40somethingahjumma

Love Lee Se-young! She's one of a handful of K drama actresses that I have a lot of time for. Not sure about the male lead though.

Contract marriages are my thing but I won't probably get to this one after my overseas travels at around Christmas time.

10 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

GC being betrayed on so many levels hurts like hell. I keep thinking his downfall is his own doing...he was too kind as a gang leader don't you think? It wasn't just EuiJeong that was his "weakness", he wasn't ruthless enough. He should have not allowed Jung Bae to live.  But I suppose  that is also exactly why I ended up having so much love for GC. He treasured loyalty and wasn't ungrateful.  I wasn't expecting a fairy tale ending but I had this regret that GC never took that second chance  to truly reset his life.

 

I've seen a lot of comments that he should have been more cunning or menacing. But I think the point was that he wasn't your archetypal godfather, kingpin underworld figure. He just wanted to be a businessman and rake in the big money at the shortest amount of time possible. It would have been more convenient if he had eliminated all his potential opposition but I think he was a boy who was raised Christian and killing was a last resort.

The fact that he didn't take the second chance that Jun-mo offered him was the single most disappointing thing about his character. It flew in the face of what he said earlier about wanting to change and be a good person. Apparently that wasn't true. He just wanted the girl. Like Jay Gatsby.

5 hours ago, Dhakra said:

 

I think the marriage was already dead from the start, starting episode 1. The fact that he hid the undercover mission from her and only did it to get some recognition from her family tell a very clear story. In GC last breaths EJ actively decided against Junmo with her choice of words, she could have told him it was all an act and she only loves her husband Junmo, but she decided to talk in riddles because she actually has feelings for him too. She loves two men, with one being her first love. She spent much more time with him than necessary, that's why Junmo was so angry at the rooftop, she crossed his paths for no reason more than once. 

Junmo fell in love with Hae Ryeon too though, I am pretty sure he slept with her at the start of episode 10. She was someone he valued a lot, a simple girl valueing simple things like a red apple, the scent of water at night or playing video games in the street with kids. She was also from a high society family, but was much more pleasant to be with. He also felt valued by her family and more importantly, she was totally into him. 

 

JM shooting GC was just to have a little revenge, kill off the marriage and make sure EJ despises him. I think both parties knew their feelings shifted apart from each other. 

I think it's a stretch to say that their marriage was already dead from the start. :D There were definitely problems like the lack of respect from the in-laws but it wasn't just their marriage but him too. His family background was definitely an issue -- his father came barging in during their wedding ceremony. Despite all that Eui-jeong stayed married to him and even stood up to her family when they were attempting to demean him for being a lowly cop still. Honestly she didn't have to marry him at all knowing his background and the opposition from her family but she did. What Jun-mo craves is respect... as do all men... but he's not getting that from his wife's family that see him as being inferior to her.

I read the final showdown rather differently. I don't think Eui-jeong was in love with Gi-cheul. She may have had some nebulous feelings of goodwill due to their past affiliation. But I think it is more likely that she pitied him especially seeing what he'd become. If she had been in love with him, I think she would have confessed to him much sooner and asked him to run away with her. But she didn't. All she wanted to do was get him to back down and put an end to a string of rather terrible choices. Falling for Gi-cheul's charms goes against everything she believes in.

I think we should remember that she had a pistol in her handbag when she told him that she loved him. She was trying to protect her cover and by extension Jun-mo's cover. Even when they kissed she had a clenched fist. I think we should remember that she is the daughter of a police family. If she cared that much Gi-cheul I think she would have kept in contact but instead they broke off contact after his mother's arrest, she went on to graduate from the police academy and follow in the family tradition. That shows where her ideals are. Her lovey dovey talk was all an act, that's why it hurt Gi-cheul so much when he found out who she was really married to. She didn't deny that she used him and his trust in her.

