Time for another non-rom-com, all thanks to how well My Liberation Notes worked on me. I wanted to watch this because Nam Ji-hyun and Wi Ha-joon are in it, and also because of the Singapore connection. It turned out to be another show that made me hold my breath, this time because of its fast pace and exciting twists. It successfully married a bizarre premise (the Jeongran society’s unhinged ideology) with realistic topics such as family life and poverty.
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| when your mother has run off with your money |
Actors, roles, relationships
I doubt playing In-kyung was all that difficult for Ji-hyun. I think comic roles bring out her talent better but of course she is strong here as a feisty journalist (‘who conquers typhoons’!). Kang Hoon, playing Jong-ho, who has liked In-kyung forever, also has a straightforward role and they are very much a typical K-drama couple.
Is Um Ki-joon destined to play creepy, murderous characters?! Uhm Ji-won is sinister with her sweet voice and smiles. She made Sang-ah a chilling, interesting villain and they both almost make a typical dysfunctional K drama couple. What sets them apart are their psychopathic strains.
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| did you say we committed a crime? |
This was my first time watching Kim Go-eun, who fits so comforably with Ji-hyun and Park Ji-hoo. In-joo gets the most emotional scenes of the sisters and Go-eun cries well. She is cute when she’s confused and trying to figure out something that is going over her head. The funniest scene is when she realises that Do-il (Ha-joon) and his father (Kim Myung-soo) have made use of her naivete as part of their plan and the two men sheepishly try to praise her for playing her role well. (other funny scenes came from the Singapore segment, which I will write about separately)
Do-il and In-joo are a lovely non-couple couple, especially in their charming Singapore scenes. Special mention too for In-joo’s friendship with Hwa-young (Choo Ja-hyun) – two supposed outcasts who have a bond so strong that each is willing to sacrifice her well-being and even life for the other.
I was impressed by
- Wi Ha-joon – certainly worthy of leading role status! Do-il is intriguing, spiffy, subtly funny and understatedly imposing (all his fight and rescue scenes!). What’s more, he has the best punchy lines in the show, such when he turns up to rescue In-joo and Jong-ho: “I was trying to come up with a plan but I couldn’t think of one, so I came here instead.” And when In-joo asks in shock when she sees him on waking up in that posh bedroom, “Why are you looking at me?”, he nonchalantly deadpans, “In case you died.”
- Park Ji-hoo – compelling acting! She brings out In-hye’s loneliness, fears and dark side very well. Her friendship with Hyo-rin (Jeon Chae-eun) is sweet and the two effectively portray their brokenness and angst. Hyo-rin is a more complicated character and would have been better played with a stronger actress who can express the horror and pain of realising that first, her father is a murderer, and then that her mother is the one who killed unnie’s friend! Also, there is no reaction to either parent's death. So much potential in the character, which Chae-eun couldn’t completely carry off. Without a sufficiently skilful actress, it was smart to just have Hyo-rin faint at her high-stress moments! Chae-eun is impressive in the scene where she is acting as Macbeth. Perhaps she can explore more work in the theatre world. Ji-hoo could have played Hyo-rin well but I'm sure they wanted her for the lead role.
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| can handle evil couple after all! |
- Gong Min-jung as journalist Ma-ri – what a change from her sweet-natured roles. Her meanness and ambivalent morality juxtapose interestingly with In-kyung as well as with Ms Go (Park Bo-kyung), who is simply mean and cruel (but who also provides a little side humour every time she suspects that Do-il likes In-joo!).
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| anything wrong with doing something wrong? |
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| horribly vicious but otherwise unintentionally(?) funny at times |
Plot and ending
The link with the Vietnam War (for which the show got mired in trouble) was rather remote and it is unrealistic that a group of people can be brainwashed/brainwash themselves so effectively to willingly die or be killed for ‘betraying the cause’ but I suppose it does show the consequences of war trauma.
All the villains and some non-villains (e.g. the grandaunt and director Shin) die, mostly violently. I’d have preferred some difference between the fates of these two categories of people but their tragic deaths underline the mercilessness of the evil group.
It is wonderful that it is In-joo who works out why Sang-A became a killing machine. In-kyung helps us get the background story in place, true to her journalistic drive, but In-joo finally has her chance at a smart conclusion! Also, it is In-joo who prevents Sang-A from getting her hands on the cash in Singapore with those bricks!
Main characters’ ends:
In-kyung and Jong-ho predictably become a couple and will leave for further studies together. After all the talk of going to the Hermitage (which they did visit, I think) and prestigious art museums, it’s funny that In-hye and Hyo-rin end up in Singapore! Was this what Do-il meant about finding them a safe place? Do-il says goodbye at the end but his “I’ll see you around” and happy smile promise us that he’ll be back! In-joo is puzzled but I’m not. Of course he will return so she won’t be alone (in her dream apartment overlooking the river) when both sisters are overseas.
It's sad that Hwa-young has to spend 20 years in prison. She is a fantastic friend, assuring In-joo about her wellbeing and hiding her acid marks. I’m disappointed that no one set aside anything from the 70 billion won for her! Also, why is it In-hye who decides on the splitting of the money? Or is it Do-il’s splitting and In-hye is just the voiceover informing In-joo about it?
My final burning questions:
What happened to the grandaunt’s big house (did she will it to In-kyung?), and what happened to Ma-ri and to Do-il’s parents?
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| my word, that blue orchid! |
tvN, 12 episodes
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