~ MY NAME ~

Average reading time: 8 minutes

 Personal grade: 17,5/20

Korean Title: 마이 네임

English Title: My Name

Country: South Korea

Director: Kim Jin Min

Screenwriter: Kim Ba Da

Genres: Action, Thriller, Crime

Episodes: 8

Aired: Oct 15, 2021

Original Network: Netflix

Duration: 50 minutes per episode

Content rating: 18+ (violence and profanity)

Where to watch it: Netflix

Official trailer from The Swoon's official YouTube channel: 

Main Cast

• Han So Hee as Yoon Ji Woo / Oh Hye Jin 
• Park Hee Soon as Choi Mu Jin
• Ahn Bo Hyun as Jeon Pil Do

Support Cast

• Lee Hak Joo as Jung Tae Joo (Choi Mu Jin's right-hand man) 
• Kim Sang Ho as Cha Gi Ho (drug investigation unit team leader)
• Jang Yoon as Do Gang Jae (former member of Dongcheong gang) 

 

Brief Summary:

Yoon Ji Woo is a young girl battling with school bullying and struggling to live on her own. Everyday she's being pointed at and called the daughter of a murdered, her father being on the "most wanted" list of the police. On the day of her birthday, her father comes back to her, hoping to see her after a long absence, but he's unfortunately murdered in front of her. From that point on, Jiwoo swears that she's going to get revenge. She goes to the police who seems to have buried her father's case already. So when a presumed friend of her father, Choi Mu Jin, claims that the gun that killed her father is one that belonged to a policeman, her desire of vengeance becomes her only goal in life. 

Choi Mu Jin is in fact the leader of the Dongcheong gang, one of the biggest drug-dealing company in the country. He welcomed Jiwoo in the Dongcheong gang and agreed to train her and help her become stronger in order to kill the man who murdered her father. One day Mujin decides to send her undercover to infiltrate the police, so that she can easily find the person who is responsible of all her pain.  She joins the narcotic team where she encounters Jeon Pil Do, a police detective in the Drug Investigation Unit who will become her colleague.

Between her desire of vengeance that's the only motivation for her to live and her deep down desperation for living a "normal" and "happy" life, how will things end up for Jiwoo? 

Diving deeper into the characters

Yoon Ji Woo / Oh Hye Jin

Although played by the same actress, these two characters are identical but so different at the same time. Jiwoo is a very insecure girl who has been through a lot and who's basically living alone without any of her parents. She has to go through everything by herself and that's extremely harsh and lonely. Add to that the fact that she witnessed her own father's murder is incredibly inhumane. The amount of violence in this scene is just incredible. SART OF SPOIL The fact that she said to him on the phone that he (her father) was dead to her, that she was tired of waiting for him to come back, and that he decided to come see her on that day but gets killed is extremely violent for that poor little girl who ended up feeling guilty. END OF SPOIL

And then you have Hye Jin, a girl who's still broken on the inside (and Pildo was the only one able to break the ice) but who's stronger on the outside. She got stronger physically by training for hours and hours, and mentally because the things she had to do as a police officer first in the violent crimes unit and second in the drug investigation unit were extremely hard and required a strong mental condition. Plus, she had to be careful of every move she made in order not to blow her cover up. 

The acting skills of Han So Hee are amazing. I really felt pain, anger and stress when watching her on the screen. She conveyed emotions really well (which is why I cried a lot watching this drama) and her understanding of her character really helped make her acting credible. 

Choi Mu Jin

Remember the bad guy in Itaewon Class? That super rich man who thought that being a high-class person was allowing him to do all sorts of things? Well, Mu Jin is the exact opposite while still being the worst villain I have ever seen. This is what I call being a narcissist pervert: using people's emotions to get them to do what we want them to do for our own benefits. START OF SPOIL Like really, Jiwoo got her hands dirty so many times and he never actually showed her respect or did something for her. He never put himself in danger like she did for him, only to discover that he was behind all of that. And the worst of all is the right-hand man, Taejoo, who did the dirty work for Mujin for so long and never had an ounce of regret. END OF SPOIL As soon as I saw Mujin on my screen, I knew he would only bring troubles. 

