The Uncanny Counter 경이로운 소문 [S1: 2020-2021] [S2: 2023]

[joccu__]

@stroppyse  I  have seen couple of dpoiler pictures and I will definitely like the new episodes. Going to watch them tomorrow. 

[Mapleoaks5]

3 hours ago, stroppyse said:

 

Yay! So glad that you're watching this drama as well! It does fill the DDSSLLS void even if it's a totally different genre and style of drama. The story is very satisfying so far, so let's hope they don't ruin it in the final stretch.

 

 

I knew he was a veteran actor, but no idea he was 51. Wow! His body is so ripped! And, love the montage of him working out, his body glistening only for ajumma MO to come in, casually remark on his body, but then start nagging him. LOL

HHa I don’t know if any drama can top the ending of ddsslls! :p 

 

I was watching their episode on knowing brothers and he has two sons and the oldest is 18! He looks so good for his age! 

[40somethingahjumma]

Two episodes in...

 

A superhero drama I didn't know I needed. (As if I'm not watching too many dramas already)

Yay! And a fantastic one at that! Wow... so so good. The good press it's getting is absolutely deserved. I liked it from the moment I saw the intro. Really. Which almost never happens.

Watched it with the second child who is a big fan of My Hero Academia and she loved it. Thought that Mun's curly look reminded her of Midoria. Said second child is now scouring the internet for the webtoon.

 

I loved everything about the first couple of episodes. Did everything well. Was a good introduction to the characters,the team and the world-building. Loved the kid who plays Mun who is nailing the role.

 

OCN... definitely on a roll this year.

[Mapleoaks5]

1 hour ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Two episodes in...

 

A superhero drama I didn't know I needed. (As if I'm not watching too many dramas already)

Yay! And a fantastic one at that! Wow... so so good. The good press it's getting is absolutely deserved. I liked it from the moment I saw the intro. Really. Which almost never happens.

Watched it with the second child who is a big fan of My Hero Academia and she loved it. Thought that Mun's curly look reminded her of Midoria. Said second child is now scouring the internet for the webtoon.

 

I loved everything about the first couple of episodes. Did everything well. Was a good introduction to the characters,the team and the world-building. Loved the kid who plays Mun who is nailing the role.

 

OCN... definitely on a roll this year.

I found the webtoon, it’s in korean though. Not sure if there’s a translated version. http://webtoon.daum.net/webtoon/view/AmazingRumor

[stroppyse]

Since this is a Netflix show, it's already translated, but here is the preview with a translation of it underneath anyway.

 

 

SM: In front of the store, the ground has opened up. The ground!
HN: (pointing at SM) Him. I think he’s able to call up the shining ground.
MO/MT: Call up the ground?
Man: Why don’t you take this opportunity to reign in that friend?
Junkyard Owner: Why did you do that?
Shin: Because I wanted to kill him.
MT: No matter how much a professional he is, he’s probably going to leave at least a drop.
HN: It’s taken a step. (meaning she senses a demon)
SM: JungJin Department Store
SM: I’ve found it.
MT: What?
HN: What floor is it?
MO: Safety first.
HN: I’ll go.

 

 

Each of the counters has different powers. MO can heal much more easily than the others, HN can sense demons from much farther away, plus she can read minds. MT is stronger and faster, plus he seems to be able to put things together faster, though that may just be his detective training.

 

They had been wondering what powers SM is going to manifest. If SM can call forth the shining ground that allows their strength to multiply to greater than usual, that would be huge for him since it can enhance his other senses and his strength. And, it's also consistent with what we've seen of SM thus far, that the shining ground does seem to show up for him, enhancing his strength.

 

I find all of the Shins a bit confusing. So, there is Mayor Shin and his son who is a classmate of SM, then the junkyard owner also has the surname of Shin, and then finally, the bald killer demon is also called Shin. It's not clear that any of these people are actually related. Anyway, I expect that the demon-possessed Shin may turn on the others, especially as the human component to him gets more and more resentful.

 

 

[mademoiselle]

Finally caught up with episode 3 and 4. Really touched by the friendship of the trio. Got a bit emotional when the kids' happy cried upon seeing So Mun walk. And then being there for him when he fell off the bicycle because of a panic attack. The kids' camaraderie will be something I'm looking forward to apart from the Counters. Mae Ok's speech with the Spirits Immigration Officers were also another good scene.

