Live (2018)

I so love this drama and frustrated that it took time for me to watch it. I just watched it because it has a very high rating here in mydramalist. I watched its rival SITR instead which i didn't get to finish because oh no... such a waste of opportunity for this another could have been. Anyway, I thought Live is going to be something like a sitcom because of LKS. Lol. But oh boy, I was totally wrong. I love how this drama showed the life of police officers, the corrupt force, and their most of the time annoying manual. It didn't focus much on the victims and investigations just like Miss Hammurabi. It's kinda painful to watch and I symphatize with the good policemen. It must have been hard to offer your life to protect the citizens then the same citizens will condemn you about this and that without proper evidence. I also hated how one-sided the media can be at times. After watching this, I don't think a lot of people would want to be a police officer. Lol. I also like that romance was made low-key while putting more focus on their camaraderie.

Anyway, this one is definitely a good watch. I will surely miss the cast. How I hope there's a season 2!

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Gritty Drama

Perfect casting of great actors, added to a well written script, really make this drama a cut above the rest.
It is very hard hitting, with many of the crimes portrayed being distressing and brutal.
The lives of the rookies this story follows, from jobless to serving police officers, is so good.
The stressful, unappreciated and abused role they fill is at the fore, countered by the few corrupted members on the force, who sadly tarnish them all. Couple this with internal politics and an establishment happy to throw those with less power under the bus to meet their needs, makes me wonder how anyone would choose policing as a career.
If this drama is based on the reality of the Korean police and legal system, it is damning. However, it also shows the closeness of a team, of partnerships where they see more of each other than their own loved ones at home and the impact of betrayals on the moral of everyone associated.
The toll the job takes on personal lives is also touched on, with not just the case stories, but those involving the main characters' families being played out too.
Whilst disturbing, incredibly frustrating and upsetting, it is also funny at times and uplifting at others.
I am so pleased I watched it and would recommend this drama to others.

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Before watching, I was expecting a silly and clumsy police officer depicted by Kwang Soo, as I am familiar with him from Running Man. As I started, I have to accept that, aside from his entertainer side, Lee Kwang Soo is such a great actor that can easily make you cry. I don't know, maybe my expectation was different, or I didn't see him out of Running Man context, I gotta add that he really impressed me.
I have to talk about the drama, right. The drama, I think, is very dramatic and makes you realize the difficulties and realities of daily lives of the police. We can see this through the eyes of three rookie police officers. Also, the senior officer casting is amazing (especially Bae Sung Woo) and the scenario has no loopholes. The scenario is like a web, tells different stories about different characters but they are connected with each other from various ways.
All in all, it makes you laugh, cry and angry in the same episode.

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I just finished the last episode of Live and I don't even know where to begin
This show is AMAZING. The acting,cast, writing and production is SO ON POINT!
The older casts in the drama (the mentors) are all pros in the acting field, just that alone is a great reason to watch, their portrayal of their character was spot on, especially as a cop and dealing with so many cases in an episode!

This drama makes you feel all the different types of emotions from just watching one episode, you cry due to touching moments , sad moments, there are precious cute squad moments and friendships and bonds in this drama that will make you want to keep watching!

It is not a typical romanticized version of cops that we usually see on tv or in dramas, instead this show displays all the realistic sides of the police team member's lives and their job. From episode 1, it shows the injustice and problems females face due to gender inequality. Jeong-Oh/the female lead graduates from the same school as her friends and even applies to the same job, but never gets it due to discrimination. This leads her to change her career and become a cop. Throughout the drama we see how much she grows as a character and all the hardships that she face.

But what I love the most is as the episodes go on, viewers are introduced to all the members on the police team, the captain, the chief, Yang Chon and the other mentors,mentees and rookies. Each and every person has a story and is never left out making you really care for them all. The bond and loyalty that they share are just amazing to watch.
ALL THE RELATIONSHIPS IN THIS DRAMA WAS SO PRECIOUS!

The OST was so perfect especially that english one I swear everyone in the comment section where I watched the drama was saying great things about the OST.

So basically NO THIS DRAMA IS NOT OVER HYPED, GO WATCH IT! 10/10

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I'm blown away by how this drama was written, by how they developed each character. The story itself is so well written, there's no single episode that i don't like. Why i like it so much? because i could crying in this moment and then 5 minutes later i'm laughing, the first and last episode are my favorite episode, you'll know if you watched it already.
I feel like this drama is so realistic, especially the first to second episode. It show us that life is unfair to everyone and i don't want to agree with that but that's the reality, the richer is getting richer because they have money which can lead to wider connection while the poorer getting poorer because they don't have money and they couldn't "afford the connection like the richer did". All the cast did a great job on portraying their character as well, I also stunned by Bae Sung Wo and Lee Kwang Soo acting, the female leads too did a great job on brings the characters to life. I love drama's who's their female lead have a strong character, like Captain An and Han Jung Oh. I can't express how precious this drama is, it's just so good, so realistic.