Jeon Pil Do

This is my favourite character by far. I hated Ahn Bo Hyun's character in Itaewon Class but I absolutely love him in the shoes of this amazing police officer. Down to earth and aware, he knows when to take risks (but sometimes acts out of anger), and he was the only one to bring some kind of comfort to our broken-on-the-inside Jiwoo (whom he knows under the name of Hyejin). START OF SPOIL There had to be some romance at some point, and I'm glad that it happened between Pildo and Jiwoo, the way he really cared about her and wanted to help her find the culprit was really heartwarming and god knows we needed some heartwarming moments in the midst of all this violence. END OF SPOIL There was a lot of injustice in this drama, and the worst one was how things ended for Pildo. START OF SPOIL I screamed when they shot the car and killed him, it was so sad and cruel, but on the other hand it finally gave Jiwoo the courage to kill that bastard of Mujin. END OF SPOIL

Jung Tae Joo & Do Gang Jae

These two are the worst characters of this series, they're even more cruel than Mujin in a way. We don't really know what are Taejoo's motives in joining the gang, and I would have maybe appreciated to know more about him so we could maybe "tolerate" (that's a big word) his actions a bit more. He really was Mujin's puppet and even succeeded in being more cold-hearted than his master. As for Gang Jae, that guy was scary. His look was scary, the way he always kept his mouth open and sticked out his tongue was ... ugh. The only thing he had in common with our main character Jiwoo was the will to get revenge. START OF SPOIL Gang Jae was kicked out of the gang when Jiwoo was brought in. She won a fight against him, and he tried to rape her. He got kicked out at the end, and since then wanted to get revenge on Jiwoo. END OF SPOIL 

Ending and Final thoughts

The ending is ... cruel, to say the least, just like the rest of the drama. Honestly, they couldn't do Jiwoo more dirty than that. At least, she got to know the truth, she got to find the identity of her father's killer and she got her revenge (although she was wrong the whole time about the real killer but at least she got her revenge). The ending was cruel to other characters as well, and I'm specifically thinking of Pildo. God, I will never get past what happened. START OF SPOIL Why did they have to kill him when Jiwoo was just starting to feel a bit happier thanks to him? Like WHY??? END OF SPOIL As for the last minutes of the last episode, they're leaving us with our imagination as to what happened with Jiwoo which is kind of a relief. I didn't want any more violence, I had enough of that.

If you are under eighteen or you are sensitive when it comes to blood and extremely violent scenes, I would not recommend you this drama. 

If you like thriller and action dramas with a lot of dark sides and reflections about some dark realities (the reality of the illegal commerce in some countries for example), I would recommend it, mainly for the acting skills of the actors and the storytelling behind the plot. The way the story goes makes us suspect everyone at some point. If you're sure of one thing in episode 2, episode 3 will make you question it. And that is brilliant. You will love characters and hate others, you will be torn between love and hatred, and you will certainly feel sadness and anger. 

I am giving this Kdrama I final grade of 17,5 out of 20. I am penalising it for the excess of violence that was not always necessary, and for a little lack in context when it comes to characters like Tae Joo or Gang Jae. 

That's it for the presentation of the Korean Drama "My Name"! I hope it was helpful and made you want to watch the drama if you were hesitant. Now I would like to know what were YOUR thoughts about the drama, the actors and characters, so write a little comment down below! 

Take care and I'll see you soon!

Love, Swan

 

Sources: Mydramalist, The Swoon's official YouTube channel. 

~ SQUID GAME ~

Average reading time: 9 minutes.

 

16.5/20

Korean Title: 오징어 게임

English Title: Squid Game

Country: South Korea

Director: Hwang Dong Hyuk

Screenwriter: Hwang Dong Hyuk

Genres: Action, Thriller, Mystery, Drama

Episodes: 9

Aired: Sep 17, 2021

Original Network: Netflix

Duration: 60 minutes per episode

Content Rating: 18+ (violence)

Where to watch it: Netflix

Official trailer from Netflix's official YouTube channel:

Main Cast

• Lee Jung Jae as Seong Gi Hun (main player #456)
• Park Hae Soo as Cho Sang Woo (player #218, Gi Hun's childhood friend)
• Jung Ho Yeon as Kang Sae Byeok (player #067)
• Wi Ha Joon as Hwang Joon (infiltrated police officer)

Support Cast

• Oh Young Soo as Oh Il Nam (player #001) 
• Heo Sung Tae as Jang Deok Soo (player #101, gang leader)
• Anupam Tripathi (Ali Abdul, player #199)

Brief Summary

They're all living on the brink of financial ruin and in constant anxiety and fear to be found and killed. So when a stranger gives them the opportunity to win 45.6 billion won by playing some Korean childhood games, they don't hesitate and seize the opportunity. We follow the story of Seong Gi Hun, a man in his 40s with a 10 year old daughter who owes more than 400 million won to loan sharks and who's living off his elederly mother's money. One day, he encounters a strange man on the subway who makes him a strange offer: playing some childhood games to win a handsome amount of money. Seong Gi Hun decides to call the number that was written on the back of the man's business card, and wakes up a couple of hours later in a gigantic warehouse. He finds himself with 455 other people, one of them being his childhood friend Cho Sang Woo. Everyone's wearing the same blue-green tracksuits with numbers on it like prisoners. Briefed by the red tracksuit men, Seong Gi Hun understands that he's the 456th player of a real-life game called "Squid Game", in which he has to win a series of 6 games in order to win the promised prize that could free him from his misery. But, as soon as the first game starts, all the players realise that there is much more at stake than what they had initially thought. 

Diving deeper into the characters

Seong Gi Hun (player #456)

Seong Gi Hun is the main player of this series, and portrays the most "humane" character. He tries to stay focused in order to survive this game, but deep down he can't believe that what's happening is real. During the games, we realize that he's the most realistic and down to earth character, but being realistic and down to earth in such an unrealistic setup doesn't really help. I really liked this character because of his sensitivity. He seems completely lost at first but he still has some common sense in his mind. If we were to ask ourselves what character would we be in Squid Game, I think a majority of people would identify themselves to Seong Gi Hun because of his realistic reactions. START OF SPOIL Who wouldn't try to stop this game whenever they had the occasion? Who wouldn't try to denounce this whole organisation to the police? END OF SPOIL The actor did well in conveying frightening emotions so that we really get in the mood and without overdoing it (relatively to the context). That moment when he just smiled in front of the camera was just... I don't even have words to describe it. It's like he's smiling before going to hell, but at the same time his smile is innocent because he doesn't really know what's awaiting him (the red track-suit men were smart, they didn't reveal all the rules from the start). 

Cho Sang Woo (player #218)

Cho Sang Woo is Gi Hun's childhood friend, who was supposed to have gone to Seoul National University (one of Korea's most prestigious universities) and who was supposed to have secured a good job. But no, he was in debt as well, and owed a lot of money. So when Gi Hun sees him at the Squid Game premises, he falls off a whole building. I would describe this character as selfish, opportunist and unlikable. He's the polar opposite of Seong Gi Hun. And aside from taking advantage of the others, he didn't really stand out. They don't give enough details about his personal situation in my opinion, which makes it harder for us to like him. However, I have to admit that the actor did a good job showing some awesome poker faces. 

Kang Sae Byeok (player #067)

This character is the female version of Cho Sang Woo, but at least her story was touching. Although she was always on her guards (and who wouldn't be in such a crazy environment) and didn't care about others' feelings, there still was some moments where she appeared as a simple human being. START OF SPOIL Plus, I lowkey loved the "special bond" she had with player #240. END OF SPOIL This character could've had a much more important role in my opinion. START OF SPOIL Could someone explain to my why did she have to die like this? Her death was one of the most unfair. END OF SPOIL

Hwang Joon (infiltrated police officer)

I think this character has been done dirty. This character is the only one who's not in this game for money, he has a real purpose: finding his brother who has disappeared. I really got attached to him, and every time he'd appear on screen my heart would skip a beat because these scenes were the most stressful ones. Step by step he discovers this whole mechanism, and although he surely must have been scared to death, he always kept his goal in sight. But then... episode 8 happened. START OF SPOIL First, he didn't have to die. Second, why did he die like this? Really? Such a stupid death? He could've dismantled the whole thing but no! If he had escaped, this whole structure and VIPs would have been exposed and we would have had a decent ending to the whole series. END OF SPOIL 

Special mention to Ali's character, who is the most touching one but also the most naive. I love how they tackled hierarchy problems in factories with this character. I'd also like to mention player #001, Oh Il Nam, because he was the only one to never freak out, and it took me some time to realise why. For a start, all we know about him is that he's old and very ill. But if you pay attention to details, this character is everything but innocent. START OF SPOIL I can't believe he's the mastermind of all this thing. It took me a while to realise that there was no record of him in the files when the police officer entered the archives, or that he wasn't scanned by the giant doll during the first game. END OF SPOIL Finally, about the black suit man, the supervisor of all the red-suits, this guy was cool and scary until the VIPs came in, and he transformed himself into a nice little doggy, and that's where I lost all interest in him. I'm not going to talk about the VIPs because I sincerely have nothing to say about them. I just wished they never existed, because with or without them the series doesn't change in my opinion. 

Ending & Final thoughts

You might be shocked by the grade I gave to this drama, considering it's extremely popular all around the globe. I'm not saying otherwise, because the plot of this drama is what makes it so unique and buzz worthy. It's very creative, and it makes us think about all the aspects about our relationship with money (and a whole lot of other topics as well). The production was amazing as well. How they designed and put in place the sets for the games is an incredible process, and the music adds so much to the creepiness. The problem lies in its characters that weren't developed enough in my opinion, and that are forgettable for the most part (I'm thinking of the gang leader and that crazy woman with the curly hair in particular). We are left with so many question marks about the characters, and we don't have enough time to really get attached to them that they're already dead. And god episode 8, they really did the police officer dirty. 

My opinion on the ending is very mitigated. The story with the VIPs was very disappointing, the last game was "okay", and the message conveyed at the end was great (START OF SPOIL that money can't buy happiness, because even though the winner won this whole amount of money, he's still unhappy because his mother died during the game and this money was of no use END OF SPOIL), but it leaves me wanting for more. Considering that there is no season 2 in sight yet (according to the producer), I'm a bit frustrated. 

I wished we also had more behind-the-scenes moments, moments where we could see how the red tracksuits were behaving as well, what hierarchy there was between them (START OF SPOIL there was definitely a hierarchy between the squares, the circles and the triangles, and there's that theory that they have a life that is as miserable as the players because they were also chosen by playing ddakji with the strange man on the subway END OF SPOIL), what were their tasks, how did they got recruited, etc. I definitely wanted to know more about that. 

I would still recommend you to watch that drama because it's still very well produced and very well thought, it's not so popular for nothing. But deep down I really wish for a season 2 so I do get answers to my questions. 

That's it! I hope you guys enjoyed reading this drama review. You can check out my other drama reviews by clicking here. Take care and I'll see you soon.

Love, Swan

 

Sources: Mydramalist, Netflix official YouTube channel. 

~ NAVILLERA ~

~ 19/20 ~

Korean Title: 나빌레라

English Title: Navillera (like a butterfly)

Country: South Korea

Director: Han Dong Hwa

Screenwriter: Lee Eun Mi

Genres: Friendship, Life, Drama, Family, Dance. 

Episodes: 12

Aired: Mar 22, 2021 - Apr 27, 2021

Original network: TvN, Netflix

Duration: 65 minutes per episode

Content rating: 15+

Where to watch it: Netflix (depending on the country), Dramacool (lots of ads)

Official trailer from Netflix Asia official YouTube channel: 

Main Cast:

• Song Kang as Lee Chae-Rok
• Park In Hwan as Shim Deok Chul
• Na Moon Hee as Choi Hæ Nam (Deok Chul's wife)
• Heong Seung Hee as Shim Eun Ho (Deok Chul's granddaughter) 

Support Cast:

