchy of the underworld.
Gu Tak
Our Squad Leader Oh is a surprisingly moralistic guy considering the darkness he portrays. He is also very compassionate and sees the heart and the pain of these hardened guys. I never care much for characters who are already dead, but his flashbacks with his daughter were so sweet and painful.
Jeong Mun
This guy always has his hair in his face. In a way he is the most pathetic out of all of them. The other guys get friendly pretty soon but he’s a hard egg to crack. He’s the psycho pet at the youngest, quietest and most reserved. He’s very nonchalant. Nothing ruffles his feather. He always walks.
Tae Su – contract killer
I loved this character the best. He just gets better and better as the show goes on and the actor is amazing the way he portrays everything so beautifully. He had the best arc and he was always a winner despite the crap things he did and the tragedy that hit him. I like the dignity of this character. He’s very polished and civilised. He is indeed like a wolf. I don’t know if he got in touch with humanity, or he was always quietly human as a contract killer.
“You might be an ass, but your brain works pretty well.”
“We’ll have to find him so he can explain it, right?”
“That’s enough. Should I lose my temper too? Who do you think I’d kill first?”
“Don’t always choose death. First find a way to stay alive.”
“Once we’ve found how to stay alive and have uncovered the truth, there will be plenty of time left to kill each other.”
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This review may contain spoilers
I like how this drama explores all the areas of a comic series and a fanbase. Things like spoilers, waiting for the next episode, coming into a series halfway, the to-be-continueds, etc. It’s similar to time travel when one cannot share one’s paranormal experiences because it’s too weird. Towards the end of the drama it gets seriously nail biting. I don’t really like horror and jump scares, but this drama takes a dip in that direction. One of the most awesome things about this show is how the main leads work together. Kang Chul might be the brains but Yeon Joo is the one that does the work and she’s got a few ideas of her own.
Kang Chul
I’ve never seen Lee Jong Suk play a powerful character. He’s usually a down trodden orphan with a lot of insecurities so it’s hard for me to wrap my head around his new confident persona. I can’t help but be charmed by Lee Jong Suk. His character is reasonable and kind. He’s not too pushy or conceited. He’s very smiley. I like that Yeon Joo’s presence depended on his consistent emotions – such an interesting factor. I love a man who can apologise before he has even developed romantic feelings for his girl. There’s something very flirty about Lee Jong Suk. I kind of love that about him. The winking! Oh my gosh. He’s so cute.
I’ve also noticed that LJS’ characters always have a rather sassy relationship with his elders.
Because surprise is a big factor of this show, it’s such a delight to see LJS’ perplexed face. I really liked how quick he was to catch on to the mystery of Yeon Joo.
Kang Chul is pretty intuitive and smart. He figures out the “logic” of things and how the rules work. I like how he was so professional with his agenda.
Yeon Joo
Yeon Joo is pretty badass when it comes to controlling the webtoon. It’s so great that she also does her own reasoning as to how the webtoon magic worked.
I like that Yeon Joo does her research and doesn’t need to be told the answers. She can find them herself. She might show some similar traits to idiotic fluttery Kdrama heroines but she’s not bad at piecing things together and accepting things calmly without throwing a hissy fit. To even the power play, Chul has to consult with Yeon Joo about things he doesn’t know. He can’t afford to hide things from her when it comes to danger because she could really help him. I really love how useful she is and how important she is to the plot. Just when you think we’re going down the typical route of keeping the girlfriend in the dark, either Kang Chul is just plain honest with her or she figures it out herself.
Romance
I like that the main couple isn’t enemies to start with. I know people complain about epic love stories, but it’s a feel-good romance. The couple isn’t unnecessarily mean or unnecessarily stupid when it comes to their love. They’re honest and secure. The power play is solid too. Yeon Joo gets to save Chul and pretend to manipulate him with her rescuer role. She gives him emotional support, helps him get back on his feet again.
I like that she’s forward in her pursuit of Chul but she’s not desperate. She’s dignified.
I like that she doesn’t let Chul push her away because of his issues and that because of the design of the system, she knows how he feels about her. In a way, Chul can’t have his dignity.
I enjoyed the premise of the separated love. Of the limited time frame of their relationship.
We always see fated lovers. But I like that Kang Chul feels connected to Yeon Joo because she knows him so well. It’s fun to see her call him on his crap because she knows his story. I found it meaningful that she knew every significant moment in Kang Chul’s life. That she knew his motivations and his reasoning. It was kind of an incredible dynamic.
I was impressed by Kang Chul entertaining the possibility that he and Yeon Joo might not make it and really leaving the power to her.
Random Notes
I love Yoon Do’s role in the romance as the message man.
I like that at the end Kang Chul goes back to his old hairstyle. I know it must be difficult to gel when you’re on the run.
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Byeol
Our heroine is a crazy academic and comes from a big family. She starts off pretty inane but then she turns out to be quite the badass. She had some unique trials as a child from scaring off the teachers with her big brain.
I liked seeing Byeol and Han Joo just naturally work together to look after Woo Rahm.
Han Joo
I like how he talked to his kid and how he grew into his role as a father. He wanted to be a better person for his child. I like how heroes become so honest in front of heroine’s parents. Our hero is a gangsta kind of guy.
Han Joo’s Parents
They were such a funny quirky couple.
“I can’t sleep thinking about him.”
“Whose idea was it to run away from home?”
The baby is so cute when he smiles.
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And it kind of makes me laugh about the head nods. How do the hench men know what each one means? The head hench men actually stood out to me. There were pretty cool/weird/interesting.
I liked that the espionage life is acknowledged as being so difficult and soul-crushing. They really explored this idea. I really liked seeing the relationships and how they developed and revealed themselves. Another theme is how everyone just wants to protect someone they love.
I find I am all about that atmosphere. If the drama can convince me of their premise, then I'll totally get on board with whatever's going down. The intensity and the plot is so strong. The story just pulls you in and the drama makes connections repeatedly so you have to find out who is connected and how. When people describe this as a smart drama it's not because it's smart, it's because the drama let's the viewer put two and two together and doesn't spell everything out. I like that. It says a lot because it doesn't say much. You gotta love a drama like that, right? There were so many little things that really impacted me. That scary moment when Eun Soo smiled for instance.
