Suits: Episode 1
by LollyPip
I was halfway expecting a show about lawyers to be somewhat slow-moving and serious, but KBS2’s new drama Suits (a remake of the American TV show of the same name) looks to be a fast and furious ride, full of witty dialogue, intriguing characters, and unexpected plot twists. The premiere episode is mostly an introduction to the characters and the law firm where they work, and I was drawn to the bright, simple introduction, which gave me just enough to hook me in without weighing me down with too much information.
EPISODE 1: “Fate is determined by the choices you make, not coincidence.”
On a dreary, rainy day, a lawyer visits a young man in prison. We hear the young man’s voice narrate: “Fate is determined by the choices you make, not coincidence.” Suddenly, time begins flowing backwards, pulling the raindrops slowly back into the sky.
After grinning at a room full of arguing people, a man, lawyer CHAE GEUN-SHIK (Choi Gwi-hwa) struts into an office to gloat to his boss, lawyer KANG HA-YEON (Jin Hee-kyung). He says his prediction came true… the merger between two companies will never happen, because the two men who run the companies are old schoolmates who are more concerned with their pride than what’s best for the businesses.
She asks about someone named Kang-seok, which makes Geun-shik lose a bit of his bravado. He wants this case, but Ha-yeon insists — she wants Kang-seok on it.
CHOI KANG-SEOK (Jang Dong-gun) shows off his shuffling skills as he tells a man that his father once laid out a deck of cards and asked him which card he wanted to be. He’d answered that he didn’t want to be a card held in someone’s hand — he wanted to be the person playing the game with those cards.
As he talks, he deals the cards into four equal stacks. The man, Congressman Jo, chooses a stack, and Kang-seok turns over an ace of spades. Happy with his card, Congressman Jo chuckles that Kang-seok won’t win tonight, but Kang-seok points out that he hasn’t chosen his card yet.
He asks Congressman Jo to become a client of Kang & Ham (the top corporate firm he works for) if he wins. Congressman Jo says that instead, if he loses, he’ll set up a scholarship under Kang & Ham’s name.
Kang-seok chooses a card, turning over the Joker and winning the bet. He says he likes the Joker because it doesn’t have a significant role, but it can change into anything. Assemblyman Jo says without malice that that was a petty trick, and Kang-seok quips that he can’t be the boss of the game without knowing a few tricks.
Ha-yeon tries to talk President Park of Joseung Group, which is acquiring Taejin Enterprise, into allowing CEO Oh from Taejin to retain his title for a year after the merger. She says that it will contribute to the Taejin employees’ morale as well as make President Park look good.
She appeals to his pride, reminding him that he’s already hunted down his prey, and it won’t hurt anything to allow CEO Oh to be a temporary figurehead. But he refuses to back down, determined to win a complete victory over his nemesis.
Kang-seok finally shows up, and he saunters into the office where Ha-yeon introduces him as Kang & Ham’s ace lawyer. President Park just wonders why he’s only showing up now if he’s such an ace. He even shoots an insult to Ha-yeon, guessing that she can’t handle the company alone without Lawyer Ham.
Interrupting, Kang-seok calmly tells President Park that he’s being greedy. He points out that President Park calls this merger a hunt, but good hunters show respect to the animals they kill. He says that the Taejin employees only want to show respect to their CEO, but if President Park won’t give them that, then he’s not a good hunter.
Unmoved, President Park threatens to take his business to another law firm. Kang-seok pulls up the firm’s bank account on his phone and shows President Park that their fee has already been paid. He invites him to sue Kang & Ham if he doesn’t like their results, but reminds him that no other firm would dare take a lawsuit that would pit them against him.
Stammering, President Park orders Ha-yeon to collar her dog, but she backs up Kang-seok completely. Kang-seok tells him to go close the deal while he still can, and once he’s gone, he tells Ha-yeon that it doesn’t matter how the client feels so long as they closed the deal.
She asks how they were paid already, and he reveals that the transfer was really Congressman Jo’s donation to the scholarship. HA, love it.
Elsewhere, the young man we previously saw in jail parks a fancy sports car at an upscale club, where he’s escorted by the club manager into a private room. His name is GO YEON-WOO (Park Hyung-shik), and he looks bored as he’s introduced as having a perfect memory.
The smarmy chaebol, whose name is JOON-PYO (cameo by Lee Yi-kyung), asks if Yeon-woo remembers him. Yeon-woo rattles off Joon-pyo’s last three license plate numbers, impressing the guy.
He throws down a wad of cash and tells Yeon-woo that he gets money for every correct answer, and has to take a shot every time he’s wrong. He finds obscure questions on the internet (like explaining the Inflation Theory), and Yeon-woo recites the answers word-for-word without even thinking.
Joon-pyo finally concedes, admitting respect for Yeon-woo’s sexy brain. Yeon-woo notices that he adds a few drops of liquid to his drink before downing it, and he turns to leave, snapping angrily at his friend for bringing him here.
