luna_rainbow
A good watch but not for everyone
There is a particular genre in Asian webnovels that I don't really see elsewhere - the "revenge fantasy", and key to this genre is that even if the stakes keep climbing and the risks turn life-threatening, the protagonist will always win. I think that's what you've got to keep in mind before you dive in, because it ticks every archetype in the genre box - an overpowered protagonist, a number of irrationally brutal villains, a supporting cast of smitten fans, exaggerated stakes and hyperbolic resolutions. If that's not the genre you were hoping for, or you're looking for the classic gangster/thriller genre, then this isn't for you.
It's also a peculiar mix of (more classic) genres - personally I found the comedy hilarious, the business manipulations interesting, and the violence fun, but audiences who enjoy cutesy domestic comedy and dark violent thrillers don't overlap by much. That said, I personally found the comedy gave much needed relief to what is at its heart a grim tragedy about the corruption and collusion of the justice systems, which forces the main characters to take increasingly illegal means to protect or get back what's important to them. There's a lot of good themes wrapped up in the Geumga Plaza residents' journeys - from simply accepting that they're disenfranchised and helpless, to making full use of their own abilities to protect their own rights. For the main character himself, though, as satisfying as it was to see him give the villains their comeuppance, it was a bittersweet journey that gave him a short reprieve before forcing him return to his old trade.
Maybe because my expectations going into this drama was low - I honestly just expected pointless fanservice, which there was a lot of - but I was surprised that I could actually see a consistent theme and message in the story. Can justice exist when every branch of the justice system is corrupt? And this show is the perfect fantasy for everyone who has ever wished, in those situations, someone could just sweep in and take out the trash.
PS: Also has one of the best OSTs I've heard. Not many songs, but a great variety of instrumental pieces.
It's also a peculiar mix of (more classic) genres - personally I found the comedy hilarious, the business manipulations interesting, and the violence fun, but audiences who enjoy cutesy domestic comedy and dark violent thrillers don't overlap by much. That said, I personally found the comedy gave much needed relief to what is at its heart a grim tragedy about the corruption and collusion of the justice systems, which forces the main characters to take increasingly illegal means to protect or get back what's important to them. There's a lot of good themes wrapped up in the Geumga Plaza residents' journeys - from simply accepting that they're disenfranchised and helpless, to making full use of their own abilities to protect their own rights. For the main character himself, though, as satisfying as it was to see him give the villains their comeuppance, it was a bittersweet journey that gave him a short reprieve before forcing him return to his old trade.
Maybe because my expectations going into this drama was low - I honestly just expected pointless fanservice, which there was a lot of - but I was surprised that I could actually see a consistent theme and message in the story. Can justice exist when every branch of the justice system is corrupt? And this show is the perfect fantasy for everyone who has ever wished, in those situations, someone could just sweep in and take out the trash.
PS: Also has one of the best OSTs I've heard. Not many songs, but a great variety of instrumental pieces.
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