THE SHORT VERDICT:
A show that’s really good right away, and – gasp! – actually stays that way throughout its 28 episodes. That’s a rare, rare feat in dramaland, as we know all too well.
Gaksital is a show that manages to take a political context and ground it in the personal experience and emotion of our characters, and then by extension, help us to care about that political context in a way more visceral that I expected.
I found Gaksital intense, gripping, and gut-wrenching in some of the best ways. And I don’t even usually like shows with political contexts.
THE LONG VERDICT:
Sometimes it really pays to follow the buzz of a show even when that show isn’t your usual cup of tea. Coz you might discover an awesome show that you wouldn’t have otherwise given the time of day.
That’s what happened for me with Vampire Prosecutor (awesome show!), and that’s what happened with Gaksital as well.
To backtrack a little, I’ll say upfront that I’m not generally a fan of political settings for my dramas. I have little interest in politics in real life, and when the promotional material and stills for Gaksital first came out, I wasn’t at all interested.
The political context aside, the time period in which the show is set also didn’t feel terribly appealing to me.
I generally like my modern dramas fully modern, or my period dramas fully sageuk. This 1930s stuff felt unfamiliar and strange with its period bits side by side with more modern stuff.
But the buzz for this drama was so very positive that I felt like I’d be missing out if I didn’t at least check it out. And I’m so glad I did, because this show pretty much blew me away.
Gaksital OST – Goodbye Day
A LITTLE CONTEXT
Before I get into the review proper, I thought it’d make sense to provide a little personal context.
Although I’m not Korean, I am familiar with the whole concept of a Japanese Occupation because I live in Singapore, and Singapore has its own Japanese Occupation in its history.
I didn’t live through the Japanese Occupation myself, but my grandmothers both did, as did other elders in the family, and I’d heard many stories of suffering, death and cruelty stemming from it.
Not only that, our local broadcaster had, over the years, made quite a few local dramas set in the period of the Japanese Occupation as well, so I’d watched similar scenes of suffering, death and cruelty set in that context.
This doesn’t mean that I hate Japan or anything. In fact, one of my sisters currently lives in Tokyo.
What it does mean, though, is that I went into Gaksital already expecting senseless, extreme violence from the Japanese characters. It didn’t feel like extreme script-writing to me, because back in the day, that’s really how it was. There was lots of senseless, extreme violence, and I’d expect nothing less from a show set during a Japanese Occupation.
I can imagine how someone coming from a different background might have difficulty accepting the senseless violence portrayed in Gaksital, but I posit to you that these portrayals are in line with actual history and not the products of a depraved script-writer’s mind.
Ok, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s get into the review proper, shall we?
CREATING A BELIEVABLE WORLD
Because Gaksital is based on a comic, it would have been pretty easy for the show to have taken a cartoonish turn, in terms of characterization, setting and atmosphere. But it didn’t.
Even though I can plausibly imagine pretty much every frame of this show as part of a manhwa because of the stylish and sometimes stylized cinematography, the show manages to make everything feel very real at the same time, which I love.
Sets, Props & Costuming
The sets, props and costuming are clearly prepared with a great deal of thought and attention to detail, making the world pop and come alive.
Despite the fact that I knew these were props and sets, I could actually believe that they were somehow real, and these helped transport me into the world that they created.
Take a look at these:
Cinematography
We often get treated to shots of beautiful landscapes as the scenery provides the backdrop for our story.
I sometimes had to pause just to admire the beauty of the lush, gorgeous setting of a scene before turning my attention to the scene itself.
There were times that I found the beauty of the nature quite startling in contrast to the ugliness of war and the dark twisted-ness of some of the characters’ psyches.
Sometimes, that incongruity actually felt very much like a statement, something along the lines of: the world is actually a very beautiful place, and it is humans that taint it with their ugly greed and thirst for power.
Here’s a little sampling of that beauty:
Action Scenes
I also thought the requisite fight scenes were excellently shot, with lots of great editing and a dash of stylized slo-mo to bring out the fast and furious nature of the fight at hand.
The show managed to find the perfect balance between stylized and matter-of-fact to make the action very up-close-and-personal and real, yet aesthetically pleasing and stylish at the same time.
Some wire work is used, but fairly sparingly, which helps to keep things grounded in spite of the flair that wire work tends to give.
As an aside, I have to give props to our actors for taking on such demanding action scenes and delivering admirably.
I don’t know whether stunt doubles were used at all, but I’ve seen some BTS footage, and I know that our actors did at least quite a lot (if not all) of the action themselves. That’s no easy task, considering they often had to emote while fighting as well. Bravo to them all, I say.
Here’s a taste of that action:
Poetic Interludes
There were sometimes little sequences in the show that were beautifully filmed and edited to create a poetic sort of sensibility that I couldn’t help but admire.
These little pockets of unexpected quiet poetry-in-motion helped to balance out the adrenaline-pumping nature of other scenes, and these were often inserted after a particularly intense scene.
In this little example, we have a gorgeously shot scene of Gaksital falling into the water, and then his mask coming off and floating in the water.
So, so pretty:
Gaksital OST – I Couldn’t
The Music
These poetic interludes were often accompanied by beautifully scored music from the OST.
The OST as a whole was truly excellent. The tracks really grew on me more and more as the show wore on, which is truly a best-case scenario, since with some shows, the OST tracks start to become tiresome with overuse.
Not so in Gaksital.
I found the tracks evocative and often quite poetic, and I loved how each one was applied. I felt like the music enhanced my viewing experience, and it never felt obtrusive.
Kudos to the music director for hitting it perfectly on every point.
Longevity
Impressively, the cinematography and astute use of the OST remain strong throughout the show.
Often, as shows enter the final stretch, the cinematography and editing become victims of the live shoot system and we tend to get choppier editing and compromised cinematography as a result of the production team being caught in a time crunch.
I was impressed that we got nicely choreographed fight scenes and accompanying camera-work even in the last few episodes of Gaksital.
I salute you, Show, for managing to keep the pace.
THE WRITING
Characterization
One of the things I really appreciate about the writing in this show is that all the characters are painted in ways that make them believable.
No one is portrayed as being evil simply for the sake of being evil. We can understand their reasons and motivations even though we may not agree with the characters’ actions.
Additionally, we are brought on individual characters’ journeys and watch them evolve as their circumstances change.
Ultimately, no one is painted in pure black or white, and what we get is a fascinating, textured fabric made up of multiple shades of gray.
Humor
I enjoyed the dashes of humor that the writers peppered throughout the show.
Some were funnier than others, but one of my favorites has to be Ueno’s words to Rie over the phone in episode 8, “We must find the reason that the Imperial Police cannot catch one man with an iron stick.”
Ha. And that he said it in all seriousness? Double ha!
Pacing
The pacing of the story was also very good.
I never felt like the story was rushing through anything, and the writers took their time to build us a context that is rich enough for us to appreciate the characters and their stories more keenly.
At the same time, there were definitely stretches in the show where the hook that makes me want to watch back-to-back episodes bit me, and I stayed up way past my bedtime to watch “just one more episode” – y’all know how that works.
THE CHARACTERS
I was impressed with almost every actor in this show, particularly Joo Won as Lee Kang To and Park Ki Woong as Kimura Shunji, who both dug really deep and provided their respective characters with multiple facets and layers.
There was no vanity at all with these two. They were both fully committed to their roles and turned in impressive, excellent performances.
Due to the twist-and-turn nature of the storyline of this show, to discuss the characters and their relationships in further detail would mean delving into spoiler-heavy territory.
My advice, if you haven’t seen the show yet, is to skip to the end of the review for The Final Verdict as well as the excellent MVs (I picked some non-spoilery ones as well) and just know that pretty much everyone was awesome.
Then come back later after you’ve watched the show, of course, so that we can discuss what you think 😉
[SPOILER ALERT – MAJOR SPOILERS DEAD AHEAD]
Shin Hyun Joon as Lee Kang San
Shin Hyun Joon did an excellent job portraying the different facets of Kang San’s character.
From being the smart hot-shot hyung to becoming the village idiot to taking on the mask of Gaksital, Shin Hyun Joon had to draw on a very wide range of emotion, and he made Kang San an intriguing, interesting character for the relatively short amount of time that we spent with him.
I found Kang San a heartbreaking and tragic character in many ways.
Not being able to withstand the torture in prison, he pretended to be crazy so that he could be spared. Ironically, he then went about as Gaksital, saving so many people that he became the people’s hero.
I found it fascinating that he was a hero that was born out of cowardice. There’s something just so dissonant about that.
Even though he was Gaksital the people’s hero, we often saw him afraid. He was always terrified of being discovered, and hid his identity as Gaksital with his extreme village idiot act.
Despite his many heroic acts, there was always a distinct sense of self-loathing about him because he recognized and hated his own cowardice. On top of that, there was an overwhelming sense of guilt in him, for succumbing to that cowardice.
When faced with the choice between blowing his cover and saving his mother, or keeping his cover and sacrificing his mother, he hesitated and ultimately allowed his mother to take the fall.
I felt that his tears afterward were as much in grief for his mother’s death as they were in guilt and despair at his own cowardice.
More than a character in and of himself, Kang San was much more interesting as a foil for our protagonist Kang To, because Kang San and the way he deals with donning the Gaksital mask is our basis of comparison for when Kang To eventually does the same.
Their relationship is also interesting in terms of how it affects Kang To.
We’ll talk more about all that later.
Gaksital OST – I’m Right Beside You
Joo Won as Lee Kang To
Joo Won was flat-out fantastic as Kang To, a man who starts the show as the much-hated “Japanese dog” who is violent and cruel to his fellow Koreans while swearing vehemently on his life to capture Gaksital with his own hands, to becoming the man who dons the Gaksital mask himself and becomes a true hero for the people.
It is a trajectory that spans a seriously vast range of emotion and Joo Won approaches it all with full commitment and lack of vanity.
As we know, in many kdramas, the hero starts out as a jerk and then over the course of the drama grows and matures and becomes a better person.
We get that too in Gaksital, except it’s maybe jerk x1,000, and then that becomes hero x10,000.
Even though that sounds extreme, that’s exactly the extreme journey that Kang To takes, and the best part is, every part of his growth feels real and organic. It never feels rushed or fake, and I love that the show takes its time to give us that.
From episode 1, we see that Kang To is a braver man than his brother. He makes his choices and owns them. He chooses to work for the Japanese government even though it is a hugely unpopular choice even with his mother, and he throws himself into it.
He doesn’t make any apologies for his choices, and shoulders the general hatred from his fellow man without flinching.
We also learn pretty much right away, that he’s not such a bad person at heart, that he’s doing all this in the hope of giving his family a better quality of life.
As the show progresses and as certain key events take place in Kang To’s life that change the course of his destiny forever, Joo Won rises to the occasion and delivers some seriously amazing performances.
One of the scenes which I found unforgettable is the scene where Kang To discovers that his mother is dead. His horror at his discovery is completely palpable.
His shock turns into a silent scream that eventually becomes a bloodcurdling wail that sounds like it’s coming from the very depths of his belly.
Kang To then wails and cries over his mother’s body, and then, his grief morphs into anger at his hyung for not protecting their mother.
It’s an arresting scene and Joo Won’s delivery is awe-inspiring. I think the hairs on the back of my neck took some time to calm down.
Kang To’s anguish at losing his mother and brother is so strong that you can almost touch it. He goes through so much torment, confusion and pain, and Joo Won portrays it all in an utterly believable manner.
The first time Kang To dons the mask, it is in rage and vengeance and he kills Kenji (Park Joo Hyung) in blind fury. But beyond that fury, we also feel Kang To’s intense loneliness now that he has no family left.
For a good long stretch in the drama, Kang To struggles with his identity and purpose, and that feels organic and believable.
It’s not a quick 180 degree turnaround from antihero to hero, and Joo Won portrays that oftentimes lonely journey with pathos and realism.
On top of that, in straddling his dual identities, Joo Won as Kang To often has to shift his persona and facial expressions within the blink of an eye. Yes, there’s still room for growth acting-wise, but overall, I’d say that Joo Won manages the many demands of the role quite excellently.
Joo Won as Kang To is by turn badass, fierce, cruel, kind, lonely, grieved, conflicted, uncertain, playful, flirtatious, devious, loving, confused, and completely heroic. And he rocks it all.
Park Ki Woong as Kimura Shunji
Park Ki Woong’s performance as Kimura Shunji is hands-down the best that I have seen from him, ever. He delivers a truly excellent performance as Shunji, whose character charts as extreme a journey as Kang To, except in the opposite direction.
Park Ki Woong is equally convincing as a gentle, innocent, idealistic school-teacher and as the tortured, cruel, angry captain of the Imperial Police who’s thirsty for revenge.
It’s quite mind-boggling how that sweet friendly face in that screencap above turns into this seething one:
Or this carelessly bored one while inflicting torture on another human being:
Or these completely ballistic ones where he’s pretty much losing it because of his rage:
It almost feels like two completely different characters. But it isn’t, thankfully.
Because of careful, thoughtful writing and Park Ki Woong’s nuanced delivery, we do continue to see traces of the old Shunji even in the later episodes.
Almost in complete diametric opposition to Kang To’s slow journey from antihero to hero, Shunji doesn’t turn immediately to the dark side either.
When his father Taro (Chun Ho Jin) assumes that Shunji will put on the Imperial Police uniform and avenge Kenji’s death, Shunji stops short and says that he is only a schoolteacher and that he will do his best to assist Kang To in arresting the killer.
We get to witness Shunji’s slow descent into the dark side as he appears to take a “just one more step” approach to the pressures that steer his path, and loses his soul one piece at a time.
There are various points in the show where we get to see how far he’s come from the old, gentle, sweet Shunji, and the one that stands out most to me is his conversation with his old friend Tamao (Choi Dae Hoon).
Shunji is interrupted from his solo brooding at Club Angel when Tamao sits down with him, uninvited, and starts to reminisce about their good ol’ times with Kang To.
When Tamao ignores Shunji’s order to leave and carries on with his story, Shunji delivers a resounding slap to Tamao’s face and draws his gun.
He spits out at Tamao: “This son of a bitch laughs? Friend? Me, with a damn Korean?”
Tamao’s shocked expression, juxtaposed with a story of friendship between the 3 men which hadn’t happened all that long ago, shows us starkly how far Shunji has descended into the dark side.
I do like that the show doesn’t let us forget that Shunji isn’t just the bad guy, but reminds us that he’s also the guy who used to be gentle and sweet, not that long ago.
It makes Shunji’s characterization so much more complex and faceted.
Yes, we are repelled by his cruelty and rage, but we also see the circumstances and pressures that presented themselves to him as choices; (bad, bad) choices that led him down a dark, slippery slope from which he struggles and fails to recover.
Ultimately, I was satisfied with how the show resolved his character.
In losing his one (completely misdirected) hope of going back to his old self, he sees no other way out but to take his own life and end it all.
In that final choice, I see that at a very basic level, he did think of his eventual self as a monster and desired to go back to more innocent times.
Park Ki Woong as Shunji turned in a nuanced, faceted performance that was at once repulsive yet fascinating; dark yet sympathetic; villainous yet tragic.
Impressive. And quite brilliant, I might add.
Jin Sae Yeon as Oh Mok Dan
As the shared love interest of Kang To and Shunji, Mok Dan is, narratively-speaking, more interesting in terms of what she shows us about the two men than in and of herself as a character.
As the female lead character, Mok Dan does come across characterized in more idealistic colors than most of our other main characters, who are painted in shades of gray.
Perhaps that is what makes her stand out as somewhat more two-dimensional compared to the other characters.
Among the four lead characters, she remains the most static and constant throughout the drama.
She begins the drama fiercely idealistic, and supports the resistance at the risk of her life. By the end of the drama, she is still as loyal to the resistance and even gives up her life to protect Kang To, who is not only the man she loves, but the hero of the people that she loves.
Jin Sae Yeon did a decent job portraying Mok Dan, and it’s unfortunate that she came off as the most flat and uninteresting of our four main characters.