Offended, Joon-pyo offers Yeon-woo one last bet — double the amount of money he’s already won if he drinks an ice bucket full of wine in one sitting. Despite his disdain for this entire thing, Yeon-woo can’t resist the bait, but when Joon-pyo offers him a vial of the drug he put into his own drink, Yeon-woo crushes it into the wine, saying that he may be a dog but at least he doesn’t need drugs.
Joon-pyo gets angry again at the suggestion that he and Yeon-woo are on the same level. Yeon-woo flings the bucket of wine at him, growling, “A dog doesn’t bite its owner, but it does bite other dogs. Especially when that dog cares about nothing but money. ” He storms out of the room, tossing the money he already won in the air as he goes.
The club manager, Yeon-woo’s friend CHUL-SOON, is contrite when he finds him later. He apologizes for trapping him in an uncomfortable situation, though he also chides Yeon-woo for his rude behavior. He says it’s worth the humiliation to earn so much money, but Yeon-woo disagrees.
They’re joined by Chul-soon’s girlfriend, SE-HEE, who seems a lot more level-headed than her boyfriend. When he scuttles off to take a call, she asks Yeon-woo what happened to upset him, and she knows he’s lying when he says it’s nothing.
Chul-soon’s call is from Joon-pyo, who asks if he can get him a certain difficult-to-procure drug. Chul-soon promises to get it for him, but the chaebol has a condition — he wants Yeon-woo to deliver it.
When he learns about Joon-pyo’s demand, Yeon-woo is upset, but Chul-soon reminds him that he needs the money. He says that Joon-pyo is actually a pretty nice guy, but Yeon-woo flat-out refuses to do the delivery.
Over at Kang & Ham, Geun-shik recites terrible poetry into his phone as he stares at Ha-yeon. He tells himself to be brave and enters her office, where he announces dramatically that he sleeps even less now than when he was studying for the bar, and works over a hundred hours per week.
He says he could have handled President Park himself, and he asks Ha-yeon why she always chooses Kang-seok over him. Kang-seok enters the office right on cue and quips that it’s because he works reasonable hours and always gets a good night’s sleep, lol.
Ha-yeon interrupts their argument and reminds Kang-seok that they’re interviewing law students tomorrow for potential hire as a new associate. Kang-seok doesn’t want to be there, whining that they exclusively interview students from elite schools as if they’re the only ones who will make good lawyers, and he decides he doesn’t want an associate, anyway.
Ha-yeon says they can’t have a senior partner without an associate, and Geun-shik stammers to hear that Kang-seok has been promoted. Kang-seok can’t help but grin, silently daring Geun-shik to say a word. Ha-yeon tells Kang-seok to choose his own associate, and he jokes that it won’t be easy to find someone who matches his talent.
With obvious affection, Ha-yeon gives Kang-seok a tie to wear tomorrow for luck. She tells him to choose his new associate wisely, because “as soon as a senior partner makes a mistake, he’s out.”
The nameplate on Kang-seok’s office door has already been changed to reflect his new status, though he notes that he got the promotion six months later than he expected. His jealous secretary, HONG DA-HAM (Chae Jung-ahn), complains that she has no luck with men or money, and Kang-seok jokingly accuses her of praying for him not to get his promotion. Hilariously, Da-ham can’t meet his eyes, HA.
They start throwing out numbers, but Da-ham won’t go lower than eighteen. Kang-seok reluctantly offers her an eighteen percent bonus increase and contract renewal, holding out a hand for her to “sign” on his palm. Okay, I love them together.
Yeon-woo goes to the hospital to visit his grandmother, who’s evidently been there a while. She may be sick, but she’s still feisty, and she warns him not to dirty himself by hanging out with Chul-soon. Yeon-woo offers to pay her hospital bill, which just makes his grandmother laugh and accuse him of lying, knowing that he has no money.
A nurse tells Yeon-woo that his grandmother has to move out by the end of the month, due to her unpaid bill. She fusses at him to apologize to his grandmother for squandering the opportunities that his youth affords him. He sighs wearily, “I may be young, but there aren’t that many opportunities.”
He goes back to see Chul-soon and tells him that he’ll make the delivery to the chaebol Joon-pyo. Chul-soon is excited about the amount of money he’ll make, but Yeon-woo just looks defeated.
At the end of the work day Da-ham reminds Kang-seok about the associate interviews tomorrow. She calls him “Senior Partner Choi,” which he makes her repeat just to savor the sound of it, heh. Geun-shik feeds the goldfish who lives in a bowl on his desk and promises it that he’ll become like Kang-seok, working reasonable hours and getting plenty of sleep.
In the morning, Se-hee helps Yeon-woo into a suit borrowed from Chul-soon, thinking that his delivery errand is an interview. Yeon-woo starts to correct her, but he chickens out (and he’s very nervous around her, which makes me think he has feelings for her). She gives him a briefcase, and he takes a deep, nervous breath.
Meanwhile Kang-seok arrives at work to find the office halls filled with hopeful applicants. He plops a small statue on Da-ham’s desk and tells her to screen the candidates with it, saying that he wants someone like him, but also different.
