There appears to be an increasing trend of revealing corruption and darkness in dramas these days that is oddly refreshing and yet, heartbreakingly realistic. Angry Mom, despite its amusing logo and happy promotional poster, is definitely not for the faint hearted. The story is intense, and it had me eager to watch each episode the second it was released every week.
The story is heavily focused on the influence of political corruption on familial relationships and high school life. Hardly surprising from a show called 'Angry Mom' because the drama is very much about anger and the intense emotions and conflicts of being a mother. The drama is by no means 'realistic' - you have to watch with this in mind, things are of course going to be exaggerated for dramatic value but nonetheless, there are little hints of truth in everything.
But be not afeared, it's not all doom and gloom, the writer is absolutely brilliant at weaving in comic relief. I lived for those hilarious moments among the darkness that seemed to envelope every character. The thing that struck me the most when watching the drama was the character progressions. Each main and significant secondary character had their moment to shine and develop. This is simply not a one-woman show about a mock-heroic attempt to enact justice on behalf of the weak and unrepresented. It is a drama about developing awareness and tackling the problems head on with others. Problems simply do not go away if you do nothing about them, and it is up to you to make a difference - but also, the fight is not a lonely one. It is all about creating honest relationships, maintaining them, and working together to achieve the ultimate goal. This drama is filled with poetic and moral messages that make you realise that this was very much a writers piece. The directing was also great, but for me, the writing was just the star of the show.
The cast were also perfect for this drama. I have never seen Kim Hee Sun act before but my god, she can act. Her portrayal of this loving mother with a troubled past trying to protect her daughter was just so brilliant to watch - and you just can't help but love a strong female lead. She has shown so much versatility with her emotions that I cannot help but admire her and look forward to her next project. All the other cast members - villains and all - were all very well acted and I have nothing but praise. When an actor makes me hate a villain with great intensity, it means that they're doing a pretty darn good job at acting convincingly. I cannot write this without mentioning our breakout star Ji Soo, I don't think I know anyone who dislikes Go Bok Dong. He was a bad guy with a soft heart and I think everyone will have a soft spot for him. This was a wonderful breakout project for Ji Soo and it clearly displayed his potential. There are so many others who I want to mention and praise, but I think the one who left the strongest impression on me was Kim Hee Won - Ahn Dong Chil. I could never get myself to hate his character, and boy, Hee Won was perfect for Ahn Dong Chil. He begun as such a complex character and it was a real treat to see him unravel and in some ways, peel off the hardened layer bit by bit to see what he was truly like. I cannot go on without spoiling so I will leave it at that.
As much as I want to give this a perfect 10 just for sheer enjoyment and roller coaster ride over the past 8 weeks or so, I felt like it just missed the mark. I set the rewatch value slightly lower because I don't think I can handle watching this again because some aspects of the drama just make you angry. It's not about the execution of the drama itself, but the cruelness of reality really kicks in at times. But saying that, I will always be happy to skim over to the fun, adorable, and out-right hilarious moments for sure :)
Overall, I am very happy with how this drama went. I definitely recommend it because it provides a lot of food for thought for how we should view life and our experiences that will definitely be worth considering!
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