• Kim Tae Hoon as Ki Seung Joo (Chae Rok's ballet teacher)
• Yoon Ji Hye as Eun So Ri (Seung Joo's ex-wife/ballet teacher)
• Jung Hae Kyun as Shim Seong San (Deok Chul and Hae Nam's eldest son)
• Kim Soo Jin as Shim Seong Suk (Deok Chul and Hae Nam's daughter)
• Jo Bok Rae as Shim Seong Gwan (Deok Chul and Hae Nam's youngest son)
• Jo Sung Ha as Lee Moo Young (Chae Rok's father) 
• Kim Kwon as Yang Ho Beom (Chae Rok's ex-friend)

Brief Summary:

Navillera, an adaptation of a webtoon of the same name, is a Korean drama that tells the story of Chae Rok, a young man whose dream was to become a ballerino but whose motivation has been fading away because of the struggles he's been encountering in his life, and Deok Chul, an old man who's turning 70 years old and who has never done once what he really wanted to because he's always put his family before himself. One day, Deok Chul stumbles upon Chae Rok who was practicing a ballet routine, and decides that he wants to do ballet and perform on stage at least once in his life before it's too late. Because he thinks it will make Chae Rok grow up and find his motivation back, Ki Seung Joo asks Chae Rok to teach ballet to Deok Chul. This marks the start of an adorable and unique relationship between a stubborn young man and a determined old man. 

Diving deeper into the characters:

Lee Chae Rok

Played by rising actor Song Kang, Chae Rok is a young man in his 20s who decided to become a ballerino after he watched a play. His father had pushed him to play football for 13 years but Chae Rok never liked football that much. However, as an important competition is coming up, Chae Rok's going through a "slump". His body is overworked, and the poor boy lives alone having no one to care for him. His mother died, and his father is in prison. And on top of the countless hours of practicing, Chae Rok is working part time at a restaurant where he'll later make the encounter of Deok Chul's granddaughter: Eun Ho. One day, there's this old man (Deok Chul) that comes into the practicing studio and starts watching Chae Rok which made him feel very uncomfortable. The man seemed pretty determined, and Chae Rok's professor (Seung Joo) desperately needed him to make more efforts as the competition approached. This is when he tells Chae Rok that he had to become this old man's teacher. 

I have to admit, the reaction of Chae Rok was literally priceless. And I think anyone else would react like he did: A man in his 70s wants to start learning ballet, who would take that seriously? But as the story goes on, you'll see that Deok Chul had his own reasons: START OF SPOIL as he was getting older, he knew he didn't have much time left especially since he knew he had Alzheimer, and so he really had nothing to loose. END OF SPOIL I think this is the best role of Song Kang in my opinion. I tried watching Sweet Home but there was too much blood for me to handle, and I found his role in Love Alarm not "good enough" to highlight all his skills. When I found out that he didn't use a stunt double (someone else to do all the ballet routines since we know he's not a professional dancer), I was shocked. I cannot imagine the number of hours he must have spent on learning all these routines (I almost asked myself at one point if he really got all those injuries because these routines were really scary).

What I love the most in Chae Rok's character is that he's pretty realistic. I think he represents well the harsh reality of the ballet world: countless hours of working out, overworking your body, harsh competition, and a lot of pressure of making a mistake that will ruin your entire career. His reactions to some situations were also pretty accurate: START OF SPOIL when you hear that someone you know is ill, and that you are close to their family members, you want to tell them, but you also want to protect them and it's not really up to you to tell them the truth. He finally found the courage to tell Deok Chul's youngest son that his father had Alzheimer, and I think that's what people should do even though it's really hard. END OF SPOIL He also never lost his temper despite the numerous times Ho Beom tried to provoke him and was very mature at some points. So yes, his character was pretty realistic to me.

I just wished we had more interactions with Chae Rok and his father. I think the story behind why his father got sent to prison is a bit weird... START OF SPOIL it's only towards the end that we learn that he had beaten some students, but is that really the case? If yes, well that felt random, not explained enough for me, and it felt like they just wanted to rush the thing. END OF SPOIL 

Shim Deok Chul

Shim Deok Chul is a 70 year old man who is realising that he's getting older and older and who is realising that he hasn't much time left. The series starts with one of his friend's funeral, and him and his other friends realising that they're getting old. START OF SPOIL We will later discover that Deok Chul has Alzheimer and that he wants to learn ballet quick before he forgets everything. END OF SPOIL Deok Chul distributed mail when he was younger, and got two sons and a daughter with his wife Choi Hae Nam. The family members don't get all along, especially the two brothers with the youngest being a bit lost in his life (and still squatting mom and dad's home). But when Deok Chul announces that he wants to learn ballet, the news divided even more the family. His youngest son supported him, as well as his granddaughter, but his eldest son found it ridiculous and a waste of time, as well as his wife who was worried for his health. However, Deok Chul doesn't give up and takes ballet classes with Chae Rok. He also became Chae Rok's manager to the demand of his teacher.  

