Squid Game

 Squid Game

9/10

Squid Game

Genre:                                     Episodes: 9                  Year: 2021

Mystery         

Thriller

Synopsis:

Song Gi Hoon is a divorced father who is in serious debt. One day he is invited to join a game with a chance to win 45.6 billion won- if he wins 6 children’s games against the other contestants, Gi Hoon will be bale to win the cash prize.

Cast:

Lee Jung Jae (Song Gi Hoon)

Park Hae Soo (Cho Sang Woo)

Jung Ho Yeon (Kang Sae Byeok)

Wi Ha Joon (Hwang Joon Ho)

Oh Young Soo (Oh Il Nam)

Heo Sung Tae (Jang Deok Soo)

Kim Joo Ryung (Han Mi Nyeo)

Tripathi Anupam (Ali Abdul)

Lee Yoo Mi (Ji Yeong)

Lee Byung Hoon (Front Man)

General Thoughts:

Oh ‘Squid Game’. What a wild and unexpected journey. Not just in the actual show itself, but watching the traction this drama has gained has been a journey in and of itself. I have never in my life had this many people talk to me about a K-Drama before. Usually I have my two or three friends that watch K-Dramas that I am able to gossip and speculate and relive dramas with. Now suddenly with this one little show, that expanded to almost everybody I interact with.

And now everyone knows of Gong Yoo

People who two months ago would have scoffed when I told them I was super into Korean TV, people who I can’t imagine sitting down and watching a subtitled show- literally everyone is talking ‘Squid Game’ right now (well at least they were when I started writing this review a year ago). It’s amazing and wonderful, but also slightly baffling. Why this show? Why now? And I have to admit a little part of me is screaming out ‘I TOLD YOU SO YOU B*STARDS, I’VE BEEN ONTO THIS FROM THE START!’

Yup, no censorship here

And with everyone I know watching ‘Squid Game’ and a good few of them knowing I am a K-Drama addict, the question that usually follows is ‘what other K-Drama can I watch that is like this?’ And this is where I think this drama has really got its traction, because honestly the answer at the moment is ‘nothing’. Well not entirely true. The answer is ‘Liar Game’, but that drama was a different time and a different Network and doesn’t have all the super high production values that ‘Squid Game’ scored. But I think the fact that Netflix is the platform that showed ‘Squid Game’ is what really allowed the drama to rocket to fame. There have been a few other K-Dramas on Netflix that I have reviewed (and not all of them I have enjoyed), but for those who have never seen a K-Drama before and don’t really understand how the Korean networks work (which is most of the Western audience that is consuming ‘Squid Game’), they don’t quite see what an impact having the show picked up by Netflix is. For one- no censoring. Mainstream Korean networks censor the banoonoos out of their shows- knives, blood, needles. You don’t get more than an idea of nudity or sex- you get the lights turned off or the covers pulled over the actors. Of course, if ‘Squid Game’ had those restrictions placed on it, we wouldn’t have a show- just Lee Jung Jae walking around a lot of blurred out scenery. Netflix gave ‘Squid Game’ the freedom to do what it wanted to do, and that freedom allowed the writer and the production team to make a show that is widely marketable and easily consumable. Everything came together really well in this show- production value was high, the writing was tight, and the acting was brilliant.

Oof, this game was so brutal

The cast did a brilliant job at bringing the story to life. Lee Jung Jae and Park Hae Soo were fabulous at showing two sides of the same coin. Their characters were so similar and the two actors did an amazing job at showing how the pressure and demands of the game brought out different sides to their characters. Gi Hoon struggled immensely during the marble game when he was trying to fool his friend Il Nam, and Lee Jung Jae really sold that performance- it was a heart-wrenching scene for many reasons, but the way Lee Jung Jae delivered his performance was wonderful.

