Jirisan (2021)

No words to express the drama from ep 1 till 10 it has been worth my time watching this master piece...hope the pace continues and i'd have satisfying ending... The actors are doing a wonderful job love all of them and i am slowly learning alot more abt the work of rangers and how dangerous it is for them when encountering difficult situations and i sincerely appreciate the writer for broadening our minds with how tough a rangers job is...fingers crossed i am hoping for great ending... The whole jirisan cast are doing a wonderful job... Male lead i have seen him in many movies and drama and he still delivers great acting...jun ji hyun i have always loved her from my sassy girl and loved her even more in LOTBS she's got great acting skills...and ju ji hoon love his voice he has a very soothing kind of voice and oh yeah he is handsome....

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Somewhat suspenseful ?

I don't know how to describe this at all. The drama went back and forth in time, so as to tell the story, so if you weren't paying attention, you would have wound up confused. 🙄

I'm not sure why the ratings were so bad, but I would ask that you watch this and make up your mind if you liked it or not.

The story itself is about the ML who joins as a new recruit. He was from the army and became a ranger to safe people after he lost one of his team mates in the mountain. The FL is a lone ranger, teamed up with the ML as her partner. She had a love-hate relationship with the mountain.

People were being murdered on the mountain, and it was made to look like an accident.. The mystery of who was the killer wasn't very surprising but from the storyline it took them quite a while to figure the who-done-it😂 Maybe that's why there was a lot of critism and would be directors..

For me, I enjoyed the scenery and the action!

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Que hermosas vistas!!

Que placer es ver dramas como jirisan donde la trama esta tan bien guionada que no vas a saber quien es el culpable del problema hasta que este resuelto o casi resuelto, donde puede haber muchos flashbacks o contar la historia en distintos periodos de tiempo pero poder entenderlos sin mucha dificultad.
Podria parar hablar de muchas cosas que este drama hizo bien pero hay una que me parece excelente y personalmente creo que esta por encima de las demás y este es el trabajo del director, hay tantas pero tantas tomas excelentes que refuerzan todo lo realizado por guionistas y actores (todos un excelente trabajo) que es imposible no notar su toque en todo. Hay escenas de acción como escenas sentimentales que son una locura de lo bien hechas que estan (quiero hacer una mension al recurso del slowmotion que sin dudas lo veo en todos los dramas de lee eung bok, es su selló distintivo aparentemente y amo todas las escenas en la que los usa)
En fin no tengo quejas o casi ninguna de este drama pero no hay una que pueda manchar el excelente trabajo de todos en este hermoso drama, si quieren un drama con emociones, suspenso y paisajes tan hermosos que te hagan decir "quiero subir esa montaña antes de morir"
Este es tu drama

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Ouch, A Complete Mess

Jun Ji-hyun could not have picked a worse script for her comeback drama. When I saw the previews, I expected a more action-packed adventure, with Jun Ji-hyun as a bad-ass female lead. Instead we get to see her rolling around in a wheelchair for half the show. So disappointed because Jun Ji-hyun is one of my favorite actresses and this show just wasted her talent.

The filming of every episode almost made me ill. Drone shots, zooming, panning, sideways shooting, the director tries to check off every cinematic shot he could think of. Sure, some of it works but most of it is overkill.

I sure hope Jun Ji-hyun goes back to rom-coms because that's where she thrives.

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Montanha do Mistério

Ji Hyun e Ji Hoo estão com atuação fantástica, impecável e super fluída. Eles são de uma geração madura que já atuou muito e ve-los atuando juntos, assim como o grande elenco, foi de tirar o fôlego!

Assistam Monte Jirisan, além de ter uma história de muito mistério, tem uma fotografia linda de dar vontade de ir voando para lá.

A trama tem uma pegada místico bem leve e o mistério em torno das regiões inexploradas do Monte Jiri e seus muitos visitantes, deixados para a equipe de resgate desvendar. Mas o que leva aos infinitos assassinatos foi algo bem real, que com certeza cada país deve ter um conto parecido...o ser humano mostrando seu lado monstro.O grupo de guardas florestais e outros funcionários do Parque Nacional de Jirisan em uma missão para resgatar mochileiros perdidos e sobreviventes..
Muito bom! Excelente!!

