liddi

@SnowBlob @mademoiselle Ditto about noticing poor CGI. The only one that stood out to me was the glare framing Ryu Seung Ryeong during his docu-narrative. Everything else does not look overly fake or awkward to me... perhaps I just don't have such a discerning eye. As for PPL, isn't that the staple of kdramas, like the infamous Subway sandwich of the not-too-distant past, which was even served during tvN's 10th anniversary event? PPL is peppered in the 1st two episodes, but I don't feel that it is in the face - Maxim coffee, NEPA windbreakers, the mineral water, the noodles (?), BB Lab collagen powder that was offered to KHJ, LDW's Egg Drop sandwich (probably missed out a lot more!). Ep2 did reveal the identity of the hooded figure the next moment after we see his eyes at the very last scene, so that was intentional. What really disappointed me was reading that tvN had to release character backstories that revealed pertinent parts of the plot. To me, this unfortunately spoils the viewer experience since we are no longer privy to the clues, red herrings, twists and turns that is so synonymous with KEH's scripts at the pace that she originally intended. The upside of this decision is that the domestic viewers are now recanting their recent criticisms and expressing their awe of her script. Sigh. Anyone who is interested in the spoilers can read about it in this Koreaboo article. I personally tried to avoid reading the details, only skimming through to read the netizen reactions pre- and post-reveal. I just hope that from here on, the drama will be judged based on the script, performances and direction, and the harping of PPL and CGI is the thing of the past. Fingers crossed.

Caught Ep2 live, but couldn't find the time to put my thoughts down until now. The pace has dialed back considerably compared to the high-octane action of the pilot episode, with inklings into secrets, tragedies and otherworldly undercurrents that surround the mountain, while gaining more insight into SYG's past and what drives her. We are confronted right off the bat with the killer and his (?) MO, who by the looks of it, was already operating in the mountains 2 years prior even before KHJ's arrival, and remains active in present day. Mentors and colleagues who were once like family, are now mysterious, unwelcoming and sullen. The once-supportive head ranger appears sceptical of her farfetched theories, and attempts to get her transferred away from Haedong Ranger station. Is it out of consideration for what she had been through, or does he have secrets to hide? The bloodied yellow ribbons seem to indicate the latter. Assuming the victims are confined only to illegal hikers (with the ribbons deliberately misguiding them to their deaths), why are they targeted? Are they viewed as a threat to the sanctity of Mt. Jiri which the killer has a fanatical obsession to protect? Or am I just overthinking it? I also suspect the existence of a 2nd perpetrator but my suspicions are unsubstantiated for now, and purely due to my overactive imagination! I appreciate how the rookie ranger is not portrayed to be a fool despite his willingness to reach out a helping hand, and that ultimately both he and SYG apprehended the perpetrator by working from separate ends, him leaving and she interpreting the marker that would point to the location he lured the man to. Speaking of markers, rather than being randomly placed, my understanding is that in the past, SYG and KHJ had agreed upon specific locations all over Mt Jiri in which to place the markers, hence her knowledge of where to look. My question is whether the marker they found near YSH was really left by the partisans, or an otherworldly sign by someone in present day. I am still not very clear as to the nature of KHJ's visions. Initially, I assumed that they appear in response to the fate that befell the victims e.g. his knowledge of where YSH was hiding out after his signal was lost - the weather was still clear with sunlight in his visions, while the storm was already raging when the vision came to him. However, Ep2 clearly worked differently with the visions being predictive of what would befall him later. So which is it exactly? Another thing that remains to be seen is what the fog represents. In Ep1, we see the fog moving ominously across the lake after YSH lost signal and the weather around him darkened, which seems to indicate that the fog is a harbinger (or perhaps the cause) of the impending danger. Yet in Ep2, the fog was seen moving across the forest after LDW placed the marker at Mang-bawi Rock, preceding the appearance of the ghostly figure. Knowing as we do the identity of the figure, are they related to one another? While arguably we never saw the ghostly figure in Ep1, we did see the marker, which helped them identify YSH's location. Was it the work of KHJ's spirit who was working even then to try and save lives in danger at Mt. Jiri? He said that he kept seeing the location of lost hikers on the mountain. Was a part of his spirit already trapped in Mt. Jiri since his training accident at Mt. Jiri years prior? To be honest, I was surprised to see how quickly the identity of the ghostly figure is revealed. Rather than keeping us as viewers guessing at least until the next episode with the pan up from the shoes to the bloodied "Korea National Park Service" coat to the ghostly eyes under the hood, that mystery is cleared up at the very next second. Likewise, the killer's gloves seem to be an almost dead give-away in light of Ep3's preview. Considering there are 14 episodes left, I am keen to see how KEH retains enough suspense and secrecy that would keep the viewers intrigued for the remainder of the drama. Bad reviews, criticisms of production quality and plummeting share prices notwithstanding (some comments I read seem nationalistic - iQIYI's funding not sitting well with some Korean viewers, being a Chinese company), it is early days yet in my eyes. Am keeping fingers crossed that it will ultimately win over its detractors. Even if it didn't, I remain hopeful that it will continue to deliver and keep me invested all the way to the end. Please do so.

@abs-oluteM My list is a woeful testament to just how far behind in kdrama watching I've been!

The 1st soundtrack is released!

“Jirisan” Ratings Rise For 2nd Episode + “Young Lady And Gentleman” Breaks 30 Percent For New All-Time High TV/FILM Oct 25, 2021 by E. Cha tvN’s new drama “Jirisan” is on the rise! After premiering to the highest viewership ratings of any weekend drama in tvN history the night before, Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon‘s new series broke into the double digits for its second episode. According to Nielsen Korea, the October 24 broadcast of “Jirisan” scored an average nationwide rating of 10.7 percent, marking a significant jump in viewership from its first episode. [snipped] cr. Soompi

You might have a point there! Nothing to be impressed about my guesses... chalk it up to an overactive imagination! The 8min highlight reel is still available. From what I recall, there is nothing particularly revealing in the character introductions... which was why I ended up suspecting the one whose description seems too innocuous, namely Knowing my luck, I'm probably barking up the wrong tree!

@Chocolate @SilverMoonTea I am probably among the minority who hopes more for a life and death bond that goes beyond mere romance. Perhaps we don't feel anything with their physical interactions because there is nothing meant to be felt? Even if there was a romance, KEH has been known to keep it very minimal based on her track record, never allowing it to detract from the main plot. Either way, I am open to whatever she dishes out, as long as it works in the overall scheme of things. Interestingly enough, Kim Eun Hee's character introductions have been removed from iQIYI Youtube channel. Wonder why... did it reveal too much?

Congratulations! May this momentum continue all the way to the end! Jun Ji Hyun And Joo Ji Hoon’s “Jirisan” Achieves Highest Premiere Ratings Of Any Weekend Drama In tvN History TV/FILM Oct 24, 2021 by E. Cha Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon’s new drama “Jirisan” has already made tvN history! Penned by “Kingdom” writer Kim Eun Hee, “Jirisan” is a mystery drama starring Jun Ji Hyun as Seo Yi Kang, a top ranger at Mount Jiri National Park, and Joo Ji Hoon as her rookie partner Kang Hyun Jo, who is hiding an unspeakable secret. The drama will follow the story that unfolds as the two rangers begin to uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident that occurred on the mountain. On October 23, the highly-anticipated new drama premiered to No. 1 ratings straight out of the gate. According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode of “Jirisan” scored an average nationwide rating of 9.1 percent, taking first place in its time slot across all channels (even including public broadcast networks). With this strong start, “Jirisan” achieved the second-highest viewership ratings of any drama premiere in tvN history, bested only by “Hospital Playlist 2” (which premiered to an average nationwide rating of 10.0 percent earlier this year). “Jirisan” also set a new record for the highest premiere ratings of any weekend drama in the history of the network, breaking the previous record of 8.9 percent held by “Mr. Sunshine.” Additionally, “Jirisan” took first place in its time slot—including public broadcast networks—among the key demographic of viewers ages 20 to 49, with whom it scored a nationwide average of 5.4 percent. cr. Soompi