Still, she’s interesting in terms of what she means to both Kang To and Shunji (more on that in a bit), and for that alone, her presence in the drama is worthwhile.
Han Chae Ah as Ueno Rie
Although Rie’s character is what we would traditionally classify as the second female lead, she was a lot more interesting and complex compared to Mok Dan’s character.
When we first meet Rie, she’s strong, powerful and badass.
She is treated poorly by Kenji, who, assuming that she’s some random lowly singer, empties her suitcase to search it while leering at her in the process.
When Taro steps in to stop (and punch) his son and inform him of just who he’s dealing with, Rie calmly steps up to first slap Kenji soundly, then grind her heel into his hand as she walks away.
So. Badass.
Underneath that veneer of power and confidence, though, we soon find that Rie is actually an insecure woman trying desperately to gain the favor and approval of her adoptive father Ueno Hideki (Jun Gook Hwan).
Having renounced her Korean heritage, she continually strives to cement her Japanese identity. One of her refrains through the show is her emphatic statement of her Japanese name: “I am Ueno Rie.”
Aw. It’s as if she believes that if she says it confidently enough, or repeats it enough times, that it will eventually become true. So sad.
Whenever she’s interacting with Ueno, she’s always a bundle of nerves and she strikes me as a vulnerable, lost little girl. Rie is always falling short of Ueno’s expectations, and that causes her to become increasingly frustrated and fearful.
At one point, Ueno tellingly says of Rie, “Rie’s weakness is that she’s Korean.”
Clearly, Ueno never actually treated her as a daughter, and was just manipulating her as he deemed fit. He even gives Rie to Shunji as an offering after Taro’s death, so that Shunji might relieve his anger by killing her.
Given the dangerous position that she was in, and Ueno’s cruel, murder-happy streak, I honestly did not expect Rie to survive the show.
But she did. And I’m so glad the writers allowed her a new lease of life, this time while casting her Japanese identity aside and finally re-embracing her Korean name: Choi Hong Joo.
Rie’s struggle with herself was fascinating to watch and Han Chae Ah did an excellent job bringing her to life.
Her interactions with Kang To and Shunji also provided lots of interest and dimension to the show, which we’ll talk about later.
Secondary Characters
This show has a particularly large pool of secondary characters, and I found it interesting that these secondary characters would be introduced throughout the length of the show.
Some characters could be introduced early in the show, playing pretty key roles and yet killed off partway. At the same time, other characters could be introduced very late in the game and yet play an important part in the overall story.
I found that different and refreshing, because in most dramas, the important characters are introduced early in the show and stay the course pretty much to the end.
I liked that this show dared to do it differently, and trusted us as the audience to flow along with that.
There are so many secondary characters in Gaksital that I really don’t think I can talk about them all in this review. They all did very well, though, and most of the secondary characters had some measure of dimension.
Here’s a shout-out to just some of them.
Song Ok Sook as Kang San’s & Kang To’s Mother
Song Ok Sook did heartbreakingly well as the mother torn between her two sons. Her love for them both was evident, albeit expressed in different ways.
She upheld her fierce protection of Kang San to the end, when she died protecting him.
But she didn’t love Kang To any less.
Even though she railed at Kang To for choosing to work for the Japanese, she still prayed for him, that he might become a good person:
“Please help Kang To grow up. So that he won’t commit any more sins. Please let him fulfill his duty as a Lee. Please let me suffer all the punishment that he deserves.”
And that is exactly what she did, in dying.
So tragic, this mother’s love. *sob*
Jun Noh Min as Damsari
Jun Noh Min made Damsari an extremely benevolent character, for lack of a better word.
He represented and stood for ideals that were often expressed in inspiring metaphors as he spoke. I loved that these moving sound bites were actually mostly in small one-to-one moments instead of in a big speech. It just showed how much these beliefs were a part of his DNA.
A case in point is in this conversation between him and Kang To, in episode 14, as Kang To continues to grapple with his identity and sense of purpose:
Kang To says,
“There’s something I wanted to ask my hyung, but he died before I could ask it. If my hyung… and you… [thinks to himself: “and I…”] live this way, will the world change?
They say that the Japanese empire won’t stop at Joseon, and that it’ll swallow Manchu, and China. Isn’t it throwing an egg against a stone?”
Serenely, Damsari replies,
“It may appear reckless. One layer of an egg’s shell, cast against a stone will surely break. But no matter how strong a stone, it is dead. And no matter how weak an egg, it is alive. When time passes a stone will crumble into dirt.
But someday there is a chick who will hatch from that egg and walk upon that dirt. The day will come when the Japanese empire’s murderous tyranny and oppression cannot defeat that egg.”
Those inspiring words become a recurring motif in the show, representing the spirit of the people as they fight to reclaim their country from their oppressors.
On top of this, I loved that Damsari was the one who first believed in Kang To, even before Kang To revealed his identity as Gaksital.
Damsari’s effect on both Kang To and Shunji is interesting, and we’ll also talk about that in a bit.
Yoon Bong Kil as Abe
Yoon Bong Kil as Abe provides a lot of comic relief in the show.
He’s often the butt of jokes and provides a lot of gag relief with his facial expressions along with the physical comedy.
Here’s Abe all stripped down and tied up after Mok Dan escapes from under his watch:
And here’s Abe with his adorably funny faces as he arm-wrestles with the circus folk that he’s supposed to be guarding:
More than the comedy, though, Abe is endearing for his heart.
Despite the fact that he’s Japanese, he shows a lot of loyalty to Kang To and often shows genuine care and concern for Kang To, and even continues to address him as “Lieutenant” after Kang To has been demoted to Sergeant.
Even if Abe was written in as the token Japanese character who’s all heart, I don’t care.
He was adorable and funny and endearing, and I enjoyed having him in the show.
Choi Dae Hoon as Tamao
Tamao as a character really surprised me.
I’d started out dismissing him as an unimportant secondary character, but the thoughtful writing and Choi Dae Hoon’s delivery made him eventually come alive as quite a fascinating character.
Tamao starts the show being a rich playboy whose three-fold occupation is to wine, dine and flirt, but as the people around him get more and more affected and involved in the cross-fire of the independence movement, he begins to question himself and his position.
I thought Choi Dae Hoon did a great job bringing out Tamao’s struggle with his own sense of identity even in the face of his cowardly nature.
On the one hand, his father’s allegiance to the Japanese government makes him a traitor, but it affords him luxury and safety.
Yet, as he witnesses his fellow Koreans putting their lives on the line to fight for their country, his patriotic inclinations begin to bother him, and he struggles to find a place in the world that will satisfy his conscience.
I found his delivery nuanced and sensitive, and he managed to make Tamao a sympathetic character even in the limited amount of screen time that he had.
Son Byung Ho as Jo Dong Joo
I found Manager Jo an interesting character for the reason that he was written as so human. Not that everyone else wasn’t human. Let me explain.
I was taken by surprise when he was tortured by Shunji, that Manager Jo succumbed and gave away important information about the meeting time and place between Gaksital and key members of the resistance.
Given that the various members of the resistance were mostly written as fiercely loyal to the cause at the risk of their lives, I found it interesting that a pretty key member of the resistance would be written as giving information as a result of torture.
I found that this writing decision made the story more realistic and believable, because it’s true that torture is an excruciating experience and it’s realistic that a person might be coerced into giving out information in order to save himself.
I also liked how the show handled his arc thereafter.
His determination to continue helping the cause, and his willingness to accept any punishment his comrades might mete out to him to the point of death, and his comrades’ eventual continued acceptance of him in the resistance movement in spite of his previous failure, spoke volumes about the faith and loyalty among the resistance members.
Manager Jo’s eventual, instinctive choice to sacrifice his life in order to buy Kang To more time to escape with Mok Dan, also showed us the extent of his character growth.
From a man who caved under torture, he became a man who would die for his cause without hesitation.
Ahn Suk Hwan as Count Lee Shi Young
Count Lee was one of the most cartoonish among the characters in this show, and it was easy to dismiss him early on as just part of the intended comic relief.
His one note cartoonish-ness was not even funny; he was so over-the-top that it was hard to like him or even take him seriously.
BUT. There was a point where I found him truly sympathetic, and that was when he grieved over his son’s death.
His stricken reflection upon his son’s death is that all that he’d done – swearing allegiance to the Japanese government, currying favor with those in power, amassing money and power – was actually all to guarantee his son a comfortable and safe life.
And all that came to naught the moment that his son took his own life.
I thought that was a nice treatment by the writers, to give us some insight into the character’s motivations and to give Count Lee as a character the chance to verbalize his regret at his misdirected focus in life.
At the same time, the question hangs over the show for a while: Why do we do what we do? Are we doing what we do for the right reasons?
Seo Yoon Ah as Ham Gye Soon
It was easy to hate Gye Soon’s character during most of the show, since she was always the one selling out Mok Dan to Shunji for money and being haughty and condescending to the rest of the circus folk to boot.
But the eventual treatment of her character after she finally realizes the danger that she’s in, increased the depth of her character.
Not only does she fear for her life, she fears for her family’s well-being.
The subsequent scenes of her crying over her brother’s forced enlistment into the Japanese military also helped to bring home the real struggles of the common folk at the time.
The struggle for money to feed their families, and the fear surrounding that struggle for survival.
This didn’t make her a likable character by any means, but it did make her a character that was easier to understand, and I thought that Seo Yoon Ah did a very decent job with the role.
Kim Bang Won as Kim Deuk Soo
Kim Deuk Soo, aka Village Hothead, seemed like such a typical, dispensable side character at first. That is, until he joined the resistance and then got to meet his hero Gaksital.
The moment that he realizes that Kang To, whom he thinks is a “Japanese dog,” is actually his hero Gaksital, is absolutely priceless:
Thereafter, I really enjoyed the new dynamic between him and Kang To.
I half feel like the writers decided to beef up his character at the last minute, because for the longest time, he didn’t even have a name, and was christened Village Hothead in the blogosphere by Javabeans and Girlfriday at Dramabeans.
His sole purpose in the drama in the earlier episodes seemed to be to give Kang To a hard time.
But. For that priceless reveal, and for the satisfaction of seeing him work with Kang To as comrades in arms, and for the affectionate, bromantic banter that we got to see between him and Kang To in the final episodes, I forgive the writers.
Ahn Hyung Joon as Katsuyama
Ok, so Katsuyama is not an extremely critical secondary character, considering the huge pool that we’re working with. But, the guy’s broody and hot, with a bit of a Kim Nam Gil quality about him, so I think that deserves at least a bit of a shout-out? 😉
On a shallow level, I just liked having him hang around Rie and be the strong silent bodyguard with the badass moves.
The smoldering stares that he sent her way were also very nice. And there was a whole lotta tension between the two. Not sexual tension per se, though I do think there was some of that too.
Here’s an example of said sexual tension, when Katsuyama looks in on Rie when she’s soaking in a rose petal bath:
Uh-huh. That is a smoldering stare if I ever saw one.
More often, there was tension between them in adrenaline-pumping moments, and Rie had to either deploy him or stop him. Like so:
That kind of charged tension when in the midst of adrenaline-pumping scenes was quite appealing and sexy, I thought.
I also liked that so much of their communication was unspoken; it felt like these two had a chemistry and rhythm born out of many hours spent together.
THE RELATIONSHIPS
The relationships are a serious force in this show.
In this drama, where character development takes center stage, the relationships between characters play a critical role in supplying context to our characters.
The characters also affect one another in major ways, and as they continue to spark off one another, their characters evolve along with their relationships.
Let’s take a look at some of the major relationships in the show.
Gaksital OST – Holy
Kang To & Kang San
Aw. Kang To and Kang San. Theirs was a relationship that gave rise to some of the most heartbreaking scenes in the show.
I loved the multiple layers that this relationship had.
From Innocent Kid Brother looking up to Smart Hyung, to Jaded Kid Brother trying to shake off Idiot Hyung, to Imperial Policeman Kid Brother trying to capture and kill Gaksital Hyung, to Devastated Kid Brother stepping into Dead Hyung’s vacated hero shoes. Ow. My heart.
It was heartbreaking to watch Kang To take out his frustration on Idiot Hyung, especially during the scenes where Kang San spoke to Kang To in voiceover, words that he couldn’t say out loud.
In episode 3, when Kang To unleashed his blind fury on the townsfolk in his search for Gaksital, Hyung stopped him by grabbing onto his leg. It was horrifying to see Kang To beat up and kick Hyung in a fury, screaming, “Just die! Who needs someone like you?!”
It was so sad to see Hyung just lie there and take it, while Kang To screamed and cursed at him to just die already.
It was even sadder to see in the next episode, that deep down, underneath all his anger and toughness, Kang To missed his Hyung and wanted things to be different.
Thinking that Kang San is asleep, Kang To lies down next to him and confides in his Hyung that he doesn’t want to live this way, that he wants to work at a job that would make Mum happy, but he barely made anything slaving away at jobs that paid nothing, that he couldn’t even make enough money to feed three mouths.
As he sobs into Hyung’s shoulder, Kang To asks,
“Why does a bastard with no money, no backing, and no learning have to pledge loyalty to those bastards to eat and live in this world? I don’t know. I don’t know a better way than this one. Hyung. Hyung! Say something, Hyung!”
So, so sad, to see both brothers weeping because they both felt so stuck. And so interesting at the same time, to consider their different choices in life, in the face of feeling stuck.
To add to the heartbreak, Hyung responds not in words, but in simple acts of love while in the guise of being Idiot Hyung.
The next morning, Hyung brings home Kang To’s favorite fish and takes pleasure in serving him over breakfast and offering his own bowl of soup to Kang To when Kang To finishes his.
Aw. All that brotherly love from Hyung, bursting to come out in waves, but scaled down to a bowl of soup because of his cover. So sadly bittersweet.
From the weeping incident of the night before, we begin to understand that Kang To really looks up to Hyung and desires Hyung’s companionship, guidance and approval.
In fact, so much of what Kang To does is centered around Hyung.
He’d slaved at odd jobs in the past, to pay for Hyung’s tuition and he’d sold out to the Japanese in the hope of building a better life for his family and of getting treatment for Hyung. Eventually, it is also for Hyung that Kang To dons the Gaksital mask.
While speaking to Dead Hyung, Kang To asks, “Was this so important? More important than our family? Who was going to give you credit anyway?”
Clearly, at this point, Kang To does not have larger nationalistic ideals. All he ever cared about was their family.
After killing Kenji to avenge the death of his mother, Kang To’s decision to carry on wearing the Gaksital mask is purely for Hyung’s sake, to carry on the work that Hyung had chosen.
It takes Kang To many more episodes of soul searching before he begins to see what Gaksital means to the people, and begins to care about his country for real.
Until that point, it is out of loyalty to Hyung that Kang To continues to risk his life as Gaksital, which speaks volumes in terms of Kang San’s effect on Kang To.
In comparison to Kang San, I found Kang To a braver and stronger Gaksital.
It’s true that both brothers began their journeys as Gaksital as broken men. But while Kang San was broken by guilt over his own cowardice, Kang To was broken by the complete and sudden loss of his family, the only people in the world that he truly cared about.
Somehow, I feel like it took more strength and fortitude for Kang To to overcome that loss and still step into Gaksital’s hero shoes.
Additionally, Kang San’s view of his duty as Gaksital was mainly in terms of vengeance for their father. That’s why he’d said to Kang To in voiceover, that he had hoped that he could have taken care of it all for Kang To.
On the other hand, when Kang To eventually comes to terms with his role as Gaksital, he tells Mok Dan that he can’t ever stop, because everywhere, people are suffering and in pain, and there is work to be done.
In that sense, I feel like Kang To was the truer Gaksital, because ultimately, his mission extended beyond vengeance for his family; his mission was for his people. And despite knowing that that work could never be finished, he pledged his life to it anyway.
That, to me, is what set Kang To’s Gaksital apart from Kang San’s.
Kang To & Shunji
The relationship between Kang To and Shunji is a huge central focus in the show.
