I’m nothing, if not loyal to my Kdrama biases. So when I saw Choi Jin Hyuk was back in a new drama, Justice, I had to try it out! This genre is not one I would usually choose to watch, but I gave it a whirl – is this revenge thriller is one you’ll want to plug into, or give a pass?
Synopsis
Lee Tae Kyung is a star lawyer with the best win rate. He is able to win cases by using his sharp logic and intelligent speeches. He amasses power and wealth by dealing with clients who are part of the elite class. His cases are usually referred from Song Woo Yong who is the owner of a construction company. Lee Tae Kyung gets these high class criminals acquitted or at minimum receive probation. He first became a lawyer to get revenge for his younger brother, but has since become focused on money. He changes when he deals with a series of cases involving missing actresses.
Meanwhile, Song Woo Yong has grown his construction company by funneling criminal cases involving wealthy people to Lee Tae Kyung. For his family, he desires even more power. He comes into conflict with Lee Tae Kyung over the cases involving missing actresses. (AsianWiki)
Characters
Choi Jin Huyk plays lawyer Lee Tae Kyung. The sudden death of his brother also seemed to trigger the sudden death of his morals. Mirroring Korean current events, he’s risen to success helping dirtbag elites get away with rape and other such atrocities. We’re shown a bit of back story on his character, in the form of memories with his brother, before he turned to the dark side. One is hopeful that he will reject his a-moralistic ways and indeed seek justice. Choi Jin Huyk is a doing a good job owning this role, because while I normally love him, right now all I feel towards Tae Kyung is disgust.
Nana is on the side of the good, as prosecutor Seo Yeon Ah. Although she’s surrounded by higher-ups who are swayed by threats and bribes, she is determined to find the truth. Especially when her mentor suddenly dies reinvestigating a suspicious closed case. With an apartment wall murder board and righteous indignation, this typical protagonist role is rather ho-hum so far. And Nana’s acting seems to be following suit.
Son Hyun Joo rounds out the lead trio, as the wealthy and conniving construction company owner, Song Woo Yong. He is all powerful, with other important figures seeking his help and in return offering to turn a blind eye or assistance in his business ventures. When he came on the screen, you knew immediately his was evil. Through a series of flashbacks we see his history with both our other leads and can’t help but wonder how much he’s manipulated them and their career paths. I can only hope he crashes and burns in a spectacular fashion at the conclusion of this drama.
Plot
The story is moving VERY slowly at this point. It also bounces from the present to the past frequently (and a bit too subtlety), to help fill in the blanks. At this point I feel we are just beginning to scratch the surface of a much larger and sinister plot-line. In some respects the directing style feels reminiscent of Room No. 9. Most noticeable is the unhurried pacing, the infrequent use of musical scoring throughout, and the bleak coloring of all the scenes. I’m honestly more captivated by the directing style at this point, versus the actual plot as it moves forward.
Final Thoughts
It’s a revenge drama. Bad things have happened. More bad things are going to happen. And there’s a good chance there’s not going to be a happy ending. I don’t know if my loyalty to Choi Jin Hyuk outweighs my capacity to bear with this type of story. There are many other dramas beginning to air this month as well, so I will probably shift this one to the back burner and watch a couple more episodes, before I make my final decision.
What say you drama fans? Share your thoughts with me on Justice, in the comments!
화이팅!
MiataMama
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi