This review may contain spoilers
Took A Major NoseDive South!!!
14/04/2024
Last Update:
SPOILER ALERT!
The last two episodes were boring and not so thrilling, but at least it left no loose ends.
Eun Woo was great in the earlier episodes, but not so much in the last 4 or so.
If this had stayed consistent with it being sinister and twisted like it seemed to be from the start with her being the target of revenge and and it not ending well for certain individuals involved - it would have been better.
Instead this turned out to be nothing more than political corruption at the core which is nothing new to movies or television.
08/04/2024 (April)
Update:
12 episodes in now and it seems this one borrowed a page or two from Sky Castle and stole a few chapters from Penthouse.
With this drama unfortunately there is a good measure of overused tropes such as: the cheating husband, a best friend's betrayal, the cover up of murder plus political corruption overload.
It did have some interesting moments, but not enough to really make it outstanding or original.
As for the extra marital affair side to it - that carried over through at least six episodes and still has a presence.
Something about it just hasn't t oozed enough oomph for me nor has it gone where it could have after the first 2-4 episodes. It could have hit the ball out of the ballpark if they had kept us guessing right until the end as well as her remaining the target.
Instead for me it has become a real hit and miss.
02/03/2024 (March)
I've really really tried to like this series, but can't stand Kim Nam Joo as something about her doesn't appeal to me as an actor at all.
To think I was looking forward to this drama being released!
Will still give it a chance, however, as there are other actors plus I want to see if it is worth continuing or dropping.
What has bothered me about her?
One example is her character, Eun Soo-Hyeon, at her son's funeral - it was hard for me to connect to her as a grieving mother as she simply wasn't believable or convincing enough for me - not one bit.
Another example - when rain starts to fall on her when she is sleeping at her son's grave situated on a hill, she carries on sleeping like it is a normal thing everyone does or something. It isn't a normal human reaction at all! No natural reflexes, flinching or twitching. When unexpected rain falls and you are sleeping it would most definitely trigger a physical response of some kind like being suddenly startled, maybe opening one's eyes and grimacing at the change of weather or instantaneously shielding one's head and face from getting too wet. Some kind of response! Not nothing.
Joo's acting has been over the top in some scenes and underwhelming in others.
Was her acting licence obtained from the back of a cereal box or what?
SPOILER ALERT!
About the drama itself:
a: The storyline isn't original.
b: Two episodes in and it is a bit slow going in parts and centres mostly on the aftermath of Eun Soo- Hyeon's son's death and her being in prison.
c: E.S.H took the law into her own hands and that is why she is in prison.
d: It seems the person she ran over mightn't have been the one that actually killed her young son.
Think I have worked out who the real culprit is, but if there are unexpected twists along the way anyone could be the guilty party.
Eun Woo's character is right at the start of episode one (suspicious as) and in episode two is teaching a choir "Oh Holy Night" as well as at the prison when she runs her hand under a sewing machine by accident, also, working at a car wreckers (I think) as well as eating there with his mates. Either he really is doing a number of part time jobs or is a secret Undercover Agent...
I really hope that he isn't going to be her new love interest if her marriage goes South. Not sure how young his character is supposed to be, but in this series it looks like he is in his 20's and she is in her late 30s-40s yet at times could easily pass as a 50 something year old. I think she is on the older side as it took years for her to conceive if the translation was right.
Am all for friendship and healing - just nothing more.
I will be watching more episodes to give it a fair go, but if Kim Nam Joo keeps failing to impress me with her mediocre acting...
Fighting!!!
EPISODE THREE:
SPOILER ALERT!
Bit of an interesting twist in this episode...
It seems it isn't a car wreckers, but possibly a junkyard.
When Soo-Hyeon finally found the "boy" that survived the fire, Seon Yul (Eun Woo), the closure she was trying to establish really was for the prisoner that died - not him. He said as much as well and it seemed like she opened up a can of worms - she should have just left him alone from there on instead of stalk him like she did.
Kim Nam Joo wasn't too bad in this episode plus the character Eun Woo plays is about 29 years old so I had it right about his age group.
What has taken an interesting turn is that someone is stalking her and her family - the son or relative of the one she murdered. There is a chance he might be connected to Seon Yul as there doesn't seem to be any photos of Seon Yul on his wall, also, Seon Yul seems to live a bit of a double life.
There might be an actual connection or it could be just a coincidence.
Is Seo Yul the real deal?
The husband having an affair is a bit cliche or an overused trope - it would truly be incredible had it not gone down that road.
Somewhat predictable especially as she was in prison for 6 years and wanted out of the marriage.
This drama may head towards Seon Yul saving a damsel in distress and becoming a hero if there are no ties between him and the murdered man's son. It all depends on what twists they want to introduce or not. The thing is - Seon Yul has something else going on (photographing people/school break in for documents) so there is a chance he may be working with the other younger man, on the other side of the law or definitely a secret agent.
He could still be something else altogether as well - someone quite sinister.
I wonder how predictable this one will be or not as it continues...
EPISODE FOUR:
SPOILER ALERT!
Maybe not as intriguing as the previous episodes, but what has been great is seeing a different side to Eun Woo's character - as in a darker side that is tormented by his past.
He may still turn out to be a hero after all.
Kim Nam Joo still keeps a poker face, but at least she isn't rubbing me the wrong way like she did in the first two episodes.
I think this series will become more and more predictable unless it switches back and forth to confuse it's audience - it isn't too bad and I do want to watch more of it to see how much further it keeps me entertained. However, it is Seon Yul I want to know more about as well as seeing him in more scenes then the stalker followed by everyone else...not so much Soo-Hyeon.
If this was mainly on Seon Yul, the stalker and small doses of poker faced Soo-Hyeon it would be one heck of a roller coaster ride I reckon.
EPISODES 5 & 6:
SPOILER ALERT!
The storyline is kind of so so and feels like it is a rehash of multiple tropes like the marital affair, death of a child, the want for revenge and others connecting from the past to present.
With episode 6 it did leave us on a cliff hanger at the end, but maybe it shouldn't be a complete surprise as there have been obvious hints throughout plus Seon Yul was in the car at the very beginning.
His character is becoming more and more interesting as the plot thickens though - either he is an up and coming secret agent/undercover cop or a serial killer in the making.
What we do know is - he isn't the person we were made to believe and therefore could be a total deviant hiding behind a facade. Also, it seems he might be the "actual son " of the man run over by Soo-Hyeon and the woman hospitalised in a coma.
Or... is he someone else?
There is some connection between the stalker and Seon Yul as I'm sure the stalker gave Soo-Hyeon the name of the woman in a coma.
Episode 1 didn't exactly leave anything to the imagination with Seon Yul in that car facing you know who.
Time will tell!
Somehow I feel the husband of Soo-Hyeon is connected to everything that happened from the very start for some reason because he isn't exactly clean cut or are we being mislead.
EPISODE SEVEN:
It is all coming out in the open now.
Seems the only connection between him and the stalker is that both want revenge and justice, but directed at different people.
However, the Politician husband has everything to do with it all, I reckon - just not sure to what extent.
Will there be any further twists to turn this around - am sure hoping so!
EPISODES 8-10
It is getting more and more boring and totally predictable.
Am so over the *husband having an affair or three" trope - the affair should have been wrapped up over a few episodes not been drawn out through episode after episode like a long lasting nasty smell that just won't go away.
Eun Woo has improved as an actor, but this drama series has taken a real nosedive South in the last three episodes or so and am not sure if it can redeem itself for the remainder of the series.
Who knows?
All I see is someone dying if he continues on the same path and no real winners because of what else goes on in the background with other players - something has to give at some point and someone will pay the price.
However, this doesn't make it original or unique as others dramas have been there and done that already with a similar tone.
Last Update:
SPOILER ALERT!
The last two episodes were boring and not so thrilling, but at least it left no loose ends.
Eun Woo was great in the earlier episodes, but not so much in the last 4 or so.
If this had stayed consistent with it being sinister and twisted like it seemed to be from the start with her being the target of revenge and and it not ending well for certain individuals involved - it would have been better.
Instead this turned out to be nothing more than political corruption at the core which is nothing new to movies or television.
08/04/2024 (April)
Update:
12 episodes in now and it seems this one borrowed a page or two from Sky Castle and stole a few chapters from Penthouse.
With this drama unfortunately there is a good measure of overused tropes such as: the cheating husband, a best friend's betrayal, the cover up of murder plus political corruption overload.
It did have some interesting moments, but not enough to really make it outstanding or original.
As for the extra marital affair side to it - that carried over through at least six episodes and still has a presence.
Something about it just hasn't t oozed enough oomph for me nor has it gone where it could have after the first 2-4 episodes. It could have hit the ball out of the ballpark if they had kept us guessing right until the end as well as her remaining the target.
Instead for me it has become a real hit and miss.
02/03/2024 (March)
I've really really tried to like this series, but can't stand Kim Nam Joo as something about her doesn't appeal to me as an actor at all.
To think I was looking forward to this drama being released!
Will still give it a chance, however, as there are other actors plus I want to see if it is worth continuing or dropping.
What has bothered me about her?
One example is her character, Eun Soo-Hyeon, at her son's funeral - it was hard for me to connect to her as a grieving mother as she simply wasn't believable or convincing enough for me - not one bit.
Another example - when rain starts to fall on her when she is sleeping at her son's grave situated on a hill, she carries on sleeping like it is a normal thing everyone does or something. It isn't a normal human reaction at all! No natural reflexes, flinching or twitching. When unexpected rain falls and you are sleeping it would most definitely trigger a physical response of some kind like being suddenly startled, maybe opening one's eyes and grimacing at the change of weather or instantaneously shielding one's head and face from getting too wet. Some kind of response! Not nothing.
Joo's acting has been over the top in some scenes and underwhelming in others.
Was her acting licence obtained from the back of a cereal box or what?
SPOILER ALERT!
About the drama itself:
a: The storyline isn't original.
b: Two episodes in and it is a bit slow going in parts and centres mostly on the aftermath of Eun Soo- Hyeon's son's death and her being in prison.
c: E.S.H took the law into her own hands and that is why she is in prison.
d: It seems the person she ran over mightn't have been the one that actually killed her young son.
Think I have worked out who the real culprit is, but if there are unexpected twists along the way anyone could be the guilty party.
Eun Woo's character is right at the start of episode one (suspicious as) and in episode two is teaching a choir "Oh Holy Night" as well as at the prison when she runs her hand under a sewing machine by accident, also, working at a car wreckers (I think) as well as eating there with his mates. Either he really is doing a number of part time jobs or is a secret Undercover Agent...
I really hope that he isn't going to be her new love interest if her marriage goes South. Not sure how young his character is supposed to be, but in this series it looks like he is in his 20's and she is in her late 30s-40s yet at times could easily pass as a 50 something year old. I think she is on the older side as it took years for her to conceive if the translation was right.
Am all for friendship and healing - just nothing more.
I will be watching more episodes to give it a fair go, but if Kim Nam Joo keeps failing to impress me with her mediocre acting...
Fighting!!!
EPISODE THREE:
SPOILER ALERT!
Bit of an interesting twist in this episode...
It seems it isn't a car wreckers, but possibly a junkyard.
When Soo-Hyeon finally found the "boy" that survived the fire, Seon Yul (Eun Woo), the closure she was trying to establish really was for the prisoner that died - not him. He said as much as well and it seemed like she opened up a can of worms - she should have just left him alone from there on instead of stalk him like she did.