It is possible that Jun-mo developed feelings for Hae-ryung because of the similarities in their backgrounds. Despite the boss girl act, she was willing to be vulnerable with him and offered him respect. That's very attractive to a man who has been starved of respect. The irony with Jun-mo he got more respect from Hae-ryung and Gi-cheul than from his colleagues, his father and his in-laws. They saw the drive and the goodness in him. Everyone thinks he's a wild man, a bit of a troublemaker. Hae-ryung wasn't from a high society family at all. She grew up poor. They both have a drugs connection -- both their dads are in the trade.

It's no masterpiece but it's an immensely watchable character study that throws up plenty of moral conundrums. It's certainly not for the fainthearted but acquits itself particularly in the way it plays out the respective trajectories of the main male leads. I watched this primarily for Ji Chang-wook and Wi Ha-joon. Neither disappointed me. In fact I think both elevated aspects of the script and made their characters likeable and even relatable.

The ending was very dark. More so than I would have expected. It ended the way I speculated it would but not in the way I thought it would. Last week I said that Eui-jeong's inclusion in the investigation was a mistake. As it turns out, it probably was on the part of the character but not by the script writer. It was a deliberate device... a very subversive overturning of the first love trope. She tried to be a lifeline to two men and couldn't hold on to either. After what happened to everyone with multiple deceptions at play, a happily-ever-after would never do.

My favourite scenes are those between Jun-mo and Gi-cheul because when I see them together I lament with regret about what could have been. In a another time and another place they could have been friends because on some level they are brothers born out of similar circumstances. To the other guys, Gi-cheul was the leader, someone they looked up to but to Gi-cheul, Jun-mo/Seung-ho was a confidant and a fellow traveller.

It is a tale of two men with very similar motivations in different circumstances. Both crave respect and ironically both find it in crime. Park Jun-mo lives on the edge as a cop hunting criminals venting his violent impulses on the job. Going undercover puts him in the position where all those tendencies are given an outlet. Jun-mo is not a "good" man but a cop with a dysfunctional past. He's married to a fellow cop who birthed from a family of cops. He gets no respect from them and indeed his wife has to stand up to them in his stead. His rationale for going undercover is for promotion in order to be respectable in the eyes of his wife's family. But when he infiltrates the gang, he has a taste for the life of crime and revels in it. There he finds his kindred spirit -- Jung Gi-cheul, someone who understands him better than anyone -- more than his wife, more than his mentor Capt Seok. In fact he could have been Jung Gi-cheul considering that his father is some kind of minor drug figure. Temptations abound and his wife instead of being a lifeline as she thought, became another trigger for all the the worst aspects of his personality. In Jung Gi-cheul he sees himself gone astray. In Jung Gi-cheul he gains the respect he's always wanted.

Jung Gi-cheul was a kid that grew up in the church but made some crucial decisions as an adult that changed the course of his life irrevocably. He never wanted to be any kind of crime lord. His fatal flaw was also that he desperately wanted respectability. It was the girl he wanted. He thought money would get him there. Of course he was wrong about that because the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. But he knew too that he couldn't serve both God and money although the thought of redemption was never far from his mind.

At this point the two men's trajectories intersect. It's a meeting that would change Jun-mo effectively. Gi-cheul was probably always on the lookout for an exit strategy because in reality money was not his endgame. Being respected by his peers was. Meeting Eui-jeong and Seung-ho gave him hope. But a false hope that destroyed the man within. 

It's a tragedy... Shakespearean on some level. If Gi-cheul couldn't get his happily-ever-after then neither would Jun-mo.

For the first time in the show I really thought (in Episode 8) that Eui-jeong should probably not have insinuated herself in this investigation. For a brief moment I thought her inclusion was a mistake. But then she managed to turn things things around to their advantage with a nice bit of "ick" on her part. Even then I think it would have been better if she stayed out of the investigation altogether because it is putting Jun-mo on edge and he often comes across as being too eager or too much of a hurry. It's definitely a double-edge sword but I accept that once she found out about the undercover gig, there was no stopping her.