"I'd never betray my friend" say all the viewers from their comfy couches

While this was playing out, we also had a very similar thing happening with Sang Woo and Ali. Two friends, with one working to betray the other. Park Hae Soo certainly became a character that many hated after this scene, but he did it perfectly. His micro-expressions showed both his discomfort at having to betray a friend to his death, but also his convictions in what he was doing. Lee Jung Jae’s expressions and body language conveyed distress and guilt and confusion and gave the impression that if he could do it again perhaps he would have made a different choice, whereas Park Hae Soo very much used everything he had to portray that while Sang Woo was not unaffected by his own actions, if given the chance to go back, he would make the same choice again. This very same episode also gave us one of my favourite characters of the show and a total scene stealer- Lee Yoo Mi as Ji Yeong. She was able to give us such an endearing and loveable character in such a short amount of time. I’ve seen her in a few things before, but this scene in ‘Squid Game’ was really when I started to notice what an incredible actress she was.

'Thanks for playing with me' - and then everyone cries

While the other actors had episodes and hours of time to craft their characters and unveil their hopes and desires to the audience, Lee Yoo Mi was asked to do the same but in one episode. And she did it. Her character and her character’s journey was heart-wrenching, and most importantly, extremely memorable. The other actress I want to talk about is obviously Jung Ho Yeon- this was her first foray into acting! Ever!

His 'Hyung!' cries will haunt your dreams

She was very impressive with how emotive she could be, and she certainly didn’t have an issue keeping up with other actors who have an extensive list of credentials. It really felt like Jung Ho Yeon gave everything she had to the character, and she certainly made Sae Byeok a fan favourite. Another fan favourite was Ali, played by Tripathi Anupam. Similarly to Jung Ho Yeon, he had a very endearing character to act out, though Tripathi Anupam also gave Ali a layer of innocence which made him instantly easy to like and easy to root for. I have seen a few non-Koreans acting in K-Dramas before and they have been…not good (I mean, take a look at the guys who played out the rich villains at the end of the series). I get it, the amount of non-Korean actors who can speak Korean relatively fluently is probably not high. But Tripathi Anupam was amazing! His acting did not feel awkward at all- it felt like he was used to being in front of the camera and being in scenes with other actors. He did more than just give a passable performance- he absolutely excelled. He filled his character with heart and he had great chemistry with the other actors- particularly Park Hae Soo, which really helped to make the marble scene as emotional as was.

What Was Great:

Shock Plot:

‘Squid Game’ came at a time where hyper-violent twists where the happening thing in hot shows. ‘Game of Thrones’ was one of the starters of this trend and a lot of shows since have been using this recipe for success.

Games with a twist are the in thing right now

Having characters that people love and characters that people love to hate, and then having shocking and unexpected twists and turns seems to be a massive draw that keeps people from being unable to turn a show off. It almost seems to promote this fear of missing out in the viewers- this feeling where you have to keep watching because you can’t be the only one who didn’t get shocked by that big twist or can’t speculate on the show’s next move. Amazon series ‘The Boys’ follows a similar vein- a range of characters and big, shocking moments- often quite gory. Japanese Netflix series ‘Alice in Borderland’ had a similar idea and was also a smash hit, though not as much as ‘Squid Game’.

Ah, the illusion of choice

Heck, even ‘The Hunger Games’ is a toned down version of this sort of story! The timing of ‘Squid Game’s release couldn’t have been better- a few years earlier and it possibly could have been criticised for its violence and gore, and a few years later and it could have been too late to the party. While I would certainly call this show a violent one, I also wouldn’t say it is outrageously so. While a lot of that would depend on personal preferences, I did find that ‘Squid Game’ had enough in it to shock the audience, but it wasn’t so gratuitously violent that I couldn’t watch. Personally, I don’t like horror, and I don’t like lots of visual gore. I found that this drama hit a balance where it had the shock of the moment, but it don’t linger on it. This served to keep the intensity up in every scene and every episode, but by choosing not to linger too long on the actual aftermath the show reduced the risk of turning away viewers who, like me, don’t want to see every gory detail. The writers new that the premise was shocking, the plot was shocking, the situations the characters were in were shocking, and that sometimes even the characters themselves were shocking. They knew they didn’t have to rely on long, drawn out shots of blood and bones and brains to get that reaction out of the audience- it was well balanced.

Character Moments:

Speaking of being well balanced, you can have a shocking show with big twists and big deaths, but without engaging characters to back them up it doesn’t become as much of an addictive watch.

The characters are everything

Think the later seasons of ‘Game of Thrones’. When the characters' development dropped, so did peoples’ enthusiasm for the show. ‘Squid Game’ did a great job at inserting quiet character moments into the show, so that when the big twists came there was maximum impact.

