I think most viewers are still at a great withdrawal stage because the show was frustratingly not given a proper closure this time. In fact it doesn't seem like an ending by any means, rather the beginning of a new arch. That being said, if this was a story written with a more tight plotline, it could have been nicely concluded in a 16-20 episode which becomes the biggest reason I'm able to score this a perfect 10, since the main story can stand as an independent stand-alone, and the extension of it is really more of an allowable addition. It's all about the choice of execution here, folks.

Now, onto the story. I must say this is easily one of the BEST dramas ever produced in South Korea because the story is as amazingly driven by the plot as it is by the characters. It's already given in the summary that the reason Cha Dal Geon is involved in the plane crash investigation was his sole purpose to avenge on his nephew's death. We were given enough backstory and emotional flashbacks about the close relationship between Cha Dal Geon and his nephew, as well as his headspace (or really, the lack thereof) which made him jumped right into chasing down the terrorists without any fear. In that sense, Cha Dal Geon is a very straightforward character whose actions not difficult to predict and has stayed in his elements in most parts of the drama, basically kicking ass, killing the bad guys, surviving terror attacks and more.

Ki Tae Woong on the other hand, is the complete opposite to Cha Dal Geon, being the smart and calculative NIS investigative team leader who lays out plans properly before jumping into them. Together with Go Hae Ri who I think was given the most interesting character development in the show, they make a really fantastic trio. Go Hae Ri started off in the show as the NIS agent who was transferred to Morocco for an undercover mission and was admittedly at times frustrating to watch for the ways she was easily overtaken by Cha Dal Geon. Nevertheless, as she became more entangled with the terror attacks, slowly she became more trustworthy in the eyes of her superior to carry out more difficult tasks, and has managed to rise above them with the help of Cha Dal Geon.

Suzy, Lee Seung Gi and Shin Sung Rok have utterly delivered both the strong and subtle nuances of their characters with incredible finesse, that in this drama you no longer see the actor but the characters that these people breathe themselves into. Contrary to some criticisms, not a single moment in the show where I've seen Suzy given us bad acting (even her crying scenes are wonderfully done), rather a perfect fit for how the characters should have been acted according to the story's writing at that time.

Aside from the fantastic trio, there are another five sub-plot devices driven by its supporting characters that make this drama complex and thrilling yet so incredibly written. First is the dynamics between the powerful people at the Blue House, second is the constant confrontation and power play by the NIS chiefs, third is the conflict between Jessica Lee and Edward Park representing their respective companies, fourth is the involvement of the other bereaved family members of the plane crash victims and fifth is the funny interaction/bickering between Lily and The Unkillable guy (hired assassins).

Overall, Vagabond is the perfect action drama given the romance sequence doesn't water down the main plot, and was only splashed in between the scenes. They are not overbearing and the romance build-up was rather slow and steady, therefore you cannot help but root for them. Love is given a very special context clue in here, in that even without having to confess your actual feelings, suppressing them in the hope of protecting your loved one is already a devoted act of sacred love by itself.

The soundtracks are outstanding too, and really added a fantastic touch to the action sequence and emotional scenes. My favourites are titled Breaking Dawn and Open Fire.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this one mainly because the plots are engaging, action sequences fantastically choreographed and directed, and characters perfectly cast. I read Lee Seung Gi's interview for this role and the director imagined correctly that he is the perfect fit for the half-headed, reckless image of Cha Dal Geon, as well as Suzy who portrayed accurately the transition of a half-hearted NIS agent into a full-blown femme fatale. I also found my new girl crush in this, that is Park Ah In. My girl is unapologetically sassy and badass as the female assassin, it's so hard not to fall in love!

This is definitely one of the most intelligent screenwriting I've seen off late, and paired brilliantly by outstanding directing on the part of the director/action director. The hard work they put onto the show really shows and pays off brilliantly in this one, and you are definitely jumping in for a hella good ride.

Enjoy!