The Life of a Mobster

I went into this movie completely blind, it came up on my feed on Netflix, and I thought I would give it a try, and boy, was I hooked. It's a movie with the least amount of dialogue between the male and female leads, Park Tae Goo and Jae Yun, but their body language was more than enough to captivate me. I think the one line in the movie that best described it to me was when Jae Yun told Park Tae Goo he was a dead man walking because, in a way, everybody in the movie was a dead man walking. To me, it encapsulated the sheer hopelessness and cutthroat underworld life of a gangster— a hard and high-stakes world fueled by fear, the survival of the fittest, strongest, and the fastest to betray or be betrayed, and, of course, mass murder. But when one has lost everything that ever meant anything to them, and there's nothing left for them to lose; what could they possibly be afraid of; absolutely nothing. I will admit I am not familiar with Uhm Tae Goo at all, this is my first anything for him, and I was blown away with him. And the same goes with Jeon Yeo Bin (she was brilliant), Cha Seung Won, Lee Gi Young, and Park Ho San. I loved the movie's slow pace, the unlikely connection of two lost souls with nothing left to lose, and most importantly, the banging end -- well done!

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Revenge is indeed best served very cold

The Glory; what a drama. I am not much of a Song Hye Kyo fan. But was this drama well written or what; I mean, not a boring moment. The first episode was rough, and I have to admit I skipped through a lot of torture and violence. It was just overt and too much to reconcile or bear. That, the world harbors kids (I mean they were children really) who felt so entitled and thought the world revolved around them, that it gave them the right to inflict such animosity and hate on another child just because they are different, or was is it "just because" they felt like it was uncalled for, inexcusable and shame on everyone that stood by and watched and did nothing, they as good as inflicted the violence and pain but more than anything shame on the teachers, the parents, the caretakers, the friends or so-called friends, well there was no love lost between any of them so I can't even call them friends who thought it entertaining and okay to humiliate, demean, deface, another human being.

By the time we got to Moon Dong Eun as an adult, I was fully invested in her journey. Everything from how she lived her life in narration to Park Yeon Jin (stellar acting) was so captivating. I found myself hanging on to every word she wrote, even the way she spoke/wrote her words. That first encounter after 17 years at the gym of their old school was so fulfilling, especially when she clapped for Yeon Jin as she walked up the stage for her award. But the best part was Yeon Jin thinking the past was fully forgotten and dead in the past. That she could not even recall her monstrous acts made her an even more awful human being than she already was -- that she didn't realize the decisions and choices she made would follow her to her grave is very telling of her arrogance and malignant miserliness. Her audacity to think MDE deserved everything that happened to her, not only that she in some way is to blame, was exhausting to watch. That her young child, not even 5 or 6 years of age, instinctively knew how awful burning someone or beating them or torturing them was and she an adult never even considered it was telling for me. It was the moment I realized Yeon Jin deserves everything coming her way -- everyone involved or who stood idly is also deserving.

It was not all gloom and darkness with The Glory; many funny moments peppered in throughout the episodes. I especially enjoyed the, at first, very professional relationship between Kang Hyun Nam and MDE, and even more so as they started to warm up. Yeom Hye Ran did a great job making me feel the pull/push relationship and the slow drawing in of MDE, and even the love and admiration between the two. And, of course, Lee Do Hyun was consistently excellent in how he personified Joo Yeo Jung; how he grew to accept and live with his painful past, despite it being part of him daily. His patience and acceptance of MDE for what she was, not trying to make her into what he thought she should be -- never pushing or probing, just hoping. I loved how he didn't judge or question when she told him her story, but readily accepted his role as her head swordsman.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how amazing Jung Ji So was as a teenage Moon Dong Eun. She is such a great talent; I am in awe of her. Can I say Jung Sung II was brilliant in his role as a have-it-all rich husband, father, and man -- he was admirable - not too entitled or arrogant, just a man used to getting his way, not by force, but because it was always available. Unlike the inherently entitled, self-absorbed, and cruel Jeon Jae Joon (Park Sung Hoon, who was brilliant in his role), who obviously lived his life believing the world owed him everything, but then growing without love or self-worth, can do that to a kid.

What's intriguing about The Glory is that it takes its time with everything. Nothing is rushed, not even the conversations. So it went without saying that the revenge plot would take its time, almost painfully so. But I think that was the point; for the culprits to know, sense, and feel the revenge coming, but not know how, when, where, and through whom it would come.
Watching the Glory was like peeling back the layers of a big fat onion; the more you reveal, the twisted it gets. Kudos to the writer for such brilliant scriptwriting, the director, and the actors for gripping the writing alive. I look forward to the second half and the actual revenge plots unfolding.

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Raw and Heart wrenching as it Should Be

To give an introduction to this, astutely eye-opening six episode drama, Higashino Keigo Samayou Yaiba is adapted from the 2009 Japanese movie, The Hovering Blade (Samayou Yaiba), about a father played by Terao Akira, who, after finding out the identities of his only daughter's murderers, avenges her horrific death, and the police who try to stop him. The 2021 drama version, Takenouchi Yutaka, plays Nagamine Shigeki, an architect who raises his daughter Nagamine Ema (Kawai Yuumi) on his own after his wife's passing. Ema is now a high school student with a part-time job. One day, she is called out to work the late night shift and does not return. The next day, she is found dead.

Samayou Yaiba's opening scene of a father and daughter sweetly teasing each other belies the harrowing scenes of three teenage boys parked in front of a metro station, sizing up females as they walked down the street akin to ambush predators laying in wait to trap and capture the perfect prey. One got the feeling that they had definitely done this before, and unfortunately for Nagamine Ema, who was at the wrong place at the right time, to the sudden and overwhelming pouncing attack by Kaiji and Atsuya, while a third boy Mokota (Inoue Mizuki) stood powerlessly watching, paralyzed by his fear of the scene that unfolded in front of him, feeling weak, vulnerable and defeated, while helping subdue Ema. Not to excuse his behavior, but from the little I glimpsed of him, I got the sense that he was being bullied by Atsuya and Kaiji, forced to do all kinds of things he didn't want to, but doing them nonetheless, to survive himself, which he was being bullied.

Words cannot describe how dreadful it was watching the vivid cruelty of humanity as Astuya and Kaiji drugged and carelessly, loudly and brutally rapped Ema, filming their horrific actions to death and discarding her like garbage while her father does everything a parent is supposed to do, helplessly searching, passing out fliers, and even reporting his daughter missing the police to help find her. All the while not knowing the evil, ill fate that had befallen his daughter. My heart ripped for him and the sorrow that awaited him, and especially that moment he had to identify her at the morgue. Shigeki's despair at his daughter's loss was so palatable, and what an amazing job Ichikawa Riku does to have me as the audience feel his loss.

Violent acts are always choices that individuals make. Yet, it is the people who are harmed by violent acts that often receive negative responses from the police, as well as from various social institutions. I know it is the police's job to suspect everyone, even the victim and family members, and Samayou Yaiba does a great job of showcasing the prevalent issue of victim blaming. Even Mokota is prey of it to some extent by his unrelenting abusers. But worse than all that was how the law in Japan viewed juvenile delinquents who committed serious crimes versus how they viewed the victims and their families. Prior to November 2000, the Japanese Juvenile Law affirmed that juveniles under twenty will not have their cases transferred to the Public Prosecutor to impose criminal disposition. Even those who possess criminal capacity must be treated with protective measures in principle, and punished criminally only in some exceptional cases.

Even though the revised Juvenile Law, passed in November 2000, partially modified the system. The revision included three points: partially expanding the range of possible punishments of juveniles; adjusting the fact-finding process in Family Court; and protecting the victims of juvenile crimes. So it is with this in mind that I understood the police's apprehension of discussing the crime, or even eluding to the fact that a minor or minors may have committed the crime without clear cut evidence. But I also empathized with Shigeki completely, for rightfully thinking only those who've experienced loss, the way he did, could fully understand him. The scenes where he explodes at the police station, and later when he discovered his daughters' last moments, had me in goosebumps. Everything Shigeki does after that moment, the rage he unleashes, didn't only seem justifiable, but righteous. What parent confronted with what Shigeki was wouldn't take the same course of action he did, I would imagine none.

