nevermind
I adore this series so far. The fact that the main character does not feel emotions is such a benefit to the series, especially since it's being done so well. He's emotionless, but there are distinct signs of life, which is very different from most of the characters that fall into the same category as him. Even more interesting is how his mind interacts with crimes. Rather than imagining some faceless, nameless figure as the murderer, he envisions himself as the killer to better understand how a crime was committed. The sequence of him imagining stabbing Mr. Park to death was very surprising to me, and I love to be surprised. I still love Han Yeo Jin. She's interesting, charming, and the writers did not imbue her with stereotypical behaviors. I quite like her chemistry with Shi Mok, and I'm excited to see what the series will do with that chemistry. I certainly don't expect romance, but even a steady alliance would be satisfying. Seo Dong Jae is a good character. He's just enough of everything: condescending, arrogant, and snake-y. I love it. Still not digging the main villain, though. His character was advanced a little bit with this episode, but I can't imagine he'll top my list of favorite villains by any means. Overall, I'm feeling very positive about the series and I am very excited to watch more.
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This is definitely not my favorite first episode of a drama ever, but it's not bad.
Our hero is sort of hot and cold; I can't tell if he's funny or angsty, because they tried both. I can't take him seriously as a chic action hero when I've only ever seen him do comedy (and they're still trying to do it here). I'm not buying it. I understand it's only the first episode, but I already like his competition, the King, much better, because at least the King has an interesting personality.
The wire acrobatics at the beginning were a bit of a turn-off. That whole intro sequence, actually, was a failed attempt at quirky humor, as was Moo Myung's introduction to Ah Ro. It was too predictable.
I think that Ban Ryu and Soo Ho's rivalry is genuinely interesting, and I'd love to learn more about them.
Maek Jong is a cool guy, and I love his story so far. It's interesting to see the struggle of a King in hiding play out, and I'm curious about how he ends up joining the Hwarang.
There are lots of things that are really attracting my attention, and that's good. At the same time though, some parts are cheesy (and not in a good way), and the failed attempts at making the audience laugh are unfortunate. I can only hope that the humor picks up in later episodes.
This was a pretty decent start, but it could have been better. Here's to a better Episode 2.
Our hero is sort of hot and cold; I can't tell if he's funny or angsty, because they tried both. I can't take him seriously as a chic action hero when I've only ever seen him do comedy (and they're still trying to do it here). I'm not buying it. I understand it's only the first episode, but I already like his competition, the King, much better, because at least the King has an interesting personality.
The wire acrobatics at the beginning were a bit of a turn-off. That whole intro sequence, actually, was a failed attempt at quirky humor, as was Moo Myung's introduction to Ah Ro. It was too predictable.
I think that Ban Ryu and Soo Ho's rivalry is genuinely interesting, and I'd love to learn more about them.
Maek Jong is a cool guy, and I love his story so far. It's interesting to see the struggle of a King in hiding play out, and I'm curious about how he ends up joining the Hwarang.
There are lots of things that are really attracting my attention, and that's good. At the same time though, some parts are cheesy (and not in a good way), and the failed attempts at making the audience laugh are unfortunate. I can only hope that the humor picks up in later episodes.
This was a pretty decent start, but it could have been better. Here's to a better Episode 2.
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And here we go; this drama, as good as it started out, is falling into the same trap that many other dramas have. My worries over things starting to get boring are coming true, and the writers have 10 more episodes to fix it. It seems, at this point, that there isn't enough plot to go around. New clues and suspects are being revealed at such a sluggish pace, that said reveals are lacking punch. There are characters being brought up as possible suspects that I suspected as of episode 2, and people I'd already ruled out as of episode 1. I'm good at mystery shows, and while I thought this series was going to stump me initially, it's begun to bore me. Despite all this, I still adore the actors' performances. If this series is anything, it's well-acted. Seo Dong Jae is such a great character. I love that the writers allowed him to be truly bad, and not just a nuisance. A lot of shows lack bad guys that are genuine douchebags, so Dong Jae is nice to see. I also love those little flickers of emotion that Shi Mok shows every once in a while (that smile in the car was especially welcome). I also love that Yeo Jin and Shi Mok have chemistry, but it's not necessarily romantic. They just fit really well together, and their relationship could go any way, and I would be fine with that. I don't expect romance at this point, but anything goes. I just like them together, whatever capacity that might be in. I really enjoy watching how other people react to Shi Mok, both when he is around and when he isn't. I find that the way the actors are expressing themselves differently depending on whether or not he's around is very powerful in terms of character development. I live for little details like that: a smile here, a flicker in the eyes there. Good stuff.
