ACTING/CAST: Nice cast, they do a good decent job acting. BTW: I used the cast names as they are in the list. I don't know Chinese, Pinyin, or anything else.
MUSIC: There's a real cool song sung by Xin that I wish was translated. The video I watched had audio quality issues so I'm not really how to grade this.
REWATCH VALUE: Nah.
OVERALL: The best part of this series are the BL moments. The rest was rather boring. You might be tempted to watch the fan-edited clips that omit everything but the BL. It's not bad to do so but the boring bits do add overall to the story and explain the funky ending. The worse part about the BL is that it's all one-sided romantic love. Xin is "waiting" on Chu to fall in love with him (do people really do this?). It's true, Chu loves Xin but "not in that way." Super annoying. And to have to sit through 4.5 hours of it!? Xin deserved better than that. Oh yeah, the ending: it's not bad or good, just open ended, like a cliff-hanger. Nobody dies. It just...ends. This story is simply unfinished. Also apparently the first 8 episodes deal with Chu and Xin, the second 8 episodes are a different story/cast. I can't seem to find those though.
TL;DR: Well, if you want to watch a slow, one-sided, unrequited burn that ends abruptly, this is your ticket.
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On the one hand this movie is a really sweet, young love, romance story. I liked that a lot. It was so cute and both main characters did a very good job portraying their age and love for each other.
Now, on the other hand, the love and story seems incongruent to what is actually happening. Jenny is 15?Korean years? and she becomes pregnant. This is where I had the problem with the story. When it ended I really was left wondering what the point of the whole movie was.
The pregnancy situation was EXTREMELY UNREALISTIC,IMO.There were no consequences to becoming a teen parent. No moral, physical, social, etc. consequences. The girl didn't even get morning sickness or lose her flat stomach. Having a baby is a beautiful thing, but it is also difficult and a huge responsibility. The movie showed none of that. Everything was sweet, rainbows, and roses.From what I could see. There was really no conflict, and the little conflict there was, was not presented strongly enough.
Were they promoting teen pregnancy? Sex education?.IDK Even the sound track was very childish. There was even a scene were they show a video on what happens in an abortion that was very one sided. I'm not saying that I agree or disagree with abortion, just that the scene was presented in what in the USA is called, ProLife, kind of way.
Anyway, it was sweet, but the topic was handled in very unrealistically.
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“Violent delights have violent ends”
Emerging from the darkness, covered in brutality, comes the King of Pigs and whispers “There is no creature in the world more cruel than human being”. And just like this, it haunts you. It makes sure that watching this drama will be something you won’t forget anytime soon.‘The King of Pigs’ is a psychological thriller drama that is, as already implied, not for the light-hearted. It contains a lot of violent, gore and psychologically heavy scenes which make it almost unbearable to watch. Prepare yourself, because what you are about to watch is a very rough ride.
The story
The drama’s story is based on a 93 minutes animation film ‘The King of Pigs’ by Yeon Sang Ho which is also based on a true story. As I’ve watched the animation film too, I can say that the drama is lightly based on it. Actually, it feels like the drama took the original story, evolved it and ended up making its own and unique story. Thus, there is no point in comparing them.
Without giving away the plot, the story deals with the trauma caused by intra-school violence and how it affects the victim and the perpetrator. Specifically, the story explores a series of events of school violence which took place 20 years ago and the results of these events in the present.
The uniqueness of the story is that it doesn’t refer to these events passively, as something that happened in the past, but as something that started in the past and is still progressing. In other words, the story emphasizes on the dynamic nature of these events and successfully manages to show how greatly the victims were stigmatized and how even the perpetrators were affected by it.
The story denotes that an act of violence is not a simple act. It’s an act which opens the Pandora's box and destroys everyone involved without an exception, because an action always provokes a greater reaction. Thus, in the end, “these violent delights” can only “have violent ends”.
Moving on to the structure, the story has great coherence. As the story is dealing with trauma, it has many flashbacks that interrupt the present story. The transitions from the present to the past were very meticulously made so they don’t end up as tedious flashbacks but on the other hand, they help the story develop and escalate making the story impactful.
The story’s pace can’t be called fact paced because the events don’t unfold quickly yet, as the episodes are very tense, it can’t be called slow paced either. What is certain, is that the drama pace is balanced and manages to keep your attention until the very end.
Lastly, it has to be noted that the story isn’t perfect. In fact, it has some minor flaws as some illogical things occur. Fortunately, they don’t affect the general plot and also, they can easily be ignored or pass unnoticed by the audience.
The production
From my point of view, the production of the drama is almost flawless. ‘The King of Pigs’ is one of the most well-made and well-executed dramas I've ever watched. The directing is on point and manages to perfectly render the dark tone of the story’s theme. The drama consists of beautiful frames, great scene transitions and camera angles which combined with the dark color palette, make the drama visually stunning. The drama’s soundtrack is the cherry on top, as it works as the last stimulus which makes you shudder and frequents you emotionally with the moment.
As far as the acting is concerned, every actor did a pretty good and decent job as every emotion was delivered with great success, the interpretations felt very realistic to the point that the scenes became more traumatic and tense. Both Kim Dong Wook and Kim Sung Gyu had great chemistry and were great in their roles. It has to be mentioned though, that the young actors, especially Choi Hyun Jin, Sim Hyun Seo and Lee Chan Yoo, stole the show.
Conclusion
‘The King of Pigs’ is technically speaking, a very decent drama which deals with a very sensitive and heavy theme. Thus, it is a drama you can’t watch easily just for enjoyment and also, it may not be to everyone’s liking. If you are a thriller lover, I believe that you should give ‘The King of Pigs’ a try. For me, ‘The King of Pigs’ is a very impactful and unique drama that really deserved my time.
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1STORY (No spoilers)
Aside from an initial round of confusion when watching your first run of the first 3-4 episodes, there is nothing further I can think of that really mars the perfection that exists for this drama - storywise.
And may I just say that even the initial confusion of the first 3-4 episodes which is mainly due to the large number of characters being introduced, and the fact that you are thrown literally right into the show without any prior setup of what's going on, no longer exists upon re-watching.