A lot unfolds in the first episode of this drama, alone, but the real story doesn't begin until Mokota, riddled with guilt, disguises his voice, calls Shigeki, and names Atsuya and Kaiji as the killers, gives him the address to the apartment where the murder took place, and tells him where to find the key. There, Shigeki discovers his daughter's clothing and pictures, as well as the video detailing Ema's brutal rape and her final moments as she lay dying while Atsuya and Kaiji laughed their heads off. And at that moment, Atsuya returns home to Shigeki's attacks. Unable to contain his anger, he mercilessly stabs Atsuya, who doesn't show any remorse, but only after he tells him where to find Kaiji, and the rest is history as they say.

Same as the movie Higashino Keigo Samayou Yaiba, the drama depicts a father's journey to avenge his daughter's brutal murder by two careless thrill seeking teenage boys, Atsuya (Namura Shin) and Kaiji (Ichikawa Riku), and the varying opinions of the public and media about the validity of his quest for revenge, including the Tokyo policemen investigating his case, and an inn-keeper and his daughter where he takes refuge as he tracks down the main culprit who instigated and actively participated in the murder of his daughter. I personally think that no one can genuinely say or even think what they would do if placed in Shigeki shoes and that is what makes this drama so raw, so real, and so gut-wrenching.

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Love is a Learned Behavior

When I first started watching this drama, I wondered why the title "Mine," pretty soon it became clear why; despite all its riches, nothing this family owns is truly their own, not even themselves. More than Mine's premise, what drew me to it was an article I read where the writer Baek Mi Kyung explained why she cast the two female leads in their respective roles. She said that “As a writer, the fact that I’m able to work with the unfailingly talented actresses Lee Bo Young and Kim Seo Hyung is an honor in and of itself." “Because they’re actresses who are powerful in terms of both their acting and their auras, I think the script was even more empowered after they were cast. Also, they’re so well-suited to their roles that they leave nothing to be desired in terms of matching up with their characters. I think of [their casting] as a blessing.” True to the last word.

Many elements made this show, everything from the high-end production design, the set, the beautiful outfits and styles, and even the OST, sets the tempo and brings character to the drama, Kim Seo Hyung, though elevates Mine with her performance. She thoroughly embodies the layered character of Seo Hyun so brilliantly that without her, Mine wouldn't be as good as it has become. And the same goes for Ok Ja Yeon in the role of Kang Ja Kyung / Lee Hye Jin, who was thrilling to watch in The Uncanny Counter but even more so in this drama. I loved how this show depicted women - fearless, kind, compassionate, capable of giving and receiving love, but most importantly, admitting to one's mistakes. As they say, never underestimate the power of a kind woman; kindness is a choice that comes from incredible strength. There is nothing more thrilling than strong wounded women steadfastly facing their demons and winning, even if it's just the beginning of the fight.

Mine was a great drama to the end; kudos to the screenwriter, director, and actors for bringing this fantastic story to life. However, as sad as I was to see it come to an end as appreciative of the important message it left behind in that one can ever truly own anything if they don't own themselves first, and to love others, one must first love themself. And that just as love is a learned behavior, if one never learns how to receive it, they will never know how to give it back.

Mine could've been a multitude of stores, but I liked that rather than be a story about sexual minorities, it was a story about love and finding one's true self in themself. And what elevated it to the status of brilliant was the way the drama portrayed Jung Seo Hyun and Seo Hee Soo’s relationship not as sisters-in-law fueled by jealousy or hierarchy but as sisters who find themselves stuck in a world filled with hatred but learn through it all to care and protect each other to the end deeply. Brilliant drama! I enjoyed and relished all the actors who did a great job making me believe them each in their own way but Kim Seo Hyung the most.

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This was my first Kdrama and I loved everything about the story, how the ML loved the FL unconditionally and without judging her and how she lived her life and stuck with her through it all as young as he was; a good number of viewers hesitate to watch this show and shows like this in general for several of these reasons: it’s about adultery; it probably condones adultery; it’s probably salacious, titillating audiences with an affair between a much older woman and a much younger man. Secret Love Affair is none of that, it is not at all the cheap watch that some might assume it to be. Thoughtfully written, expertly directed and executed with an excellent cast, Secret Love Affair is an absorbing, immersive watch that is at once the story of a man, the journey of a woman, and an uncompromising study of human nature and what it means to really and truly love and live unconditionally and without expectation. I fount it to be deep, mature, and thought-provoking, and well worth my time and most definitely your time.

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The Beautiful and the Sexy

I loved the transitionally yet commendable growth in Su Yeol through his alter ego K. The best part of them was that even in their splitness, they remained an extension, rather than two separate entities fighting to dominate one another. Everyone needs a heroic figure who, in spite of weaknesses, and not always knowing the right answers, helps them overcome life's adversities, and maybe even even help them recover a piece of their humanity that they may have lost along the journey of life. And K is exactly that for Su Yeol. I enjoyed every aspect of the Bad and Crazy, it solidified my admiration for Lee Dong Wook as an actor and not just a beautiful face, while at the same time introducing me to a different side of an amazingly brilliant talent that is Wi Ha Joon. Additionally, I enjoyed the many talents we met while on this journey, but the two that stood out the most are Kim Hi Eo Ra as Boss Yong and Won Hyun Joon as Andrei Kang, her henchman. I am forever a fan. I will miss this fun drama, but look forward to seeing Lee Dong Wook and Wi Ha Joon in their upcoming projects later this year.

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A drama Worthy of the Watch

Cross has been on my watch list since I officially started watching South Korean dramas in 2018. When I started the drama as is typical, I wasn't sure what to expect but loved that it's a medical drama, one of my favorite genres in Korean dramas. Hence, it was only natural that I was interested and intrigued by it, but more it's the concept. A dark, suspense medical drama-thriller tells the story of a gifted young man, Kang In-Kyu (Go Kyung Pyo), who becomes a doctor out of a desire to avenge his father's murder -- a victim of an organ trafficking syndicate in South Korea fifteen years ago. Finding out Go Kyung Pyo, Jeon So Min, and Heo Sung Tae was part of the cast was the icing on the cake, so to speak. I had previously seen Go Kyung Pyo in Jealousy Incarnate, a delightful drama; Jeon So Min in Something About 1 Percent, a drama worthy of the watch; and Heo Sung Tae in various dramas none as impactful as WATCHER. At its, onset Cross seems like any other revenge drama, but as the story unfolds, one realizes it’s about more than just revenge. It's guilt, love, hate, blame, responsibility, illegal donor trafficking, and much, much more.

Right after Kang In-Kyu's father is murdered, a renowned surgeon Dr. Go Jung Hoon (Jo Jae Hyun), adopts him and his sister, who suffered from long-term heart disease. At a very young age, Dr. Jung Hoon's kindness and skill as a doctor inspires In-Kyun to become a doctor, but eventually, his sister succumbs to her illness; after her death, Kang In-Kyu discovers Dr. Jung Hoon donated her organs without his knowledge, which causes a strain in their relationship, rifting them completely apart. His sister's passing and the circumstances of his father's death start to sow the seed of revenge in Kang In-Kyu, and he grows determined to uncover the truth at all costs, even if it meant him becoming a doctor that takes lives rather than saves it.

The are many reasons why I loved this drama and why it worked so well, but the main one is its predictable characters in a most unpredictable plot. Most times than not, it's pretty easy to figure out who the hidden villain(s) are in a Korean drama. The transparent body language such as movement of the eyes and brows, side glances, hand clasps, sudden lean on the chair provided apparent hints of a person's real character. I commend the writer, director, editor, and actors for transforming the intensely suspenseful elements in the story to uncover the many hidden intentions.

Secondly, the suspense was more than worth it. The story's build-up from episodes 1 to 4 and the escalation thereafter made the drama an excellent watch. Thirdly, the outstanding cast: the actors and actresses in this drama performed brilliantly with the utmost care and talent. Fourthly I liked that Cross, despite alluding to a romance between Go Ji In (Jeon So Min), In-Kyu, Lee Joo Hyuk (Kim Ji Han), and Son Yeon Hee (Yang Jin Sung) it doesn't force it. I think it's probably what made it even more potent, the undercurrent in those relationships and the flow of the story.

