Black Sun (2021)

Started great then became convoluted and ended boring.

1/ WHAT I LIKED:
- The action, fights and killings in the first part. It was savage like in a good Jason Bourne movie.
- The set up of the story: From the events in the boat to South Korean and flash backs to China. It was intriguing, gripping and dark enough to keep me hooked until what happened to the FL.
- The secondary female lead and ML sidekick. She is the only one who keeps a sense of justice, duty, empathy and camaraderie all along the drama. She is the most endearing character for me.

2/ WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
- The leading on the audience from the middle of the drama to the end with nonsense useless turnarounds.
- The ludicrous ideas to allow everything like cars driving alone, emp and even a ridiculous " Mission : Impossible " moment.
- The plot development which deviates from a good spy action drama to a political plot and ends up in a "lets all fight for the country" hymn drippling with nice "family" values.
- The gunfights towards the end were bad with horrendous muzzle flashes even when the gun is not shooting.
- The final showdown with the bad guy. Uselessly violent and made no sense considering who the guy is supposed to be. The dilemma looked so fake.

3/ CHARACTERS:
- ML: Namgoong Min was dedicated to his role and he did his best but the character was not very well written. His ruthlessness and the mystery about his quest in the beginning made him fun in a bournesque way. But he soon appears very stiff and expressionless. If his physical condition looks great in the first part, he soon looked squeezed in his black and white suit and his demarche looked weird. Most disappointing, he is often not in control of what is happening.
- FL: I don't even know why she is the FL. Because from chasing after men in her service and working with them to do things she is not proud of, she was just despicable always pressuring the ML.
- All the other characters from NIS are annoying because they don't behave like leaders but like kids arguing in the playround and they just work against each other's interests but call themselves an organization.
- Big Boss: Ridiculous story around him. It ends in a terrible hollywoodlike way. (Spoiler: WTF, the guy is sick actually. He is not responsible legally.)

4/ OST: Decent one.

5/ OVERALL: A disappointing drama which had plenty of materials and ideas to do well but the writer was too much leading on the audience trying to look smart. This made the drama annoying to follow and not entertaining at all. Even the end and the final speech is utmost disappointing. 7.5/10.

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Convoluted plot carried by the strength of Namgoong Min's acting

Namgoong Min transformed in order to be Han Ji-hyuk, and I have really little complaints with regard to his acting (and Kim Ji-eun was pleasant here, as well). The production and the action scenes are, like other have mentioned, excellent, but the plot remained too unfocused for it to be enjoyable.

I'll try to piece together the series through my own recollection, so if there's anything to correct or address, please tell me. About one year back, Ji-hyuk Dong-wook and Kyung-sook were tasked to encourage a North Korean high-ranking official to defect to South Korea. Because this would be good for the Foreign Bureau, though, I think Commissioner Lee In-hwan tapped Baek Mo-sa (because he's the fence in NK-China transactions) to assassinate that official. There were three people in the conversation: Baek Mo-sa, Chang Chun-woo, and the NK official.

Ji-hyuk's informer (who trusted Ji-hyuk until his death) told him that someone from his agency was informing on the three, and it was between his colleagues. Kyung-seok was the informant for the Domestic Bureau/Sangmuhoe, but before he could even kill the NK official, he was already dead. Dong-wook was assigned by the Foreign Bureau Chief Do to catch the informant, because Ji-hyuk was unwilling to rat or kill his colleagues. Baek Mo-sa's plan was to attack the dignity of the NIS, which was why he trapped Ji-hyuk in the room with the NK official. Because of his quick thinking and ability, however, he was able to escape and go to their team's meeting place.

Dong-wook figures out it was Kyung-seok, and kills him, and before Chang Chun-woo could clean up the mess Dong-wook shoots at him to protect Ji-hyuk. (They were, again, compromised, and I think Chang Chun-woo was Kyung-seok's cleanup crew in case shit happened.) However, Dong-wook gets shot at by Ji-hyuk because he can't tell him that his wife had just given birth and the gun was aimed at Ji-hyuk. (I think this was the reason he was imprisoned: involuntary manslaughter gives you 3-5 years in prison.)

Ji-hyuk escapes the bloodbath and has a nervous breakdown. He taps Chief Ha, because in an operation five years ago, he caught him embezzling funds from the agency. Chief Ha brings him the memory-erasing drug ZIP, and he purges his memory but sets himself on a quest to dig out the mole within the agency.

When he returns, he can't trust anybody and struggles to unearth the leads. Although he was able to reach his previous informant, the informant was killed by Sangmuhoe (Commissioner Lee wanted to cut off ties to everyone connected with the incident of the previous year). Eventually, because Su Yeon wanted out of the Domestic Bureau's shenanigans, she was also killed. That's probably why when she was being choked by Ji-hyuk, she also didn't resist, because she was also complicit in their team's destruction.