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I love this drama so much because it's so real.. none of that cookie cutter stuff. One thing I love about it is how it puts life into perspective for viewers, as you watch, you ponder on your privilege (or lack of), power and many other important things in this world. It also instills a deep appreciation of the little things in one's life.

The acting was suberb however a main character I had a bit of an issue with was Han Jeong-o, she wasn't all that great of an actress to me but she still did really well. One of the things that bothered me was how she lifts her eyebrows everytime she says something serious? is that some kind of acting method for her? Regardless, she killed it in some parts. My favourite characters were Oh Yang-chon, Hyeri, Kim Han-pyo (ngl it's partly bc of his looks, I could stare at him all day), Ki Han-sol, etc.

The soundtrack was amazing as well.

My only issue with the overall drama was how it too many silences, I don't even know how many times I pressed the 10 second skip button while watching it on netflix. I understand it's slow placed because the content is very heavy but it gets a bit too much for someone like me who's very impatient lool.

Overall, this is in my top 7 of favourite dramas so I highly recommend it.

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Amazing

I watched This drama when he came out But this week I rewatch it and I never get tired of watching it.
Is different and it talk about so many aspects like murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, serial killers, elders that are alone and sometimes taking care of their disable children or when they have low income and can’t provide the minimum to them and the person itself and many other problems like the personal problems of the characters, what they pass in their lifes their struggles their fears worries and traumas, and his cool to see the evolution of the characters.
We can’t forget to say that this drama is an emocional Roller coaster and sometimes I could really see myself trough some characters.
I cried to much watching this

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Live is a fantastic drama, which is equally devastating and inspiring to watch. It's so refreshing to see a police drama where the majority of the police are depicted in a positive light, rather than a negative one which is becoming increasingly common in American dramas. Although Live does show things like police corruption, it also shows that most cops are good people who want to protect citizens and serve their country.

This is a very realistic drama (apart from some annoying censorship of blood/weapons etc.), and it doesn't hold back to show the brutal realities that the police have to face every day. Nothing is sugar-coated, and there's no cliched "happily ever after" at the end of every episode. A warning to anyone who wants to watch Live: people die in this drama - quite a few in fact, and in gruesome ways. If you don't want to watch that, then this isn't for you. While this drama does focus a little on police office politics, a lot of it takes place out on the streets, where the violence is shown in full.

Similarly with dramas like Misaeng, the storytelling of Live is one of my favorite aspects, as there are overarching plots and story arcs as well as episodic conflicts. The basic premise is that the show follows a couple of newbies who join the police force, and the challenges and obstacles they face. However, Live is so much more than that, and it focuses on many different characters, all of whom are interesting and fleshed-out. This is what truly makes Live a great drama - the interesting characters, the conflicts between them, and how they develop over the series. Interestingly enough, to me, the "main character" of the show wasn't Lee Kwang Soo's character or Jung Yoo Mi's character - but in fact Bae Sung Woo's character, who plays a lieutenant who has been demoted and is forced to work with the newbies. To me, his character goes through the most development, and he is fascinating to watch. However, he wouldn't be half as good as a character if it weren't for Bae Sung Woo's magnificent performance. His performance shows everything, from happiness to anger to sadness. All of the actors are top-notch, including the supporting characters.

What also makes this show a cut above the rest, is the subtle social commentary that is included, such as what the media of South Korea does, and their impact on the police, as well as the government's role with criminals, and how some criminals are above the law. These inequalities and injustices are also shown. This adds real depths to this drama, and how you can see a certain event happen from different points of view.

This drama is highly recommended and one of the best of 2018. The cinematography is also great. The soundtrack is solid, and the songs work well. If I had to make a small criticism with the music, it would be that occasionally I felt too many songs were played in each episode - however this is just a minor quibble. Also, if you're worried about not watching this drama because you don't have much knowledge about the police force, don't be. This drama is much more than just about the police. It's also a family drama, a slice of life, and also a bit of a romance (although the romance is not the main aspect, and is handled with subtlety). Please watch - you will not be disappointed. Also, seeing Lee Kwang Soo in a serious role is amazing.

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Slow Start but at the end you'll wont want it to end!

