Intelligent, powerful drama of revenge posing the question: is the act of revenge morally better than the bad act causing the revenge in the first place? with the added twist of two supposed upholders of the law (or justice? they are not necessarily the same) - a detective and a lawyer - set against each other. Both the male leads are excellent in their very contrasting characters. Joo Ji Hoon is masterly. Also the female leads (Haein and Seungha's supposed sister)and the love element play a crucial role in the story. Can't say more, would be a spoiler.Jung Dong Hwan was also notable as a menacing, machiavellian character in the background. After slowing down in the middle, which had me thinking of dropping it, this really picked up in the last third of the series and became terrifically gripping. Comparing it with the Japanese version, this is twice as long, which led to loss of dramatic tension in the middle, but giving it more space for character development and to explore the morality. Even so, it could imo still have been shorter and done so equally well. Still the quality of Greek tragedy comes across in both versions as events come full circle (watch where it ends). This drama gets really HEAVY, so be prepared for some real catharsis. For once the word drama has its real meaning. Powerful - and another reminder to me to stick with things and give them a decent run.
Prefer this to the recent version. It's a bit more believable as a school series, though just when you think it's realistic the manga unreality drops in. Story not that original but plenty of twists to keep you interested. I like the passion of Onizuka's/Sorimachi's portrayal of the character. Definitely has re-watch value for me, regardless of the ending, when you feel like some easy viewing, though serious topics are touched on too.
Liked him in Udagawachou, wouldn't know him there from this photo -nice messy hair compared with straight bangs there - I suppose they had to try and make someone not a schoolboy look like a schoolboy
It's very sweet and natural, as others have said, though Chinese productions tend to be raw at the edges and unsophisticated by Korean and Japanese standards. But they are handsome lads and the story keeps you watching, especially towards the end and the acting has a lot of passion. But where did the love triangle come from? and it's just getting interesting and with stories more than just a school drama when……….? Last episodes great BL romance but the ending…………eh?? eh??!! what happened???
Very revealing, a bit sad……what poor boys have to do to survive - that was made clear at the start. This movie packed a lot in to a short space. It showed the transformation in character from "working" in that environment where real feelings have to live with the ones you have to fake for the "punters". But the ending gave hope that the real feelings would not be completely buried. I thought it was a very sensitive portrayal of a difficult subject. Loved the guy with the auburn hair. Needs more than one viewing I think to get all the nuances - it's so short you can miss things if you blink.
I've watched two episodes now and would say it's very good for what it is. I was attracted by recommendations from other school-related series. I then saw the wonderful "prank" episode on Akira during the filming preparation, I was crying with laughter and seriously recommend you watch that even if you hate school dramas, haven't seen anything so hilarious for ages.
BUT I like my school dramas to have some kind of realism - real problems, not simply solved by a larger-than-life hero hunk riding (literally) to the rescue. Even in dramas with some connection to reality - like School 2013, 2017 - you know the teachers are too good to be true. But the problems is not "solved" in one episode by "our hero" Onizuka and the "good" teachers are not always shown as succeeding.
Here you need a total suspension of disbelief. The school is only a background for stories about "individual problem kids" sorted by our hero. I find it too comical to take seriously but too serious to be entirely comical. The idea of a class of psychopathic kids out to get the hero teacher and the other teachers plotting to get him fired episode after episode loses its comic aspect a bit - but it's nice waiting for the twisted little brats and sneaky teachers to get their comeuppance every time. Not a "can't- wait- for- the-next- episode" series, but one to dip into.
* have also looked at the older 1998 version, this one seems to follow that quite closely, though the older one less wild - obviously what's acceptable changes over time.
It's a hard slog through this marathon course of study but it's got some very original characters and though the plot's not very original, the way it's done keeps you watching (apart from the middle bit). Frankly the stuff they showed them studying (impenetrable math formulas and the like) looked totally unrealistic to cram into 12 months, you'd have to be Einstein or someone, and the demands about finishing 500 problems before bedtime etc were a laugh but for any real person would have blown your nerve cells to shreds long before graduation. Worth sticking with if you like this sort of inspirational school/achievement kind of drama.
Christianity has been a threat to Korea's confucian mind set for for 300 years, when catholic missionaries brought…
ありがとございます。祖です。very interesting post. Real Christianity I am brought up to believe is a religion of love - not judging others for how they are - you should worship God, not Bible.
Not sure why I watched this. Certainly no eye candy. Unremittingly grim, I almost did not make it past the school violence early on - and I mean by the teachers. All that brutality seems to have a hypnotic effect - you sort of see it but don't believe it. It's disturbing to think that this is a real part of the human race - whether it's the disguised gangsters at the top or the physical gangsters at the bottom of society. Very good of its type, no doubt, but not for me.
Defying brain damage, dislocated limbs and ruptured spleens our heroes led by Tsukasa aka Nakajimo Kento come out on top with brilliant teeth intact, hair barely ruffled and knuckles remarkably ungrazed seeing as they had just been smashing people's faces in for the last 90 minutes. All good macho fun, so OTT as to become comedic. I love the idea of a few boys weighing 65 kilos and standing 1.7m toughing it out against battalions of supersize godzillas. If only. Obviously these appeal or there wouldn't be a market for them. Maybe it feeds into the samurai instincts (without the refinements). The best part was Tsukasa caught in the act of "teaching Yoji (I think) how to kiss" - well they would say that, wouldn't they? Nice boys really.
They deleted AishaSweet's link but if anyone's interested there's another here:
BUT I like my school dramas to have some kind of realism - real problems, not simply solved by a larger-than-life hero hunk riding (literally) to the rescue. Even in dramas with some connection to reality - like School 2013, 2017 - you know the teachers are too good to be true. But the problems is not "solved" in one episode by "our hero" Onizuka and the "good" teachers are not always shown as succeeding.
Here you need a total suspension of disbelief. The school is only a background for stories about "individual problem kids" sorted by our hero. I find it too comical to take seriously but too serious to be entirely comical. The idea of a class of psychopathic kids out to get the hero teacher and the other teachers plotting to get him fired episode after episode loses its comic aspect a bit - but it's nice waiting for the twisted little brats and sneaky teachers to get their comeuppance every time. Not a "can't- wait- for- the-next- episode" series, but one to dip into.
* have also looked at the older 1998 version, this one seems to follow that quite closely, though the older one less wild - obviously what's acceptable changes over time.
They deleted AishaSweet's link but if anyone's interested there's another here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIFT1vvJXPU