Snowdrop (2021)

‘ Snowdrop’; Where To Begin With One Of 2021/22’s Most Divisive Dramas…

It isn’t uncommon for dramas to sometimes land themselves in hot water over various scandals in South -Korea and JTBC and Disney’s ‘ Snowdrop’ is no exception to this problem . Of course, this shouldn’t prevent viewers from enjoying a series or affect the overall quality .

The storyline of ‘ Snowdrop’ was intriguing, the casting choices are certainly impressive and there are admittedly some surprisingly impactful tour de force moments also. On the other hand, it’s hard not to address one of the biggest elephants in the room surrounding ‘ Snowdrop’’s mixed-reception and controversy; the storyline’s time-setting and take upon historical events.

The backdrop of the narrative focuses upon the precursor events leading up to the historical 1987 political movement in South-Korea. Eun Young-ro ( Jisoo) is a student at Hosu Women’s University and the daughter of the director of the Agency For National Security Planning (ANSP) Eun Chang-soo (Heo Joon-ho). After a blind date, Young-ro ends up meeting the mysterious Im Soo-ho (Jung Hae-in). A man of few words and having previously studied abroad at a prestigious university in Berlin, Soo-Ho captures Young-ro’s interests with his like-minded tastes and philosophies . However after Soo-Ho stumbles through a window at the university, covered in blood and wounds, Young-ro is forced to face some shocking truths and revelations about her crush Im Soo-Ho…

It is important to note that whilst there are some inescapable elements of “fluffy” and lighthearted romance in ‘ Snowdrop’, venerable screenwriter Yoo Hyun Mi (‘Bridal Mask’, ‘ SKY Castle) and director Jo Hyun Tak ( ‘ Who Are You?’, ‘ SKY Castle’) mainly focus upon the network of political mind games and tension throughout the storyline . In particular, screenwriter Yoo Hyun Mi adds a notably sardonic tone towards political strife and satire in 1980s South and North Korea.

On the other hand, Yoo Hyun Mi often seemed unsure at times towards the direction of the drama. Whilst it isn’t out of the question for a series to attempt to relieve tension with lighthearted banter, niche setups and comic relief, the screenwriter could often overplay at times somewhat fractious comedy and scenes without interspersing this into the storyline with more tact. In addition to this there is admittedly a complex issue to bring up surrounding the wider controversy of the drama; the fictional take upon real-life events and figures.

The series often attempted to depict important figures and events with a certain artistic licence. Whilst it is arguable that a lot of the storyline events were only loosely based upon the memoirs of a former POW and were never supposed to be a “fly-on-the-wall” depiction of events , it is still a sticky situation when viewers become aware of the actual historical context. ( In particular, the drama’s somewhat “glossy” depiction of tragic historical figures, groups and events without acknowledging brutal realities. )

Controversy aside , ‘ Snowdrop’ admittedly offered viewers a fairly impressive casting lineup, specifically with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, rising star Jung Hae-in and A-lister Yoo In Na drawing attention for viewers .

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo starred as the main attraction of the drama as main female lead Eun Young-ro. Whilst Jisoo’s initial performance was admittedly somewhat questionable, the BLACKPINK idol’s acting debut was certainly decent enough with an ability to capture an emotive edge to her character in later episodes.

Costarring alongside Jisoo was main male lead Im Soo Hoo as Jung Hae-in ( ‘ D.P’, ‘ Prison Playbook’, ‘ Something In The Rain’). The actor is no stranger towards taking on versatile roles and whilst there were moments that Hae-in’s delivered dialogue could feel somewhat stiff, Hae-in was able to add a surprisingly complex charm to his onscreen persona.

The chemistry between our main leads is admittedly mixed at the best of the times. Whilst the events surrounding Jisoo and Hae-in’s onscreen counterparts are quintessential towards the main storyline, the actors’ onscreen chemistry could feel somewhat stunted due to few opportunities in order to explore the scope of their characters’ onscreen relationship.

Yoo Hyun Mi’s pacing of the series was variable. Whilst she allowed some opportunities to see tension buildup and gradual events unfold, the attempt to drag -out plot points even in a space of sixteen episodes, could often lead to events of the narrative feeling somewhat tedious and dull. In particular, screenwriter Yoo Hyun Mi fell into a notable habit of inducing a tense plot point, climatically building up events only to deliver a somewhat anticlimactic and trope-induced result and then repeat. ( In particular, the conclusion of the series suffering from the full weight of Hyun Mi’s formula.)

Nevertheless it is noteworthy that under the directing reigns of Jo Hyun Tak, the filming of ‘ Snowdrop’ is professional, slick and stylistic. The oozing tone of gradients and camera shots helped to convey the tension of key plot points and in addition to the emotive OST composed by Kim Tae Seung, helped to present ‘ Snowdrop’ with an aesthetic flare.

Jo Hyun Tak and Yoo Hyun Mi’s ‘ Snowdrop’ is a series which will likely satisfy and displease viewers of equal measure. The controversy surrounding the drama’s depiction of historical events is an unavoidable issue. On the hand whilst ‘ Snowdrop’ did boast a star-studded cast, a venerable screenwriter and director behind the scenes as well as some emotional punches , the drama did admittedly still suffer under the weight of poor-pacing, predictable setups and lacklustre opportunities to explore characters and impactful events ( including the ending) with more depth. Controversial, emotive yet somewhat niche in parts, ‘ Snowdrop’ is a drama which whilst watchable, will still divide audiences greatly…

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Good characters and good dialogue

So far, I'm enjoying this show a lot. Jisoo always seemed destined for kdrama and you can see why. She has this beautiful aura of sincerity, realism and warmth to her acting, and her character is really sweet. I totally sympathise with some of anger towards this show but I think people should continue to watch to the end and then make their own minds up.