@abs-oluteM If it wasn't apparent in my post, I love Ep1 too I definitely got my wish of having the rug pulled from under my feet with the reveal, and now I am all the more eager to find out how everything came about. Is KHJ somehow able to project himself out of his comatose state to leave markers for SYG, his innate supernatural ability and indomitable will to save the victims transcending his physical condition? Assuming KHJ is the one leaving the recent markers, who left the marker for KHJ to find in Ep1? Is the ominous aura from the mysterious yet to be introduced killer alone, or is the supernatural element also tied to the mountain itself... considering the sudden change of weather and loss of signal which plagued our missing boy. Questions questions.

It just occurred to me that every streaming platform I've ever joined was due to Kim Eun Hee - iflix for Signal, Netflix for Kingdom, and now on iQIYI for Jirisan. KEH-nim, can you please be kind to my wallet and not broadcast your next drama on yet another new platform? To be honest, despite her never having failed my expectations, I still approached Jirisan with no little trepidation just as I did all her previous works -my faith so abysmally lacking that I still find myself afraid that perhaps this time, she might fall short of the mark. And as always, she proved me wrong yet again. What an episode which exceeded my expectations and then some. The spectacular opening cinematography serving as a mini-documentary of Mt. Jiri captures the rugged, breathtaking beauty, history, mysticism and heart of the mountain, setting the tone so perfectly for what is to come. We're then thrown right into the heart of non-stop action - showcasing the skills, tenacity and dedication of the rangers, braving the elements and harsh terrain, putting their lives on the line to protect those under their jurisdiction. There is nary a moment to breathe and I am often left at the edge of my seat as the search hits snag after snag, each moment growing more frantic than before, even more so when we are privy to the heartbreaking desolation of the boy who is missing. The defeat when they are forced to turn back in the face of impossible odds; the tears that brim when the delayed messages arrive; the terrible dread when at last the boy is found through KHJ's uncanny visions, not knowing if they were too late. Then before the dust barely gets to settle down, we are thrown 2 years hence. At last, I understand the reason for all the secrecy surrounding its premise. Nothing, nothing prepared me for the reveals - the previously alluded supernatural elements back in full force with the markers that only SYG and KHJ knew pointing to locations of missing persons in the past year... an impossibility considering the current condition of the two rangers - one disabled, the other comatose. And the closing words - "Someone is sending me a signal... " WOW. That is as close to a perfect opening episode as I can ever hope for. Not a single moment wasted, water-tight narration, paired with precise direction, breathtaking cinematography - be it sweepingly grandiose, ominous - and the strong strong performances that brought the script to life. There is such a nuanced balance between heart-stopping action and the intimate human element that drives the frenzy - all the more poignant when we realise that what is presumed to be the mindset of the missing person determines the search areas - suicide spots vs survival points - whereby the victim's chances of survival hinges very much on the accuracy of the speculation, particularly in such a vast terrain to be covered by a limited number of search teams. And I can just gape in awe of how brilliantly it has delivered in the short space of just over an hour. To top it off, the easter eggs that peppered the episode are the veritable icing on the cake - such a treat for KEH fans. The totally unexpected cameo of Ryu Seung-ryong as the narrator of the documentary, a mini-reunion of the Kingdom alumni that is bittersweet as it is unlikely we will see him in subsequent seasons of Kingdom. The meta-allusion to Signal in the closing lines just brings back all the feels once more. Will we see more in future episodes? Is it Ep 2 yet?

