Sassy Go Go

Sassy Go Go

8.5/10

Sassy Go Go

Genre: Episodes: 12 Year: 2015

School

Romance

Synopsis:

After their street dance club is abolished, the bottom ranked students at Sevit High School are forced into a cheerleading club in order to create better credentials for the top students.

Cast:

Jung Eun Ji (Kang Yeon Doo)

Lee Won Geun (Kim Yeol)

Chae Soo Bin (Kwon Soo Ah)

Ji Soo (Seo Ha Joon)

Kim Ji Suk (Yang Tae Bum)

N (Ha Dong Jae)

Kim Min Ho (Min Hyo Shik)

Park Hae Mi (Choi Gyung Ran)

In Gyo Jin (Im Soo Yong)

Lee Mi Do (Nam Jung Ah)

General Thoughts:

This was such a fun little drama. I feel that advertising it as a cheerleading show is a bit of a lie though- I think they had about two scenes of it in the whole drama.

Fun, but definitely not the main draw of the show

I was in the mood for a drama that was light and happy, and while I thoroughly enjoyed his one, it is a tad meatier and a bit darker than it would lead you to believe. I always find that I enjoy dramas that are character focused rather than purely plot driven-

I love Jang Eun Ji playing high school heroines

as it’s easier to overlook lulls in momentum or small plot holes when you’re so invested in the characters, their reactions and their relationships. ‘Sassy’ was definitely a drama that was character driven, and it had a whole world of beautifully developed characters to hold our attention while the story was unveiled. I honestly thought that this was one of the most perfectly cast dramas I’ve seen in a good long while. Good casting isn’t just about who the better actor is (as I’d argue that the second leads were probably the better actors in this equation), but it’s about how well the characters match the actor, and the actors’ chemistry with each other. Despite not being as objectively good at acting as Chae Soo Bin, I absolutely adored Jung Eun Ji as our heroine. She has a beautifully innocent energy that makes her perfect for high school roles. She played a similar character here to her character in ‘Reply 1997’ and it suit her to a tee. Jung Eun Ji has such a magical draw to her that makes you want to know her, which suited the character Yeon Doo perfectly. Her innocence and mischievousness mixed together to give us a character that was flirtatious but unprovocative.

She's so bubbly and fun- I just adore her

 I feel like I’ve been stalking Lee Won Geun with my drama watching lately (‘Mystery Queen’, ‘Jugglers’), and I’m not mad about it at all.

Oh my Geun

That boy is delightful. Again, he suited his character excellently. His sweet face and playful nature downplayed his character’s arrogance and made him seem up himself, but not unapproachable. And boy did he have good chemistry with Jung Eun Ji. The two had a lighthearted, flirty chemistry that matched well with their teenage characters. Ji Soo was an obvious choice for the marshmallow with a tough exterior. Why would you go for anyone else? While his character’s story was heartbreaking all on its own, Ji Soo has a way of really making viewers’ hearts bleed. Especially when he’s playing a high school kid. Chae Soo Bin has only come on my radar quite recently despite being in quite a few big name dramas. ‘Sassy’ was one of her earlier works, but boy she is just as good here as she has been in her newer dramas. Soo Ah was one of the most hateful characters I’ve ever come across in K-Dramaland, and yet Chae Soo Bin was able to maintain a level of pitifulness that made Soo Ah seem like an unfortunate character rather than a horrible one. Though she could be pretty horrible. 

She was fun to hate

While there were times (quite a few times) that I found myself wanting this nasty girl’s brutal downfall, towards the end Chae Soo Bin was able to pull me back from those feelings, and generated sympathy for her character.

This show's casting was just so spot on

Vixx’s N is someone I’m not sure of as an actor (I’ve only seen him in ‘Tunnel’ and his character was mostly just dead there), but he pulled a pretty respectable performance here. While nothing dynamic, he gave Dong Jae a cute naiveness when the character could have very easily come across as stupid. While there was a lot more in the character that could have been explored, the story tended to delegate Dong Jae to the sidelines. I do think it’s a pity that Dong Jae’s character didn’t get explored as much as he could have been, but I was also glad that N wasn't pushed out of his comfort zone. We got a sweet and happy character that was a nice break from some of the heavier moments in the drama. I always appreciate high school dramas that include one or two teachers as main characters, as I find it tends to elevate the show as a whole to a more mature level, and makes the drama more accessible to adults rather than simply catering to teens. Teacher Yang was a character that I really enjoyed watching, and was a character that really warmed your heart.

