I thought a long time about how I wanted to start off this last recap for IRIS:

First off, I want to thank javabeans for giving me this opportunity to write a recap and contribute to her site. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity as an avid fan of her site and as a Korean drama lover.

Secondly, I’d like to thank everyone who has followed this series or read my recaps. I know I had a rough start, so I’m very thankful for those who stuck through with me on this.

And now, mushiness aside… the last episode ended with the death of Secretary Jung, and Hyun Joon and Sun Hwa chasing after Vic.

(...)
Read the rest of IRIS: Episodes 19-20 (Final) (5,317 words)

© kaedejun for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 35 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: IRIS, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon, Kim Tae-hee, Lee Byung-heon, TOP

Just when you thought things could only get better, it only drastically goes wrong. Why, you ask?

Well, of course! – We have two more episodes! (I promise – two-episode recap next time!) Therefore – we need a few more problems and obstacles before we bring the series to an end.

And so, let’s get back into the swing of things…just after Vic snaps the neck of our poor sweet Mi Jung…

(...)
Read the rest of IRIS: Episode 18 (2,605 words)

© kaedejun for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: IRIS, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon, Kim Tae-hee, Lee Byung-heon, TOP

I did say I was very hesitant to watch Episode 16 because of the spoiler that I saw in the previews, but it wasn’t as bad as I initially thought (more on that later, or skip to my comments section). Honestly, I think this series could end by episode 18, because it’s been unraveling so fast. Case in point: by episode 15 we know who is on whose side and the lines are set for battle, and all it took was an episode and a half to establish that.

We’ve reached the critical moment – will the North and South enter a nuclear war?

(...)
Read the rest of IRIS: Episodes 16-17 (4,501 words)

© kaedejun for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: IRIS, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon, Kim Tae-hee, Lee Byung-heon, TOP

First off, I have to apologize – I have made several mistakes, in my last recap and before, which episode 14 made very clear.

When Hyun Joon drops Seung Hee off after she’s released by the North Koreans, he drops her off at (his and) Sa Woo’s home – not hers.

And secondly, when Mi Jung makes the phone call, I made the incorrect assumption that she called her sister. She really called Vic. I should have realized it when putting the scenes together and following Mi Jung’s train of thought – but hehe…that’s what happens when you make assumptions, right!?

Also, the female North Korean agent I’ve been calling Young Bum this whole time? Just because I wasn’t sure what her name was? Yeah – she’s Dae Hyun. Young Bum is the guy who saw Seung Hee kill his colleagues in NSS. Just realized it when I saw the translations for episode 14. So sorry for the confusion!

So! Let’s get on with episodes 14 and 15!

(...)
Read the rest of IRIS: Episodes 14-15 (4,031 words)

© kaedejun for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: IRIS, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon, Kim Tae-hee, Lee Byung-heon, TOP

Sorry for the delay! I watched the episodes a while ago, but then life happened. Anyways – on to episodes 12 and 13!

Every episode rehashes old issues, but there’s always one new nugget of information that the writers drop like a single jellybean into my greedy hands. Weird analogy – sorry, but basically, I’m just hoping right now that they do not rush the ending.

(...)
Read the rest of IRIS: Episodes 12-13 (4,690 words)

© kaedejun for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: IRIS, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon, Kim Tae-hee, Lee Byung-heon, TOP

Congratulations to IRIS for all the awards won at the KBS Drama Awards! Whether they were well deserved or not, I have to give props to Kim Tae Hee for winning an Excellence Award in acting. She really sold her acting abilities to me by episode 8, and even more so by episode 10. I wasn’t a fan of her since I saw her last, which was Stairway to Heaven and so, so long ago, but now I’m a (half-) believer.

These two episodes were up on the action and set up for the exposition-laden episode 12. I had mixed feelings at the end of episode 10 on how I wanted it to end, but since it is also the halfway mark of the series, its ending was inevitable.

Random side note: Hyun Seok the computer hacker is so cute – I just want to pinch his cheeks! Cute kid for a hacker, I mean.

(...)
Read the rest of IRIS: Episodes 10-11 (4,447 words)

© kaedejun for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: guest bloggers, IRIS, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon, Kim Tae-hee, Lee Byung-heon, TOP

If I could title the episodes, episode 8 would be “Exposition,” and episode 9 would be “New Hairstyles, New Beginnings.”

One note: I’m going to apologize for my inability to name some of the characters. I just figured them out today (late in the game, as I’m halfway through the series) but it’s hard for me when the subtitles don’t mention their names. Anyways, the one head advisor to the President is named Jung Hyung Joon, and the female advisor is named Hong Soo Jin.

It’s annoying how the names are all similar in a slight way – most start with an S or H. Sometimes I get confused myself on what each person’s name is!
(...)
Read the rest of IRIS: Episodes 8-9 (5,457 words)

© kaedejun for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: guest bloggers, IRIS, Jung Jun-ho, Kim Seung-woo, Kim So-yeon, Kim Tae-hee, Lee Byung-heon, TOP