Blood (2015)

Non so come ho fatto a finirlo. Credo che l'elemento fantasy/fantascienza sia l'unica cosa che riesce a farti continuare la visione perchè ti incuriosisce sapere come il tutto si risolverà. Anche il fattore vampirismo come malattia e non come creatura mitologica l'ha reso interessante. I primi episodi sono quelli che maggiormente prendono poichè una grossa fetta di essi è concentrata sull'aspetto medico/ospedaliero, quindi con molti interventi. Da una certa il tutto scema per dare spazio a dell'altro che boh, non so neanche come commentare. La motivazione che mi portava a continuarlo è che mi sembrava di vedere una delle tante serie americane/fantasy anni '90 e la cosa un po' mi confortava, mi cullava. Anche se alcuni aspetti non erano chissà che, mi rilassava guardarlo. Senza infamia e senza lode. Poi lo scatafascio.
Gli ultimi episodi sono stati una delle cose più obbriobriose che io abbia mai visto, non si capiva nulla e che quel poco che coglievo non aveva senso. Il finale? IL FINALE??????!!!!!!
Sono dovuta andare a cercare online il suo significato perchè alcun senso, con logica o senza di essa. Risultato? Credo di aver perso solamente il mio tempo!

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Una serie che concentra i pregi nella prima parte e tutti i difetti nella seconda

Avevo messo questo drama nella lista da vedere già da un po' di tempo, ma non mi decidevo mai. Probabilmente perchè l'immagine rappresentativa della serie (su Viki) faceva presagire una serie a tema vampiri banale e forse anche grottesca. L'immagine di fatto si è rivelata fuorviante (il nostro protagonista mai nemmeno berrà del sangue umano, quindi a maggior ragione mi chiedo perchè dipingerlo attaccato a una sacca di sangue manco sorseggiasse un'aranciata con la cannuccia). Arriva comunque il giorno in cui mi decido, ed è una piacevolissima sorpresa. I toni non sono grotteschi, anzi. Bella l'ambientazione, ben strutturate le premesse ambientate nel passato, interessante la visione del vampiro come infetto da un virus. I due protagonisti entrano in contatto, si prendono a frecciatine tra una diagnosi e un'operazione in sala operatoria e tutto fila che è una meraviglia. Nel mentre lui scava alla ricerca della verità, i vari personaggi secondari acquisiscono via via una definizione (chi palese, chi nascosta) e, davvero, riesco ad apprezzare un episodio dopo l'altro. Alcune delle scene banali e prevedibili che mi aspetto non ci sono, ed è anche un bene. Poi, però, l'inversione di rotta. Lasciamo quasi di colpo la sala operatoria, e la lasciamo praticamente per sempre, e la serie si concentra solo sul confronto tra le varie fazioni. Diventa un investigare, provocare, dubitare, verificare, reagire, praticamente a circolo chiuso. Se non fosse per qualche scena nella corsia dove si sperimenta sui pazienti quasi ci dimenticheremmo che il drama è partito con un'ambientazione medica predominante. Ogni tanto viene aggiunto un pezzo al puzzle - perchè prima o poi è chiaro che il mistero dovrà essere risolto - ma la serie perde di verve, l'entusiasmo scema e si seguono gli ultimi episodi giusto per la volontà di capire come verrà chiusa la vicenda. Soprattutto nella seconda parte ho trovato dei passaggi poco lineari, dalla scelta di eliminare l'amico coinquilino, idea che nella sua tristezza posso anche condividere perchè l'effetto "tutti buoni, tutti salvi" a volte spopola, ma che deve essere gestito bene. Se meritava una tale fine, meritava fosse pianificata con più cura, invece è stata davvero buttata lì male. Il finale, lo ammetto, non sono riuscita a capirlo e - come altri - ho dovuto cercare in rete l'illuminazione. Ok, capito, ma...se è risultato così incomprensibile a molti forse è già segnale che non è stato fatto per bene (poteva anche attendere il redivivo Corea e andare più avanti in Cecenia, tanto per dire...c'era bisogno dell'apparizione inaspettata? Boh.). Passando agli attori protagonisti, lui azzeccato per la parte. La sua compostezza ci stava tutta, anche se mi è venuto da chiedermi se si fosse calato splendidamente nella parte o se quell'aria imperscrutabile sia un limite all'espressività dell'attore (quello lo scoprirò dopo averlo visto in altre serie). Comunque, dicevo, lui freddo e conciso ci sta. D'altro canto lei avrebbe dovuto compensare...e ci prova, ma proprio non le riesce. Non sono riuscita davvero ad apprezzare l'attrice protagonista - che più volte mi ha ricordato un personaggio antagonista secondario di un'altra serie, pur non rivelandosi in realtà la stessa attrice - e che ho trovato davvero forzata e poco espressiva. Si vede lontano un miglio l'atteggiamento artefatto. L'affiatamento tra la coppia ne risente inevitabilmente, complice anche l'estenuante lentezza con cui evolve la relazione romantica (accontentiamoci di un bacio e poi prepariamoci a sentirli riferirsi all'altro come "primario" e "dottoressa Yoo" fino alla fine della serie). E gli episodi non sono i classici 16, ma ben 20, tempo e spazio insomma non mancavano. Già come pairing funzionano male e trasmettono poco, il carico di distanza aggiuntiva voluto dalla sceneggiatura ha dato il colpo di grazia. Mi sento però di concludere con un giudizio mediamente positivo, lo stesso dato ad altri drama nei quali ho riscontrato diversi difetti ma apprezzato dei pregi, con la differenza che nel caso di Blood la distribuzione non è uniforme: c'è una prima parte fatta davvero molto bene a cui segue una seconda parte fatta davvero molto male. Peccato.