Yeon-woo’s delivery happens to be in the same hotel where Kang & Ham offices are located. He makes his way up to the room where he’s to deliver the briefcase, but when he gets there, a couple of hotel employees are standing awkwardly in the open doorway.
With a few quick glances, Yeon-woo makes mental notes of the employees’ names and faces. He recalls seeing those names on an Employees of the Month sign, but the faces were different. Sure that these two aren’t really employees, he keeps walking and takes the stairwell.
His phone rings with a call from Joon-pyo, who crows that he set this up to teach Yeon-woo a lesson about messing with someone with money. A few flights up, the undercover cops dressed as hotel employees call out to Yeon-woo, and he hangs up the phone and flies down the stairs.
At the law office, Da-ham asks each candidate to name the subject of the statue, and she signals to Kang-seok when each of them gets it wrong. At one point she calls a candidate’s name over and over, getting no answer. Suddenly Yeon-woo rushes in, out of breath and looking frantic, and Da-ham assumes he’s her candidate who was just running late.
Yeon-woo goes along with it, and he correctly identifies the statue on her desk as Kairos, Greek god of opportunity. Impressed, Da-ham signals to Kang-seok and sends Yeon-woo in, where Kang-seok asks Yeon-woo to explain how he knew who the statue is. Yeon-woo says that it looks like Dike (Lady Justice), but the hair gave it away — Kairos has a lot of hair on the front of his head to allow people to seize opportunity, but none in back to warn that you can’t seize an opportunity once it’s passed.
Kang-seok’s keen eyes don’t miss Yeon-woo’s broken watch face and the popped latch on his briefcase. He invites him to have a seat, and as Yeon-woo moves towards the sofa, the briefcase falls open, spilling out the bags of drugs. He frantically shoves them back in, but Kang-seok snatches one and eyeballs it suspiciously.
While the narcotics detectives ask Da-ham if she’s seen a young man in a suit carrying a briefcase (which describes every single candidate in the office, ha), Yeon-woo confesses to Kang-seok that he’s never even been to college. He tells him how he was set up, but Kang-seok is skeptical that someone smart enough to know the difference between Dike and Kairos would fall for such an obvious trap.
He starts to reference the Narcotics Control Act, but after only two words, Yeon-woo takes over and recites the entire thing perfectly. He says that he never forgets anything he reads or sees, and that once he was determined to become a lawyer, so he memorized the entire law manual. Wow.
Da-ham interrupts to tell Kang-seok that the detectives want to speak with him. He goes to the door and invites them in after checking their ID. They confirm that Yeon-woo matches the description of a drug dealer from a report they received, and Kang-seok tells Yeon-woo, “Well, get started. Aren’t you here to be a lawyer? Defend your client — yourself.”
After just a moment’s pause, Yeon-woo says that although they got a report, it’s illegal to arrest someone without evidence. He clocks Kang-seok’s eyeroll and changes tacks, saying that a report could be a deliberate false accusation, which is a crime in itself. This time Kang-seok nods with satisfaction.
When the cops threaten to take Yeon-woo to the police station to confirm his identity, Kang-seok asks Yeon-woo if he has anything else to say. Yeon-woo flips through the files of information in his head, and in seconds he says that according to the law, the officers can ask him to accompany them to the station — but but he can decline.
Further, he recites that the police are required to inform a suspect that they can refuse. The detectives threatened to take him to the police station, but they never informed him of his right to refuse, so they’ve violated due process.
As the detectives gape, Kang-seok says, “Good. Pass,” and he asks the detectives if they have any more questions for Kang & Ham’s newest lawyer. Unfortunately, they ask to check his briefcase. Yeon-woo glances at Kang-seok, who just looks at him like, “Well?” Yeon-woo goes to the briefcase and slowly opens it to reveal… law books.
A quick flashback shows us that when Kang-seok met the detectives at his office door, he deliberately blocked their view into the room, giving Yeon-woo enough time to stuff the bags of drugs under the sofa and grab some of his law books to stash in the briefcase. Once the detectives are gone, he asks Yeon-woo how he knew they would check his briefcase.
Yeon-woo says that evidence is crucial in cases like this, plus, when Kang-seok was talking to the detectives at the door, he specifically mentioned that they thought his suitcase was filled with drugs (ha, I thought that sounded unnecessarily expositional!). Kang-seok huffs at getting caught helping.
He tells Yeon-woo to go to law school and take the bar exam if he wants to be a lawyer, but Yeon-woo admits that he’s already taken the bar under someone else’s name. Chul-soon had arranged it, arguing that Yeon-woo will never be able to afford law school, so he could at least do this. Yeon-woo tells Kang-seok that his parents died in a drunk hit-and-run, and that he needed the money.
Kang-seok admits that Yeon-woo did a great job defending himself, but he sighs that Kang & Ham only hires elites. He asks Yeon-woo how he did on the bar exam, and Yeon-woo confesses that he felt weird about getting a perfect score, so he purposely got one question wrong.