They start the show best of friends, but, placed on opposite sides of a great divide, the early innocent era of their of friendship gives way to their individual allegiances to their respective families and related greater causes.
This tears them further and further apart, until their relationship evolves to become that between mortal enemies, never fated to stand on the same side.
The real star-crossed lovers in this show are really Kang To and Shunji.
A perfect example of their star-crossed positions happens in episode 7, after the death of Shunji’s brother Kenji and the deaths of Kang To’s mother & hyung.
Kang To, haunted by the hurt that he keeps bringing on the ones that he loves, gets pelted by the townsfolk with all manner of stuff, from vegetables to stones. Shunji rescues him, and quickly bikes him out of the town center.
In the middle of a field, Shunji stops, and they both cry together on the bicycle.
Shunji mourns the if onlys – if only Gaksital had been caught earlier, both their brothers would be ok, if Kang To hadn’t been out running after Gaksital, he could have saved his mother & brother from the fire – while Kang To weeps silently.
So touching and and yet so ironic in one.
In episode 9, Shunji begins by assuming that he and Kang To are on the same side, though he is sternly corrected by his father that they can never be on the same side.
Yet, despite Shunji’s best intentions, this very same episode marks the first time that Shunji is fierce to Kang To in private, for following orders to put cuffs on his father.
By episode 10, the two men are firmly enough in place in their opposite camps to have it start showing in their interactions.
Shunji makes it clear to Kang To that they no longer have a personal friendship, and reminds Kang To that he is his superior. Ouch.
And Kang To, when confronted later by Shunji, says, “Perhaps you and I were always, from the beginning, unable to be friends. If that moment comes when I put a knife to your father’s throat… don’t hesitate.” Double ouch.
In this episode, both Kang To and Shunji say separately to themselves, “I’ve started this, now I have to see it to the end.”
Definitely, a big turning point for their friendship.
To be sure, their friendship never does sour completely, and they both show flashes of nostalgia for their early friendship as the show progresses.
In episode 12, when Shunji and Kang To lie side by side (Talk about sleeping with the enemy. Ha), Shunji confides in Kang To that he thinks he’s going crazy because of Gaksital and asks Kang To what to do.
But what can Kang To say? He is the very reason that Shunji is going crazy, but he can’t stop what he’s doing for the sake of his friend. They both weep heartbreakingly.
Such irony and pathos.
Both Kang To and Shunji have solid reasons to be where they each are, and yet, simply by being where they are, they are bringing hurt and destruction to each other.
I found it interesting to note that Kang To is in the unique position of knowing what it feels like from both sides’ perspectives.
On the one hand, he used to be just like Shunji, going crazy trying to catch Gaksital. And he now knows how Kang San used to feel, watching his beloved brother go crazy hunting Gaksital in front of him.
Perhaps it’s this dual perspective that makes Kang To appear to have more empathy for Shunji as the show progresses than vice versa.
In episode 25, after many episodes of cat-and-mouse and dancing around the truth, we get the most mind-bending heart-to-heart ever, I think, between Kang To and Shunji, when Kang To’s identity as Gaksital is officially unveiled.
It’s the first time they’ve spoken straightforwardly in so long, and the truth comes tumbling out: who killed whom and why.
But it’s Kang To’s closing words that really get to Shunji (and to me),
“I swore to catch Gaksital. My hyung… I shot and killed him. Not knowing that hyung was out to avenge our mother’s death, I fought alongside Kenji… and shot my brother dead. So it was for my brother, for Kang San hyung, that I put on that mask.
Kimura Shunji, thank you for capturing me. Now that I’ve been caught, at least I won’t have to kill you by my hand.”
At this point, I wasn’t sure how much of Kang To’s words were sincere and how much was a smokescreen, but his actions back up these words when he later spares Shunji’s life.
In contrast to Kang To’s words of friendship, Shunji seems momentarily shaken and cries a little, but he soon steels himself, probably choosing to ignore the shadow of the truth of where their friendship used to stand (Creepy but well played, Park Ki Woong).
This scene again gives us a clear indication of the two men’s different positions regarding their friendship.
A perfect example of Kang To’s greater measure of empathy towards Shunji is in episode 27, when he spares Shunji even when he has the chance to kill him. This, despite the fact that Kang To knows he should kill Shunji, for his own safety, the safety of his loved ones, and for his cause.
His memories of their friendship back when it used to be pure and untainted by political context cause him to be unable to deliver the fatal blow. Kang To literally cannot bring himself to kill Shunji, when faced with the original context of their friendship.
Shunji cries after the fact, but you have to wonder if the roles were reversed, whether Shunji would have hesitated to kill Kang To.
This is reinforced when in the very next scene, Shunji promises his father that he will kill Kang To himself and bring his head to his father’s tombstone.
Certainly, in the end, Shunji did not duel with Kang To and instead took his own life. But I tend to think that his suicide was more about his own hopelessness rather than not being able to bring himself to kill Kang To, or sparing Kang To the agony of killing him himself.
Additionally, the differences between Kang To and Shunji were magnified by their respective relationships with other characters, which we’ll talk about as we look at each relationship in turn.
Kang To & Mok Dan
Much as I found Mok Dan somewhat two-dimensional, and the lost-childhood-loves concept rather tropey, I did enjoy the way that the writers developed the relationship between Kang To and Mok Dan.
From outright hating each other’s guts, things begin to shift once Kang To realizes that Mok Dan is Boon Yi, and he begins to show care for her while still maintaining the nasty mean facade that she’s grown accustomed to from him.
In episode 8, Kang To warns Mok Dan not to appear at the police station again, saying, “Don’t come here again, or you’ll die by my hands.”
On the surface, it’s a malicious threat, but underneath, it’s born of concern. So full of double meaning. Very clever, I thought.
Mok Dan, of course, receives it as a threat, which makes us feel kind of sorry for Kang To. It’s true, though, that Mok Dan has every reason to receive it as a threat, considering that he’d tortured her in the past and used her as Gaksital bait.
What a twisted, mind-bending space for Kang To to be in, which is precisely what I liked about it.
For a good stretch in the drama, there’s a duality about Kang To’s relationships with Mok Dan; one where he is himself, and the other where he is Gaksital.
We get to see the completely different way that Mok Dan interacts with each persona of Kang To, not realizing that they are the same man.
By episode 11, Kang To starts to drop hints to Mok Dan about his identity as the Young Master she’s been waiting for – He says to her more than once, “Take a good look at me. You know me, right?” – only to be treated with revulsion by the woman he loves.
Yet, in the meantime, Mok Dan’s love for Gaksital continues to grow and deepen.
I found it so ironic, and at the same time, so sad, that Kang To could only receive love from the woman he loved when he was wearing a mask to conceal his face.
It was so bittersweet, when they finally embraced, acknowledging their feelings for each other, that not only was he masked, but that it was a good-bye at the same time.
Also, I found Kang To’s silent parting words to Mok Dan sweet. In an echo of his childhood parting words to her, he says in voice-over,
“Boon Yi-ya, I’m letting you leave now, but just stay alive. No matter where you are and what you’re doing, I will definitely come find you. I will find you, and I will surely protect you.”
I loved the complete turnaround: from wanting to use her as bait in episode one, he’s now willing to put his life on the line to protect her. Even though she has no idea who he is. Aw.
I have to say that I really liked the gradation in terms of how Kang To’s true identity is revealed to Mok Dan.
Everything took place in stages, allowing us to get a good taste of each stage before moving on to the next stage. I felt that this gave us more dimension in terms of the development of their relationship.
First, Kang To confesses that he loves Mok Dan when he’s questioned by Shunji about why he would go to the restaurant to save her.
Which completely shocks her, of course, since she’d always seen him as the bad guy. But it does give her pause, because his actions thereafter suggest that maybe he hadn’t been lying about being in love with her.
Then, as she continues to chew on what his behavior means, Kang To reveals his identity as Young, the Young Master she’s been waiting and searching for.
Only, that big reveal is greeted by horror and not joy. Poor Mok Dan. I can see why this would be devastating from her point of view. And poor Kang To, who had to have been hurt by her revulsion.
And then finally, for the big reveal, Mok Dan connects the dots that she’d always believed, that Young is Gaksital. And then gets to verify it herself when she takes the mask off a severely injured Gaksital.
I loved that the show had been showing us the degrees by which her thoughts and attitude towards Kang To had been shifting, so that it was eventually plausible for her to embrace the truth when it was finally revealed.
Also! SQUEEE!! Sweet hugs and kisses in the forest, never mind that Kang To is so badly injured.
I love how, when Mok Dan is crying with guilt, Kang To simply wipes her tears away silently. Not a word is spoken, but the moment is profound.
The most moving thing about this scene, is that Kang To is finally able to receive love without having to wear a mask. Such sweet release, for him not to have to hide behind Gaksital’s mask, and be able to receive love as himself. I loved that. So much.
On another note, I actually hadn’t expected the reveal to come so soon in the drama. With this kind of masked hero story, I wouldn’t have blamed the writers if they’d decided to leave the reveal to the very last stretch of the drama.
I’m SO glad they chose not to do that though, because in revealing Kang To’s identity as Gaksital to Mok Dan early(ish) in the story, it affords so much room to explore what it means for them to love each other in the context of his dual identities and his Gaksital mission.
Once Kang To’s identity as Gaksital – and their relationship – is established, we get to see Kang To and Mok Dan finally working together on the same side, for the same cause.
There’s not a lot of relationship movement, but we do get to see how they rely on and draw strength from each other.
I particularly liked how Kang To would take her hand wherever possible, to communicate what was on his heart, when he could not speak the words aloud.
When we get into the final stretch of the drama, Kang To has a brief brush with noble idiocy when he tells Yang Baek (Kim Myung Gon) that he sometimes wonders if Mok Dan would be better off if he left her.
While I cringed at the brush with noble idiocy, I appreciate Kang To’s motivation, that he’s trying to protect her and is thinking for her benefit, something that Shunji regularly failed to do (more on that shortly).
Thankfully, Yang Baek straightens Kang To out swiftly, saying,
“What do you think is the one thing in a grown man’s life so precious that he must protect it with his life? I believe it’s love. I love Joseon, I love my hometown, I love my mother, my wife, my son. Watching those that I love be violated by the Japanese, how could I not feel rage?
If you truly love Mok Dan, you put your life on the line to stay by her side and protect her, and fight the ones who would torment her.”
The message hits home nicely, because soon after, we see Kang To encouraging a downcast Mok Dan with the words, “Be strong. You have to be strong. My strength to fight comes from you.”
Aw. I loved that Kang To took this lesson on love very much to heart, and we get his new mindset firmly established thereafter:
That love is a more powerful motivating force than anything else. It’s not just for a cause. It’s a love for the people you care about that drives you to be a hero.
Kang To operates on that driving principle of love from there on out, for the rest of the drama, and I love that about his character.
So in the end, I’d guessed that Mok Dan had to die, as did Taro, so that she could be removed from the Kang To-Shunji equation. Everything had to be cleaned out so that once again, it would be just Kang To and Shunji facing each other.
What I appreciated about her death, though, is that even in death, she is thinking for Kang To.
Not only does she instinctively take the bullet for him, her dying words to him are,
“You said you fight because of me… but I ended up like this… and I wanted to make you dinner every day… I wanted to wear the flower rings… Be strong. Promise me that you’ll be strong, even without your wife. Promise me.”
Likewise, Kang To, even in his debilitating grief, thinks of Mok Dan’s wishes and tells himself, “Be strong, Lee Kang To. Let’s be strong. You promised you’d be strong.”
All in all, while I wasn’t too enamored of Mok Dan’s character, I enjoyed delving into the nature and nuances of their relationship and what it meant to Kang To, and how it showed us the kind of man Kang To was.
Shunji & Mok Dan
Shunji’s relationship with Mok Dan was basically that of a one-sided love, and the reason I think it’s worth spending a bit of time looking at this one-sided love is because it shows us a lot about Shunji.
Before Kenji’s death, Shunji is pretty much in a happy bubble, teaching Korean kids in school and collecting Korean artifacts and generally crushing on Mok Dan and helping her out.
But you know what they say about people being like tea bags. You only know what they’re made of after they’re put in hot water.
And Shunji does not do well by Mok Dan, to put it mildly. As the temperature of the metaphorical water increases, his treatment of her becomes worse and worse.
Let’s take a short whirl through time to revisit that downhill journey.
After Kenji’s death, the pressure on Shunji sets in and in episode 8, he puts on the uniform of the Imperial Police in order to save Mok Dan. And that’s possibly one of the last times that we see him acting for her good.
By episode 11, Shunji has Mok Dan chained up in the torture room while ordering Kang To to whip her. And then Shunji actually seems upset that Mok Dan is disgusted by him.
Making matters worse, Shunji later says to Mok Dan, “Why won’t you live an easier life? Why do I have to do this to you?”
Clearly, the way his mind works is kinda twisted by this point. Coz he thinks that she MADE him torture her.
In the same episode, Shunji confides in Kang To that he thinks he’s losing it because of Gaksital. When Kang To asks if Shunji really loves Mok Dan, Shunji answers, “I don’t know. What I do know is that I want to catch that bastard and kill him in front of Mok Dan.”
That Shunji says this knowing full well how much Mok Dan admires Gaksital? So. Not. Love. Seriously.
Another telling scene is when Shunji and his men chase Mok Dan through the woods in episode 12, so that he can capture her as Gaksital bait.
During the chase, Shunji doesn’t hesitate to shoot at Mok Dan. Repeatedly.
Yet, when she gets hold of the gun and points it at him in self defence, he has the gall to look shocked and hurt.
That gives us another peek into Shunji’s now twisted psyche. Double standards, denial, delusion – they’re all there. In spades.
Another revealing scene happens in episode 17, when Shunji is trying to persuade Mok Dan not to escape from the hotel room that he’s transferred her to, and stay there.
While saying all his persuasive words, Shunji wears a facade of care, addressing Mok Dan as Esther, a name that harks back to their childhood.
However, things do not go as Shunji would like. Mok Dan spits in his face and continues to throw his words back at him. In a flash, Shunji turns on a dime and slaps her across the face for refusing to cooperate with him, his caring expression instantly morphing into one of fury.
Clearly, by this point, Shunji is losing his grasp on his old self more and more as his new, darker personality comes to the fore.
Perhaps one of the most telling scenes, in showing us the difference between Shunji’s and Kang To’s love for Mok Dan, is when she died.
Despite being the one who shot her, when Shunji realizes that Mok Dan is dead, he immediately flies into a rage, screaming that this is all Kang To’s fault and draws his gun to shoot Kang To.
This response shows us keenly, the kind of denial and self-preservation through blame culture mindset that fuels Shunji, that he can blame Kang To when HE was the one who shot her, and appear to actually believe that he’s right.
In contrast, reeling from Mok Dan’s death, Kang To is so grief-stricken that he doesn’t have the presence of mind to even care for his own safety.
Therein we see the difference in how the two men love Mok Dan.
Shunji’s “love” is all about himself and self-preservation, while Kang To’s love is, in comparison, more about Mok Dan than himself.
Also in the spirit of self-preservation, Shunji had harbored thoughts of returning to his old self and his old life, and had believed it possible, as long as Mok Dan stayed by his side.
I found it telling, that this was the desperate, illogical thought in which he sought a way to carry on.
While it showed that he did struggle with how he’d changed, again, this desperate desire to hold onto Mok Dan was about himself. It was about salvaging himself, finding a way to go back to his old self, finding a way to live with himself.
When that hope in the shape of Mok Dan ceased to exist in the world, Shunji chose to kill himself. With his last shred of hope gone by his own hand, he didn’t see any more hope for returning to his old self.
In contrast, in spite of Mok Dan’s death, Kang To continues to draw strength from their love in order to carry on.
Night and day, the way these two men loved. So very telling indeed.
Damsari & Kang To + Damsari & Shunji
One thing I admire about Damsari is that he never spoke venomously to anyone, even if the person in front of him was an enemy.
