1
alienshore7
United States
The music and cinematography are also excellent.
And since I need to fill 500 characters, let's just say that Lee Ji Eun is fabulous. I knew she had it in her because I saw Producers. But her performance in this is magical: one of the best, if not THE best, lead actress performances I've seen.
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Speaking of Lee Min Ki, he was my original K-actor crush even before Lee Joon Gi. But unfortunately LMK stopped doing dramas and then did a bunch of movies I just wasn't that interested in and he certainly never fell off my radar but after a while I couldn't remember why I loved him so much. Then I watched this drama and thought, oh, yep, that was it! Dang I have missed LMK! There are so many talented K-actors, but there is only one Lee Min Ki. He has a quirk about him and a sincerity in his eyes that no one duplicates. He is absolutely incredible and I hope that we get to see more of him on our screen after this tour de force drama! (I hope he does a sageuk movie or drama some day. Hear me drama gods?)
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This review may contain spoilers
I don't have time to go into details, but also I cannot give spoilers anyhow. I can give this drama the best endorsement I am capable of as a person who has seen A LOT of Kdramas:I have completed 244 dramas (nearly all Korean, a couple Chinese). I had but 1 that I rated a 10 - Signal....until I finished this one. I now have two dramas ranked 10. Yes, it's that good. There are no flaws. This drama is as good as Kdramas get: writing, directing, acting are all superb. There is never a facepalm moment. The lead male is perfection. The lead female is also, for a rare change, perfection! A truly competent and not in the least annoying female lead in a Kdrama, what a rare thing indeed! I had high expectations for this drama given the lead actors. I was not disappointed!
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Anyhow, I am happy that they were able to give us a satisfying ending even if they had to throw logical consistency out the window and drop about 85% of the balls they were trying to juggle. Frankly, I don’t know how this story could have been told properly even in 16 episodes. But the writers did their best as did the cast, and I am thankful.
I will forever remember Beautiful Mind for its gorgeous directing, interesting plot, wonderful cast of secondary characters (Eagle 5, nurse Jang and Dr. Yang – I’m looking at you cuties!), and most of all for forcing me to take Jang Hyuk off my overrated list. He was wonderful in this – wonderful.
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I don't know what else I can add about this drama. It is a perfect 10 in all categories. Heck, even the soundtrack is the best I've ever heard - perfect atmospheric music for every scene.
This drama has no flaws. It is nearly as good as the best American TV I've seen. So, what else can I say?
I guess this. I'm about to take the 205 other Kdramas I've completed and change their ratings down 1/2 point so that Signal can stand alone at 10. No other drama, not even White Christmas, deserves to stand at 10 with Signal.
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But just as I started it for LJK and stayed for LJK, LJK (with some help from Lee Soo Hyuk and even, gasp, Changmin) saved this one for me. If at any point LJK and LSH, and most of the other actors too, hadn't sold this to the hilt, it could have been the utterly crappy hot mess that Night Watchman was. But somehow their commitment to the roles, even when they got stupid, saved this drama.
But what also saved it was the last 4 episodes. The quality of those episodes clearly showed the writer DID have a plan. The writer just had trouble filling in the bits between A and B. The first 2 episodes were wonderful. The last 4 episodes were also very good. I could probably find 4 episodes in the middle that were not totally terrible. So if this drama had been 10 episodes it actually would have been pretty awesome. As it is, it's only okay, but brought to the level of better than okay because of the acting. If you love Lee Jun Ki as much as I do, you will still find something to love in this drama despite its MANY flaws.
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So, why do I love this drama and more importantly love it enough to review it, which I don't do that often?
Reasons 1, 2 and 3 FRESH PLOT / GREAT WRITING! Based on the original synopsis for this drama which was vague and sounded like a bit of mismash, this should have been a total trainwreck at worst and average at best. But this is one of the most original and well thought out dramas I've ever seen (and at this time I've watched 191 Kdramas to completion). This writer knew from the start exactly how every little detail would play out and NEVER deviated from it. It is so obvious in the small touches that are added throughout the show that if you blink you might miss. It all builds to something and every detail has a purpose.