Strong female characters are always a big win

Would Ali’s death have hit as hard if we hadn’t seen the family he was trying to protect and get back to? Would Sang Woo’s betrayal have had the emotional reaction from the audience that it got if it hadn’t spent time showing Sang Woo and Ali having small, quiet moments of bonding and camaraderie? Moments in the show were able to hit hard and get an emotional response from the audience because it spent time setting up the relationships between the characters. As each episode went on we knew a little bit more about the characters and a little bit more about their stories. The premise of the deadly games is what got people tuning into the show, but it was the interactions between the characters and watching the hard choices they had to make that kept people watching. 

What Wasn’t:

Stale Pale Males:

Old, rich, white men were behind it. Wow. What a surpri- oh wait no. It wasn’t a surprise really. Aren’t old, rich, white men always the ones behind everything pulling all the strings? I was hoping for something a little more innovative from the writer I will admit. It’s not a BAD idea per se- it’s just not entirely new.

Why are all rich men just such *ssholes

The rest of ‘Squid Game’ was so new and exciting and felt like something that had never been seen before, so for the whole thing to be an illicit gambling den for the wealthy and powerful men of the world just felt…kind of like a safe play? Sure, this is the outcome that made the most sense- the games obviously need a huge amount of money behind them to be run, but it also felt like it was an answer the writer didn’t have to reach far for. I don’t know, I was just hoping for something a bit more…well, more. 

Recommend?

Yes- I can’t not recommend a K-Drama that has broken so many barriers and done so many things for Korean Dramas moving forward. The fact that it’s a really riveting show with an addictive plot is another great reason to watch. I will say though that if you do not like violence, this show is not for you.

See you all for Season 2

D.P

 D.P

7/10

D.P

Genre:                                     Episodes: 6                          Year: 2021

Melodrama

Synopsis:

Ahn Joon Ho has become a solider as part of his mandatory military service. After his observational skills are noted by a Sergeant he is transferred into the D.P Team to catch soldiers who have deserted.

Cast:

Jung Hae In (Ahn Joon Ho)

Gu Gyo Hwan (Han Ho Yeol)

Kim Sung Kyun (Park Beom Gu)

Son Suk Gu (Lim Ji Seob)

Cho Hyun Chul (Cho Suk Bong)

Shin Seung Ho (Hwang Jang Soo)

Hyun Bong Shik (Cheon Yong Deok)

Won Ji Ahn (Moon Yeong Ok)

General Thoughts:

Oh man, it sure has been a while- over a year actually I think! It’s not like I’ve stopped watching K-Dramas, I just haven’t had the time (or the discipline) to review them. I have a whole stack to do of dramas I’ve watched over the last year and a bit, but I honestly don’t remember them that well now. Anyway, I’m here now (thanks to time in isolation) and hopefully I can get some reviews out! Onto the topic at hand- ‘D.P’. Hmm yes, ‘D.P’. What an experience that was. It’s not a bad drama per se, it’s actually a very well crafted show, it’s just so horrifically dark and really paints one of the worst pictures of humans as a species. I’m not exaggerating. This show is heavy.

Hello darkness, my old friend

While I knew going in that this wasn’t likely to be all sunshine and daisies, I think the show did catch me off guard with just how completely dark it got. I kept waiting for literally anyone in the military our D.P unit interacted with to just not be the scum of the earth and it…just didn’t happen. Lots of scummy characters in this show. That being said, the cinematography was stunning. It really captured the gritty underbelly of the military and was wonderful at setting the mood. The confinement and hopelessness of a lot of the soldiers was showcased well through the dim lighting and close shots of the characters.

This is not a buddy cop movie

While I didn’t particularly enjoy the story that the drama was telling, it did tell it in a way that was cohesive and easy to understand. As someone who has never been around anything to do with the army, let alone the Korean army, it was easy to grasp how the system worked and what each characters’ individual role in that system was. Similarly, though I come from a culture that doesn’t do hierarchy much, because the show took the time to set up Joon Ho’s unit and the different characters involved, I quickly made sense of why Joon Ho and Suk Bong (and certainly Suk Bong more so) felt that they couldn’t retaliate against their seniors. While I can’t say I enjoyed the overall story of ‘D.P’, I think I did kind of resonate with the message it was trying to send. A big piece of commentary I picked up from the show was the continuing motif that no one cares until someone is dead. This message starts as early as the first episode. Joon Ho does nothing to his senior D.P partner who uses their time catching a deserter to meet his friends, drink and party, even though he so obviously disagrees with what is happening. He would be criticised and punished by his senior, and likely his senior’s seniors, for disrespecting someone of a higher rank- even if Joon Ho was right. However after the deserter commits suicide, Joon Ho badly assaults his partner, and even though his partner is of a senior status, Joon Ho isn’t punished too harshly. Because someone died. No one cared that Joon Ho was right and his partner was wrong until the soldier died.

It was well written but just so hopeless

There were similar moments throughout the show, and it was all tied back with the last arc as well. Many people knew about the terrible situation Suk Bong was in. But no one went to act on it until Suk Bong went to kill his tormenter. Everyone in the military was content to let Suk Bong get bullied because his life wasn’t in any immediate danger. ‘Sucks for him’ they all thought as they continue on with their lives. It was only when Jang Soo’s life was in danger that people around Suk Bong started to act. Suddenly all these people were acknowledging the terrible things Suk Bong went through were wrong.

I mean, look at that cinematography tho

 Suddenly reporting Jang Soo becomes an option. Because people only care once somebody dies. Throughout the show there were plenty of opportunities for others to step in and try and make a difference. There were plenty of moments where each of the deserters could have been diverted to a happier, less violent path. But no one wanted to break the status quo. Each and every character at some point just chose to grit their teeth and try and get through it. Even our main three characters of the D.P unit. While they undoubtably did more than anyone else even though they were under tremendous pressure from the higher ups, a part of them was always happy to retire away to the D.P quarters where they could hide from the harassment and assault for a time. Each and every character in this show failed Suk Bong, and the drama as a whole was a gradual display on how every single opportunity to correct the situation was missed because no one really cared enough to try. The acting was phenomenal from each and every person in this show. I can’t imagine it was an easy cast to be a part of- I don’t see days on set being particularly fun. But every actor brought huge emotional range and really sold the story being told. 

What Was Great:

Emotions:

The emotions of every single actor and character were portrayed to perfection in this show. Did it make it nice to watch? Not really, but I have to give credit where it is due- the actors were able to bring emotion out of the audience. A lot rode on Jung Hae In’s performance and he really delivered.

Gu Gyo Hwan brought the only thing that even felt close to light-heartedness

It was draining to watch the show- I can’t even imagine how difficult it must have been for the actors to bring that emotion time and time again while they were filming. Joon Ho and Suk Bong felt like relatable characters (and that’s probably why the drama was so hard to watch), and Jung Hae In and Cho Hyun Chul really allowed the viewers insight into all their conflicting emotions and thoughts, and whatever they felt, the audience felt.

What Wasn’t:

So Bleak:

I did not enjoy watching this show. I was conflicted giving it a 7 because it’s not bad- acting, writing, directing, cinematography, music choices, flow- everything was done astoundingly well. But I didn’t like watching the episodes. 

It made you feel a bit icky watching this show

If this is truly how things are in the Korean army I can see why it’s a story that needs to be told, but good grief it’s depressing. I finished because I am a completionist and I don’t like leaving dramas unfinished, but honestly if this had been much more than 6 episodes I don’t think I would have made it. It’s just six hours of showcasing the absolute worst in people. And it’s not like they were evil men either. The villains of this story were just regular men who were sons, brothers, friends and fathers. They weren’t pressured or coerced into being incredibly cruel- they just were when the opportunity presented itself. There are scenes that are confronting and hard to watch and there are very few happier or more lighthearted scenes to balance it out. I get what the show was going for, but I don’t think it needed to be as horrifically depressing as it was. 

Recommend?

Look, I wouldn’t really recommend this drama. Not unless you like being depressed.

Can't say I'll be tuning in for Season 2...