In episode 14, when Damsari answers Kang To’s question with the egg and rock metaphor, it is when he’s been soundly tortured, and Kang To is due to put him through more torture.
Despite that, Damsari’s tone is thoughtful and serene, and he looks upon Kang To as a misguided fellow countryman, instead of the Japanese dog that everyone else saw him as.
I feel that Damsari’s choice to respond in that manner to Kang To is one of the influencing factors to Kang To becoming the kind of passionate hero that he became.
At that point in time, Kang To was still trying to figure out the whole hero thing, even as he wore the mask out of duty &/or guilt &/or a desire to honor his hyung.
That he would even ask Damsari this question while Damsari was in chains in the torture room says a lot about how Kang To pretty much had no one to pose these questions to.
Damsari was also the first to trust Kang To, and eventually became an almost fatherly presence in Kang To’s life.
He puts his trust in Kang To into action, placing his safety and Mok Dan’s safety in Kang To’s hands, entrusting him with key roles in critical independence missions. The effect it must have had on Kang To, to have a past mortal enemy trust him like that, must have been profound.
On the other side of the pond, Damsari had a profound effect on Shunji as well.
In episode 26, after Shunji has cornered him, the parting words that Damsari says to Shunji before he takes his own life, are again wise, though spoken with defiance:
“Do you think this hide-and-seek will end if you capture Yang Baek and Dong-jin, and Gaksital? In Joseon, there are countless Yang Baeks, and Dong-jins… and as many grains of sand as there are on a beach, there are Gaksitals.”
These words continue to haunt Shunji even after Damsari’s death, and eventually, they eat into Shunji so much that his inability to process and come to terms with these words, coupled with Mok Dan’s death, culminate in his decision to take his own life.
It’s fascinating to me how Damsari’s conviction and words of wisdom can have such opposite effects on Kang To and Shunji.
With Kang To, Damsari’s words become, and continue to be, a mantra and a source of strength for him to complete the turnaround from antihero to hero, and then keep walking that heroic path in the face of all odds.
With Shunji, however, Damsari’s words prove to be, well, pretty much fatal.
Again, it demonstrates how different the two men are.
Truth be told, the kind of atrocities that Shunji had engaged in, in his descent to the dark side, weren’t too much worse than the atrocities that Kang To had engaged in, in his pre-Gaksital days.
I don’t know if it could have been possible for Shunji to chart a similar journey of redemption for himself as Kang To had done, but I guess the point that we can’t argue with, is that he chose not to try.
Kang To & Rie
Rie’s relationship with Kang To is essentially a one-sided love. But more than Rie’s one-sided love for Kang To, I found their relationship interesting for the fact that they continually saved each other despite being on opposite sides of the divide.
Kang To had saved Rie when she’d been a gisaeng, and then, because of her love for Kang To, she saves him by keeping his identity as Gaksital a secret, even though she is supposed to kill him now that she has discovered the truth.
Rie also saves Kang To when she hesitates to shoot Gaksital during the rescue of the comfort women, and Kang To saves her too, by knocking her out, but not killing her.
Eventually, Kang To saves her with his empathy for her and his words that he believes she will make the right choice.
And Rie saves Kang To yet again, by defending him before Ueno and keeping his secret.
Somehow, this aspect of their relationship struck me as more meaningful, interesting and profound than the one-sided love.
I loved the candid conversation that Rie and Kang To had in episode 21, when Rie questions Kang To on why he chooses to live as Gaksital. Because Kang To has spared her in spite of everything she’s done to Mok Dan, Rie insists that Kang To must have her in his heart.
Kang To, eyes full of compassion for her, says, “You get to me.”
In essence, he sees in her his old self, when he was greedy for power and success.
Kang To continues,
“Because it seemed like you saw me, who’d chased so desperately after success and power, you always weigh on my mind.
Whether you’re doing this because it’s what you truly want, or perhaps it’s what your adoptive father wants, and you’re living as his puppet on a string – think it over carefully. I believe you’ll choose the right path someday.”
It almost feels like Kang To is paying forward the trust and belief that Damsari had given him even before he’d made the right choices.
Certainly, the context within which Kang To’s relationship with Rie exists is a complicated one, making their relationship and interactions equally multi-layered and complex.
At the heart of it all, though, these two manage to save each other while each finding their own path, and I found that pretty powerful.
As an aside, Kang To’s chemistry with Rie was definitely more sparky than his chemistry with Mok Dan.
I mean, take a look at this:
Such sizzling tension.
Rawr.
Shunji & Rie
Shunji’s relationship with Rie is quite a fascinating one that evolves throughout the course of the drama.
In the earlier episodes, the tension between them runs high as Rie repeatedly tries to tame Shunji with her Kishokai power, but Shunji seems to take pleasure in repeatedly ignoring her and even threatening her instead.
As more and more of the truth gets exposed, however, the two have surprisingly frank conversations with each other. This, despite them not actually being on the same page or the same side.
In the scene above, Rie approaches a brooding Shunji after Shunji defies Ueno and refuses to acknowledge fault in handling the Gaksital case.
Rie asks him where to get such courage, and continues to tell him how she had offered Mok Dan a way to escape with Kang To and how Mok Dan had turned her down.
Rie says, “I didn’t understand why she turned me down, but then when I saw the woman who knelt before me, I knew. That woman not only loves Lee Kang To, but Gaksital too. I loved only the ambitious Lee Kang To.”
Shunji then suddenly says, “What if in the end I can’t catch the two of them? And Yang Baek, and Dong-jin? What if… my life were to end in wasted effort?”
SO much honesty between these two, despite not even being on the same side. I found that fascinating.
I tend to think that they saw similarities in each other, and therefore gravitated towards each other as kindred spirits of sorts.
They both nursed one-sided loves, he for Mok Dan and she for Kang To. And they both needed to navigate their one-sided loves while being in the fold of their said loves’ enemy camp.
It is perhaps this sense of kin that causes Shunji to spare Rie’s life even though Ueno basically serves her up as an offering.
Shunji does not kill Rie, and even tells her to leave, saying that he’ll keep her secret. He basically gives her a way out, a get-out-of-jail-free card, so that she can start her life over.
This late in the game, this is pretty much the kindest, most merciful act that we see from Shunji.
If actions speak louder than words, then Shunji’s measure of care towards Rie is, oddly, greater than his care towards Mok Dan, the woman that he professes to love.
But perhaps it isn’t quite so odd, if we look at it as his response to seeing a shadow of himself in Rie. Perhaps Shunji, in offering such an out to Rie, is hoping that he too, can receive the same.
Rie & Mok Dan
Being on opposite sides all series long, the interactions between Mok Dan and Rie are always tenuous.
Although their relationship doesn’t ever figure very largely into the show, their existence as women loving the same man from opposite sides of the divide makes for some interesting comparisons and textures, especially when layered on top of other plot points like Rie trying to get information out of Mok Dan by pretending to be a nun.
Both women risk their lives for Kang To, albeit to varying degrees, and both women take turns swallowing their pride to approach the other for Kang To’s sake.
Rie, when she approaches Mok Dan with money and fake passports to escape with Kang To. And Mok Dan, when she approaches Rie to beg her to save Kang To after he’s been captured by Shunji.
In that sense, both women had a selfless type of love for Kang To even though they loved Kang To differently.
Rie & Katsuyama
Talking about selfless love, the love that Katsuyama had for Rie all series long was also of the selfless variety.
When Rie contemplates her impending death by Ueno’s hand, it is Katsuyama that finally speaks up and tries to reason with her, “Your life is in danger. What good is power?”
And when Rie gets her new lease of life upon Ueno’s death and turns to leave, Katsuyama asks to be allowed to go with her, to be by her side like a shadow.
I found it both moving and heartbreaking that even though Katsuyama knows that Rie doesn’t love him back, that he’d offer to stay by her side anyway, to ensure her safety. For life. *tears*
Rie pauses, then responds gently, “Katsuyama, looking into the eyes of someone who will never love you back is a life of despair.”
I also found Rie’s response to Katsuyama moving and selfless. She could have chosen to keep Katsuyama by her side. After all, he was more than willing, and she had no one else to rely on. For her own comfort, she could have accepted his offer.
Instead, she thinks of it from his perspective, and chooses not to allow him to live in misery while spending his life by her side.
The note on which they say good-bye is moving and so full of meaning.
Rie’s parting words to Katsuyama are, “My name… is Choi Hong Joo.”
With these words, not only is Rie finally reclaiming her Korean identity and casting off her assumed Japanese identity, she is also gifting Katsuyama with something that, while not love per se, is very personal.
Katsuyama’s words in response are just as moving, “I will never forget your name.”
What an awesome scene, and what a satisfying way to resolve the relationship between Rie and Katsuyama while respecting their individual needs and paths in life.
WEAKNESSES
As a whole, this show had a lot of good stuff going for it. There was a lot of good writing, great acting, many great plot points and clever plot twists.
But I’d just like to acknowledge that it wasn’t a perfect show by any means, and some of the weaknesses were a little glaring. Here’s a quick run-down of some of them.
Repetition
Some of the plot patterns got repetitive and bordered on lazy writing.
Like, the number of times Mok Dan was used as Gaksital bait. I quickly lost count.
The writers often had Mok Dan in ridiculously dangerous situations – like walking around in broad daylight when her wanted posters are everywhere – so that she’d be easily captured for the next round of bait and switch.
This felt like lazy writing to me. It started to feel like they put her there, so that she could get captured and tortured.
Or the number of times someone from the Independence Movement got put in the torture room.
This started to have a merry-go-round sort of flavor, ie, let’s all take turns! Who hasn’t been in the torture chamber lately? And each time, the torture and interrogation methods are the same: “Who. Is. Gaksital?!!!”
Towards the last stretch, there was also a touch of repetition about the whole I-know-that-you-know-that-I-know between Shunji and Kang To. While it was mostly quite well-plotted, it got a leeettle repetitive towards the final stretch.
Suspension of Disbelief
There were also a bunch of things that required us as the audience to exercise some serious suspension of disbelief.
The biggest one being, how fast Kang To changes between his Gaksital costume and his regular togs. Especially the hair.
He goes from slicked-back pouf to freshly shampooed shaggy, back to slicked-back pouf in ridiculously short periods of time. And he has convenient costume changes everywhere, all of which we never get to see the workings of. But oh well, it is based on a comic?
Another thing that required suspension of disbelief was the fact that Japanese characters in the show speak Korean to one another, even when in private.
I know it’s a practical thing, since it’s a Korean drama, but it does still feel odd when I think about it, coz when several Japanese characters are alone together, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to speak in Japanese?
Overall, though, these weaknesses were small – almost minuscule! – in comparison to the good stuff that the show brought to the table. Minor quibbles in a sea of goodies.
THE ENDING
My goodness, I freaking loved – LOVED! – the ending.
It reinforced several themes that had been surfacing throughout the show:
- That anyone can dress as Gaksital, ie, anyone can choose to be a hero, even a Japanese dog, even the Village Hothead, even the ahjumma selling vegetables.
- That you are defined by your choices, as we see primarily in Kang To and Shunji, but also in pretty much every other character in the show.
- That there is strength in solidarity, and power in numbers. With everyone dressed as Gaksital, and choosing to be a hero, their power is exponentially multiplied.
- That with that strength in numbers, the fight goes on, and the spirit of the people carries on.
- That it is worth cracking thousands of eggs against a rock, because there is hope.
I found the ending completely inspiring.
It reminds us that our hero Kang To is really just an ordinary person who rose to the occasion and chose to become a hero. And in that, aside from being the story of one man’s journey and turnaround of character, Gaksital is also the story of the everyman.
Because each of us can choose to be a hero. We are all Gaksital, if we choose to be.
Love. It.
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Intense, awesome and inspiring. Bad. Ass.
FINAL GRADE: A+
TRAILER:
MV:
See it to believe it; Gaksital in under 3 minutes:
Completely Irreverent:
Someone made this ridiculously awesome Gangnam Style Gaksital. Not very spoilery at all, so safe for those who haven’t yet watched the drama. Ridiculously good:
WHERE TO WATCH:
You can check out this show on Viki here. It’s also available on Kocowa here.
GETTING AROUND GEO-RESTRICTIONS
If you’re geo-restricted, a VPN service would help you get around that. Not only does it provide online safety, it also gives you access to lots of great geo-restricted content.
I personally use NordVPN. You can find my review of NordVPN here.
You can use my affiliate link (here!) to enjoy up to 60% * off, with prices starting as low as US$3.29 per month.
* This used to say 73%, but because NordVPN’s changed the way it calculates the discount, it now says 60%. BUT, it’s the same great price, starting from US$3.29 a month!
An article on why it’s not illegal to use a VPN to access legal streaming content can be found here.
2023–10 years after you FANTASTIC review! YES, this drama has withstood the test of time. It was engaging and entertaining. I watched because of your A+ rating and am so glad that I did! Thanks for sharing your talent for in-depth reviews, KFG!
Spot on review. This drama is perfect. The kind of drama that always stay high on my list no matter how many years has passed. Its the same level for me as my other fave dramas like Secret Forest, Heartless City & Tree With Deep Roots — a perfect A++.
Hi Kfangurl! Just writing in for the first time to say thanks for your reviews. I’ve been reading them for about two years now, and I like all that I’ve read especially MDBC and Chicago Typewriter. After reading this, I learnt that you’re a Singaporean too! So just wanted to say hi and thanks for the great reviews!
Ooh, hello fellow Singaporean!! 😀 Thanks for enjoying the reviews! <3
Good review, as usual. You made me see more into the older brother’s situation than I initially saw.
However, the reason Gakistal could never be the type of hero I’d go weak in the knees for is because, yes, he rallied to the people ‘s cause, but only after his own mother (and brother) became victims of unjust deaths. My type of hero is the one who can’t stand injustice even when he and his family are not direct victims.
Thanks for enjoying the review, beez! <3 I get what you mean about Gaksital not being your kind of hero because he doesn't start his hero journey with purer and loftier intentions. I categorize him as the kind of hero who turns over a new leaf.. y'know, the kind of hero who may not start on the best foot, but who grows into bigger things anyway. Almost like the biblical Saul who became Paul, although that's a stretch. 😉
Lol. Yeah you went out there on that one. 😄 Paul literally “saw The Light” on his own. But Gakistal couldn’t see until the pain he was inflicting on others – (cause let’s face it, he bullied and harassed the people with every other Japanese and Korean-Japanese convert cop) – was brought literally home. He gave noone a break and his reason for that was to gain status, wealth and position for his family, the same selfish reason/motivator for his heroic change. I say selfish because although his joining the police was for his family, he wanted to obtain that status/advancement at the cost of others’ families’ pain.
Heh. I was trying to find a way to find the protagonist sympathetic. Sometimes I reach pretty far, lol. 😅
After I finish Ojakgyo Brothers! I guess there is no such thing as too much Joo Won.
Oh, this one would be a good one for after Ojakgyo Brothers! And yes, this one is definitely worth it, for Joo Won! 🙂
Now that I have finished Mr. Sunshine, I feel it is time to rewatch Bridal Mask.
Do let me know how your rewatch goes, if you do decide to start on one! 🙂
Sorry to be so long. And yes…our KDrama watching has been disturbed to say the least. I’m scrambling to find a safe site to watch since DramaFever is no more. Viki sure better step up…shoot…I’d pay more a month to get quality dramas from TVn and the like. I feel responsible somehow for the demise because it was an American company that ran the website. Sorry. What sites do you use to do your watching?
