My Name (2021)

Amazing story, production, and ACTING!

This drama blew me away and definitely exceeded my expectations. I looked forward to Han So Hee’s acting when the trailer was released and after watching her in this action/crime genre, she did AMAZING!
The whole plot was very smooth and there wasn’t any point in the drama of dragging out the story. Every moment was important and captivating.
This drama is filled with intense action and incredible emotions! I watched the whole drama in one sitting because it was SO good. There were a lot of twists and turns that were shocking even if it was somewhat predictable or not.
In the end, I was filled with a huge and intense emotion with some sadness but it offered a realistic outcome.

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Outstanding if harrowing

I've only just find it hard to find fault with this series, though I've just finished watching it, and if I really thought about it I might, but why would I search it out?
Exceptional writing and direction provide an unpredictable plot (well, mostly) extremely well paced. Acting is outstanding from all present. Characters are mostly pretty well rounded and not simply caricatures. Evil walks in human form and retains an element of mystery even until the end.
It IS very gory, and if you don't like realistic fights then don't watch this. That said, one flaw, perhaps, might be the way characters can sustain grievous injuries and still hit their opponent just as hard with apparently no weakening. That's a piece of nonsense, but something of a trope so can be forgiven. Fights are forceful and balletic.
The fact that these events are awful is as they should be. This world is not a nice place to stroll : it is not pretty, it is not gentle, it is not clean, but it manages, just, to be human.

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Solid. Try to watch it on a binge.

Interesting short series. It could have dragged on with fillers (e.g. more about the budding love story, more about the past of the dad, more about stuff in the high-school, more about this and that), but the author and/or movie maker decided for the more compact version.
Some stuff is predictable (e.g. who killed the dad), though one must wait a sec to find out the motive behind.
Gladly, I didn't see much product placements. I am sure that people better versed than me in that field would have noticed more than the few cars, and other items, which I noticed.
Last but not least: for several episodes one is left wondering what the title means until ... (won't spoil it).

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Gangs, Drug Lords, and Revenge

Going into this show, I was a huge fan of the director because of my love for Extracurricular. This show is a great follow up. First of all it's bloody, violent, and vengeful; and I'm almost impressed with how much I enjoyed it. The acting is top quality: this the 3rd drama of Han SoHee that I've seen and she is just amazing at playing her character with conviction and goes above and beyond what you expect. Park HeeSoon is beautiful to watch and I loved every single scene with him in it. Lee HakJu stole the show, honestly I loved his grey character and how he portrayed it, he had me scrambling trying to figure out who's side he was on.

Some criticisms I do have: fight scenes start out great but later on shaky camera is induced and it starts getting a little messy. Plot was great but can be predictable, I already figured out a lot by the 4-5th episode. The relationship between JiWoo and PilDo, loved the friendship but didn't really want the romance (it felt kinda shoved in and more like a pity thing).

Overall it's heart pounding binge that will keep your attention for at least a few hours. Can't wait to see more from Kim JinMin!

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An explosive tempest

I was really looking forward to this show because of the trailers. I did have my doubts because of the last show I watched Han So Hee in - Nevertheless, which was very underwhelming. I also thought this show might become like Vincenzo which had a shallow humorous tone that belied what felt like a serious storyline.

I was needlessly worried. This was a great show. Han So Hee was great, carrying it on her back like a woman determined to get justice and revenge for how bad Nevertheless was, never mind justice for her character's father. Her backstory felt a little rushed in the first episode but that was until I realised this was an 8-episode show. Then it made sense to explore her grief and love for her dad throughout the show rather than condense it in the opening act. Instead we were served to a fast-paced, intense show that explored heavily the theme of betrayal and finding solace in anguish. Han So Hee's character was someone who was a prisoner of her pain. Her partner, who turned out to be one of the standout characters of the show, was the epitome of grief that had healed through time.

What sold the show for me was that the antagonist was likeable, a sympathetic man of fleshed out motivations and desires. You can understand where he comes from. And in a show that deliberately centres around the morally ambiguous choices of our protagonist, this makes it a lot more emotionally enriching to watch.

The music complemented the show very well, I thought the close-up camera shots really fed the intensity and character-centric feel of the show. All in all, a worthwhile watch.

Hats off to Han So Hee, she was sensational.

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One of the Top Thrillers out this year

I was hooked on this drama from the trailer and it did not disappoint. I can say this will easily be one of the top thriller all time for me (and I have seen atleast 15 k-thrillers). Since it is directed by Extracurricular's director, I can see the resemblence in how there is a gruesome tinge and blood everywhere.
The best part was the strong female lead; the drama also slightly touches upon women in different male dominating industries. If I were to tag it : strong female lead, gangster, detective, mystery, gruesome, psychological, subtle romance, and twisted villain. One thing I really liked was how the drama is extremely balanced, with none of the sub-themes overpowering the others (you know how gangster dramas can be really cringey, this is not.)
The story for me was new but also predictable at the same time, (I guessed the killer in the 3rd ep) however, the details and mystery add a lot to viewer experience for this show. It has wintery vibes, giving the perfect chill to this drama.
Nothing could top the acting and I loved how the director gave so many more clues so we can draw our own conclusions alongside but it can get confusing at the beginning and trying to follow the cases at some places.
It is short so you can binge watch it in a day or night easily.
I'm definitely adding this to my top thriller recommendations for this year.