Kim Nam Joo wasn't too bad in this episode plus the character Eun Woo plays is about 29 years old so I had it right about his age group.
What has taken an interesting turn is that someone is stalking her and her family - the son or relative of the one she murdered. There is a chance he might be connected to Seon Yul as there doesn't seem to be any photos of Seon Yul on his wall, also, Seon Yul seems to live a bit of a double life.
There might be an actual connection or it could be just a coincidence.
Is Seo Yul the real deal?
The husband having an affair is a bit cliche or an overused trope - it would truly be incredible had it not gone down that road.
Somewhat predictable especially as she was in prison for 6 years and wanted out of the marriage.
This drama may head towards Seon Yul saving a damsel in distress and becoming a hero if there are no ties between him and the murdered man's son. It all depends on what twists they want to introduce or not. The thing is - Seon Yul has something else going on (photographing people/school break in for documents) so there is a chance he may be working with the other younger man, on the other side of the law or definitely a secret agent.
He could still be something else altogether as well - someone quite sinister.
I wonder how predictable this one will be or not as it continues...
EPISODE FOUR:
SPOILER ALERT!
Maybe not as intriguing as the previous episodes, but what has been great is seeing a different side to Eun Woo's character - as in a darker side that is tormented by his past.
He may still turn out to be a hero after all.
Kim Nam Joo still keeps a poker face, but at least she isn't rubbing me the wrong way like she did in the first two episodes.
I think this series will become more and more predictable unless it switches back and forth to confuse it's audience - it isn't too bad and I do want to watch more of it to see how much further it keeps me entertained. However, it is Seon Yul I want to know more about as well as seeing him in more scenes then the stalker followed by everyone else...not so much Soo-Hyeon.
If this was mainly on Seon Yul, the stalker and small doses of poker faced Soo-Hyeon it would be one heck of a roller coaster ride I reckon.
EPISODES 5 & 6:
SPOILER ALERT!
The storyline is kind of so so and feels like it is a rehash of multiple tropes like the marital affair, death of a child, the want for revenge and others connecting from the past to present.
With episode 6 it did leave us on a cliff hanger at the end, but maybe it shouldn't be a complete surprise as there have been obvious hints throughout plus Seon Yul was in the car at the very beginning.
His character is becoming more and more interesting as the plot thickens though - either he is an up and coming secret agent/undercover cop or a serial killer in the making.
What we do know is - he isn't the person we were made to believe and therefore could be a total deviant hiding behind a facade. Also, it seems he might be the "actual son " of the man run over by Soo-Hyeon and the woman hospitalised in a coma.
Or... is he someone else?
There is some connection between the stalker and Seon Yul as I'm sure the stalker gave Soo-Hyeon the name of the woman in a coma.
Episode 1 didn't exactly leave anything to the imagination with Seon Yul in that car facing you know who.
Time will tell!
Somehow I feel the husband of Soo-Hyeon is connected to everything that happened from the very start for some reason because he isn't exactly clean cut or are we being mislead.
EPISODE SEVEN:
It is all coming out in the open now.
Seems the only connection between him and the stalker is that both want revenge and justice, but directed at different people.
However, the Politician husband has everything to do with it all, I reckon - just not sure to what extent.
Will there be any further twists to turn this around - am sure hoping so!
EPISODES 8-10
It is getting more and more boring and totally predictable.
Am so over the *husband having an affair or three" trope - the affair should have been wrapped up over a few episodes not been drawn out through episode after episode like a long lasting nasty smell that just won't go away.
Eun Woo has improved as an actor, but this drama series has taken a real nosedive South in the last three episodes or so and am not sure if it can redeem itself for the remainder of the series.
Who knows?
All I see is someone dying if he continues on the same path and no real winners because of what else goes on in the background with other players - something has to give at some point and someone will pay the price.
However, this doesn't make it original or unique as others dramas have been there and done that already with a similar tone.
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