For the first time too I felt for Gi-cheul too. I'm not disregarding the terrible things he's done and he will have to pay for them one way or another but he hasn't completely lost his humanity that he's beyond redemption. When Eui-jeong kissed him, I felt sorry for him because he thinks it's the real deal. He does deserve what's coming but his affection for Eui-jeong is undoubtedly sincere. He has people he cares about and she's one of them. Sadly the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And terrible choices.

(Is this Wi Ha-jun's first onscreen kiss? Dang it. Why couldn't it have been with Kim Go-eun in Little Women? Why is he so hot? Why? Why? Why?)

It's amazing to me that the show didn't take the safe route. I doubt this would have been made several years ago. Husband and wife were put in temptation's way. More the case with the husband than the wife. I don't think Eui-jeong felt anything but resentment. She's definitely doing it to keep Jun-mo safe. At least that's her intention.

I watched the first couple of episodes while trying to make dinner. Probably not a great idea. It's fun... a lot lighter than expected. The interrogation was probably the highlight. But it leaves me wondering if Shanghai was really a den of spies to this extent. 

What's really comical are the shoot outs in this show... What's the deal with gun fire in the middle of a public place crawling with civilians? Why the lack of discretion?

It's definitely worth watching for Elvis Han though. FL's not bad.

I did hear about this one through the grapevine but am very surprised that it's out already.

Whether I can watch this will depend how much of the overt propaganda I can stomach. Many a republican era drama has been ruined for me because of this.

Preview for Episodes 6-7. Not subbed.

2 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

I feel that the top cops may betray Jun Mo or leave him to die . That’s almost happened when he got shot . They may be  on the right side of the law but somehow they can be more self serving than the gang members. 

I could be overthinking things but I'm expecting some kind of police corruption angle because Gi-cheul keeps boasting that he has someone in the police. I don't think he just means the guy that was feeding him information about Jun-mo.

But I'm sure much of your fear comes from years of watching K dramas. :P The police brass are highly unreliable in most instances. They tend to go where the wind blows politically. It is possible that they have their own agenda. But I'm kind of certain that Jun-mo's handler Captain Seok (Gil-chae's future husband) will continue to support him to the end. I hope they don't spend too much time on that side of things because I'm here for the relationship among the leads and perhaps some redemption for Gi-cheul.

The script for this show is pretty solid so far and potentially quite sophisticated in how it presents the main antagonist. It is interesting to me that Gi-cheul is far from being the the worst of evil in this show. There are people above him who have few scruples. He has his own honour code which he generally abides by. He does value loyalty and friendship. I want Jun-mo to be somewhat conflicted about him because that would certainly make for much more compelling storytelling.

@abs-oluteM 

I'm not that conflicted because I find the interplay between the two male leads fascinating to watch.  That whole incident where Jun-mo has his near death experience points to several striking aspects to Jung Gi-cheul's character. It seems to me that Gi-cheul really does want to trust people but it's the price he pays in the business that he's in that he has to be perpetually cautious. I don't think he particularly enjoys violence in the way Chief Seo does. Violence for him is just a means to an end. He tends to let other people get their hands dirty. I was surprised at how he was willing to let the "traitor" off the hook after Jun-mo gave him a few whacks and said it was enough for him. Gi-cheul seemed satisfied to go along with that. This confirms to me that under very different circumstances, Gi-cheul and Jun-mo could have been friends. He certainly feels drawn to him. Whether or not it has to do with Eui-jeong being the glue that binds them, that's still up for grabs. I tend to think that Jun-mo's innocence and eagerness to succeed in life probably reminds him of what he once was.

It's also clearly laid out from that incident that Eui-jeong's priority is Jun-mo. The so-called love triangle is really a honey trap. I know that around the web it's the fashion to talk about adultery but as far as she's concerned, she's doing her job as a cop and a wife to protect a colleague and her husband. She comes from a family of cops and she already knows what Gi-cheul has become. While she might feel sorry for him, she's already married to someone else. Someone she married despite opposition from members of her family. Gi-cheul can make a bid for her affections all he wants but she knows the truth.