I am mildly in love with Teacher Yang. And by mildly I mean definitely.

His unwavering dedication to do what was best for the students was admirable and endearing, and he was the type of teacher that everyone wishes they had in school. Kim Ji Suk was delightful in character and he gave off a tremendous amount of warmth. Even before we knew just how invested he was in protecting his students and giving them a safe environment to grow in,

I am also in love with Kim Ji Suk

it was obvious that this was a man who truly cared for his students. Kim Ji Suk played the character with a great gentleness that never undermined his authority, and even in moments when his character was downtrodden he could always maintain a wonderful tenderness in his expressions that conveyed his love and dedication to the kids. It was a many layered character, and Kim Ji Suk did a marvellous job at peeling those layers back to expose more of what motivated Teacher Yang and the lengths he was willing to go to. One thing I noticed in particular is that he was very good at having warm and loving chemistry with the students without it coming across as creepy or inappropriate. Even throughout the sexual harassment scandal, Kim Ji Suk (and Jung Eun Ji also) showed a clear understanding of the boundaries of the teacher-student relationship. It was a relationship that was very close and extremely loving, but was very obviously parental, which was an important distinction to make.

Like happy parents watching over their kids

Teacher Yang’s arc to me is something that made ‘Sassy’ go from a entertaining school drama, to an entertaining drama without the school limitation. The drama didn’t downplay the importance of adults in children’s lives, and showed how important it is for kids to have at least one adult they can admire.

Instructor Nam don't take sh*t from no one

Instructor Nam had a similar role to Teacher Yang, but was less pronounced. Her addition in the story was refreshing due to her willingness to stand up to the controlling parents and teachers. While Teacher Yang was there to be a source of comfort, protection and love for the students, Instructor Nam was there to be a support to Teacher Yang and show that not everyone can be intimidated by money and power. One downside of this character is that the initial jokes made about her facial appearance were a bit distasteful- especially when Lee Mi Do isn’t exactly an unattractive woman. The writing of this drama was pretty brilliant, knowing exactly how to build situations and relationships. When you look back on the earlier episodes of the drama the issues faced were problematic, but not all that extreme. Our kids started with their club being unjustly disbanded, but as the story progressed, far deeper issues started to unfold such as bribery, parental pressure, and child abuse. Much more intense than kids struggling to get their dance club back. The way the relationships developed was also an extremely satisfying thing to watch.

These kids had the perfect level of flirty chemistry

Yeon Doo and Yeol had chemistry fairly early, but it was fun to see that chemistry go from antagonistic to flirtatious. Obviously Yeon Doo had a big effect on both Yeol and Ha Joon, as she showed them the benefits of loyal and loving friendship.

Cute lil' twinsies

I usually find characters like Yeon Doo a bit too perfectly good, but what made Yeon Doo stand out from other classically too-good-to-be-real heroines is that it was shown where Yeon Doo drew her strengths from. A heroine with a horrible family and terrible situation who is sugar and sunshine is always a bit unbelievable, but Yeon Doo’s loving and warm relationship with her Mum showed where Yeon Doo learned to be loyal, kind, compassionate, and also stand up against injustice. I always appreciated when the show commented on how Yeon Doo was similar to her Mum, as it gave cause for her to be the way she was. She wasn’t just an unbelievably sweet girl- these were values she had learned from her mother the same way Jin Ah learned that success was everything from hers. Due to her mother’s warm and loving upbringing, Yeon Doo was able to be a warm and loving presence in the more troubled kids’ lives, and it was wonderful to see that warmth spread from student to student, as each of them impacted each other. 

What Was Great:

The Kids:

The characters are definitely the draw in this drama. There was something just so inherently entertaining about two groups of kids from opposite walks of life learning to trust and love each other.

High school dramas done well can be so rewarding and satisfying

The problems these kids faced never felt blown out of proportion, and it was always enjoyable to watch how they worked together to solve their issues- especially when their teamwork was originally so begrudging.

This friendship is so precious

Yeon Doo and Yeol are definitely the stars of the show- they’re both so cute and delightful, but have enough substance that they make the show more intellectually engaging rather than just pure, fluffy fun. Ha Joon was also a character that you couldn’t help but love, and I was endlessly glad that the love-triangle didn’t destroy the boys’ friendship the way it usually does. When the end of the drama came around, I was glad to see that Yeon Doo, Yeol and Ha Joon were all still close friends, and that they were able to laugh about the past situation. Ha Joon’s simple ‘if he cheats on you come to me' line made the ending completely satisfying as it showed that he was able to express his love and gratitude to Yeon Doo, but also move past his romantic feelings so that he could remain friends without any awkwardness. I liked that his friendship with Yeon Doo existed outside of his friendship with Yeol, as it made it plausible that he could return to just being friends. It made Ha Joon’s relationship with Yeon Doo that much more believable (and a little bit more heartbreaking) when the writers gave him a few scenes that are typically given to the lead- such as Ha Joon being the first to find and comfort Yeon Doo when she was lost.

Two years later and we're still waiting for Ji Soo to star in his own romance drama

All the different relationships between the kids were unique and entertaining, and made for a very addictive show. Even the characters with smaller roles felt like very fleshed out characters with their own insecurities and issues, and no one felt like one-dimensional classmate characters that most high school dramas tend to have. 

What Wasn’t:

Saving Soo Ah:

Look it’s not like I totally hated the idea of Soo Ah getting a redemption arc (people’s lives aren’t decided in high school after all), but I wasn’t completely sold on it.

All those sympathetic scenes defiantly means redemption

What softened the blow a bit was that it was insanely obvious that Soo Ah was getting a redemption- it didn’t come as a smack out of the blue. Although I was a little miffed to think that this horrible girl was going to get forgiven, the show did give me a long time to come to terms with it. Yeon Doo’s complete and utter unwillingness to cut Soo Ah out of her life (annoying as that could be) was a big redemption arc flag. The occasional shows of sympathy or pity coming from other students pretty much guaranteed that our final plot move would be to bring Soo Ah into the circle of friends. The biggest alert that this was coming was how frequently we were shown the pressures coming from Soo Ah’s Mum, and her totally twisted ideology that she was passing onto her child. What I didn’t love about this redemption is that I’m not quite sure Soo Ah deserved it. Yeah, yeah, I know that forgiveness isn’t something you earn or deserve, I just didn’t buy Soo Ah’s switch up. All drama long Soo Ah has been doing horrible, horrible things. I mean, she used Ha Joon’s self-harm as blackmail in order to get her own way.

This is not a situation you try and use for your own benefit

Even when she knew that revealing this fact would put Ha Joon in a precarious situation with his physically abusive father. Like, dog move man. There was really no saving her in my books after that. And all series long Soo Ah felt no remorse for her actions.

I'd be more on board if she'd sown a bit more remorse

The only time we see her freaking out and cracking under the pressure, it’s because she’s scared she’s going to get caught. In the moment, Soo Ah has no qualms with pushing someone under the bus, and she’s completely unfazed in the aftermath until it looks like someone is catching on to her. In my mind, Soo Ah never really regretted her awful and destructive (and often potentially dangerous) actions, she only regretted getting found out. Which for me made her sudden remorse and love for her classmates feel…well…a tad unbelievable. It wasn’t the redemption as a whole I was against- I liked the idea of Soo Ah getting a second chance and learning what friendship is about- and I certainly didn’t want her to be driven to suicide, I just wished the show had presented her as a bit more conflicted about her actions- not just freaking out over the consequences of those actions. One thing I am glad of is that Soo Ah’s mother didn’t get a redemption. Her daughter’s attempt at suicide changed nothing in her, and that matched pretty well with how her character had been constructed. 

Your Mum is a Grade A psycho, but that still doesn't excuse your actions

Parent Love-Line:

Interesting side story as it was, it was still one I think this drama could have done with out. While I appreciated the extra screen time for Yeon Doo’s Mum (as it also helped us get a better understanding of the environment that shaped Yeon Doo), I just didn’t think this particular plot point added much to the story.

Interesting plot point, but at this point all I'm interested in is seeing Yeol and Yeon Doo be happy together

It’s an interesting problem to look at for sure- what do you do when the man you want to marry turns out to be your daughter’s high school sweetheart’s father? It’s just that the timing didn’t exactly work here.

That's better

While the show was presenting this issue, it was also in the middle of Soo Ah’s redemption arc. Which took up way more screen time, thus delegating the parental love line to a rather small corner. The conclusion is also brushed under the rug while both couples continue dating. It’s casually thrown out that Yeol is trying to get his name switched to his Mum’s registry (which coming from a country without legal family registers means little to me anyway), and apparently that makes the whole situation a lot less weird. Apparently. To be honest, if they weren’t going to put in the time and effort to resolve an issue such as this one, I think I would have preferred if the show just didn’t even go there to begin with.

Recommend?

If you’re a fan of high school or youth dramas this is definitely one of the better ones around. I’d also recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good slice-of-life story with beautifully flawed characters.

Go go watch this drama

Tunnel

Tunnel

7.5/10

Tunnel

Genre:                                                Episodes: 16                                       Year: 2017

Mystery

Thriller

Synopsis:

In 1986, Detective Park Kwang Ho is searching for a serial killer who targets young women. While chasing a suspect through a tunnel, Kwang Ho is transported to the year 2017. In 2017 the killer who was dormant for 30 years once again begins his murders. Kwang Ho works with a new team of detectives to capture the murderer in order to return to the past.

Cast:

Choi Jin Hyuk (Park Kwang Ho)

Yoon Hyun Min (Kim Sun Jae)

Lee Yoo Young (Shin Jae Yi)

Jo Hee Bong (Jeon Sung Shik)

Kim Byung Chul (Kwak Tae Hee)

Kang Ki Young (Song Min Ha)

Lee Shi Ah (Sin Yeon Sook)

Kim Min Sang (Mok Jin Woo)

Heo Sung Tae (Jung Ho Young)

N (Park Kwang Ho)

General Thoughts:

What a great comeback drama for Choi Jin Hyuk. Not only was the drama itself interesting and engaging, but Choi Jin Hyuk was plain perfect in his role. He absolutely nailed being a cop from the ‘80s. If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think Choi Jin Hyuk was a policeman in the ‘80s.

Dat fashion tho

The way he handled himself was just brilliant. The way he talked, his bafflement at modern technology, and his inability to be the team’s maknae all made for one convincing male lead. I appreciated that the show didn’t try to make our hero complete perfection. In order to make the character convincing, the writers weren’t afraid to give Kwang Ho some not-so-desirable traits.

You're cute but your mindset is kinda out of date

It showed that the writers had faith that their character would remain likeable anyway, and added a great sense of authenticity to the drama- which helps a lot when you have such a heavily involved fantasy element such as time travel. Kwang Ho was charming and dedicated, but his attitude towards women was really quite dated. He didn’t really show Jae Yi a lot of respect, mostly because the idea of a criminal profiler wasn’t around in his his time, but another small part of it was that Jae Hi was a woman, and clearly Kwang Ho didn’t think women had any place in the violent crimes unit. Similarly, Kwang Ho just couldn’t seem to accept the fact that Sun Jae, who was younger than him, was his superior. Kwang Ho constantly acted as though he is Sun Jae’s sunbae simply because he’s born first, never mind the fact that Sun Jae’s position still outranks Kwang Ho even in his own time. It shows that our hero came from a time when women weren’t really involved in jobs outside of typical female occupations, and when people got promoted as they aged without young kids flying up in the ranks. Despite these rather outdated values our hero held, it never made him seem misogynistic or arrogant- that’s just the way things were in his time and how he’s used to things being.

He did learn though

To his credit, Kwang Ho did have these opinions softened as the show progressed, as he saw how well Jae Yi’s profiling worked and how competent Sun Jae was. Rather than being a dislikable stick-in-the-mud, Kwang Ho just became the slightly gruff, out-of-touch dad character- which suit him perfectly. As Kwang Ho was our main man, the other characters weren’t quite as complex or as interesting as he was.

What is this strange new device?

Not only is Kwang Ho an interesting character in his own right, but he has an added layer of importance as he was the only character that could travel through time. In saying that, it’s not that the other characters weren’t intriguing, they were just far more straightforward. Sun Jae was was your typical wounded individual searching for the man who ruined his family. Basic stuff really. Jae Yi is a bit more atypical in that she’s kind of an introvert and pretty socially awkward. On paper the characters don’t sound like much, but on the screen they were really fascinating. It was fun to see these two people who really had no interest in interacting with the outside world get drawn into friendships by our gruff Dad-Officer. The initial dislike between the two boys was a hilarious odd-partner situation, with Sun Jae being the sleek modern cop with his new methods and spiffy gadgets and Kwang Ho being the old-school detective with his tried-and-true manual techniques. It was interesting to see how useful technology has become in solving crimes in such a short space of time, but also how it wasn’t always the best option to rely only on that technology. The bickering between the two men was always fun to watch, and it was heartwarming to see the two draw closer as the show progressed.

They're so serious but it's so funny 

Kwang Ho could understand Sun Jae much better once he realised that he was the son of one of the victims, and Sun Jae just couldn’t escape the warm feelings that came from Kwang Ho’s sweet (yet gruff) desire to protect him and help him catch his mother’s killer. As for Jae Yi, it was just enjoyable to watch her figure out how to interact with those around her.

Well meaning but weird

While Sun Jae always had the potential for close friendships (it was just buried under a layer of anger and grim determination), Jae Yi gave off the sense that she was just a complete odd-duck who had no clue how to fit in or relate to people. Kwang Ho’s desire to keep her safe and look out for her was a real first in Jae Yi’s life and it was so sweet to see him continuing to seek a relationship with her even before he knew she was his daughter- he simply wanted to keep an eye on the strange agasshi who lived downstairs and make sure she was okay. Jae Yi’s complete rebuttals of his intentions were hilarious, particularly when we knew she’d warm up to him eventually. The relationship between Sun Jae and Jae Yi was unexpectedly sweet. Thankfully the romance was pretty light and wasn’t smashed in our faces, so we could enjoy it for what it was- two super awkward adults learning to be a little less awkward around each other. The whole thing only got better when they all realised that Kwang Ho was Jae Yi’s father. I loved the way Kwang Ho tried desperately (and in vain) to keep Sun Jae away from his daughter. The show hit a really nice balance of finding the humour in the situation and in Kwang Ho’s response, but without Kwang Ho coming across too adamantly against the relationship.

Careful- Dad's watching

I really enjoyed how Sun Jae’s developing relationships with Jae Yi and Kwang Ho started to open him up to the other members of the team as well. Sung Shik was just delightful as the forever-makne with his complete and utter devotion to his sunbae both in the past and present. It was cute to see him start to extend that warmth to Sun Jae as well once he saw how well Sun Jae and Kwang Ho were getting on. Tae Hee and Min Ha were mostly there for the comic relief, and I liked the lightheartedness they brought to the show. Kim Byung Chul and Kang Ki Young really pop as side characters and make you love the roles they’re playing even if they don’t get much screen time.

Excellent choice of sidekicks

The two added a lot of fun to the detective group and brought in a great sense of warmth. I was glad when the show let those two in on our hero’s secret as it really made it feel as though they were one whole team working towards a collective goal rather than just the main characters and the support. Story-wise there were some things that were really good and some things that were less good.