In fact, you will actually realise and appreciate just how intricate and how detailed the writer has been because lots of foreshadowing and information actually exists within the first 3-4 episodes which would have flown by your head upon a first watch, but which makes complete sense upon re-watching.
It really gives you a sense of respect for the writer who has clearly and thoroughly thought through how her story would flow, and has been diligent in embedding subtle but key information throughout the episodes so that as the series progresses towards the mid-way mark, those individual and seemingly disparate threads then come together to form a brilliant picture which then takes your breath away.
The story appears simple - a man who survived a tragedy returns to the capital 12 years later under a new identity to re-dress the horrific wrongs committed.
The execution of the story, however, is FAR from simple.
Like a grandmaster, this man kick-starts things into motion which will change and transform everything, and the way he does it is simply masterful and marvellous to watch.
The pacing of this show is neither fast nor agonisingly slow. The show takes its time to dwell on certain threads longer than others, which may come across slow and a little boring for some viewers, but patience is a virtue with this series and if you patiently keep on watching, it will become evident that the time spent on those disparate and seemingly unconnected threads will bear much fruit when things come together. You will find yourself marvelling at the level of care and craft that has gone into the storytelling, I promise you.
The best analogy I can give is that of a master sculptor working with a block of wood or ice. At first, all you see is a block. Then, he starts hewing and hacking at certain parts of the block and slowly, a rather vague shape is being formed. As you keep watching the sculptor at work, seeing how he starts to focus on first this section, then that section, the vague shape becomes more discernible and you're able to get a glimpse of the art he is producing. Keep watching and observing and you will see that what was once a block is starting to be transformed into a beautiful piece of artwork and at the end of it, as he puts on the finishing touches, the little carvings here and there, you then marvel to yourself at how amazing it is that he is able to visualise and produce such an outstanding piece of work from just a block of wood or ice.
Since there isn't a section that talks about the cinematography or the sets or the camera-work, I will mention it here.
The cinematography, the scale of the sets and the camera-work is just beautiful. I was informed by friends conversant with the chinese netizen community that some of the directors for the show were art/photography directors, which explains why almost each shot being framed can be screenshotted into a piece of art in itself with its colours and its composition. This makes the show an incredibly beautiful one to watch with every frame and shot a feast for the eyes.
The costumes and the sets were apparently incredibly faithful to the time period in which the show is set, down to the bronze teapots and hand warmers. Court etiquette and forms of greeting and respect were appropriate and in-line with the time period too and apparently the actors had been rigorously trained by experts so that their carriage, their conversation and their movements all conformed accurately and naturally.
A great deal of care and diligence had been put into producing the series and it shows.
ACTING/ CHARACTERS
The show being so large and sprawling with its cast of characters, there is insufficient time to dwell on the merits of each one of them. Suffice to say that each supporting character played their parts to perfection, nary a redundant character or scene in this series. Every conversation bears some significance or the other.
Another marvel is that, in most drama series, supporting characters, even those that pitch up for maybe just an episode or two, tend to been given short-shrift in terms of their characters or personalities. Not so here. There is hardly a one-dimensional or caricature personality here. All come across real and believably alive in this series whether they be a passing character, or an antagonist, or a protagonist.
This show is alive and full of layered, nuanced and complex characters whose motivations, goals and actions are believably real and understandable, if not sympathetic. You understand where they are coming from and why they behave the way they do as more about them gets unveiled. This is a brilliance of not only the writing, but also the acting of actors playing those characters, in being able to bring them so wonderfully alive and to come across amazingly real.
Spotlight on the main lead.
HU GE, playing the main protagonist of the series is simply outstanding in his subtle, layered and nuanced portrayal of his character, Lin Shu/ Mei Changsu/ Su Zhe - why does he have so many names? Please do watch to find out, and no, it is not confusing in the slightest. Powerhouse performance from Hu Ge who has to play a sickly, restrained and controlled man who, for good reasons, have to hide his true self and keep many secrets and cards close to his chest. His quiet and subtle responses to events and news which directly affect him but which he cannot allow to give him away is mesmerising to watch, and utterly heart-breaking to see. Simply stellar stuff which I've not been able to see the equal of since.
MUSIC
There is not a lot of soundtrack for this series. 3 songs with vocals, and all employed sparingly but impactfully throughout the series. Most of the series is carried by brilliant moments of silence and traditional chinese instrumentals which heighten the tension where it needs to be heightened, and gives poignancy to the scenes which require poignancy. Another masterpiece in music direction as nothing detracts from the scenes but only enhances. Beautiful.
RE-WATCH VALUE
Can i just say that this show is an absolute MUST for re-watching. Not only because it is just THAT GOOD, but also because of the level of intricate detail and storytelling that goes in it. A first watch will never really allow you to fully unpack and appreciate the masterpiece that you have just seen. Scenes, conversations, camera close-ups on objects that seem inconsequential, all of these which did not make too much sense upon a first watch will make complete sense upon a re-watch, causing you to marvel even more at this show.
Seriously, if you have time to watch episode after episode of some sub-par K, C or J-drama, why not spend that time re-watching Nirvana in Fire instead?
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Heart-Pounding, Beautiful Romance, Sad Story
When I first started watching this drama, I, like many viewers who only made it through the first couple of episodes before dropping it, found it awkward. Liang Jie’s acting felt unnatural, the dialogue was stilted, and even Chen Zhe Yuan had his moments of awkwardness. However, I kept watching—partly because Chen Zhe Yuan looks incredible in tactical gear and partly because he won me over when he rescued the female lead and held her tightly to protect her. That moment was undeniably heart-throbbing.Initially, my impression was quite critical. The script felt weak, the conversations lacked depth, and the romance scenes moved at a frustratingly slow pace. Even moments of physical contact felt cringeworthy. However, by episode 11, my perspective changed. I found myself moved, unexpectedly shedding tears as I began to feel the characters' pain, suffering, and emotional turmoil.
The first 11 episodes take place in war zones, immersing viewers in a world of chaos and danger. After that, the characters return to China, only for the male lead to head back to the war zone in episode 25, with the female lead following shortly after. By the time they both return to China in episode 37, they are broken.