All the characters are quite intense and I found them rather compelling. The music did amazing things to support those emotional and significant moments.
I like that I didn't know how much each character knew and how their responses to situations was unpredictable. I didn't know how they were going to react.
Just when you think one character is in trouble, they reveal what they know and the tables are turned.
I really like how the plot sets traps for the other characters and doesn't explain it to the viewer so you really are on the edge of your seat wondering what they're up to.
I like that for the most part the men treat their female colleagues like any human being and that they sometimes are put off when someone treats these women as females.
Doctor’s Son
The doctor has the Batman instincts. You can definitely see the charisma that is Jung Kyung Ho. He suffers so much tragedy but he is consistently tantalising whether he’s being a badass, being vulnerable or in a tumult of grief and loss.
So there is waffling before things get nail biting again. Actually, I have never experienced sweaty palms when watching a show ever. And this show got me so worked up I was freaked the hell out.
THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. I just lumped Soo Min’s interactions with the two guys in this one section.
At first I thought any romance with that puppy of a girl would be so ridiculous with the seriousness and intensity of the men. But for some reason, I liked it. Maybe because it offered a different avenue after the waffling. Also, it makes no sense, so I guess it’s the quirk factor. I also think I have a thing for that “one happiness” kind of concept where everything is going shit but there’s this one positive thing in their lives that is nice and sweet. It’s funny how everyone is “ahjussi” to Soo Min. I like that it doesn’t have an ahjussi romance feel though. The guys don’t really have the tendency to lord over Soo Min or baby her.
The guys communicate a lot with their body language very subtly. Like the way they turn towards her or look at her in just one little instance. It’s a big deal for them to show any kind of interest when they are so stuck and focused in their own world of corruption and pain. I like that there is no playing games with them. And limited wrist grabbing! Even though sometimes it seems called for and I was just waiting for them to manhandle her.
Jin Sook
Jin Sook’s character is pretty ho hum. I like how she looks after Soo Min. I also like how she knows how to live like a gangsta even when she’s scared. She demands respect.
Towards the end they really show how human she is. And you can see how much she loves Shi Hyun.
Soo Min – Baby Cop
Soo Min doesn’t shy away from the reality of life, so I guess that’s appealing. No wide eyed kissing with her. Her relationship with Jin Hyung Min is so fascinating. I really enjoyed their flashbacks. “That’s not a sister but a gangster.” She of course has her immature moments but she really started growing towards the middle of the drama. It’s like she stops thinking about herself all the time.
Hyung Min
I really liked how Hyung Min softened. How he let his anger and revenge die down and started seeing the people around him. His stern personality kind of made me laugh. He was so consistent even when he was doing a good deed. “Are you hurting? It’ll continue to hurt. It’ll still hurt but you have to make up your mind whether you are going to hurt alone and go on or are you going to burden others and hurt them like you’re doing now. I hope you’ll decide soon and hopefully you won’t burden others anymore.”
The thing about this show is that you have someone to root for on the cop side and the gangsta side. So even if it's dark and dirty, at least you get the satisfaction that the person you're rooting for is winning.
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I like a plot that focuses on little missions throughout the drama. It keeps it interesting and there’s something always happening. Their cases are not very predictable, there’s a lot of rabbit trails, so it makes for a pretty good detective story. The later episodes get a bit laden down with roundabout prosecutor politics.
This drama kind of has a weird feeling. This drama makes the profession of prosecuting cool.
Things move fast in the first episode. You can see frenemies and alliances form.
The pacing just slices through the usual of Kdramas. It’s not drawn out. By the end of the first episode, the two leads are already extending civility to each other.
I like that the team learns to work functionally together pretty quick. One of the things I really liked were how the team was so nice to kids.
Both main characters have their limits to respecting authority. They’re quite audacious actually and I like it for the change.
The main leads have an interesting dynamic of all being invested in their cases even when they’re not getting along. They don’t want to miss out.
The personal reveals are really satisfying.
Those last episodes are SO GOOD for the unraveling of the plot and the emotion behind it.
Dong Chi
“Were you fooling me then? Because I wasn’t playing with you.”
Choi Jin Hyuk is my bias. So I feel like I can’t say much about his role. I’m always going to be on his side. He plays his characters so coolly. His facial expressions are so awesome. I just like the way he portrays Dong Chi and makes use of the blank face just as well as he does the more emotional ones.
I think his character is fun. Yeol Moo shoots him down and he just gets right back up. I also find him to be really sharp and quick on his feet.
He starts off with the usual meanness of a Kdrama hero, at least he’s honest though. He does flirt with her, which is a relief, instead of just taking his frustration out on her. He also lets her fight her own battles and doesn’t always have to rescue her.
I just really felt like he was a refreshingly direct kind of guy who’s honest when he wants to be nice and doesn’t play games.
I like that Dong Chi doesn’t steal Yeol Moo’s thunder. I like that he tries to include her in the work.
He’s quite level-headed with her after he gets over his initial hurt. In a way, he’s not selfish at all. He’s thinking about her welfare most of the time. It can definitely be a little strong-handed, but at least he’s not a jackass.
Dong Chi is the senior prosecutor and the first born of the office if you like. He knows what the chief prosecutor means and doesn’t mean and he knows how much to push.
Romance
I like the way it developed. How much Yeol Moo despised Dong Chi, and how she came to respect him, trust him, and appreciate him.
Dong Chi has always liked Yeol Moo so there wasn’t such a progression. It was almost like he was just biding his time. His funny way of flirting is pretty cute. And he’s so easy going with his pursuit of her. He plays the game well.
Some of his advances is cringey due to his caveman approaches but other times he just is perfect. It’s not so much the push and pull but rather he is flexible to when he holds onto her and when he lets her go.
If Yeol Moo wants to talk shop, he’ll talk shop.
Yeol Moo and Dong Chi are interesting. And I liked how Dong Chi still has some of that overconsideration that is so appealing.
“I’m sorry for making you make hard decisions.”