Counting down... 1 more hour to go! Jun Ji Hyun And Joo Ji Hoon Embark On An Emergency Rescue Mission In “Jirisan” DRAMA PREVIEW Oct 23, 2021 by U. Kim Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon will begin a rescue mission in the first episode of tvN’s “Jirisan.” Written by Kim Eun Hee, “Jirisan” is a mystery drama starring Jun Ji Hyun as Seo Yi Kang, a top ranger at Mount Jiri National Park, and Joo Ji Hoon as Kang Hyun Jo, her rookie partner who is hiding an unspeakable secret. The drama follows the rangers at the national park as they uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident that occurred on the mountain. A tense atmosphere surrounds the rangers as an accident seems to have occurred in the mountains. Seo Yi Kang’s expression reflects the gravity of the situation as she stands in front of a white board where they’ve written the details of their rescue mission. Seo Yi Kang and Kang Hyun Jo then head outside to begin their search, but the dark clouds above them begin to pour rain. While they make their way through the dangerous rain that hinders their vision, Seo Yi Kang picks up a sky blue backpack. Back at the branch office, Jo Dae Jin (Sung Dong Il) gauges the situation and leads the rangers through the mission, but there is worry written all over his face, making it difficult to predict how the rescue mission will go. In a different set of stills, Seo Yi Kang and Kang Hyun Jo discover something strange about the mountain. As people who are in charge of protecting the mountain, the rangers are familiar with every nook and cranny of Mount Jiri. However, Seo Yi Kang and Kang Hyun Jo appear to have stumbled upon a side of Mount Jiri they’ve never seen before that has made them bring their guards up. The fog that has engulfed the mountain only adds to the eeriness. Kang Hyun Jo stares down at something with a serious face, raising questions about what he could have found. Seo Yi Kang looks up at Kang Hyun Jo with a mix of emotions, and Kang Hyun Jo is seen carefully approaching something with a single flashlight in his hand. What strange things could be happening in the mountains, and what will happen to the rangers who have come face to face with with the mystery? cr. Soompi

The hype is real! KEH's introduction of the characters, which explains so much and yet reveals so little about the actual structure of the drama. One of the lines in the 8min highlight reel hinted that perhaps one of the sunbaes is a suspect, which makes me pay closer attention to her description of the 3 senior rangers. Assuming that line was not just a red herring, then one of them is more than what we see. If so, I have my suspicions who it is at the moment based on her descriptions, but it's early early days yet, and I am hoping to have the rug pulled from under my feet. The tvN Asia teaser states it will only premiere on 24 Oct. Will iQiYi be broadcasting Sat or Sun? 1 (or 2) more days to go!

This is Ep1, which indicates Kang Hyun Jo is already in the thick of things? Does it mean we are then given flashbacks to early days when he first joined them? Is it next Saturday already? Watch: Jun Ji Hyun, Joo Ji Hoon, Sung Dong Il, And More Have Just 30 Minutes To Save A Life In “Jirisan” Preview DRAMA PREVIEW Oct 16, 2021 by C. Hong tvN’s upcoming drama “Jirisan” has released a preview of the first episode! Written by Kim Eun Hee (“Signal,” “Kingdom”), “Jirisan” is a mystery drama starring Jun Ji Hyun as Seo Yi Kang, a top ranger at Mount Jiri National Park, and Joo Ji Hoon as Kang Hyun Joo, her rookie partner who is hiding an unspeakable secret. The drama follows the rangers at the national park as they uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident that occurred on the mountain. The first episode preview starts with the rangers being deployed in the middle of a typhoon to find a lost mountain climber on Mount Jiri. Despite the pouring rain, flash floods, and fierce winds, the rangers only have 30 minutes of “golden time” to locate the climber before they are considered beyond saving. The rangers include Seo Yi Kang (Jun Ji Hyun), Kang Hyun Jo (Joo Ji Hoon), Jung Goo Young (Oh Jung Se), Lee Da Won (Go Min Si), Haedong Branch Office head Jo Dae Jin (Sung Dong Il), Bidam Shelter head Park Il Hae (Jo Han Chul), and Haedong Branch Office administrative employee Lee Yang Sun (Joo Min Kyung). The voice-over shows that there is conflict within the rangers about what to do within these precious 30 minutes. Some of the rangers are willing to risk their own lives on the chance that the climber is still alive, while others are less willing to take that bet. There are hints of a greater mystery as someone says, “I keep seeing the place where all the stranded people are,” and Jo Dae Jin asks Seo Yi Kang, “What exactly happened to you and Hyun Jo?” Lee Da Won is shocked at the sight of something, and later watches with Jung Goo Young as someone is carried out in a body bag. Check out the first episode preview of “Jirisan” below! cr. Soompi