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Highly Recommended ?❤️?

I'm writing this review after hearing all the mixed opinions on this drama and finishing the very last episode. So I watched this drama since it was airing and trust me this is beautiful. It got me hooked till the end. The plot is full of mystery and thrilling but still it has its own beauty<3. The cinematography and acting is top notch. Yes the pace is a bit slow but it's totally worth watching.The storyline is totally different and it met my all the expectations I had from this. Firstly I watched this for Jun Ji Hyun cuz she is one of the best actresses out here. Everyone has done quite justice to their characters. I enjoyed this non- romantic suspense filled healing plot a a lot. If you're looking for a good action thriller this is for you. I was too scared for the ending but it turned out to be equally beautiful. The ost will heal and sooth your soul. I totally love this one. Highly recommended<3

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The Mountain Is Calling And I Must Go

I put off watching this drama for ages because while it sounded interesting, the synopsis was also quite vague and I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I am officially kicking myself for delaying even one second. It has been so long since I've watched a drama that captured me the way Jirisan did. The story, the acting, the music, everything just came together almost perfectly, for my taste at least, and created such an amazing experience. I truly don't remember the last time I obsessed over a drama like this, analyzing all the events and who the murderer could be. I loved every second of it.

The story is overall pretty solid. In general, its a murder/mystery with some supernatural elements thrown in. Its a bit murky in the beginning, there are a few inconsistencies like they hadn't quite worked out all the kinks in the story and how they wanted things to flow, but after the first few episodes, it seemed to find its stride. The time change was also a tad confusing initially, bouncing between 2018 and the present, but once I got used to it, I didn't have any issues following. The whodunnit aspect of the story was quite fun initially but did start getting just a tad wearing toward the end with the shots that kept making you second guess who you thought the killer was. At that point, it really wasn't necessary since you either knew or you didn't. The pacing was good, I never got bored and as I said, once it found its stride, it stuck to it.

The acting was superb. Both Ji Hyun and Ji Hoon were phenomenal as Yi Kang and Hyun Jo, respectively. Their chemistry was fantastic. They just played off of each other so beautifully. And while the rest of the supporting cast was also wonderful, I really have to comment on Jung Se. The man can act. He is just so good and so believable there were a couple of times when he had me in tears solely because of his acting skills.

I really enjoyed all the characters and even with a relatively large cast, I felt that they overall did a good job with allowing the viewer to get to know everyone as much as possible. The one character I would have liked to have gotten to know a little more was Hyun Jo. Probably because she was so tied to Jirisan, we got a very in depth look into Yi Kang as she grew up. I have no objections to that, other than a few scenes were repeated more than once which probably wasn't necessary, as it did show her character growth over the course of the drama. That being said, I would have liked to see more of Hyun Jo's past, his family, how he grew up, etc., as a way to get to know the character better and as a contrast to Yi Kang.

One of the things that I appreciated about this drama was the lack of romance between the leads. Not every drama needs it and I really loved their camaraderie and friendship and seeing it grow. And by the end, when there's a hint that there might be more from the way the two of them are looking at each other, I honestly couldn't protest because they did such a good job of building their relationship up. I like that it was left up to the viewer as to where things may have gone from there, whether they remained friends or took things to the next level. And I actually liked the ending. Yes, it would have been nice and less abrupt to see them going through their recovery, but there was something about them seeing each other and not needing words to communicate that just summed up their whole relationship so perfectly.

On the topic of romance, I did adore Goo Young and Yang Sun's romance. I liked both their characters individually and when they got together, I thought they were perfect. I was so sad when they didn't get the happily ever after that they deserved. That being said, I was super happy at the hint at the end that he may find happiness with Hyun Jo's sister. I was literally cackling as he took off running from her.

The various villains were all interesting, believable, and, in some ways, relatable in their own ways. Sol, of course, was the most interesting, and I really appreciated the way his childhood was used to shape him and turn him into the person he became. Obviously his reasoning for killing people was absurd and made no sense, but that it made sense to him and in a believable way was appreciated. It was sad to see how the people of Black Bridge Village ruined not only his life, but also their own lives through their greed.

The cinematography was absolutely stunning. I now have an overwhelming desire to go visit Jirisan. It just looks like such a beautiful mountain to explore.

I actually really enjoyed the music for the most part. Again, in the first episode or two there were a couple of choices that I wasn't overly impressed with, but as it progressed, I felt it became more consistent. In particular Falling by Kim Jong Wan has been playing on repeat for several days now.

As I said, I absolutely loved this drama, but naturally there were a few things that weren't quite perfect. As I mentioned, once you get into the story a bit, it becomes clear that the first episode or so wasn't fully thought out. It's eventually revealed that Hyun Jo's visions are related to the murderer as he's killing off the the former residents of Black Bridge Village. However, in the first episode, he has a vision of where the kid is even though he has nothing to do with the village. Not a huge deal, just a bit of a plot hole/inconsistency. The CGI was pretty bad at times. Again, first episode, there's a rock fall that is some pretty bad CGI. Considering how they made the rest of the weather and disasters seem more or less realistic for the most part, those few times where the CGI was off were quite obvious. There were more deaths than were strictly necessary, in my opinion, particularly women. This drama definitely had a more male heavy cast, so the fact that three of the four main/supporting women were killed and really only one of the men is kind of sad. I understand why they didn't/couldn't do it, but there's a part of me that would have liked a little more of an explanation for how and why Hyun Jo ended up as he did as well as why sometimes people could see him and other times they couldn't. Was he really like some kind of Angel of Death or was it something else? Not really a negative there so much as it would have been interesting.

Obviously this drama is fiction, none of the events actually happened, but I really have to applaud the productions attention to detail and their authenticity. Watching it gave me a whole new appreciation for what rangers do and the level of skill, both physically and mentally, that they must have and maintain. They are truly amazing human beings. Huge respect for them and the work they do.

Normally a drama like this is a one and done. You've seen it, you know who the murderer is, you know how it all turns out, and the mystery is gone. I don't feel like that's the case with Jirisan. I have a feeling this is one of those dramas that you keep picking up on new things each time you see it. And if nothing else, the cinematography makes it worth watching again. But even more than that, I think the characters themselves will keep coming back to watch again, to see them grow and know that even though in the end everything's not perfect, it's still a happy ending.

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A documentary like thriller.

This drama is kinda like a documentary because it shows a large part of the wilderness and history of the area but then it’s also like a thriller as it takes us right into the minds of the people and actors in this drama. It just hooks you in. It is so outstanding. I have loved it from the very beginning . It’s a mystery, thriller. There are so many well known actors who are awesome in this.

What is happening in this area is that many people go missing. It is popular for a variety of reasons. Hikers, Trampers, sight seer, plant collectors, snake collectors, suiciders and even murderers who cover their murders by making it look some kind of accident. This is whom the lead actors are looking but it is very difficult for them,

We are only in episode 5 and my goodness what a shake up there has been in this short time.

This is so very stressful but so incredibly superb. Cinematoloy is stunning. Scenery takes your breath away.

So many tragedies one after another, Reminds me of our cultural saying"I am the river and the river is me. I am the mountain and the mountain is me”. She tried to leave but the mountain keeps calling her back.. Come home!! Come Home!! I feel like that.

Every time an episode end I can’t help but think. So good.

This drama is not for the faint hearted. Lucky none of of my fave actors are in it or I’d be distraught. I can watch like an ordinary viewer thinking that this is a documentary and I’m seeing it as if it has already happened and this is a reenactment. That is my way of thinking about it. I love it so much. One of the more written scripts. Congratulations writers I don’t often say it so treasure my words.

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For national park enthusiasts, with a dash of spiritual fantasy

Loved this drama for portraying the daily work of rangers at national parks, and the charms of Jirisan, but having mixed feelings on the spiritual fantasy part of the ML’s soul remaining on Jirisan.

I enjoyed hiking and have done some hiking at national parks before, and of course visited the parks’ visitor centres at the start of the hike for hiking permits (if needed), and to meet our hiking guides. But I have never thought what the daily work of park rangers comprised of, nor have I seen any show on the daily work of park rangers.

Thus, this drama is an eye opener for me. The park rangers don’t just man the information counters at the park’s visitor centre, but are also involved in the education of visitors on park safety and conservation, check that the amenities in the park are weather-worthy, warning signs of impending heavy rain, snow are put up clearly, patrolling, and the arduous work of evacuation and rescue operations.

I enjoyed those parts of the drama on the natural disasters and rescue operations of trapped or injured hikers - those are done meticulously, portraying the perilous rescue operations in the midst of extreme weather conditions, not falling behind western movies on disaster rescue operations.

The mystery part involving the murder cases on the mountain adds to the mystery of nature and Jirisan. But, gotta deduct 0.5 point for the spiritual fantasy part of the ML’s soul remaining on Jirisan. For me, the spiritual fantasy part dented the credibility of the dangers of Mother Nature at Jirisan and the arduous rescue operations. I strongly feel that using a more credible way to crack the murder case would serve better for an otherwise enjoyable disaster docu drama of movie film-quality.

p/s:
1) I hope I will have the opportunity to hike Jirisan and witness its majestic sunrise one day.
2) Love the two leads, especially the FL Seo Yi Kang, and only realised recently they were both casted in Kingdom - another fave drama of mine.

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Confusing watching

Many other reviewers have written fantastic in-depth reviews so I'll keep this short. I wish this show would make up their mind. It comprises action, mystery, supernatural, and crime. What exactly does it want to be? There is so much flitting back and forth between two timelines that it's confusing.

This could have been a great action show that highlights and gives insight into the important work of mountain rangers - episodes around finding missing people, stopping mountain-related crime (eg trespassing, illegal logging, etc), and saving people in danger. That is, make the series semi-educational in the vein of what Forecasting Love & Weather did for the Korean Meteological Administration or what Where Stars Land did for airport operations. (I do have a beef with Where Stars Land and the ridiculous turn it took but that's another story). But it had to attempt to be different. There is no need to because the subject matter itself, Jirisan and its dedicated rangers, is already unique and different to so many other dramas, so focusing on that is enough.

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Mysterious & Beautiful Mt. Jiri

JIRISAN was a wholly original drama and was as mysterious as it was mesmerizing. Honestly, the cast is really great, BUT I must say, it is Mount Jiri that is by far the true star of this series. Jirisan, the place, is truly breath-taking and incredible. I found it difficult not to be distracted by the rolling landscapes in the background of any scene taking place out doors.

That aside, this series was incredible for many reasons, such as cast and acting performances, such as Ju Ji-Hoon (of Kingdom/ Hyena fame) as Kang Hyun Jo the newbie Park Ranger and Jun Ji-hyun (of Kingdom/ Snow Flower and Secret Fan/ Il Mare fame) as Seo Yi Kang, or "Demon Seo" the veteran Park Ranger. They are partners that grow into a unique relationship while working with one another through many mysteries that take place on Mount Jiri. Many of the side cast is memorable as well, and you gradually begin to care for them. All very believable characters.

My few complaints is at times it felt a little lacking in terms of the main paranormal plotline and the ending felt a bit abrupt to me. Maybe there will be another season coming?

For a thriller, it is a bit slower paced, but I appreciated the pacing, allowing the mystery to slowly unravel and reveal itself, all the while exploring both mountain and human psyche alike. I have never seen a K-Drama quite like this one. Perfect setting, wonderful concept, great writing, excellent cast, superb cinematography, realistic costumes and settings, interesting mysteries, great bunch of characters, awesome music. Everything was really on-point. Overall, Jirisan was a great drama.

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