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This episode definitely picked up. While Episode 1 was too cheesy and didn't have much going on, this one was filled to the brim with emotion and intrigue.
I'm really excited for the political side of the story. Usually politics drags dramas down and they end up boring, but I have a feeling that this drama won't be like that. I'm interested to see how the Queen plans to use the Hwarang if the King himself is among them, and her advisors want the King to give his blessing for the project.
Ban Ryu and Soo Ho, of course, bring their A-game in this episode, being petty and picking fights for no reason at all. Han Sung also makes his first appearance in this episode.
Moo Myung showing off how cool he is at Okta was actually pretty cool. Something still doesn't feel quite right about his character, though. I also really liked when Moo Myung and Mak Moon are sitting in the forest, injured, and Mak Moon's dad shows up. This scene is very emotional, and it was a nice touch. I almost prefer this over Mak Moon living happily ever after with his family (as terrible as that sounds).
I hope they expand on Moo Myung's illness. I want to know what it is, especially since it seems pretty erratic, and the doctor suggested that it might be deadly. That's going to be a useful plot device later, and the writer better not lose it.
The final scene in the archery shop is sort of cool. It reminds me of when Korra is trying to learn airbending in "The Legend of Korra". Everything feels awkward though, even though everyone is doing pretty okay with their acting.
All that matters to me right now, though, is that the story is progressing and is interesting. I have confidence in the cast and their acting capabilities.
(Quick Note: Why would Moo Myung try to kill King Jinheung if he clearly saw the man riding on the horse coming to attack him and Mak Moon? He should at least have half a mind to tell the King from the man who really attacked them. At the same time though, with Moo Myung's mysterious illness, maybe he didn't see the man on the horse well enough to discern him from King Jinheung.)
I'm really excited for the political side of the story. Usually politics drags dramas down and they end up boring, but I have a feeling that this drama won't be like that. I'm interested to see how the Queen plans to use the Hwarang if the King himself is among them, and her advisors want the King to give his blessing for the project.
Ban Ryu and Soo Ho, of course, bring their A-game in this episode, being petty and picking fights for no reason at all. Han Sung also makes his first appearance in this episode.
Moo Myung showing off how cool he is at Okta was actually pretty cool. Something still doesn't feel quite right about his character, though. I also really liked when Moo Myung and Mak Moon are sitting in the forest, injured, and Mak Moon's dad shows up. This scene is very emotional, and it was a nice touch. I almost prefer this over Mak Moon living happily ever after with his family (as terrible as that sounds).
I hope they expand on Moo Myung's illness. I want to know what it is, especially since it seems pretty erratic, and the doctor suggested that it might be deadly. That's going to be a useful plot device later, and the writer better not lose it.
The final scene in the archery shop is sort of cool. It reminds me of when Korra is trying to learn airbending in "The Legend of Korra". Everything feels awkward though, even though everyone is doing pretty okay with their acting.
All that matters to me right now, though, is that the story is progressing and is interesting. I have confidence in the cast and their acting capabilities.
(Quick Note: Why would Moo Myung try to kill King Jinheung if he clearly saw the man riding on the horse coming to attack him and Mak Moon? He should at least have half a mind to tell the King from the man who really attacked them. At the same time though, with Moo Myung's mysterious illness, maybe he didn't see the man on the horse well enough to discern him from King Jinheung.)
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Arang and the Magistrate Episode 2
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Episode 2 continues along the same strong vein as Episode 1, with consistent humor, steady pacing, good world-building, and even more mystery.