Ji-hyuk eventually figures out that it wasn't Chang Chun-woo who wanted Su-yeon killed because he loved her, and it also wasn't Director Kang, because he was previously in a relationship with her. However (and I think this is why he was imprisoned), he joined hands with Commissioner Lee, so he aided and abetted Sangmuhoe. He broke free after her death and tried to help Ji-hyuk afterward, especially after being abducted by Commissioner Lee (with a staged suicide attempt broken apart by Ji-hyuk).

Chang Chun-woo investigated the source of Sangmuhoe, which was actually a branch of the NIS. However, before they could interrogate Chun Pyung-il (which they discovered through the QR code), he was killed by Baek Mo-sa. So why does Baek Mo-sa not kill Ji-hyuk?

This is later on explained in the final episode, where he wants Ji-hyuk to be outraged and destroy the NIS from within. However, because of Je-yi's trust (despite the fact that he had her phone tapped and all), he was able to just follow through an avoid such a disaster. I mean, Je-yi also saw how he reacted around people whom he cared for or helped him (including her when he was angrily rampaging around chasing Chang Chun-woo to save her), so she knew he wasn't a monster despite everything and trusted him.

We later discover that Commissioner Lee has a stranglehold on public information through his collaboration with Planet, one of the largest social media providers in South Korea. That was why he could have anyone killed easily.

When the two of them finally linked Commissioner Lee with Baek Mo-sa and Sangmuhoe through the PDAs, the Executive Director planned to throw Lee In-hwan under the bus by using Commissioner Lee's next-in-line to give info to Baek Mo-sa that he was imprisoned. He wasn't killed, however, because Ji-hyuk came in time after his next-in-line transferred to a different country.

We later on realize that Commissioner Do didn't have anything to do with the botched operation that left Baek Mo-sa stranded, but it was Lee In-hwan's power play. Still, because everyone thought he came for revenge, they set up the plot during the memorial of Do's son, which was just a ruse.

The real plan (foreshadowed in the previous episode) was the use of an EMP to destabilize South Korea's largest bank, and give the NIS the same choice that they had to make with Baek Mo-sa. Ultimately, Baek Mo-sa's goal was to put the entire NIS in question with his planned murder of 33 people. (Right, before I forget, this was likely the item in question that Ji-hyuk obtained from the old drug-maker, but they didn't build up on this.)

Despite being shot at by her father, however, Je-yi trusts that a part of his is still within his dissociated identity, and takes this risk even though Ji-hyuk was unwilling. So in an act of sacrifice, she places herself with the hostages and hoped that part of her father would come back, which does. Ji-hyuk chooses to trust Baek Mo-sa's words and presses the kill switch before he's shot.

Ji-hyuk confesses to having killed one of his colleagues and suggests an investigation to Sangmuhoe. The encryption code will release the data that Planet's CEO gave to the reporter Jung Ki-sun who was deepfaked into being a North Korean spy, which would allow the NIS to weed out suspect agents.

Director Kang pays for working with Commissioner Lee by being imprisoned. Chief Ha and Commissioner Do were actually on the side of the NIS, and Chief Ha ends up as director and Yoo Je-yi as the manager. When Ji-hyuk gets released after five years, Je-yi remains his ever loyal fangirl and they share a silent moment before he gets back to work.

I'm glad I wrote this, because the plot also made more sense for me once I thought of it. It's still the weakest part of the series, and I won't recommend the series for those with low attention spans, but, if this wasn't clear, the real rat within was Commissioner Lee, who unleashed Baek Mo-sa.

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Relentless journey ...!

Story:
The story itself is pretty good. After going through the misery and tragedy both protagonist and villain chose different path to walk on, and that led this drama to go on. One walks on the path of justice and other creates his own reality after getting betrayed by the nation which strangles him down.
I liked how every episode ends with suspense which holds your mind to keep going on

Acting and cast:-
The Nam Goong Min shows never really disappoint, this goes same with this show too...except his "weird walk" which I can understand after going through a lot of training. And not to forget that, this is a action packed drama, so you get pretty good action scenes but the number of scenes are very few.

Ost:-
I liked the ost played at the end of each episode.

Overall all I got satisfied with this one. Might have next season coming too..! I liked yoo je yi's trust towards her sunbae and how he finally got a reliable comrade! Give it a go if you are looking for action, thrilled mistery drama.

Please let me know about any mistakes!. This is my first review and I didn't really have any idea how to write a proper one even after reading so many of yours.
Thank you!

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Wasted potentials (as always?)

It's really disappointing to see a drama with a good and enjoyable start just to wither away later on, that includes everything even the cast. As if every single person that was involved in making the drama got tired of the project. Although the earlier parts were enjoyable but I was rolling my eyes every single time Je Yi & Soo Yeon show up on the screen and broke the momentum. They were both easily the worst part of the drama in general. As expected, by the time we got to see the real culprit, it turned out to be a caroonish joker knock off with zero effort put into writing him. To state the obvious, Namkoong was doing an unbelievable amount of heavy lifting to keep this drama afloat. The OST was decent at the right time, while other times it was just some background noise. It's still a decent watch and the slightly shorter runtime was helpful but temper your expectations a bit.

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MUCH UNDERRATED DRAMA

This was a really fun journey, loved how it keeps you hook till the end the thing that made this drama so good was obviously it's solid plot, the acting of the actors and handwork of the staff but the chemistry between the leads was just out off the charts even without any romance they were able to deliver their bond which was more of a like soulmate type thing( The fact she(yoo je yi) was the only one who trusted and believed in him (han jihyuk) till the end and how he acknowledged it while telling it to her dad melts my heart this is much better then romance and confession idc) they indeed were very well written characters and hats off to the actors for giving their characters that justice...this drama should've been a hit

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Slow but engaging

A thrilling and mysterious spy series, packed with solid action scenes and excellent acting. Honestly, any drama with Namgoong Min is going to be at least a 7/10. The man is one of the best actors in the Korean entertainment business and his performance in this drama is no different. Female Lead Ji-Eun also delivers a believable and realistic character.

The series starts strong, lots of unknowns and the writer does a great job of unpacking of it through good dialogue, plot and character development. It gets a bit slow in the middle, but picks up again towards the end. The worst part of any Kdrama is when you can tell the writers get lazy and leave things to coincidence for the resolution to occur. This is certainly not the case for 'The Veil'.

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Nice thriller to discover.

The Veil is a spy investigation series that tells the story of a top National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent, Han Ji Hyuk, who during a mission that ended up with the death of his two colleagues and the revelation of many agents Korean secrets in China, disappeared and was presumed dead. A year later, he reappears without the memory of the past year.
He therefore begins to investigate to discover an internal traitor who wants his downfall, but he confronts a much bigger enemy behind a secret organization. He is joined by Je Yi, who is a young NIS agent with her own motives and becomes Han Ji Hyuk's partner.

The series is very mysterious, honestly we are suspicious of everyone, especially those who wish to "help" our protagonist, without forgetting that he himself because of his mental state makes us doubt his character.
Who is he really ? How far can he go to complete a mission ? What happened a year ago ?

It is really a complex character that plays Namkoong Min successfully. This character is cold, distant and determined, he wants the truth at any cost and has little pity for those who are his enemies, no matter how "close" to him that person was.
He quickly understands that he cannot trust anyone but despite this, he still goes from disappointment to disappointment.
I must say that the mystery thickens with the passage of time instead of the opposite, until the last episode.

I thank the writers of the series who did not want to invest in a ridiculous fast romance, so we were able to focus on the intensity of the series entirely without scenes made to satisfy fangirls in search of romance. And oddly, it makes the FL enjoyable, we can understand her motivations, and appreciate her character.
The series is dark, the tones are dark, the characters are all mysterious and complex, it is difficult to know who stands on which side, they all have multiple layers and even the antagonists are relatable and on the contrary sometimes we asks if our protagonists are that "good" and if they are not the "bad guys".
The action scenes, be it the fights, the car chases, they are all done with realism and excellent choreography.

The theme of the series revolves around the truth, the truth which is always different and altered according to the person, his memories and emotions. But also the series speaks of sacrifice, of those people who hold power and who according to them work for the country when in truth they only want power. The sacrifice of common people in the service of these people in power, ending up being nothing more than pawns and collateral damage, but also of the revenge that comes from suffering.
If there is cause for revenge, how should it be done ? On who ?
It's really a series that addresses these aspects of being human is this search for truth, for a goal to accomplish that could pull the most desperate people out of the arms of death.

I must say that this series managed to produce what it wanted as a result, it is impactful and intense.

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"The Veil": Not Your Average Spy Glow-Up - It's Lit AF!

Holy moly, "The Veil," a true game-changer in the action-thriller genre. If you're looking for a drama that'll keep you on the edge of your seat, make you question everything you see, and leave you with your mind blown, then boy, do I have a show for you!

First things first, can we take a moment to appreciate Namgoong Min? This guy isn't just an actor; he's a chameleon, and in "The Veil," he takes it to a whole new level. The dedication this man showed for his role is off the charts. We're talking serious body transformation here - it's like he became a whole new person!
He plays Han Ji-hyuk, a top NIS. The guy's got more layers than an onion, and I was here for every single one of them!

