Hello Monster (2015)

*SLOW CLAP*

I heard so many things about I REMEMBER YOU but I was quite hesitant to watch it because it's a crime-based story. No, I don't hate crime series. On the contrary, I love it so much that my expectations are quite high when it comes to this genre. I watched this drama without expecting anything. What I did not know was I was in for a big surprise...

STORY - This reminds me a lot of the American crime drama "The Mentalist". The plot is quite similar but the details are very different.
Being a sucker for stories with genius characters, the first episode had me hooked. I had this strange hunger that was only satiated by watching the next episode, then the next and the next until I reached the end... I tried to look for major holes but the writers had really done a great job in connecting every piece of the puzzle and covering up the tiny mistakes.
This drama really stands out because despite of having Crime as it's main core, the showcasing of violence was a lot less compared to other TV series. In fact, the drama is so rich in morals, brotherly love (oh, you cannot miss this), and friendship. I never thought that a crime drama like this is possible.

If there's anything that I feel somewhat lacking is the ending. I am not saying that it's not good, but rather, I was expecting a closure. After all what the characters have been through, I think they deserved a better ending.

ACTING/ CAST - Korean actors are really good, especially in conveying their emotions through their eyes. The actors in this drama are so 'in character' that you would feel their pain, agony, fear and even happiness. Needless to say Jang Na Ra (Cha Ji An) and Seo In Guk (Lee Hyun) did a wonderful job. A special shout out is not enough for Choi Won Young (Lee Jun Ho) who's acting is so superb that I find him really scary now and Park Bo Gum (Jung Seon Ho) who was hands-down amazing. They both deserved an award.

MUSIC - I enjoyed the music very much especially the intro/title music. It gives you the mysterious detective vibe. I actually find it quite similar with the manga series "Detective Conan's" intro.

REWATCH VALUE - I think this one deserves a rewatch. It's one of the dramas that you think you want to watch from the beginning again because you want to know if you missed any details.

OVERALL: This one deserves a standing ovation.

*SLOW CLAP FADING*

I ended this drama with a heavy heart. Not because it was bad, but because it's so good that I am sure I am going to miss it.

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There was no rocky start for this story, from the beginning it was interesting and mysterious. Not only was it smartly written and well portrayed, but the questions it begged to ask of humanity were chilling and hard hitting. Did we as people create the monsters of society? Or were they born as twisted as they appear now?

The plot line of this drama was suspenseful, as Lee Hyun and Cha Ji An discover the horrifying truths of their pasts and of the murderous entanglements that connect them with the people around them, we also begin to draw the lines between whom is truly a monster and those who were created through the circumstances surrounding them. Each murder they take on helps us see clearer whom is behind the deeds of the past and how a monster can be made. This type of story telling gives an in depth view into the eyes of the psychotic, and into the eyes of the ones whom catch them. Both the love story and sense of brotherhood also add onto this story. They give personal connections to the crimes committed and the feelings of those affected.

The cast was superb. As a person whose never been a fan of Seo In Guk, I have to say I find his acting in this drama to be refreshing and consistently suprising, he has officially gained a new fan, as his portrayal of Lee Hyun blew me away. Jang Na Ra's character Cha Ji An though in the beginning seemingly a dismal obsessive police officer, slowly grew into a deep understanding character whose past pains made her into a strong female character. The second leads, were outstanding. Lee Jun Ho's creepy kindness and oddly eerie vibe throughout the beginning of the drama really set the scene. Throughout every scene he was in I had a huge case of the heebee Jeebies, like, my skin crawled. ***(SPOLIERS)**** (Especailly when he touched his mothers bones in the coroners office. That was just creepy). ****(END OF SPOILERS)*** Min's character was also one of complies creepiness and he was also very attractive, and while I try to stay away from mentioning that in my reviews I felt it just had to be said. Min's character gave us so much undertanding of how children's views and surroundings affect their growth and presence in society. His scenes always stole my attention.

The music in this drama had me consistently singing out loud. Especially "Remember"by Dear Cloud, I have listened to that OST so many times since this drama has aired, especially when left with a giant cliffhanger at the end of an episode when I needed to pine over my feelings through song. The OST's was memorable and lovely.

This drama consistently had me guessing and asking myself bigger questions. The plot line and cast always blew me away. It so rewatchable and just so well done. I cannot reccomend this drama enough.

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Roses are red, violets are blue. Together they make purple, and they kill you. What happens when evil grabs hold? Are we drawn to it, or does our situation call for it? In asking some of these fundamental questions, I Remember You takes a developed look at the varying answers to these questions. It instills the answers in its characters, who, having neither complete light nor complete dark, must ponder and discover their own conclusions. It also leads the viewer toward similar pursuits as they vacillate between one or another set of truths.

I Remember You's story is not that original; serial killers are everywhere, and exist in every crime drama. However, what I Remember You does with its story is the difference; it's what puts the show in another league. It simultaneously allows the viewer to feel horror and pity toward certain characters, while it allows us to sympathize and chastise others. It doesn't keep its secrets, though. One knows, oftentimes, what will happen. Yet, despite the predictability of outcome, I Remember You captures the viewer in by probing them with these ultimate questions. In so doing, the show remains intriguing, fresh, and wildly entertaining. Does it answer the questions? One will have to see.

The acting in I Remember You was superb. Jang Nara, Seo In Guk, Park Bo Geum, and Choi Won Young brought such complexity to their characters that they too provoked the viewer to cheer for them when they might not otherwise do so. The chemistry of these characters, sometimes posed in times of large-scale situational irony, pricked both fear and at times, humor into the mind. Special mention must also be given to Do Kyungsoo, who, despite possessing a cameo role, prompted loss of sleep and fear so palpable to derive from an angelic face. (I did not sleep well at all after episode 1.)

The music, sneaky and chilling, provided an immensely rich background for the ensuing action. It allowed the intensity of fear, of romance, of horror to perpetuate into the viewer's ears. In addition, the music never faltered in its fit to the actions on screen. Nothing was out of place or jarring.

Overall, I will remember I Remember you. I don't think I could forget its ability to draw me in and make me question my own notions on human nature and evil. I've always enjoyed shows that make me question everything and everyone's intentions and objectives. In this, I Remember You does not disappoint. In fact, it exceeds my initial expectations, and is now a personal favorite, both in its genre and in kdramas altogether.

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This drama is a perfect example of a drama I was tempted to drop, but I'm so glad I didn't. I love thrillers, so I thought this drama would be right up my alley, but for me "I Remember You" was just ok at first, and a little hard to really get into in the beginning. Much of the beginning is spent revealing backstories, and establishing characters. There are also crime mysteries to be solved, and although they were interesting, they weren't very suspenseful, because bad guys and outcomes were pretty obvious, but maybe that's because I've watched soooo many suspense thrillers. The one thing that was great from the very beginning was the chemistry between Ji An and Lee Hyun. Their awkwardly romantic moments were a big reason why I wanted to keep watching. The weird thing about I Remember You is, unlike other dramas, it started to get better with each episode. The main cast is a outstanding (the supporting cast is great too), and once the characters backstories are established, the complexity of each character is revealed. That complexity is what creates the real suspense, because it's hard to predict each character's intentions, and motives. Subtle changes in expression, false smiles, and poker faces... I don't want to accidentally give anything away, but I will say that I love the duality in certain characters. I would have never guessed that psychopaths could be so sympathetic. Also, Seo In Guk's facial expressions, in particular, sparked an instant crush. For me, the best episodes were in the second half of the series, and they kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know how everything would be resolved. The beauty of this drama is, instead of a simple resolution, the ending just leads to more wondering, and left me wanting more. If there's a sequel, count me in! The only thing that really bothered me about this drama was the music. The general soundtrack was fine, but some songs felt very inappropriate to the story. As intensely cute as the romantic tension is, it still seemed not right to put in a fairly upbeat love song when people are getting murdered by serial killers. Overall, I recommend this drama, especially if you like psychological dramas, or crime thrillers. The romance is great, and a big part of the story, but RomCom fans should be warned that romance is not the singular focus. I think now that I know the backstory, I would rewatch this, and the beginning would be easier to follow. I would be tempted to fast forward to later scenes (like the super tense yet kinda hilarious dinner scene). So, although I didn't give this as high a score as others, It's imperfections are easily outweighed by the outstanding parts, and this drama certainly stands out from the kdrama rest.