Kang Soo
“He has been nice ever since he was little.”
Kang Soo is a really fabulous character. He is incredibly docile but he’s also very fierce when it comes to his loved ones. I enjoyed his complexity. Kang Soo is always helping people silently like his chivalry is a matter of course.
I like how quick Kang Soo is to take care of Yeol Moo.
One of the best scenes that really shows who Kang Soo is is in episode 7 after Kang Soo goes through a crisis and his grandmother is telling him to straighten his shoulders and his surrogate father is backing the grandmother up.
Actually Kang Soo’s story is probably the most horrific out of everyone’s back stories. The way Kang Soo’s history relates to everyone around him is just crazy. I like that even though it must hurt he doesn’t hold it in to himself and he lets the people around him know.
I liked how Yeol Moo and Kang Soo started getting grouped together as Dong Chi’s kids and Yeol Moo and Kang Soo would look at each other in their love and concern for Dong Chi with a silent, “We’re worried about Dong Chi.” expression.
Kang Soo and Chan is always gold but there’s this beautiful scene where Chan isn’t even in screen but it’s just his hand comforting Kang Soo and it’s so touching. Actually, Kang Soo getting comforted is one of the best things in this show because people relate to him differently. I love that one of the keys to Yeol Moo’s mother was talking Kang Soo out of his sorrow and survivor guilt.
Yeol Moo
Yeol Moo is not your usual flighty, sensitive heroine. She can take a punch. Right from the start she’s got a tough personality. She gets the prize for calmest reaction to forced kiss.
I liked her acting. Her grief has aged her. She has her reasons for everything she does.
Similar to me, she is attracted to competency. She hears a lot about Dong Chi from the people closest to him. And that’s the main thing that helps shift her opinion of him.
I like the way she puts her differences aside and is able to work with him pretty well.
Sometimes she’s so hot-headed that it frustrates me she won’t listen to Dong Chi’s experience and advice and just takes everything he says as a personal attack or chalks it up to him just being evil and heartless.
It’s a bit unusual to see the heroine compromise. Most of the time we see such a pure and righteous heroine who stalwartly never gives up on her values. But Yeol Moo goes against that.
I like how Yeol Moo is in her relationship with Dong Chi when they decide to date.
Gwang Mi
I like this character. She’s smart and subtle and she works with the buffoon airheaded character but she’s the brains of the office.
Random Thoughts
I really like the feel of Episode 19 where the Chief and Dong Chi are battling but not really battling it out. I love how clever Dong Chi is at seeing through his chief. There’s a lot of cat and mouse. But there’s also a strong undercurrent of family and emotion and how unforgiveable it is to Dong Chi that because of his chief, he had to let his father see him in handcuffs.
Even Yeol Moo comes out swinging in a rather impressive way using her brains and people’s perspective of her.
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The first half of this show is great. It’s still strong as it goes along. But the big reveal somehow seemed unsatisfying. Of course there are some moments when they hit the nail on the head with the feels but other times I just felt disconnected. It’s mainly Sung Joon’s character. I feel like we don’t get to experience what she’s thinking. Her decision making feels detached. The most impactful moments are when Min Ho doesn’t know whose heart he now possesses. I was glad that the show explored togetherness. I still would’ve liked the drama to explore more how the two would navigate a relationship. But I suppose the general feels is that love conquers all.
Min Ho
Min Ho is a funny character.
“I’m going to send you flowers until I die!”
He plays the sinister as well as he does the comedy. I really love how naturally he talks, the way he mucks around, and he’s so darn quirky.
“What kind of charms do you have exactly? You are only as tall and skinny as me, like anchovies.”
Despite Min Ho’s doubts about his romancing, he does it quite naturally. Min Ho is such an adorable sap when he’s in love.
“But I’m a little sad. I thought this feeling was very special and precious.”
“This special feeling, I wish it was mine.”
“Come hell or high water, I am going to love you.”
I like that from the start Min Ho looks at Sung Joon in a very intense way.
He is rather vulnerable around her when he’s not being a jackass. It’s so strange.
If it wasn’t for Sung Joon’s gentle persistence and belief in him, he would be such a douche. But she rounds him out nicely. Makes him human.
“Either way Director, you’re not a bad person. You’re just hurt on the inside.”
Min Ho has a few great lines.
“It’s not my fault.”
“But I liked you because you’re you, Kim Soon Jung. I just wanted to tell you that.”
“I didn’t have a need to love because I didn’t have a next time for me.”
Joon Hee
Joon Hee is the bad guy. But he is also the kicked puppy.
“Joon Hee and I don’t have any family. If we don’t take care of each other, nobody will do it. We have lived this way for all our lives.”
This would be nice if it were true. But Joon Hee still has a dad who Joon Hee kicks all the time. Also, Sung Joon still had a dad into adulthood.
Dong Wook
“As I’ve always told you, happiness may seem to just pass by, but sadness passes by as well.”
Dong Wook is the honest and straightforward fiancee. I really liked how well he knew Sung Joon.
After he dies, it’s actually really sad to see where his heart leads him and how his heart reacts in his new body.
It actually is really romantic how Dong Wook’s love for Sung Joon is so strong that it’s biological.
At first I thought it was miserable that his romance gets lost in Min Ho’s blooming relationship with Sung Joon. But in a way, Min Ho gets his comeuppance by forever having Dong Wook live through him in the little things.
Sung Joon
Sung Joon is a cool character. I love how unfazed she is by Min Ho’s brusqueness and bullying.
She doesn’t have family but her fiancee’s family loves her.
Sung Joon is stalwart. She is steady and doesn’t let her emotions get the best of her. She’s one of those scary secretaries that know how to keep a straight face.
Anything that happens in life, she’s ok. Fiancee dead? Fine. End of her career? Fine.
Sung Joon is an amazing secretary who really looks out for her company and her bosses’ best interests.
I love her direct politeness. How feisty she is even while being impeccably respectful.
The only thing I didn’t like about her was her moralistic, over righteous behaviour. Sometimes it seemed out of place and forced.
Other than that, I loved how insightful she is.