Intrigued, Kang-seok asks if Yeon-woo feels like it was money or coincidence that decided his fate, but Yeon-woo says that actually, it was his own wrong choices. Kang-seok asks if he could make up for those mistakes if he gave him the chance, and Yeon-woo replies that he’d like to redeem himself.
Kang-seok is curious if he plans to use his prodigious memory to do that, but Yeon-woo says that in fact, it’s desperation caused by the harsh consequence of a mistake: “I’m more desperate than anyone to make up for the mistakes I made.”
This time, Kang-seok’s “Pass” is sincere. He says that while Yeon-woo can memorize law books, his skill is reading people. He tells Yeon-woo that this is his chance to be a lawyer and redeem himself, and he gives him a Joker card, saying, “This card… is you. Depending on your choices and effort, your card can turn into an ace, or some meaningless number. Get rid of that briefcase first. You’ll start from there.”
Yeon-woo hurries to the restroom to flush what must be a fortune in drugs down the toilet. As he walks home, he stops on a bridge and pulls out the Joker. We see someone fan a deck of cards out in front of a young boy, asking him which he would choose if he could only pick one to win. The boy chooses the Joker, explaining that it’s nothing now, but later, it can become anything.
Yeon-woo stashes the briefcase in a subway locker, then goes home and immediately starts studying. He stays up all night, and in the morning he dresses in the suit again. He pauses to look at the Joker again before he leaves, remembering his grandmother’s wise words: “When a man leaves his home to go on a journey, he takes a pair of shoes and at least one lie.”
He rides his bike to the subway station, and when he exits the underground passage, he finds that it’s begun to rain. He stops to watch the sudden storm next to a woman who also pauses for the unexpected weather, though they don’t notice each other.
We hear the same voiceover from earlier, saying that Fate is decided by the choices you make, not by coincidence. Yeon-woo steps out into the downpour and mounts his bike, spraying the woman with muddy water as he rides away. She shrieks indignantly, but Yeon-woo doesn’t hear her.
He goes back to the Kang & Ham building and nervously fidgets as he waits in Ha-yeon’s office. He’s confused when Kang-seok finally enters the room and orders him to leave. Yeon-woo asks where he’s supposed to go, and Kang-seok tells him, “Go home. You’re fired.”
COMMENTS
I’ll be honest — that was a lot more fun than I expected! I’ve never seen the American version of Suits, but I actually prefer not to be familiar with the original source material when recapping
a drama. Freedom from expectations set up by another show allows me to evaluate this show based on its own merit, without constantly comparing the two. So in these recaps, I may make predictions and ask questions whose answers are obvious to those who have seen the original series, but let’s try not to give away any spoilers. I’d like to keep the discussions to what’s happened in this version, and not ruin things for those of us who are seeing all this for the first time!
I suppose I was expecting something more dry and straight-laced from this show, and to be fair, lawyer shows aren’t really a genre that usually interests me much simply because they are so often dry and straight-laced. So I was very pleasantly surprised that Suits turns out to be bright and fun, with quirky characters and twisty-turny scenes that kept my attention simply for the fact that I never knew what the characters were going to say or do. Even the side characters like jealous lawyer Geun-shik and Yeon-woo’s smarmy friend Chul-soon seem fully-realized and important, and I have no doubt they’ll both be back to cause problems for Kang-seok and Yeon-woo later.
For me, the main draw of Suits is definitely Park Hyung-shik. He’s been making me sit up and pay attention he played Lee Jin-wook’s younger counterpart in Nine, way back when I first started watching dramas. I have always thought he has the potential to play really complex roles — he just seems capable of handling anything a character can throw at him, from comedy to drama (not to mention, he ain’t half bad to look at). He reliably chooses roles that fit him well, but I’ve always thought he could do more, and I believe that this show could be the one that really showcases his true talent.
And I like what he’s doing with the role of Yeon-woo so far. We know that Park Hyung-shik can emote like crazy, but I enjoyed seeing him as this very subdued character, at least at the beginning. I like how he played Yeon-woo as very understated and nuanced, and you could really feel how Yeon-woo’s genius has shaped his personality. He seems stiff and stand-offish, not because it’s how he is naturally, but probably as a defense mechanism from having been treated like a freak by people his whole life due to his perfect memory. I can’t wait to see how he changes now that he’s found someone who finds his ability an asset, something of value to be used to help himself and others instead of something to be exploited like a circus trick, and I’m confident that the character is in excellent hands.
Veteran lawyer Kang-seok is particularly unpredictable, and I love how Jang Dong-gun (Oh, I’ve missed him so much since A Gentleman’s Dignity!) played him entirely straight-faced, but with an undeniable cheekiness underneath the super-serious-lawyer facade. And Yeon-woo’s reactions to Kang-seok are understated but entertaining — he’s not sure what to think about this lawyer who seems so serious, but not only doesn’t turn him in to the cops, but invites him to defend himself and hires him despite his lack of a law degree. The fact that Kang-seok knows that Yeon-woo isn’t really a lawyer was the biggest surprise for me (I went in really blind), but I’m looking forward to the dynamic that will form as he simultaneously protects Yeon-woo from discovery, and teaches him how to be a good lawyer.
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Tags: featured2, first episodes, Jang Dong-gun, Park Hyung-shik, Suits
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1 blubluskye
April 29, 2018 at 8:02 AM
Suits episode 1 recap is finally here... AHHHH!!!!!
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blubluskye
April 29, 2018 at 8:15 AM
Even though I am familiar with the original series, I must say that the Korean remake is just as slick. The directing is great, but the chemistry between the leads also kept me glued to the screen.
Like Lollypip, I really look forward to Hyungsik's interpretation of the Korean Mike Ross. His eyes isn't oozing out honey (ala SWDBS), but I gotta say, he's really good in expressing emotions with his eyes.
I'm glad the remake stayed true to the original material while localizing a few cultural things into their dialogue. Can't wait for more of Suits.
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immawish
April 29, 2018 at 11:16 AM
Aye i remember you from that suits casting eons ago. Hah.
I agree with park hyungshik and jang donggun being amazing, but how do you think abt the other casts tho?
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blubluskye
April 29, 2018 at 1:57 PM
Hahahah yeah that was eons ago, wasn't it?!
As far as I can tell, the Korean Donna is just as sassy (I like how she used what she has learnt from the Korean Harvey to negotiate for her pay), and the Korean Jessica has that elegance thing down.
Korean Louis is going on the humorous character alley here (?) but I would like to see a more competent Louis. He was better in episode 2 than in episode 1 for me, not really blaming the actor, but it's my problem with the script.
The Korean Rachel looks very similar to Meghan Markle, but her character is a typical k drama female lead in this series. I'm hoping they give her character more edge and prove herself more than a paralegal, rather than just being one dimensional at the moment.
I think the characters are in good hands, but it's really up to the scriptwriter to write those scenes out. But then again, it's only the premiere week so I'm hopeful they have much more in store for us.
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immawish
April 30, 2018 at 8:43 PM
oh yashh i couldn't agree more. i love Hayeon and Daham as they are i mean they are awesome Jessica and Donna in a Kdrama way. Geunshik ABSOLUTELY needs to look more competent instead of just jealous all the time (though in their defense, S1 Louis did go jealous all the time but in such an evil genius way).
And Jina is totally a copy of Rachel but smh I just can't grasp her... idek why..
2 Rachel2
April 29, 2018 at 8:07 AM
Is this available on any of the legal streaming sites in the US?
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ramenqueen
April 29, 2018 at 8:51 AM
I was wondering that too!? Is it just me or lately it has been so difficult to find which streaming sites will have which shows? I’m skipping a lot of good shows due to not having access to streaming!
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windsun33
April 29, 2018 at 9:00 AM
It's on KBS2, which 'should' be part of Kocowa/Viki, but so far not even a mention there on either site as of a couple hours ago.
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CNG
April 29, 2018 at 9:02 AM
Not on Dramafever or Viki. Neither is Pretty Noona... to bad, I was looking forward to both. So many K-drama fans in US too!
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UmbrellaMan
April 29, 2018 at 9:22 AM
Historically speaking, no US remake has been made available on legal sites in the US.
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Amilia
April 29, 2018 at 11:55 AM
I think they think we won't be interested having already seenthe original version of the story. I think they should research haw many different cross-cultural remakes of Mischevious Kiss I have watched and reevaluate.
Seriously though, it's probably something to do with copyright and licensing. Maybe it is super expensive to get rights to show a cross-cultural remake in it's origin country.
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Cloggie
April 29, 2018 at 12:10 PM
That's what I thought too @amilia but Viki does have Mistress - which is a remake of a UK and then US series
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UmbrellaMan
April 29, 2018 at 2:34 PM
Viki has Mistress, but it is says that it is restricted in the US. We are a black hole...
Cloggie
April 29, 2018 at 11:29 PM
Ugh @umbrellaman that's a pain.
That's when VPN's your friend. I use it all the time to semi-legally watch dramas on legal sites. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to watch A Poem A Day for example (not available in the UK).
windsun33
April 30, 2018 at 11:15 AM
And in the end more people end up watching those dramas on the pirate/unlicensed sites, so not sure what they think they are gaining.
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geminirat
April 29, 2018 at 11:53 PM
I usually watch from Kissasian.ch or Gooddrama.to. But I'm not in the US, so maybe you can also check it out.
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theimprintonmynose
May 3, 2018 at 6:41 AM
It's on kbs so maybe it will be available on kbsworld, a cable channel, if there's one in US(?)
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SHQA
May 17, 2018 at 10:38 AM
When I had US cable some years ago, they added KBS2 to the channel lineup. My guess is that it is airing on US cable. I only have digital antenna, and I watch my C- and K-dramas on DF and VIKI. I was looking forward to this drama, for Jang and Park.
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3 mindy
April 29, 2018 at 8:10 AM
I haven’t had a chance to check this out yet (but I will!) but I’m grateful to have recaps for it! At the same time, it worries me a bit that LollyPip is still the only one doing full recaps. Where did all the other recappers go? 😭
Thank you, LollyPip, and take care of yourself!