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Gripping. Riveting. Poignant.

Those are the three words I can describe I Remember You.

During the course of watching the drama, I often wonder to myself, 'how can a drama be this good?' In a way, there are many plot points that could've gone awry, executions that would've made the whole drama into a train wreck, or characters that would've become so frustrating, yet somehow, none of that happened. Instead, the opposite of it became the final product: storyline filled with suspense, angst, with an air of quirky comedy that will keep you glued to your screen from the first minute to the last, excellent relays of the writer's ideas transforming to a visual interpretation from the directors and producers even with the camera works, and finally, characters that are heart-wrenching, clever, and refreshing.

The ability of the drama to execute pathos within its loyal viewers despite the horrific acts and wrongdoings other characters have made is a feat within itself. The drama's question of, Are monsters created or born?, makes you re-evaluate yourself on your own morals and values.

The drama is sadly underrated, but as to what I've read somewhere, the ratings were very steady, which can mean that those who loyally watched from the first episode sticked until the end, and loved it to its core. Honestly speaking, ratings do not even matter anymore. However, there's a part of me that is upset and hurt that I Remember You did not get the justice to be praised, applauded, and commended for what it's worth. Such a pity that it wasn't appreciated during its airing when it is clearly one of the best and unforgettable dramas in 2015.

I find myself unable to move on, having major withdrawals from the drama, crying whenever I hear Dear Cloud's Remember as if the song comforts me as it comforts our characters. That itself makes me believe that I would have missed out real good have I not watched this gem.

Kudos, I Remember You, you will be remembered, and never forgotten. With that, I give it not just a 10 out of 10, but a 15 + alpha.

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This is my first review. I’ll try not to make it very long but I’ll apologise in advance because I really have a lot to say about this drama.

This is, for sure, a must-see! If you want to watch something thrilling, with a lot of moving moments featuring two brothers whose relationship is tormented by the past and you love stories with a bit of a psychological side, don’t think twice.

I didn’t even hesitate on giving this the highest rating. I had only a watched a few episodes and I already knew I’d be giving it a high score. But only after watching the final episode (which doesn’t disappoint at all), I decided that it deserves a 10/10.

I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll only tell you that the story goes way beyond the synopsis you can read above. In my point of view, the perfect word to describe the plot is “thrilling”. I never got bored watching this. A lot of dramas tend to drag a bit from episode 11/12 but that didn’t happen, fortunately. There were many powerful scenes full of tension but they were pretty well balanced with a few feel-good scenes (mostly consisting of the romance since the drama doesn’t focus on it as much as it seems). There were a lot of unexpected plot twists (mainly in the last episodes) and I loved how they build up to the climax. The way flashbacks were interlocked with present actions was extremely clever and not confusing at all.

I have only great things to say about the actors: their performance in conveying the characters emotions and thoughts was totally convincing and I think that it wouldn’t be possible to choose other actors who could fit better each character. They make you feel so intimate with their character that you can feel their suffering. Seo In Guk, in my opinion, has a remarkable ability to adapt to every role he gets. Park Bo Gum’s role was exceptionally performed (I’m definitely going to watch more of his work and I’m looking forward to what he’ll do in the future). Choi Won Young did such an excellent job with his character that I even got chills. Jang Na Ra was also brilliant and Do Kyungsoo really contradicted the myth about idols not being talented in acting. In most of the dramas I’ve watched so far, there’s always a character whose story I’d like to know better or whose point of view seems lacking. In “I Remember You” I didn’t feel this: I was extremely satisfied with the character’s amount of screen time. It’s a story full of wonderful characters who, individually and as I group, add a lot to the drama’s quality.