After I would say the first three or four episodes, Live is addictive. What I love about this drama compared to many others is the range of characters and their development throughout the start to the end. The OST is absolutely fantastic too, perhaps one of my favourites? And that's a big statement for me to say! Regarding a second season, I'm not too sure if it will happen, however, I would definitely be open to one!

I would recommend anyone to watch Live. I think anyone from any age group (teen or older) will get enjoyment from watching this beautiful masterpiece. Some parts which were brutal, but it's legitimately made me respect the real police even more!

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Took me a while to finish

There is a lot to love about this series but it took me a while to finish mainly because the ML rookie Yeom Sang Soo's character was ridiculously judgmental. I didn't like his character or sympathize w/ his situation at all. I don't know how he can pass the academy in the first place. FL's acting was a bit stiff but overall ok.

Aspects that I did love:
A dose of reality, society issues that you don't see in rom coms.
Inequalities of job search completely biased which I hope it raises awareness to the gender wage gap.
Fantastic supporting cast. Lots of veterans in this drama with more interesting personalities than the ML.
Story, the crimes in this story are actually interesting, definitely brutal.
Cops are human too.

Watch it for the supporting cast & story.

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As a Reply hater: this is the Reply I hate the least

For people that loathe Reply-likes (including Prison Playbook and Hospital Playlist), Noh Hee Kyung's attempt at writing one could be the least offensive of all – simply because there's more of an actual plot, episodic crimes, and sort of normal character arcs. There are no supposedly-funny animal noises, and you don't see the same scenes repeated with more detail except to resolve episode cliffhangers. However, not all is rosy here either. 'Live' cannot fully commit to being a serious show with believable or even real characters, ultimately for two reasons: there is a degree of paid product placement that is at odds with these goals, and, occasionally, outlandish makjang scenarios are sprinkled all over the place.

It's a pity that it cannot "keep it real" because it comes pretty close. Characters seem human, and only the parents of the leads have at times inconsistent personalities with a crazy switch that is flipped when the writer feels like it. I didn't find it too jarring that, frequently, four or more of the cast turn into something like public service announcement drones to let you know about problems plaguing police officers (like the evergreen of how the police should have the 'power to indict' and their struggle against the prosecution, or spouting out statistics about recent stabbings, or the suicide rate among the police force). From cleaning up after drunks to crimes committed by children, happy slapping and serial crimes, you see all aspects of police work, and it's clear a lot of thought (and research) went into the show. You're frequently reminded that patrol officers will also have to keep the bathrooms clean and pay for all sorts of work-related expenses out of their own pockets, despite performing a hazardous job with poor pay and questionable job security.
Compared to your average drama, some very serious topics are touched upon, notably a lot of sexual crimes, often against teenagers. I feel these were handled tactfully, but a trigger warning is nonetheless appropriate.

Especially around a quarter into the show, there is so much bickering and mostly pointless fighting between the various characters, including the elderly ones, that at its worst, 'Live' has you observe children in adult bodies swimming (or just flailing about) in the vast product placement ocean. Not only is there the mandatory sponsored plastic water bottle, the sponsored canned cold coffee, but also the sponsored sometimes-talkative rice cooker (owned by every household, identical colour scheme), and the occasional appearance of a wireless vacuum, but it even reaches the deepest depravities of intellectual bankruptcy: sucking what there is to suck out of red ginseng plastic satchels (guaranteed to extend your lifespan). Needless to say, much like in The K2, any serious conversation about your relationship must be had at Subway – sandwich in hand.

OST-wise, you find memorable songs (and characters singing) in the first few episodes, but later on, the music supply gets a bit thin considering the drama's length. The romance scenes have very generic K-drama love songs. The episode outro montages often have absurdly unfitting songs playing, and they're cut short by preview spoilers anyway.

Speaking about romance: besides for one pre-established relationship, I don't think the romance-related plotlines added very much.

In episodes 14 and 15, it's like the filmmakers realised they are paying Sung Dong Il and Lee Joo Young for very little plot relevance, so some old material gets recycled to make them seem less superfluous. Fortunately, after that, the show is wrapped up in a tolerable way, instead of drowning in an onslaught of replays and flashbacks as so often happens. I don't like the ending given to one of the leads, but compared to the truly disrespectful way Prison Playbook treats its characters, that's a very, very minor complaint. Unlike that show, and Reply '97 and '88, 'Live' is the only Reply-like I've imbibed that I will be able to look back on somewhat fondly.

(On Netflix and other streamers like iQIYI, you don't get the complete unaltered show: https://mydramalist.com/24015-live#comment-12997047
That's also very Reply-like...)

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Awesome

Awesome
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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