My feeling about Gi-cheul is that he's ultimately looking for respect especially as someone who grew up in the area. That's what the "get-rich-quick" scheme is about. From what we saw in Episode 1 he hates being trampled underfoot by other people especially those living off the wealth of their family. He's a smart man that (I think) resents his family background.

@IpohBanana

Well, at least the show's not boring. LOL.

As I've said elsewhere, I think the woman needs to be locked up -- either in a padded cell or in prison.

Behind the scenes for Episodes 1-3

Oooh... angst and lots of it... Yay.

But... what why is she in Qing? Where's that man she was supposed to marry? Oooh... Lee Chung-ah is a Qing noblewoman.

So many questions... In eager anticipation.

On 10/1/2023 at 11:45 AM, Chocolate said:

 

And although both JCW and WHJ are doing a good job with the characters, I can’t help but feel that the roles should have been reversed.

 

The thought did cross my mind fleetingly. Hypothetically. But I'm curious as to why you think this. It kind of reminds me of when Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch alternated their roles as Frankenstein and the Creature. I think both would do well in either role but bring a different feel respectively. In the case of Wi Ha-joon he has played a serial killer before so he's no stranger to going over to the dark side. With Ji Chang-wook, perhaps he's the more established actor and the expectation is that he plays the protagonist.

I suspect the show is trying to avoid portraying Gi-cheul as an outright villain. I think the intention is to show that under different circumstances he would have made different choices. He could have even ended up being with Inspector Yu if things had turned out differently. He was a good kid that attended church at one point. It's a pity that he's living the life of a gangster though because he's quite intelligent and far more meticulous than the cops. I have a tough time deciding who to root for in this show at times partly due to my affection for Wi Ha-joon and how his character is written. Things aren't easy for him either. He has to fend off all kinds of opposition even among so-called allies. Rivals of all kinds seem to forget that the fact that he is making so much money is not just mere luck or having the right backer.

I'm finally all caught up. So far it's not bad and I'm enjoying the cat and mouse game. I'm actually curious as to which way the show will go. It's not as obvious as one might think especially because Gi-cheul and Inspector Yu have got a history. The cops are rather new to this undercover gig. Especially Jun-mo. It feels like they're learning as they go whereas Gi-cheul is an old hand where deception and schemes are concerned. Although he's quite good on his feet, I don't think Jun-mo realises what kind of toll the job will take on him as well as what potential temptations will do to him.

The first episode was good and a decent character set-up for the male leads. The backdrop and the motivations are clearly laid out so I'm looking forward to how these agendas play out in the rest of the show. It's definitely a historical piece with the chosen palette as well as the amount of smoking that goes on. (it's a competition to see who lights up the most number of cigarettes) What I particularly like about the set-up is that the antagonist could be the protagonist in his own tragic story. Like The Godfather. He's sick of being treated like rubbish. He has ambition and smarts to make it happen. He commands genuine loyalty from an inner circle that goes back to his school days. Moreover, the protagonist although something of the typical loose cannon is motivated not really by ideals of justice but wanting to look a bit better in front of his in-laws for his wife's sake. That's potentially very interesting in terms of his character arc ie. if it takes him down to the dark side.

Initially I thought the wife wasn't really necessary but as the episode progressed it occurred to me that she's there not so much as to set up some obligatory love triangle but to act as his lifeline. I suspect that she's included so that he doesn't get completely consumed by the undercover persona. She will be, I'm guessing, his conscience. A reminder to him why he's there in order that he doesn't completely lose his way. I also think that her purpose in the narrative is to flesh out Jung Gi-cheul as the mob boss -- to give him that extra layer, to humanize him so that he isn't some kind of cartoon villain. But the lovely thing always about Wi Ha-jun is that he always projects a certain vulnerability no matter how badass he is.