@Chocolate It's not KEH if there isn't a mystery or murder somewhere Great cast indeed. My heart ached so much watching OJS and JJH tear up... and that's from not even knowing the context. Truly anticipating its broadcast. Any idea how many episodes we're getting each week? Please give us at least 2. One a week as in the case of Missing Noir M will be unbearable!

Am so excited with the latest highlight reel. 1 more week to go! Watch: Jun Ji Hyun, Joo Ji Hoon, And More Struggle To Protect The People Who Climb The Mountain In “Jirisan” Teaser DRAMA PREVIEW Oct 15, 2021 by C. Hong tvN has released a highlight reel of their upcoming drama “Jirisan”! “Jirisan” is a mystery drama starring Jun Ji Hyun as Seo Yi Kang, a top ranger at Mount Jiri National Park, and Joo Ji Hoon as Kang Hyun Jo, her rookie partner who is hiding an unspeakable secret. The drama follows the rangers at the national park as they uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident on the mountain. The highlight clip begins by introducing the beautiful landscape of Mount Jiri, an important mountain in Korean history and culture and the tallest mountain on the Korean mainland. (The tallest mountain in Korea is Mount Halla on Jeju Island.) The voice-over speaks of Mount Jiri as a place where many people have brought their hopes, desires, and fears. Despite the beautiful landscape, the clip soon shows that it is also a place of danger, where natural disasters like fires, flash floods, and just the harsh mountain terrain can lead to death for inexperienced mountain climbers. The first line of defence for these climbers are the national park rangers, who are deployed in emergencies because they know the mountain better than ordinary emergency services. Those who climb the mountain do so for their own reasons, but the caption reads, “The ultimate goal of everyone who climbs this mountain is the same. To come back down again.” To achieve this goal, the rangers battle the elements, trauma, stress, panic, and more in order to rescue the people who are stranded on the mountain. The second part of the highlight clip shows the lighter side of the rangers’ lives. They often have to deal with people who want to trespass into forbidden areas or pay no attention to environmental conservation. Seo Yi Kang, Park Il Hae (Jo Han Chul), and Jung Goo Young (Oh Jung Se) are the same age and became rangers at the same time, so the others often rag on Seo Yi Kang about her past. Kang Hyun Jo struggles to adjust to the other rangers’ pace, with Jung Goo Young quipping, “The only thing he’s got is that he’s tall.” Jung Goo Young has a crush on Lee Yang Sun (Joo Min Kyung), an administrative employee at the national park, but she rejects his advances. The third part of the clip hints at the mystery that the rangers will get swept up in. There is rumor of a ghost that will kill any climber who sees it, and there are signs that someone is murdering people on the mountain and making them look like accidents. The drama also hints that Seo Yi Kang lost someone she was close to in an accident on Mount Jiri when she was younger. Check out the clip with English subtitles below! cr. Soompi