 

I really like So Mun's personality - a kid with such golden heart. So Mun's power seems to vary and at least shown a combination of 3. He has great strength, more than Ha Na and Mo Tak. In episode 3 he seems to have Ha Na's ability. From the preview of episode 5, he can summon the ground too. The last remaining question is whether he also can heal people. 

 

Curious that So Mun's parents' record cannot be found. For now I can only deduce their spirits were being taken by the demon. 

[LaLa]

@stroppyse I think Mae Ok is Soo Ho's mother, based on his conversation with Wi Gen. I wonder how did he become a spirit (?) in Yung, recruited his own mother as a counter and why he works at the dead people archives? 

And yes, I think calling 'ground' is one of Moon's power. I think Cheol Jung (the previous counter before him) doesn't have that ability? In ep 1, he tried to corner the possessed Shin in their ground so that the counters can catch him. I wonder why they both have different power when they have the same spirit in Wi Gen? 

 

Thanks to link that @Mapleoaks5 shares about the original webtoon, I am curious to see the difference between the drama and the webtoon. (The last time I read webtoon that is adapted into drama it was Avengers Social Club.) I just started to read it (I only understand less than 50% of it and guessing the rest of conversation) and found some an interesting clue about Ha Na. So far we haven't heard about her background. She joined the group one year before So Moon (in 2019) and in the webtoon she is 20 years old. 

 

@mademoiselle I agree with you that Moon has similar power that Mo Tak and Ha Na have. He's quite powerful even when he just begin his training as counter. Mo Tak is still the strongest but once Moon has trained enough, I think he could surpass Mo Tak. In preview ep 5, Moon can sense the evil spirit like Ha Na. He just brushed against the possessed woman but he immediately could sense it. I think it mentioned that all counter can have that ability, but maybe with enough training and field experience, Moon will become the ace of counter. Whether he will develop healing abilities like Mae Ok, we will have to see...

 

Uuh the epilogue for ep 4 is brutal. I watched it while peeking behind my hands. I think possessed Shin next target is the junkyard owner he called 'Dad'.  Possessed Shin is also the evil spirit in ep 1, right?

[abs-oluteM]

Got round to checking eps 1 and 2 . Love it! Don't think I have seen a kdrama like this - a superhero type story. The pacing was great , the action & CGI scenes were also well done . 

 

I was already sold within the first few minutes we met with So Mun. Like @mademoiselle I love his sweet  and kind nature. The way he patiently handled his grandma & how he stood up for his friend Ung Min at the library despite his handicap tells you the sort of person he is. And I think one of the reasons why his powers will probably surpass the rest is because there's something pure about him. I am very impressed with Joe Byung Gyu who was casted for this role. I agree with what  @40somethingahjumma said on discord about him being an actor to look out for. It takes talent to portray a gentle person whom you can tell has fire inside him. There were many fun & feel good moments. But So Mun getting back at those bullies in the class made me punch my fist in the air. 

 

 Every one has powers unique to them and I cannot wait to find out So Mun's . I love  this team & look forward to seeing them work together

 

look at the ratings!

@Darkarcana @ktcjdrama this is very good. Worth checking out

[abs-oluteM]

This is cute...they were all promoting OCN

 

nice to see that OCN is subbing their BTS

 

[Tofu]

I watched the episode of Knowing Bros that all of them were on, Jo Byeong Gyu said that he has a little bit of all the powers which is why he is the "uncanny" counter. I'm not sure what it means to have all the powers and exactly what kind of powers they are, but I'm eager to find out.  

 

Clips of them talking and playing a game, probably at the OCN studio.

Spoiler

 

 

[joccu__]

Yu Jun-Sang has an amazing abs!   that is one hard work to maintain that kind of body!! 

 

loved the latest episodes.  

 

the redevelopment looks really shady! 

 

So Mun is so lovely.  

 

 

[stroppyse]

4 hours ago, LaLa said:

I wonder why they both have different power when they have the same spirit in Wi Gen? 

 

I think the powers manifestation is dependent on the counter and not their heavenly counterparts?