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Tralasciando il finale è un bel dramma!

Tralasciando il finale è un bel dramma soprattutto se amanti del genere e del fantasy in generale.
Racconta tramite un giovane vampiro un modo diverso di vederla e viverla.Il vampirismo è un virus e lui ci proverà in tutti i modi a trovare un anti virus. Sul percorso incontra un vero mostro che sarà dura affrontare e si innamorerà.Per raggiungere il suo obiettivo troverà chi lo aiuterà ma pagherà un caro prezzo per tutto questo.
Un dramma ben fatto e ben realizzato con una bella trama con effetti speciali poco horror ma il giusto per rendere l'idea.
Unico neo che fa davvero perdere punti sono le ultime puntate e il finale che non mi è piaciuto, un vero peccato.
Nel complesso gradevole.

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Mi dispiace dirlo però questo drama l’ho trovato proprio orribile, sia nella recitazione sia nella trama, l’idea poteva essere interessante ma come è stata sviluppata è veramente deludente. La storia d’amore è senza emozioni, non ho sentito nulla. Avevo valutato l’attore principale abbastanza bravo (senza lode) su un altro drama, però alla fine in questo ruolo non è stato un granché.
Gli ambienti sono terribili come la trama e per finire in bellezza la fine..... ma che razza di fine è????!!!!! Potevano almeno risparmiare il tecnico amico del personaggio principale. Una totale delusione.

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I like this drama so much. I got hooked at the first episode. Its genre was Action/Thriller/Suspense/Medical/Science-Fiction/Fantasy/Romance Drama.
I like its romance although it was slow. This couple never broke up; never heart breaking , ...
They loved each other truly and they supported each other till the end. Their chemistry was sweet.
The plot was very unpredictable. That's why I liked its story. Also the story was full of moral, humanity and most importantly, Blood is brimming with life philosophies. Add to this the other invaluable life lessons that may be culled from the drama. To name a few, faith in God during adversity, compassion or empathy for the sick and dying; fleeting nature of life and vain things like power and money; moral science or the upholding of the ethics and standards of one's profession.
Although Park Ji Sang was a vampire, he proved that he is more human than anyone around.
Its villain was the best one I have ever seen in K-Dramas. He was so bad, really bad and he was so mean and wicked. He kept getting on my nerve in whole drama! :D
Acting was very good too. Although Ahn Jae Hyun acted awkwardly in early episodes, he kept getting better and better episode by episode. And finally he nailed his character! :) It is obvious that he tried hard for this drama. :)
The best actor in this drama is definitely Ji Jin Hee. He acted awesomely and I really hate his character in this drama. :D I truly commend him for his great acting.
Goo Hye Sun was so good too. Her facial expression was very unique in this drama. I praise her for her good acting.
Dialogues in this drama was so meaningful. Like "A hero dies for the person who recognizes that he is a hero.
OSTs were good too. It is really worth to watch and re-watch it again and again.
Lesson: never judge a drama by watching a few episodes or by listening to others' opinion about it.
This is a very different K-Drama with different story. It has no love multi-angel. If you like hot romance with push and pull; if you like predictable story; if you don't like thrill, murder and sadness and tragedy in dramas, DO NOT WATCH THIS DRAMA AND PLEASE DO NOT BASH IT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T END AS YOU PLEASE!!!
Watching this drama needs high comprehending and being meticulous. Because it has lots of nuance.
Oh! seriously, this drama does not deserve to be judge so harsh.
Thanks for reading my review and please forgive me if I make you sad through my words.

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Let's just say I was one of those people who actually wanted to root for this drama. I have never seen Ahn Jae Hyun in anything else but I liked him in the beginning. Playing a vampire does not require a huge acting range. You can act broody and intense without needing to have 10 years' worth of acting experience. The beginning too was good. Finally a take on vampirism where it is an actual medical condition instead of a myth. That was quite interesting, writer-nim. Brownie points to you for that. Ji Sang's youthful looks were because he stopped ageing at some point. And as for the villain, he wanted the whole world to benefit from a condition like vampirism instead of it being treated as some medical evil. I loved your use of rationale in certain cases. I even loved all the information on biochemistry that is relentlessly hurled at the viewer.

But seriously what happened to you after the first 5 episodes? The moment Ji Sang stopped performing surgeries all I saw was him taking leisurely strolls all around the damned hospital and meeting either the Director or Yoo Ri Ta or Min Ga Yeon or Dr Joo, talking about all kinds of useless stuff and nothing else. Hello PD-nim, instead of overloading my brain with information, just show me through actual action. Too much exposition ruins any narrative.
And the romance? Uh why did they fall in love again? I'm sorry I just don't understand. Am I supposed to swoon at them mouthing lines swearing undying love for each other with not an ounce of emotion in them? It seemed like Ri Ta kept throwing herself at Ji Sang who was not even interested. And then all of a sudden, he is interested for lord knows what reason. (Oh wait it's because of their cosmic connection..he saved her from all those bad CG, Twilight-rip-off wolves....oooooh shooo romantic!)
I did not even think their scenes cute.

And somewhere around episodes 8-9 it all went downhill. The same things kept happening on infinite loop. Let me list them -
1)Ji Sang and Director having some kind of confrontational conversation in which sometimes they attack and snarl at each other and sometimes they don't. YAWN!
2)Token romantic scenes between Yoo Ri Ta and Ji Sang which were anything but romantic (who the hell calls their girlfriend/boyfriend 'Doctor Yoo' and 'Chief'?)
3)Walking around the hospital
4)Conversation between Ji Sang and VTH-16 researcher doctor
5)Ji Sang fighting off vampires and mostly getting beaten
6)Chairman and Associate Director having boring passive-aggressive conversations
7)More walking around the hospital
8)Min Ga Yeon and Ji Sang scenes which were too few
9)Patients in ward 21A going bonkers
10)More walking

The only portions I looked forward to where the parts featuring Sister Sylvia, Hyun Woo and Min Ga Yeon and Ji Sang's interactions which were actually genuine and made me feel something for them. They did not come off as forced and contrived unlike the Yoo Ri Ta and Ji Sang scenes. Even Ji Jin Hee couldn't save this trainwreck and he tried his best to make Jae Wook memorable!

And don't even get me started on the ending. What the hell happened? It was like the writer picked out every nonsensical, irrational cliche from the dramaverse and crammed all of them into an hour's worth of time.

Dear writer-nim, do us a favour and DO NOT EVER WRITE A DRAMA AGAIN. I feel like jumping off a bridge after watching that atrocious finale. I want those 20 hours of my life back! And this is coming from a busy person who no longer has sufficient time to watch all the K dramas she wants to watch.

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I continuously tried to justify Blood's shortcomings to myself - I wanted to like it, I really did. Then came the one part that was just too much for me to excuse: the ending. Within minutes of finishing this drama, I took to the internet to have the finale explained to me. What was I missing? Every minute of the last episode made less sense than the one preceding. Reviews and recaps confirmed that the ending was nonsensical - I hadn't missed a thing. In the comments, fans of Blood ignored logic, trying to rationalize the shreds of a story viewers were left with.

The lead acting was mediocre at best. I compliment Goo Hye Sun on her improvement, but it wasn't enough to warrant another lead role. I desperately wish Ahn Jae Hyeon had stuck to modeling and minor roles, because I'm left with a sour resentment towards his involvement in this drama that will take a long time to heal. The supporting cast was average and unmemorable, bordering on uncomfortable to watch. The exception is Son Soo Hyeon, who made the best of a lack luster character.

Musically, Blood neither excelled nor stood out. The scores were overused enough that when a certain tune began, you could predetermine the outcome of the accompanying scene. The OST features boring ballads, certainly nothing I would want hear of my own volition.

In order to re-watch Blood, I would have to be offered money. Even then, it would take a heavy amount of consideration based on both how much money I was being offered, and how little else I had to do at the time.

I'm left with feelings of resentment, but at who, I don't know. Maybe the writers, for attempting to pass of this untenable excuse of a story. Maybe at myself, for excusing Blood's flaws until it was too late to quit.

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PLS JUST WATCH THIS DRAMA! If you like comedy, romantic and mystery then this is perfect.
You have characters you will hate to death, characters that make a huge character development and character that melt your heart :)
I LOVE THIS DRAMA so much. REWATCH? DEF!!
PLEASE don't get to mixed up with these reviews!!!! Just watch it or you will miss out on sth. If you still think it's bad after the 7 episode drop it, I paused on it after the 12 epsiode but came back xD because I needed to know the ending and BLOOD DEFINETELY DID NOT LET ME DOWN :9

ps: sorry for all those uppercase letters... I just wanted to encourage people to watch this drama and don't get to hung up with these reviews :)

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A “ Bloodcurdingly” Dire Drama...

Upon paper, Blood actually has quite a good plot premise; vampires created in a “ I am Legend” - style way by infection (rather than the traditional manner in most vampire shows) , a protagonist infected since birth who wants to defy his fate and help others by becoming a doctor , as well as a female lead who actually had the potential to be a strong and independent asset within the show rather than just a mere love interest .

Instead, there is a sense of discordance within the overall drama between Ahn Jae- Sung’s moping upon screen for nearly half the series around a hospital (which after the first few episodes no longer seem to have something called “ A and E” or a regular flow of surgery operations )and Gu Hye Seon raising her voice as she flouts about the hospital stalking Jae-Sung as Yoo Ri Ta, without a second glance at the fact she’s in a senior position and in reality would be inundated in a pool of work requests and submissions.

It isn’t that Jae-Sung is a bad actor as he’s proven his talents before in shows like The Beauty Inside (2018) as one of the suave Male leads who was comically charismatic . Yet there’s no sugarcoating that Jae-Sung ‘s performance as Park Ji Sang was not one of his best and for a major proportion of the show, Jae- Sung came off as rigid and tight. Similarly whilst Gu Hye Seon is renowned for her performance in Boys Over Flowers (2009), she channelled her character, Yoo Ri Ta through a mixture of a deliverance of yelling her lines and stoic expressions as well.
Admittedly this also a fault of the director, the story writing and characterisation of the overall drama as well. Rather than directors Lee Jae Hoon and Ki Min Soo pulling up Hye Seon and Jae- Sung’s performances over minor errors in earlier episodes to improve their performances and avoid later mistakes, they seemed to be too obsessed with the thought of trying to deliver a contemporary drama which they thought that Korean audiences would lap up after recent waves of western vampire franchises in Korea.

Yet the scriptwriters must also be put under the interrogation light here for their part as well in regards to the lack of characterisation and plot as well. Rather than Park Jae Bum actually allowing us to see Ji Sang’s own personal struggles as well as a sense of attachment towards Ri Ta’s own experiences as a development within their relationship, the scenes that viewers do see ‘ moments of the past’ are neither talked about or mentioned again leading to a very rigid “ romantic’’ ( if you can call it that ) relationship between both characters for a major proportion of the show. Perhaps the one saving performance of the show was Jin Hee who was actually fairly good within his performance, however, the same cannot be said for his character Lee Jae Wook who had the potentially to be possibly one of the most intriguing characters of the drama, yet typical to the cliches he was forced into a lacking sense of depth and purpose within the show.

For most of Blood, Jae Bum seems obsessed with trying to cram in a myriad of useless plot points amongst only a couple of useful ones before rushing to the action and ending by the finale. Rather than building or progressing the show over a course of sixteen episodes, there’s little explanation or reasoning behind a lot of the events of Blood; presumably Ji- sang not ageing at the same rate of humans ( and if this applies to all vampires in the show), the actual motives behind our antagonist and of course what was up with the ending as well.

It is wrong to say that Blood is entirely unwatchable as it did actually have some good points such as Kwon Hyung Sang as the much needed comical relief of the series ( for most of it at least) and an intriguing plot premise, yet rather than Blood being one of the best cult classic Korean dramas of all time, it’s a farce of itself with dire acting, directing and writing. Overall it’s fair to say that Blood is a perfect drama to binge watch if you’re bored and looking for something to watch, but it is certainly not worth investing time and effort towards.

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I just finished watching Blood so I figured it was a good time as any to jump and leave a review. That being said this is one of those dramas you watch where it's a cross between a art film and a what did I just watch??? lol. So if you're investing 20 hours into this drama go in with your eyes open to the fact it's almost like visiting a parallel universe where evil just gets more evil and anyone remotely interesting is going to die and anyone not even remotely interesting is going to die too.

I'm a fan of Ahn Jae Hyeon's developing body of work so I took the time to watch this role where he finally got to be the leading man. The atmosphere of this drama is like watching a retro film trying to go for horror only with a slow building mild romance and a few touches of humor weaved into the stark Hospital sterile setting. And maybe that's the key to watching this drama it's over all sterile feel to all the deaths and logical viewpoint of the horrors of what's going on. Then throw in some welfare patients and do long winded experiments on them and watch some comical high-breed comical insanity facial features unfold.

You sort of have to remove your own logic from your mind while watching this. That little voice in your head that says "Just quit that Hospital it's wiggie!" and "Why do people just keep going to work here???" and " Isn't it time for a makeover shopping spree Goo Hye Sun can't wear that pony tail forever!" But alas... You just have to pretend your the male lead in your own personal drama and stand strong and silent while making a fist.

Now there is some comedy to this and cute moments between Jung Hae In's and Ahn Jae Hyeon research / roommate friendship. Also too there is some small moments of humor between the lead couple but their romance is like a soft wind where no matter how long you wait your fan-girl giddy heart kite is just never gonna soar in the sky. Although given the script to this story I think the actors did the best they could with what they were given.

Goo Hye Sun... Now a lot of people hate on her and her acting and I think she's made some progress. It's strange in small scenes she sort of falls out of character and then in others she really does well. Like in ep 18 she really pulled off the heart breaking ugly cry but then in earlier episodes it's like she didn't know what to do with her eyes and seems sort of lost in discussion scenes. I would have liked to have seen more of her budding relationship with Ahn Jae Hyeon cause there was times you saw a spark of something there it's a shame their relationship wasn't given more time to develop.

I really liked the four cast as the evil vamp minion guys I hope to see more work of those four actors cause they really a great job in this it would have been nice to see more of their personal stories then just what we were given. I hope to see more of these four actors soon for they all individually did really a good job.

The welfare ward patients now I realize they are suppose to be going through some horrible medical transition phase but... I laughed myself to tears over some of their scenes. The only one person I truly found could carry off creepy was the girl with special needs. She gave a good performance but the rest I just found overly cheesy and badly played out scenes.

Now the ending...
You really have to pay close attention to the blood / virus / heart translation in the last 2 episodes. Die to live / live to die / blood virus / virus cure / jargon. You have to also assume the rest of the team solves the issues remaining in the welfare ward and just resolve yourself to the fact something's will never get answered and the inevitable question of why didn't anyone wear black leather sooner? Will haunt you for a long time.

Overall I'd never rewatch it and the music was nothing to scream about but I've sat through worse and it's a shame this drama didn't stick with the fire it had for the first 5 episodes for if it had I think it would have been a really good show if it would have concentrated more on acting out scenes and not relying so much on long winded medical explanations.

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OMG this show was so so wonderful. I loved it. There was just the right mix of surgery's and vampires. I loved the "transformation" of the vampires. I also really liked the depiction of the vampires being infected by a virus.

I did not like Goo Hye Sun (Ri Ta) acting or character. I was really disappointed in her depiction of such a serious roll. Maybe I am wrong but it just did not fit her. Ahn Jae Hyeon (Ji Sang) was also just alright- he seemed a little stiff. Of course I loved Jung Hea In (Hyun Woo) and LUVVY I mean how could you not.

The story line was very strong and though you could see some sway of the story based on viewer opinions (less surgery as it went on) it still held very well to the story. You kinda end up liking almost everyone.

All that said this entire drama was ruined in the LAST episode. Though things had gone down hill in the last 4 episodes. I held out hope, but then the last one just destroyed it. I can not say more without adding spoilers but its not so much a bad ending as a bad wrap up. Nothing is explained or resolved, we don't really even know what really happens, you just have to guess.

So while the drama had originally earned a higher score from me I had to lower it based on the last episode. So sad.

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With the popularity of english movies and series like Twilight and Vampire Diaries, I wasn't expecting much with the storyline but seeing as this was Ahn Jae Hyeon's first time to take on a lead role, I was kind of rooting for him. Upon watching the first episode, I wanted to drop the series all together, Gu Hye Seon's acting was annoying and it made me wonder how she was so much better before. The storyline could have worked if the actors were able to deliver them to the audience.

Story: It was refreshing to see vampirism as a form of virus. I would say Ji Sang's drive to continue being a doctor despite his vampirism was commendable. However, I kind of liked it better when he was actually doing doctor operations and stuff rather than roaming aimlessly in the hospital. The pinch of romance was okay too what with the dangers lurking just around Ji Sang, he needed something to ground him.

Acting: Ugh, I don't know if I should say sorry for saying this but seriously the acting made me cringe and ask myself why I was watching this drama at all. Ahn Jae Hyeon and Gu Hye Seon had NO chemistry together which is so frustrating. Ji Jin Hee was the only one that could act but even his acting couldn't save this wreck of a drama.

Rewatch Value: NO. Just no, I just want to move on.

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