Different doesn't always have to be good, but in this case it's exceeded that level.
I may speak on behalf of a lot of people when I say "Of all those years of watching kdramas It's the first time I'm coming across a show such as this."
We may have seen similar story lines, but what makes Heartless City a "masterpiece" is they created their own element and flow throughout every episode. Their own personal amazing touch to it.
This doesn't even have to be your genre of liking and you'll still be pulled in. It alone is praiseworthy that it's different from the usual kdrama.
I can't even focus one main point that makes this show so good because there's a ton of things that contribute to making Heartless City what it is. There's never a dull moment. This is the first drama that has kept it's momentum. It never breaks the seriousness. It doesn't drag. As you progress one episode after another your addiction sky rockets.
The dark noir feeling. Boy, do they deliver or what and sometimes you just want it to even go darker and grittier. There will be scenes that will give you the chills then they'll be scenes that mess with your mind.
There's not much light scenes to this show which I love because it's consist and stays true to the noir theme.
The action is top notch. I love it. The action alone gives you so many vibes. I fangirl when the action starts! They make it look so effortless and classy.
The music. The music flows in perfectly with this show. It was designed for this show. The music represents the depth and emotions of the scenes going on. It's addicting.
The acting. The cast is genius. The relationships. The complications. The character development. You're invested in every character whether it be a supporting role or a character that is barely there.
I can't get over how amazing the cast is. Every character is thought out and brilliant. This show has introduced me to an amazing actor Jung Kyung Ho. That's a name I won't be forgetting. I somewhat have a girl crush on Nam Gyu Ri at this point.
This drama shows you a lot of time and effort went into making it. Doc Son is a brilliant invention. I don't know how they came up with such a character, but this is a character that pulls you in so hard and how hard you try to understand him you won't be able to.
Heartless City 2013 is yours.
Cet avis était-il utile?
Cet avis était-il utile?
Firstly, what really sucked me to watching this show was the description given on MDL - i'm a sucker for a good romance. but BE WARNED: while I thought this show would have a drug/gangster secondary story line to COMPLEMENT the romance, its actually the other way around. the gangster theme plays out the main part of the story, and in fact there are far and few scenes thus far between the main leads. (although when there is a scene, its usually really cute :)
so do not go into this expecting romance to be the main component - it does play a part, though.
HOWEVER! Even though based on the description it wasnt what i thought it would be, its still amazing. The plot is so dark and twisted; I can blatantly and happily admit I have never seen such an unpredictable drama. Also, the characters are great to watch. The lines between "good and bad" are so fuzzy; you never know who to trust or what the motivation behind an action is. it keeps you guessing. It makes the show more human; the characters are round and have so many dimensions instead of your stereotypical bad guy-good guy flat characterization.
i would for sure recommend watching this if you love action, suspense, wicked cliff hangers, and some romance :)
OH and i forgot to add: holy shit, this show is a tearjerker. be prepared, dude.
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Plot: This drama really makes you empathize with the baddies......and lets you see the good in the bad, and the bad in the good. AND THE CORRUPTION WITH THE GOVERNMENT!! Many striking similarities to City Hunter, although both are vastly different in their own ways. The protagonist in this drama is the villain, so you find yourself really conflicted in supporting what's supposedly right vs what you want to be right. Just like mind vs heart i guess.
Cast: Was absolutely blown away by JKH's acting. One of korea's finest, and I say this with much conviction after watching 48793879847928 dramas. This is his first work that i've watched and thank god i've discovered his existence, As for Nam Gyuri (female protagonist) she didn't particularly impress me here although i do like her other works (e.g 49 days). I blame her character's lack of relevance though. And i am so in love with Jinsook and Soo, they were so so good... They have got to be my favorite characters (besides Doc's Son) in this drama. Jinsook is all i ever aspire to be - classy 24/7. The rest of the supporting cast were so good too! E.g safari ahjussi.
Ending could have been better IMO. However one major gripe i have about this drama is that they could have cut down to 18 episodes because there were so many fillers e.g about ji hyungmin's dad & that reporter girl - totally unnecessary, and these fillers disrupted the flow of the drama and made it draggy towards the end.
*** warning: the first 3-4 episodes are MAJORLY confusing, just take a deep breath and persevere through because it'll be worth it!! And reading recaps help too :)
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
The best word to describe this drama is; “Unique”. The Noir genre this drama boldly chose is one that is mostly only seen in K-Movies, and it’s fair to say this drama is the FIRST All-Noir Korean Drama.
While I’m pretty sure that owing to the huge popularity this drama gained (contrary to the super-low viewer ratings it received), that there’ll be other dramas with a similar genre coming up soon in its wake, but this one definitely deserves to be up-and-most the first and I hope not the best.
This drama so honestly depicts Korea’s dark and shady crime world –with its both sides; criminals and crime-fighters- the power struggles and the constant betrayals within, drawing a big and dark canvas of a “Heartless City” (btw I very like this title and am very glad they made the title change from “undercover” which would have been a major spoiler)
The drama shows the Good vs. Bad fight but not in the normal manner where both sides are distinctly shown and you have the “all-Good” hero to cheer and the “all-bad” enemy to curse, rather it shows how both (good and bad) are two sides of one coin; how not all people who believe themselves fighting for the “Good” cause could be considered Good by the society, and how the seemingly “Bad” is not all there is. The good working for the good cause if absorbed by the “end justifies means” concept can very well turn bad.
And while it’s believed that anyone always has the choice whether to be/stay Good or Bad, it still shows how such a choice is anything but easy and that regardless to the choice made, the result is not always what one would wish for.
Drug dealing was used as the crime type here, with drug dealers at one side and crime fighters (police and DA) at the other. The war that ensues is not simply the fight between both sides, but there are also numerous wars taking place on both sides, like a big survival game where the “survival of the fittest” is the only rule, and everyone only works for one’s benefit, no loyalty or pure trust anywhere to be found.
It’s a very dark drama, with a very interesting and unique story, intriguing characters each with their own agenda and cause and beliefs, characters so special only such a dark noire crime drama could be able to bring out so beautifully. The story was very addictive always keeping you at your seat at all times, so I guarantee a rough and enjoyable ride with this one. There is not only crime and drugs to it, there’s also melodrama, romance, and bromance all so beautifully mixed up in just the right portions, so thankfully the romance served its part without being too dense in a way that distracts you from the main plot or worse ruin up a good noire drama. The main story is kept in focus at all times, that’s another positive thing about this drama.
But…(here comes the but)
Why I gave the story an (8): The story itself is AMAZING down to its tiniest details, it’s so enjoyable to watch the characters’ interactions and each one’s character development, to sum it up it’s a story with potential, but the execution of all that was unfortunately anything but flawless.
I won’t go into details less I spoil anything, but with all the constant sides shifting and power struggle going on in this show, came quite a bunch of power-ranks inconstancies, unexplainable decisions made, crime-fighter with crazy methods that feel CHILDISH, and the ‘supposedly’ EVIL that comes out pure STUPID. You’ll need to watch to understand what I’m talking about, but the execution (and sometimes script) fell short on some levels, you end up watching with a “What the?!” that develops into a “OKEEEY!!” finally into “I-don’t-really-care-anymore” kind of thing, your eyes go ?_? But to be honest you still can’t resist watching; so even though it might have fell short on being convincing and relatable sometimes, it still manages to attract and suck you in its darkness and mysteriousness.
The Acting and the direction were definitely the best part about this drama. While not all the cast was that good, Jung Kyung Ho single-handedly carried this drama to an all new level with his epic portrayal of Shi Hyun, that even if all the cast were crap (which they were not) I would still give the acting a 10! It’s my first drama of his, but I’m sure now it won’t be my last
The Direction and camerawork were SUPER, especially in moving car and fight scenes, and while at first the scenes felt too dark, the more you watch the more you get used and start to appreciate it since it suits the plot so well.
Re-watch value; there was too much going on with this drama, too much fighting scenes for my taste, too much complicated relationships, too much to re-watch at least any time soon.
If you’re into crime/noir movies, this drama will definitely suit you, if you’re into detective and police dramas this one’ll give a good dose of it but let me worn you don’t pay attention to the little details coz the police sucks in this drama so badly. If you’re into romance and vengeance this is just the one for you, though you have to dig a bit deeper coz such aspects come next to the survival-game and the undercover missions.
ENJOY!
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Cet avis était-il utile?
I liked the beginning and the settings of the story. Simply put, Doctor's Son stole my heart since the first time he appeared, he was way too cool. Later on Safari took his place, he was an amazing character with twisted past and heavy regrets on his shoulders. Soo and Jin Sook, wow. Just wow. For the first time, I actually fell in love with a female character, Jin Sook was a badass and she ruled. The friendship between Soo & Doctor's son was touching and deep, it was entertaining and brought so much warmth to the show. I loved every single bit of the underworld, even Scale (even though Kim Byung Ok is as good at acting as a block of wood). Chairman Jo and his son, they were twisted and insane while managing to look quite normal. Great acting, no, awesome acting here.
What brings this show down a great deal are the police. While a lot seemed to be going on in the underworld the police were useless. All they ever did was mistakes, one after another. I got the point that the line between the good and bad was extremely blurred in the show and that the police was also controlled by the underworld people as if they were pawns in a game, but they were way too useless, to the point that every time it was just boring to watch them. Prosecutor An was brilliant though, he was stupid and useless and had no idea what was going on, but he was so driven by his greed that he kept struggling to hang onto whatever he could grab, until he felt the whole gravity of it all crushing him.
What ruined a great deal of the show for me were Nam Gyu Ri and Lee Jae Yoon. Compared to the other cast they both lacked in acting department so much. Especially Nam Gyu Ri, she was fake and stiff throughout the show and every time she appeared on the screen it literally annoyed the hell out of me. Not to mention her 10cm make up layer which made her look like a Japanese sex doll, no offense but that' what I felt through the show and it was extremely distracting.
Lee Jae Yoon? He is not a good actor and it showed, his character was also pretty hateful. Though, I must admit that towards the ending his character became more likable and his acting also got better, at least after we got over the angst! Unlike other characters in the drama, Hyung Min actually grew and changed, he matured and became more human. Even though Hyung Min's character was hateful, and it probably was supposed to be like that, it was a well-written character, one of the best in drama history. But Lee Jae Yoon lacked the charisma and had difficulties bringing Hyung Min to life, so a lot of that brilliance was lost. He was a man who had the cold and the warm side and those two sides constantly clashed within him, confusing him and driving him to the edge. Jae Yoon was better with the good act than the bad act, which turned out sort of pathetic.
Hyung Min was a tragic character who got his life and dreams crashed in the very beginning of the show, his heart broke and he turned into a robot. But then, he met Safari and something changed "Undercover cops are human too". The change in him was well written, it became obvious how much those words had affected him and ever since hearing them you could tell that he had finally found peace. He was whole again and he was ready to face the crime in a calm and collected way. I am sure that his meeting with Safari also changed his attitude towards Doctor's Son. And later, it was Hyung Min who gave Doc what he needed, support, trust, freedom and courage to face Director Jo and later, himself. Hyung Min was there, somewhere between crime and justice, brooding from one side to the other, unable to find his place. In the end, Doc put him on his rightful place and gave him a new chance, taking all "evil" on his own shoulders. Hence, the ending and the feeling of him being able to start over on a better note. I believe him and Doc would have made a great team.
Doctor's son was a cool character, muted and distant but also very lovable. His relationship with the underworld circle was touching. Even though sometimes friends turned into enemies and enemies turned into friends, his feelings always remained the same. Unlike Hyung Min he had found his place and he only lost everything precious to him towards the ending. His story was the opposite from Hyung Min's, it was one about loss while Hyung Min's was about gaining. Doc was strong even though he had his vulnerable moments, you could see how the crime had hardened him but not to the point of numbing, just enough to survive. He also had support of Soo and Jin Sook and even Safari. He strived to protect them "I will go alone", he often said, always trying to avoid clashes and deaths. Even though it didn't seem so, he stayed true to his beliefs and never forgot who he was, hence his fallout with boss Min. His last meeting with Director Jo was remarkable "Nothing will change", but something will end. I would like to underline that 'something will end' part. "Ahjussi, finish what you started." Because change is not possible you have to end it. Someone else will try to continue but then you just have to end it again and again until you manage to put a stop to it.
I am actually a bit confused about the "bad guys". It was obvious where the face-off happened, one of them died the other learned from his mistakes, took responsibility and stepped down from his position. Here is the core of good and the bad, and finally the line in between becomes very clear. The good is the one who is able to change and the bad one has to be erased for the good to thrive. What I like about the whole story is that the good and bad actually changed places in the end, that is pretty amazing. But even so, I am still confused as to what was the whole point of their conflict. Was it that one strayed from his path while the other struggled to find his? Hence, Doc's role in the conflict, he was the one who stirred things up so much that a change had to happen eventually, nothing could remain 'the same' anymore. There actually was a change even though it had seemed so impossible for anything to change at all. Doc had a goal throughout the drama and even though he sometimes strayed and was fooled into doing things against his own will, he always came back to what he stood for. Justice.
In the end, when he cried in Jin Sook's arms like a child, that was one of the most touching scenes in the whole drama. For once, he dropped the cool guy act and showed his true feelings, the hurt, disappointment and sadness, everything spilled out. He had sacrificed himself and it was unfair, everything was so unfair when it came to him. Even though, his illusions crumbled down one by one when the lies unwrapped, he never once lost himself unlike Hyung Min. Doc was strong and admirable in that sense. He was honestly cool and he managed to be that way thanks to love and support he found in the underworld, in a world that he was supposed to despise because it took away his mother.
Doc too went through a battle, the good world and the bad world mixed inside of him into confusing mess and he tried to protect them both because he was unable to choose. But in the end, the underworld was what protected him, not the good world he had believed in, that good world stopped existing once the he found out about the truth and then he was able to finally chose his path. He knew what he had to do and he did it, because that's just how awesome he was. Because he had sunk so deep into the darkness that was what eventually saved his mentality. He tried to balance but always steered towards his friends and "family", he was loyal. And the most beautiful thing about him was that he was loyal to himself above all. He believed in himself, that belief might have faltered at some point but in the end, he kept faithful to his principles. He was admirable and Hyung Min admired him too, it was Safari who managed to change Hyung Min but it was Doc who saved him.
The director invested a lot into cinematography and most of the scenes were beautiful, but he failed to bring life to his beautiful scenes. Every time a new scene begun, there was a setting which looked good as a picture but it didn't come to life, the actors found themselves trapped and the atmosphere became stiff. I blame the director for a lot of things, especially how he handled Gyu Ri. I am sure he must have noticed that her acting is just not up to par with others and when I think about the settings and the way she reacted to some things, it's so damn stiff, theatrical and forced. He gave her advices but she failed to bring those advices to life and he failed to help her with that.
Soo Min, oh boy how much I hated her. She had no chemistry with anyone, at all. Her inability to embrace her role ruined a lot of things like her relationship with Jin Sook. It was a strong bond which evolved from something forced into a beautiful story of a lasting friendship. They connected and Soo Min found the unni she had lost in Jin Sook. She brought the human out in Jin Sook, the good and warm side. And thanks to Soo Min, Jin Sook was able to accept Doc when the revelation hit her. "You knew and you still loved him?" That's what touched her deeply and made her reflect on her past mistakes. Without Soo Min, Jin Sook would have turned out to be different and the whole plot would have changed drastically.
Then Soo Min's relationship with Doc, I still don't know what to think about it. I like how it was written but since Gyu Ri couldn't bring it to life I feel like there are a lot of missing puzzle pieces. Doc's part was better played but it was impossible to say what the whole relationship meant to the story because Gyu Ri ruined it. She completely destroyed this part and I hate her for doing so. I am sure her feelings for Doc were supposed to bring out the "normal guy" in him, not the underworld him, but just a guy, a man who also yearned to be loved and accepted. She gave him all that and even more, she touched him on a deeper level and he treasured her but... I believe that there is a much deeper meaning to their relationship, but I failed to see it. I failed to see love between them and I blame Gyu Ri for everything. She didn't fit her role and she ruined a great deal of the story for me. I hate her, sorry about that, but I downright despise her and I blame the director.
Jin Sook and Safari were conflicted characters, they affected Doc but he also affected them. When they weren't together they were not human but when they were together they were just normal people trying to live their lives the best they could. Their bond was unbreakable until the very end, their feelings for each other never faltered. I pity Safari, he was the most tragic character of them all, a good example what the battle between good and bad does to it's pawns, destroys them from inside out. He went through a lot of emotional torture and I appreciate it, that he did it all for the sake of his loved ones. Hands down, one of my most favorite characters of all times.
Jin Sook, she was the mother, a sister, a woman. She was the one who helped Doc to stay on his path because he wanted to protect her, but she was also the one who threw him in the pits of deepest hell because he loved her. I never stopped to wonder about what type of love they had, it seemed to border between platonic and romantic, but neither of them ever decided on it. They were connected and that's how I like to view it, they had a strong undefined bond and even Soo Mi couldn't break it, she just made it stronger. Jin Sook's fallout with Safari was unfortunate, but she never stopped believing in her "ahjussi". Doc and Safari, I believe that they never hated each other, there were things they didn't agree on, but they always protected each other despite everything. I am sure Jin Sook was jealous of what Doc and Safari had but Safari was also jealous of what she and Doc had, in the end Doc was what kept them together.
All in all, this drama is very entertaining because, indeed, a lot happens all the time. The first two episodes just swallow you and grip you hard but then something happens and ep 6-12 are rather bland, too much angsting and crying. 20 episodes is too many and the drama feels dragged, ever since the beginning. But surprisingly, for once the middle is boring and then the show picks up. I often found myself wishing there were less emotional things and more action. Soo's and Doc's friendship was beautiful and fun and I wish there were more scenes about it. In the end, Soo is pushed in the background and becomes sort of useless until his final mission. I hate the writer for this. She should have concentrated less on Soo Mi x Doc and more on Soo x Doc.
There are small annoying matters when it comes to the police, like SWAT force should always go in first to stabilize the situation and the detectives are not some freaking action heroes. I could have forgiven this if it wasn't used as plot device. Like, the police running in before the swat team and ruining the whole mission. Or Hyung Min going to arrest gangsters without any backup and surprisingly he fails... Also, Hyung Min used his cell phone as a flashlight, seriously... And the handguns they used, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? They are the police and they use freaking toys? Bring in the Glocks dammit!! Also, Hyung Min torturing his suspects in the beginning was rather crazy, I mean yeah... sure just go and shoot the woman's leg with the sniper. That's what cops do to each other. I know it was supposed to emphasize the extent he was willing to go to just for the sake of uncovering the murderer but give me a break. And when a person is stabbed in the stomach it hurts, like a lot. So I was annoyed when people kept walking around with injuries that, in real life, would have sent them to the ER. I laughed when Soo Mi gave Doc band aids when he had been stabbed. Okay, she didn't know and in the end that band-aid turned out to be rather symbolic but still. This all annoys me because otherwise the drama managed to suck me in but these little matters threw me out all the time.