Jun Ji Hyun, Joo Ji Hoon, And More Talk About Visiting Mount Jiri, Working With “Kingdom” Writer Kim Eun Hee, And More TV/FILM Oct 13, 2021 by C. Hong On October 13, tvN’s upcoming drama “Jirisan” held an online press conference with writer Kim Eun Hee (“Signal,” “Kingdom”), cinematographer Choi Sang Mook, and cast members Jun Ji Hyun, Joo Ji Hoon, Oh Jung Se, and Jo Han Chul. Sung Dong Il also stars in the drama but was not present at the conference. Lee Eung Bok (“Descendants of the Sun,” “Sweet Home”) is the director. “Jirisan” is a mystery drama starring Jun Ji Hyun as Seo Yi Kang, Mount Jiri’s top ranger, and Joo Ji Hoon as Kang Hyun Jo, her rookie partner who is hiding an unspeakable secret. The drama follows what happens at the national park when the two begin to uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident on the mountain. Writer Kim Eun Hee said, “I’d never gone to Mount Jiri before I wrote ‘Jirisan,’ so I had a vague longing for it. I think that Mount Jiri is a space that people seek out of a cherished dream or longing. It’s a land that has been layered with people’s desire and sorrow, so I thought that many mysterious or fantastic or inexplicable things could happen there.” She continued, “If an accident happens in the city, then you call emergency services. If an accident happens on the mountain, then they send the rangers, who know the mountain better than anyone else. Rangers are people who rescue people. That made a big impression me.” Jun Ji Hyun, who worked with Kim Eun Hee in “Kingdom: Ashin of the North,” said, “I like that Kim Eun Hee’s script is so detailed. A scene might seem completely ordinary, but is actually a key part of the overall storyline. As time passes, those stand out more clearly, and makes me think, ‘This is Kim Eun Hee.'” Joo Ji Hoon, who worked with Kim Eun Hee on the “Kingdom” series, said, “It’s been about five years since I started working with Kim Eun Hee. At this point, it feels like she’s an aunt that I see during the holidays. Kim Eun Hee’s scripts have a lot of detail and you can’t read them carelessly. If you don’t read it properly, you can’t move on to the next part. She has a knack for writing difficult scenes in a comfortable way, which makes it fun for the viewers, but there are a lot of scenes when you’re straddling the border between two emotions as an actor. It feels like she’s always teaching me something new.” Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon met during Jun Ji Hyun’s brief appearance at the end of the second season of “Kingdom.” Jun Ji Hyun said, “Since we’d worked together before, our chemistry this time was good.” Joo Ji Hoon added, “I’ve been a fan of Jun Ji Hyun since I was young. I was fascinated on our first meeting. But when we met, she treated me so comfortably, and even though she must have had a tough time on set, she would throw her whole body into her acting.” Jun Ji Hyun said, “I like mountains a lot. Rather than climbing difficult mountains, I like to enjoy nature and go on courses that are light treks. I went to Mount Jiri for the first time for this drama and I realized what it was like to feel small in front of the vastness of nature.” She added, “The physical part of filming wasn’t too difficult. We had gear and everything, so we just flew around.” Jo Han Chul, who has appeared in several tvN weekend dramas in 2021, such as “Vincenzo,” “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” and now “Jirisan,” said, “It wasn’t my intention, but I’m grateful and honored to have appeared in three tvN projects this year. Standing in front of Mount Jiri is like standing in front of the ocean. I’ve gone to Mount Jiri serval times, but it really makes you feel small. Whether it’s the ocean or the mountain, it makes you realize that you’re just a guest in this world. You think philosophical thoughts like, the mountain will rule here before, during, and after our brief lifetimes.” Oh Jung Se shared, “Jun Ji Hyun got so into character as Seo Yi Kang that for a scene where she hits me on the head and laughs, she started laughing even before she hit me. Normally you’d ask for a retake, but she just started laughing. It was kind of amazing.” Jun Ji Hyun’s character, Seo Yi Kang, is the same age as Jo Han Chul and Oh Jung Se’s characters. In reality, Jo Han Chul and Oh Jung Se are several years older than Jun Ji Hyun. The actress said, “I hope there are no misunderstandings. They’re older than me. They’re like uncles to me, but we’re the same age in the drama. I asked Kim Eun Hee if I could speak so informally to my uncles and I had a hard time. I want to take this chance to apologize to them.” cr. Soompi