I couldn’t finish this review without mentioning the OST, which I really liked because of the feelings each theme evoked. However, it isn't the best OST of all time but it did its purpose: matching each scene’s atmosphere.

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“Are monsters born or made?”
That’s the question that this drama want you to answer.
I watched this drama just because Kyungsoo was in there. And, I’m afraid to say, it was the only reason why I didn’t drop it after two episodes.
The plot is quite interesting. A family is crashed by a young and clever serial killer. That handsome serial killer takes away the little kid of the family, making the older one crave for revenge.
The plot itself isn’t the real reason why I gave this drama 6 out of 10.
It had a great potential : an epic battle between two brothers and the man who teared their family apart. BUT, as we all know when it comes to korean drama, the only thing that spoiled it all was the romance that the screenwriters tried so hard to gave us.
Two completely opposite characters : the dumb, nagging and useless female cop, who didn’t act once as a heroine. And the clever criminologist, who’s character was pretty good but got ruined by the female lead toward the end of the story.
The little brother, Lee Min, was the sugar to pour in this bitter tea.
He was educated by a serial killer, so in the end he became one himself. His personality, his appearance and his morals were fascinating. Yet, he was a huge attention seeker, he forgot really quickly about his revenge toward his brother, making the plot lacking some good concepts.
Lee JunYeong was supposed to be a creepy and dangerous man. Unfortunately, he wasn’t.
All his charisma, the charisma that Kyungsoo gave to the character while playing his younger self, was totally outshine after growing old.
He was a pure and innocent man who had two choices : to forgive his family or to punish them.
They tried to give him a sad story just to make sympathize with him. His characters became pathetic in the end. Just a poor man who just wants to built a family with those kids.
Cha JinHa was a pain in the back. A stalker, useless, sleepyhead girl who just wanted to make Lee Hyeon her boyfriend. She was such a bad character that I couldn’t stand her for only two seconds.
This drama had a good plot. But once again, korean screenwriters spoiled it with a romantic and stupid love story.

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I tend to avoid crime-based shows that mix in romantic subplots and comedy because it either becomes TOO romantically based or it's TOO reliant on the comedic factor and the serious tone is lost in the process. However this drama was everything that I never knew I needed. Some might complain about the lack of romance but I don't think that was ever supposed to be the point. It was just a bonus. I stepped in not knowing a lot about the plot, deciding to watch it on whim since I'm a big fan of Seo In Guk and Jang Na-Ra but I got so much more out of it then I was expecting. The concept was well thought out and made their viewers think throughout the entire series; are monsters born or are they created? If you are marked out for a certain path, do you just have to accept or is there a secret back door waiting somewhere? Do children inherit their parent's sins and SHOULD they? As a viewer, you are proposed these type of questions (and many more). Yes, there are some funny moments and the romance is sweet but the psychological aspect is what truly made it stand out from the rest of the crime-based shows that year. The cast had great chemistry and there wasn't a single member that I felt came short or could of been replaced. Everyone was important. Choi Won-Young and Park Bo-Gum played their roles in an effortless like manner. The characters were complex, well writing and left me wanting more of them. The female lead wasn't just 'strong' for the sake of pleasing the audience. Nor was she flawless either. She was perfectly 'imperfect' She was indeed strong but she also got hurt, she cried and she also grew a lot throughout the series. Her character was just as interesting as her fellow cast-mates which isn't entirely common when you have such a male-based lineup. Overall I would definitely recommend that you check it out. From the story-line to the OST, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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Watching I Remember You is like attending the world’s most genteel serial killer convention. You can almost imagine the networking: “Oh, so you kill people? I kill people too. Let’s make a lovely chopped salad and compare knives.” Everyone leaves a trail of bodies in their wake, but they’re quite civilized about it. I’ve never seen a show with so many deliciously awkward dinners as multiple killers and cops share artfully prepared meals. It’s an intriguing choice, helped out by the fact that the principal antagonists are both strong actors. However, I found Jang Nara and Seo In-Guk underwhelming, and the sheer number of murderers became a bit much. Even for a show centered on a homicide unit, it seemed like everyone in Korea was out to avenge their arrest with a knife to someone’s gut. Or to the gut of the person who killed the person that killed . . . well, never mind. The utter incompetence of said homicide unit was also alarming, as they seemed to lack any ability to actually solve crimes. The issues raised about what might make (or unmake) a killer were interesting, but the show was never twisty enough to be a truly effective thriller, nor deep enough to be a revelatory character study. There was a lot of promise, but I wish the drama's execution had been as meticulous as the killings it chronicles.