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Worth the dirty bloody ride.

I generally get sad about shorter format kdramas, because I'm always disappointed when they end because it feels like losing all my friends whose lives I was super invested in. My Name, however, was exactly the perfect length for the story. They could have made it a 16 episode drama, expanded on the cops' lives, expanded on the romance, played with our emotions more...but that would have detracted from the core story they were trying to tell. I appreciate that they chose to do this in fewer episodes, and I think they accomplished the storytelling in those 8 episodes very well.

That said, the story isn't exactly original or unique, it's interesting enough that it doesn't feel super derivative, but overall it's a pretty pedestrian story we've all seen retold many many times. The actors were exceptional though, especially the female lead. The determination and desperation she baked into every interaction the character had was expertly done.

I can't say I expected parts of the ending, it was pretty dark, but I think it was also appropriate for the story. The overall ending and twists you could guess from episode 1, but some of the ways it played out were unexpected. The OST was also really well put together and timed perfectly for the scenes and events.

Overall, it's definitely worth a watch. It's excellent...it didn't resonate with me on an epic level, but it was still quite exceptional.

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A very interesting story

When I read the plot I said interesting revenge, fight, etc, I love it. I started with hating the police, because they did not try to find the murdered of the FL dad and because Choi Mujin said that a cop killed her father(he showed the gun). And then I started to hate Choi Mujin after finding out that he had something to do with the FL dad's death.

And lastly I felt compassion for everyone. Jiwoo(FL) did all of this for revenge. And Choi Mujin did this, in my opinion for love(family, brotherhood love) I mean he felt upset that this friend that he trusted betrayed him after trusting him so much. And I guess he had begun to love Jiwoo like a daughter because he was upset that she did not try to kill him after escaping the police(among other things). I feel so sorry for all the characters I wished Jeon Pil Do had survived.

Now I am left wondering if she had gone to kill him would Pildo be alive, but he and Jiwoo might not have had that scene(it's in ep 8)??and if she went to prison she would have no one.

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So impressed with Han So Hee - exciting fight scenes, bloody and violent.

Completed: 9/19/2022

It took me a while to decide on watching "My Name" since it's not usually my kind of genre. It has excellent reviews but I need to be in the mood for it. Luckily, this day has come and I am glad I watched it.

Let's just start by saying I am so impressed with Han So Hee. I saw her in "100 day my Prince" but totally forgot about her. I never watched "Nevertheless" but saw enough clips to see what the drama is about. I wish viewers will remember her excellent performance in "My Name", a less popular drama than "Nevertheless".
It's apparent that she has put in a lot of hard work for this drama. Not only is her acting great, but all her action scenes are great as well. There are so many fight scenes in this drama that if an actor is not serious about their craft, you get unbelievable and half-ass weak fighting.

The plot of this drama is simple - finding the killer who murdered FL's father and seeking revenge. Each episode is filled with excitement and the pace is fast. There are plot twists, but I would not say they are completely unpredictable. I have a feeling who the murderer would be from the beginning and it's actually not a tough guess. Nevertheless, it does not dampen the excitement. It was a fun ride.

It's interesting that the Netflix rating is MA (Mature Audiences) and gives warnings of "substances, language, sex, smoke". What about violence? This has got to be one of the more violent dramas I've watched, aside from "Bulgasal". There is a lot of of cruel killings, torture, and graphic wounds... all very realistic. So, a warning to those who do not like all the blood involved. These gangsters are no joke!

I am curious as to when Korean cops carry guns. There are scenes when they have to specifically check out guns before an operation. Other times, cops already have guns with them when it's just a normal day. There are scenes when the leads could have shot the gangsters easily instead of fist fights and getting caught. Other times, our female lead can magically keep on shooting when she only has 5 bullets. Interesting, isn't it?

This is a very enjoyable short drama about revenge....actually, it's a never-ending cycle of revenge. If you like this type of drama, I strongly recommend it.

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Brilliant, but far too short

The is your typical story about one's journey for vengeance that derives from the death of their loved one. There were some highlights, but also elements that downplayed the drama. Although this is a relatively short K-drama than the norm, it did serve some really cool fight scenes and top-notch acting.

Knowingly, the biggest factor that downplayed this drama was the fact that it was too short. The overall flow of the drama story and how it progressed was excellent, considering there were only 8 episodes and each lasting around 50 minutes. However, that left with a very anti-climatic ending that felt rushed. I also felt that it did not give a conclusive ending to the main character which I am guessing was up for open interpretation. Thus, whilst I enjoyed seeing the story unravel, the ending diminished the fact that this drama would have made it into my top favourites list.
Unlike a normal 16 episode drama, this show had a very minuscule time to build the backstory to the characters and enable other things to develop like the tiny fraction of romance that took place which added no value to the story at all, but I suppose gave meaning to the parties involved. Particularly speaking, Jiwoo and her Dad's story, together and apart, lacked depth in terms of the events that took place with the Dad and the breakdown of his relationship with his family.
This drama is predictable for the most part, but there were some elements that took the viewers by surprise.