Another thing was that so many people were actually undercover on both sides to the point it became ridiculous already. The way the undercover agents were trained it was simply "are you kidding me" - material. "Do the stuff I want you to do and I'll make you a cop", something tells me this is not the way it should be done. Undercover missions require a lot of trust, and even though I can see why some people agreed to do these things and where that "trust" was coming from, but it wasn't convincing enough. Basically, this drama was excellent, but it was full of small poorly executed details, which could have bee fixed easily.
Overall I recommend this show and the rewatch value is high too. I can't give full points because I really dislike the director, he ruined a lot for me, plus two main characters were played by actors with no acting skills whatsoever. The beauty of fragile love, which managed to bloom despite the ugly reality and hopelessness of it all, was destroyed with the unnecessary melodrama and typical Korean forced innocence. Let's face it, we all knew what Soo Mi started once she went to work for Jin Sook, keeping her innocent was lame and stupid, it ruined a lot of authenticity for me and also damaged the brilliance of her character.
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
WOW. I enjoyed this drama immensely. The story is intriguing. It has mystery, action, betrayal, and romance. Two draw backs for me is that there are some unrealistic police procedures and they don't play up the romance as much as I would have liked (this isn't a romance though, so I guess I can't really complain that much). I wish I could post spoilers because I have a lot to say about this drama and no one to say it to. The cinematography is excellent as well as the way it is directed. I was never bored. Oh and for once no one had amnesia after being hit in the head numerous times. The acting is stellar. I haven't seen any of Jung Kyung Ho's dramas since Sorry, I Love You. I had forgotten that he is a great actor. The way he portrays Jung Shi Hyun/Doctor's Son is amazing. I rarely cry during dramas, but he made me cry twice with his heart wrenching scenes. All of the other actors are good too. However, Kim Yoo Mi as Ji Sook stands out above the others. Not only is the character well written, but her portrayal of the character brought Ji Sook to life for me. I wanted to be her friend.
I love the music also.
I would probably rewatch this.
If you enjoy suspense and action, then I think this is a drama that you would enjoy. I highly recommend it.
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The story flows very well and keeps you interested, the characters are so deep and so human. It's thanks to the actors aswell, fantastic acting by all actors including the secondary ones! The music fit the mood so well it made everything so interesting. When I first started the drama, I was considering not watching it because it has to do with the mafia and etc, and I don't usually watch those kinds of shows. But this drama from episode one hooks you well.
Definitely recommended.
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Story: When I started to watch it, there was something like 4 episodes outs.. And I got hooked to it since it. Every episode is a catchy, and it looks likes the plot is coming more and more alive as the time pass [ I don't think you'll be bored in any episode! ] If you like mystery, drama, action with just a little bit of romance this is the drama for you.
Acting/Cast: First of all, I must say that I really enjoyed the characters of this drama: they're really well built and realistic. Jung Kyung Ho did so good on it; he had such a hard job with such intense character. He shone during all the drama for me. Lee Jae Yoon character can piss you off sometimes, but I do think he did a great job too. The female cast of this show was good, but I must say that Kim Yoo Mi stole all the scenes.
Music: I gave it a 10, because it's the first time that I become addicted with one OST.
Rewatch Value: Definitely worth to rewatch it and if possible to maraton.
Overall: You really should give this drama a opportunity. It's different from others dramas and more mature. You will not be wasting your time.
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I remember telling my husband after I watched the very first episode of this drama that if there were a Kdrama I could get him to like, it would be this one. It felt that different and that well done. The directing, the acting, the music - all of it feels cohesive and unlike your usual Kdrama fare (which I love mind you, but it's refreshing to see something new). Well, not that new to American audiences, since this drama is the epitome of Noir. It is an homage to Noir right down to its smallest molecule. Over at The Vault (http://vaultofdoom.wordpress.com/) there are several brilliant reviews of Cruel City including some very insightful information about the Noir genre, and he describes Noir and praises Cruel City much better than I ever could so I won't even try to approach his level of sophistication or detail here. However, I just wanted to post a review so more MDL'ers will give this show a go.