Last but not least, Go Kyung Pyo. Cross was not the first time I had seen Go Kyung Pyo in action before, but his acting and the way he delivered his dialogues are what made me continue watching the drama. Still, episode four is when I realized, above anything else, that I made the right decision when added and decided to watch Cross. I would be remiss in not mentioning Heo Sung Tae for his brilliant depiction of Kim Hyung Beom as a man totally devoid of human empathy, morality, and understanding or even reasoning of right and wrong.

What makes Cross unique is that despite it being about a young boy who devotes himself to becoming a top medical officer and finding a way to slowly and painfully kill rather than save those who were responsible for his father's death, it quickly morphs into a dilemma that ranges from the ethical to the moral of treating all patients regardless of their status or background to the best of sworn medical officers’ ability, and to the preservation of life. The revenge part of the drama and the events that unfold because of it and its effect on the lives of all involved throughout the dark and, at times, the lonely journey is what makes this drama and those in it so special. It is a drama with an unequivocal message that it's not how the journey starts that matters but how it ends. As they say, sometimes it's the journey that teaches one a lot about their destination, the crossroad of choices, and the consequences thereafter.

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Not Perfect but Better than Most

Professor Yang's ending narration of the law is an imperfect justice. Still, it must be perfect for those who teach and learn it alike, for there's nothing more violent than an unjust law is the ideal ending to an imperfect drama that was better than most. I am sad to see it come to an end. I enjoyed it. I was more than grateful to have Kim Myung Min grace my small screen; he is one of those actors I genuinely appreciate, from his voice to his facial expression and mannerisms. I will miss him and the unique way he approached the role of Professor Yang, who gave his all to his students while demanding the best, wanting his students to know they have it in them to be the best. As Maya Angelou said, if you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be. And how fitting that in the end, he had Han Joon Hwi and Kang Sol A by his side.

I liked all the actors, each for their very individual approach to their roles, from Lee Jung Eun as Professor Kim to Lee Soo Kyung as Kang Sol [B], and Lee David as Seo Ji Ho. Go Yoon Jung as Jeon Ye Seul, Hyun Woo as Yoo Seung Jae, and the rest of the wonderfully talented cast who clearly articulated that as much as the choices they each made changed them. It didn't define them except for Sol B, but she is a work in progress. I will, of course, be remiss in not giving a special mention to the fabulous Kim Bum in how he portrayed Han Joon Hwi, who never once let the circumstances around him sway him away from his principles. And much-gained respect to Ryu Hye Young in the role of Kang Sol [A], who, despite all odds, perceivers if not shines in an environment that wasn't set up to help someone with her background succeed.

In its unique way, the drama touched and addressed some aspects of the many dilemmas it brought up very nicely, especially the issues it presented in date rape, sexual assault, physical abuse, corruption, political manipulation, and crime and murder. But at the same time, it was vague in addressing the consequences of the more prevalent issues that plague everyday life, such as bribery, hacking and cheating, plagiarism, eroding principles, and the fragile lines between good and bad -- evil done in the name of good, or evil done in the name of evil, which is worse, isn't it the same in the end. I am not entirely sure the show lived up to its motto of truth and justice only by the law. As someone once said, law and justice are not always the same; justice is an ideal, and law is the tool. I enjoyed it highly recommend it.

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A frank and direct movie

A frank and very direct movie that's most probably not for everyone, but if you like your movies with a little edge, then you might have found what you are looking for in Call Boy. A story about a young man who ventures into the world of prostitution to find out who he is and what he stands for. I like that movie for how it presented sex, in particular paid sex. I think for me, it wasn't about the graphic sex but more the actor's portrayal of it and what leads him into the world, to begin with, and how he comes out of it. It doesn't vilify prostitution but rather uses it as a stepping stone or the lead does as an emotional discovery and transformation from who he was to what he became by the end of the movie. He goes through experiences that he may not have expected with each client he meets and manages to find his place in life at the end of the journey. Learning life lessons the hard way.

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Kim Nam Gil should be enough to make one want to watch anything he's in -- Fiery indeed!