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OVERALL
A perfect blend of thriller, crime, action, romance and drama, all wrapped up in a nice, philosophical theme. Don't think about it, just watch it.

THE STORY
So…just when I’d finally gotten over the scare of White Christmas, I had to fall onto I Remember You / Hello Monster. The theme at the core of the show, Nature VS Nurture, is the same, this time taken to higher levels (partly because it’s a lengthier drama, partly because of great writing and directing). Characters are complex, especially the ones on the dark side. The main female lead is how I like to see them – independent, smart, to-the-point style – and the love story is, without being central to the show, well-developed and innovative (a relationship based on mutual support instead of romance). There is quite a bit of suspense in an unexpected way (because the viewer knows everything that’s going on sooner than the protagonists), deep messages, brilliant dialogues and gripping crime stories that are all kind of connected and leading to the root of the plot. I absolutely have nothing bad to say about this show, other than that the last episode did feel just a tiny, a very tiny, bit rushed, and the beginning was maybe a little awkward at times. The ending was brilliant and 100% coherent with the entire show though. I want season 2!!!

THE ACTING
I’ve always believed that the best way to see if an actor is skilled is to see him (or her) play a complex villain. In this drama, the two actors that stood out, tremendously, were the two villains. They sent chills down my spine. A-ma-zing. But I have to say, all the actors were very good. The child actors were so talented.

THE MUSIC
Awsome! The instrumental tracks kind of felt like Sherlock’s (the British TV show) but fitted perfectly with the mood of the drama. And then the OST *swoon*. I’ve been listening to Dear Cloud’s Remember and Baechigi’s Shower of tears (feat. Ailee) almost daily for weeks now.

REWATCH VALUE
Rewatching as we speak, with my parents. I don't even care if I can't sleep well at night. Definitely high!

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I love this drama! I think it is one of my favorite of 2015. And that's why I'm so sad that it didn't do well with the Korean audience, although, much like another beloved drama, Healer, IRY does seem to have a rabid fan base outside of S Korea and that makes me smile. I'll just never understand the Korean viewers I guess.

So, why do I love this drama and more importantly love it enough to review it, which I don't do that often?

Reasons 1, 2 and 3 FRESH PLOT / GREAT WRITING! Based on the original synopsis for this drama which was vague and sounded like a bit of mismash, this should have been a total trainwreck at worst and average at best. But this is one of the most original and well thought out dramas I've ever seen (and at this time I've watched 191 Kdramas to completion). This writer knew from the start exactly how every little detail would play out and NEVER deviated from it. It is so obvious in the small touches that are added throughout the show that if you blink you might miss. It all builds to something and every detail has a purpose.