Now, let me tell you, this isn't your typical spy drama. Forget about glamorous casino scenes and martinis (shaken, not stirred). "The Veil" throws you headfirst into a gritty, complex world of espionage where nothing is as it seems. One minute you think you've got it all figured out, and the next – BAM! – they hit you with a plot twist that leaves you reeling. I swear, my brain got more of a workout than my fingers do when I'm frantically hitting 'next episode' because I just had to know what happened next!

Can we gush about the OST for a second? "Reason" by Yoari? Absolute fire! It's been on repeat since I finished the show. 10/10? Nah, make that 100/10! It fits the drama like a glove, perfectly underscoring the intensity and emotion of each scene.

The chemistry between Namgoong Min (Han Ji-hyuk) and Kim Ji-eun (Yoo Je-yi) is off the charts. But here's the kicker - it was really heartwarming to see how their bond strengthened during the journey... and they didn't need any romance to show their incredible connection. There's this scene where he confesses how much she means to him as a partner/colleague, and let me tell you, it was just awesome. I'm not crying, you're crying!

Plot-wise, "The Veil" is a masterclass in storytelling. The intricate plot, the subtle clues hidden in every scene, the carefully crafted dialogue – it all comes together to create a viewing experience that's as rewarding as it is challenging. I wasn't just watching the story; I was living it.

Namgoong Min's acting? Let me just say, give this guy all the awards! After binging this gem, I'm left craving more. Especially more dramas with Namgoong Min and Kim Ji-eun - their on-screen magic is too good to be a one-time thing

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The dark side of the soul

I've loved so much this drama! Namkoong Min is perfect in this role and his acting is brilliant, and the whole cast gave a good performance. The story is complicated, there are twists and turns, but in the end everything is explained quite clearly.
I must say that there are very violent scenes that have upset me, but being a spy story I think they were necessary, we live in a bad world, and people struggle between the light and darkness of their heart.
Actually, the final episode hasn’t completely satisfied me, many key issues are told too quickly, there are unanswered questions, and the relationship between the two main leads is not clear. I’ve hoped so much for a love story between them! Are they in love with each other?
I look forward to the second season, will it be possibile? I hope so.
A suggestion to the writers and the director: please, give Han Ji Hyuk the courage to love!

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Watch the first half.

Main character has lost his memories and is being accused of crimes he didn't commit. Seen and done. But i gave it a chance(the cover convinced me).

The first episode sets really high expectations. The violence is brutal and has a lot of gore. What kind of disturbing things were going on there? The MC looks wild and animalistic. What made him like this? I was so intrigued. The plots twists were amazing though, had me grabbing my head.

The action scenes are very satisfying to watch. MC's walk did snatch some attention, it was bulky and... Idk kinda weird. I don't think he needed that much muscle as he had to do a ton of running and chasing.

NKM's acting was good as ever, though i found the dialogue delivery a little stiff and weird. Only his dialogues are overly dramatic and very cringe. I've seen a lot of kdramas but these dialogues still stood out to me, i think there is some writing error.

I love the theme song, it stuck with me and evokes a lot of emotion. I don't remember if there were any other songs and i think that says enough about it.

The only major thing The Veil failed with was the plot. In the first half, there's a ton of suspense and very little truth is revealed. It is made out to be this huge disturbing truth that will rip everyone's throat when revealed. Something so unexpected that it's unimaginable. But the second half totally falls flat and ruins all of that because guess what the sick truth is: Corruption. National politics. Just that. The murder reveals were interesting though, but it was definitely not enough for what they set the viewers up to.
The plot is so overly complicated that we only know who the Actual villain in this series is in the last two episodes. Multiple people are made out to be villains, only to be revealed later that it's someone else. Again. So many names, so many tiny subplots. I've seen complicated, but this one was a hot, incomprehensible mess.

The characters act like they're hiding the recipe for cancer. Something like

"you have no idea what's waiting for you. "

"do not go further, you can't face the truth. "

"Ji Hyuk, I... " *gets shot and dies*

No one had the braincells to talk like a normal person. Throwing riddles left and right. No one would tell him ANYTHING. And tell me why everyone in that agency was lowkey working for sangmuhoe. Everyone is corrupt. And that's literally the whole truth.

And the climax? Long lost father returns as a deadly criminal amd his daughter tries to fix him with the power of love. plays his favourite song. Puts herself in danger to see if he will harm his daughter. And somehow, the most feared man's heart melts. B*TCH HE'S THE MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL EVER, THIS AIN'T A MELODRAMA.

I enjoyed the first half a lot. The rest was disappointing af.

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