Korean Peninsula (2012)

Lol, well this is different, my first 9 across the board :P
I really enjoyed watching this drama ^^ Finished it in the span of 3 days. I've read that this drama was supposed to have 24 episodes and was reduced to 18 b/c of low ratings - which is unfortunate b/c I really liked this drama but at the same time I don't know what would have happened if they had 24 episodes, as I personally felt like the 18 they gave me was all it needed - they rounded up everything nicely and gave a very satisfying end :D Showing that this fight for peace and unification is not over but has just begun ^_^ A Great story with great actors!

Story: Starts off with our lead characters working as a unified North/South Team on the Korean Peninsula where scientists are gathered together to find an alternative energy source. The team is disrupted when a North Korean opposition to peace terrorizes the place. The team is then separated. A love story that crosses borders, with a South Korean Scientist and a North Korean Scientist who met 13yrs ago while studying together in Russia - they met again as this unified team. and their fight to stay together and love is tested time and time again. In the meantime Seo Myung Joon is also in the run for President! *This drama is mostly based around action, romance, political and military - but not really war (as there is no real war scenes)*.

Cast: Seo Myung Joon (Hwang Jeong Min) and Lim Jin Jae (Kim Jung Eun) are the driving force of this drama - more than anything else that happened or could happen in this drama I wanted these two love-birds together ^_^ But is love allowed to cross borders? Seo Myung Joon was definitely my favorite character in this drama, when others wanted him to lie or cheat, he refused every time. His heart wouldn't let him lie. He's a man who feels a great sense of responsibility for things he says or does. If he's made a promise he's determined to keep it - whether that be to the public, citizens, his country or his girl. He's a Scientist who ends up in the political race for President, He's says he'll run to become the President of a Unified Korea. Of course he also has another reason for running. Lim Jin Jae is a North Korean Scientist who has a very difficult life, what with her mother being a North Korean "revolutionary" leader, who is cruel enough to rid her own family. and her father who is a pro-peace-democratic North Korean. *I thought they did good casting her and her father as I thought they really did look alike (especially in the nose)*. She struggles to stay with her love and protect him when she's away from him, suffers through countless torture, while holding onto the dream of being with him again.
Then we have our "supporting" characters: Min Dong Ki (Lim Jin Jae's friend, &colleague who unfortunately stands on her mothers side. But he also cares for LJJ as more than a friend). Park Hye Jung (a reporter, who follows Seo Myung Joon around for news reports and ends up fancying him) *for which made me dislike her a bit - she was fine with me until she overstepped her bounds one day lol* The NIA/NIS? guy who I liked and hoped would eventually get together with the reporter girl ^^ Lim Jin Jae's dad who I thought was very wise. and countless other people. All together they made the drama wonderful.

Music: Absolutely beautiful ^_^ 'The Shadow of the Sun' by: MC. The Max, 'If We Were' by: Hwayobi, and another song that I can't find but it's lyrics go: "Don't Cry again. Don't fly away. Fly away..." It's sung in a deep-ish husky sounding male voice *I really wish I could find it b/c I really loved this one the most*

Re-watch Value: 9/10 I'd definitely re-watch this drama again - if only for the beautiful painful love story ^_^

I'd recommend this for any fans of 'Assembly' as I think they have a bit in common and or anyone who enjoys watching North/South dramas :)

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