Jung Hae-in is great even as his character says little. Instead he conveys the tone through his body language and facial expressions. The two of them have this sweet chemistry around each other of two people knowing they shouldn't fall in love, but slowly succumbing to it. I also like the supporting characters in that they're interesting and fleshed out, and not simply one-dimensional and boring.

The political scenes add a layer of intrigue in how these grand forces are slowly moving and finding their way towards Jisoo and Hae-in's characters. It feels surreal that everything could be gravitating towards their simple romance but there we are. I'm interested to see how these political arcs tie in with what's happening in the school. I also find the university's principal to be really intriguing and there's a lot of curiosity surrounding her that they explained well.

I like how earned the character arc of Hae-in's character was. He wasn't a two-dimensional character but someone of genuine motivations, desires and emotions. He was well-written. I loved Jisoo's character and I thought she acted that role out really well, displaying the full variety of emotions immaculately.

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A very particular drama but I enjoyed it a lot.

1/ STORY : Its a spy action drama filled with politics. The romance is just here to make the ML and FL endearing and it works but their romance is a missed romance rather than a real romance. If you like simple plots, spy movies, political schemes, rivalries between stupid henchmen, silly ajhummas, you can try it. It is about poor people who fight the powerful ones and some escape their claws. Some don't.

The drama follows 3 rules: One plot, One place, One time.
- One plot: “Higher ups from NK and SK collude to uses pawns to achieve their respective goal and the pawns fight back”.
- One place: Almost all the action is happening in an all-female dorm of a university.
- One time: the action happens in continuous over a span of time of two or three weeks. It is short and it is has an impact on the psychology of the characters.

ACTION PLOT: Simple and well made. The bad people are clearly identified and their action are outrageous but readable. The situation is complicated for the good guys in the beginning because they need to come together from different sides (this part is quite dark) but when they do, their strategy and actions are quite clear and the tone is more fun and comical.

ROMANCE PLOT: The romance is a sub plot but it is what makes the story endearing. ML looks a very human and sensible person. FL is a naïve young woman who is friendly despite having plenty of family issues. They meet and fall hard in love at first sight but they don’t have the time to express their feelings that they are stuck in such a situation where their blooming feelings can hardly find a way to say “I recognized you are the first moment”.

2/ CHARACTERS/ACTORS:

2.1/ Good ones

- Romantic Spy Soo Ho : Great character. A NK spy but he is motivated by family values and brotherhood rather than blind fidelity to the party. He looks a liaison agent, not an action spy and he is quickly overwhelmed by the situation. His priority is to save lives and protect people. Jung Jae In at the top of his form and of his talent.

- Pragmatic efficient spy Kang Cheong Ya: Total allegiance to the Party but smart. She quickly sees the broad picture, adapts herself, she has ideas and instinct. Annoying at first but she is she one who makes things happening. Superb Yoo In Na.

- Naïve heroine: Endearing young woman who is cheerful despite family issues. She is a fake strong person and she feels guilty all the time. Her infatuation for the ML is cute. A typical “well educated” girl of these times in her first crush. Good portrayal from Ji Soo and promising performance.

- Bad cop and good cop Lee Kang Moo. A reckless cop who would do anything to catch the bad guy in his eyes but in the end, he must acknowledge everything is not just black or white. The actor did well.

- Funny cop Jang Han Na: looked good then bad then good again.

2.2/Bad Ones

- Silly Kye Boon OK: She should have not survived. The theory of evolution strictly forbids it. Don’t know why she survived. Kim Hye Yoon was great.

- Reckless NK soldier Joo Geok Chan who made everything complicated just to be granted the most miserable demise of the drama. Liked the acting tho. So different from what I have seen of the actor so far.

- NamTae Il: really dumb and coercive and abusing at the same time.

- Eun Chan Soo: delinquent dad, rotten politician, traitor to the nation. Young Ro, you don’t choose your family.

- Ahn Kyung Hee : A valet and a rascal at the same time.

- Miss Pi: sad fate and questionnable choices.

OST:
It was nice. Still have some songs in mind

REWATCH VALUE:
Well when you know the format (80 mins an eps*16) and the 3 rules and the outcome… Hard to watch again but I have to say, yeah it was the hell of a ride. The kind of drama to follow week in week out to really appreciate it. After it is too late because the spoilers are everywhere…

OVERALL:
A very courageous drama which did not hesitate to take the most risky format and the risky 3 rules of traditional theater and a risky context of story as well. In this end, the ride was really good for me. I was really able to put myself in the shoes of these people and I enjoyed following them in this journey. 9.0 overall but I will give 1 more point for being such a particular drama but still it managed to be entertaining.

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Don't believe them when they say this is amazing

I wish there was a separate rating category for the supporting characters' acting so that i could give it 10 stars. I usually don't write reviews but i felt the need to write a legitimate one here because the blinks have hijacked the review section. I literally checked the reviews (read: "best actress jisoo, most perfect actress jisoo, jisoo, jisoo, jisoo") and decided to give it a chance because I'm almost just as stupid as jisoo's character in this show and, oh boy, was i disappointed! First of all, if you bring in a rookie actress as the FL, do not cast brilliant, experienced FL-worthy actors for the supporting characters. It just highlights the deficiency in the FL's acting skills. I know she isn't as bad as many other idol stars, but damn kids, that won't automatically make her a good actor. She literally only had two expressions, except when she is crying. I do believe she has the art of being able to cry in different manners. The side characters, who were fabulous btw, were grossly underutilized. You've literally got yoo in na and kim hye yoon but you want me to spend 12.5 hours watching the FL cry? Tragic.
Also - the entirety of the drama occurs in the dorm through a hostage-situation plot so that should tell you how interesting those 16 hours were for me.

