Yeah, that's right, my dear non-existent reader. Episode 1! This does not necessarily imply I will continue to review the other episodes, but we’ll see how it goes.
Since the drama is still on air, these will be less review-y and more recap-y, but, since this is ROTS, I'll put some kind of analysis-type thoughts so I can still have the pretense of intelligence or something. So, I guess it should be obvious, but there are
HUGE BUTT SPOILERS AHEAD. You've been warned.
Oh, and I know that this is by no means a unique idea; in fact, there are a million other sites purely dedicated to drama recaps and reviews, and they are, in fact, reviewing The K2 as well. And they're actually prompt about it! And are actually funny, and have actual pictures!! Wow.
So, where's my niche? Maybe there isn't one and maybe I'm just doing this for fun, or maybe I'm just wasting my time. Either way, I can at least say I'll try to write them in my own haphazard style; perhaps I'll even take a few really low quality screenshots, you know, to match the level of quality that pervades this place. So yeah, there's that! My niche of people not liking to read, even though I still insist on rambling on and on like this! Success!
Synopsis
We start with the little version of Yoona's character
(Anna) anxiously praying in her room, when ah! a light! Is it Dad!?
She rushes down the stairs, only to catch a door closing, and a shadow underneath it. Ominous music, with a melancholic touch of piano. Hmmm the Spidey senses are tingling. The search for Dad quickly changes into a question for Mom, but that one is answered pretty quickly: behind that door, lies Mom, pills scattered around. The image is burned into little Anna's eyes, but there's something she doesn't catch: the presence of a man standing right behind her. Eek. So there's more to the situation than complicated parental relationships and a maybe-suicide?
The door creeps shut. A scream, and then nothing.
-------------------------
A car drives through a city. Based on the architecture, Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Korea anymore. And we're not: it's Spain!
The car stops at a monastery (why is it always nuns??), and an exceptionally stern-looking lady drags little Anna by the wrist through the building, before leaving her in front of an emotionless nun, and briskly walking away without a moment's hesitation. Someone doesn't seem to particularly like the existence of this little girl.
Little Anna eventually follows the nun on her own accord, looking back only once; the hesitant uncertainty in the little girl's eyes/eyebrows is really palpable (I must commend the little actress for it). She seems almost resigned, but, as we're to find out, not that resigned.
-------------------------
Time skip, and we're treated to a now-grown Anna (Yoona!), still similarly dressed in a plain, white dress, creeping barefoot around the monastery. She sees her chance, and dashes outside to freedom. This time, she looks back frequently, though it's for a different purpose: seems like there will definitely be people coming to get her this time, though not quite in the way she had preferred.
Finally in the city, Yoona continues running around, still barefoot, but now in a plain, quite dirty dress. She's knocked down in an intersection, and coins scatter. She struggles in the road to pick them up, momentarily paralyzed by the chorus of honking horns and flashing lights of the cars.
Cut to the very bloodied body of a man waking up in bed, clearly in an immense amount of pain. Say hello to Ji Changwook's character (Jeha), but first give him some medical attention maybe? Poor guy. No rest for the weary though, and soon he's all dressed up and back on the road, ignoring a beggar's pleas for help and trying to keep the lowest profile possible.
Anna makes her way into the subway, pleading for a ticket as she tosses her coins at the attendant. Quickly! There's a guy on her tail. But the non-plussed, gum-chewing ticket attendant takes her sweet time, almost rubbing it in Anna's face. Clearly she's at the end of her stick when it comes to demanding, impatient customers. You know, just another day in retail/customer service. Hey, at least Anna follows the rules enough to buy a ticket.
Anna runs into Jeha, knocking the both of them down. She instinctively apologizes in Korean (she's been speaking in Spanish thus far); Jeha's face shows a flash of care despite his dismissiveness towards every other single person on the planet, and asks if she's alright.
Ah! He's Korean! Jeha's care earns him a new human puppy (not in the way you'd want, probably), as Anna begs Jeha to save her. She pleads, even going on the floor and crawling after him. I'm getting some serious PMI flashbacks here.
Chaser Guy approaches, and Anna runs away like a scared puppy. Jeha walks away. But oppar!1!
Anna and Chaser Guy have an unfun game of hide and seek around various subway station pillars. Anna, perhaps inevitably, loses, but just as she's caught, a hand falls on Chaser Guy's shoulder. Omona it's Jeha! So hero.
