Stranger 2 : adequately fulfilling on it's journey to Stranger 3

Finally, it is all I could think at the start of Stranger 2, three years later, and it was captivating as I expected it to be, worthy of the over three-year wait. Having Lee Chang Joon's voiceover to start the episode was just brilliant. A reminder that the road to justice is long and rife with political tension. And, of course, where there is a crime to be solved, there is Hwang Shi Mok. I loved it. I always enjoy how he meticulously observes, sizes up a situation before questioning or jumping to conclusions. It was also thrilling to see Bae Doo Na reprise her role as Han Yeo Jin, love her with long hair, and Detective Jang. I love seeing them all at work; they click intuitively.

It's always great to see a woman in roles typically given to men and Jeon Hye Jin at that. I couldn't wait to see what she brought to the show as the police and ever-powerful prosecution office fought over independent investigative authority. I've always thought it quite weird how the prosecution had sole jurisdiction. So, I was interested to see how the fight would go down and how it would affect Shi Mok and Yeo Jin's fight against injustice. I am always ready when it comes to these two. And of course, Stranger 2 did not disappoint in how it tackled all the issues it presented, from coverups to police and prosecution corruptions to the embedded unscrupulous accepted and worse expected societal norms that hurt more than they help in junior/senior to rich/poor treatments and relationships. And I think what I find hardest to reconcile since I started watching k-dramas is that exactly -- the disappointments in the embedded unscrupulous accepted societal norms.

I loved the many twists and turned in this second installment but, more so, how differently the whole team handled the second season. I was glad to see that it was not a sequence of the first but rather a continued effort to justice's long and politically charged journey. And to see that journey can to an emotional ending as it hopefully continues to its next chapter to an incredibly penned, directed, acted, edited, and produced drama. The beginning and ending words of Lee Chang Joon sum season 2, SM and YJ, entirely—“Doggedly chasing after the truth and marching towards what’s right is a never-ending process. To stop for a moment is to fail. Marching towards change is like having two needles on your feet, with an invisible thread trailing after you, never stopping for breath as you march on. In the belief that a sliver of hope is better than immeasurable despair, we move forward with every determination once again.” This drama called attention to how arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence can, in mere seconds, bring down one’s life work (Chief Choi and Prosecutor Tae Woo). But at the same time, it showed us that one should never give up hope; it’s the light to a better and more fulfilled future for all involved. “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” —Desmund Tutu.

As sad as I was as excited for how it started and ended—strong and proud. I especially revered Chief Prosecutor Kang Won Cheol for standing tall for what matters most and putting his juniors before himself; that’s a mark of a true leader. As they say, it’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform. Chief Kang’s last act was a reminder that it’s easy even for the best of us to be swayed and lose our way, but the courage is in acknowledging it and getting back on track. It takes a lot of courage to do what he did. LYJ Hanjo’s leader’s reaction to his resignation said it all. She underestimated him for sure, and his final words struck her worse than if she’d been hit by one of those kdrama white trucks of doom. Undoubtedly one of the best crime dramas ever, now and forever. Solid character arcs, acting, development, and portrayals, even SDJ’s character. I cannot wait for season three, finishing what Lee Chang Joon started with a takedown of Hanjo Group. Shi Mok's dream at the finale for me captured everything Stranger 1 and 2 stand for— Hope. I will miss this drama until its next installment and highly recommend both seasons if you haven't watched them yet. Not one disappointing episode.

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Jang Na Ra is Refreshingly Magnificent - Always

Sell Your Haunted House is one drama I'm really, really going to miss. I got so used to the magnificence that is Jang Na Ra every Wednesday and Thursday that I'm not sure what I will do for the next couple of weeks. But that said, I truly enjoyed this finale for its unexpected ending. I have to say I didn't foresee Do Hak Sung (Ahn Kil Kang) as an unrested spirit, so kudos to the writer for that very well-done twist. His exorcism was brilliant, one of my favorites of the series.

Week after week, I found myself continuously saying the same thing repeatedly about the cases and the exorcisms -- this episodes' case of exorcism was the most fulfilling until I finally realized each case and exorcism were special on its own, be it for the message in them or the method. I don't think I exaggerate when I say besides having Jang Na Ra, the exorcisms and the stories they carried are the best parts of this drama.

As for Do Hak Sung, he wasn't so much of a villain as more of a thug and criminal who, to the very end, did not dare to recognize the errors of his way and let greed rule his life, destroying countless other lives in the process. They say greed is a bottomless pit that exhausts the person carrying it in an endless effort to satisfy a need without ever reaching satisfaction -- greed makes a man blind and foolish and makes him easy prey for death. I don't think better words would have described Do Kak Sung. Sealing his unrest spirit to eternally feel the pain he caused is a fate he more than deserved.

Kudos to all the actors in this drama, from the lead to the support, guest appearances, and production team -- a job well done. From Jung Yong Hwa to Kang Hong Suk, Kang Mal Geum, Baek Eun Hye, Ahn Kil Kang and Changhwa Restaurant owner Baek Hyun Joo. They each completed this drama, driving its ultimate message of letting go -- only when one lets go of past anguishes, grudges, and sorrows can they forgive themselves and find joy and love in the people around them. And what a lovely voice Jung Yong Hwa has - his rendition of the I Got You OST is excellent.

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Exceptional Crime and Life Lesson Drama - Thank God for Season 2 -- Cannot Wait!

Indeed an exceptional drama, subtle but with a loud message. It only takes one good detective (Jang Seung Jo) and person to affect change and help others realize they each hold within them the change they want to see around them. My biggest takeaway from this drama is that only when you experience injustice do you realize how invaluable justice is -- justice is the sum of all moral duty and that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This drama revealed that the enemy of the truth is blind acceptance, and no matter what path an individual chooses the truth will always be the truth, even if no one believes it, and a lie is just a lie even if everyone chooses to believe it. Kudos to excellent penmanship, directing, and impeccable acting by Jang Seung Jo, Son Hyun Joo, Oh Jung Se, Lee Elijah, Seung Hyun, and all the others. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this refreshing drama and if you decide to watch it I am sure you will enjoy it as well. See you in Season 2

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Fiction vs. Actual Events

Let me just start by saying I am very hurt that this promising drama never was. No disrespect intended, and I am sure there is a cultural difference at play here, but this drama wasn’t intended to be a documentary; I can understand the reaction if it were. It was never going to be accurate. A work of fiction never is; I mean, are they saying evil spirits/vampire-like living corpses were running around in the Joseon dynasty; is that the accurate part; I mean, come on; it feels a bit much to petition to the Blue House to cancel a show, a fictional one might I add. I'm dumbfounded. How come these very same viewers never reacted the same way to the overt abuse, be it emotional, physical, or sexual, and the vileness in some of the dramas; I am sure it depicts real-life scenarios around the country. I am not complaining but those acts depicted in the dramas I use this as an example. Come to think of it, were there any shows canceled because of that; I wonder. Very sad indeed at many different levels but on a personal one the most. I was so into this drama. I am going to need a very, very long minute to process this for sure!

A friend here on MDL commented, "Ben Affleck’s Argo was akin to fiction when he made the heroes who rescued American hostages in Tehran the CIA operatives, rather than the actual Canadian Embassy diplomats and staff. He managed to tick off Britain, Iran, and of course, Canada in the process. There were no cries to have the film removed from screens everywhere. People stayed away in droves, thereby lessening box office results. That’s how you deal with this type of issue- hit them in the pocketbook. There’s no need to curtail other’s viewing of the film, flaws and all".
And I completely agreed and added that even as Argo was criticized for its inaccuracy, it was praised for the acting, directing, and editing. The film received seven nominations at the 85th Academy Awards and won three for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. So, yes, criticize all you want but demanding the show be canceled, a fictional one that never claimed to be based on actual events, that is at a completely different level. It's akin to censorship, if you ask me. What kind of message does this send not just to writers and filmmakers in Korea but to the world, especially as SK starts garnering the international attention it so clearly deserves in filmmaking and acting.

The more I think of this situation's unfairness, the harder it gets to accept the decision to cancel the show. I've come across a couple of petitions on MDL, and I would very much love to see Netflix pick up this drama, so I include it here for those of similar mind. Sign this petition to save Joseon Exorcist http://chng.it/vn2XTNLdwB
#SaveJoseonExorcist

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On The Verge of Insanity is Why Workplace Values Are Important

I greatly appreciate On the Verge of Insanity for tackling the challenges of surviving the corporate world from hierarchy/bureaucracy, dealing with change and difficult personalities, countering negativity, keeping the workforce engaged and motivated; nurturing and developing new skills in young talent, and first and foremost trying to but miserably failing to manage employee relations effectively. In that sense, the biggest challenge any company faces, especially HR, is taking on workforce reductions/layoffs, forced or otherwise.

Layoffs within any company or organization have been a time-tested means of cutting costs. Reducing staff brings an immediate and substantial impact, whether reorganizing or selling off a company to benefit a few. In that sense, I can only imagine how the news of a forced layoff will affect the employees of Hanmyung Electronics; just the thought of it makes me shudder. It's so true when they say a good-performing employee is only as good as their manager -- it flows from the top to the bottom. Steve Jobs said it doesn't make sense to hire smart people only to tell them what they can do; we hire smart people to tell us what to do.

Each employee or worker has their own workplace values. And, while an organization or company can't always make sure each person's values perfectly align, they can try to hire people who fit, and vice versa, employees should make an effort to only work for companies or organizations that align with their core values. And this drama does a great job articulating what happens when values are out of alignment; people work towards different goals, with other intentions, and with different outcomes, which in turn damages work relations, productivity, job satisfaction, and creative potential. Hanmyung Electronics is a great example of that.

I have many memorable moments from this drama. I respect Ban Seok (Jung Jae Young) for restraining himself for as long as he had. Still, I think Ban Seok's head butting Se Gwon for being the coward and the thief he always was and continued to be despite the many chances he had will remain with me for a while; he had it coming for a time now. From the moment I started this drama, I knew Ban Seok would be the catalyst for change. He is authentic, resilient, emotionally intelligent, self-disciplined, and committed, a man of purpose qualities that set him far above everybody else. Despite knowing Se Gwon (Lee Sang Yeob) was hopeless, I still hoped. I wasn't disappointed in him but more myself for expecting.

Among the dramas that I watched simultaneously, On the Verge of Insanity is one I excitedly anticipated week after week and touched me the most. I commend the writer, director, and actors for making such a classy, relevant and realistic depiction of the challenges the workforce faces and the importance of workplace values both as an employer and an employee. I was pleased the drama shows this with Ban Seok as he works to build up his new company Banstone Company (I love the name), with workplace values that serve as a guiding principle. And I was even happier that On the Verge of Insanity highlights it as a critical message.

I appreciate all the cast for their stellar performances, but Moon So Ri, Jung Jae Young, Lee Sang Yeob, Jo Bok Rae, Kim Nam Hee, and Cha Chung Hwa. More importantly, for driving the message that when an organization's values align with its workforce, everyone does the right things for the right reasons. The common purpose and understanding help invest in the betterment of the organization; it stops being just about the paycheck and becomes a long-term investment.

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Legalized Abuse

Every episode of D.P. Dog is like a dagger to the heart; the issues it raises are dark but have depth, especially related to the abnormal practices the military service allows to continue. It's hard to take, let alone accept these practices actually translate into real life. Only when I read an article by director Han Jun Hee, who adapted Kim Bo Tong's webcomic with the same title, D.P. Dog Day, did I realize there was truth to the fiction. In the article, the director said he wanted to follow young men in their early 20s and depict what they go through while at the same time offering a drama that could resonate with audiences by laying out current underlying issues facing South Korean society.

I relate to this drama differently because my country, too, follows a conscripted military service system. I understand the need for mandatory service, especially when a country is at constant war with its neighbor; the need to be ready is that much more potent. But forced conscription where if one tries to skirt around it may affect their future not just legally but culturally that I don't understand. My country has indefinite forced conscription for both men and women who suffer intolerable psychological and physical aftermath -- the indignity of it all isolated and forced to adapt to the military’s hierarchical and disciplinary culture all while being treated so inhumanely, be it economically, mentally, or physically it's no wonder the service is viewed as a chore to escape rather than patriotic duty -- that is what's hard to stomach.

That Cho's (Jo Hyun Chul) incident comes straight from the headlines of a case of a sergeant in 2014 who went on a deadly shooting spree, reportedly as revenge for repeated bullying, makes it even that much more regrettable. Joon Ho (Jung Hae In) wailing at the end at the loss of a life whose only crime was trying to live his life to the best of his abilities with the threat of legalized abuse was sorrowing and harrowing at the same time. I admire, praise, and commend the whole cast, they all did an amazing job, and I've gained so much appreciation for their great acting abilities. The same goes for the scriptwriter for scripting such a compelling story and the director for bringing to life this raw gut-wrenching yet at the same time eye-opening drama. I hope it catalyzes the change both the civilian and military society in South Korea and other countries across this globe so desperately need. This drama will remain with me for a long time to come and is one I highly recommend.

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Window into the life of a Star who only wanted the chance to be herself

I can't say I knew Sulli or was even much of a fan, but her death deeply saddened me. She was everything the Korean entertainment industry needed for a positive, if not better, change. She became the change she wanted to see but sadly gave up on that change to the people who made her famous and who were also the ones who pulled her down to the lowest point that she felt the only escape was to leave it all to them. Given the opportunity, I truly believe she would have been the beginning of the change needed in the industry, making this documentary is proof of that. It is so hard to watch at times. For us fans, everything looks so glamorous watching from our TV screens. I can't fathom the hardship, discrimination, control, mental, physical, and even sexual abuse many of the stars we adore suffer to bring us the phantom joy we live in for a few hours or weeks.