Poor Yeon Sook really got the raw end of the deal here

I liked that the time travel took on a slightly different perspective than usual. Most of the time we have heroes travelling to the future or past, falling in love in a different timeline, and the conflict comes from how their love is going to find a way to continue. ‘Tunnel’ took a different approach by having our hero happy, in love and married in his own timeline before being ripped to the future. Rather than trying to find a way to stay, our hero is trying to find a way to get back. As well as giving the show a slightly different feel it also added in the new heart-breaking element of the wife that’s left behind. It was tragic to see how Yeon Sook’s life played out while Kwang Ho was in the future- living alone while waiting for him before dying an early death and leaving her child behind. It added a great sense of urgency to the series as we all wanted Kwang Ho to get back to his wife and grow old with her. On he other hand, the show also thought it was way sneakier than it was. The reveal that Sun Jae was the same Sun Jae from Kwang Ho’s past really wasn’t a reveal at all. Like, I’m pretty sure that was in Sun Jae’s character promo material, so it was just a tad silly how long the show took to actually catch our hero up to speed that this kid was the same kid. It was kind of similar with Jae Yi being Kwang Ho’s daughter. It’s revealed pretty early on that she lost both her parents at a young age and moved abroad. Already that’s ringing bells.

How could you not see this 'twist' coming?

Once we know that Yeon Sook had a daughter it was basically a done deal- Jae Yi is legit the only continually occurring female character in the modern timeline. Literally she’s the only one. And she’s also the right age. So was anyone surprised when she turned out to be the unknown daughter? I wasn’t. And again, I don’t think there was anyone who didn’t pick that Jin Woo was the main villain before the show actually revealed it. You can tell purely from the amount of screen time he gets. What other side character is getting that much attention? Add that to the fact that he says a few weird things and that he plays chess (seriously chess is like the biggest giveaway- it's such a symbolic statement of two sides making moves and getting closer to each other and so many movies have it- 'X-Men', 'Death Note' etc.), and there’s really no other option.

Only bad dudes play chess with the heroes

The writers did a commendable job with throwing shade over to Ho Young, and while I didn’t believe for a moment that he was the murderer from 30 years ago, I was still interested to see why his modus operandi was so similar to Jin Woo’s. The writers also get props for making the ending unpredictable. I really couldn’t quite tell if Kwang Ho was going to make it back to his own timeline or not.

The ending we were all hoping for

Despite the moral ambiguity of taking a dead man’s identity, given how happy and comfortable Kwang Ho was becoming in the modern timeline I started to have fears that he wouldn’t make it back to the past. His return was what I wanted, for Yeon Sook more than anything, but I wouldn’t have been upset if he’d had to learn to live in the future, and for the show’s length that was definitely a possible outcome. The grittiness of the murders was also something I really appreciated. Some of the scenes were a little confronting, but it's a part of what made the drama stand out. I find K-Dramas tend to be pretty light when it comes to gore, which I’m fine with most of the time, and so it really makes an impact when a K-Drama goes pretty heavy with its murder scenes. The scenes themselves weren’t distasteful, but they gave our murderer a much-needed scare factor, added a sense of dread and tension to the series, and made us long for Kwang Ho to catch the killer in the past and save those girls (and save poor young Kwang Ho too!).

Baby Kwang Ho got in waaaaaay over his head

Overall I was really happy with the way the show progressed, how all the relationships developed and how the conflicts were brought to a close. It was an interesting watch that was nicely satisfying. I also loved the way the show was shot- it really solidified the differences between the past and the present/future. The colours used in the past were more of a sepia tone, with the lighting being yellow and a lot of furniture and props being wooden. In the future timeline we had a lot of white and blue light which gave those sections of the drama a much more modern feel.

Differences between timelines was nicely obvious, but not outrageously so

The costuming also helped solidify these differences- especially for our leading man. I’ve never lived in Korea and I wasn’t even alive in the ‘80s, but loose leather jackets and jeans with white sneakers are old-school in any nation. 

What Was Great:

Time Leap Logic:

Going into time-travel dramas I kind of expect there to be a bit of hokey-pokey magic going on. I was happily surprised with how much sense the time jumping made in ‘Tunnel’. I was happy to accept that no scientific reason was given behind the power of the tunnel- it’s just a random time travel phenomenon and I can live with that.

