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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...

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...

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...