Most times her feelings towards Min Ho are unclear but I like that she says this, “No matter how serious the situation is, you always make me laugh.” And I could see that was definitely a big part of their relationship.
Dong Wook’s Dad
He’s a great guy and a real lovely Ahjussi. “My son’s death wasn’t completely meaningless.”
He has many beautiful moments in the drama.
“My heart knew then. There’s something about this guy! That’s the relationship between a parent and a child.”
“Maybe you love those two in different ways.”
But he’s also really funny too with the way he interacts with Min Ho.
“This used to be my son’s favourite dish! I guessed it correctly!”
“Why are you looking for vicarious satisfaction from someone else’s son? How perverted.”
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The start of this drama is quite dark but by episode three it starts getting into the swing of things.
The story gripped me and I really wanted to see what would happen with the scenario.
You wouldn’t think that a show like this could be fun, but at times it was.
It’s a bit repetitive with Soo Hyun losing her shit over and over again and just going into a panic and not thinking except in mother mode. Her character isn’t bad though. When she’s not flailing around, or even when she is, she does know how to use her brains and can act fast. She gets into a few fights and has to go tooth and nail to survive but she can wiggle her way out of a mess.
Not surprising, there are three men in Soo Hyun’s life who are protecting her in some capacity. And who are ready to fight for her in their own spheres.
The other annoying thing is that whenever a revelation is about to be revealed they get interrupted. That is such a lame plot device.
I liked seeing Soo Hyun’s attitude towards Young Gyu change.
The show gets intense towards the end.
Dong Chan
There is no romance but you can see the way Dong Chan feels about his Ahjumma. He never says her name, I don’t think.
“You’re wild just like your mother.”
Dong Chan is as nice guy. I like how tough as nails he’s supposed to be. And then he disguises his kindness in his rough way by saying sarcastic things but he makes it so much more cheery.
I love how natural singing is in Korean dramas. Dong Chan’s singing was definitely a highlight.
I liked seeing a bit of conflict between older and steady characters. There’s a really intense scene when Dong Chan intervenes between Soo Hyun and her husband and you can see the complexity of the situation.
A bit sad to see the beautiful Kim Yu Bi acting like a brat. But she also has an overgenerous spirit that can be charming when it’s not grating.
She fights with her mother a lot, but mainly because she’s afraid and in awe of her.
“I also want to become a person like you.”
It was really interesting to see Ji Hoon’s parenting contrasted and compared to Soo Hyun’s throughout the drama. Initially, he is obviously not in a panic and he doesn’t suffer over worry of his daughter because he has no idea. He is also the “good cop” when it comes to parenting. But things change.
It’s also fascinating to see how Soo Hyun comes to distrust her husband and trust Dong Chang. Even as Dong Chan is calling her ahjummah, he’s the one that can so naturally hold her and be her support.
The ending? Mind blowing.
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This line is for the perfectionist, workaholic kids out there, like me.
I was actually really impressed by the way this drama addressed not kicking people when they were down. And that that was the whole point about cheerleading. It’s not for those who are in their happy place or people who are necessarily good. It’s people who need cheering up. There is a lot of generosity in this show. It really hit home for me the importance of showing support for people even though it might not seem like much, even when it seems like words won't help the situation.
The plot is fast-moving. As soon as someone says they’re going to do something, they do it, and it gets resolved pretty quick. So I like that we don’t have to wait or dread future happenings. I was warned that this was some serious content, but at least none of the kids are dealing with poverty, teenage pregnancy, jail, sexual assault, or homelessness. I’ve only ever watched two school dramas and that’s what was entailed so, in comparison this was pretty smooth sailing. For the record, this is my favourite school drama ever.
Kim Yeol
“Kim Yeol isn’t someone who you can mess with.”
Our rival leader has such a happy and empathetic face, it’s hard to dislike him. He also does this weird head dip that you might see on older actors. It’s a bit strange. He of course pulls off his menacing side very well too.
Kim Yeol is rather resigned to the system. He’ll protect himself but he’s rather bored with life.
“Geez...even when I lie, I’m practically bursting with sincerity.”
I couldn’t help but like him. There’s something about his expression and delivery of his lines that entertained me. Even in negative circumstances, there’s a non-sardonic smile that finds its way to his face. It’s a bit contrary to the usual image of a high school king.
He’s quite direct, I like that about him too. That he doesn’t beat around the bush.
“You wouldn’t talk to me, so I had no other way. So I prepared a time and place for us to talk.”
It’s also a really interesting concept to have characters acting so mean to people but then so freakin’ loyal to others. It’s such a clear theme in this story.
“Pride? That seems to be the most important thing to you. But for me, that friend is a lot more important.”
Right from the first episode, there is no room for judgment as we see the “bad guys” established. Everyone has their reasons or knows how to make up for their mistakes. I’m glad, because I didn’t want to watch a drama that made me really angry at a particular person. It was nice that I could root for everyone.
Another theme is trust. Kim Yeol always goes on about not trusting adults and people in general. But he started to change when people started putting their trust in him.
Yeon Doo
Eun Ji has the biggest brightest smile that wants to make me laugh every time I see it. She plays her character in such a fun and realistic way. I feel like her creativity for doing her own thing is really off the charts. I mean showing up to the preppy classroom in a sleeping bag? Gosh, I love this girl.
I can also understand why everyone looks to her for leadership. She has so much charisma and charm and ferocity.
If someone tries to physically intimidate her she just gives it right back to them.
It’s also so great how loyal her posse is and how they all care about her so much.
Her loyalty is what makes everyone love her.
Dong Jae
I usually see N so full of himself so it’s nice to see him as the innocent and quiet Dong Jae.
I love the friendship between Dong Jae and Yeon Doo. I love that even when she’s mad she remembers not to have physical contact and instead bashes him with a tissue box.
Dong Jae keeps such a calm expression on his face all the time. Even in tense situations his face never carries any malice. I really liked that about him. He’s very accepting of whatever happens.
Kim Yeol - “Dong Jae always gives you strawberry milk. I’ll make myself different by giving you vanilla milk.”
Ha Joon
“He learned how to love even if it hurts.”
Everything that comes out of Ji Soo’s mouth is gold.
