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.