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bam 🐢🐌💖~
April 29, 2018 at 8:36 AM
Seconded!! We love you, @lollypip! *sends you water, food, and flowers*
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madlily
April 30, 2018 at 2:22 AM
I've been wondering this myself.. This site has been my go to for drama's since I started watching them a couple of years ago.. I truly hope we're not seeing the death of a site :( T_T
Please take care of yourself @lollypip!
Would love to actually know whats going on behind the scenes at DB just to keep some hope that the site is not going anywhere
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4 hyades
April 29, 2018 at 8:14 AM
Thank you, LollyPip.
I was hoping that the Korean version will have some Korean style, characters, clothes, atmosphere...etc, but it seems EXACTLY like American version.
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fencejumper
April 29, 2018 at 9:06 AM
You're right but the pause in the rain for Rachel's character with her getting all annoyed seemed like a typical kdrama moment. 😂
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immawish
April 29, 2018 at 11:30 AM
Well, in their credit they did rewrite some scenes to make it more K-drama I guess. I mean Yeonwoo stopping in front of the hotel room? Like if it was on the original suits boy he would be in jail already. And the interview they had wouldn't actually work if you put it in the original series so.. I think they did pretty well
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5 MikeyD signed up
April 29, 2018 at 8:16 AM
Which series referenced Kairos the god of opportunity before? I'm trying to recall. I think it was 'Oh my Venus'. That's not exactly the most well known of the Greek gods.
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hyades
April 29, 2018 at 8:44 AM
She was pretty
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PakalanaPikake
May 1, 2018 at 3:24 PM
The Kairos interlude could be an homage to SHE WAS PRETTY. That's the only drama I've seen Hyung-sik in (a cameo in ep. 9), not that I recall him. Siwon as Shin-hyuk was hogging all my attention. ;-)
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6 lezah
April 29, 2018 at 8:21 AM
I haven't watched the American version before, so I'll be treating this as a standalone to decide if it's good or not, and not comparing it to the American version, even if it is a remake...
I can't wait to see Yeon-woo sort of break out of this slightly stiff, controlled character. I think you're very right, @lollypip, it's probably a defense mechanism. I think he has the potential to be lots more witty and charming. That'll be fun to watch.
What I think is the most interesting thing is that Kang-seok is not the whole "do-gooder, hire this genius to do some good" kind of guy. He has his own selfish interests at heart most of the time, and I find that very different somehow. Like he's not there to be the perfect mentor of sorts, and maybe he can learn a thing or two from YW as well.
I'll be keeping up with it, even though legal dramas are not my thing. Couldn't stay away from Hyung-sik.
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spazmo
April 29, 2018 at 6:04 PM
i haven't seen the American version either, so this is a new view for me, too.
so far, i like what i'm seeing! it looks to be very good - i got this same impression from The Good Wife after the first ep also.
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7 zoeraindasherbenji
April 29, 2018 at 8:51 AM
Eeeep ... Dramabeans is recapping Suits for real! So happy!
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8 mano
April 29, 2018 at 8:54 AM
Thank you Lollypip! Finally I can join a recap thread again after,...the last one was Go Back Couple, so it's almost six months ago!
I only watched half of the first season of original series few years ago before I dropped it because I can't stand Mike Ross' roommate and the potential of a love triangle between Mike and his roommate's girlfriend.
After watching the first two episodes I think I like the kdrama more than the us series. Part of it probably because I've been so used to K-Drama style of story telling.
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9 JustMe
April 29, 2018 at 8:57 AM
Thank @lollypip !!
The premiere was solid. I haven't watched the original series but I have a good idea of it. I went in for this one because of Park Hyungsik. I think he gives the role justice (and good lord I just like to look at him). I also felt this sorta connection between Yeon-woo and the girlfriend of his friend... We'll see how that goes.
I just hope in a way... this show gives a tad more korean flare to it. Because if it's just quick-witted quips then it'd be like watching the american show, no?
On a side-note, I've noticed a lot in american cop-shows or law shows they always have these quips that are. just. not. realistic. I used to love them, but korean dramas seemed to have changed that side in me.
(I am being absolutely picky here and I have not yet made my mind on this show)
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10 fencejumper
April 29, 2018 at 9:05 AM
It's here. It's finally here. Does happy lap dance. 🙌
My favourite part (probably everyone's) is Yeon Woo figuring out the fake employees by questioning them about the sauna and then outsmarting them when they arrived as police by dropping all the legalities like bombs. The bluff game is going strong.
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11 Mungbeanie 난 딩동, 넌 땡 ;)
April 29, 2018 at 9:36 AM
Slayyy hyung shik slayyy! 😍 I've already said it, but I'm super impressed with this remake. I think this may be the drama ammunition I needed to get a couple more friends hooked. #toasttruck got me like 😆😆
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fencejumper
April 29, 2018 at 10:07 AM
I'm on a mission to convince all my friends who love English TV show to watch this. Hopefully I get them trapped in the kdrama spiral 😂
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12 jsergei
April 29, 2018 at 9:49 AM
Okay, please dont hate me.