Guess you’re back from your business trip….email me anytime. 🙂
So, after tackling a bout of man flu this week, I have reached the end of Bridal Mask. Fangurl, as promised, you have delivered an in-depth and thoughtful review. Your observations are both poignant and reflective of what Bridal Mask was trying to say. I also liked the way you summed up the different relationships that exist in this drama 🤗
For me though, after the initial episodes, I found Bridal Mask went from being very engaging to watchable. The initial Zorro like story was so well done. The highlight for me was Rie – a wonderful character. Her bittersweet life was so well done and her relationship with Katsuyama was very special. Joo Won is a fine actor, but I found there was too much scowling on his part (I’m being picky here) 🤨 I wasn’t convinced either that Gang To had the necessary martial arts skills to survive each encounter with supposedly far superior swordsmen. However, as Georgia P mentioned elsewhere, there hasn’t been a better dressed character in Kdrama land – his suits and how Joo Won wore them was immaculate 🕺
Then there is Shunji. I wasn’t satisfied with his overnight change, so to speak, to a conniving, manipulative, murderous monster. Nor was I convinced of his new found ability to carry out the captain’s role. He was also such a terrible shot right up until the last episode! Far more convincing and menacing was Yoshio as the later Chief of Police 🧟♂️
I liked very much Mok Dan and, in particular, the relationship between her and Kang To. In some ways Mok Dan’s character was very restrained. Then there was Damsari. Jun Noh Min did deserve the accolades he received here in his portrayal of Mok Dan’s father. I liked very much the original Bridal Mask (Hyun Joon did do a good job here) and their mother (Sang Ok Sook is such a good actress and plays a good role in whatever she does, even those dramas I haven’t liked). I found their departure sobering and heart wrenching 😢
Bridal Mask did tick the boxes for me in terms of the era and the changes that occurred, the struggles of the Korean people including changing from a peaceful resistance to an armed one and other background elements including the focus on Asian domination and associated Japanese annexation policies. It was a bold effort and a difficult story to tell. As you point out, the final scene was very rousing and did leave me with the thought of “what happened next?” Now, onto viewing some of your other recommendations 😊
I’m sorry you were under the weather, Sean – but yay that you’re feeling better now! 🙂
It’s too bad that this show didn’t work for you quite as well as it worked for me.. Admittedly, though, it’s been 5 years, and I might well respond to the show differently now if I were to attempt a rewatch. At the time, I found everything very emotionally gripping, despite the somewhat theatrical approach. Perhaps that’s the key to enjoying this one? Think less, feel more? Coz I do see your points about Kang To and Shunji.. and yet, at the time, I just lapped it all up. 😅
Still, this was truly a bold effort, especially since this show couldn’t have been welcome in Japan, which is usually a good market for kdramas. I give props to the production for pressing on and telling this story anyway, even though they knew that this show would lose out on any overseas revenue from Japan.
Fangurl, you are considerate as always 😁
I think for me there are two issues in play re Bridal Mask. The first is to do with realising pretty quickly I needed to watch Bridal Mask first regarding the Japanese occupation and the impact this had leading to the suffering of the Korean people. So, I put everything else on hold and got it done! The second issue is that Mr Sunshine portrays far more gut wrenchingly, and deals with, the occupation in a way that I am perhaps more used to. This includes a similar depiction in Australian dramas and films and it is in keeping with the brutal behaviour well documented by Australian troops captured re the Fall of Singapore (32,000 Australian soldiers in all) and their subsequent treatment as POWs, and in other brutal and lengthy engagements e.g. the Kokoda Track and also in terms of what members of my own family experienced as ill fated POWs.
In contrast, I am watching a Japanese drama at the moment which deals with how the Japanese lived in the Hiroshima region either side of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. It’s a beautiful and very interesting story. Ultimately, it’s also a very sad story as it shows Japanese people at home going about their lives the same way the rest of the world was at that time – rationing, living in fear of losing their children to war and so on. And of course there is then the horrific aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing. I find such a drama fascinating, because from what I can gather, the Japanese are still very shielded from the events of their military exploits. So, a show depicting the impact of WWII on them, is for me, very interesting.
If you want to see a snippet of something beautiful happening in my part of the world at the moment have a look here at one of Mother Nature’s most amazing displays. It goes on for thousands of kilometres: https://youtu.be/I6Hf8XUZuKY 😊
Ah yes, that’s an excellent point.. our personal contexts play a huge role in how we perceive and receive our dramas indeed. I haven’t gotten very far yet, of my watch of Mr. Sunshine, but I can feel a difference in handling between Gaksital and Mr. Sunshine. So far, I feel like Mr. Sunshine has a more restrained approach compared to Gaksital, and that could possibly be a factor as well.
The Japanese drama you describe does sound quite special. I wouldn’t have expected Japan to produce such a drama, since as you pointed out, the Japanese media doesn’t tend to dwell on the negative events surrounding their bombing exploits. So by its very existence, that show sounds interesting and unique.
Thanks for sharing the video – gosh, the wild flowers look so beautiful it’s surreal! And it goes on for thousands of kilometres?! That’s truly incredible and amazing. 😍😍
This winter has been a once in a decade extravaganza re the wildflowers. Normally, I’m working somewhere in the middle of it all, but not this year. Unfortunately, I don’t think we are going to get out there either. In the past I have driven 5-600kms at a time through carpets of pink, yellow and white flowers for as far as the eye can see. Then in amongst it all are the smallest orchids in the world, which are the size of your little pinky nail. But, perhaps the most spectacular is the wreath flower (so named because it looks like a wreath).
One show that has continued to surpass everyone’s expectations is Time (mine included). However, because the male lead had to leave the show for health reasons, the remaining episodes may become lacklustre (well, they have started to). Life finished with a whimper I thought (after correcting itself earlier on), but many out there seemed to have liked the ending. Finally, today I watched a Hong Kong detective movie from 1995 – it was surprisingly good including redemption for all!
Aw, that’s unfortunate that you aren’t able to drive out this year, to enjoy the wildflowers. They sound absolutely gorgeous and amazing! I sure hope you’ll get to drive out next year! 😀
I heard about Time’s abrupt loss of its male lead.. I haven’t been watching it, but I am definitely curious to know how the show manages to keep going, despite losing its lead. I’ve been hearing mixed reactions on Life.. Most folks seem rather underwhelmed, while some like it very well. I think expectations were high, given that the writer’s previous drama Forest of Secrets was such a hit. I was going to give Life a try, but perhaps I should spend that time checking out Forest of Secrets instead! 😉 Also, yay for retro movie goodness. Truly good things never get old, I say 😉
With Life, my reaction in the end was it was all rather pointless 😢. However, Forest of Secrets was superb 😊 It is one of the best shows and well worth your time. They start filming the sequel soon 🤩
Oh dear. I hate shows where you get to the end and wonder why they even took the journey in the first place. It’s how I felt with Something in the Rain. :/ It sounds like my time is definitely much better spent on Forest of Secrets! And I must’ve missed that bit of news, I had no idea they were doing a sequel! Given how well everyone loved Season 1, I’m sure hopes are high for Season 2! Hopefully they manage to maintain the magic! 😀
Hi! So happy you enjoyed BM. It has been too long since I watched it to remember the finer details of the drama, but what I remember most is the wrenching relationship between KangTo and Shunji. Heart breaking. Like fangirl, I remember the griping emotions of this drama!!! And, of course, KangTo’s suits! Hope you are glad you took the recommend to watch it.
My Korean friend has told me there is a lot of anti Japanese feelings among the South Koreans right now. Movies like Battleship Island…other period movies have sprung up as a result of this. The situation with the comfort women and stolen Korean treasures still plagues the people. Think it’s the han in the Korean soul.
I was in Japan only 25 years after the war ended..Vietnam era..with my husband and remember one particular man who came to do repairs at our house… he was very freighting. He had on military looking clothes and all I could think of was Hiroshima, Nagasaki….this man was in the war. Like you, I was raised on WWII war stories and know how the Japanese treated their POWs….ie the Bataan death march. I question the wisdom of a nation not knowing their history…ever how cruel it might be.
I’m anxious to see Mr. Sunshine and Life…I’ll have to do a subscription to Netflix, and will hopefully will do that soon. I’ve recommended both to friends who have subscriptions…wish they’d invite me over…LOLOLOL. I’m looking for a good drama right now…after watching some fluff…I’m ready for something that captures me like Money Flower did and My Mister did! Is Forest of Secrets the one?
Happy watching. No more man flu for you! And I’m off to watch your wildflower video….😊
Hello GP – yes, Forest of Secrets is the one to watch next. It is that good. There are excellent performances all round. So, no fading, crashing and burning or fizzle factors here.
Yes, get that Netflix subscription 🤩. Mr Sunshine is wonderful. It is like watching a novel on the screen. Each episode is a wonderfully detailed chapter so full of hope and promise. The relationships and friendships are beautiful. Even the minor characters are special. Later on, it doesn’t shy away from the brutality, but weaves in some very rousing moments. And the cliffhangers, well some of them are simply breathtaking.
With Life, it is worth a look. There are some brilliant moments, but I nearly dropped it three times.
Your experience in Japan is interesting. It is reflective of how the Japanese soldiers were treated by their officers themselves: often brutally, kept in the dark and many thought their defeat was due to their inferior technology (although some were aware of the truth). And, comfort women were also used as a deliberate part of that process. My wife’s grandfather, as an Australian soldier, was in Japan at the end of WWII. He was at the main surrender. Australia put on trial over 1,000 Japanese and Koreans. He brought back some memorabilia, which we will still have. I also have original photos of the Japanese surrender to Australian troops in other areas.
War is such a tragic thing. It’s senseless and brutal. My uncle as a young 20 year old in 1942 was wounded at one point after an encounter with Japanese troops and was sent home to recuperate and so his war was over for him. However, he decided otherwise and put his hand back up to get into the thick of things. He was reassigned as a signal operator to track Japanese troop movements down through Rabaul etc. He ended up being captured with the other Australian troops there, about 1,000 in all. By all accounts they were treated quite badly (even more so the local Chinese population. Surviving Australian officers said it was indescribable). The Japanese then sent 845 captured troops (including my uncle) and 200 Australian civilians (and some Norwegians) on the POW ship the Montevideo Maru, bound for Hainan (China). Tragically, the Montevideo Maru was sunk by an American submarine in the South China Sea. They thought it was a Japanese troop ship. All lives were lost. It still remains Australia’s greatest maritime disaster to this day, and because of its tragic nature, affected my family greatly. My uncle is listed at the Australian War Memorial and on a memorial in Rabaul itself (which we didn’t know about until last year when a special service to commemorate the tragedy was held at the Australian War Memorial). Although an Australian went to Japan to confirm the records of this event immediately at the war’s end in 1945, the Japanese government didn’t hand over its records of the event to Australia until 2012.
So, in looking into these things further, I have just read an excerpt from a recent book by a Japanese academic and he recounts what happened to the Japanese soldiers once Rabaul surrendered to the Australians on 6 September 1945. There were 10,000 Australian troops responsible for some 140,000 Japanese soldiers. The Australians had the Japanese soldiers build their own internment camps, allowed them to continue to grow their own food (most Japanese troops had an agricultural background and had to be self sufficient in the pacific region during the war) and supported the teaching of English, science and maths so that they were in a better position to contribute to things once repatriated back to Japan. As a result, it would appear that, after intense lobbying, the repatriated Japanese soldiers from Rabaul were able to take with them 1,850 tons of food and over 8,000 farm implements back to Japan. Closure is so important.
My daughter and her boyfriend have just been to Japan and had a wonderful time. My sister and brother-in-law where there a couple of years ago.
I hoped you enjoyed the short video about the wildflowers. I have a few more photos in something I wrote the other day:
https://strategicteams.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/when-communities-come-together-the-wildflower-way/
Sorry it has taken me such a long time to get back in touch with you. And yes I have watched Forest of Secrets. And wasn’t it a goooodddd drama? It certainly kept you guessing and you are so right the acting was on point. I will say again American tv is so lacking in actors and writing.
If you’d like to talk KDrama you can reach me at georgiapeach47100@yahoo.com
I am on course for Mr. Sunshine and Life. How can I miss Lee Byung Hun or Lee Dong Wook not matter how sketchy the screenplay writing. Do understand MS was a critical success.
Thank you for sharing your family’s experiences in WWII. Those memories are very valuable to you and your family. Thanks again for the wildflower video. Oh and did I tell you I have Korean friends living in Sydney?
Until later…happy KDrama watching!
Hello Georgia, nice to hear from you. In the last couple of weeks my Kdrama (and others) viewing list has blown right out. There are so many shows on at the moment and what’s more, I’m enjoying them (although I have dropped the odd one here and there though).
Thank you for the offer to talk Kdrama. I will try not to waffle on too much. It’s nice that you have Korean friends in Sydney. Hopefully, they are enjoying life there. It’s a great place.
Well, I am about to watch the next episode of 100 Days My Prince before I hit the road this morning to attend a Council Meeting 300 kms (200 miles) from home. All the best and talk to you soon.
Your review was amazing. You mentioned all the things that I was too lazy to notice. Galsital was an emotional drama for me because a similar thing happened in my country. To be honest it was an eye opener for me. I never used to care about politics and I always hated it when politicians mentioned “the struggle”. But after this i started thinking wow so parents wwnt through this.
It had me in tears. I had a break down when they killed the boys at the base.
Kimura Shunji like why. He was so nice and sweet and he had this cute smile. I loved his character. But then he started changing I cried every step. That execution scence was so was but so awesome too. I loved it but I felt guilty for that because people actually went through that.
Now I am avoiding political dramas because after I finished I had to nurse my broken heart. I cried for no reason. When I heard a sad song I cried. It was too realistic although fictional.
Hi there Annie, I’m glad you enjoyed the show – and this review. 🙂 I feel you; I never used to care about politics and history myself, but watching this show gave me a fresh new perspective of what my grandparents, parents and other relatives went through. Movies and dramas can be so powerful, that way. And yes, it does make sense to avoid political dramas for a bit, to let your heart heal. If you’re looking for something light and cute, I recommend Chinese drama A Love So Beautiful, if you haven’t seen it. I think it’ll be a nice departure from Gaksital, and Show’s warmth will likely feel like a soothing balm for the soul. 🙂 Hugs! <3
I know I’m late, but I’ve just watched this drama. Wow! Just Wow!
But it seems it’s not really well known among international K-drama fans. No? Despite the fact that it’s the first K-drama being broadcast in Africa. I’m so sad with the international fans’ reaction toward Park Ki Woong casting for Cheese in the Trap. They don’t receive him well. I think he is a fantastic actor who deserves better.
What I found interesting about Shunji is that his intention was so unclear. There was so many emotions mixed at the same time. The first time he unmasked Kang To. He was like; “How dare you betray me! Death is too good for you!”, which is why he stopped the samurai from killing Kang To. But it is also possible that he was lying to himself. He tried to convince himself that he wanted Kang To to suffer instead of just letting him go easily, but it might be that he simply couldn’t let Kang To die in front of him.
This suspicion was becoming more clear when Kang To got caught. His reaction when his father tortured Kang To is simply interesting. Not to mention, Shunji wasn’t personally involved in torturing Kang To. He let others do the job for him despite the fact that he had dreamed of torturing Kang To before.
I think the most impressive scene between the two is when they had a fist fight after Kang To killed his dad. Kang To tried to kill him. Joo Won’s expression was so impressive. But I found Park Ki Woong to be equally interesting. To me it was like he was telling Kang To “It’s alright… Just end my suffering…”. I paid attention to his eyes and hands. It was like he instinctively trying to survive while, at the same time, trying to fight that instinct. I just thought that it’s not the way how my hands will react if someone tries to strangle me.
Imo, it’s not that Shunji had less empathy for Kang To than the other way around. It’s simply that he was the villain and the show revealed less about him than about Kang To. While I think at the wedding day he lost his control, most of the time he simply couldn’t kill Kang To. I think the reason why it took so long for him to catch Gaksital was because he was so in denial that his best friend was Gaksital that he quickly diverted his suspicion whenever there was an evidence to prove otherwise. During the last episode, when Kang To told him he regretted not killing him when he had chance, he basically told Kang To, “Do you think I don’t understand?”. For some reason, it makes me feel like if there is one person who understand Kang To best, it must be Shunji. I think even Kang To underestimate this.
Bridal mask
9/10
Slight Spoilers.
Terrific drama.
It didn’t take much to work out who the original Bridal Mask was. Well, if
you’ve ever seen any of the Zorro movies, it should be pretty obvious.