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I don't care: review about a show where nothing really happens

If I could interview the writer, surely things would develop like this:

Me: So what were your initial ideas for the show?
Writer: (gives me a summary of the script) Basically, I want the story to start at this point and go to this point.

M: And how do you plan to do that?
W: Repeating the same events in every episode.

M: Every episode?
W: Every episode.

M: ...
W: I left you speechless with this genius idea of ​​mine, didn't I? It's just that if I always replay the events and put on some dramatic music in the background, I'll always leave the viewers on the edge. And since events will always repeat themselves, people will always be on the edge and they will always be excited about my show.

M: ok... and what kinds of events do you plan on repeating?
W: Well, it's quite simple. Look:
- Yong Ro cries. Repeat.
- Tie Kang Moo. He escapes. Beat him and tie him somewhere else. Repeat.
- Someone proposes a deal to Soo Ho. He is betrayed. Repeat.
- Boon Ok misbehaves and there are no consequences for that. Repeat.
- Han Na screams and has irrational attitudes. Repeat.
- Almost shoot a hostage, but never materialize it. Repeat.
- Threaten to blow up the dorm. Don't explode it. Repeat.
- Finally blowing up the dorm. The explosion is minimal, insignificant. Repeat once.
- Man Dong's son threatens Boon Ok. Repeat.
- Hit Man Dong's son. Repeat.
- Create tension because of Nam Tae's new super Machiavellian plan. The next minute, the plan is undone. Repeat.
- Create tension because of Eun Chang's new super Machiavellian plan. The next minute, the plan is undone. Repeat.
- Create tension over Chef An's new super Machiavellian plan. The next minute, the plan is undone. Repeat.
- Discussions between An, Eun and Nam every 10 minutes. Repeat.
- Conversations between wives.
Etc.

M: ... Is it true that actor Hae In was asked to get strong so he could carry the entire show on his back?
W: wha...

M: Sorry. Next question. I see you have 4 powerful man: An, Eun, Nam and Kang? Who would you say you got inspiration from to create these characters? Michael Scott or Pink (from Pink and the Brain)?
W: (leaves the conversation)

M: Wait! I haven't even asked about the plot holes yet!

- deep silence -

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A love that bloomed through the coldness of winter, but never made it to the warmth of spring

'Snowdrop', I was one of those who had anticipated this drama for Jung Haein and ofcourse, one who got caught by the trailer that was almost fairytale-like, but was it ever? The answer is a straight NO. It wasn't a fairytale where the prince and princess would dance romantically on the middle of the dance floor wearing a suit and a pink dress, it was rather a tragic and cruel tale of two people who fell in love with each other when their hands briefly brushed against one another, meeting eye to eye, all to save a tower of matchsticks from falling. How innocent and pure their love could, would, should have been if they were just living as ordinary people who fell in love at first sight. But no, their love just had to be out of the ordinary, a welcoming door for tragedy to knock on. Their love was never given any chances, or perhaps, their cruel fate deemed them undeserving of any since the beginning. Maybe, all this time it was just the two of them against the world or it is because of how much they genuinely love each other so they bravely fought against their cruel fate all for the love they both dreamed to achieve, to the point they were willing to become human shields for one another. Nope, they weren't the Romeo and Juliet of Korea's 1987, but just simply Lim Sooho and Eun Youngro of Korea's 1987. The love between the both of them wasn't like the Titanic where even before Jack died in order to save Rose, they still got a shot at love. Sooho and Youngro's love was a different case, their love was like a snowdrop flower that bloomed through the coldness of late winter, but their love never made it to the warmth of early spring. It ended in coldness and its warmth could only be a memory. They had loved the right person but at the wrong time. So, in the end they were separated by life and death. Although, their end was so heart wrenching and sad, I still found beauty behind all their sufferings, as what lies behind is true love that tried to fight through until the end. It was tragically cruel but it was beautiful and worthy. Love is really powerful, Sooho and Youngro's love for each other is.

I'm not really fond of politics nor one who has complete knowledge about korean history. I have only managed to pick up some ideas here and there after being an avid k-drama fan for years, watching dramas after dramas, though at times I did my own little research as what has been depicted on dramas were far from the real reality or truth after all. I started to become interested in 'Snowdrop' not only for the star-studded line-up of cast it had, but with its plot which I found interesting and felt quite familiar with, i'm actually very fond of 'Youth Of May'. Yes, I felt a bit of familiarity but I don't find them completely similar in a sense. Both dramas were set around the 1980's time in Korea, a time where a lot of innocent people had greatly suffered under the hands of people who were greedy for power and they both involved romance. It was just the vibe that got me. So, I dived deeply into 'Snowdrop' and is one of those who would excitedly anticipate each episodes. The first half of 'Snowdrop' really heightened my interest in the drama, from seeing an innocent, kind, and lovely Youngro who fell in love at first sight during a group date, to when she bravely helped hide Sooho who was being chased by the ANSP agents, and to the beginning of the hostage scene. Then the second half of the drama came and I know most found it so draggy in which I don't quite agree with, I only found the second half slow-paced as every thing had been continuously revolving around the hostage scene at the dorm, like literally 90% of the drama is centered there. Regardless of that, I never felt it was boring or draggy instead i've only been frustrated. Frustrated because of all the hardships and suffering they each had to go through because of the ill-intentions of majority of the characters and those who had such hidden under their sleeves. It got heavy like a baggage with so many things happening that are out of favor for the main leads. Still, I never felt the urge to drop it, I continued and honestly enjoyed even if it became mainly about politics. I won't get into discussing about the politics part but just write based on the feelings this drama had made me felt.