The speed with which Eun Oh manages to figure out who Arang is bothers me. I hoped that the story would focus more on the mystery and intrigue of figuring out who she is. It's almost too good to be true with how quickly he found her identity.
Joo Wal is gaining my attention quite a bit. I can't exactly tell if he's a serial killer or a werewolf (issues with the full moon? That's can't be normal), but he is interesting. He's shady, but even when he attacks the gisaeng, you can tell he's feeling some fear and guilt. I want to see more of him and learn more of his story.
The part with the ghosts fighting over the gosure was really cool to me (and not because of the wire acrobatics). I like that they explained further just how much it sucks to be ghost who doesn't know their family, or doesn't have family to offer them food in the first place. It shows us the pain and struggle Arang has experienced for the past three years.
I actually really enjoy the attempts at being funny. It's not quite the level of the silly sight-gags that are found in the Naked Gun movies, but it reminds me of that same type of humor. Plenty of folks in the town think that Eun Oh is completely nuts. The parts where Min Ah is not present and Joon Gi has to pretend he's being dragged around are delightful in my opinion. There's not a lot of funny stuff, but there's enough.
The romance is really speedy. Eun Oh and Arang went from 0 to 100 in no time at all, and I've got to say, I've got quite the romantic whiplash. Still, even though it was quick, I think it can be forgiven. Eun Oh is the first person who has been able to see, hear, and touch Arang in three years. Because of this, she has an outpouring of emotion toward this guy, who has saved her from a reaper, discovered her identity, and even paid for her to have a new dress and jewelry (despite the fact that's he's the only person that can see her). I can completely understand why she would so quickly fall in love with him, and while that means the romantic pacing is a little wonky, it also adds to more color to their relationship. It makes it a little more unique.
The Kings of Heaven and Hell are still hilarious.
I think this show is setting itself on a very good path. I can only hope for the best.
The speed with which Eun Oh manages to figure out who Arang is bothers me. I hoped that the story would focus more on the mystery and intrigue of figuring out who she is. It's almost too good to be true with how quickly he found her identity.
Joo Wal is gaining my attention quite a bit. I can't exactly tell if he's a serial killer or a werewolf (issues with the full moon? That's can't be normal), but he is interesting. He's shady, but even when he attacks the gisaeng, you can tell he's feeling some fear and guilt. I want to see more of him and learn more of his story.
The part with the ghosts fighting over the gosure was really cool to me (and not because of the wire acrobatics). I like that they explained further just how much it sucks to be ghost who doesn't know their family, or doesn't have family to offer them food in the first place. It shows us the pain and struggle Arang has experienced for the past three years.
I actually really enjoy the attempts at being funny. It's not quite the level of the silly sight-gags that are found in the Naked Gun movies, but it reminds me of that same type of humor. Plenty of folks in the town think that Eun Oh is completely nuts. The parts where Min Ah is not present and Joon Gi has to pretend he's being dragged around are delightful in my opinion. There's not a lot of funny stuff, but there's enough.
The romance is really speedy. Eun Oh and Arang went from 0 to 100 in no time at all, and I've got to say, I've got quite the romantic whiplash. Still, even though it was quick, I think it can be forgiven. Eun Oh is the first person who has been able to see, hear, and touch Arang in three years. Because of this, she has an outpouring of emotion toward this guy, who has saved her from a reaper, discovered her identity, and even paid for her to have a new dress and jewelry (despite the fact that's he's the only person that can see her). I can completely understand why she would so quickly fall in love with him, and while that means the romantic pacing is a little wonky, it also adds to more color to their relationship. It makes it a little more unique.
The Kings of Heaven and Hell are still hilarious.
I think this show is setting itself on a very good path. I can only hope for the best.