 

4 hours ago, LaLa said:

I think it mentioned that all counter can have that ability, but maybe with enough training and field experience, Moon will become the ace of counter. Whether he will develop healing abilities like Mae Ok, we will have to see...

 

Yes, they mentioned that every counter could sense evil, however, HN is able to sense it much further and more strongly than the others. Also, she's able to more easily "read" a person's memories with a simple touch. That's also why she seems so reluctant to touch people, even if it's a friendly hand or a hug, as we saw by the montage where she basically flips over everyone who tried to touch her in a friendly if unthinking way.

 

4 hours ago, LaLa said:

Uuh the epilogue for ep 4 is brutal. I watched it while peeking behind my hands. I think possessed Shin next target is the junkyard owner he called 'Dad'.  Possessed Shin is also the evil spirit in ep 1, right?

 

Yes, the demon-possessed Shin is the demon who got away from the Counters in episode 1. The epilogue was really gruesome. I had to fast forward since I couldn't watch it. Ugh.

 

4 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

And I think one of the reasons why his powers will probably surpass the rest is because of there's something pure about him.

 

Good point. I also thought that since SM is the only one who is willingly becoming a counter instead of as an alternate to being in a vegetative state? I know SM asked to meet his parents just once in exchange for his services as a counter, but the fact that SM was in his right mind when he was selected could still play into his being a "special" counter who has all the specialty powers that counters develop and then some?

 

3 hours ago, Tofu said:

I watched the episode of Knowing Bros that all of them were on, Jo Byeong Gyu said that he has a little bit of all the powers which is why he is the "uncanny" counter. I'm not sure what it means to have all the powers and exactly what kind of powers they are, but I'm eager to find out.  

 

Good to know. I'm going to think now that SM in addition to his super strength like MT, his enhanced ability to sense demons like HN, and his newly discovered talent to move the shining field as per the preview, SM is also going to develop the talent to heal so that he can help MO with that as well. Nice!

 

24 minutes ago, joccu__ said:

Yu Jun-Sang has an amazing abs!   that is one hard work to maintain that kind of body!! 

 

Totally! I think bodies like that are hard enough to maintain in their 20's, but having that physique with those cuts at his age is amazing! I appreciate the drama giving us a droolworthy scene featuring YJS' body!

[stroppyse]

Tagging @Just_Me who is already watching this drama to share thoughts about it so far.

 

Also @eNDe and @JenL who are interested in watching this drama. Come watch with us. This drama is really good!

[Tofu]

@stroppyse and @joccu__ - Yoo Jun Sang mentioned on Knowing Bros that he was playing someone that's 39 so he wanted to lose a few pounds and maintain a certain physique for the role. He regularly does Pilates and showed some of his skills on the episode too! Jo Byeong Gyu said that he lost weight for his role too because if Yoo Jun Sang was doing it, he was going to too. Haha! 

 

Will respond with more thoughts on episode four later today or tomorrow. =)

[Mapleoaks5]

I also wonder what makes SM so special. The fact that wigen was able to enter his body seemed like a special occurrence as well. I don’t think it’s ever been done before? Ack, I can’t wait for episode 5! I’ve recommended this drama to all my friends, hope the writing continues to be good , the acting is already phenomenal amongst all the cast members. I’m usually ok with gore, but that last scene I couldn’t watch. 

[stroppyse]

3 hours ago, Mapleoaks5 said:

I also wonder what makes SM so special. The fact that wigen was able to enter his body seemed like a special occurrence as well. I don’t think it’s ever been done before? Ack, I can’t wait for episode 5! I’ve recommended this drama to all my friends, hope the writing continues to be good , the acting is already phenomenal amongst all the cast members. I’m usually ok with gore, but that last scene I couldn’t watch. 

 

I've been recommending this drama to everyone I know as well, though with a caution since the bullying episodes plus the epilogue to ep 4 is a bit graphic even if a lot of it is implied rather than explicitly shown. I just hope that the writing will continue to be good since the cast and director have already proven itself. The only thing that can go wrong is if the story becomes nonsense.

 

3 hours ago, Tofu said:

He regularly does Pilates and showed some of his skills on the episode too! Jo Byeong Gyu said that he lost weight for his role too because if Yoo Jun Sang was doing it, he was going to too. Haha! 

