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xXabsintheXx

독일 ~ Where the waves gush against your windows

xXabsintheXx

독일 ~ Where the waves gush against your windows
Money Flower korean drama review
Completed
Money Flower
67 people found this review helpful
by xXabsintheXx
Feb 4, 2018
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 6
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
Simply put one of the best makjang dramas I’ve watched in a long time and I highly recommend it to everyone who hasn’t started this yet.

If you ever felt like degrading almost every drama you have watched so far only because of this one new show you just started, then welcome to Money Flower. Is it captivating? Yes. Does it have an amazing cast? Yes. Will the script blow your mind away? A definite YES.

Although I know that there will always be this one or two per cent who don’t enjoy a show and that there are also those dramas whose hype is just overrated, I’m sure that most of the people who watched this one, enjoyed it as much as I did – and probably felt the same (painful…) torture every week.

I haven't watched many dramas with Jang Hyuk yet, but the character he took on in this drama is by far and without doubt one of his best - if not THE best. I can't compare much but I also can't imagine how Jang Hyuk would top what he delivered here. He plays a typical anti-hero who wants to take revenge for something that happened a long time ago and therefore concocts a plan that takes action over a long period of time while needing a lot of patience. 'Strength lies in calmness' one would say, well damn, Kang Pil Joo (Jang Hyuk) created this line all anew. A first glance of him and his whole demeanor tells you to not approach him. He seems like a fox that transforms into a tiger later on. He's cold and manipulative, calculating and ambitious. It's incredible how scarce his facial expressions were and at the same time told so much about his inner thoughts and conflicts. It was also thrilling to watch him pursue his goals and root for him but also see whether he would be able to go all the way, cross boundaries or stay focused till the bitter end.

Jang Hyuk's acting is leading this drama effortlessly, even though he is not the only force and has some equal counterparts who delivered their stories just as well.

For example Jang Seung Jo who is portraying Jang Boo Cheon. He seems to be a clueless guy who doesn't have a serious plan for his future and therefore gets lead like a puppet by his mother. Deep down he is a good boy. He has many flaws, makes mistakes and even though he tries to do the right things or correct his mistakes, he ends up worsening them. Yes, he's not perfect and definitely no saint but his bromance with Kang Pil Joo was beautiful and painful to watch at the same time. Twists and turns will test him in every possible way - and while Kang Pil Joo's path seems rather clear, Jang Boo Cheon's character will be thrown into some fatal situations. You won't always agree with his behavior or his decisions, you might even get furious about them. But there are also some moments when you want to give him some slack, too. Out of them all he was the one who was the hardest to predict, especially in the second half.

His mother on the other hand is one despicable woman. Lee Mi Sook. Whenever I watch a drama with her, she makes me want to strangle her character - sometimes jokingly, sometimes with all my might. Jung Mal Ran, the woman she is impersonating, definitely belongs to my latter choice. Just the sight of her makes me furious. Yes, she had some hardships in her life and always had to fight for everything while constantly living with the fear of losing it all in the end. But the lengths she is willing to go to secure those things and totally ignoring what's really important, put her on a way that would be very hard to escape from. I wouldn't say that she's one of the best villains I've seen so far, but Lee Mi Sook put on an enjoyable show and her performance is worth the effort.

These three actors just received the MBC rewards for excellence performances in Money Flower. It's the first time that I actually agree on the winners because their acting was far above everyone else.

Park Se Young plays Na Mo Hyun, the innocent equivalent in this drama and someone who brings a little balance into this heavy revenge game. She gets caught in Kang Pil Joo's net of lies without realizing it. Even though she seemed to be the naive good girl, she never appeared weak in my eyes. She had to deal with some cruel situations but after falling down, she put herself together and fought back which was so important because otherwise she would have become insane. I appreciate her character very much. She did what was in her power while staying true to herself, getting stronger and raising her confidence. I like Park Se Young a lot, her acting might not have been as outstanding as the others, but she still did a wonderful job and on top of that had sizzling chemistry with Jang Hyuk. Yes, they kept me on tenterhooks like I have never been before... But beware, this drama focuses on Pil Joo's revenge and doesn't care for its viewers desires.

There are so many other characters and actors who nourish the story and should be mentioned. But I don't want to take away all the enjoyment. It's hard to praise and do justice to this drama without getting lost in the details and reveal too much. Everyone should experience this road for themselves.

The story is smooth like water, it doesn't have rugged edges, and the colors and the music feel like a well balanced frame, that carries a calm but sweeping tone - and you realize that something big is coming down. It's like one of those paintings you discover in old art museums. The more you look at it, the more you get sucked in - Money Flower is just like that. It makes you curious and excited. It leaves a hole in your heart whenever you have to pause it. Sometimes I wanted to hide my face but the drama wouldn't let me do that. I was too paralyzed to avoid my gaze. And of course, I didn't want to miss even one second. I started to anticipate the heat in my veins while getting furious or anxious or flustered.

Other times I found myself crying without realizing it, because the tears suddenly exploded in my eyes. I didn't cry much during this show and I didn't realize how deep my emotions got entangled until a certain moment. Then it suddenly hit me and one scene, one tear of Jang Hyuk and my rivers broke. Believe me when I say that it's that good - in every aspect possible.

I was worried and in doubt until the last minute whether they would be able to conclude the drama with a satisfying ending. But they certainly did. I might have some personal issues with one tiny thing (that is so not worth mentioning) but overall a deserving finale.
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