Running Gu (2010)

This is one drama which is hard to find fault with, part of which is probably because of its length. The story would have been very difficult to make a full-length drama out of, but four episodes - more than the length of a movie - was about perfect for the scale of the story, allowing for character developments and a sequence of events which a movie wouldn't have had time for.
Speaking of character developments: this some of these drama's characters didn't bail out on me the way I thought they would. All of the characters were eventually expanded to be more like they ought to be under the circumstances - and I felt like all of the characters were given a genuine chance at being 'good people' in spite of how, as a watcher, I initially wrote them off. Very fulfilling in that aspect.
After having watched Park Min Young in this, my respect of her as an actress is rather better than it was before. I'd only seen her in City Hunter before, but my opinion of her acting was that it was somehow lacking. However, after watching her in Running Gu, I am reminded of the truth that if a script doesn't quite have a character right, it's very difficult for an actor/actress to make up for it. Not to say that City Hunter's script was a bad one, but that Park Min Young's character in City Hunter was more difficult to feel along with than the character she had in Running Gu.
As for the other actors: The main fellow was pretty good, though there were just a few moments here and there which didn't seem quite spot on. The second male actor did a good job. Supporting actors performed well: I loved Dae-gu's two running hyungs and their coach :)
I liked the foremost threesome a lot - and really, the way that this ended was perfect. I couldn't have hoped for a better ending.
Do watch. It's a worthwhile drama without all of the extra twists and illogical additions which longer dramas are often obliged to put in to take up time.

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A little bit of everything in 4 short hours

This very short drama was kind of an emotional ride, the quality is not very good but in 4 short episodes we are invited to join in on a painful journey of regret, guilt, more guilt, competitiveness, sorrow, more guild, more regret and allot of running. That even mad me shed a tear or two. The drama has a pretty realistic feel to it. It deals pretty well with issues such as inequality, entitlement, loss and friendship. In a way that differs from the whole little guy against the system we are used to seeing.

This story is actually about a boy, who was given way to much responsibility for his older sibling. The way their relationship is portrayed in the beginning did bother me abit but at the same time, I guess it made it more real showing how children who are given responsibility to care for siblings may react, and the importance of making everybody feel valuable. this portrayal made way for the rest of the drama, and was the foundation for the scene that built up a tear in my eye.

It was allot of fun to see two top actors in the beginning of there career while Yoo Yeon Seok acting skills have developed quite a bit Park Min Young's acting was already great, she delivers a great performance showing a range of emotions along side her bright caring ray of sunshine between some honestly depressing scenes. Baek Sung Hyun did a pretty good job with his character as well.

I can say that though Park Min Young had relatively little screen time, her character and scenes where the best parts of this drama and had the best lines, opening up, and calling out people for their behaviour and starting points:

" How can someone like you understand... even when you where a kid you never understood what it felt like to loose"


All in all not a masterpiece but definitely worth those four hours if you can put up with the low quality production, there is also some pretty scenery.

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