So often dramas start out with this kind of attention to detail just to start dropping balls all over the place in the second half, but not IRY. And this fact is made extra surprising and noteworthy because of the live shoot system that I know had them filming part of final episode the day of its airing and because this show had such low ratings. Too often with low rated shows in SK, the plot goes haywire as they make changes to try and get viewership back. This NEVER works, btw and the results are always TERRIBLE! But IRY was too cohesive, too well thought out. It just felt like such a nice whole beginning to end. The pace NEVER flagged. They never did the around the wheel mess so many dramas do to stretch it out (actually, I think this drama would not have been hurt by one more episode).

And then as if the plot itself didn't make it enjoyable enough, the writer throws in these deep philosophical themes that you have to peel back like an onion because you think you know what the theme is until the very last episode actually reveals the most important theme (and message) to be something else, which you then realize was hinted at all along if you weren't so caught up in all the other greatness.

Finally, I love how unpredictable the plot was. Just when you thought it would go one way it went another. It was seemingly predictable but then you realize that was a feint. There were big reveals to be had that really weren't and you could think the writer messed it up, but then you realize that was never the point and the writer was totally above the big reveal gimmick that so many dramas stake their plot on. So great not falling into that trope trap.

Reason 4 this drama is so great: CHARACTERS! So I guess that is actually 3b since really this is also great writing. Cha Ji An is one of the best female Kdrama characters of all time. Seriously. And by far the best female cop character ever. She is real; she is good, but not a supergenius. She is capable, but not unbelievably so, rather realistically so. She is honest with her feelings and her thoughts. She is emotional when it is appropriate but can rein it in when she needs to be logical. She makes decisions and behaves like a real human being. I never found myself yelling at her for being an overemotional idiot or a noble idiot or any other kind of idiot. I love her! I love her sooooo much!

My love for Ji An, though, doesn't mean I also didn't love our male lead because oh boy did I! It's just great male leads are a lot more common in Kdramas where great female leads are like emeralds in Minecraft. Everything I said about Ji An in a way also applies to Hyun. Even though we get the set up of Hyun being a geeeeeeeenius, he still feels very real. He is honest when he should be even though he does hide things from other characters, I always felt like there were good reasons (or at least good within the context of the character). His character was always true to himself, even when he was conflicted as heck and well should have been.

And all the other characters are wonderful too, especially Min!

#5: ACTING! I never thought much of Jang Nara before this drama. I thought was was a cute, perfectly serviceable although not even remotely interesting or charismatic actress. But, you know what, she freaking kills it in this! I guess that is what great writing will do for you! I have been a Seo In Guk fan since Reply and he certainly did not let me down here. He is his always awesome self! Park Bo Geom was incredible. He embodied his very difficult character perfectly. There wasn't a weak link in the bunch.

#6: THE ROMANCE. Or, more to the point, the lack thereof - sort of. And if you are confused, let me explain. Kdramas are all about the romance - right? Usually anyhow. It's what they do so well that keeps the ahjummas swooning and tuning in. But the problem with all of that focus on romance in Kdramas is that it usually becomes a caricature of itself. Case in point, the currently airing Scholar Who Walks the Night where they pushed the romance so hard and fast that it sucked all the life and logic out of it. Romance in Kdramas is fun, but it also is often ridiculous. The OTP will just die if they are not together. Everything in their lives becomes about their true love to the sacrifice of logic and story. Then you throw in forceful male leads that grab and pull their lady loves around and it all gets a bit ridiculous.

IRY does romance in a realistic way that never feels forced and where the leads never let romance get in the way of logic or the other aspects of their lives and jobs (thus the writer doesn't let it get in the way of plot). And best of all, they are always considerate of each others' space - physically and emotionally. And that makes it swoon-worthy to me. Screw wrist grabs and forced kisses, I'll take Lee Hyun and Cha Ji An!

#7 Soundtrack: I don't normally mention the soundtrack to a drama, but I really liked how this one set the mood and was never overbearing. The instrumentals were just right, especially the Erik Satie-like piece that was played during dark scenes. (Or maybe it was Erik Satie - I haven't checked yet.)

Well, that's it. This is a great drama and the most underrated of 2015.

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