This man is the perfect example to tell to all the retired people out there that even though you stop working, you still have time until you die, and that you should use this precious time to achieve what you couldn't achieve until now. And whatever your goal is, don't be ashamed of it. There's nothing ridiculous in a man wanting to learn ballet. Don't be ashamed of your own dreams and don't be afraid of being yourself in front of your family. Your family loves you and will end up supporting you if they truly love you. 

Choi Hae Nam

Hae Nam is Deok Chul's wife and a mother of three grown-up children. She now spends her time taking care of the house and cooking. She knew that something weird was happening with her husband, but when she discovers the truth she cannot believe it. She thought that her husband was going through an existential crisis and that he will eventually give up, but she was mostly scared about her husband's health. I think any other wife would've reacted the same way, because at this age our body is not as strong as it once was, and any injury that might seem small can in fact be fatal. START OF SPOIL She also had a shock when she learned that her husband had Alzheimer, but I think she then took great care of him. The sensation of not being recognised by your own husband/wife is surely horrible, and I don't wish this to anyone, not even my worst enemy, but she was very brave and took the situation in her hands. This was very touching, and very brave because some people just balance in denial or decide to leave their partner. END OF SPOIL

Shim Eun Ho

Eun Ho is Deok Chul's granddaughter, the daughter of his eldest son. She starts working as a part-timer in the restaurant where Chae Rok worked, and this is how they met. Their first encounter was to say the least electric, and the first interaction could've been better. But when Chae Rok learns that she's Deok Chul's granddaughter, they start seeing each other more often and eventually become close. She was one of the few in Deok Chul's family to accept that he wanted to do ballet on the get-go alongside her mother. However, Eun Ho is facing a major problem in her life: She doesn't really know what she wants to do in her professional life. Plus, her father isn't making things easier for her. And I think a lot of people can relate to this situation, so the drama sends a really helpful message to all the young generation that's currently looking for a job: You might not get it right from the first try but it's ok, keep going, and you'll eventually find what you like to do. And it's the same thing for the major you want to enter when you go to college. 

I would've just loved to see more about her relationship with her father and her relationship with Chae Rok. I'm sure they would've developed feelings but I would've loved seeing it on the screen (at least they end up having a really good chemistry on screen towards the end). 

I also wanted to give a special mention to the actor who played Shim Seong Gwan (Deok Chul's youngest son), because his acting as well as his character moved me. 

Ending & Final Opinion

Kdramas usually mess up the ending as they want to rush the story and put as much information as they can in the last episode, or on the contrary they have nothing important to say and the last episode serves nothing, but the ending of Navillera was the cherry on the cake. START OF SPOIL I cried watching the stage of Chae Rok and Deok Chul. The emotion was at its maximum and the drama could've ended on that scene I wouldn't have complained. END OF SPOIL For once the ending is not rushed and every character has its final point to his or her individual story, and that's what I call a great ending. 

I ended up grading this drama 19/20, because it was almost perfect. The story is touching, moving, emotional and original, the characters are well-developed (except for some parts that I mentioned regarding the ties between some of the characters), and the ballet routines are superb. I don't know why I didn't grade it 20/20, but I think that's because I'm not going to ever put a perfect score to any of the dramas I have watched. It's a personal thing, don't try to understand it ^^' So, should you watch this drama? My obvious answer would be: GO FOR IT! 

That's it for the review of the Kdrama "Navillera". As you might already know, I'm a very curious person, so don't be afraid of leaving your opinion on the drama in the comment section down below or via message on my social media! Thank you and I'll see you for the next one <3

Love, Swan

 

Sources: Mydramalist, Wikipedia, YouTube, Soompi.