More than the short film, the interview was hard to watch, at least for me, hearing and in some instance feeling her pain, imagining the hardship, and ultimately, picturing the decline in mental health is truly heartbreaking. I wish she knew she had other options, but it is easy for me to say this now. I wish the people around her helped her realize there were other choices, including her management company. They must have witnessed her pain first hand. I genuinely believe the entertainment industry itself bears a lot of responsibility for her suicide and the many others like her. They treat celebrities like commodities from whom a few powerful agencies can squeeze as much income in as short a time as possible. They strip them of any semblance of a normal life, letting the fans go too far in their obsessions and sometimes giving into their demands of not allowing idols to be in relationships or even marry.

The crazy fans who obsessed over Sulli's life choices are also to blame for her death and the death of many gone too soon in this industry. I realize the many celebrity suicide deaths in the past decade or so have brought the issue of suicide and mental health to the forefront, as Korea has the highest rates among developed countries among civilians, and is attributed to academic and work pressure, the stigma around mental health, among others. I can't even begin to know the solution, but I would guess an open and honest dialogue like this one is a great start. Rest in peace, Sulli and the many others who left this earth too soon. I highly recommend giving this a try. Sulli earned at least that. I only gave the rewatch value an 8 because it was just too hard to watch at times.

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Highly Recommend -- Illuminating Journey of the Power of Love

I wasn't sure what to expect with Move to Heaven. I mean, I read the premise of it, but how many times have we all done that only to find the show or movie is nothing like the synopsis described it. One thing is for sure, though, it was quite an emotional ride, one I hadn't felt since My Mister and Chocolate. And not only that but it's beautifully produced, with vivid colors and tones. I knew I would enjoy the drama for the mere fact that Lee Je Hoon was in it, and it's the main reason I decided to watch it since it wasn't really in my plan to watch list, to begin with; I'm glad I did.

There is no disputing the brilliance that is Tang Jun Sang as Han Geu Roo. But my favorite was Hong Seung Hee in her role as Yoon Na Moo. She was a blessing to have in and around Geu Roo throughout the drama in every sense of the word. I would be remiss not to mention Jung Ae Yun in the role of Madam Jung, the one character I disliked the moment I laid eyes on her. I mean, even before she uttered a word, and it never really got any better for her, no arc development or growth here, just pure greed. But with that said, the credit again goes to Jung Ae Yun and her ability to make me feel the way I did towards her character. Each character, the good and the bad leave an impact and makes Move to Heaven the great story that slowly and methodically unfolds on screen.

Everything about this drama works and works very well. From the touching stories in each of the commissioned trauma cleanings to the way Move to Heaven handles each case and the closure, care, and respect it provides to the dearly departed as well as those left behind to deal with the loss of their loved one. I truly commend the writer, the director, all the actors for bringing to life a drama about a young man who cannot change, whose whole life is anchored and defended by routine yet changes the lives of all those around him. And by the end of the first episode, I found myself feeling love for Han Geu Roo like he was related to me, which is a credit to Tang Jung Sang as an actor and how he plays the character. He doesn't play him as cute, lovable, or even pathetic, but a matter of factly, uninflected, unmoved except when his routine changes and he gets agitated until its balance is restored. And it's in those moments that I grew to love him even more than I had already started for what he was, and realized that's how the people around him felt about him too.

All the change in the drama belongs to Jo Sang Goo (Lee Je Hoon), who begins the drama as a me-first opportunist. But by the end, he learns to pay attention, listen, and be a little more patient while in the process gets to know the meaning of family and true love. Move to Heaven to me was about acceptance, unconditional love, and that being different is nothing to be afraid of but something to encourage and embrace. And it's a lesson we can all undoubtedly benefit from in our daily dealings with the people around us, be it family, friends, our neighbors, or mere strangers. Fantastic drama, and here is me wishing and optimistically waiting on the second season of this journey.

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Revenge is Sweet but Karma is Sweeter -- Amazingly Done and Yay to a second season

There is nothing I didn't like about this drama. Taxi Driver, to some, may have been another revenge drama, but to me, it was one of those dramas that dared not only to undertake, but also address some mammoth issues that sometimes overwhelmed. From labor and mental health abuse to significant workplace harassment, pornography, organ trafficking, thrill killers, statute of limitations, and the biggest and hardest to reconcile the abuse of an almost lawless justice system, that was seemingly instituted to preserve the rights of the powerless victims, but somehow ends up shielding the lawless and the criminals. It's true when they say, the only thing more hideous than crime is repressive justice. So, it's no surprise that the issues above birthed and justified a service such as Deluxe Taxi that empowered the victims and punished the lawless as befitted their crimes. But as sweet as revenge can get, karma is sweeter, which the drama clearly articulates at its ending. And as Jung Sung Chul (Kim Eui Sung) says, revenge only begets more revenge.

The other thing Tax Driver unquestionably articulates is that if the criminal justice system intends to represent the victims and exact revenge by the law to dissuade people from self-help. It should then correctly do its job and not trivialize those it's supposed to protect. Just as people should be held accountable for their actions, so should the state, because there's a moral burden that comes from allowing heinous criminals and crimes not to be punished commensurate with their wickedness. I commend Kang Ha Na (Esom) and her Deputy Chief Prosecutor for recognizing that.

Taxi Driver's message is that revenge is never the answer, and neither is locking up criminals and throwing away the key. To achieve wide-ranging criminal justice reform, society and legislators need to overhaul how they think, dispense, and talk about social justice and crime. Because, as many experts have noted, how human beings describe each other either furthers their understanding and empathy or furthers othering and dehumanization. But what touched me most about Taxi Driver is the impactful and daring way it arrived at its final message. Everything from the system to the people who govern and are affected by it; are flawed humans, including our heroes. And that makes them more than capable of being the change they want to see.

As for the production -- well, a thousand and one kudos to the cast, the writer, the director, and production team of Taxi Drivers for a job beyond well done, but especially to Lee Je Hoon, this drama wouldn't have worked as well as it did without him. The same goes for Esom, Kim Eui Sung, Pyo Ye Jin; she was brilliant, and so was Cha Ji Yeon and the rest of the wonderfully talented cast. I will sorely miss this drama, but I look forward to seeing Lee Je Hoon in his next project -- Unframed and, if lucky, Taxi Driver 2. Highly recommended.

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Praiseworthy -- 10 stars all around!

You Are My Spring is praiseworthy for the characters, dialogues, and much-needed awareness it brings up and addresses. It mainly does a stellar job highlighting the devastating long-term effect and consequences of abuse, child or spousal, neglect, alienation, and trauma after. Not only that, it handles other misguided societal taboos and their aftermaths, primarily dating, particularly if sick, divorced, older, a celebrity, or in any way different than the acceptable norm. But more, the message it sends -- to change the way society looks at things; one must be the change they wish to see. I was expressly broken for the effect abuse left on both Ian Chase and Choi Jeong Min (Park Moon acted both roles) but primarily Jeong Min. Ian Chase confessing to his revenge scheme and things he made his brother do heartwrenching to watch.

To see that not only did Ian and Jeong Min's parents fail to protect them, but so did the system. Every child needs and deserves unconditional love and protection provided by those who brought them into this world. What this drama highlights the most and presents so artistically is that parenting requires responsible and selfless choices. To love and protect children does not require money, as much as it requires parents to identify and heal their own trauma and pain. We see the healing unfold in Da Jang (Seo Hyun Jin), who as a child carried the burdens of her mother's miserable married life, same with Young Do (Kim Dong Wook), who believed he had to sacrifice himself to save his brother to please his mother those beliefs notwithstanding they were lucky enough to have a parent who protected and kept them safe, but Ian and Jeong Min did not have that. They weren't protected or safe, nor did they ever feel protected, safe, or loved. It's no wonder Ian pushed for the choices they did.

As much as I love Da Jang and Young, the side stories in this drama fill my heart even more, especially Ahn Ga Young (Nam Gyu Ri) and Patrick 9 Park Sang Nam), and the twins and mainly Eun Ha (Kim Ye Won). I adored her personality. She was strong-willed yet delicate at the same time in her pain. Parents unintentionally do many hurtful things to their children, and parental alienation is probably right up there with the worst of them. All the stories this series offered, everything from the laughs and cries and the sharing of despair, heartache, fear, and the ultimate healing and love, all were memorable moments. But none of the stories were as impactful as the unfitting story of Ian Chase and Jeong and how it unexpectedly tied into the heart of this gem of a drama. I love the emphasis You Are My Spring leaves with us in that human beings can not thrive alone and should look out for one another and that having a solid network of supportive family and friends helps enhance our mental well-being. It's that and the faith it places on the healing journey through the genuine relationships our characters form that help them confront, accept, embrace, and let go of their fears, guilts, pre-judgments, and pains.​

As the saying goes, no man is an island - everyone needs support and comfort in both times of joy and distress. A standing ovation to my favorite S.K. actress Seo Hyun Jin, Kim Dong Wook for his brilliance, Yoon Park for making me believe him in his dual roles, Nam Gyu Ri for making me fall in love with Ga Young as well as her drama The Princess Forever, and Park Sang Nam with Patrick. Of course, no lead actors are ever complete without a strong support cast that makes them shine, and we have that and more in Kim Ye Won, Han Min, Ji Seung Hyun for getting me invested in their stories and the fantastic cameos, particularly Kim Nam Hee. They say actors are only as good as a script they can sink their teeth into, and the story and dialogue in this drama is proof of that. Kudos to the screenwriter for scripting such magic and the director for making it come to life.

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A Beginning and an Ending

In the weirdest of ways, I appreciated the ending a lot more than I thought I would, especially since it was unexpected, and as it unfolded, it made total sense. In that only in Han Tae Sul's death would everything be resolved, especially for the future. I admired Han Tae Sul for sacrificing himself in the present for a better future, not just for himself but for all those he cared about, and especially for Kang Seo Hae. The storyline that didn't work for me at all was Sigma. Things started going haywire from the moment he was introduced. Everything about him was totally insipid; even his manipulation or attempts at manipulation, should I say of the Bureau, Seung-bok, Sun, Han Tae Sul, and everyone and everything in between didn't feel as well-grounded as it should've been for a villain of his magnitude. I mean, he is the guy who brings about the end of the world, yet I couldn't take him seriously.

The other biggest failures aside from Sigma for me were Seo Jin and Seung Bok, as prominent as they were at the beginning of the drama as non-existent towards the end; I almost forgot about them that when they reappeared, I just wasn't interested nor did I care. As a matter of fact, I wasn't even sure what roles they continued to play even when Seung Bok threatens Tae Sul and Seo Hae at the end rather than menacing, it felt contrived, and his reasoning, the age-old jealousy felt so uninteresting. The villains in this drama did, however, have one thing in common the intensely personal feeling of inadequacy and hate towards Han Tae Sul for being their total opposite.

As I said, I didn't expect a glamorous ending, but I was pleasantly surprised, not that it was glamorous, but it was indeed interesting. I give it to the writer and director. I liked the last 10 minutes of the finale and wished the show had spent more time reflecting on that rather than on Sigma and his self-pitying, hate, narcissism, jealousy, egotism, obsession, and doubt. I doubted we would get a meaningful ending, but we did -- once we get to self-interpret an ending of our liking. In the end, this was nothing more than a love story.

I love the first half of this drama, but towards the second half of this drama, I started getting this feeling that Sisyphus failed me somehow, but then I probably failed it too for not fully grasping its storytelling. I do, however, fully appreciate the acting, especially Jo Seung Woo as Han Tae Sul, Park Shin Hye as Kang Seo Hae, and Sung Dong-II as CEO Park and Sung Dong-II in particular. He was piercing in the role of a broker torn by his past self's emotional indulgences and his present self waiting, pinning to save those who matter to him most yet at the same time failing to recognize they were with him all along. I will miss Jo Seung Woo and hope the next time I see him in a drama, it will be Stranger 3.

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Dark and Gritty but so Good

Bait is a very well-plotted drama that, in only two episodes, has cleverly evolved, and if it stays its course of successfully telling the story in the coherent way it has in the next four episodes, it will be one of the best crime/thrillers of 2023. It's dark, gritty, and an in-your-face kind of crime/murder thriller that's intensely captivating. A successful strategy for keeping a mystery captivating is to maintain the core of the mystery episode-by-episode while at the same time nimbly tying in the larger picture as the other elements unfold, and Bait does it so well in just two episodes.

Everything from the cinematography, the lighting or lack of it, the set, the actors, and the theme is so well thought of it is hard not to get sucked into the drama and the story. Additionally, there's some strong acting from the ensemble cast, with Jang Geun Suk, in particular, carrying the material. He looks terrific. I didn't recognize him. I am hooked. And what a cliffhanger of an ending for the first part of this drama. Everything worked, from the serial killing mystery to the cat and mouse chase and most of all Jang Geun Suk. He is just fantastic in this drama.

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Hell

Cyber Hell is intensely powerful and not in a good way, it's horrifying and mind overwhelmingly maddening. I couldn't stop crying, actually bawling tears of rage. I have never felt the way I did as I watched this, and that says a lot as I am an avid true-crime documentary watcher. The thought that human beings can stoop so low as to terrorize other humans (children not older than eight years old, teenagers, and women), the way the criminals depicted in this documentary did is unimaginable to me -- words fail me.

A true-crime documentary recounting a South Korean case in which chat room operators blackmailed young women (more like teenage girls) into sending explicit videos between 2018 and 2020 is tormenting. The thought that while I watched and filled my eyes with beautiful k-dramas, adolescent girls and women were experiencing the horror of this documentary is unspeakably horrific to me.

The synopsis described this case as a sexual slavery ring, an understatement. That it took place almost exclusively over Telegram, where thousands watched, shared, and reshared images of girls and women forced to send demoralizing pictures of themselves so a bunch of cowards could advertise and sell them for money is hard to accept even as one watches it unfold. To say that a bunch of soulless men and boys, for that matter, thought that it was perfectly okay to humiliate and demean someone's sister, daughter, cousin, and friend is what I struggled to reconcile as I watched the events of what I can only describe as ineffable.

Just thinking of this case fills me with rage—shame on the blackmailer(s) who started such an atrocity. But God heavens, those who participated, enjoyed, and perpetuated the actions are the actual monsters -- the depravity is unimaginable. It leaves me thinking about how, why, and when such young people lost their humanity to the extent that they believed inflicting the type of atrocities as the likes depicted here was fun. It's beyond anything that I have ever heard of or could imagine.

I commend everyone involved in bringing this case to light. Those who produced it to the whistleblower, reporters, tv producers, civilians, well-intended hackers, and the police who worked tirelessly to shut down this demeaning crime. But most importantly, the victims who endured the degradation and humiliation of their souls. If this documentary highlighted anything, it's that women are dramatically less safe and private on the internet than men, the mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, and daughters of society. They are the true heroes of this documentary.

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Iruma Michios -- A very uniquely done courtroom/law drama

I started this drama as it was coming to its end, and I loved how simple yet deep it is in its dialogues and execution. For example, when Iruma Michio told Nagaoka Makoto it was up to him to decide how he accepts the truth about his father and his death in episode one, probably one of the most explosive episodes along with all the other episodes the only thing I could think was how powerful that one sentence was -- brilliant drama, and this was just me watching the first episode. At the time, I could only imagine how much better the drama would get, and it did. It not only tackled the law and the injustices it commits but also touches on how the elite view the law and the twisted perceptions they impose on it to benefit themselves. I wish the world were full of Iruma Michios.

As I watched this drama, I was reminded of Frederick Douglass's quote when he said. "Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe." A very uniquely done courtroom/law drama presenting the heart of the law while applying the rule of law with a brilliant cast in the marvelous Takenouchi Yutaka as the very humanistic judge Iruma Michio aiming to render the "correct" judgment, not just the politically acceptable one.

When they say it is not power that corrupts but fear, they are absolutely right -- fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it, and fear of the courage of power and what is different corrupts those who are subject to it. So, in that sense, it's not that Iruma is different, but in how he interrupts the law as it was meant to be in that justice cannot be for one side alone but must be for both sides and parties regardless of one's station in life.

Such a simplistic drama, yet it manages to raise such piercing questions in how the higher-ups in the legal system and the general public view and interpret law and justice. And to that end, I am a complete sucker for dramas with bold messages, and Ichikei no Karasu's was clear that true freedom requires the rule of law and justice and a judicial system in which the denial of rights to others does not secure the rights of some. And that judges should not just interpret the letter of the law but understand it and apply it fairly and justly.

Undoubtedly the drama and Iruma Michios wouldn't have been as good with the support of its wondrous cast in Judge Komazawa Yoshio, who makes it possible for Iruma and the rest of his team to be who they are - true to themselves and the judgments they consciously render; Nakamura Baijaku as Chief Secretary Kawazoe Hiroshi, and law clerks aIshikura Bunta, Sakurai Yuki (Sakurai Yuki), Ichinose Itoko (Mizutani Kaho), and prosecutors Ide Iori (Yamazaki Ikusaburo) and Ichinose Itoko (Masu Takeshi). I love how principled this drama was to the end. Highly recommend it.

"Until justice is blind to color until education is unaware of race, and until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins (statues), emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact" ~ Lyndon B. Johnson.

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There Are Consequences To Ignoring Consequences And Things Are Not Always What They Seem

They say there are consequences to ignoring consequences that are a consequence of one's blatant unwillingness to learn from their consequences, and that to me is what The Devil Judge was all about, a story quite relevant to our present time. I am a firm believer that one man’s devil is another man’s angel. But at the same time, those who fight monsters should beware not to become the monster they fight because when someone stares too long into the abyss, it will eventually stare back, as they say. But if one can imagine what makes a perfectly normal human being become a devilish avenger, as Go-On viewed Yo Han without even knowing what drove him. It becomes apparent that it’s hard for others to understand another person’s pain if they haven’t experienced it themselves. Justice-seeking monsters or devils like Yo Han do not just appear out of thin air; they are created; they become who they are because something unimaginable happened, and the magnitude of it only matters to them.

But regardless of how others thought of him, Yo Han was always the power of the powerless, a man with a soul. Yes, his methods were unconventional, but at least he did not stand silently in the face of evil even as he lived with his unimaginable pain. Because as they say, the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people. Yes, Ga-On (kudos to Park Jin Young for a well-done job) was a man of conviction. Still, he proved time and time again that nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. The same goes for Justice Min, who thought doing the wrong thing for the right reasons justified his actions which he will have to spend the rest of his days atoning as Ga-On told him no better judgment than that for someone like him. As they say, when one dances with the devil, the devil doesn't change. The devil changes them.

Ga-On, as a character, goes through a lot of heartaches, the biggest of all was losing his best friend, and in a way, it left him vulnerable to other people's manipulation, which made him do some unforgivable things. It doesn't excuse his behavior, but it does explain his choices. In the end, he falls in the same pit Yo Han found himself in so many years ago and finds the only way out is to take extreme measures to atone for the mistakes he's made, which was quite ironic for a man who blindly followed his conviction, a lesson learned the hard way, that the law is powerless in the face of power. As Yo Han says, monsters aren't born; they are awoken, and if one wants to make a dent, they may have to become the monster they so fervently abhor. I loved that Yo Han had people like him who stayed loyal to him to the end; they are all heroes in my book who understood the choices they made came with responsibilities they never floundered. As frustrating as it was to watch Ga-On fiddle with his inexperience and flip flipping as important to witness his gradual if at times sporadic development.

I would be remiss not to mention Soo Hyun, and unfortunately, as a character, she never worked for me. I could never really connect to her, and I tried. It was almost like she really didn't matter in the scheme of things and was created as a buffer for Ga-On. She was truly one-dimensional; everything about her revolved around Ga-On and his needs. She became a Cop to protect him, started investigating Yo Han for of him; she did nothing for herself, and I think if the writer had made her less focused on Ga-On and given her more depth in her function as a COP and a woman for that matter I would have been able to connect with her as a character and an individual. It felt like she had no value added to the drama, and that doesn't necessarily speak to Park Gyu Young as an actor but more the character. Judge Oh Jin Joo was probably another character that didn't get her fair share, but I commend Kim Jae Kyung for making the most of what she had and shinning through by the end of the drama.

Sun-Ah and her goons, on the other hand, were always prisoners of their greed. They lived in its bottomless pits, endlessly trying to satisfy that unquenchable hunger to no avail. The more they got, the more they wanted, but Sun Ah was her own doom and most significant enemy. I thought it quite hypocritical that Sun Ah was moved by certain things and didn't stand silently in the harassment or demeaning of women and orphan girls, which made her appear heroic in a way, yet a monster in the way she went after what she deemed hers, including the killing of innocent souls. It's so true when they say hypocrisy is the vice homage pays to virtue. Hats off to the talent that is Kim Min Jung in how she effortlessly portrayed the complex yet compelling Sun-Ah who lived and ended her own hell and on her own terms. Her life was the sum of all her choices. It must've been torture being her.

Many believed there wasn't much difference between Sun-Ah and Yo Han, Sun-Ah herself believed that, and that was probably the beginning of the end for her. But I say there are quite different. Sun Ah's revenge was very personal if we can even call it revenge. It was all for her and about her; she was never an avenger, nor did she have good intentions. In fact, her views were entirely incorrigible because she was utterly convinced of her moral perfection and the righteousness of her own cause, which made her sadistic and pretty dangerous. As I saw it, it was never really about revenge for Yo Han as much as it was about empowering the powerless. It was fitting that the ending showed history repeating itself and that the people who created the live show to popularize their image were judged by it. It was not just righteous, but justice in action. The Devil Judge was a delightful investment. Ji Sung again proves why he deserves to be on my top five list with his tremendously fantastic acting abilities. Kudos to the many gifted cast and production team members that made The Devil Judge the success it became, standing ovation for a well-done job. Yo Han strolling in a blaze of glory gives me great vibes for a second season. The drama's musical scores were also brilliantly done.

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