A very good cast. The story flows along naturally. I couldn’t find any
“oh come on” moments. The two male leads have some really cool outfits. Okay, their outfits ie those suits did seem a bit too modern. BuT they were as snazzy as hell thought the fight were well done, and exciting to watch.
I was glad to see that the comic character ie l as Abe was not grating, as these can be in some korean dramas.
In early scenes where Mok dan sees Bridal mask, she has a kind of ectasy on her face, as if he is some kind of deity.
Favourite characters Ueno Rie, and Um Sun-hwa
Thanks for sharing, martin! And, I’m so pleased you enjoyed Bridal Mask!! I left a deep impression on me when I watched it (thus the epic review), and I’m always happy when fellow drama fans have a positive experience with it. 🙂
I find it really interesting to read your ew review because I didn’t feel this way about Bridal Mask at all. I found it was excessively dramatic to the point of ridiculousness and that the characters were unrelatable and choppily written. I also found the sets poorly put together for the era along with some costumes. However, I really enjoyed reading your opinion and getting a different viewpoint!
It’s amazing how we can have such diverse reactions to the same show, isn’t it? I’ve loved shows that others hated, and vice versa, and it’s always so interesting to me, how a single show can inspire such different responses. Besides personal taste, I think personal context counts for a lot when it comes to drama watching.. I watched Gaksital some time ago, and I can’t guarantee that with more seasoned drama eyes, that I wouldn’t now find it excessively dramatic. But at the time, I loved it, and that’s how this review was born. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the review, despite your different experience with the show, Alena! 🙂
It was really excellent,i am so happy to find your reviews coz i realize that our taste of drama!!is really like each other so i use then as an advise and specially about this drama it sounds that we enjoied it in the same way!!so powerful and strong!! Thank u so much😉😉😉and at the end i should admire your ability in writing in english!!i thought that you are american!!so excited to find you in the same continent!!🌹🌹
Aw, thanks Neda! I’m glad you’re enjoying the reviews and the site!! And yes, Gaksital is a very special drama indeed. Powerful is the perfect word to describe it. And Joo Won is just amazing in this. I became an instant fan! ❤
Btw, where in Asia are you from, Neda? Big hello from Singapore! 😄
I am from iran,nice to meet u!!!😉😉😉
Iran! Wow, it’s so nice to meet a fellow drama fan from Iran! 😊 Is kdrama very popular there?
Yes,kdrama,kstars and kpop singers are really popular here specialy among teenagers(but i’m not a teenager!!😉😉)how about there?
p.s: you have a great pisitive energy!i can feel it by reading your notes!😊😊
Aw, thanks Neda – that is super nice of you to say! 😄 What a lovely compliment!
And yes, k-everything is very popular here in Singapore, and not only among the teenagers. We have a local channel that screens mostly kdramas in its drama slots, and that’s about 3-4 times a day, if I’m not mistaken! K-beauty brands are everywhere too. We are slightly k-obsessed, I think! 😆
Hi, I know this is so late compared to when the drama actually came out… but I just finished watching this drama yesterday. GOD, I thought 28 episodes was too long, but ughh how I wish it was longer now!
I couldn’t bring myself to read through your entir review, because the feels would just be too much to bear.
YET, I want more!!! I really want to ask you what drama (s) you would recommend to someone who is just too hung over Gaksital yet i’m not strong enough yet to jump back into it straight away – aka me?
Great review, and I always turn to your reviews and ratings when in drama crisis – cause they’re just so easy to relate to, and damn relevant!
Hi there Jistobang! I totally understand what you mean about not being ready to jump back into Gaksital – it’s a show that makes your heart reel in so many different ways, and doesn’t let go easily. I’m a little disappointed that you couldn’t read the review, but maybe later you’ll be able to ^^
As for moving on.. My recommendation would be to pick something really light and fluffy – mindless, almost – so that your heart has time to recover while you enjoy your new drama. Some dramas that come to mind are Bride of the Century (quick review here), Sungkyunkwan Scandal (review here), and Splash Splash Love (review here).
If you’re open to non-korean dramas, I recently really enjoyed Bromance (review is here), a Taiwanese drama that’s low on the logic, but is high on the cute and quite cracky in terms of OTP chemistry. You can always fast-forward through any bits you find boring 😉
I hope at least one of these fits the bill for you, but if you’ve already seen ’em all, or don’t quite like the sound of these, I’d be happy to throw more titles at you, to see if we can find one that sticks! ^^
Hey kfangurl, thankyou for the prompt reply 🙂 After writing my comment, I went through some of your other reviews, and stumbled across Miss Granny. So I ended up watching that, and it did wonders 🙂 the songs were especially great, and miss granny herself was amazing 😀
And I did end up going back and reading all of the review – something that I felt really stood out for me was how you explained that each character wasn’t black or white but different shades of gray. Personally, I think that when all of these different shades came together, they created a vivid and unforgettable journey for all of us viewers.
I’ve already seen Bride of the Century, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Will take a look at your review for Splash Splash Love though. And I did skim through a few episodes of Bromance a few weeks ago – don’t think I’ll be able to invest my interest or time in that one :/
I’d love to have you throw more titles at me 😉
Thanks!
Ah, glad you discovered and liked Miss Granny, Jisto! Isn’t it such a lovely, heartwarming movie? Absolutely, all the shades of gray came together to make a very textured and interesting tapestry. I feel like the movie world felt rich, in spite of the fantasy twist.
I do think that you’d enjoy Splash Splash Love; it’s really adorable. Too bad it’s only 2 episodes long. 😛 In terms of more titles, I’m thinking that perhaps something warm and fuzzy would fit nicely, particularly if fluff like Bromance isn’t appealing to you.
Have you watched Life Is Beautiful (review here)? It’s my favorite family drama of all time, and is a comforting, uplifting, comfort-food-for-the-soul sort of watch. Which makes me think that it’d be a great way to soothe your heart after Gaksital.
Another really heartwarming watch I’d recommend is Ojakgyo Brothers (review here), which is my second-most favorite family drama of all time. Plus, it’s a great way to get more Joo Won on your screen, post-Gaksital. 😉
If both of these are too long for your taste, you might want to consider Plus Nine Boys (review here), which I found had a family drama sort of warm vibe, without actually having the length of a family drama.
As for Reply 1997, I have reviewed it, actually. I just have it listed primarily as Answer Me 1997. You can find the review here, and here’s the full list of reviews on the site, for your easy browsing. I hope that helps! 🙂
Hey again, sorry I had to ask. I found no review for Reply 1977 – have you not seen it (in which case, please DO IT), or you just haven’t gotten around to reviewing it?
Jisto 😉
best review ever!! super long, yet not boring at all <3
Thank you maria! I’m really glad you enjoyed this review! 😀
so much feels, so much feels… That drama was everything. My only two tiny complaints were the convenient use of multiple names for one character and that got me confused…although from a Korean perspective it was probably not hard to follow. The second one is the fake cliffhanger with kanto and shunji at gunpoint… We know they won’t die anyway.
Anyway, I’m just here to express my Katsuyama feels. Never a… 3-level/4-level character had captured my heart this way. So much intensity and fierceness and tension * holds heart * were there fanfics about him? T__T
Oh, Gaksital. I thought Show was quite brilliant, in spite of its shortcomings. And yes, the multiple names did confuse me for a bit, but it was probably a common practice at the time, given the context of the Occupation.
And Katsuyama! He definitely got more attention than was probably planned, given that he’s such a minor character. But that smoldering gaze and the badass fight moves definitely helped!! His undying devotion to Rie was also very swoony <3 If there aren't fanfics about him, you can totally write one – that's the beauty of fanfics, right? 😉
My Katsuyama feels were so real… they still are… I did write a oneshot, I just can’t figure out where it was posted… maybe it was on my old computer hardrive.
* pouts *
Ooh, you wrote a oneshot?? You definitely had big Katsuyama feels! XD Maybe you’ll stumble on it one day when you’re springcleaning all your disks – that’ll be a fun surprise for you to read! 😉
yeah…no.the laptop doesn’t even turn on anymore. lol i’d have to ask someone to see if i can get the data back on the hardrive for free…and i’m not that committed.
Hahaha! Ok, I see your problem.. It’s quite a hassle if you can’t actually turn on the laptop anymore! Sorry, Katsuyama XD
I like the drama but i was disappointed that Bong yi died. I don’t like sad love endings.
Why did she had to die?!!? :((
This makes me want to find the director and slap hip senseless. (only in my head tho)
i’m going to cry now, bye. :'(
Aw. Gaksital isn’t a typical love story, really.. And since it’s about rising up to be strong in the face of tragedy, I kind of knew that we were unlikely to have a happy ending for the love story part. Once you can accept that, Gaksital is a pretty amazing story of strength and solidarity.
Gaksital is my first k-drama and it still holds the number one spot in my list although I had only watched a few so far. I first watched it on television in 2012 (I am Korean) and watch it again this year. Whilst I am really happy to read positive reviews and appreciate your eloquence, I feel that you have given away too much spoilers that the credentials of the director/producer, actors/actresses and all production crew should be “watched” to be understood and not to be read only – by those who haven’t watched them.
I can understand your POV but if someone hasn’t watched the drama yet, they are probably better off not reading ANY reviews or posts on it before they do. They all contain reveals about the episodes. Some reviews are nothing more than one big recap. Which is definitely a spoiler.
Kfangurl does provide spoiler warnings for those who haven’t seen the drama. It’s hard to do an in-depth drama analysis – which is her specialty – without some.
I guess you can say her particular articles are more catered to those who have already seen the dramas and want to engage in lively discussions about the characters, motivations, and the plot itself.
Hi there, thanks for your thoughts and good intentions. The reviews I write are designed to have enough meat for every type of reader, ie, those who have seen the show, those who have not seen the show, those who want to avoid spoilers, and those who actually enjoy spoilers. I do my best to warn ahead of time of spoilers, as you may have noticed. Readers who want to avoid spoilers altogether can read just the short verdict, which is purposely written to be helpful yet spoiler-free.
I’ve given some thought to your point of view, and to help readers going forward, I have updated my Reviews page with this information, so that readers who are unclear about how I handle reviews, will have clear directions on how to make the reviews work best for them. If you’d like to check that out, you can go here. Thanks 🙂
Thank you very much 🙂
Coming from a production background myself, directors or producers or actors/actresses or production crew would like the audience to watch them to form an opinion, however internet has made the world so easy that most read before “watching” to form a decision these days 🙁
Aw, I hope you don’t feel too badly about netizens reading reviews and comments. Most viewers find it helpful to get a feel for the show before deciding to spend time on watching the show, because there are so many shows to choose from.
Most of my readers are actually people who have seen the show, and enjoy discussing the details in-depth, to understand the writers’ and director’s intention etc. I’ve had readers who said that after reading my review, they wanted to watch the show another time, to get a fuller experience after understanding the points I raised.
At the same time, I’ve had readers who had no intention of watching a show, decide to actually watch a show because of my review. What I’m trying to say is, it’s not necessarily a bad thing for reviews to be detailed and in-depth. It can help viewers who’ve seen the show to have a deeper appreciation of the work itself, and can also draw new viewers in. So please don’t be discouraged, and I wish you all the best with your production work. Fighting! 🙂
I’ve never posted any comment here but I couldn’t resist seeing this outstanding review on the first drama that literally blew my mind when I was watching it! (felt like all the other drama were plain after I had finished it, awful! >_<). I like the fact that you detailed everything: the sceneries, the cinematography etc….(this is the first time I see a blog doing so!) and I can't wait to read other review (still have a lot to explore on your blog).
Actually the only negative point of this drama for me was Oh Mok Dan. I liked her until she discovers the true identity of Gaksital (I was waiting this moment with so much eagerness but it didn't make my heart flutter as much as I thought it would). I hated the way she fell in love of Kang To just because he is the Gaksital (in fact she loves the symbol more than the person itself…at least it's how I perceived it back then). Except for her, the show was just perfect. I still can't tell if I prefered Kang To's character or Shunji's one. They both made me cry so much! XD I could talk about this drama for hours and hours, but I have to go right now -__- (fucking real life ^^).
Anyway I read that you loved Vampire Prosecutor (I'll have to go see your review if there is one!). You already mention 2 dramas that I love, that starts well!^^ If you don't know what to watch I advise you "Cruel City","TEN" (similar to Vampire Prosecutor…in a lot of way), and "Nine" (there are my other favorite dramas 😀 Swear you won't get bored! With Gaksital and VP the list is completed)
I’m so glad you enjoyed this review, cineclique!! Gaksital is one of my favorite kdramas, and I’m so pleased that my review could add to your enjoyment of the show! 😀
I have to agree with you that Mok Dan’s character was the weakest link in this drama. I was very underwhelmed by her character, even though I understood her importance to our other lead characters. In fact, that’s the only way I could make sense of her character; more in terms of what she represented/brought out in Kang To and Shunji, rather than in and of herself. I personally was more on Kang To’s side than Shunji’s although I felt sorry for Shunji. Maybe it’s coz I’m generally wired to root for the guy with the positive growth arc? I did think that both Joo Won and Park Ki Woong were both excellent. 🙂
Yes, I did write a review for Vampire Prosecutor. That, and Season 2 as well, so I hope you enjoy those reviews! 🙂 I haven’t checked out TEN yet (it’s on my list!), but I have watched Nine (it’s very good!) and I’m partway through Cruel City. I paused on that for quite a while now, and just need the right mood to go back to it.
If you enjoyed Gaksital, I’m thinking you’ll like Chuno. I think Chuno is brilliant, and totally epic. It’s got some similar themes with Gaksital, too. If you haven’t watched it, I do highly recommend it! 😀
I’m going to trust your judgement and watch Chuno then 😉 I wanted to watch another historical drama before (Warrior Baek Dong Soo- it has great grade on dramalist and good review so…+Ji Chang Wook in the casting huhu ) but Chuno has less episode so I’ll watch it first 🙂
Oh yeh I still haven’t got the time to go see your Vampire Prosecutor’s review. I’m going to read it now héhé.
I’m also thinking about watching the other dramas of OCN (God’s Quiz and The Virus…). I want to trust them since they broadcasted two amazing dramas, I hope I won’t be disappointed. Haha I’ve rewatched Cruel City a week ago since I wanted to write a review about it. Man, it was as good as the first time XD (except that I wasn’t surprised anymore^^)
Whoah! What an in-depth review! Great post! I’m glad I stuck with the show. As I’ve mentioned, it took me 7 episodes to be invested. I’m happy it came as a relaxed watch for me. That way, I was able to SAVOR it. Indeed, this show offered so much good. Beautifully shot, especially those in the gardens, in the woods, and even the evening scenes. I had to hit pause and enjoy the scenes. Speaking of hitting pause, I did so when Lee Kang To revealed he loved Mok Dan and girl, did I squeee… loud and long! Great acting from almost everyone, but Park Ki Woong’s star shone brighter for me than Joo Won’s who I loved in Baker King. Very well written except that there’s something that kept tugging at me. Yes, blood is thicker than water but I just can’t easily accept how Shunji turned all mean and badass at the death of Kenji. The first few episodes registered him to me as not only sweet and gentle but a very thoughtful, humane being. I hardly accepted his obsession with Gaksital (without him thinking much about it) but using and hurting other people?! I really can’t. So incongruent. I wished they’d shown that there was a deeper bond between Kenji and Shunji than just being blood brothers. That would have made the obsession easy to accept. I don’t know…maybe it’s just me. Perhaps he’s the feeling and not the thinking kind. Maybe I got him all wrong from the beginning. Heh. 🙂
Anyways, it’s a good tragic bromance!
The holding hand… loved it. I just hoped Kang To and Mok Dan had sizzling chemistry like Kang To/Rie or Shunji/Rie or even Katsuyama/Rie. I found Kang To/Mok Dan moments a little flat.
Yes, I also find Japs speaking Korean absurd. I was even thinking that Koreans would speak Japanese when speaking with one. It would have been better if they did that.
