Completed
purplenette
15 people found this review helpful
Mar 9, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
Spy is really boring. The entire drama is a build up to anticlimactic finale. The story has a great premise and sometimes I was really curious as to what was going to happen next, but for the most part I felt like I was just waiting for something to happen, Anything to happen. It went around in circles...Who has the hard drive? Who will get the hard drive? Who is going to betray who next? If it weren't for the characters and the actors portraying those characters then this entire drama would be a flop. I have watched dramas that are character driven, but I don't believe that was this writers intentions. Maybe if there had been more action during the drama then it would have been better. Anyway, I thought the actual directing and gritty feel to the drama was well done, but not enough to make this drama interesting.

All the actors did a really good job and I will admit that for the most part the dialog was good. The stand outs though are Yoo Oh Sung as Hwang Ki Chul the bad ass spy from North Korea that had no problem doing whatever is necessary to get what he wanted, He is an excellent actor. Bae Jong Ok was also brilliant as Hye Rim. She portrayed this strong character really well. I think I enjoyed her character the most. Then there is Kim Jae Joong as Seon Woo. He really is getting better with each drama that he takes on. His character was smart and fun to watch.

I like the music in this drama fine.

I won't rewatch this.

I don't necessarily recommend this drama, but it isn't a waste of time.

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Completed
Nelly
8 people found this review helpful
Mar 11, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 6.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
OVERALL
Watch if you feel like action and don’t have anything else in mind to watch. Do not watch after an awesome drama (eg. Healer); it will make it all worse.

THE STORY
Usually, taking a few days after the end of a drama before writing a review is a good thing. Gives me time to reflect on it and miss it too, so I can write more positive things about it. This time though, I can’t say it helps the drama at all. Spy had a forgettable storyline while I was watching, and now five days after I’m done, it has a forgotten storyline.

The premise of the drama was promising, but the script was quite lacking. The characters had no spike and no development, the romance was bland and half-way through the drama got completely overlooked, and the action/thriller was watered down by the characters’ behavior, which was ambiguous or didn’t quite make sense. Even when it did make sense, because everyone (or actually, mostly the “good” ones) had no character and seemed so powerless and senseless against all their challenges, simply reacting to things and never actively taking control of a situation, it still felt like something was missing.

In short, Spy was a disappointment. On a positive note though, the drama is totally watchable, effortlessly, from beginning to end. But in a don’t-really-care-what-happens-just-watching-to-have-something-to-do type of way. It’s not bad, but it’s one of those dramas you spend the whole time thinking it could have been much more.

THE ACTING
And that is where the drama infuriates me. With such a good cast, I don’t know why they had to go and ruin it with poor writing. Spy girl aside (I don’t know Go Sung Hee), Jaejoong is not a bad actor, and Bae Jong Ok and Yoo Oh Sung are veterans I personally love. Go Sung Hee and Jaejoong had some kind of chemistry going on too. Ugh. Really.

THE MUSIC
No comment.

REWATCHABLE VALUE
Not a priority at all, but like I said, it is an effortless watch so maybe one of these days I’ll give it another go.

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Completed
DreamingKoreanBallad
3 people found this review helpful
Mar 10, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 2.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
When I think of the word 'Spy' I think action, secrets, chasing and thrilling things - but this is almost the polar opposite. (the best episodes were the last 4) The first half of this drama is really really boring - It picks up a little when JJ finds out things. (I only kept watching for Jaejoong - I really hope when he comes back from the military he picks a better drama like his previous role in Triangle). I do know one thing, I will never join the NIS or CIA - they always try to backstab you.
I did not enjoy the 'romance' aspect, albeit how little of it in here their was - there was NO chemistry between them at all. The mom's acting was ok, but I found it a little fake or stiff at times. The bad guy's acting was Top-notch excellent (he's a great actor). Jaejoong's acting was good too - it's just the role he played that was uninteresting. And it's really hard to believe all these 'bad guys' would chase after a hard-drive as hard as they did just for money - I know money moves the world but... I just feel like it needed something more powerful or dirty to it in order for me to find it more believable.

Music - I loved Mamamoo 'My Everything' song. and Gummy's 'For Spy' was ok along with a couple other 'ok' songs - but I seriously really really hated 'the key to her heart' song - it grated on my nerves - I hate the way the singer sings - he'd ruin the scenes for me by singing.

I won't rewatch this. & I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. If you like Jaejoong then his past works are much much better.

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Completed
CherryBunny
18 people found this review helpful
Mar 8, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 3.0
Ever since Triangle, I have been a fan of Kim Jae Joong. He really proved he was more than a pretty face in that drama. He blew me away with his acting. I started SPY expecting to see it again. Action, romance, drama and JaeJoong. I was super excited. Unfortunately, it never, ever delivered.