Top 5 K-Dramas To Watch If You Loved 'Squid Game'

Top 5 

K-Dramas To Watch If You Loved ‘Squid Game’

‘Squid Game’ has absolutely taken the world by storm after its Netflix release, and it’s amazing to see how much attention this show is receiving. As all my friends know that I watch a lot of Korean Dramas, the questions I’m constantly getting asked right now are ‘what other good K-Dramas are there?’ and ‘what else is there like ‘Squid Game’?’ The answer to the first question is- lots! The answer to the second one is a little trickier. It’s hard to pin down what exactly it is about the show that made it such a success and so enjoyable to so many people. The short answer is that the reason ‘Squid Game’ is so popular is because it’s sort of the first of its kind. But if you look closely, there are a lot of K-Dramas that share elements with ‘Squid Game’. There’s so very many K-Dramas out there, so it can be a tricky realm to navigate- particularly if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Hopefully this list will help both old and new K-Drama fans find another drama to enjoy.

5: Circle

On the surface ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Circle’ don’t have that much in common. But if you look a little deeper ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Circle’…still kinda don’t really have that much in common. They’re both Korean, I guess? Seriously though, ‘Circle’ is a K-Drama that I would recommend to almost anyone. It has great acting and a great story, and its twisty, unpredictable plot make it a very addictive watch. There is great mystery in this show, and it’s fascinating to watch the characters inch ever closer to the truth of their world. I would say that if you straight up like a solid story with lots of mystery elements and touches of thriller, ‘Circle’ would be a great watch for you.

4: 365: Repeat the Year

The similarity that I would find between ‘365’ and ‘Squid Game’ is the initial choice and resulting life-or-death consequences. In ‘365’ the characters all choose to go one year back in time, and one-by-one they start to die under mysterious circumstances. The mystery is a big draw in ‘365’ and has a relatively satisfying conclusion. The acting is all top notch, and the relationships between the characters are interesting to watch play out. There is a similar life-and-death vibe to ‘Squid Game’, only in ‘365’ it’s less clear who the game-master is and what rules they should all be playing by. Again, if mystery is your jam and you like characters being faced with deadly consequences, this could be a K-Drama to add to your watch-list.

3: Smart Prison Living

This addition is probably the most seemingly random of the 5 K-Dramas I’m recommending on this lift. There’s no game. There’s no secret mastermind. There’s no sudden death if you choose wrong. It’s just a bunch of dudes in prison. And their guards. While ‘Smart Prison Living’ doesn’t have the same sort of hook that more flashy dramas have, it has a host of amazing, relatable characters with emotional and heartfelt stories. While the death games in ‘Squid Game’ were a big draw and a huge part of why the show stands out, it is the emotions and the stories of the characters that retained the audience’s attention after the hook got them in. ‘Smart Prison Living’ unravels its characters personalities and stories to perfection, and is rich with emotion. If it’s the delicate character relationships and the slow revealing of character intentions that grabbed you in ‘Squid Game’ (Ali and Sae Byeok fans I’m looking at you) then I would wholeheartedly recommend you check out ‘Smart Prison Living’ (may also be called ‘Prison Playbook’ depending on what country you’re in). As an added bonus, Park Hae Soo who plays Sang Woo in ‘Squid Game’ takes the leading role in ‘Smart Prison Living’.

2: Kingdom

In a way, ‘Kingdom’ is a bit like the predecessor to ‘Squid Game’. Also from Netflix, ‘Kingdom’ entered the Western market pretty strongly and shook the barriers that divide Asian and Western television just enough so that ‘Squid Game’ could break them down. As it’s a zombie show, it’s got the bloody, gritty survival side that ‘Squid Game’ has- just in a far less controlled environment. Similarly to ‘Squid Game’ the production values are high in ‘Kingdom’- it feels like a blockbuster right at home. Beautiful (if creepy and a bit gory) cinematography, and great action scenes. Set in historical Korea the show feels very unique, though the politics may initially confuse some viewers who aren’t as familiar with historical plots as the regular K-Drama viewer. If the blood, fighting and desperate struggle for survival is what kept you hooked on ‘Squid Game’ then ‘Kingdom’ may be a good show to follow. Also, like ‘Squid Game’ (and unlike most of the other shows on this list) ‘Kingdom’ has a small episode count- two 6 episode seasons and a one hour special. If you don’t have or want to invest a lot of time into a show, this is a good, short watch.