Ji Soo is once again a hot-headed, angry and suicidal kid.
“I cut myself. Do you know why I did that? Every time you beat me up I also hated myself to death. I felt like I was useless. But I don’t feel that way anymore. I still get depressed at times, but...I will try to hold on to myself from now on.”
I liked how he totally didn’t mind that his best bud was falling for their arch enemy. I really liked how he became friends with Yeon Doo. That gummy bear scene is so cute.
At first Ha Joon is only loyal to Kim Yeol. But then he started expanding his friendship circle. And he really is so brave with the way he backs up the crazy Yeon Doo. Ha Joon is the one character that really has everything on the line.
Yeon Do to Ha Joon - “That’s why you get mad because you don’t know your own feelings.”
Kim Yeol - “Seo Ha Joon! You traitor! Choose between me and Kang Yeon Do.”
Ha Joon - “Of course I’d choose you.”
Yeon Do - “Yeah!”
Ha Joon - “But she’s so strong...”
Ha Joon jokingly says, “If he cheats come to me. I’m very faithful, you know.”
Ha Joon’s relationship with Yeon Doo is really interesting. He wouldn’t have liked her so much if it wasn’t for him opening up to her because of his best bud’s interest in her. And he also loves her because she is so concerned about Kim Yeol, just like he is. His like for her almost seems like an extension of his friendship with Kim Yeol. He even (only) gets jealous when Kim Yeol gets jealous of someone else. Ha Joon likes to see Yeon Doo happy with Kim Yeol. Kim Yeol, is a bit more territorial haha.
“Wait...why am I jealous of them getting punished?”
I kind of like how the perspective on punishment changed throughout the drama.
For the posh kids, it was like it was the end of the world. But they came to see that it’s just part of life and sometimes it’s worth it, or sometimes being punished with your mates isn’t so bad as long as you’re together.
Romance
“Now you kids are flirting by using pickled radish?”
Bahahhaha.
In the end Kim Yeol and Yeon Doo were like a married couple looking after the kids, and supporting each other like a well-oiled machine. They’re such mature teens.
“If I’m alone with you under an umbrella...I may get myself in trouble.”
I like the premise of the two opposing gang leaders. A bit of a Romeo and Juliet. Even right from the start, almost every time Kim Yeol looked at Yeon Doo when she wasn’t watching he smiled or looked completely fixed on what she would do next.
It’s also interesting to see that it’s a relationship that could only develop if one of them was defeated. One of the things that Korean dramas like to do is let a hero see the heroine’s raw pain, and that is what moves him. I guess it’s a passion thing, that he saw her heart, and realised what he’d done to wound her.
I kind of liked how easy going Yeon Doo is. She’s not too prideful or spiteful against Kim Yeol.
They let a lot of words fly, but I feel like there’s a grudging respect on both sides.
“Hey, you idiot!”
“I’m No. 1 in this school!”
“I know, you No. 1 idiot!”
I love how Kim Yeol knows he’s being unreasonably jealous towards the naive Dong Jae and how he tries to drop hints to make Dong Jae go.
“You should eat at home! Your mum will be disappointed!”
Dong Jae – “Yeon Doo. Let’s eat dinner at your place.”
Kim Yeol - “Hey! E-e-eat….at your own place.”
I also liked how the couple showed the parents that it wasn’t puppy love.
Yeon Doo - “I was a person who didn’t think much, but just did things. I’ve calmed down a bit now. I’ve also learned to protect myself thanks to Yeol. ”
Kim Yeol - “I am grateful and happy that she believes in me no matter what. Now that I’m with Yeon Doo who believes in me...I’m beginning to have the courage to believe in other people.”
I also noticed that when Koreans want to change the conversation to something more intimate, they thank the person.
Bromance
Hell. Yes.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen this.”
“Huh? What.”
“That kind of expression on your face and you laughing like that.”
I love how observant the friends are. And the way Ha Joon notices how happy Kim Yeol is.
Kim Yeol - “We should do nothing. We don’t smile or cry. Let’s stay quiet as if we were dead. The adults want us to do that.”
Ha Joon - “That’s why I’m trying my hardest to survive. It’s all for you.”
Ha Joon -“I’m on my knees now for what Ha Joon did yesterday. Please forgive him.”
Kim Yeol - “I don’t care.”
Ha Joon - “It doesn’t sound like that’s coming from someone who turned the classroom upside down for her.”
I thought it was interesting the way the boys each showed their true colours in protecting Yeon Doo. For example, Kim Yeol always approached in a very predictable, political way while Ha Joon stood up for her in rather dramatic and risky ways.
Yeon Doo’s mother is the best. “It’s ok if you’re not good at studying. It’s not like your grades could get any lower, anyway. And dancing...I’ll allow it since you love it so much. But I won’t be able to stand it if you’re ostracised or in pain alone, ok?”
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“I searched for love like a madman all my life, but I’ve never loved myself.”
I like how the girls watch each other’s lives like it’s part of their daily television viewing.
The girls’ personalities are so different. We've got the doormat, the man slayer, the quiet one, the bossy one and the princess. They have a hierarchy of course with the two main seniors, and the three younger ones. But I liked seeing them cross the boundaries to team up together.
I think the main thing about this drama is that since we have five heroines we get a lot of personality. Things that we don’t usually get to see in Kdrama heroines, because obviously they all have to be different not the same cardboard cut out copy.
The girls have different combinations of dynamic because obviously the girls aren’t always all together at the same time.
Eun Jae
Eun Jae is the seriously boring one who is so meek and mild and the only interesting thing about her is her love interest and her backstory. So weird that such a personality has a mother like she does. The story starts and ends with Eun Jae though, and in a way, it kind of wraps it up nicely for me. We underestimate her screen value for most of the drama.
Yi Na
Senior Kang is the man slayer, and even though she was the second to arrive at the apartment, she kind of reminds me of the oldest sister. Taking everything for granted but secretly protective over the other girls.
