A Man’s Story can’t decide what type of show it wants to be. It starts out as an angst-y revenge thriller, morphs into an Ocean’s Eleven-style heist caper, and then shifts into anti-corporate social justice mode with extra helpings of psychological case study. Some of these narrative threads are more compelling than others (I was particularly fond of the band of misfits caper plot), but the show’s inability to pick one gives it a disjointed feel. This is a shame, since the acting and directing are generally strong and self-assured. There is a cool, jazz-tinted vibe to the whole affair that nicely mirrors the icy charm of its antagonist, compellingly played by Kim Kang Woo. I also appreciated the quirky, well-drawn side characters, including a gruff female detective, a folksy mayor, and Park Ki Woong in a lovely performance as an autistic savant. Unfortunately, the tonal and thematic shifts kept me from fully engaging with the show. As an indictment of corporate greed, it felt preachy and unfocused, especially since the primary representative of “The Man” was presented as a very singular individual with a diagnosed mental illness. Its attempts to address broader social issues never quite gelled with the personal grudges, warped family relationships, and cat-and-mouse brinksmanship that made up the bulk of its plot. When it was content to be entertaining it was a lot of fun. When it tried for “serious” and “relevant” it lost me. The personal may be political, but in this case, the politics felt like more weight than the specific human dramas of the show could carry.