I'm in the minority who never felt that the romance between the leads was lacking. I was fine with it and found it enough given the situation that they were in. Their romance wasn't little and it wasn't bold in words but rather in actions. The actions which I was referring to is not the usual lovey-dovey we see on other romance dramas, it is the actions in terms of the things they were willing to do for each other. How despite all the things that had happened between them from the revelation of Sooho being an NK spy and him pointing a gun over Youngro's head to Youngro deceiving him in order to snatch the detonator away from him or the time she made herself a bait in order for them to be able to escape, the love they had felt for each other since the first time that they had met remained in their hearts and they knew themselves they fell. Many may argue how such a thing as love at first sight might be ridiculous or not completely realistic to the point one would be willing to go through so much for the other, like the fact that Youngro and Sooho's relationship had never even started, they were never a couple. I thought differently about that. Despite how Youngro and Sooho never really became a couple like what they both had wanted to be, they truly loved each other, their love was evident with how they held one another through the look in their eyes, how they comforted with words or hugs and protected one another. Just how they had constantly been there for each other, I felt their romance. Our views about love are very vast and different, my view about it is as long as they truly love one another and is willing to go through so much for the person they cherish regardless of how long they have known each other or if they were a couple or not, love is love and it conquers all, the strong love both Youngro and Sooho had for each other conquered all. So, it was not lacking, for me at least.

Then came the ending of the drama which I had actually expected even before 'Snowdrop' officially began to air, and there were scenes that had foreshadowed what will come. I never had hopes for a happy ending as I was certain it will be a sad one. Even if I had already expected it, I still cried a bucket because of the pain, seeing how brutally Sooho died. Adding to that pain is the fact that he died at the dorms rooftop attic, which was once their safe haven, a door to their other world where it was only the two of them, where they could open their hearts to each other as just Eun Youngro and Lim Sooho, away from all the sufferings, and that exact same place also hold their beautiful memories. It was torturing to see and think that the last moment they would ever share together and the last memory that they would ever have at that attic, that very place that was once their own is now a place filled with blood, pain and tears. As if those weren't enough, Sooho's last words to Youngro, how he told her to continue living even if it is hard and his sincere confession which he recorded on a cassette tape as he knew he would never get a chance to confess. It was all too painful and cruel. Lim Sooho didn't lie when he said he was superman and the sad thing about it is that he can't fly to be free. His life has always been cold, he was an abandoned son to his mother, a sharpened weapon for his adoptive father. He had never received love, he was betrayed, and constantly used. It was only through Youngro did he finally receive the love he deserves and he protected that love until his last breath. That was the last straw for me. He was so self-less and so was Youngro. And as I had written on the first paragraph, their love is truly like a snowdrop.

Lastly, in terms of the acting, i'm not being biased although it may seem so, but there were just so many scenes where Jung Haein left me completely speechless and gave me a thousand of emotions with how amazing he had brought not only life but color into his role as Lim Sooho. His insane micro expressions, especially his eye acting that completely awed the whole of me. His eye acting is one of the things that could be considered rare, there are not many korean actors who could hold a thousand emotions in their eyes alone, in like a split second, yet be able to deliver them to the audience and make them completely immersed and connected to those emotions like he does. Jung Haein is truly a commendable actor, he is a great actor who is not only talented but skilled as well. He is an actor who doesn't act for the sake of acting but acts his roles to life. I have watched many of his dramas before and I must say that among all the roles he had played, Lim Sooho is his role which I loved most and I think is his best performance as it completely showcased his ability and range as an Actor. As for Jisoo, I do think she had done a great job considering this is her first drama and debut as an actress. The rest of the other actors, Kim Hyeyoon, Yoo Inna and the others did a great job too and deserved praises for their hard work. I honestly, found no problems with how each actors and actresses acted their characters. I'm glad they were casted to play their roles, all of them were very suitable for those roles. I hope to see the future projects of each of the cast, most especially Jung Haein. I probably won't be rewatching this drama, it will take years for me to do so. Also, I can't say it is the best drama out there or a perfect 10/10 for me, but it was worthwhile.

"Lim Sooho"
"as in 'protecting my love'?"

and so, he lived up to his name.

p.s Lim Sooho's confession to Youngro will always be touching and beautiful, "you bloomed flowers inside me who was so cold".

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JUST snow-DROP IT

Honestly, I haven't seen a lot of work by Hae-In and saw this drama with close to no expectations. I did however read the premise and saw the trailer and genuinely found it interesting. I thought it would be a typical spy thriller that we see on a regular basis with a little Korean twist but it clearly wasn’t.

Keeping in mind it being a work of fiction and that was not the actual representation of the struggle that took place at that time in South Korea, I liked the background set-up of the story. And it did start out great. The way Jisoo and Hae-In meet at a cafe, how low-key they want to be together but couldn’t. The mystery that went around Hae-In’s character and the pace at which the drama initially unfolded - all great until episode 4 when the hostage situation was created at the dorm. That is when the story went spiraling down for me.

The story was somewhat stuck. I know a lot of movies (like Exam - English) which have a single backdrop setting but they have so much going that they keep you hooked. However, Snowdrop’s story was all over the place and after a point you were just like please let them get out of that god-damn dorm hoping for the story to progress. But no that clearly didn’t happen. It was just frustrating at the end. The series also made me question the plot several times and sometimes I genuinely blurted out loud - What the hell is happening?