Besides this, I would have to give credit to the acting. Jang Yool as Do Gangjae was pulled off impeccably with his intimidating and villainy demeanor. Han So Hee as Jiwoo/Hye-Jin was remarkable and immaculate. Her display of various emotions throughout the drama was truly amazing.
I liked how the writers gave us an open interpretation between certain characters and their questioning relationship which makes it for a rather juicy debate and discussion; delving into the hidden emotions behind them

This would be a good drama to binge on if you are looking for something short and do not have too much time to invest in a normal K-drama, but be mindful, if you are looking for a conclusive ending, then this may not be for you. Do be mindful that there is a lot of violence and disturbing scenes.
Generally speaking, I do not usually watch action K-dramas, I am not sure why, but this drama now propels me to hop onto the bandwagon of action dramas and move away from my usual watch preferences.

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An OK script lifted by exceptional production values.

Raw edges. That sums up this show as both a compliment and a criticism. The compliments are for the cinematography, colour palettes, set design and music. The criticism is for the writing. This was an OK script that scrubbed up well because it was dressed in designer clothes. The attention to detail and co-operative work between director, lighting designer and cinematographer are what really made this show special.

More money went into this than is available to the network broadcasts and it shows. The look and feel of the drama was classy and there was a great deal to feast the eyes on. It had a wonderful raw, grungy, greasy, grimy feel to the sets that you could almost smell. The colour palettes were varied, with rich blood reds and charcoals for Moo Jin’s world and ice blues and golds for the gambling den.

The biggest gong as far as I’m concerned goes to the cinematographer. Superb lighting throughout but especially the extensive use of side lighting was magical. It emphasised the chiaroscuro, creating mood and atmosphere by the truckload. The thoughtfulness was not just for wide angle shots. Sometimes, even in close shots, one face would be lit in colour and another, right next to it, almost B&W. This richness served to emphasise the stark contrast to the police station scenes which were filmed with flat lighting and no dynamics.

The cinematography was imaginative with a lot of use of low and high angles helping to build a sense of unpredictability and energy. An up-close-and-personal approach to the action scenes added to the visceral nature of this drama. It didn’t flinch from violence and there was a nod to credibility in the fight scenes which were well choreographed and numerous.If you don’t like blood and gore, this may be a bit OTT for you. Not just visually but sound-wise as well.

Add to all the above, a great OST. I loved the opening of the drama, cool and edgy, and that music really set the tone for what was to follow. Overall, the soundtrack had a rawness to it, not smoothed out or overproduced which totally complemented the other production values.

There was a lot that was good with the writing, but some parts were sloppy and not well thought through. There were amateurish aspects to the undercover scenario which were basically to serve the plot and character interactions and I could not credit them in the context of the sophisticated and ruthlessly organised gangland portrayed in the story. On a number of occasions convenient plotting stuck out like a sore thumb with inexplicable motivations and character choices. Hence my criticism of raw edges. The ending stretched my credulity a step too far and didn’t really work for me either, but that’s more personal preference.

Having said that, there was plenty to like about the solid centre of it. It successfully played with your allegiances and refused to neatly categorise good and bad. The direction gave the script space to breathe and Han So Hee’s performance relied a lot on effective silences. Time and care was also given to underlying emotional arcs, fleshing out the main characters a little more than is usual in this genre.

Han So Hee’s performance was mixed for me. I really liked her at the beginning and the end, but in the middle I think it lost the edge. Full credit though for pulling off the action scenes and physicality of the role. Park Hee Soon’s performance as Moo Jin was both convincing and persuasive. His time on screen was always compulsive viewing.

What my rating means: 8+ A great drama with interesting content and good writing, direction, acting, OST, cinematography. But didn’t quite have the requisite sparkle to bump it into my all-time fave list. Worth watching.

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Not groundbreaking, but lots of fun and very captivating

While the overall plot was predictable for the avid revenge thriller viewer, it was still entertaining and kept me on my toes— with a few genuine surprises along the way. It's a classic genre entry, and while it's not groundbreaking, it checks all the boxes of a good revenge drama.
The acting was pretty spectacular for an otherwise mostly green cast for this genre, and I've got to hand it to Han Sohee and Ahn Bohyun for such captivating performances.
While the romance was kind of random, I was okay with it thrown in because both the leads are just so sexy that I'm sure it's just what everyone wanted LOL.
Overall, a fun watch for anyone who likes action, grit, and beautiful actors. A little darker than most cable dramas because I think the online release allowed them more leeway in including things that wouldn't have made broadcast standards.
It's been ages since I've been able to actually finish a k-drama, so I applaud the cast and crew for producing such a solid drama!
Bonus points for being female-led in this noir/action/crime thriller genre AND extras bonus points for subverting gendered savior stereotypes and making the male lead die for a revenge plot point <3

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