 

Nice! So you can get that kind of body from Pilates, huh?

[ktcjdrama]

On 12/7/2020 at 6:15 AM, abs-oluteM said:

 this is very good. Worth checking out

I started watching already, but only through half of episode 1, then got interrupted again and again... Love the action scenes. Quite intense for an opening episode. Will pick up again asap and join the discussion  

 

[Tofu]

Behind the scenes from the last two episodes:

 

I love how supportive they are as well as how much they respect each other. 

 

The BTS of how Mo Tak's abs scene was filmed...hahaha!! So Mun had a similar BTS with his one hand pull up scene too. 

 

I'm not following too many dramas so I've had a lot of time to watch clips of the cast. Kim Se Jeong said that she is very happy filming with everyone and at times, she will get emotional too. 

 

Jo Byeong Gyu is supposedly really good at crying. He can get into character and shed tears pretty quickly. It was also mentioned that he can control which eyes his tears come out of too. Kim Se Jeong said that because he is so good, they get to go home early. 

 

[joccu__]

@stroppyse  Pilates improves flexibility, builds strength and develops control and endurance in the entire body. It puts emphasis on alignment, breathing, developing a strong core, and improving coordination and balance. The core, consisting of the muscles of the abdomen, low back, and hips, is often called the "powerhouse" and is thought to be the key to a person's stability. Pilates' system allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginner to advanced or to any other level, and also in terms of the instructor and practitioner's specific goals and/or limitations. Intensity can be increased over time as the body adapts itself to the exercises. 

 

 

[stroppyse]

Hi @joccu__, thanks for the lesson about Pilates! It seems to have really worked for YJS! Hmm, sounds as if it may be a good work out when you're confined indoors during a pandemic as well, though hard to get instruction in it right now when everything is closed.

 

Guess I'll just have to admire the results on MT for the moment!

[joccu__]

@stroppyse youtube has some of really good pilates workout program.  I use couple of them. 

 

I like that So Mun has gain more family after his parents died.  

 

[stroppyse]

4 hours ago, joccu__ said:

@stroppyse youtube has some of really good pilates workout program.  I use couple of them. 

 

I like that So Mun has gain more family after his parents died.  

 

 

Thank you! I'll have to check out yt.

 

I'm glad that SM's grandparents don't have to worry about him being alone after they've passed on. I thought it was a lovely scene when the grandmother is in possession of her faculties, and she tells the grandfather that he has to live at least 1 more day than she does because they don't want to leave SM with having to care for her.

 

They say that there are things that only couples could and should do for each other. I guess taking care of each other as one partner is going down into dementia is one of those. Both in 'Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol' and here, where a grandfather is taking care of the grandmother in her mental decline, it's a lovely sentiment that hides the brutal reality of having to care for people who are in that state.

 

Anyway, even if something happens, I'm also glad that SM has his counter family who have really come to care about him, as well as Wigen who seems to have a soft spot for SM.

[40somethingahjumma]

I’ve been rendered speechless… a drama that wasn't on my radar (seems to be the common theme this year) appears to do everything right. It is unbelievably, ridiculously good. Sure… some things may seem formulaic — like Mun’s origin story but it’s done simply with so much heart that one barely even notices. What can I say? I love Mun. I love his besties, his grandparents. I love his relationship with Mo-tak, Ahjumma and Ha-na individually and together. These people who have gathered around him are the emotional centre of this show and they are so well written. They aren’t just team members… they are an extension of his family, filling a void since he lost his parents in an encounter with the truck of doom.

 

God is in the details… so it is said.. but the finely-tuned execution is on par with intention every step of the way. So far. Of course it helps to have good actors to sell the world-building and deliver the well-timed emotional beats. My youngest daughter who has been watching it with me was a blubbering mess at various times during Episodes 3 and 4. Truly the show has a way of reaching young and older audiences alike.