The Fiery Priest is everything from action to comedy to suspense and thrills. Nothing about this drama is wrong, from the acting (Kim Nam Gil and all other actors) to the writing to the directing and the fight scenes just fantastic. I've been following Kim Nam Gil for quite a while now. Not only is he a talented actor but a great person. I've enjoyed him starting from his "When Spring Comes" days to date and loved everything about him as a catholic priest with a fiery temper and a twist. To say that he was perfect for this role and the drama is an understatement. His acting is on point, be it in the comedic moments or the sad ones. Finding out he and most of his teammates filmed all their fighting scenes themselves made me appreciate the drama even more but Kim Nam Gil even more. He made me swoon more than I already do, something I didn't think possible. He more than deserved the award he received as best actor for the drama.

To that, credit must be given where due. The storyline, script, character development, and backstories were so well done. The comedic moments were so good I couldn't stop laughing, and I especially loved all the church scenes and characters with Father Kim leading the fray to affect the change he wanted not just for his district but the nation. As great as Kim Nam Gil was in his role, he couldn't have done it without his other leads in Kim Sung Kyun, Lee Ha Nui, Go Joon (he melts me every time he is on screen), Geum Sae Rok. And the support he received from Jeon Sung Woo, Ahn Chang Hwan, Baek Ji Won (Sister Sarah) I have to say I couldn't get enough of her and Eum Moon Suk in his role as Jang Ryong, what unique talents they all are-- I was in awe of them.

There's nothing I didn't like about this series; I even loved the OSTs. I was thrilled to know there may be a second season and patiently, or should I say impatiently await its release, either way, I'm beyond psyched for it and Kim Nam Gil for reprising his role as Father Kim.

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Amazing Drama

I watched this on Netflix, and I was obsessed; I loved it until the very last three or so episodes, hated the ending, that said still worth the watch. What stands out about The Rise of the Phoenixes is atmosphere and attention to period detail – it's a big, complex, grown-up story, rich in culture and period flourish, delivered by a talented creative team and performed by an exuberant cast. Military Academy Headmaster Xin Ziyan (Zhao Lixin), Prince Ning Yi (Chen Kun), and Feng Zhiwei (Ni Ni) were amazing. And sleeper star (Hai Yitian), he was brilliant in every way, does an excellent job showing the Crown Prince as the weak weasel he was.

It was twisted and complicated yet very well acted, directed, intellectually written by far one of the most beautiful dramas. I enjoyed the character development throughout the 60+ episodes and the lengths to which the prince went to protect the ones he loved and, of course, to get his revenge was extremely enjoyable. I am not much of a Chinese drama watcher as they tend to be quite long, especially the historical ones, but this one was great, and the music just amazing. I highly recommend, despite not being a fan of the crazy ending or how the romance or what there was of it got so tangled and convoluted, but I guess that's what made it very real.

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Elaborate and Intricate

My favorite characters in this series were Jung Jae Heon (Kim Nam Hee) with his samurai sword, Han Du Sik (Kim Sang-Ho) with his makeshift crutch gun, Cha Hyun Soo (Song Kang) with his electric spear/knife sort of thingy, and Pyeon Sang Wook (Lee Jin Wook) with his sheer anger and power. I love the creativity, innovation, and detail put in the storytelling, the characters, and the monsters alike. The monsters are not only elaborately done but quite intricately. It's almost like they mirrored each character's fear and apprehension. And in that sense, I liked that all the characters were flawed, each fighting not only literal monsters but the monster within, scars of life, scars if left to fester could turn them into the very monsters they fight in all its forms, be it the fear of loneliness, biases, anger, selfishness, grief, loss, injustice, prejudice, and everything else in between.

They say, sometimes human places create inhuman monsters. That's so true in that each of the characters starts out trying to survive the best way they know how individually, even if it meant using others for their own benefit or furthering their own survival. Still, along the way and in their fight to survive, they come to realize that they as humans are capable of the worst things possible and that they weren't just trying to survive but fighting for the survival of humanity, to not turn into the very monsters they were trying to survive. As said, it’s not the strongest or the most intelligent who survive but those who can best manage change. I truly enjoyed this show and the accompanying OST; very well done.

Character-wise:
Lee Shi Young was exceptional in her role, but that's nothing new as she’s always great at whatever role she plays, but I have to say I was very impressed by how fit she looked as Seo Yi Kyung, the firefighter fighting her own demons. There were quite a few hard to stomach characters; Lee Eun Yoo (Go Min Shi) and Eun Hyuk (Lee Do Hyun) were among those. The two of them were the most selfish, each for their own struggles but at the same time, were the ones with the most character development, in my opinion. However, I must note Eun Hyuk embodied the leader role very well towards the end; seeing that development in him made me realize he was so selfish but more pragmatic in his bid to protect their only shelter from the dire world outside.