The story seemed like it would be action packed, what with the spy theme and all. It wasn't. Yeah, there was fighting and shooting in most of the episodes, but how it was managed to make them so boring and uninteresting is beyond me. I literally caught myself yawning more than once while I watched this drama.

The story is supposed to be suspeseful. I never found it so. I found it repetitive and extremely predictable from episode 1. There for a while, around ep 4 or 5, I did start hoping for it to pick up and get more interesting, which it seemed to do, but only barely and then it fizzled. Also, the ending was, again, predictable and anti-climatic.

Now, I rated this a 7, which means that I did find some good qualities to redeem it a bit. #1. JaeJoong. It's not his fault the writing sucked. While he was not at his Triangle caliber, he pulled his part off very well and his performance was more than decent. #2. The music. I really enjoyed the OST for this drama, especially Reuby's Key To Her Heart. It fit the theme well. #3. Short episodes. I liked how each episode was only about 45min. each. Any longer and it would have been even more drawn out.

I would only recommend this drama to other JaeJoong fans. Like I said, his acting is decent in this. However, if you are looking to watch a well written, suspenseful, action packed spy drama, you'd do well to skip this one.

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Completed
Liz
2 people found this review helpful
Dec 19, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 3.0

This drama had so much potential but it failed.

Honestly.. I don't know what to say about this drama.. it disappointed me big time. The whole entire drama leads to such an anticlimactic ending.. imo this drama had so much potential but it failed. I actually watched this drama because I had just finish triangle and fell for Jaejoong's acting.

Story: The drama was SO INCREDIBLY slow and draggy for 8 episodes and the 'rising action' didn't cut it for me.. Some events/scenes were so unnecessary and it just didn't flow. The last 8 episodes got faster and the last few (14-16) were SO RUSHED and skipped so many scenes! And the ending.... REALLY? Overall, no! This drama doesn't cut it for me. It just didn't flow and the 'main problem' could have been made interesting but they made it too predictable. This drama never even had a chance to redeem itself.

Acting/Cast: THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT THIS DRAMA WAS THE CAST. The mother, Young Seo, Yoon Jin, father, Sun Woo-- basically everyone was good and convincing. Excellent cast! But unfortunately the plot and writing wasted their talents. However, I could see their amazing acting (the only thing that kept me trying to finish it)

Music: Meh. it was whatever.

Rewatch Value: Nah. Unless I miss Jaejoong acting as a spy lol

Overall: I don't think it's 'trash' but if you're wanting a drama like triangle don't watch it bc your hopes will be ruined lol. I guess it was nice to watch Jaejoong as a spy? Fanservice?? Overall, no. This flopped; huge pass.

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Dropped 16/16
HoneyBee
2 people found this review helpful
May 4, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 3.5
Well, the story is good but not well made. Slow and kinda boring.

PROS:
1-I liked how the web of relations interfered.
2-Also, the idea of mystery and non-action scenes drama is kinda a new thing for this kind of drama.

CONS:
1-The start is not good and do not make any addiction to the rest of the drama as well as the drama while it's progressing.
2-It feels like there's few actors maybe cuz most of their roles are insignificant enough.

If you compared this to "city hunter" it shows how "SPY" is not that good for some points:
1-"City Hunter" always keeps you interested in what is next whether it was the romance relation or the action and main subject.
2-All minutes in "City Hunter" are important and if it's not you will enjoy it anyway.
3-The end is realistic in "City Hunter" and can be accepted

If you want to enjoy and not to waste time don't watch it.

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Completed
Abeer r
2 people found this review helpful
Oct 2, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
I'm 100% sure that all of you people who hated this drama only did beacuse it didnt have much romance which i find very ridiculous, this is drama is amazingly done from every corner, all the cast was incredible i cant understand how you could say that appart from kim jeo joong everyone failed at acting that's nuts, the directing was amzing the OST, the shots everything, it kept me on the edge of my seat in every single episode, and i have to say that this is the first drama ever that i watch and didnt think that it was going too slow nor too fast, if you're looking for a serious drama a very exiting one, one that keeps surprising you i highly recommand this one.

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Completed
Adam_from_England
2 people found this review helpful
Mar 13, 2017
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 2.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 1.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
What's to say about possibly the worst spy series I've ever seen.

The Storyline:
Cliche after cliche with little to no action, it's hard to actually write anything about the storyline because there isn't all that much that actually happens, instead you get 16 episodes of lackluster talking.

The Acting:
As per most Korean "action" series, the cast is full of pretty pretty people which ruins any and all immersion you may have to the hardly existent storyline. The only saving grace is Jung Won Joong who doesn't feature much. Over dramatised to all hell and shades of being a really horrid b show.

