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Moving: Drama vs Webtoon Part 3

Time for the final arc! Moving started off strong and continued to outdo itself to the end, coming to a satisfying conclusion that ties enough loose ends to feel complete while also leaving tons of room for future stories. Like the previous acts, Kang Full makes some changes, which he mentioned in an interview, but for fans of the webtoon, the story is still intact and recognizable. On all accounts, Moving was a fantastic adaptation, so let’s dig deeper into what made it so great. Note: Part 3 will cover episodes 15-20 in the drama and episodes 26-45 in the webtoon (a.k.a., the third act). INTRODUCING THE VILLAINS The final enemies in the original webtoon are the supers from North Korea, and in essence, their identities are the last twist of the story. Taking advantage of its format, Kang Full was able to hide where they came from because accents are much easier to camouflage in text. As a result, when they finally reveal their accents (using a classic term/curse that any K...
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Moving: Drama vs Webtoon Part 2

Compared to the first arc of Moving , I think the second arc deviates more from the source material in interesting ways that deepen the characters’ backstories. The overall plot remains the same, but the drama explores the past in greater depth. As a result, there’s something about the middle act that feels fuller and more expressive than the original. Note: Part 2 will cover episodes 8-14 in the drama and episodes 16-25 in the webtoon (a.k.a., the second act). MI-HYUN AND DOO-SHIK: ROMANCE Starting off with Bong-seok’s parents, episodes 8 and 9 depict a spy romance that culminates into an epic reunion and ends with the confession, “I thought I would die.” For the most part, their trajectory stays the same, though the path to their love story differs. The drama spends two episodes just on their courtship, allowing their romance to blossom slowly and carefully. There isn’t anything grandiose about their love, and by most accounts, it’s a quiet and simple affair. The biggest d...
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Moving: Drama vs Webtoon Part 1

Based off the eponymous hit webtoon, Moving is Korea’s answer to the superhero boom. Showcasing a star-studded cast and an incredible team behind the scenes, there are many deciding factors for the show’s success, but I believe its greatest asset is writer and original author Kang Full. At the start, the show had a different screenwriter working on the project, but as with many Kang Full adaptations, the people translating his work to a different medium hit a roadblock. Given the opportunity to write the script himself, Kang Full agreed on a number of conditions—one being the fact that the episode count increase to twenty. In this current environment of shorter lengths and fast-paced stories, Kang Full knew what the merit of his original was, and with that confidence, he was able to push for a drama that stayed true to the webtoon’s core theme while also adding new layers that enhanced it. As with any good adaptation, a one-to-one copy never works, which means Kang Full made qui...
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Lovepark End of the Year Awards V

Welcome to the fifth Lovepark End of the Year Awards: where the awards don't matter, and nobody cares!   Judges: Me (as always)   It has been years since my last "awards" post—mostly because these things take way too long to write—and while I have been watching dramas (and enjoying them immensely) in the time I haven't given out awards, there were a couple of shows this year that compelled me to recognize them in some capacity. With the influx of channels and streaming services jumping into the money pool known as Korean dramas, there are more shows being made than I can count or care to remember. The increase in supply does not always guarantee quality, and in fact, there were probably more duds than gems this year if anyone had the time or desire to watch everything that aired. While most dramas go unnoticed, a deserved few garner attention, and in some cases, created an irrevocable impact on the landscape. Without further ado...
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Farewell, Stove League

Much like the team they portrayed, Stove League rose from the bottom and shattered all expectations. Though the broadcasting station clearly tried to capitalize on this sleeper hit by dividing it into smaller episodes to shove more commercials in between and the production side weighed down some of the fun by inserting a ridiculous amount of PPL scenes, luckily the show ended with its intended 16-episode run. Thus, it's now time to say goodbye to our underdog team, Dreams.
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Scene Spotlight: The Crowned Clown Episode 8

**SPOILER ALERT** (The following has major spoilers for episode 8 of The Crowned Clown.) Marking the end of the first half of The Crowned Clown , Chief Royal Secretary Lee Kyu does the unspeakable: he murders the king, Yi Heon. Episode 8, the halfway point for the series, begins the clear divergence from the original source as Chief Royal Secretary is forced to choose between his king or his ideals. It's a quiet affair without much fanfare which only emphasizes the destitute state of the fallen king.   It's a brilliant scene: shot, scripted, and acted beautifully. My favorite scene from the show thus far, capturing the complexity of the characters and the moral ambiguity of their choices.     The episode starts with the king's unexpected return to the palace which throws Chief Royal Secretary's efforts out the door in a matter of seconds. Forced to face reality, he finally sees what the throne looks like with a rampant king. The man he once ...
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Drama Review: Live (라이브)

Live is a brilliant drama about people and the workplace. It tells the stories of patrol officers, and explores how individuals make choices in environments not of their own choosing. It humanizes the people behind the uniform but doesn't shy away from criticizing society and the police force. The characters are deeply flawed, and the situations they encounter are unjust. However, Live is never hopeless. The characters continue struggling against the system, and despite the challenges and injustice they face, they don't give up. It's a story of human resilience, a tale of repentance and forgiveness, a journey of finding oneself in this crazy world, but ultimately, it's a drama about people.
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Lovepark End of the Year Awards IV

Welcome to the fourth Lovepark End of the Year Award: where the awards don't matter, and nobody cares! Judges: Me (as always)
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Quick Thoughts on Argon

With only a week left, I wanted to share some quick thoughts about this show. I loved the first two episodes which set the tone and had a solid arc (a quick recap is in the works, but we'll see if it ever sees the light of day). The acting is great, and the characters are endearing to various degrees. Argon is (relatively) episodic with one major arc in each episode. Sometimes those arcs are about a news report, and if not, they usually center around a theme. As a result, certain episodes are more engaging than others, but overall, the quality is consistently good. As a whole, Argon almost feels like vignettes, highlighting the lives and struggles of its characters, and as a result, the audience sees snapshots of their lives. By starting the show at the crew's fall from grace, there's already an established history and relationships between the members of Argon as they've experienced success and defeat together as a team. In a sense, the audience enters Argon wit...
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Looking forward to Argon

What else can I say? Park Won-sang plays a major role in the drama, and you have me hook, line, and sinker. Side note, I watched the entire press conference the show held recently, and I actually liked Director Lee Yoon-jung. I only knew her as the Coffee Prince director and then more recently as the Cheese in the Trap director who got into quite a mess. I must admit that I haven't heard very nice things about her as of late, but she seemed so personable and cheery during the press conference that I couldn't help but warm up to her a bit. Anyways, Park Won-sang only had wonderful things to say about the show--don't they always?--so I'll trust his decision. Also, even if the show turns out to be terrible, I know for certain that Park will be amazing. Besides, the leads are Kim Joo-hyuk and Chun Woo-hee, and that's enough pull for me to check out a first episode even if Park Won-sang wasn't attached. It's been a while since I've been excited for...
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