Story & Themes
White Olive Tree is based on the experiences of Song Ran, who witnessed firsthand the horrors of a war-torn country, met Li Zan, and lost friends along the way. At its core, this is a story about PTSD—one that highlights how only those who have endured combat can truly understand each other’s pain.
It delves into the grim realities of war: terrorists planting landmines in fields, car bombs in crowded plazas, suicide attacks, and the ever-present fear of death. Beyond that, it’s a story of camaraderie, love, loss, and survival—a deeply disturbing yet hauntingly beautiful tale of romance set against a backdrop of war, courage, and heroism.
While the pacing is fast and tense during action sequences, it slows down significantly during romantic scenes. Dialogue is minimal, often relying on long pauses rather than words. However, despite the sparse conversation, the longing between the leads is palpable through their gazes.
Another theme this drama explores is the role of journalism in war reporting. While many reporters cover conflicts from the safety of hotel rooms, Song Ran immerses herself in the battlefield, capturing raw footage and firsthand accounts. Unlike journalists who chase fame and prestige—seeking recognition and lucrative rewards for their coverage—Song Ran is driven by a desire to reveal the unfiltered truth to the world.
This theme subtly critiques the bias of mainstream media, highlighting the contrast between sanitized, agenda-driven reporting and the unvarnished realities on the ground. It also underscores why platforms like TikTok have become a political battleground. While traditional media often relies on controlled narratives from a distance, grassroots reporting on social media has empowered ordinary people to document and share real-time footage, frequently challenging and exposing inaccuracies in mainstream coverage.
Characters & Acting
Li Zan (Chen Zhe Yuan)
Li Zan is a bomb expert, a professional building demolition engineer, and a volunteer diffuser in a foreign war-torn country that strongly resembles Syria. He is compassionate, selfless, and undeniably lovable, a role that Chen Zhe Yuan brings to life convincingly.
While he looks young and has an almost boyish charm, his performance in emotional scenes is commendable. His crying scenes are particularly raw and moving, capable of bringing viewers to tears. Despite his somewhat stiff and robotic voice at times, his portrayal of PTSD is gripping and heart-wrenching. His action scenes, particularly in tactical gear, are well-crafted and believable, making him captivating to watch.
Song Ran (Liang Jie)
Liang Jie naturally exudes an air of awkwardness, which works well for her portrayal of Song Ran, a war reporter. Initially, her character can be frustrating—she jumps to conclusions too quickly, is clueless about war zones, and is often oblivious to danger. However, as the story progresses and her backstory unfolds, her independent yet vulnerable nature becomes more understandable.
Having grown up without a mother and feeling like an outsider in her father’s new family, Song Ran developed a strong sense of independence. However, once she meets Li Zan, she finds herself relying on him, as he consistently has her back. Liang Jie’s acting improves significantly after episode 11, making her character much more likable.
Both Chen Zhe Yuan and Liang Jie have a youthful appearance, almost reminiscent of high school students, which at times makes their pairing feel slightly off in such a heavy setting.
Supporting Characters
The banter between Sa Xin and Benjamin is a highlight, with their playful insults adding humor to an otherwise intense story. However, the long pauses between their dialogues sometimes make their exchanges feel overly calculated, losing the natural spontaneity of real banter. That said, Benjamin, played brilliantly by Wang Tian Chen, stands out as one of the most compelling characters aside from Li Zan.
OST & Cinematic Elements
The soundtrack is a major strength of the drama, featuring beautiful slow ballads in both English and Chinese, often accompanied by acoustic instruments. The music enhances the emotional depth of the scenes, making moments of love, loss, and suffering even more poignant. At times, the combination of the soundtrack and the visuals is enough to move viewers to tears.
The cinematography successfully captures the realism of war zones, military barracks, and battle sequences. Explosions, gunfights, and chaotic war-torn landscapes are executed convincingly.
Final Thoughts
The setting of the war zone bears a striking resemblance to Syria, and the political undertones of the story evoke real-world conflicts. The thought of a foreign superpower toppling a government that Li Zan is volunteering for, leaving the region in ruins and handing control over to terrorists who kill innocent civilians that Li Zan and his friends are trying to save, is deeply unsettling. The drama subtly mirrors these harsh realities, making its themes all the more impactful.
While I was initially critical of the acting and dialogue, the emotional depth of the later episodes won me over. Those who have experienced war or PTSD may find this drama particularly resonant. Beyond its romance, it paints a harrowing picture of the tragedies faced by people in war zones—parallels that may evoke sympathy for the struggles of Palestinians, Syrians, and others suffering in conflict-ridden regions.
Despite its awkward moments and slow pacing in certain areas, the intensity of the bomb disposal scenes and combat sequences compensates for these shortcomings. The war-torn landscapes feel authentic, and the emotional weight of the story lingers long after the credits roll. However, the length of the series begins to drag, particularly around episode 30, making it a challenge to endure all the angst and suffering alongside the characters.
The drama currently holds a low rating of 5.4 on Douban, likely due to, among others, its ambiguous ending, where the leads seemingly vanish and reappear in spiritual form, leaving viewers questioning their fate. Though the wounds on Li Zan's body have healed, the scars in his heart and mind last forever. The final message—that sometimes death is preferable to living in endless pain—is hauntingly tragic. The ending forces one to reflect on sacrifice, war, and the depths of human suffering, leaving an emotional imprint long after the last scene fades.
Side note
According to a viewer who has read the novel, dropped the drama and gave it a 4.5 rating, the original story has been drastically altered, diluting the emotional depth of the romance and making it far less heart-wrenching. While Chen Zhe Yuan delivers a brilliant performance as Li Zan, the screenplay does a disservice to Song Ran, reducing her character to an unlikable and poorly developed version of her novel counterpart.
Despite these flaws in the adaptation, I still love the story. I can only imagine how much more inspiring and emotionally impactful the original work must have been.
Great watch! Prepare to cry!
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KBS Drama Special 2012: My Prettiest Moments
24 people found this review helpful
But I would definitely not mind watching this again. :)
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The script needed a red apple
Honestly for me, the only (and most) enjoyable part of this series was ragging on it in the comments with the other fans/prisoners of this show.Like I think they had pieces there to make a good series for me. But it just didn't happen. I'm totally fine with slow burn and build up and tension building, but this series was ridiculous. It was so repetitive but also literally nothing happened. A lot of cryptic comments and stares and standoffs. It was an ugly love dodecagon of people pining over people who were obviously uninterested in them because the liked someone else.
Then at some point, we get one of the most one dimensional villains ever who was campy and almost fun but for the low ceiling of this series. Her motivations were non-existent. Her plans were kill her way to the top and then rule with an iron fist, except she had 3 goons who couldn't find 2 people living in pretty much the most obvious place to search for them.
This series was just.... a mess.
Peterpan and Noh were stealing the show but then the "plot" came for them and they separated and this slow af series got even slower. I really want to see them in another show.
The fencers were frustrating as they both were chasing each other sorta, and other people sorta, and one was so mean for no well defined reason to the other one. Then they end up banging outside a house party.
Sun and his MANY cardiac events and red apples and fainting and grimacing. Like dude.
Also at some point, I swear, they gave Kim psychic powers or something like that. Like literally? Maybe? It was very unclear. But it seemed like he had powers. Maybe that's why his brain was bleeding and he was losing memories later.
I don't know.
I still think Snow White was behind it all. That would have honestly made this series make sense.
Please Peterpan take another role in a different series.
Kan too.
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A Journey Into The Hellish Depths of Horror And Loneliness...
There’s no denying that Strangers From Hell is possibly one of the few and most disturbing psychological dramas that South-Korea has ever produced to date with actual investment and creativity over scenes and lighting, as well as quite bloodthirsty scenes in later episodes.Based upon the eponymous webtoon, Strangers From Hell’s title and concept is taken from a very famous play, No Exit ( 1944)by a French existentialist called Jean Paul Sartre. The play focuses upon three people who are trapped in “ Hell” which exits as a single room, and as they grow gradually sickened by the torment of one another’s company, one of the individuals realises on stage that “ Hell is other people”.
Yet Strangers From Hell isn’t a drama about three individuals stuck in one room. Instead, it is rather a focus upon our main lead Yoon Jong- Woo ( Im Siwan)’s gradual descent into madness after moving into the mysterious Eden Complex in Seoul; a cheap apartment with creepy residents and in particular, falling into the mysterious trap of the charismatic psychopath Seo Moon- Jo ( Lee Dong Wook) . Whilst not unexpected due to Im Siwan’s previous roles , it was certainty a surprising shift since his renowned role in the slice of life and business drama Misaeng, to see Im Siwan tackle a darker and more disturbing role in a psychological horror drama. Undeniably Im Siwan was brilliant within portraying the very slow mental decay of his character by the show exposing dark revelations of Jong- Woo’s past. This role was parallel to the surprising choice of typically typecast romance drama actor Dong Wook , who undeniably went beyond expectations within portraying the sheer complexity and charisma of his psychopathic role as Moon- Jo.
On the other hand, it can’t be sugarcoated that Strangers From Hell’s pacing could have been quicker or the episode lengths reduced. This isn’t to say that the show should have been constantly bloodthirsty or violent as it was part of the suspense to feel unease at what would happen next to our tragic lead, however, by the midway point ( before the ending), the drama often felt a little dragging upon focusing on one element of the story at a time. There’s obviously nothing wrong with doing this, but thus did mean there were a couple of really nuanced plot inconsistencies which were left out ( such as security cameras, suspensions and criminal records) which would have added more realism to some of the tackled scenarios.
Yet despite this, the one element of the show which must be given full praise for ( in addition to the fairly good OST, with The Rose track Strangers adding to the eeriness of the drama) , was the creativity behind the scenes and lighting. There was nothing glamourised nor glossy about the image of the apartment complex or even Jong- Woo’s workplace. It was eerily drab; adding to a later epiphany for viewers that Jong- Woo’s true hell began even before moving into the apartment complex in his hellish everyday life . ( E.g. his “ busy” girlfriend who dismisses his ridiculous claims about the residents and is nearly always at work, his arrogant old friend and boss who constantly undermines him as being worthless, his haughty colleagues as well as his fellow cadets during his time in the army ).
The finale of Strangers From Hell was certainly a surprisingly one, yet nonetheless fitting for its genre and deeper intrinsic philosophical questions of our main lead’s Hellish experiences. Whilst the drama was flawed by certain aspects of pacing and plot inconsistencies, the cast helped to realistically flesh out the characters on screen through their performances, the story was certainly intriguing and disturbing of a man just pushed too far by his experiences and it was overall a very good Psychological - Horror. It is easy to see why this show has earned its status as a cult-classic , and certainly worth a watch.
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The Unveiling
The direct translation and original English title for this production is The Black Sun. This probably refers to the solar eclipse in which the sun appears black. As far as this drama is concerned, it perhaps represents the metaphor where the truth is concealed, hence the befitting title of The Veil. Viewers will find that there is more than just the one piece of veil that covers the hidden truth; there are layers upon layers to be unveiled over the course of the drama, before answers to all questions are finally revealed.The Veil is MBC’s 60th anniversary special drama with an enormous production budget of 15 billion Won. It is the first drama project by screenwriter Park Seok Ho, who had previously written miniseries for which she had won two MBC creative screenplay awards. The award-winning and prolific composer Kim Jang Woo serves as music director while the production is helmed by MBC’s inhouse producing director, Kim Seong Yong. Being a pre-produced drama, it wrapped up filming in August 2021 right before the lead actress Kim Ji Eun was diagnosed as Covid-19 positive. The drama had reportedly altered its airing time after 4 episodes in an apparent attempt to boost viewership as it was competing against SBS’s One the Woman in the same time slot. A 2-episode spin-off focusing on the backstories of characters played by Jang Young Nam, Park Ha Sun and Jung Moon Sung is scheduled to air by the end of October 2021.
From a technical point of view, the execution is excellent, which is to be expected considering the huge production budget. The standout aspects are the action choreography, stunt sequences and the special effects. From the very first minute of the first episode, the drama exudes Bourne Identity vibes in terms of the action scenes which the quality camerawork captures beautifully. I also noticed that the picture quality of the drama is noticeably different compared to the usual fare. The application of muted colour combinations and high contrast grading contributes to a somewhat subdued and desaturated visuals, which I suppose complements the overall edgy and gritty tone of the drama.