No offense to the Japanese, but that nail cage had me wonder… did they use the same technique worldwide? I don’t remember reading about that. The Philippines had been colonized by Japan as well. And yes, that issue on comfort women is very true. There are still some of them alive here today. But, no I did not find the drama bashing in any way. Just factual.
Off tangent, I think the same set was used in Basketball.
Aw, yay that you enjoyed the review, kaiaraia!! 😀 This was the show that started my whole foray into long and epic reviews. I just thought it was quite brilliant, and it took a whole lotta words to try to express that XD
It really is beautifully shot, isn’t it?? So, so pretty, and sometimes at the most unexpected times! Those scenes in the woods, in the midst of all that nature, were particularly pretty, I thought.
Yes, I do agree with you that it was rather stark how Shunji became all dark, angry, evil and mean. I do think the drama tried to ease us into it in degrees, in that he doesn’t go completely mad with fury till later, after being foiled by Gaksital again and again. That increasing anger, leading him to teeter on the edge of crazy, was quite effective, I thought. While I agree it was hard to believe that sweet gentle Shunji would actually go so dark and evil, I think that’s precisely the message that the writers are trying to bring across; that war and drawing of lines and shedding of blood can cause perfectly normal people to become monsters.
In that respect, I feel like Shunji was a personalization of a bigger phenomenon. As you rightly mentioned, the Japanese Occupation came with a lot of pain and suffering and torture. I believe what the show was trying to say, at a more macro level, is that all those Japanese soldiers who inflicted all that pain and suffering and torture were probably ordinary people at heart, whose world-views and entire paradigms shifted because of war. At least, that’s what I take away from the writers’ treatment of Shunji’s character.
I don’t really know if the nail cage was really used, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. I did a brief search online and found this article on wiki talking about Japanese war crimes. Comfort women are listed, and while the exact methods of torture aren’t specified in this write-up, it doesn’t sound implausible to me. Like you, I found the drama’s treatment of it all very matter-of-fact, and I didn’t feel like the writers were making any sort of judgment on the Japanese.
I do believe you’re right about Basketball using the same set! I think I read about that when Basketball was just coming out. And I do agree with you about Kang To having more chemistry with Rie than with Mok Dan. Mok Dan was a little too bland for me, as a character. Which is why I was more interested in how she affected Kang To and Shunji, rather than in her character per se. And that chemistry between Rie and Katsuyama! Sizzling 😉
I’ve never considered that aspect of war effects on the dominant side where Shunji was. Thanks for bringing that to light. Because yes, there are people on that side who did not want to be in that situation either.
Absolutely. I’ve seen articles and interviews of people who committed war crimes, and they describe how they believed, at the time, that what they were doing was right, in the name of patriotism and such. It’s a twisted, sad thing what war does to people. And Shunji was one example of a person who seemed perfectly nice, until he was twisted into a monstrous version of himself by war and its accompanying mindset.
I just started watching this last night. I don’t know WHAT took me so long!! The first 2 episodes are amazing so far! It’s more fun for me because I’m watching it with my sister and it’s something I haven’t seen. She was very interested to watch because of Park Ki Woong. She really fell for him in Chuno. Though this limits my marathon viewings because she can only watch 2 the most per night. Boo!
Joo Won and Park Ki Woong are fantastic. And I love the leading lady’s character. So many secrets revealed and lots of excitement. Joo Won is riveting. His face is a conundrum. His eyes can slice you to ribbons and sends chills down your spine, but then he has these super adorable ‘Campbell Soup kid’ cheeks and dimples with that boyish smile! I love it. We joked that the Gakistal mask with its cheeks and fierce eyes was made just for him and he’ll be wearing it soon enough. LOL.
I will definitely come back to this review once I see it. I don’t want to be spoiled this time around. I’m’ sure it’s great.
Just finished episode 4, and still loving it! Joo Won has made it to my favorite actors list!! And Park Ki Woong.
But I just have to rant: How DUMB is Mok Dan/Boon Yi and her theater troupe for going into the village? Then she flies at him with a knife knowing he’s a loose cannon with a GUN. He doesn’t know it’s her. To him it’s some random freak in a mask ready to slice him to ribbons and who nearly did from the rooftop. And even if he did know, he’s AFTER HER and has already threatened her life. OF COURSE he’s going to shoot!
So, so dumb and frustrating.
Okay, rant over! I’m happy to see Han Chae Ah. Always one of my favorites. One day this girlie will get a real leading role. (Hopefully with Gong Yoo! lol)
Lady G!!! I am SO HAPPY that you started on Gaksital!!! 😀 😀 Despite its flaws (and every drama has its flaws, doesn’t it?), I genuinely found it pretty brilliant overall, and this ginormous review was the result.
Joo Won is AMAZING in this, and Park Ki Woong also knocks it out of the ballpark as well. More than any romantic lovelines in the show, their relationship was the one that had my attention the most. Both of them chose to take on such controversial and challenging roles, and both did admirably. Respect.
And yes, there are a number of argh moments in the show, where you wonder whatever happened to logical thinking. Like that instance you mentioned, about Mok Dan going into the village and flying recklessly at him with a knife. Happily, though, these fails don’t detract too much from the rest of the awesome, and I would still heartily recommend Gaksital as a drama. A very, very worthy watch, imo!
I have to say that I have watched this drama a couple of times and read the recaps for God knows how many times, and it still leaves me grabbing my poor heart. I feel that the writers really put a lot of thought in the writings (except of course for the plot holes that you mentioned, such as Japanese talking Korean to fellow Japanese, repetitive writing, and such), and the directing was really beautiful. What I noticed the most was the codes in color that they use for Kang-To and Shunji.
In the first battle they fought in the 1st ep, Kang-To, who was still a ‘bad guy’, was wearing black, and Shunji, the ‘good guy’, wore white. In their final battle in ep 27, and also when Shunji takes his life in 28 Shunji was the one wearing black, and Kang-To, white. It seem trivial at first, but then after I paid more attention to the middle episodes, I realized that color play was used a lot. Many, though not all, of the suits Kang-To wore was grey, both before and after he donned the mask as if signifying that he was still in grey area, but leaning toward the white, and the color grew lighter and lighter towards the end. While Shunji wore either black or dark blue after he become an imperial police whereas he at first mostly wore light colors, as if saying that even though he wants to lean to the white side, he’s doomed to the black side from the start. It’s probably only a coincidence, but I love these kinds of things too much to not type it down.
About Mok Dan and Jin Sae Yeon the actress, I think Jin Sae Yeon did pretty well with Mok Dan’s character. Mok Dan has that flair of naivety in her, though I do admire her unbending will and determination. It’s a shame that Jin Sae Yeon’s performance dims in comparison to the hero and the villain and she ends up as a classic damsel in distress, though how she refused to bow to the Japanese even under torture is admirable. It’s a bit of a stretch for me of how her determination doesn’t seem to deter at all (especially considering my determination deters at the sight of food, good drama and/or anime and/or games, and hot guys), but it just shows how much strength she has and how much she wants Korea to be free, I guess. I just think that given the time to grow, Jin Sae Yeon might have been able to make Mok Dan’s character even more interesting, and not overshadowed by other characters.
Damsari, I found him as one of the most intriguing characters. He’s not hostile to Kang-To and even trusted him, and we all have seen how other people treated him. A mere Korean among the Japanese, and a traitorous Japanese dog among the Koreans, making him never quite fit in. Damsari, however, treated him with such kindness that I think I actually developed a crush on the ahjussi. I’ll definitely find a guy like him for my future husband.
And Rie? This character has been found perfect, there is no need to judge her further.
Katsuyama? *squeal so loudly that the mirrors broke*
Wow, eve, talk about undying Gaksital love! 😀 You surely do love this show a whole lot, and it’s a worthy show indeed. So brilliant in so many ways, despite its flaws.
What a great observation, about the colors that Shunji and Kang To wore! You know, I’m pretty sure that it was a deliberate thing, rather than something that just happened to pan out that way. If it’s one thing that I’ve learned watching kdrama, it’s that they don’t leave these things to chance. Every little thing, from the leads’ hairstyles to the colors they wear, is carefully selected to reflect the characters’ journeys. I hadn’t noticed the white/black/gray progression in the show – thanks for pointing it out! 😀
It’s true, it’s a shame that Jin Sae Yeon’s performance just wasn’t as strong as Joo Won’s or Park Ki Woong’s or even some of our secondary characters. Despite it, though, I appreciated Mok Dan’s place in the story and what it told us about Kang To and Shunji, who were our true star-crossed lovers. I feel that if there were a main pair of characters in this show, it would be them, more than Kang To and Mok Dan.
I did like Damsari a lot too – I loved that serene wisdom that he often wore as his default mode. The trust and compassion he had for Kang To was very moving indeed.
Rie and Katsuyama were lovely to watch, I have to agree. Especially when they shared the screen together, wordlessly. I feel like there was so much going on, despite them not speaking. That spoke to the chemistry and synergy their characters had, having spent so much time together.
Ahh.. Thanks for helping me relive the Gaksital awesome, Eve. It’s been a while since I watched this, and it’s lovely to bring to mind all over again, why I loved this drama so much to begin with 🙂
Dear In-Love Girl, cause I see so much love in this post, thank you many times over for the sheer joy of being astounded that such love can be shared in this way, I am now very much convinced, and will watch Gaksital, and will love it, too. Congratulations for this very successful post where I’m concerned :)) Actually I got here in my search for convincing stuff over Park Ki Woong. Now I can freely like him :)) THANKS!!!
Oh wow, Quan! Such kind words, and you haven’t even watched the show yet! Thank you! 😀 YAY that you enjoyed the read. I’m so happy to know that this review has helped to convince you to watch Gaksital! It’s not a perfect show of course, but it’s fantastic in so many ways that I find it hard to quibble over the flaws. I’d love to hear how you liked it, after you’re done. Enjoy the watch!! ^^
You have by far, wrote the best most in-depth Gaksital review I’ve read. The way you analyzed every pivotal moment and the relationships between each main character was exquisite. I only hope to someday write such a great review for my own blog. Thanks for such a great read. 🙂
Aw, thanks, Tiffany!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the review!! 😀 I didn’t set out to write such an epic review, but this show just blew me away with its awesomeness and I was just trying to do it as much justice as I could in writing about it.. and a monster-size review was the end result! XD
Credit to the show, coz not every show is so meaty once you start to take it apart. Gaksital will always have a special place in my heart, for starting me on epic reviews! ^^
It was Gaksital that pulled me into writing more drama reviews and taught me to look deeper into some of the dramas, though not all liked you said can be taken apart and analyzed.
Gaksital did that for you too?!?? High five, Tiffany! 😀 I’d been inching towards slightly longer reviews for a while, but Gaksital proved to be so full of meaty goodness that I wasn’t done till I’d written something like 15,000 words. Which is crazy, I admit. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen with every review, or every show! XD
Haha no not crazy at all. I’ve been at the point before where I could have written a book based on just one character because soo many different thoughts kept coming to me. Then I realized I didn’t want to lose any more sleep! 🙂
Heh. Wise words, Tiffany. Sleep is very important indeed. And sometimes way overlooked in dramaland, lol.
ah wht can i say thts not already been said but i’ll lay down my opinion of gaksital. this is my 1st kdrama i usually watch american n british series
1st of all the acting part of the show ended with lee kang san/ shin hyun joon
2nd he passed his beacon to park ki woong which is evident froom the fact tht story starts to grip only when he’s around .Great character, hats off to writer for conceiving it.
3rd i watched this series immediately after ending”breaking bad” so my mind kept nagging me at every gaping and farcical line tht the story gave like japs speaking in korean, having no contingency plan for dam sa ri at his public execution, no marks on boon yi’s back when lee kang found her etc etc.
4th i nvr rooted for lee kang to a) cuz he was asshole n then he got bigger by cheating shunji n going behind his back b) shunji’s acting was way better than lee’s or u can say tht his character was better written 3) i feel defensive towards japan cuz they are one of the most dazzling race of the earth, being the only imperial nation of asia n being the 4th largest economy despite being a country of handful of people.
5th the story is really gripping Mindless but gripping.
the best scene for me wud be the confession of lee kang to to his brother, the most horrifying scene – when nail bx was revealed for the 1st time, mind numbing scene – when lee beat his brother, absurd scene – katana vs bare hands , action scene – when lee kang san’s bodyguard attacks kang to
enjoy
Wow, sharad, sounds like our experiences of Gaksital are really different. I loved Kang To whereas you loved Shunji. I guess it’s true that as viewers, we all have very unique experiences of the shows that we watch!
I’d just like to mention that I didn’t in any way see this as a Japan-bashing show.. Plus, as I’ve mentioned, my sister lives in Tokyo and I was just recently there myself, so there’s no hard feelings towards Japan even though members of my family lived through Singapore’s Japanese Occupation. The fact remains that as accomplished and brilliant as Japan is as a nation, there does exist a dark period of history where there were numerous instances of violence and torture suffered by millions at the hands of Japanese soldiers. I personally feel that the show portrays that fairly reasonably, without getting into Japan-bashing.
I do agree with you that logic does lapse at points in the show, sometimes to the point of absurdity. In the end, though, I suppose it’s coz it is based on a comic after all..
I’m still glad you found a way to enjoy the show – I personally liked it a lot. And I hope you find other kdramas that you enjoy as well!
The review is done in such a thoughtful way. But I’d like to add something: I think there were some serious chemistry between Shunji & Rie. At one scene Katsuyama asked Rie: why didn’t she see his heart, even though she noticed both Kang To’s and Shunji’s heart. In the scene in the last episode, when Rie telephoned Shunji to acknowledge that Kang To killed Ueno, she asked him to run away. Shunji asked her whether she would leave, Rie answered would Shunji ask her to stay. Shunji replied to her “Take Care”. Something would have happened if Shunji were more interested, but I guess he felt awful by killing the girl he always loved, and also he wanted to end the complicated situation he was in. I don’t know why but I liked Rie more than Mok Dan. Of course I loved the 2 male leads.
And I cried like hell after watching the last episode. I don’t know how to convey the complicated emotions I feel for this drama. I love this drama, that’s all I can say.
Thanks, Meye, I’m so glad you enjoyed the review! And you’re absolutely right, the chemistry between Shunji & Rie is pretty excellent. Whether they’re threatening each other (as they did in the beginning) or whether they are having honest, heart-to-heart conversations, their onscreen chemistry is indeed very good. I found her more interesting than Mok Dan too!
And that awesome, awesome ending! I don’t often cry watching drama, but that ending was so great that it brought serious tears to my eyes. No wonder you cried like you did. An excellent drama indeed. <3 <3
Such an epic review! I love how you included the OST throughout (I’m listening to it right now! :)) because it just feels like I’m immersed in the show. Which is awesome.
I love your insight into Kang-san’s cowardice. I hadn’t picked up on it really, but as soon as you said it I was like, “oh, of course!”. Because that’s probably why his Gakstial was smaller than Kang-to’s. To take on the entire regime, not just the guys who did their daddy wrong, is a massive leap. (And one I really, really enjoyed Kang-to taking the time to contemplate doing so — because it underlined the size of the job he was considering taking on.)
We talked about Shunji not having to fight for anything over in my blog — but I think part of Kang-to’s bravery may well come from how hard he had to fight for everything. He’s the one who was putting his brother through school, while getting beat, and without complaint. It makes sense that a boy who had the strength to make that kind of selfless call for his brother would become the man who made such a selfless call for his country. (And how much do I adore that the characters are so well written that this kind of depth is there to be found? So, so much!)
I agree that Mok-dan was the least interesting character. She really played the due-North to Shunji’s and Kang-to’s swinging moral compass. Hats off to the actress, I think, that she didn’t come across as kind of insufferable.
In contrast I really, really, really adored Rie. She was fascinating and in my head-canon, she and Kang-to meet up again at some future time. (Because he survived! He did! I insist that he did!) And I loved that, whereas Mok-dan was the ideal Shunji and Kang-to measured themselves against, Rie reflected the both of them and the struggle they were both under. I agree that in not killing her, Shunji managed a tiny bit of redemption.