The Music:
Nothing spectacular, fits with the theme of the show.

Rewatch value:
None.

Overall:
Want a good show to watch? Well this isn't it. Got an hour to waste? Find something else that is actually half decent.

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Completed
Tippy
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 13, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 2.0
This review may contain spoilers
I started this drama because of Kim Jaejoong.
I like him and i watched almost all his dramas.
About this drama i expected something more, maybe more action.
I thought the plot was more complete and i expected more events happened in the character's life but I waited and waited but nothing happened.

[WARNING - SMAL SPOILER ]

From the start to the end the plot is concentrated about the past of Seon Woo's mother and there was a moment i think Seon Woo is Kwang Ki Chul's son but at the end it won't never revealed.
And what were the last two episodes? oh! what Seon Woo did is humanly impossible, wait a second you have a gunshot wound and you can stay about 2 days without care and assistent? it is totally impossible.
What the director did think to do? it's not credible.
And in the last scene what is it? How can Yoon Jin show at him like nothing was happen? and why she dressed like that?

[ END SPOILER ]

I can't say to recommend to you guys, because this drama is a little bit boring and repetitive too, so if you want more actions and more romanticism you shouldn't watch it. but if you are a fan of Kim Jaejoong then you should watch it because it is the last project in which you can catch him before his returning from the military service and also because there he showed a better recitation.
So let's wait Kim Jaejoong and love him !

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Completed
Syrian psycho
0 people found this review helpful
Oct 27, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 5.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 5.0

Too "idealistic"

The story is just Fine, But on the oppsite the Acting is Just too "Idealistic", i'll give you an Example, the story hero's little sister even though she's a teen, her role is to act like a baby, that's bad because it seems to me like the director couldn't find an important role for the teen so he made her act like a child so that he Can move her along in the story, or even the story's hero, is just to idealistic, he has no realistic charcter even though the series tried its hardest to make the viewer feel up for the hero, it didn't work because of the idea of having the charcter look perfect and innocent.

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Completed
Gabby
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 29, 2019
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
I started watching this drama out of curiosity for Kim Jaejoong's acting, and he didn't disappoint. I thought he was surprisingly good in acting as a character who is somewhat stiff, lives a double life and is very much in love.

There isn't a lot going on in this drama in terms of story. Everything surrounds an item that two sides (North and South Korea) are after, but the movements in order to get it don't really start until halfway through the drama, which makes the first several episodes slightly boring. It becomes fairly action packed from Episode 8 onward.

I think this drama is worth a try if you like espionage, action and a little romantic angst. If you're a TVXQ/JYJ fan, you'll also probably enjoy watching Jaejoong, and it isn't difficult to sit through his acting. He actually is very good.

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Completed
Elisa
0 people found this review helpful
Feb 17, 2017
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
Spy is a spy drama (lol) entirely centered around the family of Kim Jaejoong's character. If you're looking for a spy drama that covers multiple plot, this is not really for you.
A lot of people have found that this drama is boring, but I actually liked it a lot. Of course the story is a bit predictable, and it gets slower and repetitive towards the middle, but otherwise I thought it was nice. I even found myself thinking in the middle of the drama "hey... Why are there not more episodes !? u_u" but then the ending came fast but was maybe too long. They should've done the drama with more length or the same length, but the ending more... Compacted? I thought towards the ends that there was an episode too much, but however it was still ok. A few things were quite cliché too (and why the hell is it always the same situations when the North is included? o_o sometimes spy drama look like propaganda but well, I'm not Korean, I don't really now what happens there^^
Acting: Whoaaaah... What a great cast. I actually decided to watch this because everyone liked the cast, and I wasn't disappointed. Kim Jaejoong was perfect for this role, and you could see every change of emotions in his eyes. The other were really good and fitted their role. Kudos to the mother too, although I thought her character building was a bit bizarre- but that's because of the writers I guess
Music: well, I didn't pay much attention- there was one good OST but I don't remember any other, so it must have been normal. But there was a music in the last episode that I liked a lot and that fitted the atmosphere.
Rewatch value: well... I don't know. I probably won't rewatch it soon, or one or two episodes that I have liked a lot. Maybe in a few month I'll watch it again- even if it'd be for the cast hehe
Overall: 8. Honestly the story is a bit cliché and the end is too slow, but otherwise it was ok. Acting perfect, music ok. If you like action-thriller-drama with a bit of romance (and family love, lol) this is for you!

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Spy (2015) poster

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  • Score: 7.2 (scored by 1,666 users)
  • Ranked: #8515
  • Popularity: #2683
  • Watchers: 6,146

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