The story is set on the premise of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) waging a war against a homegrown drug cartel with mainland Chinese ties. In the not too distant past, the NIS was always depicted as being engaged in espionage cat-and-mouse games against their North Korean counterparts. However, perhaps due to the current political climate, it is much less politically sensitive to cast drug lords as the primary villains, which is the case here. That said, other political affiliations do get their fair share of mentions - China’s Public Security Bureau and NK’s own intelligence outfit. Aside from the action scenes, the ML’s character development is reminiscent of Jason Bourne’s own character arc with the presence of the amnesia plot and his quest to regain his lost memories.
I went into this drama fully expecting a highly exciting and action packed thriller filled with explosive gunfights, slick unarmed combats, high-speed car (as well as speedboat and helicopter) chases and plenty of non-stop adrenaline-fueled agency and urgency. As it turns out, the focus of the drama is not so much on the action, which is still present but not as abundant as I had hoped, but rather on the cloak-and-dagger aspects of investigations into uncovering secret agendas amidst the convoluted internal politics of the clandestine organisation and its major players. A crucial plus point - depending on your standpoint - there is no romance involved in the story as far as the leads are concerned, which is just as well due to the limited duration of the drama. However, there are brief instances of misplaced humour involving primarily a certain data analyst co-worker. Sometimes I wish I could tell K-drama screenwriters directly to cut that crap out and just focus on being consistent with the serious and dramatic tone of the drama.
There are essentially 2 parts to the narrative; the first part concerns the flashbacks, backstories and process of unraveling the web of deceit while the second part sees a unified team fighting against a common enemy. Most of the action happens in the second part which begins from episode 10 onwards. The initial arc unfolds during the first 9 episodes, which I feel takes too long and becomes rather over complicated as well as convoluted than is necessary. In truth, the plot really is quite straightforward and the catalyst that triggers the entire chain of events comes across as somewhat weak, which is shown to viewers in the final reveal. Long story short, the psychologically-induced disorientation along with the long-winded mind games takes up the bulk of this 12-episode drama which, in my humble opinion, finally comes alive in the final 3 episodes despite kicking-off with a bang in the first couple of episodes.
This drama will most likely be remembered for Nam Goong Min’s dedication and commitment in preparing for his role as NIS super agent Han Ji Hyuk. He reportedly began training, via a gluten-free protein-enriched diet and 4-hour daily gym workouts that added 10 kg to his body mass, in January 2021 to transform into the powerful physique and achieve absolute conviction in the portrayal of the character. Additionally, he performs his own stunts in the brutal and savage fight scenes which further enhances the believability of the characterization. From the very first minute of his appearance, I simply could not recognise him both from the facial features (even after his character eventually loses all the facial hair) and the body language which have completely changed. This is not the NGM that we all remember. Amazing! Aside from the physical aspect, NGM also manages to showcase a nuanced depiction of the emotional depth written in Han Ji Hyuk’s character arc.
The main female characters are portrayed by Park Ha Sun and Kim Ji Eun, as NIS agents Seo Soo Yeon and Yoo Je Yi respectively. I think Park Ha Sun is quite compelling but, unfortunately, her character of Seo Soo Yeon is a wasted potential, for obvious reasons. Perhaps the character would be more fleshed out in her spin-off origin story slated for release later this month. On the other hand, I’m not so convinced with Kim Ji Eun’s character. Yoo Je Yi is more suited as an analyst rather than a field agent and even towards the end, is lacking in development. However, this is more an issue with the writing rather than the actress’ performance which is quite decent given what she had to work with.
As far as the supporting cast is concerned, the veterans impressed me the most. Jang Young Nam and Lee Kyung Young as Deputy Directors Do Jin Suk and Lee In Hwan respectively. Both these two experienced actors are no strangers to playing such powerful and authoritative characters, as can be seen from their past performances. Yoo Oh Sung who plays Baek Mo Sa feels somewhat more subdued and has very minimal dialogue this time around, although he still manages to expertly infuse his character with subtle shifts in aura and demeanour that fit the narrative.
The soundtrack features 4 OSTs while the dramatic score composed by Kim Jang Woo generally fits with the overall vibe of the drama.
요아리 Yoari - Reason
일레인 Elaine - Stay With Me
요아리 Yoari - Searching for Reasons Why
이정민 Lee Jung Min - Get Ya
In addition, Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight gets some significant airplay in the drama as well.
All things considered and truth be told, I had rather high hopes for The Veil because it has been quite a while since we had a proper espionage-themed drama the likes of the Iris series and Athena: Goddess of War. As fantastic as NGM has been, this drama falls short of my expectations. Fortunately, it does finish as strongly as it started which is the saving grace in the end.
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The way I know the storytelling was excellent is that I never thought about it while I was watching, but realized it wouldn't have been able to care as much if it was delivered differently.
I think all three main characters did amazing jobs. I hurt when they hurt; I hated them when they hated themselves; I loved them when they tried to heal.
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Heartbreaking.
Bible has once again pulled out all the stops to reveal what a great actor he is! His performance was so moving, so beautifully enacted, so deliriously loaded with emotions, it really hit you right in the feels. Heartbreaking, yet so powerful; he just nailed it. Jes, whom I am less familiar with brought his A-game as well. You could see his experience and talent oozing out of every scene, and he was fantastic too. They could tell a super powerful love story, truly affecting, within 20 minutes of screen time for both.To me, the story is all about the love between two people - one who loved too much and one who loved too little. It was a love for which Garn was ready to give everything; he poured his heart and soul into that love until his last breath. On the other hand, Tul chose to go by the expectations of society and so he went for a wife and child. He did not repent his choice, but somewhere in his heart, he felt sorry that his love for Garn was not strong enough to match Garn's feelings.