And now I’m really looking forward to this evening when we’ll be watching another episode. 😀 (We insist it’ll just be one but… ;))
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed the review – and the sprinkling of OSTs! That’s the upside of the epic review.. There’s lots more room for more OST tracks 😉 And the OST in Gaksital was fantastic!
I hadn’t consciously picked up on Kang San’s cowardice during my watch of the drama, actually. I kind of knew it on a more unconscious level, but when writing the review, that just kind of pushed its way to the surface, and I was like, Ohhh.. A hero born out of cowardice! Wow, how ironically dissonant is that?!
Great link that you made, between Kang To’s bravery and the fact that he had to fight so hard for everything. I hadn’t made that connection, but when you said it, it made perfect sense to me. He’s used to fighting for what he cares about, and he applied that principle to his new-found love for his country and his people. Makes so much sense, and is a pretty profound statement as well!
And I LOVE your insight about Mok Dan & Rie! While I saw Mok Dan’s idealism & I also saw Kang To and Shunji individually seeing themselves in Rie, I didn’t make the final connection of Mok Dan being both of the men’s True North and Rie being both their reflections. Suddenly the textures in this show feel that much richer. THIS is why I LOVE talking dramas with you, BetsyHp!! 😀 It’s like our insights beget more insights – they seem to multiply and have kids and grandkids – the more we talk about a drama, which is seriously SO much fun! 😀
As for Shunji.. I agree he managed a tiny bit of redemption in not killing Rie, but to me it really is tiny because in my eyes, he did so because he saw himself in her. In my mind, he gave her a way out because he wanted a way out too. And because I saw it as birthed in a more self-focused place, it didn’t redeem him in my eyes as much as if I had seen it as a more pure and generous act on his part.
I’m looking forward to more insights as you continue the re-watch with your hubs – coz I am certain there will be more! 😀
Hmm… That’s an interesting insight into Shunji’s reasons for spearing Rie… That does make sense — if she makes it, maybe I can too — I can definitely see him thinking that way. Now I’m even more looking forward to rewatching that scene! (We’ve been on a bit of an enforced break with evening meetings and such — but the weekend is coming!)
And I so, so agree about how much fun it is to talk dramas with you, Kfangurl! Just writing stuff out brings insight, and then as you share your insight it spawns more and… Yeah, it’s pretty awesome. 🙂 And especially awesome when a drama has that much depth to give. (I’m not sure we’d have as much fun discussion say, “Fashion King,” for example. ;))
Hah — I meant “sparing Rie” (Talk about a typo!) 😀
LOL! I didn’t see the typo the first time I read your comment, but it’s hilarious now that I actually see it! XD Spelling can save lives? ;D
Yes, I can’t see us having a similarly thought-provoking conversation about Fashion King >.< A drama has to have the meat for us to dig into first. And I'm finding that our conversations are actually INCREASING my Gaksital love, which I hadn't foreseen, since y'know, I'd already finished watching it AND reviewing it. Very cool stuff! ^^
Heeee epic review indeed! Now I understand why my ipod browser kept on crashing LOL
I really really loved Gaksital, and I’m so glad that I had the chance to revisit it with your review ^-^
I’ve actually written my thoughts about Gaksital in my first post ever, and it’s kinda crazy how we sometime think alike LOL Namely the intro about the Occupation Era, or Shunji’s slow descent to hell. I think that I’ve found my spiritual drama twin LOL
It’s really not as epic as yours, but scroll down and take a look if you have time ^-^ http://koreandramareviews.com/year-end-review-2012/#more-8022
LOL! I didn’t set out to be epic, that’s for sure! 😛 Sorry about crashing your ipod browser – not all reviews will be this epic, I promise! ^^
I popped on over to read what you wrote about Gaksital and HUZZAH! We just might be drama twins after all!! XD WOOT!
Probably, the best Gaksital review i’ve ever read. I’m really not exaggerating! You put a lot of thought into it and it was very detailed and well-written and what sets it apart from the other reviews that I’ve read is that you wrote about the relationships between each of the major characters which is really the main focus of the show. And I agree with your insights about the ending, I also loved! It was so satisfying and it’s the best way to end the drama!:)
Thanks for mentioning the side characters especially Adorkable Abe, and for all the MV links!:)
Wow, thanks for the compliment, chane! I’m so glad you enjoyed the review! 😀 Indeed, the relationships between the characters is the main focus in the show, and a major driving force narratively as well. I couldn’t NOT talk about the relationships! So much richness and so many layers as the development of our characters intersects and overlays in so many ways. And Abe! Who could forget goofy, adorable, sweet Abe? ^^
Yay that you enjoyed the MVs! They’re so good, aren’t they! I couldn’t pick a favorite, but I will say that the second last video, the one that condenses Gaksital in under 3 minutes? So. Good. Gives me chills.
Another great review of a drama that just didn’t work for me. 🙂 So delightfully detailed and insightful! I always find it interesting to read reviews like this and see the piece through other eyes. This one makes me sort of sad that the characters so totally failed to engage me in any way and the story itself didn’t have enough power to keep me watching. Just forcibly trying to do so made me very nitpicky, frustrated and finally unreasonably angry.
I’ve found that not being able to feel the characters enough to care is usually a sure way to kill a show for me (unless it’s majorly plot dirven, like procedurals) and I’ve been experiencing that a lot lately for some reason. Sigh.
Aw, thanks for your kind words Timescout 🙂 I realize that Gaksital was a show that got me emotionally engaged by degrees. I started out much more mentally engaged than emotionally, but the show eventually got me ^^
It’s a pity that so few shows are appealing to you lately.. Hopefully that will change sometime soon. In the meantime, TEN2 is on its way 😉 I’ve already downloaded Season 1 based on your glowing recommendation, & I’m looking forward to getting into it soonish 🙂
Well, I’ve got a few things lined up but no time to check them up atm. School’s eating up most of my spare time these days. 🙂 Funny thing but I just watched the last 2 eps of TEN S1 this week. I realised that I never got round to watching them properly, probably because there were no subs around at that time. So, I’m all set for S2 to roll along. Fingers crossed I’m less busy then. The finale of S1 was bit of a doozer so I’d say wait till you can just move on to the next season.
Woo, thanks for the heads-up!! That helps a lot! One of the things I liked about watching Vampire Prosecutor so late in the game is that I could marathon S1 and S2 one after the other, which made everything feel so fresh and so connected. Think I’ll do the same for TEN, for maximum satisfaction! ;D
Wow! Super insightful review… makes me wanna go rewatch it… again lol 😉 I did the whole Gaksital watchathon the week after it ended it’s run and LOVED it.
“The real star-crossed lovers in this show are really Kang To and Shunji.” – Right?!?!?!?!?!?!
Anyways, your review was excellent and I’m totally looking forward to your future ones!
Thank you, Ahsoka!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the review!! Gaksital is just awesome, isn’t it??! And indeed, Kang To and Shunji.. SO much more relationship history, emotional investment and killer stakes than the official OTP! I’m sure that’s why the final showdown was between the 2 men, without Mok Dan in the equation.
Just talking about this show makes me want to re-watch it! But I think I’m gonna save it for later, so that it feels fresh again ^^
Yay it’s here, it’s here! 😀 And of course I have to run out the door. 🙁 But it’ll be here when I get back and just sliding down to the comment section has me excited for all the goodness you included. Looking forward to a thoughtful, filling read. 🙂
LOL! Sometimes, Real Life just seems to totally get in the way, doesn’t it? 😉 Not to worry, we’ll be waiting for you when you’re good and ready and have a nice cup of tea to nurse over a good long read ^^
Yeay! I was waiting for your Gaksital review, kfangirl! 🙂 Gaksital tops my list of favorite k-dramas at the moment. I loved the epic cliffhanger at the end of episode, the suspense, the actions, the cinematography, the soundtracks, how twisted and dark the story yet it still carries a lot of heart with it, and how each character managed to pull me in, even the supporting characters were strong with their storylines.
And I really enjoyed reading your in-depth insight! Your review nailed every aspect from this drama that I loved, especially how you describe the relationships between each character. You took the words out of my mouth and put it in a much much more awesome way! 🙂 I like your take on Manager Jo, I never thought about him the way you’ve written it down. That what he did was a human/realistic thing to do, and that actually added more dimension to the story. And seriously, I just shuddered everytime they brought that nail cage out!
I loved the ending as well. It has my vote for the best ending ever in a drama. I still got goosebumps when I saw screencap of that ending [yeap- I’m dramatic like that 😀 ]
And ditto on “A show that’s really good right away, and – gasp! – actually stays that way throughout its 28 episodes” — Gaksital is probably the only drama I watched while airing that managed to keep my attention throughout its 28 episodes. I normally got bored after 10-12 episodes of a drama, and have to remind myself to catch the next episode, but with Gaksital, I just had to watch it when it’s fully subbed. I even forced/restrained myself from watching the raw episode because I didn’t want to spoil the fun of being able to watch the show and understand every thing that is going on and being on the edge of my seat. There’s also a time when I watched the final stretch in my school’s rec hall because I didn’t have an internet connection in my new apartment and got weird look from people around me for gasping, screaming, and swearing at my laptop’s screen… 😀 I really missed those days when I had a drama to be excited about..[oops-sorry for going on a tangent here].
Aw, really?? You were waiting for this review?? Awwww.. I just melted into a puddle ^^ Thanks so much, that makes me feel so special & it makes the work that goes into creating the review feel appreciated and precious. THANK YOU!!! *showers you with bear hugs*
*picks self off the floor from tackling you*
Now, where were we? ^^ I’m SO glad you enjoyed the review & that it helped you relive the awesome of Gaksital! Indeed, it’s an excellent show, & had me on the edge of my seat so many times! You’re spot on to say the twisted dark story managed to carry a lot of heart. I think that’s a pretty rare combination, and the writers did something really special there. The ending is pretty spectacular, isn’t it?? It could have easily gone the other way, especially considering how many people died in the final stretch. And yet, the writers managed to make it inspiring instead. SO. GOOD. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it!! ^^
LOL at how you got weird looks from people while watching drama in school! The things we do for our dramas! ;D
Thanks to you, my dear! ^___^
This is the lyric of Judgement Day (Il Giorno Del Giudizio), the part in italian. There is also a part in korean (by Joo Won), but i don’t know korean language. I have translated the lyric also in english. I hope it helps you to understand this beautiful song! =)
NUME SOVRA NOI DISCENDI
(god come down on us)
RAGGIO DELL’ETERNA LUCE
(ray of eternal light)
LA TUA GIUSTIZIA PRENDI
(you take your justice)
LA VENDETTA DEL CIELO SU VOI
(the vegeance of the heaven on you)
LA VENDETTA DEL CIELO SCENDERA’, ANATEMA
(the vegeance of the heaven will fall, anathema)
***lyric in korean (Joo Won)***
NUME SOVRA NOI DISCENDI
(god come down on us)
RAGGIO DELL’ETERNA LUCE
(ray of eternal light)
LA TUA GIUSTIZIA PRENDI
(you take your justice)
LA VENDETTA DEL CIELO, EMPIA
(the impious vegeance of the heaven)
LA VENDETTA DEL CIELO SCENDERA’, ANATEMA SU VOI
(the vegeance of the heaven will fall, anathema on you)
***music***
***lyric in korean (Joo Won)***
NUME SOVRA NOI DISCENDI
(god come down on us)
RAGGIO DELL’ETERNA LUCE
(ray of eternal light)
LA TUA GIUSTIZIA PRENDI
(you take your justice)
LA VENDETTA DEL CIELO, EMPIA, LA VENDETTA
(the impious vegeance of the heaven, the vegeance)
NUME SOVRA NOI DISCENDI
(god come down on us)
RAGGIO DELL’ETERNA LUCE
(ray of eternal light)
LA TUA GIUSTIZIA PRENDI
(you take your justice)
LA VENDETTA DEL CIELO, EMPIA
(the impious vegeance of the heaven)
LA VENDETTA DEL CIELO SCENDERA’, ANATEMA SU VOI
(the vegeance of the heaven will fall, anathema on you)
Wow. Thanks for posting the translation of the lyrics! That is so sweet and thoughtful of you! I always find that it adds so much context when I understand the lyrics of songs, particularly in OSTs, coz the lyrics add layers of meaning to the scene that would otherwise be lost on me. I bet you just helped lots of other readers too, coz I’m sure many of us don’t know Italian! Thank you, Valinor500! *blows long-distance virtual kiss*
thanks for the review 🙂
gonna watch this soon and then I’ll read the whole thing…..
Definitely watch it, snow_white! It’s awesome! ^^
Frankly, I am speechless at your unwavering and dedicated attention to detail when you write a review. Admittedly, I skipped through the major spoiler stuff because I have not watched this drama – but from what I read, I am also sold. But, you have sold me on many here that you have reviewed. I sincerely think I need to rethink my one-drama-at-a-time viewing schedule so I can start catching up on everything I have been missing. High praise, my dear. You continue to out do yourself! You already know I am an ardent fan of the love you pour into every aspect of this blog…but it never hurts to appreciate it over and over again! Respect! <3
Aw, thank you, Michele!! Your words of encouragement always spur me on to keep at it. This review was hard to write, to be honest. Gaksital is such a meaty drama that after writing for hours and hours which then became days, I still couldn’t see the end of the review. That boggled my mind & I started to wonder why I was doing this to myself. Now that it’s all done, though, I feel like a proud mother hen showing off my new baby chick to the world. & with everyone showing so much appreciation, all the angst is forgotten & I feel like it was all worth it! ^^ Oddly, I realize that sounds kinda like what mothers say about giving birth.. Ha! XD
Yes, definitely check out Gaksital sometime.. Whether you decide to line it up for a one-drama-at-a-time sort of viewing, or to toggle it with something lighter, as long as you eventually get around to this, I’m happy ^^ There’re pros and cons to both sorts of viewing, and while toggling can achieve some sort of balance, it can also make the lighter show appear frivolous. Like, when watching the lighter one, thoughts like, “What a ditzy show, to be angsting about whether he’ll call, when other people are putting their lives on the line for bigger causes!” That’s why as I got into the very intense stretches of Gaksital, my balance show Flower Boy Next Door got shelved for later. To be fair to the flower boys, as it were 😉
What an amazing and thorough review! You’ve sold me. After loving Joo Won in Baker King Kim Tak Gu, this show is definitely next on my list of things to watch.
Aw, thanks Amanda!! And YAY that you plan to check out Gaksital! I haven’t seen Baker King myself, but I can definitely vouch for Joo Won’s awesomeness in this! He was simply amazing ^^
Wow, your review is a masterpiece, thanks for sharing! *_* I love Gaksital, for me (i’m italian) is the best drama ever, so deep and well made, unforgettable! I love everything in this show: story, acting, characters, music (Judgement Day is mostly in my language), cinematography, clothes… Everything! ^_^
PS: i made a video (spoiler free) on this drama, dedicated to Kang To & Shunji, perhaps it can be helpful for those who haven’t seen the show. If you want, you can use it. Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao9aKdENUVU
Thanks for your wonderful words on this wonderful drama! *send hugs* =)
Hi there, Valinor500! Thanks for your kind words, I’m so glad you enjoyed the review! ^^ Also, thanks for sharing about Judgement Day being mostly Italian.. I learned something new today! I have to agree Gaksital is an awesome show.. So full of substance! After picking it apart for almost a full week, I still feel like I didn’t get around to some points!
Thanks for posting the link to your video.. I’m sure it’ll help other readers who’d like to see more spoiler-free videos on Gaksital! 🙂
Since I haven’t finished Gaksital yet, I didn’t read your whole review, but I’m so impressed by what I *did* read. You went so in-depth, and put so much thought into this, it’s amazing. I’ll definitely be back to finish it once I’ve completed the show.
Aw, THANKS cherrycordial!! I’m so glad that you liked what you did see! Yes, please do come back once you’re done, so that we can talk about Gaksi