Awl (2015)

I didn't expect to get excited, laugh and cry over—labor, of all things. I'm not sure how much appeal this will have for younger viewers who aren't in the workforce, but quite a few scenes resonated with me. Don't be scared off by the plot. Even though Awl covers unions, labor law and workplace issues, it's not a lecture (except when it is, but even then it's fun!). Despite delving into the ugliness of reality, you never lose sight of the fact that the workplace is ultimately populated by people—and that we are equally capable of cruelty and kindness. A key theme is that there are no good guys in a fight; unions defend the mean and poor against the cruel and rich. Despite all that, we get our escapist fun with a dash of faith in the basic good of humanity.

The MC is an uptight manager at a supermarket. He refuses an order to illegally fire employees and quickly ends up organizing a union with the help of a wizened labor lawyer. Per the title, he is the spike that drives a wedge into this closed society. But soon the show moves past him to feature other's stories and motivations. It might be one righteous individual that drives the first swing, but it's the actions and support of many others that widens the crack. The show also explores how he withstands the pressure—you have to hit an awl, it's not a sledgehammer.

The plot started out slow, with a big emphasis on exposition. I ended up sitting at the edge of my seat pretty quickly. There are some comedic moments that felt forced, but overall the cast gave great performances. For fans of Ji Hyun Woo and Ahn Nae Sang, this is a must see. They acted out rich, mutidimensional characters with finesse. If you came for a supporting character, I still suggest you watch—sub-plots are brief, but develop over time, and show off each actor's strength.

This is a show that easily deserves 16+ episodes. The ending wrapped up far too quickly, with huge leaps. The writing wasn't exactly slipshod, but needed saving by the actors. But when do we ever get a great ending? Still, it got pretty good ratings (almost 2% average on cable), so I'm hoping this will be the "awl" for similar works—there are only so much high schoolers and makjang that one can take.

If you watched the movie Cart, which is based on the same true story, the plot is quite different.

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This is probably a huge matter in every country. It is even a very big problem in wealthy countries. Still. I don't know if it changed much from 2003 to the present of Korean laws and rules for work and unions, but is sure to give you an idea of how things work in the big world, cuz my mother had a similar thing like this. Unions do differ from each other but eventually help you big time. And I had a little problem too, but this drama lit a small fire in me and I think I'm charged enough to go on just bare a little more, before losing my mind.

But let's have a moment for Ji Hyun Woohuhuuuu that damn fine fit full muscle body as always. Oh, how to concentrate at the main stories problem with him in it.
And my since 2009 number one husband Yesung. Love to hear his husky voice over and over. He looks still so good even after his discharge from the army.

Story 8/10
Because it is a big problem that most of the people struggle with day in out. We are just too clueless about these important matters. These problems will occur and knock on your door sooner or later. We have to deal with them smoothly and also with a great patient.

Acting/Cast 8/10
Ahn Nae Sang is one of my fav actors, I have seen so many films/dramas of him. The way he acts, so natural and convincingly and sure is a funny guy. The way he bobs his head and stares at the person in front of him is so unique and funny. :)
Ji Hyun Woo he has something special. His way of acting is so different compared to Ahn Nae Sang. The way he is so serious and a smile that pops out makes me, a big rock of ice turn into a flowing river.
Really love their funny moments XD

Music 7/10
I don't really pay attention to music. Never did. Maybe the main song, that's about it.

Rewatch Value 8/10
You can see it as a documentary and in my opinion, it is an instructive topic. It's short, so it won't take up much of your time.

Overall 8.5/10
I think that they should make more of this kind of short dramas. They make some dramas so long that it eventually strays away from its topic. Such as unnecessary love scenes and other male-female moments. useless and sudden "comedy" they put in to make if seem funny to the viewers.

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I mean, it's a show about labor unions that is both fundamentally paternalistic, and completely devoid of class consciousness (and is openly hostile to the idea). You can't really come back from that, regardless of the particulars.

And the particulars just aren't great. The directing and the acting are marginally better than the writing, but they're nothing to write home about, and at the end of the day the whole thing reeks of sanctimony. It's poorly structured, fails to bring its themes to life in any credible way, and wastes more time on its heroes' epic backstories than it spends with any of the characters they claim to speak for. The working class are presented as victims, objects of sympathy who must be saved from their tragic lot in life by a couple of Heroes doing heroic things. Don't expect their struggle to gain some agency and leverage in the workplace to come with any leverage or agency in the story.

If I had to sum up, I'd say that it's basically a mix between a dumbed-down political action piece that simultaneously deals in polemics and avoids taking a stand on anything beyond the obvious (the system is built to exploit the poor! Illegal=bad!), and a facsimile of a "serious" drama written by someone who doesn't understand what makes those shows tick.

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