This review may contain spoilers
Tugs at your heartstrings!
I didn't want to watch this show. I thought it would be boring. I am eating my own words right now - by re-watching parts of the series! :D
Breaking down my experience -
Story: It is the story of a baseball player who is sent to prison for beating up his sister's would-be assaulter. And the story is about his experience in prison as a prisoner and his best friend's as a correction officer. Every character is so well-etched that I found myself rooting for the gangster, scammer & drug addict!! It really showed prisoners in a human light! I didn't make light of the crimes/offenses committed by inmates. Instead, it just told their stories as they are - all shades of gray. And, correction officers are not authoritarian (like I'd expected them to be), instead they're human too - in similar shades of grey! (:
Some of the prisoners' stories made me want to reach into the TV and give them a comforting word or hug! The only reason I've not rated this 10, if because I hated how things ended for Looney! He was my favorite part of the show. I must have watched his scenes about 5 times!! I understand that not everything could end in roses & peaches. But, it still broke my heart. For the first time, in a long while, I found myself looking forward to the non-romance parts of the show! That is how good the overall script is!
Acting: Again, I am blown away! Every single actor was splendid! Every. Single. Actor!! The leads - Park Hae Soo, Jung Kyung Ho are without a doubt brilliant! I didn't expect to fall in love with Park Hae Soo. But, I did fall in love with Park Hae Soo's Kim Je Hyuk. I fully expected to fall for Jung Kyung Ho's Lee Joon Ho and was not disappointed. Every actor made me want to root for their character - understand their circumstances & choices, or abhor them! Every. Single. Actor!! I loved the chemistry between Lee Joon Ho & his brother, Looney & Captain Yoo and of course Kim Je Hyuk and Lee Joon Ho. <3 The romance was natural. Though, there wasn't crazy chemistry, I really believed in the couples - Je Hyuk & Ji Ho, Joon Ho & Je Hee, Han Yang(Looney) & Ji Won. Amazing acting! Special shout out to Jung Woong In's Lieutenant Paeng and Lee Kyu Hyung's Looney! <3, <3!
Music: I loved the OST so much that I'm now listening to a couple of them on loop, probably annoying my neighbors! :P Every score blends beautifully into the story. I don't understand the lyrics. But, I want to believe that they are apt.
I've already replayed many of the scenes with the Wing 2, Cell 6 scenes!! And, all those scenes where two or more cellmates are together. I'd definitely watch the entire series again and will be bugging my friends to watch it too! :)
Breaking down my experience -
Story: It is the story of a baseball player who is sent to prison for beating up his sister's would-be assaulter. And the story is about his experience in prison as a prisoner and his best friend's as a correction officer. Every character is so well-etched that I found myself rooting for the gangster, scammer & drug addict!! It really showed prisoners in a human light! I didn't make light of the crimes/offenses committed by inmates. Instead, it just told their stories as they are - all shades of gray. And, correction officers are not authoritarian (like I'd expected them to be), instead they're human too - in similar shades of grey! (:
Some of the prisoners' stories made me want to reach into the TV and give them a comforting word or hug! The only reason I've not rated this 10, if because I hated how things ended for Looney! He was my favorite part of the show. I must have watched his scenes about 5 times!! I understand that not everything could end in roses & peaches. But, it still broke my heart. For the first time, in a long while, I found myself looking forward to the non-romance parts of the show! That is how good the overall script is!
Acting: Again, I am blown away! Every single actor was splendid! Every. Single. Actor!! The leads - Park Hae Soo, Jung Kyung Ho are without a doubt brilliant! I didn't expect to fall in love with Park Hae Soo. But, I did fall in love with Park Hae Soo's Kim Je Hyuk. I fully expected to fall for Jung Kyung Ho's Lee Joon Ho and was not disappointed. Every actor made me want to root for their character - understand their circumstances & choices, or abhor them! Every. Single. Actor!! I loved the chemistry between Lee Joon Ho & his brother, Looney & Captain Yoo and of course Kim Je Hyuk and Lee Joon Ho. <3 The romance was natural. Though, there wasn't crazy chemistry, I really believed in the couples - Je Hyuk & Ji Ho, Joon Ho & Je Hee, Han Yang(Looney) & Ji Won. Amazing acting! Special shout out to Jung Woong In's Lieutenant Paeng and Lee Kyu Hyung's Looney! <3, <3!
Music: I loved the OST so much that I'm now listening to a couple of them on loop, probably annoying my neighbors! :P Every score blends beautifully into the story. I don't understand the lyrics. But, I want to believe that they are apt.
I've already replayed many of the scenes with the Wing 2, Cell 6 scenes!! And, all those scenes where two or more cellmates are together. I'd definitely watch the entire series again and will be bugging my friends to watch it too! :)
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