1: Liar Game

Dare I say it, ‘Liar Game’ is like the original (albeit PG) version of ‘Squid Game’. When asked to pick a K-Drama most like ‘Squid Game’, this is the one my mind always goes to. The premise is very similar- a bunch of debt-ridden Koreans are invited to join a game to compete for a huge amount of prize money. Only rather than dying if you lose, you are simply eliminated from the game. The games are also not simple kids games either- ‘Liar Game’ is all about the psychology of the games and the contestants trying to out-manipulate each other. The games are often complex and involve lots of strategy, but I think that adds to the appeal of the show. ‘Liar Game’ comes from the era of Candy Girls (sweet, innocent heroines who are often down on their luck but trusting and hardworking nonetheless- and sadly often don’t have much of a personality)- so fair warning for those going in that the female lead is not like Sae Byeok in ‘Squid Game’. At all. But the leading man and lady make a great pair and are an enjoyable team to watch compete in the games. ‘Liar Game’ was also a 2014 release, so it may feel a little dated for those more used to the slick, modern shows of 2020 and 2021- but I would implore people to give it a go despite the drama’s age, at it really is a great watch, and I think that most people who liked ‘Squid Game’ will enjoy ‘Liar Game’ as well. I believe that the source materiel is from a Japanese manga that has also been made into a Japanese live-action, but as I don’t have experience with those versions I can’t comment on their quality. But the K-Drama version- awesome.

What K-Dramas would you recommend to 'Squid Game' fans?

Navillera

 Navillera

9/10

Navillera

Genre:                                       Episodes: 12                         Year: 2021

Melodrama

Synopsis:

Shim Deok Chu is a 70 year old retired mailman who decides to pursue his lifelong dream of learning ballet. He meets his instructor, Lee Chae Rok, a young ballerino who has hit a slump while preparing for a big audition. 

Cast:

Park In Hwan (Shim Deok Chul)

Song Kang (Lee Chae Rok)

Na Moon Hee (Choi Hae Nam)

Kim Kwon (Yang Ho Beom)

Jo Bok Rae (Shim Seong Gwan)

Jung Hae Kyun (Shim Seong San)

Hong Seung Hee (Shim Eun Ho)

Kim Tae Hoon (Ki Seung Joo)

Jo Sung Ha (Lee Moo Young)

Kim Soo Jin (Shim Seung Sook)

General Thoughts:

This show is great and I love it. Ever since the first snippets of casting news and synopsis was released I was so keen for this drama. It sounded insightful and emotional, and the slightly unusual paring of an older actor and a new up and coming actor officially peaked my interest. Every bit of new news about this drama had me getting more and more excited and impatient for it to finally be released. I set a pretty high bar for this drama, and it met that bar. And then some.

I absolutely adored this show

The acting in this was really phenomenal, and there wasn’t a single person on the cast who didn’t delver an outstanding performance. As most of the show focused on Deok Chul and Chae Rok, those two characters had a lot of screen time, and were asked to bring a vast range of emotions to the drama. Park In Hwan is a very experienced actor and it was nice to have a drama that allowed him to really stretch his acting muscles. It’s a sad fact that once actors hit a certain age there’s usually drop in the amount (and quality) of roles they can take on.

By far one of the most easily loveable characters in K-Drama

It was nice that Park In Hwan was able to take on a role where he was not a side character, but the main character, and boy was he able to deliver on the emotions. Park In Hwan had such a magical way of making Deok Chul appear so sweet and soft, but never let the audience forget that this was a man who had a vast depth of life experience. The confusion and grief that Park In Hwan had to portray was a difficult thing to do, and Park In Hwan seemed to navigate this very tricky terrain with apparent ease. His performance was so layered, with his expressions in highly tense scenes able to portray more than one emotion at a time. Similarly, Song Kang delivered a complex performance also. Grouchy young person with a soft heart is not exactly a new idea in K-Dramaland, but it seems to be something that Song Kang can do very well. Song Kang was so good at ensuring that the audience knew that his snappiness came from places of hurt and worry, and not from anger or selfishness. I also thought Song Kang did a marvellous job of acting out the part of the ballerino. In my head I knew it probably wasn’t Song Kang himself doing the complicated ballet moves, but he was so convincing in the closeups with how he held himself and moved that I didn’t have a disconnect with the character where it felt like someone else in the dancing scenes. Song Kang put in a he effort at learning ballet for this show and it translated really well, and his performance and the show as a whole benefitted immensely from the time and effort he put into learning the art.

This show has made me want to go and watch a ballet performance

While all the support actors were extremely good, a stand out for me was Kim Kwon as Ho Beom. Kim Kwon had a similar task to Song Kang, where he had to convince the audience that his aggression and anger was coming not from a place of malice, but from a place of deep hurt. I found Kim Kwon’s eyes so wonderfully expressive and he really sold his characters redemption arc, as it never felt like it came about unexpectedly. The plot for this drama was pretty straightforward. It almost seems like it should be boring, a retired man is learning to dance ballet, but it never was. Each episode was packed with character development and relationship growth.

You know what those angry boys need? A gentle grandfather figure

A layer of complexity was added to the story with Deok Chul’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and I was pleasantly surprised when it was revealed that Deok Cheol had known about his diagnosis the whole time- usually dramas would use this as a big emotional point where the main character would consider giving up on his dreams due to an illness. But instead, Deok Chul found out about his illness and that was the trigger for him to go after what he had always wanted. The theme of dreams and goal was very present throughout the entire show, and I liked how the drama touched on this in different ways through different characters. The most obvious was Deok Chul who after almost an entire lifetime of putting his dream off was now pursuing his passion. We also had Song Kang who was overcoming obstacles as he pursed his dream. But the two inclusions that really added a lot to the show for me were Ho Beom who thought he had missed the chance for his dream, and Eun Ho who just had no idea what her dream or passion was. Both were extremely relatable situations, perhaps more relatable than our leads. It can be so easy to think that we have missed out opportunity to follow what we really want to do with our lives, and Ho Beom was an interesting way to illustrate that. Compared to the other boys playing soccer he may have been older, but compared to Deok Chul who had decided to pursue his passion, Ho Beom was still so young and so much time. It was a great parallel between the two characters was lovely and mirrored a parallel that was being formed between Deok Chul and Seong San and Seong San and Eun Ho.

While they were all flawed, they were a lovely family

Both Deok Chul and Seong San felt they had to give up on their dreams in order to financially provide for their families, and similarly Eun Ho originally felt that she didn’t have time to find what she wanted to do in life as she was under so much pressure to begin building a career. It was interesting to see how the ideologies filtered down though the generations, and how as Deok Chul became more free and content in his pursuits, his son and granddaughter were also freed up to follow what they wanted to do. The directing in the drama was done well also. It’s not something I usually notice, but I think the water and the director worked well together to bring out the most of the emotions in the drama. In particular the scene on Chae Rok dancing in the snow to prompt Deok Chul’s memory was such a perfect culmination of smaller parts in the show.

CINEMATIC PERFECTION

It was one of Deok Chul’s first big moments where his memory fried him in a public setting, and the inclusion of having Ho Beom there linked back to a previous scene of Deok Chul telling Ho Beom that Chae Rok is not the kind of man that can be forced to dance wherever because he is a star who will soar. In that moment, with the snow falling and Ho Beom watching, Chae Rok soared for one of the first times in the show. It wasn’t because he was on a famous stage or performing in front of thousands, but because he was dancing with all the emotion he had for someone he dearly loved. Everyone in the audience watching could tell what a special moment this was, and this was reflected in Ho Beom, who had never really seen Chae Rok dance before. It was a perfect tying together of multiple scenes and multiple ideas that was just *chef’s kiss* perfection. 

What Was Great:

Relationships:

I touched briefly on the fact that this show doesn’t have a lot of actual plot going on, but that there was still plenty happening in the drama. A lot of the development was stemming from all the relationships the show had going on.