The tunnel is magic and I can roll with that

 The rules to operate the random phenomenon were pretty consistent, and the writers never pulled a magic solution out their ass. It’s revealed super early on that Kwnag Ho will be able to return to the past once the villain is captured in the present. It gets mentioned a bunch of times, so despite there being no actual evidence to support this claim I’m willing to accept it as truth. It makes about as much sense as it should- the ‘reason’ Kwang Ho jumped to the future was to catch the criminal, so it stands to reason that he can go back once he’s accomplished this goal. As the show progresses we learn that Kwang Ho is able to move between the two timelines simply by being in the tunnel at the same time as the criminal. It’s not overly complex, but it’s effective, it works, and it makes sense. I loved that Kwang Ho was able to go back to the past once before he caught the criminal in the future as it really solidified the rules of the time travel, and it served to show us how the two timelines were linked. Once Kwang Ho returned to the future, Jae Yi and Jin Woo had new memories which showed that this was a continuation of the past timeline and not a seperate timeline all together- that is to say changes that Kwang Ho makes in the past directly impact and change the future.

Time travel laws were simple and consistent and that's all I ask

It lets us know that there’s a way for Yeon Sook to live, Jae Yi to have a happy childhood, and a chance for the women Jin Woo and Ho Young murdered to be saved. I really think that unless you’re going to go all out with theories and complex mechanisms, sweet and simple is the best way to go about time travel, and that’s just what ‘Tunnel’ did.

Casting:

Everyone was fabulous. Choi Jin Hyuk was excellent as our leading man, and this really was his drama to shine.

Apart from all the violent crimes this seems like a great place to work

Lee Yoo Young did a great job as the awkward Jae Yi. While I found her a bit too strange and a tad insufferable at the start, her quirkiness really started to grow on me, and Lee Yoo Young really expressed that there wasn’t any malicious intent on Jae Yi’s part- her weirdness was just the way she was. She could do amazingly well at bringing in the cute when the story called for it, both with Choi Jin Hyuk and Yoon Hyun Min, and by the end I really liked Jae Yi as a character. Yoon Hyun Min did well to hold his own next to Choi Jin Hyuk, and I really bought into the emotions of his character. There was always a simmering dissatisfaction with Sun Jae, but Yoon Hyun Min did wonderfully at showing how Kyung Ho and capturing the criminal helped to ease Sun Jae’s hurt. The support cast in the police department were excellent and I loved every one of them. 

What Wasn’t:

Final Boss:

The only thing that really dissatisfied me with this show was the main villain. He was just kind of…lame. A bit of a has-been even. With dramas getting so slick and modern, I’m getting used to (and really enjoying) the range of criminals we get and their differing motivations.

You are kinda underwhelming dude

Compared to other recent K-Drama villains (like Park Bo Gum in ‘I Remember You’ or Lee Jae Kyun in ‘Wanted’), Jin Woo just seemed a bit…plain. I kind of wish he had deeper motivations than just being a bit crazy and finding women in stockings ‘dirty’ because of his mother.

I was just expecting something a bit more...thrilling is all

Like, his motivations aren’t awful, but it just wasn’t up to the standard of the rest of the drama. Older guys killing younger, weaker women is like Murderer 101 in TV, and I’m kinda over it. It’s like the mystery/thriller version of a Candy girl- it’s a scenario that works, but it’s been overused now. Another downside of the villain is that we don’t actually see how/if Kwang Ho catches him in the past. I was kinda under the assumption that Kwang Ho’s whole time travel journey was so that he could gather information in the future to use to catch the criminal in the past, and thus save many lives. And yet, we don’t actually see this happen- all we see is Kwang Ho having a nice life with Yeon Sook. Which is fine. That’s what I wanted. But I kind of would have liked a hint that Kwang Ho was actually working to catch Jin Woo in the past timeline.

Recommend?

Yep. It’s a great crime drama and a great time travel drama.

Choi jin Hyuk is totally the star of the show