Jin Myung
The quiet one is my favourite. Because she isn’t exactly exaggerated quiet. She’s just no-nonsense and dignified, and I loved her so much. I like how I’m surprised every time she speaks or smiles and jokes around, but she totally owns it. I really felt for her as she cuts off romance before it has time to do anything, it’s totally something I would do. There are so many things about her that I really could associate with. I had such a girl crush on her. Everything she does is awesome. The other girls also act like Jin Myung owns the house. It was sweet how much they thought of her and how she didn’t even realise how much they respected her. In a way she’s so gentle but she’s for sure the scariest of them all. Even though she’s the reserved one she has no problem being part of the girl team and being one of them.
Jin Myung’s dreams and longings are so intense and unattainable for her. She wants so much but feels she can’t ever get there.
Ji Won
Then there’s the bossy one. She’s also the eccentric one but I liked how she was the comforter of the group. She had the biggest heart and stood up for justice and all. She observes and understands people. She’s also desperate for a man, she’s everything and she tries to be so friendly and I also feel that annoyance when you try so hard to make someone like you and it just doesn’t go down. I like that Senior Kang wasn’t the only one who could talk with guys. Ji Won is so confident she kind of overpowers her men, is all.
Ye Eun
Actually, she probably bored me the most. I was really glad that she broke up with her douchebag.
Romance
It was also really great getting interested and involved with the girls’ love lines.
I could kind of see myself in all of the girls and the way they approached romance. From Senior Kang’s trust issues, to Jin Myung's too-busy excuses, Ji Won's forwardness, to Eun Jae's awkwardness, and Ye Eun's attempts at putting on a show.
“A party?”
“Yeah. They’ll be a cute girl, a lovely girl, a glamorous girl"
This drama has a bunch of fresh faces. Sure, I recognised a few here and there, but it was nice to see nobody that I already knew from another drama.
Also the fact that there are a lot of get-to-know-you relationships in this drama, it was cute and fun to see how they developed from shy or antagonistic or friends-to-lovers (“Friends shouldn’t photoshop the reality of their lives to one another”). Korean love interests, are such softies, so innocent and nice, it’s very satisfying. Also, they’re tall haha.
Even the landlady was so funny with the way she threw things at the men who lingered around the girls’ door. I really loved that part near the end when all the love interests show up one at a time to check on their lady love and each lady is so surprised to know that she has a gentleman who would bother to show up.
There’s very little soundtrack involved, which is refreshing.
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I liked the filming. I usually don’t notice things like this but this movie made me pay attention.
This is a really fun twist of putting a 17 year old into a 28 year old body.
I really liked how confident she is and how she acts like a teenager so beautifully.
17 year old Liang is so much fun and sassy. Her facial expressions are so relaxed and free.
The premise was so cute that I really wanted some creativity to the storyline. It was a bit lacking especially the motivations of the current 28 year old Liang was so weak. But at least she played with her own character a bit.
“I want to experiences lots of things with you. We’ve got plenty of time, right?”
I really loved the idea of how Liang had it in her and she just had to reclaim that skill of hers.
“She made me who I am.”
I think that’s such a beautiful perspective of one’s youth. Everyone has regrets on past behaviours and decisions but the person who made those decisions is still you and you made you who you are.
A woman who is a master of her craft is always a delight to see.
“No one cares about me in your world.”
“But you can take care of yourself. Don’t you remember how we slowly lost ourselves amidst our emotions and confusion?”
She had to love herself, reconcile with her past, to get on with her life.
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As with most Chinese dramas that I watch, I skim through most of it stopping on the parts I like but in the end I get really attached to the characters.
I like how the relationships evolved in this drama.
The romance can be quite ambiguous. I guess it had the feel of young people not knowing the fickleness of attraction.
Ruo Bai
Yang Yang is such a romantic actor. I first saw him in Love O2O and that show didn’t really give him the chance to act the great range of emotions that he displays here so beautifully.
Ruo Bai respect Bai Cao’s loyalty and her kindness and her calmness in the face of mean people.
Also, because he’s a kind person, he wants to look out for her.
His face is amazing. He’s the kind of actor that is hot when he’s frowning and adorable when he’s smiling. Also his voice. Anything he says is sexy. “Even if you lose, it doesn’t matter.”
I love how Yang Yang can make such a stiff and emotionless character so compelling. I like that as a teacher he views Bao Cai quite analytically but because of that he falls in love with her because he likes what he sees. He knows about her because its his job to, but he ends up liking her.
And the hair cutting incident. OMG. Ruo Bai’s reaction is priceless.
I really like that Ruo Bai isn’t good at everything. But he is good at giving inspirational speeches. A few of them are just psychological jabs, but when he gets going he is so motivational haha.
I found his relationship with Bai Cao fascinating. There are a lot of angsty heroes out there but Ruo Bai’s behaviour makes sense to me. His character is already the quiet type and the fact that all the things he would like to say to Bai Cao are always being witnessed by not one but two love rivals, there really is no room for him to speak.
But he is very zen and calm and selfless and happy to quietly love Bai Cao without her knowing. “Here in this time...it’s as if I have the whole world already.” *be still my beating heart
I like how his facial expressions started to have more warmth and he started smiling at her so sweetly.
Ruo Bai’s BFF really brings it home for the viewers.
BFF: Are you just generous or mentally unstable?
Ruo Bai: It’s fine if she’s happy.
At the end of the drama, Ruo Bai really goes for broke, it was just incredible. Yang Yang does an outstanding job.
Bai Cao
Bai Cao does a lot of crying and whinging. She’s a typical stand-up, righteous character. I like that she didn’t just take the sport at face value but really thought about what was going on in the game. I really like that she used her brains and strategy to defeat her opponents.
Everyone consistently accuses Bao Cai of everything under the sun, her motives, her thought processes, her life. The girl can’t catch a break.
I like how easily Bai Cao dismisses Ruo Bai’s hotness and kindness. She just sees him as a coach and totally takes him for granted. But later on she reveals that she knows she is like his family, so it was an interesting turn. I especially think that she is one brave chick to confess first to Ruo Bai because he wears his walls so stalwartly and comfortably I would never have dared.
My favourite bits was when she was practicing with her serious face on and her movements were so fluid and she acted so naturally and kicked so nonchalantly.
Ting Hao
This character starts out really predictably, but the actor really owns the personality so I enjoyed this dude's screen time quite a lot towards the end.
Random Notes
I like that there was a twist to the fat-shaming. And obviously fat-shaming is never good but they rounded out the chubby characters a bit better than usual.
It was also funny to see the girls fashion styles when they weren’t all geared up to fight.
Chu Yuan is so passive and dense and slow I have no words.
Guang Ya was my favourite secondary character. She’s so goth.
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The hero is a rascal, but the heroine isn’t too far behind with her immaturity. They do kind of suit each other with the silly games they play to deal with their problems and get what they want.
It’s always interesting when the hero treats a heroine badly and then when they see another guy step on her, he feels like that’s not right.
Gae Hwa - “I think I would be really glad if you succeeded.”
Min Woo - “What’s so good about other people succeeding? You have to succeed yourself.”
For an ego-centric star, this is a nice turn around for Min Woo.
Chae Rim is a great actress. I loved how her tears were so natural and sincere. I really liked her personality. She was all the good and funny things about an ahjumma. Determined, motherly and practical. Also, Chae Rim is so cute. She’s direct, it’s lovely.
Min Woo is not the most charming of rascals, but when he tries to make things right, he does it well.
It’s quite unusual for a drama to make the hero go through a maturing process. The way he makes amends is so adorable. It was a real nice change to have the hero have to go through that development process.
I liked the whole dad vibe he ended up cultivating. It was so sweet and also weighty that this young guy who didn’t care about anything but himself started to care about his little family of females.
“What is this? They’re only having fun amongst themselves. Aigoo. Aigoo Aigoo.”
Kim Yoo Bin is so intensely cute.
Even Min Ji the daughter is really nice and clever.
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This show is called K2 for a reason. It’s all about Ji Chang Wook’s role and everyone else is sort of useless. It really shows in Episode 13 when Ji Chang Wook is working hard and using his brains and the politicians are shaking hands and his girlfriend is lying in bed watching TV, and the secret agents are peeling beans in the kitchen.
The drama takes a while to get interesting. It’s a gentle and subtle sort of story but it stays with you and the big moments are big moments. I like the sort of strange premise of bad guys getting beaten by other bad guys and then taken care of by the good guys.
It’s really interesting to see how Je Ha can sympathise with Madame even while knowing how perfectly evil she is and how he can be nice to her while even knowing the full extent of her selfishness. And he hides his contempt well and he sees so clearly right through her.
Je Ha – male lead
I've only seen Ji Chang Wook in Healer. Je Ha has more confidence than Jung Hoo from Healer. I think Je Ha’s attitude was really great. He was always useful, always willing, yet always in control.
“He’s not a hunting dog. He’s a wolf.”
JCW’s character is both action and brains. You gotta love that. One of the skills of Koreans is getting into the heart of the matter. They really know how to hit a bad guy where it hurts.
I love how ruthless JCW is.
If Yoo Jin insults him with her petty ways he takes it up a level.
There’s nothing more satisfying than getting under the bad guy’s skin.
I'm not one for political thrillers. But this one reeled me right in. The characters are chilling.
I really loved Je Ha's snarky language, “your unsolicited concern” and “So all you people need to do is pray that I get through each and every day alive, no matter what” hahahah
He doesn’t let anyone step on him. And it’s interesting how verbal he is with getting what he wants. He’s not a “hit first talk later” kind of guy.
With his relationship with Yoo Jin, I think he also sees a bit of himself in her. The way she fights so hard and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty to survive.
Ji Chang Wook is so good at being badass and vulnerable in a heart beat. I like how Je Ha is confident of his own value.
He’s actually pretty tough in the romance and I liked that. He doesn’t give a lot when he doesn’t want to. He’s confident with the way he handles Anna.
Anna – female lead
Yoona kind of gets the short end of the stick. Her role is not very exciting at all. All she does is cry and scream and tremble. I think her appeal for Je Ha is that he has found a creature who is more forlorn and bizarre than him. I liked that he had compassion for her, that he was interested in her. It was cute.
She was kind of like his pet. Like a tamagochi. When she went all prickly it was satisfying to see her being won over by Je Ha’s chivalry. I wasn’t sure if I’d like the relationship between her and Je Ha but Ji Chang Wook has got so much chemistry, I shouldn’t have worried. Just a word from Je Ha, and Anna starts thinking of other people instead of just herself and it’s really nice how she applies her revelation straight away.
I really liked that he talked some sense into her. He called her a cry baby hahaha.
I really like that even though the mother was the victim, the drama didn’t sugar coat her personality and her flaws. Anna knew to remember her fully and not just as the perfect dead mother.
When Anna starts interacting with people, it’s actually really fun.
Anna’s character is pretty weak but she was pretty damn useful and quick in a fight.
There’s a surprising amount of equality in the relationship.
Yoo Jin
“I’ve never betrayed anyone who’s never betrayed me before.”
I like that Madame Yoo Jin is so seldom sincere that the people around her can’t even detect her vulnerable moments because they think she’s just up to something.
“She’s the type to not shed blood in public even when she’s been shot!”
I was worried about her being annoying, but I kind of rooted for her as well. I liked the way she was calculating and how if someone made her uncomfortable she would make them uncomfortable right back.
In a way, I thought it would be more fun if she was more cold, and we later got to see her break. But, I guess it’s alright that she has a lot of observable pain right from the start.
I really like the filming when Madam calls Je Ha “K2” before the mission. I loved how the drama showed that Madame cared about Je Ha.
“If you find yourself in a situation that’s too dangerous, it’s ok to come back.”
I like how the plot came down to the two siblings.
I also liked how Choi Yoo Jin’s scary relationship with her husband progressed.
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Office dynamics. I liked seeing how they were like a rag tag family. How circumstances or problems drew them together. They would fight between themselves but if an outsider tries to take them down, everyone teams up.
I also liked seeing how with just a look, the other team members conveyed their concern for their colleague. Rival yes, but colleague when push came to shove.
Actually, the drama makes a bit of a theme of that. Of how in the relationships people might really not get along but they actually do respect each other and want to work together.
Geu Rae
This guy is a bit sad and small. He gets on fire when he's got a task he has to do. His only talent is playing Go. That talent springs up in some unexpected places. Not just the problem solving aspect but also that competitive streak.
“Over the years, my focus on winning has grown even if I'm a loser now. I'm a pro at it.”
He's a bit slow, sure, but when people hurt him relationally, he doesn't really let it go.
It was also good to see him being so happy when someone stood up for him. Slowly slowly his boss starts to ease up on him.
It was so satisfying when he impressed.
I liked him even warming up to his boss' gruffness and understanding his sincerity.
As the drama goes on, he starts making more facial expressions, which is also really great. It's always funny how dramas do that. It makes you appreciate the character even more and enjoy the show as you get more personality.
Mr. Oh
He's a tough character but you can see that he really is a justice man. He doesn't like it when things are unfair.
“I get more suspicious when he's so chirpy.”
Young Yi
Young Yi is good at her job. I was glad to see her with less airs as an intern and someone who doesn't mind wearing her heart on her sleeve a bit more.
She gets treated badly due to her gender.
I really liked seeing her bravery and how she could be so strong especially when her past came back to haunt her.
Her team sucks but it was cool when they banded together against a common foe.
Baek Ki
Baek Ki's struggle with his boss seemed like the unfair tension that often happens in romantic relationships in Kdramas. It's strange to see it happening between two males.
His boss, Mr. Kang is so chill and calm. Mr. Kang is also the dude from KMHM and I loved him.
Dong Sik
I liked how he had a chat with Geu Rae and just was like saying how impressed he was with him and how he actually wanted to get to know him as a friend.
“He's part of Sales Team 3 now. We should accept our members no matter what.”
Everyone's got different problems. Too little work, too much work. It was interesting to see when the team leaders got together and the dynamic they have there is completely different to how they are among their own team. Actually, it’s really cute when the main characters get together to do a project too.
It was so great seeing Geu Rae pulling his weight and being part of the team where the other newbies still struggled. His team trusted him.
I liked the portrayal of the women. Strong, smart, influential and respected. Fair and fierce.
The drama looks at the different teams in the company. Planning team, resource team, finance team, sales team and how they are their own island and personality.
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I like that the characters weren’t unnecessarily mean to each other just to create some tension.
There were some truly beautiful moments of trust and friendship in this drama.
Zifeng – male lead
Everyone thinks he’s some kind of gangsta. He seems to like Yanuo straight away.
I really came to love Zifeng’s expressions especially when he was unimpressed or didn’t like something. He expresses a lot with his eyes.
That motorcycle bit was so hilarious when he thought Yanuo was asking him for something completely different.
Pi Yanuo – heroine
“I don’t think I have the courage to look into your eyes and tell you, we are no longer bros.”
Megan Lai is one hell of an actress. She is so generous with her emotions. Her excitement was always so cute.
I think Yanuo’s expressions and behaviour are very masculine. There’s a roughness to her that is pretty convincing.
I like whenever anyone confesses to her, she has this appalled look on her face.
She doesn’t have that over fussy personality that is often depicted in gender benders. She doesn’t overreact to things. But her responses are also very genuine.
I like her steady gaze and her brooding nature. It’s kind of fun.
She’s very cool. I loved her.
She doesn’t have any airs of a girly girl. And it was awesome. Even her facial expressions are so perfect when she sneers or when she’s angry.
I also love that she didn’t have bravado, she really did have confidence in herself.
Unlike other cross dressers in dramas, she’s really comfortable in her own skin. She’s not pretending to be anything.
Honestly, this actress has chemistry with everyone.
It’s great that she’s so tall.
Romance
For a while it gets a bit boring with Yanuo being all girly and ditzy, but then she jumps back in charge again and it was great.
I like that Yanuo and Zifeng communicate their jokes with a glance. I like how they teased their friends that way too. The drama really shows how well they know each other. And I find that very unusual the friendship they had.
Even though Zifeng sometimes takes his frustrations out on Yanuo, he is quick to amend his ways when he realises what he’s doing.
I like how the drama showed how openly Zifeng loved Yanuo and how Yanuo was always a little little bit closed off because of the secret she kept from him. Zifeng was so relaxed and affectionate but Yanuo always had this invisible line drawn in the sand that she had to keep from him.
Side Characters
The side characters are also quirky and interesting. The poor English made me crack up.
Xiao Jing is so cute and Zifeng’s mother is not overbearing at all. She has her opinions but she absolutely doesn’t strong arm her children. And I really loved what a beautiful character she is as the show goes on. She really has her own personality and story.
I appreciated Zifeng’s functional relationships with his family. They supported each other. They might get in each other’s way sometimes but they knew how to be united and they trusted each other.
The parental roles are surprisingly self-sacrificing. They at first looked like typical elders but the way they backed their children was very dignified.
Also, the themes of the bro-ship extend to the older generation as well and I like how they explored that.
In a way, it’s a bit hilarious how well the family get along.
Dr Chu
Just when I was getting into the swing of this drama. In comes Dr. Chu to liven things up. Sure it’s an age old trope of introducing a guy that knows the girl is a girl but come on, it’s hilarious. And the drama does it well. That hot springs moment...OMG.
Qing Ying
“The onlooker sees most of the game”
For some reason I really connected with Qing Ying’s character. He’s a bit too serious but that’s what makes him fun. Qing Ying is really cute and kind and sexy with his earrings and I know that’s what the drama is trying to shove down our throats, but I couldn’t help but fall for him anyway. He seems really real and he’s probably the first character that I had this impression that I could smell him. Isn’t that bizarre?
His role is a bit funny because he’s often observing but he generally has this look that says, “You guys are so weird/up to something”.
I also like his dress style.
He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t care about people until they are slightly in trouble or concerned and then he has the most gentlest and sweet attitude towards them.
And I really loved seeing Qing Yang’s role in the dramatic stand offs.
His secondary romance is surprisingly engaging.
Korean vs. Chinese Drama Notes
It’s funny how I also feel that in Chinese dramas it’s rude to call someone by their name with no -ssi or anything.
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