What frustrated me was that in the name of character arcs the characters came out as fickle minded. They were worse than me trying to order food on a weekend. There was hardly any development in my opinion. They did something and then wanted to do something else because it was not setting well with them? At this point of the story even I was confused as to what they actually want to do.

There could have been so much more to the story! They revealed it only in the last three episodes that Ms. Oh (the food lady) was one of the North Korean Spies mom and Mr. Kim (the caretaker) was a North Korean Spy staying at that dorm for centuries. I think building up on those storylines was a huge miss!

Overall each episode could have been tighter by reducing the length of an episode. Maybe? We will never know I guess because the show did not unlock its full potential and unfortunately that is what made it unbearable for me to an extent that this was the first show in my entire life whose final episodes I watched at 1.5x speed.

I will not lie, I was not a big fan of Jisoo’s acting. However, considering this is her acting debut I do hope to see her again on the screen to give a better opinion of her acting skills.

Now a short list of what I actually liked about this drama. Some of the supporting actors - especially the North Korean spies gave a genuinely good performance. I really hope to see them as leads soon. I actually enjoyed the Snowdrop OST and I know I will listen to it in the future. But did it save the show in my eyes? No.

I did want to drop this show so badly but remained committed because I do not want to leave things unfinished. Having said that, will I ever watch this show? Oh hell no. Will I watch a remake of this show? I will wait for someone to give a genuine review of the first 6-8 episodes only then will I consider picking it up.

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There were numerous questions in my head after the last episode

Im starting my review with how i felt about the story of drama overall.
I went in to this drama with an idea of a female student who helps out a male student who's in trouble by hiding him in her dorm but the plot was as far from it as it gets.

Yes the story starts with that "Eun Young Ro (Jisoo) meets Lim Soo Ho (Jung Hae In) on a group blind date with her friends and falls in love with him at first sight. Later she discovers him in her dorm all wounded and takes care of him for a few days with the help of her roommates. "

BUT thats just the first 3 eps, she is later caught by the headmistress of the dorm and when she is about to be kicked out the story turns over and we now have an endless hostage situation plot. Yes most of the story is how 3 spies are holding around 60 female students and hostage and things that happen in between.

The script was weak, some scenes left me frustrated, very repetitive, the main political characters were just all around the place doing all sorts of things but getting nowhere (or I don't know if they were going to go for a satirical side) but you don't see political leaders being this dramatic and senseless especially in a political war drama.

We had great side characters like Jung Hanna, Lee Gang mu, Ms Pi, Boon Ok, Ms OH, Man Dong, Kang Cheong ya, Geum Chol, Gyeok Chan, I just wish they could have explored them more, given us more insight on their stories like the north spies family, what happened between hanna and gang mu etc.

And mainly the plot holes, usually after watching a drama im usually sad or satisfied but found myself strangely feeling numb because the story wasn't covered in a way where i would feel either.
After all the continuous plot twists in the latter half of the story, the last episode didn't come as a surprise and was kind of rushed in my opinion.. Somehow it was just left off at the end like the writer decided 'oh its the 16 episode? i've got to end this now, times up!'

Ms.Pi loved her, i needed more insight on what happened to her and how she came here, more insight on MAN DONG pls that plot twist was unexpected, most importantly the past between Jung Hanna and Lee Gang Mu, like how come there wasn't a small inclusion or at least a scene. I need a separate drama for their story please and thank you.


Going to the performance, firstly Jisoo definitely exceeded expectations, even though there were areas where she could improve for a first drama she performed way better than i had expected. But most of her character was just endless crying and covering the ears when hearing gunshots (pls that annoyed me)
Jung Hae In had this side in this drama mostly similar to DP and Prison Playbook, i love seem him express anger, madness, anguish, As for the romance he wasn't that expressive in this film because he's a north spy and his character had to suppress his emotions for the most part while i admired his acting i hated how the script had just ridden us out of the romance scenes.

My favorite was probably 'extraordinary you' star Kim Hye Yoon whose character and performance was extraordinary. She was perfect for her character and she nailed it. Including Kim Min Kyu (Gyeok Chan) here, i loved him, the perfect mad villainy role and his soft spot for Boon Ok and their interactions were everything even though it was short. I was more sad about the fact that they didn't have more interactions than the main plot.

Yoo In Na deserves a separate mention, we loved her in Goblin and Touch Your Heart but her character in this was everything. Boy she's the best spy here. One again we don't know where she left to at the end.

All the other characters were amazing too. mentioning Ms.Pi here again, Hanna and Gang Mu ( i appreciated the little bonus scene between Gang Mu and Soo Ho). The ANSP characters were pretty comical and dramatic..

Overall not an entirely satisfying drama, but if you have the time to get frustrated over characters, mull over 100 different plot twists, feel dumfounded during some scenes and have a good laugh too go ahead!

PS. I did not cry at the end, rather i was just left feeling numb.

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I watched this drama for the main cast

**I put parts with spoilers at the bottom

*About the plot*
For starters, I totally understand why there was a public outcry regarding this drama. This drama takes place at a time when Korea was under military rule and when the people felt oppressed. The people fought for democracy and that's how they are enjoying their democracy today. This drama must have brought back painful memories. But I would like to say that the party in question (the ANSP) is more or less being mocked in the drama, or at least where I am currently at. This drama is not glorifying the ANSP or their actions, so I hope Koreans can be slightly open-minded about this, and maybe give this drama a chance? I don't think it is as bad as they thought (in terms of the political intentions of this drama). But hey, who am I to comment, I'm not from Korea and probably too idealistic.