The most inspiring character was Jung Jae Heon both for his grounded belief in what's right but also for his courage and conviction in not once wavering between what was right vs. what was wrong. In a way, Sang Wook was a mirror of Jae Heon in his determination paid or otherwise to brutally dispensing justice. The two characters that brought the most depth to the series other than Sang-Ho were Kim Gab Soo as Ahn Gil Seop and Go Yoon Jung as Park Yu Ri Gil Seop's caregiver. Indeed a great source of inspiration and motivation to the struggle. On the other hand, Sang Ho's character was the most profound, not just for the powers he amassed from being infected but also for breaking the chains and labels society consciously and sometimes unconsciously puts on everything and every one different out of fear or ignorance. He was the doorway to the true examination of human monstrosity and humanity's embodiment from a monsters' perspective.

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Lustful Demons and Kim Nam Gil what else can a girl want -- nothing!

I was hooked from the moment I started watching. I am a complete sucker for anything Sci-fi and/or fantasy. Those two genres combined in a series featuring Kim Nam Gil in any character, let alone a fantastical dagger-wielding demon slayer hunting soul-seeking lustful demons, is more than a girl can ask for --- Island is almost a cross between a Korean Odyssey and Dark Hole, where humans breed monsters and evil from their own selfishness and hate that ultimately hunts them. It's like they say humans are the real monsters, and to defeat that monster/demon/evil, whatever one chooses to call them, one must become a monster. But let me say; this opener was brilliant. The cinematography hooks me, the lustful demons' makeup, the music score, the flying, jumping, chasing, running --- I mean, edge-of-your-seat attention-grabbing stuff. All the actors are nailing their parts so far and complement each other greatly. Of course, one cannot dismiss Lee Da Hee; she was terrific in Beauty Inside and WWW: Search. Nothing she's done since compares to this role, which she plays perfectly. I commend the Manhwa writer for such compelling work, the script writer for mesmerizing it, and the director and actors for breathtakingly bringing it all to life.

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Not Meant to be as Good as Season One, but rather as impactful

This second journey of Taxi Driver and our beloved team of Avengers reprised by the ever so enigmatic Lee Je Hoon, Kim Eui Sung, Pyo Ye Jin, the dynamic duo of Jang Hyuk Jin and Bae Yoo Ram, and the addition of Shin Jae Ha as a villain motivated solely by his distaste for humans, in general, is one that I wanted so badly, as I was a massive fan of the first leg of the journey, which touched me deeply. I knew I would like the second season, and I did, but on a different scale than the first. The second is brilliant, and as I continued to watch it week after week, I realized it was as good as the first, and in some cases even better, even if it was not as awestriking as the first. But as the journey neared its end, I understood it wasn't meant to be as good but rather as impactful, and it is indeed.

Even as I say this, the first season was dynamic. The differences to me were in the punishments. The first journey was meant to serve as a loud message to society and the law enforcement and justice community. And that was evident in how daring, loud, elaborate, and grandiose the punishments were, befitting of the cruel and, in some cases, unfathomable crimes. The team dynamic was terrific in the first journey. In this second one, I felt, for most of the first half, and much into the second, the team lacked the chemistry that made them so great. Their interactions could have been more fluid and less forced. But still, I loved this journey for the message it was trying to share.

Yes, the punishments this season seemed subdued and sometimes felt incomplete or a walk back, not befitting the level of crimes. At first, I thought maybe it was because the first journey was heavily criticized for how cruel the punishments were, which I disagreed with entirely, as all the penalties befitted the horridly overwhelming crimes it brought to light. It was daring and brilliant, not only in how it showcased but also addressed some overwhelmingly mammoth issues. From labor and mental health abuse to significant workplace harassment, pornography, organ trafficking, and thrill killings, the statute of limitations, and the biggest and most challenging to reconcile the abuse of an almost lawless justice system, seemingly instituted to preserve the rights of the powerless, yet somehow ended up shielding the lawless and the criminals.

Still, I think this leg of the journey was clever in how it incorporated real-life crimes and stories straight from the headlines, like the Burning Sun Sex Scandal, which brokered innocent women to wealthy VIPs, politicians, and chaebols, as well as the crimes of child trafficking, modern slavery, elderly scamming, criminal medical malpractice of the poor, and religious cults as recently portrayed by Netflix in the Korean religious leaders' sex cult expose: In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal, which uses religion to justify the application of violence for personal gain, power, and control of those who innocently follow and believe in them. The Crimes were indeed atrociously unacceptable. It highlights how some people have become so devoid of humanity, so emotionally detached, that they are okay with brutally taking advantage of vulnerable children, women, and older people.

The last two episodes of the second journey are the best. What this second season does well, as it came to its end even more than the first season, is how beautifully it brings what we, as viewers, thought were crimes each committed by one villain or groups of villains was admirably directed by one masterful villain, Bishop (Park Ho San), disguised as a holy man of the cloth, easily and craftily manipulating the many villains we so vehemently disliked along the way. Even more brilliant was that as much as this master villain and his followers believed himself/themselves to be smarter than our Taxi Avengers, they didn't even come close. As they did the first time, our Avengers proved always to be not one or ten steps but a million steps ahead. I loved that about this team.

Again, Taxi Driver succeeds in its second leg to make us question our humanity. Well, at least it did to me. It made me question: where do we as individuals find meaning in life; is it in communing with nature, or could it be engaging in philosophical or religious contemplation, or is it in attaining societal acceptance, or the pursuit of riches and power, or is it something entirely different; ultimately, what it comes down to for me is we as humans gain much of what shapes us from our social environments. Daily we are impacted by experiences and lessons we learn from our family life or lack thereof, our peers in school or as adults in other group settings, our community leaders, and so forth. These influences drive who and what we become.

I think Taxi Driver's message this time is similar to last time. This leg of the journey emphasized imparting solutions to achieve wide-ranging reforms across the board, not just judicial reforms but, more importantly, human forgiveness. Revenge may be sweet, but it is not an answer, nor is locking up criminals and throwing away the key. Human beings must work on becoming socially inclusive rather than practicing social exclusion based on societal status or class. Because ultimately, we as human beings are meant to find the purpose of life in each other. All the actors were great in their respective roles, and the dynamic between Lee Je Hoon and Shin Jae Ha, the righteous vs. wicked, is well done. Shin Jae Sha deserves praise for how well he has evolved as an actor, especially as a villain, from his role as the creepy CEO of Babel Research Center in Welcome 2 Life, followed by Crash Course in Romance, and now this. Kudos to him and the whole production team.

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They say the Love of Money is the Root of all of Evil

An arch, multi-strand, multi-character three-ring circus movie revolving around a Louis Vuitton overnight bag full of cash that long-suffering sauna worker Joong-man (Bae Sung Woo finds in an abandoned locker at work. While Joong-man sees in the bag a chance to escape his drudgery-filled life, dealing with his overbearing mother and pissed-off wife, other sets of characters are no less invested in acquiring this untraceable fortune.

Everyone from sleazy customs official Tae Young (Jung Woo-Sung), who is on the hook to gangsters for a debt incurred by his missing wife to Yun Hee (Shin Hyun-bin), an escort who is fed-up-and-ready to take revenge on her husband who beats her regularly by trying to pull off a con job on a well-off besotted client of hers. And then there’s the Yun Hee’s imperious boss (Jeon Do Yeon), a goddess in lipstick who knows what it’s like to be hurt by men.

Some of the plot’s maneuvers are quite intricate and interestingly portrayed in chapters akin to one reading a book, with each chapter cleverly tying into the book's main premise, so to speak. At times the story is hard to follow, but that doesn’t in any way take away from the performances, which are all perfectly pitched, from the leads right down to the comic-relief minor characters, such as Park Ji-Hwan’s lowlife sidekick and Youn Yuh-Jung as Joon Man’s overbearing mother. The intense color palette blends neon signs and green-lit interiors with the vast amounts of scarlet blood that flows due to the frequent violence. There is no denying there is much violence but isn’t that expected when money is involved in the mix.

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