He tells Anna to run (though she kinda just goes a few metres before turning around (the turning around in this drama already hmmm) to keep an eye on him). Commence impressive action-y fight sequence of Jeha vs. Chaser Guy. I'm not about to do a play-by-play, so feast your eyes on these great screenshots I took at random! The quality here is astounding, as promised.
Despite my usual preoccupation with the actresses of dramas, you hafta admit Jeha is pretty darn impressive. Do I need to remind you again that the actor Ji Changwook is doing his own stunts??
The struggle ends in Jeha's victory, but he soon discovers that Chaser Guy is police. Oopsie daisies. What was that about keeping a low profile?? It's all puppy's fault.
Speaking of the puppy, she's back, explaining that Dad is in Madrid and will give a huge reward for her return. This time, though, Jeha isn't having any of it. He even gives Anna a mini lecture about living her life better, because if the police are after her, she's obviously doing something wrong. Takes one to know one I guess.
Anna's pleas and near tears still manage to reach him, as he tells her to scatter when two more police officers approach. Cue new fight scene. Jeha easily wins, but he exits the subway only to find that Anna has already been captured again. Both of them can't seem to catch a break, eh.
Anna spies him through the car window and struggles, but it's Jeha's turn to look hesitant and resigned. Good deeds for the day exhausted, he heads for the airport. He half looks back once, while Anna is focused forward, watching Jeha's taxi depart. (Like her hopes and dreams perhaps, rip)
-------------------------
Six months later. We find Jeha in Seoul, with a new haircut, less clothes, and spending time with a kitty. Improvements on all fronts, I see.
What? I like kitties okay.
Jeha gets a late-night job to re-secure a political banner that's come loose from the side of the very large building it's been affixed to. At first his lack of ID prevents him from entering the building, but a Cleaner Lady vouches for him and points out that the guard would get in trouble if Jeha is not allowed to do the job. Something something THE MADAM'S orders. This scares the guard enough to let Jeha in.
Jeha thanks the Cleaner Lady, and she shows some concern for him, it being a windy day and all.
-------------------------
We're now introduced to Jo Sungha's character Sejoon, a presidential candidate and *spoilers as if that weren't already obvious* the father that Anna's been struggling to see all these years. Except probably not at the current moment, since he's busy doing the flirt-y, seduce-y thing with some woman. He stops, though, to watch the TV: it's his wife Yoojin, aka the Madam of scared-security-guard-lore, on the show, where she presents herself with the image of the perfect, loving, doting wife.
Apparently Madam is #1 among the public for Most-Popular-Candidate-Wife (what's next, most-popular-candidate-wife's-bodyguard?), which she brushes off like a practiced, well, politician. Sejoon admires his wife's Pinocchio skills.
But all isn't quite rosy for this perfect couple, as Sejoon soon spots Jeha at the window, securing the banner that just so happens to also have his face plastered on it for all to see. He turns away, fearful now, but that's not all: Affair Woman has drugged his wine, and men in masks (tbh, they really just look like blue, shiny sheet masks. Gotta keep that skin nice and soft, even when we're breaking into places and beating people up!) are fighting their way to the room to get picture evidence of the couple. Scandalous!
If you learn anything from K-dramas at all, it's that skincare is very, very important
Oh, they missed a spot. They'll regret that when they get older.
Affair Lady closes the curtains in Jeha's face (not that he was particularly interested in the first place) as Sejoon collapses. The skin-conscious men continue their beatdown through the building. Jeha swings over to the next section, where he spies Cleaning Lady hard at work. Hi~ She waves. I ship it.
The mood is soon ruined though, as Cleaning Lady too falls victim to one of the Sheet Mask Men; the r00d d00d gives a smirk to the helpless Jeha, still watching helplessly from outside the window. He's not helpless for long though, as he manages to BREAK THE STINKING OUTSIDE GLASS OF A BUILDING WITH A SCREWDRIVER. He promptly takes care of the rest of the Sheet Mask Men who are still left in the room. I'll note that some of them get punched in the face, which probably doesn't help their skincare routine. Jeha manages to get to r00d d00d, and notices a burn on his wrist. Hmmmmmm.
Meanwhile, one of the security guards has managed to hit the alarm, which alerts the others to the situation, and also locks Affair Lady inside the room with the still-unconscious Sejoon. More security arrives, and the Sheet Mask Men split, leaving to spread their skincare fashion another day.
