Pinocchio (2014)

Pinocchio on the surface is about a bunch of reporters who learn what reporting is truly all about. Or at least, that's what I was expecting until I heard Lee Jong Suk joined the cast. I swear nobody has a knack for good roles the way he does. He just knows how to pick an amazing role and make it even more amazing with his acting skills. And that's what this drama was. Absolutely AMAZING. Every episode took me deeper and deeper into their story and by the time I was done, I was crying like a wild horse (if wild horses cry). Every character, every situation and every decision (made by Dal Po) either turned me into a huge of puddle of emotional mess or brought a huge, shiny grin on my face. Some stuff got me slapping my computer screen so hard (I'll make it up to you babe). There were no in-betweens. Also there were no dull moments.

Coming to characters. Dal Po is amazing. And not just your everyday amazing but amazing amazing. While I was watching I can't even count the number of times I would've made a choice completely different from him. He was so brave and just so right. The kind of path he took, there was no assurance that he would be able to avenge his family at all and as we moved further into the story, we realize that if he hadn't made the choices that he did, he wouldn't even have been able to catch the right culprit. As for Park Shin Hye, I've really only liked her in You're Beautiful. Her characters in Heirs and Flower Boy Next Door were extremely disappointing. But this is her best portrayal. I loved Choi In Ha and her blunt attitude (not that she had a choice considering the Pinocchio Syndrome). I think I'll have a hard time remembering it's not a real syndrome.

The supporting cast was amazing, especially Yoon Yoo Rae. Her little love-story towards the end was really cute (I'm trying really hard not to give spoilers here, but I'm so excited I can barely contain it, lol). In Ha's mom, her dad, her grandpa, everyone was great. Both the Caps and OMG the whole staff at YGN. I absolutely loved them. Especially the dude with the creepy grin and the hairband. He was awesome! Ahn Chan Soo was awesome. Kim Hae Sook is one of my favorite actors when it comes to moms and other older roles and the parts she plays always have something great to offer. Same happened here. Her character started out as a sweet and overly-protective mom which reminded me of her roles in Marriage Not Dating and I Hear Your Voice but it grew into so much more. Last (but most definitely not the least) Ki Jae Myung was mesmerizing. You know what he does is wrong, yet all you feel for him is sympathy and make excuses for him, because the emotional turmoil he goes through is simply palpable. He suffered through years of pain and guilt and he suffered all by himself. It was beautiful, the way his character was shaped.

The music is good, though not extremely good. It's melodious, relaxing and not too dramatic. Every Single Day has composed some nice ones for the OST.

Comparisons to I Hear Your voice are inevitable since the lead actor along with supporting cast and the writer-director were same for both dramas. And there is an essence of IHYV here in this drama, which makes it just as great. But nothing is repetitive and Pinocchio easily holds it's own. I would recommend it to everyone now that all the episodes are out and you don't have to live in agony waiting for new episodes.

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I cannot recall the last show that I found so gripping and intelligently written. I feel that this show has raised the bar for me and placed it considerably high. I simply didn't want it to end! A show that had me hooked from the 1st episode to the last one without a single low point or a hitch - it's hard to come across those. I'd like to warn you that this review might be a long one, but such a show deserves nothing but unabridged words from the heart.

The story was simply genius. The twists and turns didn't seem deliberate, the characters were true to life, the sub-plots were all significant as well! Nothing, and I really mean NOTHING was out of place. No side characters seemed forcefully added or hastily exited (Although the finale did seem to exclude an end to a tiny plot the writers were building, but I'm willing to squelch that itch in my brain). The story itself taught so much! I still remember the great things I learned from I Hear Your Voice and the writers haven't failed to teach me several things in this show either. There was such commendable courage, unconditional love, and selflessness shown in this drama, it simplifies many things that have become complicated in our lives these days. The main pivotal element, that brought freshness and brilliancy to the story, was the drama's namesake medical condition - Pinocchio Syndrome. The inability to lie brings such delightful reprieve from all the deceits and hidden truths and misunderstandings that come along with relationships. If only people were usually so honest and open about their emotions, things wouldn't be so complex. There are some of the most beautiful bonds that I saw in this show that I will never forget. I could go on and on about how remarkable the story of this show was, and still not say enough.

I need to take a deep breath before I begin about the actors. Why? Because I need to make coherent sentences from the heap of positive adjectives that are popping in my head. All I can think of, are words such as - Perfect, incredible, incomparable, outstanding, amazing, brilliant, etc. etc. I can certainly say that from the leads to the guest appearances, EVERY single actor, that worked on this show, deserves an applause or a pat on the back at least. I've never seen such a plethora of great performances, all in one show. Each performance of the actors seems to be imprinted in my head. Lee Jong Suk was positively dazzling throughout the series! And Park Shin Hye pleasantly surprised me with her remarkable portrayal of Choi In Ha. I'd never been a fan of hers, but I have to admit, she gave an absolutely stunning performance. The veteran actors, that were part of the cast, need no extra praise, they were great as always. A special mention for Jin Kyung and Kim Hae Sook though, these two ladies gave such captivating performances as the antagonists that I couldn't help but respect and admire their characters even while hating them. Kim Young Kwang and Lee Yoo Bi looked really promising! I've seen other works by these two, but Pinocchio definitely brought out the best of them, as well as every other actor in the cast.

The OSTs in the drama struck a chord in every situation they were played in. The music really brought forth the emotions and conveyed the intensity of the moments spectacularly. There were so many scenes where I simply shed tears because of the perfect harmony of the music and the script.

Which reminds me to mention the powerful script that the show had! Such impactful words, such brilliant dialogues! The chemistry between, not just the lead pair, but every actor was evident and impressive. I've run out of adjectives that I usually get to use while describing a show, but I still have many things I haven't been able to mention. The list of things that worked in the favor of the show is too long to post in this already too long review. If anybody has had the patience to read till now, I'd like to request you Dear Reader, do not let anything stop you from watching this show, it'll be one of the best you've ever seen. I can guarantee that. I'm off to place this in the top slot of my favorite dramas.

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