So often dramas start out with this kind of attention to detail just to start dropping balls all over the place in the second half, but not IRY. And this fact is made extra surprising and noteworthy because of the live shoot system that I know had them filming part of final episode the day of its airing and because this show had such low ratings. Too often with low rated shows in SK, the plot goes haywire as they make changes to try and get viewership back. This NEVER works, btw and the results are always TERRIBLE! But IRY was too cohesive, too well thought out. It just felt like such a nice whole beginning to end. The pace NEVER flagged. They never did the around the wheel mess so many dramas do to stretch it out (actually, I think this drama would not have been hurt by one more episode).
And then as if the plot itself didn't make it enjoyable enough, the writer throws in these deep philosophical themes that you have to peel back like an onion because you think you know what the theme is until the very last episode actually reveals the most important theme (and message) to be something else, which you then realize was hinted at all along if you weren't so caught up in all the other greatness.
Finally, I love how unpredictable the plot was. Just when you thought it would go one way it went another. It was seemingly predictable but then you realize that was a feint. There were big reveals to be had that really weren't and you could think the writer messed it up, but then you realize that was never the point and the writer was totally above the big reveal gimmick that so many dramas stake their plot on. So great not falling into that trope trap.
Reason 4 this drama is so great: CHARACTERS! So I guess that is actually 3b since really this is also great writing. Cha Ji An is one of the best female Kdrama characters of all time. Seriously. And by far the best female cop character ever. She is real; she is good, but not a supergenius. She is capable, but not unbelievably so, rather realistically so. She is honest with her feelings and her thoughts. She is emotional when it is appropriate but can rein it in when she needs to be logical. She makes decisions and behaves like a real human being. I never found myself yelling at her for being an overemotional idiot or a noble idiot or any other kind of idiot. I love her! I love her sooooo much!
My love for Ji An, though, doesn't mean I also didn't love our male lead because oh boy did I! It's just great male leads are a lot more common in Kdramas where great female leads are like emeralds in Minecraft. Everything I said about Ji An in a way also applies to Hyun. Even though we get the set up of Hyun being a geeeeeeeenius, he still feels very real. He is honest when he should be even though he does hide things from other characters, I always felt like there were good reasons (or at least good within the context of the character). His character was always true to himself, even when he was conflicted as heck and well should have been.
And all the other characters are wonderful too, especially Min!
#5: ACTING! I never thought much of Jang Nara before this drama. I thought was was a cute, perfectly serviceable although not even remotely interesting or charismatic actress. But, you know what, she freaking kills it in this! I guess that is what great writing will do for you! I have been a Seo In Guk fan since Reply and he certainly did not let me down here. He is his always awesome self! Park Bo Geom was incredible. He embodied his very difficult character perfectly. There wasn't a weak link in the bunch.
#6: THE ROMANCE. Or, more to the point, the lack thereof - sort of. And if you are confused, let me explain. Kdramas are all about the romance - right? Usually anyhow. It's what they do so well that keeps the ahjummas swooning and tuning in. But the problem with all of that focus on romance in Kdramas is that it usually becomes a caricature of itself. Case in point, the currently airing Scholar Who Walks the Night where they pushed the romance so hard and fast that it sucked all the life and logic out of it. Romance in Kdramas is fun, but it also is often ridiculous. The OTP will just die if they are not together. Everything in their lives becomes about their true love to the sacrifice of logic and story. Then you throw in forceful male leads that grab and pull their lady loves around and it all gets a bit ridiculous.
IRY does romance in a realistic way that never feels forced and where the leads never let romance get in the way of logic or the other aspects of their lives and jobs (thus the writer doesn't let it get in the way of plot). And best of all, they are always considerate of each others' space - physically and emotionally. And that makes it swoon-worthy to me. Screw wrist grabs and forced kisses, I'll take Lee Hyun and Cha Ji An!
#7 Soundtrack: I don't normally mention the soundtrack to a drama, but I really liked how this one set the mood and was never overbearing. The instrumentals were just right, especially the Erik Satie-like piece that was played during dark scenes. (Or maybe it was Erik Satie - I haven't checked yet.)
Well, that's it. This is a great drama and the most underrated of 2015.
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Aside from the plot being quite well put together, the last episode was extremely good by Kdrama standards (and if you watch a lot of Kdramas you know what I mean about their endings often being a trainwreck). And this also belies the plot being well-thought out.
I also liked the actors. I didn't see great chemistry between the leads but it was enough to find them a cute couple and individually I liked their characters a lot. In particular I liked (and was surprised by) a decision made by the female lead near the end that I really didn't expect, and how that decision bolstered the theme of the entire show. The theme and "lesson" of the show regarding the nature of marriage/romantic relationships. I'm not going to say what the theme was, but suffice it to say it was strung together throughout the whole drama in a nice way and they never deviated from it, which is why the plot feels so cohesive.
All in all, this was never "must watch" for me, but on the other hand, I really appreciate that it did some things right regarding theme and plot that so many dramas fail to do.
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This review may contain spoilers
OH THE FEELS!!! And OH THE ORIGINALITY!!! And OH THE AWESOME LEADING MAN AND SUPPORTING CAST OF CHARACTERS!!! Those are the reasons Ho Gu’s Love (HGL) is getting this review from me. After I finished watching HGL I immediately gave it a 10, then I let it soak in a while and let my objective mind take over and bumped it down to 9.5, but really it’s more like a 9.9 with the only flaw being that so much of the plot had to depend on just simple misunderstandings (like 16 hours of Three’s Company). I felt that after a while it might have been better served for at least one of the misunderstandings to have been cleared up a little sooner, and they became so silly as to almost be a parody of themselves within the drama, as though it was self-aware as to what absurd lengths the misunderstandings had gone (which actually made it better for me). That said the feels and the cast and the characters and the originality were just so on point that they overcame this flaw and then bounded past it like a bullet train past a horse and buggy. So without further ado, here is why Ho Gu’s Love is one of my favorite Kdramas of all time.1. Originality: Yes, I consider originality an essential element of a great Kdrama. HGL had many elements we don’t normally see in Kdramas including decent treatment of normally risqué themes (all of which I’m not going to name because spoilers). It also frequently upended my expectations of how the plot would play out, with a particular bit at the end that I was surprised by when I really thought it would go another direction to give a more pat Kdrama moment (once again, you have to see it to know what I mean). Also, there are amazing parental characters that behave in such refreshingly awesome ways.
2. Characters: Oh the characters. I am so in love with HO GU I just cannot stand it. He really is one of the best leading men characters of all time. The writer (and the actor, to be discussed next) took a character that could have been just a fool and just a sicky sweet guy and made him so real and warm that it truly is a feat of genius. I think what is most amazing about Ho Gu and the way he is written and acted is that he makes everyone else in the world look like the fool that they think he is. It’s like he has got it right and we are all wrong. Even when he shows flaws like being a little too clingy or nosy, it’s okay because sometimes in real life our emotions do override our rational and that can happen in the moment. And then at the end he even grows. There’s never been a character like him before.
a. Do Hee: She rubbed me a bit wrong at first, but by the end I was totally in love with her. She really is pretty awesome!
b. Byun Kang Chul: Speaking of rubbing me wrong at first. There are people that dropped this drama because they hated him so much. To them I say WAIT! Nothing is as it seems! He is wonderful and his growth in the drama is the greatest; don’t judge after just a few eps. You are totally wrong!
c. Ho Kyung: BAD ASS!
d. Do Hee’s Baby: The cutest baby in the history of Kdramas.
e. The Support(ive) Cast: The greatest parents ever (Ho Gu’s)! Parents that show a lot of growth. Funny and kind friends who also have lives of their own and aren’t just props. It all results in just the sweetest extended family you’ve ever seen!
3. Acting: Awesome across the board! Even Uee who I previously didn’t think much of was wonderful in her way. And Im Seulong, who I found almost mesmerizing in Mandate of Heaven as the king, was even better here. He really is good and I expect great things from him in the future. He can do drama or comedy with equal aplomb. And his physical comedy is just hilarious. The supporting actors and actresses are all good, especially the parents and the actress that plays Ho Kyung.
But Choi Woo Shik, for him I don’t know if there are words. He is a star. He is wonderful in every way. Without him the character of Ho Gu would have failed with a thud. CWS is PERFECT in this drama with no flaws. When he cries, I cry. When he laughs and smiles, I laugh and smile. When he is intense, I burn and when he does physical comedy, I laugh until my nose runs. He brings Ho Gu so much life and warmth and spirit and even gravitas for a character that on paper would have none. I love him in this. I love him so much it hurts!
4. Plot and Writing: As I said earlier, there is a little weakness here where the plot depends too much on misunderstandings, but the originality and the dialog and the twists more than make up for that weakness. I know this was based on a manhwa so it’s not an original story and I have not read the manhwa so I don’t know how much this deviates, but I think the writing was really top notch. Once again a cable channel brings home the bacon where so many network shows fail miserably.
5. THE FEELS! What puts this drama over the top for me in terms of love and awesomeness though is the feels. I laughed; I cried; I laughed; I cried. I did those things over and over again, episode after episode. I can watch whole dramas and never laugh out loud or cry like a baby; I did both every week with this show. Maybe it touched me more deeply because I have a 16 mo baby. I don’t know. But I will never forget the emotions this show made me feel for as long as I watch Kdramas.
So there you have it. Stop whatever you are doing now and go watch this drama. It is nearly perfect and where it isn’t perfect, the intangibles make up for it. And if you love great acting, you have to see Choi Woo Shik in this. You are really depriving yourself otherwise.
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1. Romance: It has one of the best OTPs of all time, in terms of chemistry, character, story, hotness, AND did I say CHEMISTRY? I think Healer set some kind of record for skinship and hot kisses for a major network Kdrama.
2. Action: Sure not all Kdramas have action scenes - but really good ones do! And they are a common feature of Kdramas. And when they are done well, they add so much excitement and fun to the show. Healer has really good fight scenes.
3. Acting: I would put Korean actors up against Hollywood ones any day and this cast was fantastic from top to bottom.
4. Kdrama Trope Soup - Healer has it all: mysterious vigilante hero, childhood traumas, powerful evil organizations, birth secrets, conspiracies, corruption, twisty plans, murders, orphans, weirdly specific illnesses/psychological issues that act as plot devices, quirky co-workers, and an OTP that was destined to be since childhood. (I'm sure I've missed a bunch.)
5. Hotness: A beautiful lead actress and a smoking hot leading man.
6. Directing: Lots of Kdramas have subpar directing, but I've noticed that on average their directing is much better than most other foreign fare. Healer had very good directing!
So when I say that Healer is not the best Korean show I've ever seen but it is the best Kdrama I've seen, that's exactly what I mean. Healer takes all of the things that make a Kdrama a Kdrama and then puts them together better than anyone else. It does this without any of the failings that so many less stellar Kdramas have:
1. plots that start good and then become redundant to fill time or unravel towards the end,
2. noble idiocy / characters that don't tell each other the truth when that would solve all their problems just to keep the plot moving,
3. poorly thought out plots where the writer puts herself in a corner and cannot get out without the writing going to crap,
4. poor OTP chemistry,
5. annoying characters that make you want to strangle them (especially when they are the female lead),
6. mediocre acting,
7. sketchy directing, and
8. crappy endings (by that I mean endings that don't actually end anything!!!!!!!!!)
The best thing about Healer is the OTP and their to-die-for, smoking hot chemistry (and the fact that they are genuinely awesome characters both together AND on their own). But the second best (and rarer) thing that makes Healer so special is that the writer really thought it out from beginning to end. There are hints and clues all over and nothing is wasted (no guns are left unfired, for all you Chekhov fans). The writer is not lazy or gratuitous or wasteful or redundant. Everything that is there is needed. I am, of course, not the least bit surprised since she wrote one of the best Kdramas of all time, Story of a Man, and one that I have not seen that is also considered one of the best of all time, Sandglass. (She's written some crap too, but I think her good outweighs her bad.) So, props to the awesome Song Ji Na!
The only reason I gave it a 9.5 and not a 10 is that the ending, while satisfactory was a bit rushed. And I felt just a twinge betrayed since the writer had paced it out so well for 19 episodes and then got a bit rushy at the end. However, if I could give it a 9.8 I would.
Anyhow, I normally only write reviews of less popular dramas, and I know that Healer has a huge online following so it is definitely not in that category. But I still had to get my two cents in because it's just that great! And if you haven't seen it, and you still need convincing: didn't I mention the historic levels of skinship and hot kisses?!
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But then I saw episodes 19 and 20, and in those two episodes everything changed and became clear. The true heart of the show was revealed: FAMILY, specifically the Jang family, and what it is to be family and why we need them. The rest of the drama intimated at the theme, but never made it clear enough or important enough for me to care. The drama was billed as one about infidelity and I was viewing it through that lens. But the drama did itself no service being billed that way. By the end I remembered (and realized) that the main character was Jang Hee Tae (with the 2nd most important character possibly being Kim Joon) and not Il Ri. So hating her character wasn’t relevant – she was just a means to an end, someone to keep the plot going. I didn’t have to like her, to love what this drama did right.
And what it did right, it did beautifully. I should not be surprised by the quality of anything the cable channels do anymore because they really are where the best and most cutting edge Kdramas are broadcast. The networks are frequently all flash and no substance. But TvN and jTBC in particular bring us such wonderful and fresh dramas – often challenging too. Valid Love was challenging. If you think infidelity is inexcusable when you start watching this drama, it probably won’t change your mind. But if you can be open-minded, you will get so much more out of it.
The acting is absolutely superb – from top to bottom. The characters feel so real and flawed and the world feels gritty and lived in. It is a lovely slice of life drama. The directing and cinematography is absolutely fantastic and adds so much to the story that even when Il Ri was driving me nuts, I could have watched it with the sound off and been happy. But then I would have missed the soundtrack, which was perfect because it always set the mood but was so subtle you often missed it. Instead of over-bearing ballads or screeching pop music, they just used ambient background music to convey the mood and add to the rich, languid scenes.
I wasn’t going to give this drama a score as high as 8. I hated the Il Ri character most of the drama (although she did seem to grow a little at the end), and there were long stretches of the drama that just annoyed the crap out of me, or even bored me. But the ending is so good. The acting is so fantastic and the directing is just gorgeous that qualitatively I had to give this drama an 8. I give it an 8 in spite of an awful female lead character (not a knock on Lee Si Young, who was good and whom I like quite a lot) and some writing between the early episodes and end that really started to meander and make me go WTF. So many Kdramas start good and then end badly – most of them really. Valid Love did the opposite. It started meh. It got pretty crappy in the middle, and then it soared at the end. The writer, despite the WTF moments, clearly knew what she was doing.
I came for Lee Soo Hyuk (heh). I stayed for Lee Soo Huk. I took away so very much more.
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Not since Dalja’s Spring have I felt that characters other than the main couple received as much loving attention as they did in Miss Korea. And, Miss Korea surpasses Dalja’s Spring at that (Miss Korea now has my favorite secondary couple in the history of Kdrama). But Miss Korea has so much more going for it than the characters, even if they are the best feature. Acting, writing, directing, cinematography, costumes, soundtrack, attention to detail and research – Miss Korea excels in all of these areas. Miss Korea might be, nay, IS the first Kdrama that I can say has no flaws. I wouldn’t change a thing – not one thing – not even the ending, and, as all us Kdrama lovers know, endings are usually the pitfall of every Kdrama no matter how good it is. But Miss Korea’s last episode is as perfect as its first and all the episodes in between.
In fact, there is only one problem with Miss Korea (I know I said it has no flaws, but hear me out)…
…NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WATCHED IT! It is a travesty that this drama has not been more viewed domestically and abroad. Sure it was going up against the juggernaut of You Who Came from the Stars (or whatever translation you want to use), and that is a good drama, a very entertaining drama, but it’s not perfect (although Jun Ji Hyun is). But in the age of Internet and DVR, that’s no excuse! I wish more people in SK had watched this drama because I want more dramas like it, many more!
I want more Kdramas that feel this organic, with real characters going about their real lives and no makjang craziness! I want a rich, full universe that feels lived in with characters I love who have simple and beautiful hopes and dreams and are capable of achieving them using their own minds and effort rather than ridiculous dues ex machina and unrealistic plot twists. I want soundtracks that rock my world and perfectly match every mood and moment of the drama. I want good actors acting great and previously bad actors going above and beyond our wildest expectations. I want empowered women who are business owners and scientists. I want heroines that blow my mind with their personal strength and honesty and courage. I want OTPs that are honest with each other and even when one tries noble idiocy the other calls b.s. and there are no misunderstandings – EVER! I want careful attention to details and good research into plot devices.
I WANT MORE DRAMAS LIKE MISS KOREA! Watch it and you will too!
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But the awful writing and the equally awful addition of one of the worst villains ever, Yeon Nam Saeng (No Min Woo), aside, I still couldn't go any lower than 8 because this drama was just that beautiful to look at, and because I owe it to the main cast who were stellar (Uhm Tae Woong, Kim Ok Bin, Choi Min Soo and Kim Young Cheol).
I've really never had such mixed emotions about a drama. Sword & Flower is just that gorgeous and well-acted. The directing always stayed strong even when the writing went to hell. The main actors acted the hell out of that terrible script when I'm sure even they knew it was garbage. This drama is just nuts.
So, I guess all I can say is that if you are a visual person like me and you love beautiful and unique (avant garde) directing and cinematography, and are impressed by directing that pushes the boundaries and tells a story more visually than through dialog, then give Sword & Flower a try. You will at least be pleased enough through the visual elements that you will be able to (mostly) overlook the plot. And if you are impressed by good acting, especially with minimal dialog where most of it has to be done through facial expressions, you should also enjoy the main performances. (Just ignore No Min Woo and Park Soo Jin with all your might.) Or, better yet, just watch it without subtitles (after ep 8) then you won't know how bad the writing is. But don't turn down the sound, because the soundtrack is great and better yet is the use of silence.
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This review may contain spoilers
I remember telling my husband after I watched the very first episode of this drama that if there were a Kdrama I could get him to like, it would be this one. It felt that different and that well done. The directing, the acting, the music - all of it feels cohesive and unlike your usual Kdrama fare (which I love mind you, but it's refreshing to see something new). Well, not that new to American audiences, since this drama is the epitome of Noir. It is an homage to Noir right down to its smallest molecule. Over at The Vault (http://vaultofdoom.wordpress.com/) there are several brilliant reviews of Cruel City including some very insightful information about the Noir genre, and he describes Noir and praises Cruel City much better than I ever could so I won't even try to approach his level of sophistication or detail here. However, I just wanted to post a review so more MDL'ers will give this show a go.
I'll start with the acting, which is what I loved the most. Bad acting will turn me off a drama very quickly, but great acting will just as quickly suck me in for the long run. Nam Gyu Ri (Soo Min) and Lee Jae Yoon (Hyung Min) are the weak links but they are serviceable. Jung Ji Soon (Chairman Jo) and Son Chang Min (Min Hong Ki) were really great. And, Kim Yoo Mi (as Jin Sook), Choi Moo Sung (Safari), and, of course, Jung Kyung Ho (Doctor's Son) are BRILLIANT! Past brilliant! Their performances were transcendental and I will be measuring so many future acting performances against them. Jung Kyung Ho was quite good in Time Between Dog and Wolf, but in this he is better than nearly any Kdrama actor I've ever seen. Even if you don't like Noir, come from Jung Kyung Ho and stay for Jung Kyung Ho, and you won't be disappointed.
Next the directing and cinematography. I couldn't see any flaws here. The drama stayed true to its grittiness from beginning to end. It has that kind of dark cool look to it that reminded me of Vampire Prosecutor, with the muted colors (except blood). The fight scenes were excellent and early on there is a fight scene homage to Old Boy that was just so very sweet!
The writing is quite good, although gets just a little sloppy and repeat-y towards the end, but less so than most dramas. What it does best is keep the romance to the sidelines to focus on the meat of the story, never falling into that Kdrama trap of pandering to the female audience. It never loses sight of it's Noir roots and for that I really applaud JTBC and the writer. They had a vision and they let no amount of audience pressure force them to romance it up or tone down the Noir. I have found that to be why cable channels in Korea often have the best shows, since they don't bow to the ratings god and maintain more integrity and uniqueness.
Finally, I'll cover the music, which is something I don't tend to get too excited about one way or another with dramas since it's just not really my thing. I am all about acting and directing. However, the music in Cruel City is really something to be praised. I noticed right away how the music was always the right volume and the right kind for the moment. They knew when to cut it out and what kind to use to ALWAYS add and never detract from the action. It was bloody brilliant. One of the best Kdrama soundtracks I've ever heard.
Overall, this is a drama not to be missed. It's unique. It has integrity. It is exciting and fast-paced. And the acting is stellar. I will be thinking about this drama for a long time, and using it as a measuring stick against which I will judge many other dramas that aspire to do the same. For example, Shark ended the same time and I watched the finale of Shark the same day I watched Cruel City's. They were both very dark melodramatic dramas. Shark had a bigger budget and a more star-studded cast and a writing team with a very good reputation. At the end of Shark I said "meh" and went about my day. I just really couldn't be made to care at that point because I the writers and actors never really made me care throughout the whole drama. At the end of Cruel City, well..............I can't really say because it might be considered a spoiler, but let's just say I really, REALLY cared about what happened to those characters, as if they were real people. A day later and I am experiencing Kdrama hangover from Cruel City and I know that means it was great.
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1. Acting
2. Characters
3. Directing
4. Story
The acting in this drama is stellar across the board. I mean really, really amazing. I already new Kim Kang Woo was one of the best actors in Korea. (Ever seen The Railroad, no? Well then go find it, now!) But he takes it to another level in this playing the antagonist Chae Do Woo. This is such a unique and intricate character, not at all your cookie-cutter bad guy (for a perfect example of a cookie-cutter, 1-dimentional bad guy, see Jo Gwan Woong in currently airing Gu Family Book). For a drama to be truly great, the bad guy has to be as interesting as the good guy. This bad guy is way more interesting than the good guy. He is definitely right there with Lee Jin Pyo (City Hunter) as one of the most interesting bad guys ever. And over time you almost start to want to feel for him, almost.
I could go on all day about KKW, but the rest of the cast is just as good. From Park Ki Woong's autistic Mazinger Hunter (props to him because playing that roll had to be exhausting with all of his twitches and odd eye movements) to Jang Hang Sun, who absolutely kills it as Do Woo and Eun Soo's father -- everyone is great.
But I have to really express my love and sadness over Park Yong Ha's performance. I had never seen him act before this and never heard any of his music either, but I was just blown away with his acting and wanted to see more. So it was with a very heavy heart that I found out he had killed himself not all that long after this drama aired. I cried when I found this out because he was so talented and it was such a great loss to the world. But at least there is this amazing performance to remember him by.
The acting may be my favorite thing about this drama but even the best acting can be ruined by bad directing. The PD, Yoon Sung Sik also directed Gaksital and I'm not sure what else, but I'll be watching whatever he does from now on because the directing here is excellent. A great director doesn't get in the way of the story and the acting and let's the drama unfold organically, and in some cases should present us with some really beautiful cinematography, and that is what PD Yoon did. This drama has some truly beautiful shots and no glaring directorial errors or jarring transitions. One scene I particularly enjoy (without giving anything away) is when Seo Kyung Ah and Chairman Chae are entering a long dark hallway to go see some of his business associates. The way that brief scene is lit and directed is just soooooo cool!
Finally, what good is great acting and directing without a decent story to tell and witty dialogue? This drama has all that and a bag of dried squid. The story is so complex and compelling. I found myself always on the edge of my seat wondering when the next shoe would drop. This isn't just a revenge drama. It's a revenge drama that becomes a redemption story and is laced with philosophical themes that keep you thinking long after it's over.
As for the music, I don't pay much attention to OSTs so if the music doesn't annoy me and they know how to use silence properly, then I score the music high. I hate it when there is music playing (and loudly) at inappropriate times, and Story of a Man does a good job of tempering the soundtrack so it is not distracting.
I gave this an 8 rewatch value only because there are a lot of twists and surprises that won't be as fun the second time around. That said, there are also a lot of really neat details that I think one would only see on a second viewing so it would be worth it. This drama is intricate and pays so much attention to detail. The details are something that really set it apart from most dramas.
In conclusion, watch this drama, NOW! It is just so perfect. And it probably would be a good drama for a newbie who's used to American tv too because of the high quality production and acting.
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