-------------------------
Yoojin, still on TV, isn't have the funnest time either, as the interviewer starts to bring up a more controversial topic: perhaps Sejoon's success has more to do with Yoojin's rich, chaebol family (they're in charge of JB Group) than anything else! Yoojin plays it off marvelously, explaining that her family didn't approve of her marriage with Sejoon: it's the reason why she's estranged from them. Interview Lady continues to press: and what of the JB Group shares she maybe donated? It's time for backup, as one of Yoojin's underlings signals for a commercial break. Yoojin turns to Interview Lady, and it becomes clear that they know each other better than originally assumed. Interview Lady points out that it's better to have the questions come from her, while Yoojin counters with a subtle threat on Interview Lady's son. Back to the script it is then.
Back to the script so well, in fact, that after the interview, Yoojin is praised to the high heavens by her fans. Some damage control, some fan gifts, and a few kind smiles here and there, and Yoojin is good to go.
-------------------------
The danger now averted for both parties, the couple are… surprisingly unmiffed at how the events went down. Don’t tell me this happens on a regular basis? Yoojin is unperturbed by the aftermath of either situation, while Sejoon dryly asks if he’s supposed to eat her cooked breakfasts from now on (Yoojin had declared that she made him breakfast every day while on the TV program). He’s really nonchalant about it all as well, commenting that Yoojin always cleans up his messes. Sejoon mentions that a banner hanger saw his face, so please take care of that, yes pretty please~ Yoojin throws out a few threats and smiles, and soon a band of security agents (of JSS) are on Jeha’s tail.
Yoojin also mentions to her underling that “that girl” might be of some use later, and that it’s a good thing she’s not a minor. Hm hmm.
Meanwhile, Chief Joo, one of the top security guys from JSS, starts putting together the pieces of what exactly happened during the fight. Hm hm. No, it can’t be!? He rushes to his boss, begging that the team after Jeha be called off. You don’t understand! He’ll kill them all! Mr. Boss guffaws.
Oopsies. Too late.
Cue great fight scene with great music. And just like that, all the men are taken out, and Jeha goes on his (not-so-merry) way. (I’ll note that, luckily for everyone, no one is killed)
-------------------------
Back at the couple’s house, Sejoon returns, and asks why Yoojin is still up. Is anyone causing trouble besides him? Yoojin gets up. Well, your daughter, perhaps??? This revelation, Sejoon takes seriously. Yoojin drops that Anna ran away again, and Sejoon warns that if anything happens to Anna, their little deal will fall apart. Well, good to see he at least cares about the daughter who’s doing her best to see him eh.
And while we’re on the subject, Anna is, what do you know, now running away again. Perhaps we can get her to enter some track team of sort; I’m sure she’s had enough training by now. Run, Anna, run! But oops, Anna nearly gets hit by a car (I guess following the traffic rules is out of the question). She stops in her tracks, as the headlights of the car shine into her face. Frozen stiff, Anna starts having a bit of a meltdown. She flashes back to her childhood, where she, as a young girl, takes a bottle of pills, and… gives them up to her mother’s shaking hand. Omona. Literally.
Back in the future, Anna gasps. “I didn’t kill her…”
Aaaaaaand cut.
Rushed 2-Minute Thoughts
Welp, that’s one way to end the first episode. Definitely puts a little edge to the normal “oh, Mom killed herself” story (though, that probably shouldn’t be considered “normal” either).
The episode wasn’t bad. The fight scenes were great and wow, everywhere. So if you like fight scenes, this drama (or at least this episode) might be for you! If you don’t mind them coupled with quite a few political and cackling and angsty “ah, the past sucked, but I won’t really explain or work forward; I’ll just brood and moan so please watch me for another 15 min while I comment vaguely on things” moments that all dramas have, that is.
Personally, I liked the nice Spain shots, and the Spanish haha. The music (such as the choir, strings, and piano melodies switching at just the right parts to fit the varying moods of desperation, empathy, omg hero, hope in an otherwise bleak situation, more despair, and resignation – wow what a list) was quite fitting. It added that aura of suspense, drama, and mystery, though so far nothing really stood out like OMGGGG THIS IS AMAZING.
Overall, not a bad start at all. A lot of running and edge-of-your-seat action, and a lot of some setting-up-of-the-stage for future events. I found the relationship between Sejoon and Yoojin to be of interest, since clearly they don’t love each other the way a “normal” couple does. Oh well, only time will tell what happens next! Guess we’ll see! (Or maybe we won’t; we can always turn back now and do more productive things… like eating)
7/10
This topic is locked