In addition, Yeongro is based on a human who is meant to be sth like the advocate of democracy or sth, but so far [ep9] I don't see any of that. It is possible that the Koreans are upset about this as well. But then again this drama did add a disclaimer that it was fictional.......

Not sure how they do it, but I'm interested in the side characters as well. :) Might be good plot writing, might be good acting, who knows.

I honestly hope there will be a happy ending for everyone, including our main couple but... I only can hope. :\\

*About the cast*
I LOVE the cast. I mean judging from my title, you can probably guess that. I enjoy Jung HaeIn and Yoo InNa's dramas. The other cast were pleasant in whichever dramas I watched them in as well. I do have to praise Jisoo though, I think she is able to express emotions very well. Honestly kinda surprised she's this good at acting, considering this is her first lead role (I've seen much worse from idol-turned-actors.....). Obviously, there is room for improvement for her, (e.g. her enunciation needs some work sometimes) but overall, Jisoo is pleasant to watch! I love the girls from room 207 and their friendship. :)

*Music*
I love the music... Listen for yourself; I have no way to describe this.
opening theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOXpT_0FWbw
It's not just the opening theme that's beautiful, even the other OSTs are!!

*Rewatch value*
Rated a 9.5 for now, I hope it will not drop.
{Update] It's worth my time, I think I really like this drama a lot. The ending HURTS me but it's beautiful, I swear.

P.S. I love the easter eggs they put at the end of the episode to show you some extra scenes. :D

*** SPOILERS AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED***
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** I GUESS YOU REALLY WANNA SEE SOME SPOILERS **
After watching the whole series, here are some of my thoughts/ opinions (that no one asked for).
- Plot twists here and there, some of which I expected (like the part where Dr Kang and Mr Kim are North Korean spies....)
- the wives are so ambitious omg... they are low-key governing their husbands, it's almost as if they are the ANSP agents/ higher-ups lmao. Trying to push their husbands up into the ranks and engaging in rich wife politics... Honestly, they're quite funny when they appear. So petty as well.
- Bunok is sooooooo annoying I hate her. HAHAHA doesn't help that Kim Hyeyoon is someone I would avoid when watching dramas... LOL. She gives me the icks, and her acting is really quite subpar, in my opinion. I personally find her voice pretty annoying, but I shall not give her too much hate for that since it's something she cannot change. Her acting just involves enlarging her eyes and staring lmao I COULD DO THAT TOO.
- it's also scary to see how the betrayal can bite you in the butt when you least expect it...
- I really enjoyed watching the North Korean spies, I just wished they all had a happy ending :( [just my wishful thinking, I already expected deaths] It's also sad to see them dedicate their lives to their country, only to be thrown away after being used.
- I really do hope that Korea gives this drama another chance because this show, if anything, has only sullied the ANSP's name. The tortures, schemes and whatever they attempt to pin on the North/ innocent citizens whom they conveniently label as "commies" just to get their way and maintain their ruling... I don't think there's any point in the drama when the ANSP can be viewed in a positive light. In the last few episodes when there's a big reveal involving the identity of Moran Hill, the embezzlement of funds etc, the party members and their wives just looked like clowns.. No other way to describe it. There were more pressing matters at hand and that's what they were arguing about? Their stupidity shone through.....
- I really like that this show gives screen time to side characters and of course, allows for character development. I used to find Hanna very annoying but I think this just shows that we just need to give people a chance [irl or in dramas]. They may get their redemption arc. :)
- Yeongro at some point in the series just started sounding/acting like a spoilt brat. Like... girl can you use your beautiful brains for a second? Logically speaking, in a hostage situation, are you really going to provoke the aggressor? But that's okay she's the main lead and she'll live because the North Korean spy leader holding them hostage has a soft spot for her because what??? He loves her. *rolls eyes* Unrealistic but we know this is okay because 1) main character buff 2) he loves her 3) kdrama thingz....
- Every time I get a romantic-ish scene ... I brace myself for the worst because I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO (AKA COAX ME WITH SWEETS LIKE I'M A LITTLE KID TT____TT) I say this but I still swoon and squeal HAHAHA I just.... can't. Give me a Jung Haein please <3

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Not a worthy of your precious time

This drama was my long waiting drama but deeply disappointed. The direction team is not at all suitable for this kind of genre’s. In so many situations I felt the direction is too childish or immature. The rating is really misleading one.
This is the first drama I felt it’s better if someone kill the ML and FL. The reality is far faaaar different than this drama.
Each episode duration is approx 80 minutes but there are very less new things(story), simply circling the same things. Stating few episodes are very new and good but when the hostage situation starts it keep repeating same thing, some hostages escapes (few tried to kill them and few backstabbed them) and the terrorists (other country spy) catch them and again bring them to hostage’s by giving the same warning that this is the last warning but next time will not be forgiven, same hide and seek game done repeatedly. I really don’t know which country terrorists or spies are soo soft hearted to give number of chances repeatedly to same persons who betrayed them and wants to kill them. Most of the episodes has same thing, hostages they keep on escaping and trying to harm them (spies) but the spies they keep on chasing and catching them by giving number of last warnings.
I must say about the FL, she is soo soo annoying (after hostage situation starts) I really thought like the same thing how the ending has done should happen. Frankly speaking I am really completely satisfied with the ending (because of the reckless dumb FL)
I have mentioned only few of them but there are lot more unrealistic things that I couldn’t express here completely.

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An ending I anticipated but also didn't

¡¡Disclaimer!!
This review is based on my personal opinion/experience while watching. You're free to agree/disagree with it. Please note that this will be a really long review so if you're not into that go ahead and skip reading it.



First of all, let me start this by saying that this series is actually 6.7/10 for me personally, HOWEVER, the last 4-5 episodes carried this entire drama single handedly and I'll get to why in a minute, so because the last few episodes were what really saved this series (besides the stellar performance of cast and the production value) this became a 8.7/10 for me.


Plot/storyline:
If y'all don't already know, this series was promoted as a drama/romance with a bit of action on the side, so if you're going in expecting some legendary lovestory, please toss your expectations outta the window as this is the farthest thing from being a romance. This drama is a political/espionage/dark type of dramas, so if you're looking for something light and less gruesome, I advice you to pack your bags and leave as this is not the drama for you.
We begin our story with Eun Young ro, a naive goody-two-shoes college student who is currently living in the Husu dormitory for young ladies. She meets this guy, Lim Soo ho., through a blind date(?) and she crushes on him hard, however, said guy suddenly breaks into her room one night hurt and bleeding as the ANSP enters the dorm to look for a fugitive spy from the north. She along with her roommates (not gonna call them her friends cuz they've proven to be otherwise) decide to hide him and tend to his wounds until he's well enough to leave. After a chain of events he manages to leave only to come back later on as the spy with a couple of his comrades, and proceed to hold everyone in the dorm hostage along with a few ANSP agents. Another chain of unfortunate events occurs (it was mostly illogical writing on the writer's part here really) and somehow the northern spies and the hostage ANSP agents end up working together to escape and save themselves and everyone in the dorm, action and scheming ensues with a bunch of explosions here and there until eventually the hostages, the agents, some employees and one spy make it out alive, and the credits roll.
This is pretty much the plot in a nutshell, I didn't want to spoil the whole thing as to not ruin the fun of watching it, and now with that outta the way, I'd like to drop my two cents about this plot into the pile. The first 2-3 episodes started off strong with some minor issues here and there, but it was nothing too serious, HOWEVER, starting from episode 5, the plot plummets downhill reeaally quickly because what follows is one of the draggiest plots you'll ever see, and the repetitive agenda of "we thought out a plan! Oh really? Let me ruin it for ya!" Goes on until finally, FINALLY, the plot picks up again by episode 11 or so, so by then you're just really drained emotionally and too frustrated to actually feel anything regarding any changes that happen.
When I tell you that I was praying every night for this to end in tragedy, I literally mean praying on hands and knees people. Many of us, me included, expected them to throw in a classic Disney solution/ending or a Romeo&Joliet type of endings just and call it a day, but no, they actually gave us tragedy, and I've never been happier to be proven wrong. This sort of story was doomed to end up in agony and sadness from the very beginning, so to actually see the writer end it on a heartbreaking note was probably the only right decision they have made throughout this rollercoaster ride, so good job writer, you actually managed to restore my faith in you a little bit, very well done.


Characters/cast:
I'd like to mention this here before I go deeper into the cast and their roles, this drama is very much character driven, with that being said, the only reason I actually pushed through with this series, despite not wanting to continue it, is because of how absolutely astounding the cast, and I'd like to add that the chemistry between Hae in and Jisoo was pretty much nonexistent through 80% of the episodes, so the team decided to release the bts footage of the two actors to make up for the lack of chemistry between them, and it somehow managed to make the viewers fall in love with their sweet dynamic off screen and completely forget about the actual romance, or lack thereof, between the characters, but despite it being a pretty smart thing for them to do, they couldn't cover up all the issues the plot has caused with this plan. And now that this is out there, let's move on to the characters:

Lim Soo ho/ Lee Tae san/Taedong river 1: A+
First and foremost, let me get this out before it causes any confusion, Soo ho is very much the only main character here, don't try to tell me otherwise because no, Young ro sadly can't be considered a main character in here, a main character needs to play a role in moving the plot, and Young ro unfortunately didn't contribute much to the plot after episode 5.
Jung Hae in is an absolutely amazing actor, this man's ability to draw you in with his eyes and talent is on another level and I'm very much in love with him. After watching Soo ho and observing him throughout the course of the drama, I can see why Hae in said that the percentage of resemblance between him and Soo ho is only 50%.
Soo ho's character was the driving force of the story, and his role in the situation was the most vital out of everyone else's. In regards of his relationship with Young ro, I was one of the few that hoped for it to perish and be forgotten, because pointing a gun at her head, threatening to kill her multiple times, holding her hostage, causing her to suffer, indirectly killing her brother and finally using her as his ticket out, doesn't really seem all that romantic yk? And him being on the opposite side of the riverbank didn't help their case either, so their relationship was bound to end on a tragic note. On a brighter side, Hae in is a gorgeous man y'all, I couldn't help but pause the screen and admire him for a couple of seconds before continuing any further, boi is built like a greek god and I'm soo here for it, also, his smiles sent me into uwu mode way too many times lol.


Eun Young ro: A-
I absolutely love Jisoo and I think she's a wonderful singer, but honestly, her acting is just sub par. While she managed to pull off some scenes exceptionally well, her acting fell flat on many occasions, and I mostly blame it on how horribly her character is written. This character was definitely an afterthought and her role literally ended after episode 7 or so, and she became a plot device to make Soo ho shine through. Her character suffered from the most horrendous transition from being a FL to being a background character added in there for the sole purpose of pleasing the fans. I don't actually have much to say about her BECAUSE we barely saw anything from her as opposed to everyone else, I will say tho, Jisoo is quite the convincing crier ngl, even if it took her 14 episodes to get her emotions right and into the characters.


