Creative - I am in love

Yes, we have another nonbeliever. They say an arrogant person considers himself perfect; this is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person's main task in life - becoming a better person—the difference between Kim Sabu and Cha Jin Man (I'm already tired of him, and we are just getting started) and anyone else that goes up against him. I missed everyone, and it's good to see them all back, but Im Won Hee is the best—I love him. It's so good to see him here again. I loved how Cha Eun Jae grew into herself in the second season despite all her challenges, especially regarding Seo Woo Jin. And this season doesn't look any different except that they would have to face them together. I hope their love is strong enough to withstand it all.

I love that there is always something new to learn from this drama. Acknowledgment, appreciation, recognition, and acceptance that's all anyone wants in what they do, how they do it, and where they do it, whether they are a doctor, a lawyer, a prosecutor, a plumber, or a janitor. It's the one thing we all have in common. Appreciation has the amazing habit of bringing more reasons to be grateful, do better, and be better. It's what Eun Jae wanted from her father and what Jang Dong Hwa needed to hear from Seo Woo Jin as his mentor to be confident in his choices.

I so appreciate this drama for how it tackles the social, medical, personal, and professional issues that arise as doctors work hard to save patients in a world where the main concern is who takes responsibility for a doctor's oath to do whatever it takes to save a patient's life -- that a Kim Sabu is an anomaly to squash rather than the benchmark to strive for and emulate. I can only imagine how hard it must be to become a doctor; the schooling, training, residence, sacrifices, yelling, humiliation, and hurtful words residents and fellows are subjected to, and it's why I understand the many Jang Dong Hwa's out there.

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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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Daily Dose of Sunshine Indeed --- This is why I am drawn to K-dramas

Wow, just wow, I am overwhelmed by this drama. What a gem! The story, the acting, the cinematography, the imagery, the colors, the brilliant and creative visuals inside the minds of those who have mental illness and those working so hard to help them reach that healthy spectrum and how it affects them mentally but most importantly emotionally. Where to start: I will begin with the story and the message and then talk about the different actors who touched me throughout the journey. I loved how it loudly and clearly called to attention how thin the line is between mental health and mental illness and how important it is to understand that mental health is a scale, and there is no clear-cut line between what is considered normal and abnormal. We all experience various emotions and struggles in life, and seeking help is not a sign of weakness but rather a courageous act of self-care. I read somewhere that has stayed with me where the writer said that mental health is a continuum, and we all fall somewhere along the spectrum. Another thing that this drama did very well is bring much-needed awareness to the importance of quality health caregiving, spending time with patients, listening to them, interacting with them, and not just giving out prescriptions to maximize time.

I was particularly drawn and impressed by this message -- asking for help is not a weakness, no matter how much a taboo it may be, and debunking the idea that mental health is only relevant when one is struggling with a mental illness. I loved the message, I loved the delivery, and I loved the importance of clarity of the message. I also loved how it raised the question of who cares for mental health carers, from doctors to nurses. The show did a great deal of showing snippets of this with trainee Nurse Ji Seung Jae and others. But the best was how it gradually showed the bond caregivers create with patients while helping ease their mental illness and the constant exposure to human suffering, and sometimes death can lead to mental illness. Jung Da Eun's loss and how she tethered the mental health scale was, to me, the core of this drama. And how her mind naturally decided to lean into Kim Seo Wan's world for her grief was a touch of brilliance. Just because someone (doctor, nurse, layman) may seem perfectly normal on the outside, it doesn't mean they aren't suffering from a hidden mental illness, and it doesn't mean they are crazy; it just means that life has become so difficult to handle that they lose touch with reality for some time and need help finding their way back. How long that takes doesn't matter; what matters is that they make it back all the way.

Now, actors Park Bo Young, Yeon Woo Jin, and Jang Dong Yoon were brilliant together; their friendship with each other separately and eventually together was uplifting to watch, as was Chang Ryul as Doctor Hwang Yeo Hwan—his struggle with love and acceptance along with Nurse Lee Hye Won. Her mother is an entirely different story. It seems every K-drama must have one of those; I have come to accept it. I wish the message with those types of mothers, fathers, and siblings is to cut ties with the toxicity. Just because they are family doesn't mean they deserve to be in your life. I wish to see this loud and clear in kdramas and pray it translates to life, back to Bo Young, Woo Jin, and Dong Yoon, among others. I loved the bond they had as kids and how they built on that and, in adulthood, worked in the same field more or less and cared for each other's mental health, be it in a professional or personal setting. I don't typically like how kdrama depicts love triangles because it doesn't do it correctly. A love triangle is when one person in a romantic relationship with someone is at the same time pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with someone else. It is not a love triangle when one person loves a second person, who loves a third person; to me, that's just unrequited love. But that's just how I see it. That said, I loved how neither of them, especially Song Yu Chan, let it come in the way of his friendship with Jung Da Eun but, more importantly, Dong Go Yoon.

All the actors were impressive, but three stood out to me the most: Jeon Bae Soo as Nurse Yoon Man Cheon and, last but not least, Lee Jung Eun as Head Nurse Song Hyo Jin. The care and reserved passion Nurse Yoon showed to the patients and his colleagues, especially Da Eun, won me over each time. What a great actor, indeed. The other was Noh Jae Won as patient Kim Seo Wan, a fantastic actor. How he articulated Kim Seo Wan's struggles, bridging the world in his head with the reality on the ground, was utterly brilliant. Kudos to the writer; ingenious. He had me all twisted up in him and the world he created for his peace of mind. I was also totally impressed by his physical changes as he took us on that journey with him, which is why losing him was such a blow. I understood how and why Da Eun's mind decided to deal with it the way it did. As for Head Nurse Song Hyo Jin, she was a rock throughout everything that happened despite having to deal with hurtful stigma on her sister and, ultimately, her. Nothing is worse than defining one by one's illness rather than who they are as an individual. The same goes for Da Eun; having to deal with discrimination from the families of mentally ill patients, she was trying so hard to help for being on the spectrum herself. That was hard to watch, but I loved her determination more than anything, not letting it trigger or pull her back. I pray this drama is a stepping stone to overcoming the stigma of mental illness, helping many of us speak out against stigma, and instilling courage in others facing similar challenges as outlined in Daily Dose of Sunshine. I highly, highly recommend this drama!

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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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Even those who commit the most despicable acts are worthy of love.

When I first started watching, I was really confused. I couldn't understand why a wife would force her husband to enter into a contract marriage with someone else just so they could get back together. It seemed convoluted and almost diabolical. As the story unfolded, I realized that it truly was twisted and diabolical. The wife wasn't the only one with issues; many of the characters were emotionally damaged or traumatized, suffering lasting negative effects. And I think this is what humanized them and drew me in to the story.

One key takeaway from this drama is that a broken person can easily break you. However, it also highlighted the importance of genuine human connection and empathy—like a kind word, a comforting hug, or simply being present for someone; these can help heal a broken spirit if not completely change a person's life. But I think the most important message was that even those who commit the most despicable acts are still worthy of love.

Behind every great drama is a talented writer and director, and that is so true in Seo Hyun Jin (my favorite actress of all time), Gong Yoo, Jung Yun H and all the other cast member's great performances. Well done!

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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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Compelling Drama

First off, let me say it was good to have Lee Min-Ki back on the small screen; he was missed. Secondly, what a first episode.. boy is this show going to be good... it starts so simply, a random woman falling to her death, seemed like suicide... a detective fed up with city life and looking to move back to the country to be with his mom only to find himself involved in a twisted case where a father and son in law are both dead five days apart ... what looked like a simple accident spiraled quickly into murder with the possible culprit (son in law) very much involved but also dead. As events unfolded, one gets a hint to the fact that not all is well with the JQ Group (son-in-law family), and the assemblyman's death is looked upon as a problem that took care of itself .. like what. I understand trying to eliminate a problem like the assemblyman who seemed to oppose JQ but how about their own son... was he killed because he found out they took out his girlfriend, and why was she killed; was it just for being in a relationship with a JQ son, its these types of questions that the drama raises that made it even more compelling to watch, with so much to reveal and find out. I enjoyed finding out alongside Lee Min-Ki and the rest of the cast -- one twist after another, a drama worthy of the watch indeed.

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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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Love it

I already love this drama. It melds the perfect balance of eeriness, mystery, and humor. And, oh, my Lee Dong Wook, he’s breathtakingly good looking in this jarringly well-done drama. Be it real or not, the little girl was impressive; the way she handled those imposters, I doubt I would’ve had her courage. The fight scenes are so well choreographed it’s beautiful to watch. The sword scene reminded me of Pop up Mystic Bar.

I like Jo Bo Ah as Ji Ah (I bet she’s the resurrected one); she has grit, and to top it off, she is smart. I’m also glad to see Hwang Hee again after Doctor John. I enjoy him a lot. What can I say about Kim Bum; he'ss so handsome and mischievous. He seems to be holding a grudge of some kind, and I cannot wait to find out everybody's story and what connects them. Everything about this drama is fun; I laughed out loud at the afterlife and undocumented spirit signage. But the best part is that the dialogue and acting are top-notch. I am hooked.

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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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I loved this drama, and hopeful the open-ending means we may have another season. The moral of the story is good always triumphs over evil, no matter what. I commend Jo Min Soo for being such an elegant shaman in her channeling of the spirit world. I enjoyed her a great deal. Jeong Ji So, what a great young talent, I will be looking out for her in upcoming dramas as well as for Uhm Ji Won, she thoroughly impressed me in her role as Im Jin-Hee. Im Jin-Her’s husband totally redeemed himself in the end, loved how he tricked Lee Hwan, a great job. I must say the role of Lee Hwan suited Kim Min Jae; I loved his demeanor throughout the drama, his voice, the way he carried himself, and his approach to the role.

And last but not least, Sung Dong II, what a talent, he embodied the evil spirit to perfection. All in all, a great job with the writing, directing, casting, acting, and producing of this drama; I enjoyed it and hoping for a season 2. Stay healthy and safe, and hopefully, I see you on the next one!

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Law, Order, Justice -- a double edged concept

If the intent with Bad Guys: Vile City’s opener was to be impactful, I have to say it was successful. Not only was it impactful it had me wondering why I had kept off watching it for such a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed the first installation of Bad Guys, not that I see this as a sequel but more as an extension and a pivotal one at that. The extent to which law, order, and justice are marginalized, making gangsters out of those who swore to protect the sanctity of the law, is horrifying. I can only imagine how bad it must’ve been for anyone, let alone a team of prosecutors, detectives, and public service persons, to take extreme measures of hiring and working with lawbreakers to catch criminals.

I couldn’t for a life of me understand why this group of law officials turned gangsters would need Noh Jin Pyung (Kim Mu Yeol), a rookie prosecutor on their team. Not only that, throw him in the chaos and expect him to follow suit blindly. I was baffled until I realized Noh wasn’t just a witness that could bring Jo Young Gook’s (Kim Hong Pa) criminal organization down but was a pivotal member of OH Goo Tak’s (Kim Sang Joong) Bad Guy’s. It all starts to make sense.

Aside from the impressive opener, I hadn’t realized Joo Jin Mo was part of Bad Guys: Vile City’s cast. I genuinely enjoy his method acting style. The way he immerses himself in his roles, and particularly here as Heo Il Hoo, a widely feared, former violent mobster who turns to the right side of the law after an assassination attempt, was fantastic to watch. Kim Mu Yeol, on the other hand, I was not familiar with until this drama, and he has my respect. The way he delivers the role, the conflict between good and evil, always on edge, constantly torn between law and lawlessness, was beyond impressive. Woo Je-mun (Park Joong-hoon) is another actor I am embarrassed to say I had never encountered before as an experienced prosecutor on a crusade. After losing two colleagues trying to follow the letter of the law, he decides to employ the same dirty tricks his target uses.

The same goes for Ji Soo as Han Gang-Joo, a young man, a killer who lived his entire life as an underdog, making every sacrifice to support and protect his younger sister. After an assassination attempt on his sister (meanwhile, the mayor’s secretary), Gang-Joo joins the investigative team, both for revenge and atonement. There is no forgetting Jang Sung Cheol (Yang Ik-June), psychopathic gambling, drug addict detective, broken to no repair but ironically determined, without compromise, to fight corruption to his last breath. Of course, there’s no forgetting Ji Seung Hyun as hitman Joo Jae Pil for the short time he was in the drama. He is a versatile actor who seems to excel in any role he takes, be it a sensitive veterinary in You Are My Spring to a morally ambiguous newspaper report in The Good Detective or a straight and narrow conglomerate in Hello Me.

A lot happens in Bad Guys: Vile City and when one takes a closer look at the totality of what makes a group of prosecutors and police detectives unafraid to deal out random violence and torture, but not only that band with an ex-mobster and an assassin, one can understand why they become determined to cross the line to battle organized crime, get revenge, and end institutional corruption in their city. More than the method Bad Guys: Vile City uses to reach its goal, it’s the journey it takes where a group of people who have nothing in common bond and come together beyond their common purpose sets it apart from other like dramas in a way including Bad Guys.

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Hooked

Oh, my heart, I am so completely head over heels with Lee Joon Gi and refuse to believe he’s on the wrong side. I’m so desperate for him not to be the killer that I find myself coming up with excuses as to why things are unfolding the way they are – he must have a reason, of course, there is one, please let there be one. He’s working to clear up his name even if events unfold to belie that thinking, and I am sticking to that. I am also holding out to the hope that when Ji Won figures out HS’s reality, and she will sooner than later, she’ll instinctively trust he isn’t a cold-blooded killer. Boy is this is one stellar drama or what -- I am hooked!

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