 

Mun, uncanny or not is such a sweetheart. He is cheek-pinching adorable. And needless to say Jo Byung-gu (last seen by me in Hot Stove League) is wonderful in the role. I want to adopt him too. What's really important about him is that even before he was given his super powers, he was already a heroic figure. Despite his disability, he stood up to the bullies in defence of his friend, took it in the chin and showed his mettle early on. The school bullying arc was very well done (although painful to watch) and it reminds me most of classic Spidey although there are resonances of its predecessor all throughout. I took great satisfaction in watching the much bigger boys with weapons taken down one at a time although I take the point that Mun has to learn to keep his calm and not end up killing anyone. But there's no doubt he cares and there's no ego at play.

 

That’s another strength of the show to my mind. Even though Mun means well and his heart is in the right place, there are consequences when he intervenes. Evil is not so easily defeated and it fights back with a vengeance. With all the talk of evil spirits, the show is surprisingly grounded in its understanding of human deceit and the potential for so much harm. In this vein, I like how the show deals with culpability. It’s not all on the evil spirits. What's telling is that the evil spirit finds suitable human hosts who have so seriously compromised their conscience to the point that supernatural forces gain a foothold and increase their power. I was interested to note that bald hoodie serial killer seems to have an affable side when he’s not stabbing people. But when his bloodthirsty instincts take over his evil spirit gains supremacy over his emotions, completely overriding any inhibitions. It is suggestive of the fact that there comes a time when a person crosses a line from which there is no return. 

 

Mun having to deal with the fallout of taking on the bullies gives more insight into the Afterlife here. The reality is that demon-hunting is dangerous work which could lead to fatalities as was seen in the first episode. There are no guarantees that harm won’t come to the hosts or the spirit guides. No can say for certain what will come especially when powerful human and supernatural forces are at work. It almost feels at the end of Episode 4 that the old adage “rules are meant to be broken” apply all too well.

 

What’s also revealing about the bullying arc is that it is a parallel microcosm of what’s going on in the world of adults (Big Business and Big Government) but with higher stakes.  Fear is the primary mechanism of control. Then power (whether force, money or information) is applied to intimidate and dominate. But more importantly there are systemic issues at the core that consistently perpetuate the bullying in the creation of a hierarchy.  That was certainly the case of the mayor, Taesin Group and Chairman Jeon. Jeon did try to intimidate the mayor into paying up but that backfired on him rather badly. I doubt that they meant for the chairman to be so brutally executed but over time they’ve bred and unleashed a monster who did their bidding once too often.

 

There’s also the suggestion that parents are somewhat culpable in how bullies are born either through overindulgence or neglect. The line that irked me most was from the dad who when finding out that Mun was raised by his grandparents said that orphans were predictably troublemakers. It’s not surprising of course when someone who so obviously see their children as extensions of themselves are blind to their own faults as well as their children’s. In just that brief sequence, that picture speaks a thousand words about how the corruption of society works from the family as its foundation. Hence the moralising from Choi Jang-mul about how the parents and the school have let the children down. Certainly in not protecting the vulnerable and for letting the real troublemakers run amok. The school has been equally reprehensible not just in aiding and abetting but also reinforcing conventional wisdom that the strong will always run roughshod over the weak so there's no point in even trying to make a difference. On top of that, there’s serious corruption in the local law enforcement where good people are consistently banging against a brick wall and bad guys get their way. Although that’s not technically bullying, it’s still a case of evil getting the upper hand because people who should know better look the other way for one reason or another.

 

My gut feeling is that this show is shaping up to be a David and Goliath story. The underdog overcoming impossible odds to defeat apparently stronger evil forces with the help of some friends.

 

The last time I saw Yu Jun-sang in anything, he was in Pied Piper putting on an incredible performance there as the antihero figure. He's great here as Mo-tak. And Yum Hye-ran who is ubiquitous these days can always be relied upon to deliver the goods.

[Just_Me]

On 12/8/2020 at 2:19 AM, stroppyse said:

Tagging @Just_Me who is already watching this drama to share thoughts about it so far.

Thank you for tagging me

 

Just finished Ep.14 last night and can't wait for the next episode..this show is really good but what I love the most is the dynamic of Unnie Gang and lovely friendship of SM and his friends..his friends is amazing.. I just want to hug them and smack all the bullies that hurt them

 

 

On 12/7/2020 at 7:15 PM, mademoiselle said:

Mae Ok's speech with the Spirits Immigration Officers were also another good scene.

I love this scenes too. She is not only the healer but also the negotiator. I am asking because I really don't know, but is that how they officially called? Spirit Immigration Officer?