There was a lot of love going around

 Many of the relationships existed before the start of the show- Deok Chul and his family, Ho Beom and Chae Rok, but many new relationships started to form once Deok Chul and Chae Rok started to interact. The most noticeable of these was of course Deok Chul and Chae Rok themselves. Their relationship was the heart and soul of this series, and so much relied on this strange and unusual pairing being able to grasp and maintain the interest of the audience. There was great chemistry between the two actors, and watching Chae Rok come to rely on Deok Chul was lovely. The relationship took another turn during the season as Chae Rok learned of Deok Chul’s illness and in turn became an increasing support for Deok Chul, always worrying about his safety and ensuring his family were around to take care of him. This relationship was at the centre of the show, and it was such an innocent and selfless relationship that was so endearing to watch play out. Each of Deok Chul’s family members also had a unique relationship with their father. The show didn’t go into each and every one in depth, but I appreciate that it gave each of the three sibling special moments with their Dad so that we could see the different impact that Deok Chul had on each of their lives. Similarly, I really enjoyed the parts of the show that showcased the relationship Deok Chul had with his wife, Hae Nam. It’s not the usually fluttery romance that we get in K-Drama, but the support that they gave each other was beautiful.

Couple goals

I loved how Hae Nam just accepted Chae Rok when Deok Chul brought him home and basically treated him as their youngest child or new grandchild. She provided a caring warmth that Chae Rok had been craving since his mother’s death, and it was lovely to see how Hae Nam was able to help Chae Rok a similar way Chae Rok was helping Deok Chul.

Off, my heart

I was surprised when the show brought in more scenes of Eun Ho as I didn’t think that she would be a major character going in, but I really enjoyed the character growth she was given. A lot of her growth stemmed from her relationship with her grandfather and with Chae Rok, both who encouraged her to take the time to find what she wanted to do in life. I adored that the sow gave a little hint of possible future romance between Eun Ho and Chae Rok, but am glad that we never had anything concrete come out of it. Chae Rok was already a part of the family, and while it would have been adorable for him to officially join the family as Eun Ho’s partner, I’m equally glad that for at least the duration of this drama, Chae Rok’s main tie within the Shim family was through Deok Chul. This show was absolutely jam packed with emotions, and all of those emotions came from the detailed characters that populated the show, and the deep, poignant relationships they all shared.

What Wasn’t:

Just Gonna Gloss Over That Child Abuse Huh?:

Okay, so the only thing that really didn’t like a chord with me and is what prevented me from giving this show a 9.5 (the highest I ever rate anything) was the way Chae Rok’s Dad’s character and story line was developed.

Like, c'mon guys- that's a full on baseball bat he's whacking them with...

At first there wasn’t anything that seemed like it could hurt the show- Chae Rok’s Dad went to prison and in doing so resulted in the closure of the school’s football club. It did take a detective to figure out that the most likely chain of events there is that Chae Rok’s Dad was hitting some of the students. And sure enough, that’s what was happening. The loss of a father figure was an crucial part of Chae Rok’s character and was an important factor in the relationship that was formed between Chae Rok and Deok Chul.

Cute ballet Alzheimer's gramps is way better than...this guy

Deok Chul started to fill a void in Chae Rok that Chae Rok didn’t want to even admit was there, and it was a beautiful and bittersweet thing watching Chae Rok learn how it felt to have an unconditional support and to always have someone in his corner. The issue I have with Moo Young’s character is that they centred more on the fact the he unwittingly ruined the soccer club rather than that he…beat the shit out of children? With a baseball bat? Like that’s not something small. The reconciliation between Chae Rok and Moo Young was nice enough, but it always felt like it had this looming shadow behind this nice scene of Moo Young not really being all that regretful that he smacked the sh*t out of these kids. Even in his apology to Ho Beom he was very much ‘I’m sorry I ruined your dream by having the club disbanded so scouts never saw you play’ rather than ‘I’m sorry I was misguided in my methods and thought beating you was a suitable motivator.’ And then after he handed out some shoes everyone was all happy to move on with life. It felt strange and unresolved and I cannot say that I was satisfied or comfortable in the way that story line was resolved.

He did poor Ho Beom so dirty

I think it was a delicate subject that the show touched on, and unfortunately I Just don’t think it was handled well. If the show was going to choose to focus on the fallout of the club rather than the actual abuse itself, then I wish that they would have come u with a better reason for Moo Young to be arrested. I mean, seriously, a man who has just been released from prison for child abuse is then given a job in a…school? With more children? Seriously?

Recommend?

Yes. Everyone should watch this drama.

This show is an absolute friggin' masterpiece