Jun Ji Hyun, Joo Ji Hoon, Sung Dong Il, Oh Jung Se, And Jo Han Chul Risk The Storm In “Jirisan” Group Poster TV/FILM Oct 13, 2021 by C. Hong tvN’s upcoming drama “Jirisan” has unveiled a group poster of the main cast! Written by Kim Eun Hee (“Signal,” “Kingdom”), “Jirisan” is a mystery drama starring Jun Ji Hyun as Seo Yi Kang, a top ranger at Mount Jiri National Park, and Joo Ji Hoon as her rookie partner Kang Hyun Jo, who is hiding an unspeakable secret. The drama follows the rangers at the national park as they begin to uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident on the mountain. Sung Dong Il, Oh Jung Se, and Jo Han Chul play the other rangers at Mount Jiri National Park. Sung Dong Il’s character, Jo Dae Jin, has been a ranger for half his life. He is a simple, honest man who is fully committed to his work and takes responsibility for his junior colleagues. Oh Jung Se’s character, Jung Goo Young, is extremely practical and always leaves his job right on the clock, regularly takes vacation days, and disappears as soon as he’s dismissed. Jo Han Chul’s character, Park Il Hae, is slow on the uptake but he has a simple tenaciousness and a clear sense of responsibility. The new group poster for “Jirisan” shows all five rangers risking the elements in order to save the lost and stranded on the mountain. Jun Ji Hyun faces down a fierce fire, while Joo Ji Hoon embraces his responsibilities in his serious and determined expression. Sung Dong Il, who plays the branch office head, takes the lead in a crisis situation, while Oh Jung Se and Jo Han Chul also throw themselves into the rescue effort in full gear. The poster also shows that the rangers are on call no matter whether it’s day and night and making use of special equipment like helicopters. cr. Soompi

I am so glad that KEH found an outlet for her own personal difficulty through this drama, and pray that she herself has found healing from it. JJW himself found playing LJH in Signal took such an emotional toll on his life that he had to break away to do something as far removed as possible from that character, so I have wondered how she detaches herself from the darker side of life that her works invariably requires her to immerse in. From how she described Jirisan, perhaps it will not be as dark or bleak a tale as her previous works. Definitely even more intrigued than ever, and can't wait for it to air. Rooting for it to showcase yet another side of this amazing writer, and to resonate with viewers as always.

@abs-oluteM There might be healing somewhere in there, but unless she changed her trademark style, you can be sure there will be no healing for the requisite body count in her works

@Chocolate Glad that's cleared up! It seems to have some supernatural elements based on earlier teasers... though we know just how misleading teasers can be. 15 more days before the mystery (!) is hopefully cleared up. The more immediate mystery I need solving is the character relationship chart. Translation please!

@ChocolateBased on her past track record, Kim Eun Hee has difficulty not killing off characters in her dramas... and it is a rare find when we get an episode where no one dies! Jirisan remains mysterious with polarising teasers thus far... so I guess the real mystery now is whether it is slice-of-[rangers']-life, thriller or even supernatural. The plot thickens!

@NiteWalker I like him too - definitely has the right presence for period dramas, even if his 昊辰师兄 got more and more annoying in later episodes of LnR This pairing looks really good... will need to wait and see if the chemistry translates on screen in the actual drama itself. I really hope so!

@abs-oluteM the drawcard for me has always been Kim Eun Hee, though this drama has been so secretive in its premise that until a week or so ago, I still had no real idea what I was signing up for! Truly excited and praying that it delivers.

Sorry for quoting photos, but needed to do so in order to explain my initial double take that had me wondering why the rangers were wearing outfits with iQIYI logo... pfft! Can't wait for it to air, especially as the latest character teaser is hinting at ominous, possibly otherworldly elements at play. Is it Oct 23rd already?

Am excited for this drama due to the leads (loved YBY since 老九门 Mystic Nine, while was introduced to LXY in 琉璃 Love and Redemption). Am unfamiliar with both directors' works except for 赵氏孤儿案 Orphan of Zhao, which was a very bleak, serious drama, so not quite sure how he would execute a xianxia genre. In any case, have started reading the book in anticipation. Hope we don't have long to wait. In the meantime, the meagre BTSes released so far... 七夕 Chinese Valentine's Day special: Completion of filming: The leads bickering about who's at fault: