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This review may contain spoilers
Glad I finally gave in and watched this one
Upon a recommendation from a friend, I decided to give this one a try. I had been reluctant because 1) I tend to stick to romances with happy endings; 2) I don't do well with violence and bullying; and 3) 16 episodes - these series tend to be draggy.
Y'all, it's been a minute since I've enjoyed a show so much. It was one of those "I'll just watch one more episode" dramas.
I felt the storyline was, if not unique, handled in an original way. I struggled at the beginning because everyone was very morally gray. But the script was tight and cohesive, I didn't feel like anything was wasted. I remember thinking numerous times while watching this how well it was written. I was invested in every minute of it, even though I had to fast forward through the fight scenes and close my eyes through the bullying. The different storylines were integrated so well, each piece of a puzzle fitting perfectly into the next. I really appreciated that everyone got the justice that they deserved.
All of the actors had such great chemistry with each other. There wasn't anyone that "didn't fit". I'm usually all about the romance, but other than a couple of longing looks by the leads, they remained just co-workers. But I thought it was perfect when she came back and said, "I'm no longer your subordinate" and there was a kiss (though we really didn't get to see it).
The actors ALL did such an excellent job, but there were four standouts for me.
1) Ahn Bo Hyun as Do Bae Man. I know, he seems to play this type of role a lot, but it suits him. He has the military, tough guy bearing down to a fine art, which has the danger of becoming a one-note performance, but there's always that hint of playfulness in him. I do, however, wish they'd do a better job with his makeup. He always has an off-color, pasty appearance, often with more lipstick than the leading lady.
2) Kim Young Min as Moon Goo. After loving him as a good guy in CLOY, this was a complete 180 for him, and he nailed it. The power struggles behind the smiles, and he was chilling when he dropped the friendly facade. The fact that he was always impeccably dressed stressed that he always had others do his dirty work.
3) Oh Yeon Soo as Noh Hwa Young. Wow! She was a general that wasn't afraid to do her own dirty work. He cold and calculating demeanor, coupled with that slight evil smile gave me the creeps. And can we just talk about what a terrible mother she was?
4) Kim Woo Seok as Noh Tae Nam. I felt he had the most character development. He was so evil at the beginning. Once his life started to fall apart, his fear and his vulnerability drew me in. My heart broke for the fact that his mother was a soldier first, and a mother second. He wanted her to love him, and that just wasn't going to happen. The trauma he suffered through the mass shooting, his PTSD, as well as the friendship he developed with one person in the military, I couldn't take my eyes off him. Then, at the end, when he was working with the dogs, I felt like he was trying to get his life back, but he was so terribly lonely.
I am so glad I finally took the time to watch this one.
Y'all, it's been a minute since I've enjoyed a show so much. It was one of those "I'll just watch one more episode" dramas.
I felt the storyline was, if not unique, handled in an original way. I struggled at the beginning because everyone was very morally gray. But the script was tight and cohesive, I didn't feel like anything was wasted. I remember thinking numerous times while watching this how well it was written. I was invested in every minute of it, even though I had to fast forward through the fight scenes and close my eyes through the bullying. The different storylines were integrated so well, each piece of a puzzle fitting perfectly into the next. I really appreciated that everyone got the justice that they deserved.
All of the actors had such great chemistry with each other. There wasn't anyone that "didn't fit". I'm usually all about the romance, but other than a couple of longing looks by the leads, they remained just co-workers. But I thought it was perfect when she came back and said, "I'm no longer your subordinate" and there was a kiss (though we really didn't get to see it).
The actors ALL did such an excellent job, but there were four standouts for me.
1) Ahn Bo Hyun as Do Bae Man. I know, he seems to play this type of role a lot, but it suits him. He has the military, tough guy bearing down to a fine art, which has the danger of becoming a one-note performance, but there's always that hint of playfulness in him. I do, however, wish they'd do a better job with his makeup. He always has an off-color, pasty appearance, often with more lipstick than the leading lady.
2) Kim Young Min as Moon Goo. After loving him as a good guy in CLOY, this was a complete 180 for him, and he nailed it. The power struggles behind the smiles, and he was chilling when he dropped the friendly facade. The fact that he was always impeccably dressed stressed that he always had others do his dirty work.
3) Oh Yeon Soo as Noh Hwa Young. Wow! She was a general that wasn't afraid to do her own dirty work. He cold and calculating demeanor, coupled with that slight evil smile gave me the creeps. And can we just talk about what a terrible mother she was?
4) Kim Woo Seok as Noh Tae Nam. I felt he had the most character development. He was so evil at the beginning. Once his life started to fall apart, his fear and his vulnerability drew me in. My heart broke for the fact that his mother was a soldier first, and a mother second. He wanted her to love him, and that just wasn't going to happen. The trauma he suffered through the mass shooting, his PTSD, as well as the friendship he developed with one person in the military, I couldn't take my eyes off him. Then, at the end, when he was working with the dogs, I felt like he was trying to get his life back, but he was so terribly lonely.
I am so glad I finally took the time to watch this one.
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