That staring contest at the end is rather good. This is a collaboration that I'm hyped up to see a lot more of.

Good lord... Myeong-jun is so bad at this kidnapping gig. So terrible. He's always so on edge, looking nervously around -- so shifty looking. Luckily Sang-yun is on the ball. In another K police procedural they would be jumping to conclusions left right and centre chasing after one red-herring after another. The best thing about Sang-yun is that he asks all the right questions.

Still I feel sorry for him. He's definitely embroiled in something much bigger than kidnapping. And the girl is a bit of a brat regardless. If she's right about corruption in high places, she needs him as much as he needs to clear his name. 

Edit after Episode 4:

This show is both intriguing and frustrating at the same time. The adult doesn't act like an adult and the child pretends that she's the adult. In all honesty if it weren't for Sang-yun I think I would probably have dropped this or lost half the hair on my head by now. Yeah, she can push his buttons because of his guilt but it demonstrates why children should never be allowed to run amok and take the lead in anything. Living on the run is a short-term measure not a long-term solution especially when neither of them are flushed with cash or resources. Both Dr Choi and his wife were murdered. It's no child's play.

Hope Sang-yun catches them soon.

Okay, I've started this... One and a half episodes in I have a couple of theories...

Why the heck are high schoolers involved in the investigation? Why? Why?

Why is she leaving highly confidential information around the house for everyone to see?

So many dumb things happening in one episode.

Digging Shin Ha-kyun's bowl haircut. Nerds rule.

@IpohBanana @SilverMoonTea

It's a light (and predictable) watch admittedly but surprisingly I'm enjoying it. It's kind of fun actually. Sometimes I can watch trashy dramas with unseemly glee. This seems to be one of those.

I'm enjoying watching the older brother Xizhou spiralling over to the dark side and I love hating on the meddlesome mother. At least in this show people's bad decisions come to bite them... hard.

22 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

 

 

Anyway, I kinda read a synopsis of the novel. ## spoiler potential ahead ## It seems that Qiqi's heart is more towards Zhang Jun, but looks like they will not end up together because there will be another girl, Guan He. And eventually, it is Xiao Bo who will be there for Qiqi.

I kind of suspected that because he's second billed and they have a lot of deep discussions but so far he seems to be brotherzoned. He also kind of looks noticeably older than her. I feel like he looks a bit too old to be playing Xiaobo. From what I've gathered from online chatter elsewhere, it does seem like he might be the endgame although I've heard the novel has an open ending.

Ah... it's on Prime. Definitely do-able at some stage. Have to see if the dumb dad shtick gets old.

The child actors are very good especially the kid who plays younger Qiqi. I remember her from Hidden Love. Definitely a star in the making.

I'm really enjoying this. Qiqi is very relatable and her struggles tug at the heartstrings. It touches a nerve here and there. But I'm really drawn into all of their struggles and stories.

I have no idea who she ends up with but her chemistry with the lad that plays Zhang Jun is fantastic. It's probably the actor.

It does remind me a little of Anne of Green Gables.

This final third of the year is really making up for the lacklustre first two-thirds.

Episode 15 was particularly weirdly cut. Probably the fingerprint of the censorship -- the reason why it took them 2 years to get this on the streaming platform. I think this show has suffered from being heavily censored. For instance Country M (bad English, bad ADR, dubbing issues). I'm not surprised if they've had to reshoot scenes to comply with censors.

Anyway I'm okay with the show. It's not going to win any awards. And for a soap opera, the characters are at least properly fleshed out. I still don't like the mother but at least I understand where she's coming from.

I saw this on Viki but I'm now watching 3 C dramas including My Journey To You and Parallel World plus DP 2.

I am all drama-out at this point. 

I'm fond of Zhao Jinmai though. Will put it on my watchlist. It has similar beats to an older C drama about two women who grew up together.

None of the trailers posted here seem to work for me. Here's one that works.