I'll start with the acting, which is what I loved the most. Bad acting will turn me off a drama very quickly, but great acting will just as quickly suck me in for the long run. Nam Gyu Ri (Soo Min) and Lee Jae Yoon (Hyung Min) are the weak links but they are serviceable. Jung Ji Soon (Chairman Jo) and Son Chang Min (Min Hong Ki) were really great. And, Kim Yoo Mi (as Jin Sook), Choi Moo Sung (Safari), and, of course, Jung Kyung Ho (Doctor's Son) are BRILLIANT! Past brilliant! Their performances were transcendental and I will be measuring so many future acting performances against them. Jung Kyung Ho was quite good in Time Between Dog and Wolf, but in this he is better than nearly any Kdrama actor I've ever seen. Even if you don't like Noir, come from Jung Kyung Ho and stay for Jung Kyung Ho, and you won't be disappointed.
Next the directing and cinematography. I couldn't see any flaws here. The drama stayed true to its grittiness from beginning to end. It has that kind of dark cool look to it that reminded me of Vampire Prosecutor, with the muted colors (except blood). The fight scenes were excellent and early on there is a fight scene homage to Old Boy that was just so very sweet!
The writing is quite good, although gets just a little sloppy and repeat-y towards the end, but less so than most dramas. What it does best is keep the romance to the sidelines to focus on the meat of the story, never falling into that Kdrama trap of pandering to the female audience. It never loses sight of it's Noir roots and for that I really applaud JTBC and the writer. They had a vision and they let no amount of audience pressure force them to romance it up or tone down the Noir. I have found that to be why cable channels in Korea often have the best shows, since they don't bow to the ratings god and maintain more integrity and uniqueness.
Finally, I'll cover the music, which is something I don't tend to get too excited about one way or another with dramas since it's just not really my thing. I am all about acting and directing. However, the music in Cruel City is really something to be praised. I noticed right away how the music was always the right volume and the right kind for the moment. They knew when to cut it out and what kind to use to ALWAYS add and never detract from the action. It was bloody brilliant. One of the best Kdrama soundtracks I've ever heard.
Overall, this is a drama not to be missed. It's unique. It has integrity. It is exciting and fast-paced. And the acting is stellar. I will be thinking about this drama for a long time, and using it as a measuring stick against which I will judge many other dramas that aspire to do the same. For example, Shark ended the same time and I watched the finale of Shark the same day I watched Cruel City's. They were both very dark melodramatic dramas. Shark had a bigger budget and a more star-studded cast and a writing team with a very good reputation. At the end of Shark I said "meh" and went about my day. I just really couldn't be made to care at that point because I the writers and actors never really made me care throughout the whole drama. At the end of Cruel City, well..............I can't really say because it might be considered a spoiler, but let's just say I really, REALLY cared about what happened to those characters, as if they were real people. A day later and I am experiencing Kdrama hangover from Cruel City and I know that means it was great.
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This story is filled with so much action, despair, unconditional love, and real world examples to the legal justice faces everyday. It was the fist episode that caught me, then it was the actors, then it was the unbelievable twists for each characters role. It seems to the very end nothing makes senses. Even the moments of deep trust for the bonds formed within both sides were tested, to the extremes. I couldn't see how this would end; yet, whether good or bad I'm glad I stuck though it. So I recommend this to all who can stomach violence and heart ranching agony. Who will fall in love with the music, cast and above all the story; and reach a new understanding to the dark side of crime. Also when you reach the last episode credits, go on YouTube and play the ending song... it really helps deepen the point of the story.
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