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Strangers from Hell Episode 3
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Oh my GOD this show is so stressful, and I love it. Those brief flashes of extraordinary violence from Jong Woo, mixed with the odd, sharp cuts make it difficult to parse when something is really happening, and when it's just happening in Jong Woo's head. I am terrified for the moment if and when his fantasies become real, because the buildup to that has been incredible so far. I gasp every time because I know that, one of these times, it's going to be real. Jong Woo is going to snap. Again, I also have to give special kudos to Lee Dong Wook. He is so damn good at his job. The character is also very interesting, too. Who is this man? Why do the other tenants follow him? What are his plans for Jong Woo? I don't remember the last time a mystery had me this excited to watch the next episode. Not only that, but this is good horror, too. It's bloody but still subtle, which I appreciate. Unlike the past two episodes, I didn't feel that it was too long, though I do wish that the cop subplot (or maybe parallel plot, depending on how that develops) was moving just a tad faster.
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Strangers from Hell Episode 2
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And so the plot thickens. The sense of dread surrounding the Eden Studio is only getting stronger with each episode, and with this episode, we have a clearer idea of where the dentist fits into the plot. Not only that, but even in his brief appearance in this episode, Lee Dong Wook shines. In general, he plays heroes, so to see him in this context is really interesting, and he wears the role well. The tension built around every corner of Jong Woo's life is oppressive and so perfect. Front to back, each episode is wildly stressful, which is exactly what this kind of show needs. No punches are pulled, here.My only complaint is that these episodes could get away with being 45 minutes long instead of 60, but if that's my biggest complaint, then the show is still doing very, very well.
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Strangers from Hell Episode 1
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For as long as I've been watching KDramas, OCN has been extremely reliable when it comes to thrillers, and here they are again, setting up what I expect to be yet another great show. The performances are all fantastic, the main conceit of the show (the apartment complex) is engaging, and all the neighbors have me excited to see what they'll do next. Not only that, but the show is very pretty (in a dank, murder-y sort of way). The color grading is gorgeous and lends a film-like quality to the show. The fact that the camera is allowed to move wherever it wants also allows the creators to really develop the claustrophobia of the space, as well as the sense that you can never tell from what angle someone might be watching you. I'm super excited to see just how Lee Dong Wook's character fits into the story, and I look forward to the next episode.
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I enjoyed the first season so much that I'm actually going to go back and rewatch that (since it's been about two years, I think), then jump back into this second season. The second season, so far, has been extremely boring and only tenuously connected to the first season, which was rock-solid. I will say, though, that watching Dong Jae shit bricks upon seeing Si Mok again definitely warmed my heart. I love that slimy little man. In all honesty, though, in the two hours I've already spent on this series, I've only really enjoyed a few minutes, where Si Mok and Yeo Jin are in the bar. Their friendship was one of the best parts of the first season, and that magic is still there. The two actors work very well together, and their interactions feel like the only time Si Mok loosens up; this is good character development. I really love the way they fit together, not as potential romantic partners, but just as friends. It reminds me that the first season's biggest strength was *not* the plot- it was the characters. Right now, though, I feel like I jumped into a show halfway through a season. What's happening? Who are these people? Why do I care? What's the power structure like in these new offices? Who's a threat? Why should I give a shit? None of this is established. I know the first season struggled at the beginning, but this is way, way worse. I sort of have a feeling as to which of these suit-and-tie jackasses I should be concerned about, but it's not in an interesting, ~morally grey~ kind of way. I'm just genuinely confused.
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I must make it absolutely clear that I have no intention of dropping this series. I'm being honest, though, when I say that I loved the original, but I found this first episode of the second season completely lacking. There was no character. I wasn't expecting intrigue or a deep plot at this point (it's the first episode), but when the central conflict of the episode is who cut, burned, or otherwise unfastened a rope than any living human could easily step over, I find myself not giving a hoot. I will pursue it because the first season is some of the best television I've ever had the privilege of watching, but seriously, this first episode was just...banal.