Kang Moo: A-
What was wrong with this guy's character? His personality was out here doing acrobats every god damn episode until it eventually settled on the kicked distrustful puppy button for the majority of the plot. Also, what happened to "I wanna kill Lee Soo ho for killing my buddy" agenda? They literally forgot about this and decided to develop his bromance with Soo ho instead. And don't get me started on his relationship with Ha na because that one was just.......yeah. the actor (I'm unfamiliar with him) did great in portraying him tho, his conflicted eyes were probably my favorite thing about him.


Kang Cheong ya/Moran hill: A+
One question, why isn't she Soo ho's LI? There was soooo much potential for their relationship you cannot fathom how sad I am they didn't actually go with this idea. Yoo In a is an amazing actress, her portrayal of Moran hill was just fascinating, and it made me respect the actress even more. A lot of thought seemed to be put into her character and it shows, she had the strongest writing among the female characters and I'm actually satisfied with the writing for her, even if she did suffer from the internalized misogyny that effected the writing for the other female characters. Cheong ya was my favorite character beside Soo ho, so I'm really curious as to what actually happens to her later on.


Boon ok: A
This woman was seriously amazing. Ik that so many viewers hate her but honestly, it's because of this fact that I actually like her. When an actor makes you hate a character, you know damn well they portrayed that character amazingly. She was a perfect example of how a person is the product of their environment, that is until they decided to ruin it by having her intervene with every plan for no apparent reason than to drag on the situation. Her redemption arc wasn't long enough and it made everything she did seem so empty, I wished they could've shown her mulling over her position in this situation more then slowly try to fix her mistakes instead of just suddenly deciding to be on Soo ho's side, OR they could've left her as a bitter horrible person and had her have a somewhat befitting ending for all her actions, but alas, it is what it is. Kim Hye yoon is a spectacular actress, she honestly stole the show in terms of acting so kudos to her for being this amazing, absolutely loved her.


I won't go any further into the characters because of how really lengthy this review already is, I will say that the cast was just mind blowing so hat's off to the actors, even if they lacked character growth or development, I blame it on the plot really and the fact that it's a one setting type of situations with one arc taking the majority of the plot.


Soundtrack/music:
The music was really really good, I loved all the songs that were used and I have them all added to my playlist, despite the unbefitting tracks used in a couple of scenes, it was still very nice so the soundtrack is a solid 9/10 for me.


Production:
The production was really good on this one, they used their budget nicely and the fighting and action scenes were really well choreographed. The way they used the lighting in certain scenes really contributed to how well a scene was filmed too so props to the production team for a job very well done.


And finally, after this really long rant, I'd like to finish this review by saying that I went in expecting something and I was presented something totally different, so don't be fooled by the tags. I had to shut my brain off for the majority of the episodes because of how nonsensical and illogical the plot was, and the controversy surrounding this drama played a huge role in my earlier thoughts on it, so I advice any new viewers to go in with an open mind and to set your standards somewhere in the middle so as to not be disappointed if it doesn't turn out how you expected it to be.

Edit: I realize that my review didn't turn out as satisfying or as thorough as I wanted it to be, mainly because I was fighting sleep while writing it so I'd like to elaborate on a few points here:

- My initial thoughts on the plot where very different, I was very skeptical about the script as it somehow started off very cliche but delved into a darker/unrelated direction, I don't think that they were going to go with this specific route and it shows through the messily written script. This feels more like the drafts version rather than the final proofread product, I truly believe that because of the controversy and as to not cause any more damage to the team and cast, they decided to change many things in a rush, hence the illogical writing.

- This type of plots is usually either put into a movie or shortened to be one of the many arcs in a drama, however, they decided to stretch it out to take up the entirety of the drama, so it feeling draggy could've been easily avoided. I am unsure of their reasons behind such decision, but I guess not much can be done anymore.

- Many people complained that most of the characters felt very underdeveloped and lacked any growth or prominence, while I agree with this sentiment, I should point out that this drama was portraying a very short period of time with the first time skip in the first episode being 6 months, the dorm arc barely reaching the 2 weeks mark, and finally the ending being a time skip to the summer of the year that followed. You need a certain trigger or incident to change someone's nature/views in life, the hostage situation would've been the perfect trigger to show us how it effected each character and how they all turned out moving forward, but because of the previous point that I talked about, they couldn't go through what I would call "the searching/discovery phase" so now we're left with one dimensional characters who can't go through that phase and can't be developed because they didn't have enough space/time to do so.

- The plot twist they tried to include were very predictable. I could see the betrayals and the lies from a mile away. The old man was very obviously a spy, Gyeok chan and Eung chul were clearly going to die, it became very apparent later on that Soo ho's adoptive father will abandon him, his biological mother and the fact that he actually dies (I actually hoped for it to happen, but given the fact that it's a kdrama, I didn't count on it) were pretty much the only twists that I didn't actually see coming, so I guess it's nice to be surprised sometimes.

- The last few episodes proved that the writer can actually make some logical and intelligible decisions, the way things spiraled downhill soo quickly and how they portrayed the change of loyalties and emotions was very reasonable, and it's most likely the only reasonable thing they've done, but it just goes to show how rushing an ending, even if it was in a very logical way, when your entire world was built on a slow paced story makes everything you've done up till now very muddled and unbalanced.

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10/10 for me

even with all the controversy regarding this kdrama, i cannot stop myself from recommending it to anyone. it was honestly one of the few kdramas that had a significant impact on me, having me glued to my screen and seat. haein has blessed us with yet another outstanding performance on his end and actress kim jisoo did not disappoint. needthless to say, as a fan of both, i'm extremely proud of them. the storyline was greatly created and it developed amazingly. the soundtrack is also one of its strongest points. with the end of it, i can now only hope to see them together in another kdrama.

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