Bad Guys 2014 - Episode 1

"Bad Guys" is a new drama by OCN, a South Korean cable channel. So far 4 episodes have been aired and the ratings have climbed to 3.55%, a feat for cable TV. Seems that "Bad Guys" and "Misaeng" by TvN (another cable channel) are the dark horses for this season of Korean dramas.

The first episode of "Bad Guys" is fast-paced and action-packed. It starts with a police officer stabbed to death by a psychopath serial killer he was trying to catch. This incident exposes the weakness of the police force in Korea - it is understaffed, and too mild to deal with the increasing crime rate.

The father of the dead officer is Police Chief Nam Goo-hyun (Kang Shin-ll). He reinstates Oh Goo-tak (Kim Sang-joong), a police detective who was suspended for using excessive violence, and asks him to help him catch the killer. In return, he will help Goo-tak to "get all the anger out of his heart". At this point in time, we don't know what he means.  A flashback gives us a hint - someone close to Goo-tak, possibly his daughter, has been murdered too.

Chief Nam says to Goo-tak, "To beat up good people, that is violence. But to beat up scoundrels, that is justice." And so, Goo-tak, whose nickname is "mad dog", decides to use an unconventional method to catch the killer. He wants to fight crime using criminals, so he is getting three prisoners out to form a team with himself and police inspector, Yoo Mi-young (Kang Ye-won).

The first prisoner is gangster Park Woong-chul (Ma Dong-suk) who "conquered" all the triads in Seoul in 25 days. He is big and tough, but not very smart, which makes him the comic relief in this show.

The second prisoner is contract killer Jung Tae-soo (Jo Dong-hyuk) who has both brains and brawn. He was a skillful killer who did a clean job every time but one day, he suddenly surrendered himself to the police.

The third prisoner is Lee Jung-moon (Park Hae-jin). He has a documented IQ of 165, was Korea's youngest member of MENSA and the youngest person to attain a PhD in Mathematics. He is also the youngest serial killer, a cold-blooded psychopath.

Woong-chul and Tae-soo are brought before Goo-tak and told that whoever catches the killer first can have his prison sentence reduced by 5 years. They take up the offer but much to their displeasure, they have to wear electronic ankle bracelets for tracking purpose.

Suddenly, Mi-young receives news that Jung-moon has escaped while on the way from the prison to meet them. She tells Woong-chul and Tae-soo that whoever catches Jung-moon can have his sentence reduced by 4 years.

Goo-tak is sure that Jung-moon has gone to look for Yang Yoo-jin (Hwang Seung-eon), the woman he loves and who nearly became his last victim. With Woong-chul and Tae-soo's help, they find out Yoo-jin's current whereabouts. But Jung-moo gets to her first.  

Jung-moo tells Yoo-jin that he doesn't remember trying to kill her. She reminds him that ever since he witnessed his parents' death, he has been having bouts of blackouts. During those blackouts, he killed people. She even suspects that he killed his parents. Jung-moo starts to strangle Yoo-jin. Luckily, Goo-tak and gang arrive in time to stop him. After an exciting car chase scene, Jung-moo is caught and the team is officially born.

At the end of the drama, we learn that the prisoners were not randomly selected. Mi-young confronts Goo-tak with some interesting facts she found - the prisoners went to jail around the same time Goo-tak was suspended from his duty. Goo-tak shuts her up. I suspect one of the prisoners is his daughter's murderer.      

This is a testosterone filled drama, and the main characters are manly and charismatic. It is a refreshing change from the typical Korean drama, and I'm looking forward to the next episode.

Sorry, I Love You 2004 (Episode 11-16)

Sorry, I Love You 2004 (Episode 1-10 Review)

Moo-hyuk tries to strike a deal with Eun-chae. He will donate his heart to Yoon after he dies and in return, she has to spend his remaining days with him. Eun-chae thinks he is joking about death again and gets angry. Out of spite, she agrees and asks Moo-hyuk to keep his promise to die so that Yoon can live.

Meanwhile Eun-chae's father, who is Deul-hee's driver, finds out about Moo-hyuk's condition and tells Deul-hee. Deul-hee buys clothes, food and many other stuff for Moo-hyuk and his family. Moo-hyuk is touched and almost forgives her. However, he sees the health supplements which is good for the heart that she bought for him and realizes her true intention - she is literally trying to "buy" his heart. 

An angry Moo-hyuk goes to her house and shouts outside her gates, 

"I'm your son too, just like Yoon! You gave birth to me! You brought me to this world! I'm your son too..."

Eun-chae's father, who knew all along that Moo-hyuk is Deul-hee's son, is the only person who heard his shouting. He berates Deul-hee the next day, 

"Is only your son's life valuable? Moo-hyuk's life is just as valuable to his parents! At least Yoon has hope to survive but Moo-hyuk has nothing. He can only wait for death hopelessly. At least Yoon has a mum who is trying to save him. Moo-hyuk only has a retarded sister who doesn't even know what death is and a young nephew. Let him live the rest of his life in peace, please!"          

Eun-chae overhears and is shocked. She recalls the cruel things she said to Moo-hyuk and breaks down. She goes to Moo-hyuk but his condition worsens and he chases her away. 

Moo-hyuk meets Deul-hee to thank her for her gifts, and informs her that he has registered to have his heart donated to Yoon when he dies. Deul-hee is guilt-stricken and tries to reject the offer. Moo-hyuk smiles when he sees her crying. 

      

Yoon goes to Moo-hyuk's house to ask him what his agenda is. Moo-hyuk reveals that they are half-brothers, and he plans to take revenge on Deul-hee by giving her a call before he dies and telling her, 

"Mother, I am the son you abandoned. I am dying for your precious son. For your jewel-like son to live, your trash-like son is dying." 

Moo-hyuk wants to find a place to die alone quietly. However, Eun-chae finds him and they spend some happy time together. Moo-hyuk is determined to break up with Eun-chae and in another classic scene of the drama, before they part, she repeatedly cries, "Saranghae!" to him outside the subway station.      

When Moo-hyuk gets home, he finds Yoon waiting for him. Yoon tells him a shocking truth - he is actually an adopted son. Deul-hee adopted him as a substitute for the son she abandoned out of circumstances and could not forget. A shocked Moo-hyuk learns the whole story from Eun-chae's father - Deul-hee was a famous actress and she had an extra-marital affair with a movie director. She gave birth to a pair of twins but her mother felt that their existence would ruin her future, so she got Eun-chae's father to abandon the babies. They lied to the devastated Deul-hee that she gave birth to a stillborn son. 

After knowing the truth, Moo-hyuk is aggrieved that he had spent the remaining days of his life hating his mother. He goes to look for her and asks her to cook something for him. She exasperatedly cooks him a bowl of noodles and he secretly cries while he eats it. He decides not to tell her that he is her son, to spare her the pain of losing him again. He kneels outside her house to thank her for giving birth to him and promises that if there is a next life, he will be a good son to her.  

Moo-hyuk kills himself in a motorcycle accident and his heart saves Yoon's life. Deul-hee, who feels a deep affinity to his sister (her daughter, although she doesn't know), takes care of her and her son. Eun-chae loves Moo-hyuk so much that a year later, she commits suicide in front of his grave.    

Sorry, I Love You 2004 (Episode 1-10)

"They probably have their reasons. No one would ditch their child like that."

"I'll meet my poor mum one day, I'll buy her some pretty clothes, some meat, and a beautiful house."

This is what Cha Moo-hyuk (So Ji-sub) has to say to his parents who abandoned him
in an orphanage when he was a baby. This is how kind he is.

Adopted by an Australian family but abused and left homeless, Moo-hyuk grew up to be a con artist targeting Asian tourists. His girlfriend leaves him for a rich man, but at her wedding, he saves her life by shielding her from a bullet. Although he miraculously survives, his left brain is damaged and he only has a few more months to live. He suffers from intense headaches and displays erratic behaviors, side effects of the bullet left in his head. He decides to return to Korea to look for his biological mother before he dies.

In Korea, he finds his intellectually challenged twin sister, Yoon Seo-kyung (Jun Hye-jin) who is a single mother with a young son, Kal-ji. Later, he discovers that his mother, Oh Deul-hee (Lee Hye-young) is very rich and has another son, Choi Yoon (Jung Kyung-ho) who is a popular idol. He hates his mother who abandoned her children even though she was not poor, and he is jealous that she dotes on Yoon.

Moo-hyuk gets himself hired as Yoon's manager, and starts to plot revenge against his mother and half-brother. In the process, he falls in love with Yoon's coordinator, Song Eun-chae (Im Soo-jung). Although Eun-chae is in love with Yoon, she starts developing feelings for Moo-hyuk too.

Meanwhile, Yoon starts dating actress Kang Min-joo (Seo Ji-young). Moo-hyuk disguises himself to seduce Min-joo. When Min-joo falls for Moo-hyuk and breaks up with Yoon, a heartbroken Yoon gets into a car accident. Deul-hee is devastated when the doctor tells her that Yoon's genetically weak heart is severely injured. She screams that she is willing to donate her heart to save her son.

Eun-chae, who had a big fight with Yoon before the accident, cannot bring herself to visit him at the hospital because she feels guilty. She locks herself in her room and refuses to eat or drink. Moo-hyuk drags her out and asks her in the car,

"Do you want to eat? Or kiss me?"
"Do you want to eat? Or sleep with me?"
"Do you want to eat? Or live with me?"
"Do you want to eat? Or die with me?"

This scene is a classic scene which has been parodied many times. It depicts how hurt and lonely Moo-hyuk feels, falling hopelessly for Eun-chae even though he is a dying man. He secretly wishes for Eun-chae to stay by his side and bring him comfort for the remainder of his short life.

After the accident, Yoon realizes that his true love is Eun-chae. Unaware of Moo-hyuk's condition, Eun-chae decides to choose Yoon because she feels that he needs her more. When she tearfully tells Moo-hyuk her decision, he asks her to stop crying and says that he will give Yoon his heart when he dies. In return, he wants her to spend his remaining days with him. She gets angry with him for joking about death, unaware that he has less than three months to live and intends to donate his heart after his death.

Sorry, I Love You 2004 (Episode 11-16 Review)

Misaeng 2014 - Episode 1

"Misaeng" is a TvN Korean drama which is adapted from a popular webtoon. It is about how the protagonist Jang Geu-rae (Lim Si-wan) struggles to survive working in a company.

"A road opens as you tread along it. A road that doesn't open isn't a road. Roads are open to everyone. But not everyone can have the road."

Episode 1 starts with this monologue by Geu-rae. Then we see him chasing a guy down the busy streets of Jordan, gets hit by a car, picks himself up and continues the chase. They run to a rooftop of a building, and the guy jumps over to the next building. Behind him, Geu-rae also takes a giant leap.

Suddenly, the drama takes us two years back to 2012. Geu-rae is a 26-year-old with only a GED (General Educational Development) certificate and without any special skill, except the skill of playing Go (traditional Chinese board game). He quit formal education to train to become a professional Go player, but had to give up his dream when his father passed away and his mother became bed-ridden. With his credential, he can only find part-time jobs such as cleaning the bath house or being a designated driver.

One day, his mum informs him that he has gotten an internship opportunity at a big trading company, One International. He was referred to the company by the CEO of Sungwon, but the show does not tell us who the CEO is or what Sungwon is. This is a mystery which will be revealed later on, I think. His mother tells him, "Be confident. You are super smart. You were the top in your class.", and gives him his father's over-sized suit to wear to work.

First day at work, Geu-rae is sent to Sales Team 3. When the assistant manager Kim Dong-sik (Kim Dae-Myung) finds out that he only has a GED certificate and no relevant working experience, he is shocked and asks, "What did you do for 26 years?" A despondent Geu-rae asks himself too, "What have I been doing for 26 years?"

He struggles to adapt on the first day, he is clueless about everything, and he doesn't even know how to operate the photocopying machine. He cannot speak any foreign language and thus, cannot even handle the simple task of answering phone calls.

He meets the other interns who all seem to possess high educational qualifications. Among them are high achievers, An Young-yi (Kang So-ra) and Jang Baek-ki (Kang Ha-neul). Beautiful Young-yi is the "ace" among the interns who helped her team close a difficult deal after just ten days of interning. Baek-ki is an expert in PPTs but seems like a two-faced person. Geu-rae is sort of ostracized by the interns who are unhappy that he got in through connections, while they had to work their ass off.

Remember mum said that Geu-rae is super smart? We get a glimpse of that the next day when he memorized a list of "employees emergency contact numbers" within a short span of time. I am sure his intelligence and memory power will come in handy in the future, helping him to survive the workplace.

Anyway, Sales Team 3's manager, Oh Sang-sik (Lee Sung-min) is supposed to meet a foreign client, but he has just returned from an overseas trip and cannot make it on time from the airport. Dong-sik has no choice but to send Geu-rae down to entertain the client until Manager Oh arrives. Geu-rae does so using the only skill he has, he introduces the client to the game of Go. When Manager Oh arrives, he is surprised to see the client intrigued by Go, and not angry that he is late. Seems like Geu-rae has the ability to deal with unforeseen situations, or he is plain lucky.  

Manager Oh is someone who doesn't mix business with personal life. He doesn't like Geu-rae who got in through connections, and asks him what he has to offer to the team. Geu-rae replies, "My effort. I have never worked hard so my effort is unused and brand-new." Sounds cute to me but Manager Oh is not impressed. "I'm not buying you. Hard-working guys are everywhere at work." Sad, but true.

Later, because of a cock-up, the interns are sent to the factory to help separate squids from octopuses. They are unhappy because the seafood stinks, and they think this is a task beneath them. Geu-rae takes it in his stride and does it without complaining. Soon, Baek-ki receives a call from Manager Oh saying that they don't have to do the task anymore. The interns bully Geu-rae by not telling him, and leaving him behind alone in the factory to continue doing the task.  

At the end of episode 1, the interns go for a drink after work. Geu-rae goes to look for them after leaving the factory, dirty and stinking. He tells them that he is not joining them for a drink because he has to return to the office to clear some work. They sarcastically ask why he is so hardworking. As Geu-rae turns to walk away, we hear his monologue.

"You say I am hardworking? I'm here now because I didn't work hard. I was abandoned because I didn't work hard."

Ouch. Sad, but true. Those of us who spent our youth having fun instead of studying hard or acquiring skills, tend to fall behind our peers when we enter the workforce. We are abandoned by society, left behind because we did not work hard. To catch up, we have to work doubly hard.

"A road opens as you tread along it. A road that doesn't open isn't a road."

Geu-rae's dream is to be a professional Go player. However, circumstances make it impossible. This "road" does not open for him.

"Roads are open to everyone. But not everyone can have the road."

Geu-rae is lucky to get into the company, but without ability and hard work, he will not be able to pass his internship and get a permanent position. There is a "road" open but he may not be able to take it.

"Misaeng" is a jargon used in Go. It refers to a stone (game piece) which is not yet alive in a Go game but is not dead, meaning there is still a chance for it to come alive. Geu-rae is like a "misaeng" in the company, an intern who cannot fit in, but has the potential to do so if he passes his internship. He is a "misaeng" in his life, he has accomplised nothing for the past 26 years, but is now given a chance to start over again.

The first episode looks promising. Geu-rae is a character that ordinary folks can relate to, and I am rooting for this underdog to succeed. I think this drama will turn out to be motivational and inspiring.

Badump Badump (Gag Concert)

I am not a fan of "Gag Concert", a Korean sketch comedy TV show, but one boring day in January 2014, I accidentally saw an episode of it on KBS World TV on YouTube, and I fell in love with a segment, "Badump Badump". I searched for all the previous episodes to watch, and after finishing them, I started waiting impatiently every week for a new episode to come out. 7 days of wait, just for 5 minutes of "Badump Badump" weekly.

"Badump Badump" first aired on KBS on 2013.06.16  (KBS World TV on 2013.07.06) and ended on 2014.07.20 (KBS World TV on 2014.08.09). It was the most popular skit in "Gag Concert" during its run, having the highest viewership almost every week.

"Badump Badump" means pit-a-pat in Korean, the sound of the heart beating. It is about two best friends, Jang Hyo-in and Lee Mun-jae, who knew each other since they were kids. They secretly love each other, but dare not confess their feelings because they are afraid that that would ruin their friendship. Every time they accidentally let their feelings show, the song "Ode to My Family" will play in the background, a sign that their hearts are fluttering.

For example, in one of the episodes, Mun-jae meets Hyo-in to teach her how to ride a bike.

Mun-jae: Why do you have makeup on for this? You are so clueless! This is why you don't have a boyfriend.   

Hyo-in: Why did you put wax on your hair then? Are you wearing cologne as well? You think this is a date? 

"Ode to My Family" starts playing.

In another episode, after attending the wedding of their mutual friends, they discuss about it.

Hyo-in: How can two friends get married? I just don't get it. 

Mun-jae: It could be better to marry your friend. Since you have known your friend for long, you are comfortable with each other and you know each other well. You won't have any reason to fight. 

Hyo-in: I guess it is not bad for friends to get married (to each other).

"Ode to My Family" starts playing. 

This skit is popular because everyone who has been in love (secretly or openly) can relate to it. "Badump Badump" is not as funny as the other skits in the show, and a lot less exaggerated. It is cheesy, warm, and more romantic than Korean dramas. In "Badump Badump", ordinary-looking (by industry standards) comedian Mun-jae transforms into the ideal boyfriend every girl wishes she has. I had a big crush on him while watching this skit.