 

I also love the scenes after SM take down all the bullies and polices come . MO want to erase their memories, but SM refuse it and said he wants to take the responsibility. MO get frustrated, saying he reminds her of being angry to her son and SM replied that it reminds him of what's like to be a son

 

On 12/7/2020 at 8:55 PM, LaLa said:

@stroppyse I think Mae Ok is Soo Ho's mother, based on his conversation with Wi Gen. I wonder how did he become a spirit (?) in Yung, recruited his own mother as a counter and why he works at the dead people archives?

I wondering about this too. If he's really MO's son so the spirit used to be a human too? And that mean he die before his Mom? And the woman in the pictures could be his wife or gf? It seems the Yung Spirits have their own story too. I hope wee could see it later on.

It's interesting to see that the Yung spirits and the counter share similar traits. SM and Wigen both are soft but strong, MT and Goran both are hotheaded. MO and SH both are wise. Hana and U-sik both are quit but observant, and not to mention has tendency to sided with MT for Hana and Giran for U-sik. 

 

On 12/7/2020 at 7:15 PM, mademoiselle said:

Curious that So Mun's parents' record cannot be found. For now I can only deduce their spirits were being taken by the demon. 

At first I thought they saved by spirits and become counter too cause it will be nice if they could reunite later. But maybe their souls hold by demon, which mean there another demon that could be stronger that Shin. 

 

 

On 12/8/2020 at 4:50 AM, Mapleoaks5 said:

I also wonder what makes SM so special. The fact that wigen was able to enter his body seemed like a special occurrence as well. I don’t think it’s ever been done before? Ack, I can’t wait for episode 5! I’ve recommended this drama to all my friends, hope the writing continues to be good , the acting is already phenomenal amongst all the cast members. I’m usually ok with gore, but that last scene I couldn’t watch. 

Maybe something related to his past when he's on comma for months after the accident. But I think SM good natured and strong willed characters play big part too. If he really can summon territory that will be great help when fight stronger demon.

Haha, I hope it will be great till the end and of course good ending (DDSSLLS still left big hole in my heart )

 

Ouch, that epilogue..I watch it since I was curious about what he's going to do. His 'Dad' told him that he didn't need to kill someone, but the looks on his face after Dad left him while talking on phone (I think that's his real son) tell me that he will do something to get Dad in trouble..and when I realized about what he's doing, it was too late.. I still remember it till now..

On 12/7/2020 at 11:08 AM, stroppyse said:

I find all of the Shins a bit confusing. So, there is Mayor Shin and his son who is a classmate of SM, then the junkyard owner also has the surname of Shin, and then finally, the bald killer demon is also called Shin. It's not clear that any of these people are actually related. Anyway, I expect that the demon-possessed Shin may turn on the others, especially as the human component to him gets more and more resentful.

I wonder which group related to SM parents and attack MT seven years ago. The thug that control polices chief is part of Taeshin grip that not on good term with Mayor grip. But Mayor  definitely hide something related to city development that's why they order the Shin on car junkyard to take care of man on wheelchair. Maybe Shin on junkyard still part of Mayor family since the man on wheelchair said the Mayor family used to be poor and work for him. Or the Noh brother from Taesin grup and Mayor work together behind man in wheelchair back?

 

@Tofu @abs-oluteM thank you for sharing all the clips and so glad that there's eng-sub 

 

I watch Knowing Brother on their guests appearance episodes before the drama. So I wait how the cast will fulfill their promise because they lose at games

 

[cherrhys88]

I just binge watch this yesterday and I really loved it. Same as everybody here I also love So-Mun's character he is such a sweetheart, so pure and also have that sense of justice and love for his friends to stand up to those bullies despite his own disability. I love their makeshift family (the counters), how they all just took So-Mun under their wings and train him even Ha-Na who's supposed to be the aloof one. I am looking forward on how the mystery of Mo-Tak's "accident" will unfold. I can't believe that an entire police force is that corrupt! Are those rich people/politician that powerful?!

 

@Tofu Thank you for sharing that Nike ad. I like how it's done. Bullying is such a rampant problem in schools nowadays. I'm glad that big companies are raising awareness about this.