Seriously, they both did amazing! ꨄ
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This review may contain spoilers
STARTER OF JOONGDUNK'S ERA
GURLLLLLLLLLL. MISS GURL. I LITERALLY HAVE NO WORDS BUT ALSO HAVE TOO MANY WORDS AT THE SAME TIME. Like… AM I ACTUALLY WATCHING A GMMTV SERIES?? BECAUSE WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK????? THIS SHIT IS SO GOOD. I mean, okay, sure, there’s room for improvement, but like, tiny, microscopic, almost nonexistent room. This series just completely SLAUGHTERED anything else GMMTV has put out recently. The pacing? The cinematography? The climax? The conflict??? BRO. EVERYTHING IS ON STEROIDS. AND THE CHEMISTRY??? BITCH, Y’ALL CAN TELL ME THEY’RE JUST ACTING ALL YOU WANT BUT IN MY HEAD, THEY ARE MARRIED. IN FACT, I WASN’T EVEN A JOONGDUNK GIRLIE BEFORE. I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT THEM. BUT NOW??? NOW I AM A CONVERT. I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT. I HAVE JOINED THE CHURCH OF JOONGDUNK.And let me tell you, the fact that they finally gave them a series with a PROPER plot instead of whatever watered-down nonsense they had before??? Like, THANK FUCKING GOD. Anyway, onto the review before I combust.
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1. Plot
When I tell you this series GRABBED ME by the throat from the very first episode… Like, the way it started off strong had me thinking, “Okay, this is good, but can they actually keep up the momentum???” AND GURL. THEY DID. AND THEY DID IT SO WELL I CHOKED.
So, we have two main pairings: JoongDunk and FirstKhaotung. JoongDunk is giving enemies to lovers, and LET ME JUST SAY—THE SEXUAL TENSION??? SO SHARP IT COULD SLICE THROUGH A FUCKING DIAMOND. I WAS SWEATING. Meanwhile, FirstKhaotung is more of a “we like each other but let’s be dramatic about it” situation, and while it was cute, my brain was still looping back to JoongDunk’s tension every five seconds. SORRY NOT SORRY.
Plot-wise, we have Fadel and Bison, two hitmen working for some big boss they call ‘Mother,’ whose job is basically to kill bad people. One day, Bison meets Kant (while playing bowling of all things) and they have a one-night stand that turns into something real. BUT OF COURSE, Fadel, the king of cockblocking, is NOT HAVING IT. Enter Style, Kant’s friend, and suddenly we have a love square where everyone is either in danger or horny (or both). The conflicts just keep evolving, and honestly? That’s what keeps this series so addictive.
The pacing is chef’s kiss—not too fast, not too slow, just enough to make me DESPERATE for the next episode. ALSO, THE OUTFITS??? HELLO??? GIVE THE STYLIST A RAISE. I WAS LIVING FOR EVERY SINGLE LOOK. (STYLE, I SEE U). But let’s talk about the real elephant in the room. THE MASTURBATION SCENE. HELLO??????? UM?????????? I AM STILL SCREAMING.
A) JOONG? SEXY AS FUCK.
B) DUNK? SEXY AS FUCK.
C) VISUAL COUPLE ON MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE.
The vibes were kinda Only Friends but with better execution and a plot that actually makes sense. The only thing I wasn’t fully gagging over? Some of Joong’s action scenes were a little too… chill. Bro, YOU’RE A HITMAN. WHY DO YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’RE WAITING FOR THE STUNTMAN TO GIVE YOU A SIGN??? Just a little more sharpness, a little more BAM POW, and it would’ve been perfect. ALSO. Kant’s fear of the ocean?? I NEEDED MORE. WHERE ARE THE TEARS? WHERE IS THE FULL MELTDOWN? I NEEDED BISON TO HOLD HIS HAND AND HAVE A FULL “I GOT YOU BABY” MOMENT. LIKE HELLO, MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
AND ANOTHER THING. I KNEW Ruerat WASN’T THE KILLER. I JUST KNEW IT. LILY WAS LOOKING SUS FROM THE SECOND SHE STEPPED ON SCREEN. And when she got arrested??? THAT SCENE WAS TOO RUSHED. WHERE WAS THE STRUGGLE? THE DRAMA?? HOMEGIRL JUST WENT “oh no, u got me” AND THAT WAS IT. EXCUSE ME???
BUT LISTEN. The burger scene??? Fadel and Style having their last meal together before 5 years of pain??? STYLE WIPING FADEL’S LIPS????? OH, BITCH, I WAS WEEPING. And for a hot second, I really thought they were about to go full Bonnie & Clyde and commit a crime just so they could be with their boyfriends in jail, BUT NO. Kant had to be all smart and rational and turn them into prison teachers instead. I MEAN, SLAY.
Side note: I wish Keen got more screen time. GIVE THIS MAN MORE TO WORK WITH. His whole deal with the siblings could’ve had so much more juice to it, but nope. Wasted potential.
The ending??? I LOVED IT. No spoilers, but trust me, it’s satisfying. They basically have to rebuild their lives from scratch, but these men are talented as fuck, so I have zero doubts they’ll be fine. ALSO, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE CINEMATOGRAPHY??? That one scene of Style drinking at the pool while complaining about Fadel? LOOKED LIKE A WHOLE ASS ART PIECE. THE COLORS. THE CAMERA ANGLE. PERFECTION.
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2. Characters
- Fadel (Joong) – Okay, listen. I already knew Joong was a solid actor, but THIS??? THIS IS HIS BEST PERFORMANCE YET. I’M NOT EVEN JOKING. THE RANGE. THE DEPTH. THE SUBTLETY. Fadel is a character that could’ve easily fallen into the “broody, emotionless hitman” trope, but Joong understood the assignment. The micro-expressions? The way his voice would get slightly softer around Bison? THE POSSESSIVENESS? FUCKING INSANE. And his fighting scenes? OKAY, SOME WERE A LITTLE TOO CHILL, BUT OVERALL, HE ATE. And let’s be real… THE WAY HE LOOKED AT STYLE LIKE HE WANTED TO DEVOUR HIM. HELP. I felt the jealousy. I felt the internal struggle. Fadel looks clingy and cute as fuck when he is with Style after 5 years in prison got me like 👅. Fadel is becoming emotionally unstable because he starting to get clingy with Style LOL. AND THE AFTERGLOW SCENE????? MOTHERFUCKER WAS ON HIS ACTING GRIND. This man went from emotionally constipated to head over heels and DID IT SO SMOOTHLY. I AM BOWING. I AM KNEELING.
- Style (Dunk) – DUNK. SIR. I AM SO SORRY FOR EVER DOUBTING YOU. The way this man has EVOLVED AS AN ACTOR??? BITCH. Style is literally a menace in the best way possible. This man is the DEFINITION of power bottom energy. I MEAN, HE WORE A CROP TOP, HAD A COCKY LITTLE SMIRK, AND GIGGLED AFTER FLIRTING??? LIKE, HELLO, OFFICER??? I NEED TO REPORT A CRIME. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT HIS CHEMISTRY WITH FADEL??? STYLE WOULD LITERALLY TEASE THIS MAN TO THE BRINK OF INSANITY AND THEN JUST SMILE ABOUT IT. I KNOW FADEL WANTED TO STRANGLE HIM (OR MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE… 👀). BUT THEN. OH, BUT THEN. When Style started actually catching feelings??? I WAS DONE. THE WAY HE BECAME SOFT FOR FADEL?? CAN WE ALSO TALK HOW HE DIDNT PULL AWAY FROM JOONG'S KISSES? THANK YOU, SIR.
- Kant (First) – OKAY. HERE'S THE THING. Kant is sweet. He’s solid. He’s the guy you wanna bring home to your parents. BUT. HE WAS MISSING SPICE. LIKE, WHERE IS THE DRAMA??? WHERE IS THE INTENSITY?? I NEEDED MORE FROM HIM. But other than that, First still did a great job. And let’s be honest, Chubby First was the best decision they ever made. HE LOOKED SO SOFT I WANTED TO HUG HIM. I think its because he works out so he need to eat more protein.
- Bison (Khaotung) – I AM EATING MY WORDS BECAUSE I REALLY THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE MID, BUT NOPE. HE WAS SERVING. He had this playful, unhinged energy that just worked with Kant’s more reserved personality. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE WAY HE LOOKED AT KANT??? THIS MAN WAS IN LOVE. LITERALLY BECAUSE HS IS SO ADORABLE. IM TALKING ABOUT BISON HERE AND NOT KHAOTUNG. OKAY MAYBE I DID TALK ABOUT BOTH OF THEM. LOL. Anyway, Character development? LOVE IT. After 5 years, Bison is more stable now. He is more rational than Fadel ( WEIRD I KNOW ) and trust Kant fully as their relationship grows.
- Keen (Pepper) – NOT ME LICKING MY SCREEN EVERYTIME PEPPER ON THE SCREEN. I’M SORRY BUT THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID FIRST. His character??? FULL OF POTENTIAL. WASTED. UNDERUSED. LIKE, THIS MAN WAS DEALING WITH FAMILY DRAMA, BETRAYAL, AND HIS ENTIRE LIFE FALLING APART—WHY DIDN’T WE GET MORE OF HIS STORYLINE??? WHY WAS HE JUST THERE??? GIVE HIM MORE EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWNS. GIVE HIM A REDEMPTION ARC. GIVE HIM SOMETHING.
Babe (Ken) – Listen. I try to be nice. But I HAVE to be real. Ken’s acting was STIFF. Babe was probably the weakest link in the entire show, and it hurts because his storyline could have been interesting. But every time he spoke, I was like… “Sir… do you even believe what you’re saying???” No emotion, no conviction, just vibes. And not the good kind. NEXT.
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3. OST
OST? YAAAAASSSS OMGGGG FIT THE VIBE FR. I love the OST SO MUCH. I just know if the series have Khaotung, I just know the song is lit as fuck. AND LET ME TELL YOU. ALL THE SONGS THEY USE IN THIS SERIES ARE LIT AS FUCK. LIKE none of them actually boring ????? I AM SHOOKETH ????? I still cant move on from dancing scene cause the song is lit. AND THE INTRO is nice as fuck! Bro the concept? YESS!!! They dont even require much videos and only some pictures as the intro. Love it! THE CHOICE OF SONGS ARE GOOD LIKE UM HELLO???? NOT ME DOWNLOADING ALL SONGS TO BE ADDED INTO MY SPOTIFY PLAYLIST.
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4. Chemistry
WHEN I TELL YOU THE CHEMISTRY IN THIS SERIES IS NEXT-LEVEL, I AM NOT EXAGGERATING. THIS SHIT FELT REAL. LIKE, I WASN’T JUST WATCHING A BL—I WAS WATCHING TWO ACTUAL PEOPLE FALLING IN LOVE IN REAL TIME. THE EMOTIONS? RAW. THE CONNECTION? UNDENIABLE. THE TENSION? ELECTRIC.
And let’s be honest… JoongDunk is THE main pairing here. FirstKhaotung?? LOVE THEM TO DEATH, but they were major support characters for JoongDunk’s story. That being said… FirstKhaotung was TOO DAMN CUTE, I ALMOST DIED. LIKE, WHO ALLOWED THEM TO BE THIS ADORABLE? THE DANCE SCENE??? I HAD TO PAUSE, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND COME BACK BECAUSE IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR MY HEART TO HANDLE.
NOW. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE JAIL SCENE. I AM ACTUALLY FOAMING AT THE MOUTH. THE KISS. THE TOUCHING. THE HEAVY BREATHING. MY MEOW WAS MEOWING. MY SKIN FELT ELECTRIC. MY BRAIN SHORT-CIRCUITED. LIKE, THAT WASN’T JUST A KISS, THAT WAS A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE. I SWEAR I SAW FIREWORKS EXPLODE INSIDE MY HEAD.
Now, onto the sex scenes… OH, BABY. FirstKhaotung got the good stuff. The choreography, the pacing, the eye contact—it was all there. BUT. JoongDunk’s scene??? It NEEDED MORE. Like, don’t get me wrong, the kisses were PERFECT—desperate, passionate, messy, full French action. BUT THE ACTUAL STEAM SCENE? IT FELT TOO SHORT. WE HAD ALL THIS INSANE, HIGH-BUILT-UP TENSION, AND THEN BOOM. IT WAS OVER TOO FAST. WHERE WERE THE GASPS? THE MOANS? THE LINGERING TOUCHES? I NEEDED MORE. I DESERVED MORE.
That being said… was it still good? YES. YES. AND YES. But would I have sold my soul for an extra five minutes of intense, breathless, emotionally wrecking realness? ALSO YES.
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5. Overall
Alright, let’s be real. This is a SOLID 9/10. There are tiny things here and there that could be improved, but honestly? NOTHING CRUCIAL. The chemistry alone makes up for everything. The emotions? The storytelling? The visuals? CHEF’S KISS.
And let me remind y’all I DO NOT REWATCH SERIES UNLESS THEY’RE GOOD. Like, I physically cannot sit through the same thing twice unless it’s THAT level of addicting. AND THIS? OH, IT’S THAT SERIES. I WILL 100% BE REWATCHING.
Now, onto the important questions:
Would I rewatch? YES.
Would I sell my soul for a Season 2? ABSOLUTELY.
Would I commit a crime just to make JoongDunk do another series like this? No comment.
FINAL RATING: 9/10. A MASTERPIECE.
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Awful script-writing and character development
To start off with a positive, the two main actors had great chemistry and their acting carried the entire show. Intimate scenes were done well but they were often very abrupt and I had trouble understanding the characters' thoughts or intentions most of the time leading up to these scenes. In particular, the character of First (played by Folk Jakrin Sangruan). First's character showed no development throughout despite meaningful talks with the acting teacher - he continued to treat Play (played by Gameplay Garnpaphon Laolerkiat) meanly with an excuse of 'teasing him because his reactions are cute' and I'm not entirely sure how that led to them getting together, nor do I understand First's feelings towards Play.The supporting characters added nothing to the plot and I ended up skipping all of the random side story parts as I really couldn't care less about Penelope... The love triangle was mostly unnecessary other than to give First a shove in the right direction and they should have allocated more time to focus on the two main characters and the development of feelings between them. It felt like their relationship kept going from 0 to 100 and then all the way back down to 0 again.
I only finished this since it was short, wouldn't recommend unless you have nothing else to watch.
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Another overhyped netflix drama with no substance.
It's basically a take on all annoying cliches from the kdrama world - chaebol guy with a traumatic family childhood meets a lively, poor girl who turns his whole world upside down. Plus, there's the chaebol's family going against the relationship (what a surprise). An annoying love triangle exists too.If you're like me, an avid long time Kdrama fan who's fed up with these cliches, you really should avoid this drama if you don't want to feel annoyed. I always crave for dramas that are realistic and relatable, and sadly this isn't one of them.
A lot of people also mention the chemistry between the leads as their favorite, but honestly, I didn't feel any spark at all. The acting was also too bad. The male lead was trying too hard to replicate the main lead in What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (with the countless hair touches) and it really din't work for him. (heard the webtoon really portrayed this but come one guys) I hope he gets a better roles next time cause he's actually good.
The only plus side I found was the female lead's job of being a product researcher. I often find it amusing how kdramas can romanticize jobs that often go unnoticed. This drama amazed me only in that aspect.
Really, skip it. They keep saying that this drama did all the cliches right... It honestly didn't.
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Nonsense As Usual
So did Min Jun smile in this drama? Mfker walked around like he was allergic to happiness, like he loved being miserable and having a sad background story about his first love. Dude was out there acting like woe is him and heart break was made specifically for him. Give it a rest, Susan. Cuz what even was his problem towards the end? Jin Hwan a better person than me though, I'd have gotten on that plane. Go be incompatible in the corner with your foolishness.And was I supposed to be happy for that airport scene? Literally this is what happened word-for-word. No, really, come see nonsense.
Min Joon: "You know, too. You and I are really incompatible. We will fight and get tired again. And we'd be worn out each time. You think everything would be possible now. But what if, I keep bringing up the past and ask why you acted that way angrily? Similar things keep happening. No one would be okay with that. And what if you keep doing that to me? I know myself well. I won't be able to stand it. You know how it'd end. And I know, too. Choi Jin Hwan. First love needs to be left as a memory. Stop. Please let me be free now. Please, just get out of my sight."
Jin Hwan: *confessing his love, begging, trying to reason, pleading.* Nothing works, he gets dumped, heart broken, he packed his suitcase, quit his job and decided to leave the country.
*Min Joon hears about it and runs to him at the airport. Cue a montage of their moments together and a sad song.*
Min Joon: "Choi Jin Hwan, what's with you? You changed your number and tried to disappear? You bastard. You and I are really incompatible. That is why I'll fight as many times as it takes. Even if you get tired, and beg me to let you go, I won't let go of you, okay? I know everything and I'm mad at you. I know things would get boring and obvious, but I like you so much that I'm going mad. I like you. So, don't go. As long as I am with you, everything is fine. I still like you."
Me: Thunder fire you and your ancestors' goat.
Cuz was that supposed to be romantic? I was making a face the whole time, rolling my eyes and just... why child, what even? Nonsense dey for some peoples backyard. Make someone's son come disturb my peace with this kind behaviour, na slap he go chop. Fool.
Listen, I liked the overall drama. Misunderstanding like this can happen, so I was enjoying the plot when the misunderstanding happened in ep1, I was like, oooh drama, sign me up. I was happy when they both found out that they've simply misunderstood each other. Enjoyed the in-between of getting to know how they got together, how they both loved but were shy, scared and didn't communicate enough so their first loved ended miserably for them both. Nice plot and drama, give me two more.
So yeah, after everything was cleared up between them, I was ready for these two to handle things as the adults they were, instead Min Joon acted like a broken spoon and decided to go with the annoying, childish, approach. Wth is your problem Susan? Like, why you causing unnecessary drama, Bob? So you got dumped one time, so what? Dude let his 2am thoughts won over his rational thoughts, and decided to frustrate us with his nonsense. Child if you don't go sit somewhere.
And, is the theme for this year's k-bl dramas misunderstandings? I wonder if the writers had a meeting and decided to frustrate us, while they laughed over soju. Cuz, again, why?
Anyway, a decent drama, give it a watch, it had its charm, but overall, the ending could have been done better, instead of whatever that was.
Once again, I say, k-bls needs to step up this year, like, why are you on the floor? It's only May.
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