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Okay, so... not as good as the last episode, but solid nonetheless. This episode was more about character development than anything else, seeing as everything talked about in the episode is stuff we already knew. I'm curious about Sun Woo's presence in Jin Woo's mind; is he just a personification of Jin Woo's conscience, or does Jin Woo have schizophrenia? We shall see.I'm loving Jo Seung Woo as the bad guy. This is definitely a bit different for him (you can see it in his facial expressions), but he's carrying the character pretty well. I love this cast, too. I think all the casting choices were just right. So far, there isn't really anyone that doesn't fit. It's a balanced group of people that all hold their own acting-wise. I would like to say that I want to see a bit more facial variety out of Lee Dong Wook. I get that the character is bit dry as a person to begin with, but even Jo Seung Woo in Stranger played a character with no emotions with more nuance than what I'm seeing from LDW. Maybe this will change as the series goes on, or maybe it just takes something very intense to draw a facial expression out of this character. I know LDW can do it. I've seen him act plenty of times before.The music is almost humorously dramatic at times. Two people can be in the middle of a quiet, not at all threatening conversation, and the music is as bombastic as it might be in a dramatic death scene. It's a bit much.
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This is how a pilot should be written. A show should grab me by the lapels and not let me go until the end of the episode. I already have so many questions... but that is definitely a good thing. I'm so interested to see how all these different characters will interact with one another. Their personalities are so disparate, so I can already imagine how cool different character combos will be. Murder mystery mixed with hospital drama? Yes, please!Even cooler is the fact that this show has so many cast members from Stranger. I love the idea of seeing these performers explore different power-dynamics with one another. I know that, as a stage performer myself, I adore performing as different types of characters. I can imagine what filming this show might have been like after filming Stranger. ALSO! There is a disabled main character, and it's a young guy, too! I'm excited to see how this show treats him, seeing as Korea doesn't seem to approach disabilities very frequently. I think this is the first time I've seen a physical disability be an important part of a character's existence, rather than just... a thing they deal with. Healer had the mother, but her being a wheelchair wasn't really essential to the plot, if I remember right.However you slice it, this pilot slaps and I'm really excited to watch more of this show.
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I do not associate Korea with horror, but Kingdom is actually doing a pretty good job of being spooky. I also really like how people have to describe the zombies. Seeing as the story occurs in a time and place where the word "zombie" doesn't exist, I find it interesting how people have to describe the concept of a zombie to one another from scratch. I'm not sure if the living dead play any part in Korean folklore, so I don't know how the linguistic choices fit into the wider subject of monsters in Korean folklore.Props to the writer for making the Crown Prince not entirely infallible; he doesn't always win in a sword fight, he gets scared, and he has some pretty distinct personality flaws. I appreciate characters that are not just one-note archetypes.I love the Prince's guard/assistant fellow. He's fun.Bae Doo Na is bae.I am definitely glad that this first season is only 6 episodes long. I really don't think there's enough story here for too much more (though I did see that a second season is on the way).
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The first thing I will mention about this episode is that the violence depicted is unlike anything else I've seen on Korean television. Usually, Korean TV stays away from overt violence and oodles of blood. I know that this is a Netflix series, but I noticed right away that this show is far bloodier than traditional Korean TV. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a pretty obvious break from the norm.I must tip my hat to the writer for making me sympathetic with the Crown Prince almost instantaneously.I love Bae Doo Na.The twist right at the end with the soup was really good, but I guessed the twist as soon as I saw the soup. Maybe I'm intuitive, maybe it was easy to guess. I'm not sure, but it was still a solid twist.The scenes are all very dark. Not content-wise, but lighting-wise. In some scenes, it works and adds to the mood. In other scenes, it just makes everything difficult to see. The show looks very nice over all, though I did notice at one point that, when Bae Doo Na shouted, the mics popped a little. For as large of a budget as this show appears to have, it's kind of disappointing that the sound engineers let that slip through. It cheapens the show a bit.
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The revelations made in this episode are things that I guessed several episodes ago (either because the twists were easy, or I'm good at this; your call). The killer's motivations are dumb and kind of convoluted. The big bad is revealed, and it's literally not surprising at all (because it's been the same person the whole time, and there was no way this person WASN'T evil at any point, yet the writer treats the reveal like it's surprising). It wasn't bad, but for the penultimate episode, it was sort of a let-down.I will say that Si Mok's phone call with sad Yeo Jin was perfect. Loved it.
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