kingsqueen
USA
This was probably the most realistic police drama I've ever watched. Especially since it was done as a 'slice of life' style rather than action. I had mixed emotions while watching this show, as someone that works in the law enforcement sector, it hit close to home and sometimes felt all too real. I cheered for the officer's victories, sympathized with their losses, and burned in frustration or anger with their hardships as officers. It was an emotionally full show. Lt. Oh Yang Chon and his wife, Jang Mi were my favorite characters in the show - I would have been perfectly happy if they had been the only two leads. Sang Soo and Jung Oh triggered irritation in me many times, but that could have been their purpose as they experienced their character growth from civilians that needed a steady paycheck, to recruits, to rookies in their field training period.
I'm not a Lee Kwang Soo fan, so I didn't go into this drama for him as an actor. He overacted a bit in places, but otherwise, he did a fair job playing Sang Soo, which is a departure I believe from his usual comedic roles. I think I was more disappointed in Sang Soo as a character than Kwang Soo as an actor. I do generally like Jung Yoo Mi, and she did a good job in her role, but Jung Oh was also a character I didn't really connect with much or feel much empathy for. She just was. The real standouts for me were Bae Sung Woo as Lt. Oh Yang Chon and Bae Jong Ok as his wife, Captain Ahn Jang Mi. Their marriage and careers were much more interesting and layered than the rookie officers. They are the characters that I related to and cared for. I enjoyed the side characters and they did an excellent job playing their roles. There were many interesting facets to the story.
The officers in this show are often between a rock and a hard place. I feel for them tremendously if this is really how the system is in S. Korea. Of course, some of the things are reminiscent of the way things have been going in the U.S. for the past several years. They are paid pitifully little to put their lives on the line every day, not knowing whether they will make it home safely. They put themselves in harm's way to catch a criminal only to be accused of 'brutality' when the suspect is apprehended. If they are injured themselves, then they are just abandoned to take care of it themselves. In the heat of the moment when it's a choice between taking action or being a 'coward', they can't win. The public cries out that they went too far if use of force is involved and if they don't catch the criminal (possibly being too scared of disciplinary action to take extraordinary measures) they are accused of not doing their duty and wasting taxpayers money. They are the ones that get cursed at and spit on and accused of wrong-doing just for doing their job. And their superiors can't be counted on to have their backs. Who could continue to have a 'sense of duty' in such a landmine of a job? Thank goodness they can at least count on those that are out in the field with them (for the most part) to have some measure of loyalty and support. Why would anyone want to take on a role as an officer when this is the kind of thanks they receive for protecting the public? It really makes you think about their role in society and who will even want to do this kind of job in the future. It also raises questions of how 'social media justice' plays a part in ruining people's livelihoods - there is no repentance in the age of internet. Your wrongdoings will haunt you forever - following you until the day you die. It made me very aware of the reason that the suicide rates in S. Korea are so high.
The music was wonderful and fit the tone of the show well. They had a couple of English OST's - one being Carry Me by Family of the Year, the same group that sang the song "Hero", the OST from It's Okay That's Love (coincidentally, also featuring Lee Kwang Soo). The other song I liked was In Your Light by Jon Allen.
I wouldn't re-watch this just due to the sheer length - 18 episodes running at about an hour and twenty minutes each. All in all, this was a powerful show and worth the time to watch, though.
I'm not a Lee Kwang Soo fan, so I didn't go into this drama for him as an actor. He overacted a bit in places, but otherwise, he did a fair job playing Sang Soo, which is a departure I believe from his usual comedic roles. I think I was more disappointed in Sang Soo as a character than Kwang Soo as an actor. I do generally like Jung Yoo Mi, and she did a good job in her role, but Jung Oh was also a character I didn't really connect with much or feel much empathy for. She just was. The real standouts for me were Bae Sung Woo as Lt. Oh Yang Chon and Bae Jong Ok as his wife, Captain Ahn Jang Mi. Their marriage and careers were much more interesting and layered than the rookie officers. They are the characters that I related to and cared for. I enjoyed the side characters and they did an excellent job playing their roles. There were many interesting facets to the story.
The officers in this show are often between a rock and a hard place. I feel for them tremendously if this is really how the system is in S. Korea. Of course, some of the things are reminiscent of the way things have been going in the U.S. for the past several years. They are paid pitifully little to put their lives on the line every day, not knowing whether they will make it home safely. They put themselves in harm's way to catch a criminal only to be accused of 'brutality' when the suspect is apprehended. If they are injured themselves, then they are just abandoned to take care of it themselves. In the heat of the moment when it's a choice between taking action or being a 'coward', they can't win. The public cries out that they went too far if use of force is involved and if they don't catch the criminal (possibly being too scared of disciplinary action to take extraordinary measures) they are accused of not doing their duty and wasting taxpayers money. They are the ones that get cursed at and spit on and accused of wrong-doing just for doing their job. And their superiors can't be counted on to have their backs. Who could continue to have a 'sense of duty' in such a landmine of a job? Thank goodness they can at least count on those that are out in the field with them (for the most part) to have some measure of loyalty and support. Why would anyone want to take on a role as an officer when this is the kind of thanks they receive for protecting the public? It really makes you think about their role in society and who will even want to do this kind of job in the future. It also raises questions of how 'social media justice' plays a part in ruining people's livelihoods - there is no repentance in the age of internet. Your wrongdoings will haunt you forever - following you until the day you die. It made me very aware of the reason that the suicide rates in S. Korea are so high.
The music was wonderful and fit the tone of the show well. They had a couple of English OST's - one being Carry Me by Family of the Year, the same group that sang the song "Hero", the OST from It's Okay That's Love (coincidentally, also featuring Lee Kwang Soo). The other song I liked was In Your Light by Jon Allen.
I wouldn't re-watch this just due to the sheer length - 18 episodes running at about an hour and twenty minutes each. All in all, this was a powerful show and worth the time to watch, though.
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