This was my first ever K-drama and I loved it with a heavy heart. I have just started to watch South Korean films/dramas and was not aware how dark and morbid so many of them tend to be. Padam Padam was an amazingly well conceived drama all around. With well drafted, fully developed, flawed characters, an original complex story with elements of crime, fantasy and a whole lot of emotion, this show was able to pack such punch it'll leave you wanting long after the final episode. Exactly my type of drama. I jumped into watching this because I love a good redemption story, and having completely fallen in love with Jung Woo-sung after seeing him in A Moment to Remember and Season of Good Rain, I did not hesitate. The acting, especially his, was just superb. From the opening scene to the final montages, I was hooked. Even when I wanted to stop watching and run away from all the emotional turmoil this show unleashed. Jung Woo-sung plays adorable, working class man-child Yang Kang Chil. Loyal and tough he isn't afraid to take on anyone who threatens his loved ones, but having lost his youth to the Korean prison system he looks at life through the eyes of a child, discovering and marveling at such simple pleasures as owning his first car, riding the train or going to the zoo. I adored Kang Chil's innocent world weariness. In this role Jung Woo-sung gave one of his bravest, most poignant performances. I loved the relationship he had with his family, esp his mom, who was so movingly portrayed by actress Na Moon Hee. The way she nurtured Kang Chil with her tough love was heartwarming to watch, and there were some hilariously funny scenes between them too. Unlike many of the mostly western dramas that I've seen where the leads fall in love on sight and get together within the first 2-3 episodes, this was not the case in Padam Padam. The love story between Kang Chil and Ji Na took time to develop (over 10 episodes to be exact). This was torture for me because I was practically foaming at the mouth to see them together, so mad was their on-screen chemistry. In hindsight, though, their budding relationship was appropriately played out. After all, here are two people, each with their own emotional baggage to overcome. It's only natural that they would look at the prospect of a having a relationship together from completely different standpoints, and this was what you got from Kang Chil and Ji Na. They had to overcome both internal and external obstacles before they could come together as a couple. When they finally did, their love story was so sweet and romantic it'll take your breath away. As usual, I wish there was more physicality between these characters. After making us wait so long, what we got was too tame. Of course, I wasn't looking for explicit sex, but some deep, ardent kisses would have suffice. That said though, their interactions were all heartwarming and beautiful. I can not praise this drama enough. This is a show that will impart valuable life lessons. I wished I had known certain things before investing so much of myself in the characters. This drama took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that I'm not sure I liked. It weighed heavily on me days after I had seen it, but this was a good quality production. I'd recommend it. There's a lot of sadness and heartbreak, but I think it's manageable if you know going in that that's coming. I'll probably be able to re-watch it after many months have passed.