Korean Drama : The Man in the Mask

Alternative Title

Masked Prosecutor

Year Released

2015

Genre

Action

No. of Episodes

16 - runing time of 70 minutes per episode

Starring

Joo Sang-wook, Kim Sun-a, Uhm Ki-joon

Storyline

Ha Dae-chul (Joo Sang-wook) is a prosecutor by day and a masked vigilante by night. He meets Yoo Min-hee (Kim Sun-a) who is a female detective of the violent crime division.  

Dae-chul also has a half-brother, prosecutor Kang Hyun-woong (Uhm Ki-joon).

My View

I guess the plot does not really captivate me as I started fast-forwarding a lot of scenes starting from episode 2.

Rating

1/5 Stars

Korean Drama: The World of the Married

Year Released

2020

Genre

Family, Romance, Thriller

No. of Episodes

16 + 2 specials - running time of 80 minutes per episode

Starring

Kim Hee-ae, Park Hae-joon, Han So-hee

Storyline

The plot starts off with a perfect life follows by suspicion, betrayal, lies and manipulation. After which is a comeback, revenge and fear. 

Then there is emotional breakdown, dilemma and suicide. Finally, the show ends with reflection, letting go, a lot of patience and forgiveness.

My View

The first episode left me swearing a lot. If betrayal by your other half is not enough, there are those people who keep their silence about the truth.

Another part that makes me curse was when Lee Tae-oh (Park Hae-joon) and Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee-ae) had a fierce fight which landed Tae-oh a police's constraint order.

In the end, all of them realise what is the most important thing in their lives. Eventually, they get to move on in peace.

Rating

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Pied Piper

Year Released

2016

Genre

Action, Crime

No. of Episodes

16 - running time of 65 minutes per episode

Starring

Shin Ha-kyun, Jo Yoon-hee, Yoo Jun-sang

Storyline

Joo Sung-chan (Shin Ha-kyun) signs a contract and becomes negotiator for K-Group Chairman Seo Geon-il (Jung Gook-hwan). In return, Chairman Seo lends a large sum of money for Sung-chan's mother's surgery. However, she passes away before getting treatment.

Yeo Myung-ha (Jo Yoon-hee) decides to join Crisis Negotiation Team to reach out to helpless citizens. She believes that by listening earnestly to those in need may ends in a different result. She is one of the victims from New Town Development (by K-Group) 13 years ago. Her parents died in an explosion during rioting.

Yoon Hee-sung (Yoo Jun-sang) is the anchor of TNN Night News channel. He used to be a reporter but makes a deal with Press Director to hide the truth about kidnapping case involving K-Group employees. Sung-chan was the negotiator back then and his girlfriend died because of his negotiation negligience.

A mysterious man named Pied Piper who always make calls by whistling first. Next, he will inform the police department on any upcoming kidnapping, explosion cases etc. 

My View

PP is a very different kind of crime drama. Yes, it is still to expose the bad deeds of higher-ups like any other dramas. But the way the plot is written unravels extraordinarily. 

One of the cases involving a suicide by a helpless lady certainly impresses me. 

Pied Piper's real identity stuns me as well.

Rating

5/5 Stars

Korean Drama : Special Affairs Team TEN 1 & 2

Year Released

2011 - 2012 (season 1), 2013 (season 2)

Genre

Crime, Mystery

No. of Episodes

9 - running time of 72 minutes per episode (season 1), 12 - running time of 74 minutes per episode (season 2)

Starring

Joo Sang-wook, Kim Sang-ho, Choi Woo-shik, Jo An

Storyline

Yeo Ji-hoon (Joo Sang-wook) starts a "Special Affairs Team TEN" to deal with difficult crime cases. Ji-hoon was a former ace detective but quitted his job to be a police academy professor.

However, he returns as a detective again when a serial killer (who killed his wife) whom he was unable to catch, re-appears suddenly. To understand the criminal's thoughts, Ji-hoon becomes "the monster who catches monsters".

Ji-hoon recruits Nam Ye-ri (Jo An) a profiling specialist, Baek Do-shik (Kim Sang-ho), a veteran cop whose nickname is "venomous snake" and Park Min-ho (Choi Woo-shik), a rookie who is often lucky in finding clues to crimes.

My View

There are a mixture of simple, straightforward crimes and complicated ones. 

Sad to say, until the last episode of season 2, I'm still clueless as to who is that "F" serial killer. 

The whole Min-ho kidnapping saga involving detectives and higher police force makes me confused as well.

I seriously feel like rating a 3 but I'm giving it a 4 because of all those great cases.

Rating

4/5 Stars