Persist Until the End (2024)

Unlikable female lead, boring cases, missing chemistry and plot is full of holes

7/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean Legal Romance drama with 12, 61-68 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Kim Sa ra (Lee Ji ah) was leading a good life as the wife of a chaebol son, Noh Yul seong (Oh Min suk) and head of a legal empire. The mother-in-law, and matriarch of the legal empire, Cha Hee won (Na Young Hee) decides Sara is not the woman she wanted for her son as she has too much of a mind of her own so they frame her for illegal emission of her son and he divorces her. She starts a law firm centered around gaining justice for women in unjust circumstances. With a talented former prosecutor, Dong Ki joon (Kang Ki young) as a partner will they be able to bring down Sara’s exes legal empire and help others along the way?

Review

This was a mediocre, at best, legal romance. I found many of the legal cases boring and was very distracted as some of the cases were very mundane. So I wouldn’t rewatch it to see compelling legal drama. I also did not see a lot of chemistry or romance between Ki joon and the Sa ra. So much of the series was spent with her in various stages of interaction with her husband then ex husband then husband that there was little time for anything to be developed between the Sa ra and Ki joon. It was disappointing as the potential for a really great romance was there but the writers took it in other directions. I would not say this is unwatchable but it is not even close to a top choice. I cannot see myself rewatching it and would likely not stay around to watch it if someone else was.

 

Spoilers

The Sa ra was a bad ass martial artist in the beginning and there were several opportunities for her to show her stuff.  In the later episodes, she did not show that side as much and, in fact, was taken down physically several times. I would have enjoyed it more if there had been more opportunity for her to kick butt on the bad guys and if she had done it through the series. The martial arts scenes were one of the only things that kept it flowing in terms of excitement and interest.

 

There was a huge back story I don’t think we ever got fully told about her marrying Yul seong It seemed like she was going out with Ki joon and then somehow got pregnant with Yul song’s child and that was the reason for her breaking it off so abruptly with Ki joon.  Or it could be I was so bored I missed something. But that was my impression. I was like, but wait, that is not common in that culture for someone to be essentially having two physical relationships with two men so that she was with one guy but pregnant by another. Some reviewers said she came across as a gold digger, only interested in Yul seong’s money. But I only recall the part where she had a positive pregnancy test. More back story on her relationship and how she came to marry someone like him would have helped in understanding why she put up with him early on like she did.

 

There was not any chemistry between Sa ra and Ki joon primarily because she spent the better part of the show giving him the cold shoulder and trampling his feelings. I felt sorry for him. Sa ra was just straight up cruel to Ki joon in her coldness and indifference. She knew he had feelings for her but she never gave any consideration to his thoughts or opinions. If she wanted to do something a certain way she did it. In fact she didn’t care who thought otherwise. I thought that was a serious character flaw. That she didn’t listen to anybody in the way she approached “solutions.” When she decided to remarry her husband to take him down from the inside, I was super disappointed in her character. It was hurtful to Ki joon to have her remarry her husband when it seemed she was finally going to accept him.  But she didn’t care what anyone thought.  Her solution was her solution.  They could have played up the fact she wanted her child more, that might have been a better justification, but they really made it seem about revenge for her mother.  It made her an unlikable character to not care about the thoughts and feelings if thise around her. To add insult to injury, her decisions rarely bore the best results. It would be different if she went her own way and that turned out to be the best way but so often things did not go well. 

I wasn’t a fan of the wardrobe.  She had all kinds of weird drab outfits that seemed to carry over to her son.  Those big weird collars, I am not a fan. But her clothes were unappealing a lot of times.

So her husband and mother in law falsely frame her for a fraudulent application, she gets sent to prison, loses her child, he divorces her and she loses her law license but she is ok with that? In all the evidence she gathered and confessions she had them make she had no interest in clearing up that false crime? Will she ever get her license back?: That seemed like an important plot point to resolve. And just, nothing?

And what about the mother in law? She just gets to falsely imprison her, keep her son from her and then find out her iwn son was a compoete tool amd that is just it? She disappears from the story line and just nothing?

 

Ki joon’s efforts to befriend Sa ra’s son were just weird. If my parents new partner was over the top fakey trying to be my friend I would withdraw. I mean his dad did a lot of bad things but he still had a dad. Most children would not buddy up to someone seemingly trying to replace their oarent. Children are better approached slowly and genuinely.  Someone didn’t know how to write a good step parent relationship.  Those exchanges were just weird.  Almost creepy.

 

I don’t know what this having the second couple marry but not the first one trend is but I don’t like it.  It’s okay if they marry and we see it but that is only if the main couple is married.  Otherwise why do I care about the 2nd couples’ wedding?  Several I have watched recently have ended like that.  I don’t get why they are doing that but it is a trend I am not a fan of. 

 

The ending was “happy” I guess. The second couple get married. But that just turned out to be odd. While you could see them slowly getting more and more interested in each other and together, it did not feel like they had reached the marriage stage. Sa ra’s speech at the 2nd couples wedding was awkward and I experienced a lot of second hand embarrassment. Way to kill the mood.  And then the lead couple doesn’t get married.  They kind of sort of get engaged with her having some weird we will be together in five year increments requirement. Because she is a divorce lawyer? Well, she didn’t have that issue when marrying her 1st husband. And she seemed to divorce him easily enough. Her stating that meant she had no confidence in their relationship and since there wasn’t a lot to make the viewer confident in Ki joon and Sa ra’s relationship I thought that was a very odd way to have them come together.  It seemed hurtful, yet again, for the Ki joon that she did not care about him enough to properly accept his proposal.

 

I wasn’t a fan of the wardrobe.  She had all kinds of weird drab outfits that seemed to carry over to her son.  Those big weird collars, I am not a fan. But her clothes were unappealing a lot of times.

 

Ki joon’s efforts to befriend Sa ra’s son were just weird. If my parents new partner was over the top fakey trying to be my friend I would withdraw. I mean his dad did a lot of bad things but he still had a dad. Most children would not buddy up to someone seemingly trying to replace their oarent. Children are better approached slowly and genuinely.  Someone didn’t know how to write a good step parent relationship.  Those exchanges were just weird.  Almost creepy.

 

I don’t know what this having the second couple marry but not the first one trend is but I don’t like it.  It’s okay if they marry and we see it but that is only if the main couple is married.  Otherwise why do I care about the 2nd couples’ wedding?  Several I have watched recently have ended like that.  I don’t get why they are doing that but it is a trend I am not a fan of. 

#QueenofDivorce #LeeJiAh #KangKiYoung #OhMinSuk #NaYoungHee #NaYoungHee

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Good start, bad execution

This drama started strong but the development was weak and convoluted. It also dragged way too much certain revelations that would have made the main characters more interesting and motivated to take down the big bad.

For a cast of this caliber, I am shocked at the material they were given. These are actors I have been following for years and the performances were all over the place, lacking consistency but this is mainly because of the script. I am not sure the screenwriter knew what story wanted to tell or if they bit off more than they can chew.

Overall it's not necessarily a bad drama but it is a waster opportunity for sure.

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When the product does not meet specifications

Tbh, my first reason to watch this drama was Kang Ki Young. He has been very good in support roles and him finally getting a lead role was something I was looking forward to. The other, the title and trailer promised an iconic show. It is unfortunate that what the show promised isn't what the show delivered.

The pilot episode did not disappoint. It was exactly what the show promised a divorce expert who will help you reach your goal by all means necessary because she can relate to her clients. And unfortunately that is where we stop seeing that. Sera is supposed to be a divorce specialist who also want revenge on her ex-husband and will stop at nothing to get back at him and most importantly get back her son. But she only spends less than half the show actually carrying out that revenge because before that she is all talk and no action about revenge. So the show heavily focused on her being a divorce specialist more than the revenge plot. Sure it does come in later but it's execution is just so painfully mid it makes you contemplate why you're wasting time.

Tbh sometimes the acting felt bland. Idk if I should blame the writer or the actors/actresses or both but it just wasn't hitting. There was a period of time during the series where in it felt more like a game show with a new contestant every episode to see how good this divorce specialist team is and nothing else. What I mean is it was just about solving the cases with occasional reminders that btw Sera wants revenge and that was the only thing that served an episode connector. The support cast was not explored in detail, heck even the leads. So nothing much about them other than the plot makes you sympathize.
I mean I guess Dea Ki, Jang Mi and Bom helped make the show interesting sometimes but 🤦‍♀️

I guess I am glad it was short and it has ended...

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Just alright

This drama is alright to pass time.

What I like
1. The action sequences were amusing. The reactions were comical but hey it made sense for normal people to react that way.
2. Great to see Kang Ki Young as main male lead.
3. Oh Min seok made me sympathetic towards his character but he's villain alright. His abs were damn fine though I am not sure if the scene was required
4. Supporting characters - I like Daeki & Kang Boom.

What I dislike
1. Story - I find the story average. The benefactor reminds me of The Uncanny Counter.

Favourite scene
When Kang Bom kicks ass

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JAJAJAN'T

Comence esta serie porque salia Kang Ki Young y me encanta el actor. El problema de la serie es la falta de inconsistencia en la trama asi como la actuación pesima de Lee Ji Ah. Comencé pensando que iba a ser mas romcom y ha habido episodios sobretodo los primeros muy oscuros para el estilo de serie que esperaba. No ha habido casi comedia y los momentos de comedia, no hacian mucha gracia. La historia como digo no se sostiene, si eres una abogada es de primero saber que estas leyendo y con mas inri si luego vas a tener que firmar ese documento. Es que los primeros capitulos de como la meten a la carcel me parece que es tonta y demasiado sumisa . Nunca le dice nada a la directora ni a su marido. Los casos que hace como especialista del divorcio trama simple e inverosimil . La unica que me ha gustado de la agencia ha sido el personaje que hacia la actriz Kim Sun Young.
Los estillismos (odio todas las escenas que lleva pantalones cortos y si a eso le sumas una camiseta que la tienen que pixelar para que no se vea la marca con unos tacones y CALCETINES, tienes un look desastroso , perfecto para la protagonista) asi como las decisiones de Kim Sa Ra no me han gustado y me replanteaban porque seguia viendo la serie , por mucho que este Kang Ki Young y su actuación maravillosa no quita que habia muchas cosas sinsentido en la trama. (porque no se caso con Dong Ki Joon pero si con No Yool Sung) .
Gracias a las actuaciones de Kang Ki Young, Kim Sun Young y Na Young Hee por hacer algo mejor la trama.

P.D: Seo Hye Won por fin tu personaje se casa con el chico que quiere y no se muere o es una segundona.

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Fresh and interesting

Though I've longed for it, I thought I'd never see the day with Kang Kiyoung as male lead and from the first episodes of this drama, he deserves to be one.

The drama is about a lawyer who lost everything, including her son, after being cheated by her husband and mother in law. She now works as a divorce resolver to help those who are going through unfair divorces. She also has to work with prosecutor-turned-lawyer Dong Kijoon, her former lover that she left to marry into money.

I'm quite surprised by how much I like the leads. The FL is by no means perfect but she doesn't deserve the treatment she got from her husband and mother in law. As the show progresses, she kept showing her resilience and practicality. Meanwhile, the ML is no pushover, he's a quick thinker and does not dilly dally with his decisions. Their chemistry is also good, they have that former lovers that haven't gotten over each other vibe going on and I'm excited to see them getting back together.

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I love legal drama

2 eps were good. I had fun. I knew when they feel akward at each other there was a reason and it was because of some love story that would prolly be explained on a flashback. This deserves more eps like until 16. If this isnt on going i would prolly finish this in one sitting. 2 eps were good. I had fun. I knew when they feel akward at each other there was a reason and it was because of some love story that would prolly be explained on a flashback. This deserves more eps like until 16. If this isnt on going i would prolly finish this in one sitting.

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Too many problems to list

I started this because the trailers made this drama look like a badass revenge story (and it had Kang Ki Young in it), but only the first third of the drama held any of my interest. The acting was pretty good, but they suffered from terrible writing. You could tell the writers only made half of an attempt at fleshing out their story.

I only stayed for Kang Ki Young and the Solution couple. I just started skipping through the last few episodes because it was the same recycled plot as the first half of the drama.

The bad writing caused so many issues with the characters. No Yool Sung had a really strong start as a villain, but he just dissolved into a boring rich guy with mommy issues and a violent temper. The FL was so inconsistent as a character. She was so hesitant and weak, and, five minutes later, she was kicking someone in the face.

The cast deserved better.

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