But I am not digging the two episodes that I just watched. I loved loved the original series but... the korean remake is just meh to me.
Sidenote:
1. Cant they get better interior designers for the the office sets? It looks so dated :X p.s. JDG's office is missing an important piece
2. Not loving the bromance (yet i hope). I need more sarcastic banter between JDG adn PHS
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fencejumper
April 29, 2018 at 10:09 AM
I agree with the bromance being a little lacking. That fiery spark of smartass and cocky comments that go back and forth hasn't been introduced yet (Harvey is more toned down in the kdrama) as both of them are more serious but for an adaptation it's pretty enjoyable.
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Kafiyah Bello
April 29, 2018 at 1:04 PM
It actually reminded me of all the things I forgot from the original. So that was nice, but I agree it was meh. The Korean version of Donna isn't as great, and the banter isn't as great, but there is still time to improve.
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Barbrey
April 29, 2018 at 5:34 PM
Me neither though I like all the actors except the paralegal. But I didn't like the first 2 apps of the original either but heard the show got way better so I'll give it a few more chances. I've wondered if I should just watch original Suits cause I've heard It's heavy on the banter, and that doesn't always translate well in the subtitles. Anyway, so far just a C+ because of lack of oomph, we'll see if it gets better in the next few episodes.
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blubluskye
April 29, 2018 at 6:03 PM
I think it's a cultural thing. It would be too rude for a junior to share adult jokes (example) with his senior, in a Korean work culture. I think they would go for a hyung and dongsaeng relationship, which would be more fitting.
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fencejumper
April 29, 2018 at 8:56 PM
@blubluskye
You're right, I too, pinned it down to the cultural thing- the Korean flare is definitely there
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jsergei
April 30, 2018 at 4:57 AM
PHS would've been deemed to be too rude if he were to reply to JDG like how mike replied to harvey. all hell will break loose!
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13 Del
April 29, 2018 at 9:50 AM
Thanks for the recap. You are really superb @lollypip Recapping the two shows I am watching now.
I must admit that my mind is so occupied with "My Ajusshi" that I am yet to engross myself with Suits. I like what I have watched so far, especially that I came in here with no expectation since I never watched the original.
My main draw is Park Hyung Sik and I have always been confident that he will deliver and he does not disappoint. And what do you mean that he ain't half bad to look at? My boy is insanely gorgeous.
I have nothing much to say but I love the dynamic. I enjoy the bromance and will wait for the plot to get deeper but I am grateful that this remake is off to a solid start.
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LollyPip
April 29, 2018 at 10:04 AM
He's freaking GORGEOUS but I was trying to be professional :) Boy looks amazing in that suit.
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fencejumper
April 29, 2018 at 10:10 AM
Boy could wear a sack and still make it look insanely hot and fashionable! 🙌
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panshel
April 29, 2018 at 2:43 PM
In the ONE suit he owns.
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Iamelise
May 6, 2018 at 1:17 AM
I am loving his haircut here.
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14 dee
April 29, 2018 at 10:27 AM
Surprisingly, interaction between Chae Jung-Ahn and Jang Dong-Gun such a hi-lite of this episode. I love them being together.
And for the first time I see Park Hyung-Shik ain't become young CEO it's kinda refreshing.
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15 Denali
April 29, 2018 at 10:39 AM
So disappointed in Joon-Pyo: has he ditched Geum Jandi after all these years? And how about Ko Sunghee - is she planning to marry a royal family member any time soon irl?
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16 Sweetsammy
April 29, 2018 at 11:05 AM
Its a fix for me! I wanna see PHS but personally no one z a match for gabriel macht as harvey specter! Can we have PHS+Gabriel Macht.... like Patrick Adams has gt a plastic surgery?
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17 하데스
April 29, 2018 at 11:08 AM
@lollypip I might not end up picking this up, but just wanted to say thanks for the commitment to doing the recaps. They are as always, much appreciated.
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18 immawish
April 29, 2018 at 11:22 AM
Yay! I was so surprised that it got recapped and thank you @lollypip for just possibly recapping every show i love hehe.
As much as I'd love to get people to watch the original (because it's amazing tbh) I love that this recap give me perspective of someone who get into it without knowing the original. I mean I had a few small and unnecessary complaint but I guess it's just me comparing both shows and as far as i'm concerned I totally love Suits for getting the base of original shows right while also giving K-drama spices to this show.
And I love that LollyPip is totally down for Kangsuk and Daham on their first scene together bcs damn I've been down for 5 years yet I haven't gotten anything from the original HAHA
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19 Rukia wants melona
April 29, 2018 at 11:27 AM
Thank you, thank you, @lollypip !!
I agree that this started out well. I haven't seen the original either, so I am looking forward to enjoying this from a Korean perspective before watching the original.
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20 Miss Cheeky Chekhovian
April 29, 2018 at 11:51 AM
I haven't seen Park hyung-shik in anything, I don't know how that came to be I'm a pretty average drama watcher. I just want to say he is so beautiful...
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Barbrey
April 29, 2018 at 5:41 PM
And more beautiful in Strong Woman with better hair and I think a tad thinner so his cheekbones and jawline stood out. I enjoyed Strong Woman on the whole but Park Hyung Shik took it to another level with his looks and his lovey dovey eyes. I could watch him watching a woman he loves for hours!
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Miss Cheeky Chekhovian
April 30, 2018 at 8:07 AM
I'm very selective about the dramas I watch and there are certain factors that will influence me to pick a drama(and see it to the end tho, i dropped Switch to watch this. No time) so from what I read about Strong Woman I figured that I wouldn't like it but I've to watch it now because of Park Hyung shik, his looks are on another level. He is gorgeous. Stunning.
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Iamelise
May 6, 2018 at 1:23 AM
PHS was the best thing (maybe the only good thing???) in Hwarang. He practically glowed, as if lit from within.
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Del
April 29, 2018 at 8:28 PM
Even more beautiful in "Hwarang". He could go from the smooth talking "I will be only your man and no one else Jin-heung" to the whacky "I have nothing against hot cop"and made you hyper-ventilating over his charm.
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Miss Cheeky Chekhovian
April 30, 2018 at 8:29 AM
Oh well... Now I have to watch this. I loooove the Hwarang in Queen Seondeok, their looks, valor, loyalty name it and all other words that can describe how awesome they are even when they were been treacherous. So when I read about how horrible their manes were and some other things (I mean in the 'Hwarang') I was like noooo, nothing must spoil the sacred image I have for the Hwarang of Shilla. But at this rate Park hyung shik's charm can make me do anything. Its like I have been hit by the 'thunderbolt'.
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Barbrey
April 30, 2018 at 7:18 PM
Hwarang failed for many of us as a story though. Strong Woman had a mix of genres - I like all of them but they didn't fit together that well - so you could skip through the brutal serial killer bits or the comedic thug bits, not miss much and still adore the romance. Whereas Hwarang kind of missed on all fronts including the romance, in my opinion.
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Miss Cheeky Chekhovian
May 1, 2018 at 1:32 AM
Noted! I will still watch both tho, haa its a serious case of the 'thunderbolt'.
Del
May 1, 2018 at 6:20 AM
Hwarang is a hot mess but I have a soft spot for it because the drama introduced me to PHS. He is the single best thing about Hwarang. Tbh, As much as I like him as CEO Ahn in Strongwoman, up until now I still love him best as Sammaekjong in Hwarang even when the writer decided to destroy his character's arc to evelevate the main lead in the second half. You can choose to skip Hwarang but trust me, PHS is a charmer with genuine talent.
Krystal Anne
May 3, 2018 at 1:29 AM
Hwarang is actually pretty cute and fun in the first few episodes but it totally went downhill towards the second half. It was a hot mess. I don't know what the writer is thinking. Honestly the drama have so much potential. All 6 Hwarang boys have their own story & struggles and if only the writer focuses on that the drama would have been great. But no, the writer totally push and set aside the other Hwarangs storyline and their amazing friendship to focus on the dull and no chemistry love story of the male & female lead. Don't get me wrong I really love Park Seo Joon and I like Go Ara enough but they really have no chemistry. No sparks. They're love story is so dull and boring. Not to mention I didn't really like Ahro (Go Ara's character). If I could rewrite that drama I really wish they focuses on the Hwarangs. I mean the title of the drama is Hwarang after all.
But aside from the script (all fault is on the writer!!), all the cast actually did a great job especially our 6 Hwarangs. They acted their characters well and they have great bromance & chemistry.
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21 Jenmole🍊
April 29, 2018 at 1:12 PM
Thank you @lollypip for the recap! I haven't seen the original version either. I'll definitely be tuning in!
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22 panshel
April 29, 2018 at 2:23 PM
Park Hyung Shik is perfect for this role. "You're fired." Don't play with his emotions like that! Chul Soon is bad news. Yeon Woo needs to stop hanging out with him ASAP, but do they live together? It was frustrating when Yeon Woo stopped in the stairwell to take Joon Pyo's phone call when he ought to have kept running. Of all employees, the cops had to borrow the Employees' of the Month uniforms, pfft. But I loved that sequence of Yeon Woo remembering the employees' pictures and sauna notice in the elevator. My mouth fell open as Yeon Woo's briefcase fell open, and the drugs fell out in front of Kang Seok. I don't think he flushed all the bags down the toilet. I thought he was going to throw the entire briefcase into the sea, but it seems the remaining drugs are still in the briefcase in the subway locker.
Like @LollyPip, I did not watch the original, but I've read many complaints about the ladies not living up to their original counterparts, which is sad because I love Chae Jung Ahn's Da Ham. I already knew Go Sung Hee could never compare to the future Princess of Wales.
As always, Jang Dong Gun owns every character he plays. Did Kang Seok lie to the congressman that he told his father he wanted to be the person playing the game with those cards, since we saw the boy actually chose the Joker? Why are the flashbacks stretched? Thanks for pulling double duty and recapping Suits, @LollyPip!
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23 sal
April 29, 2018 at 3:13 PM
I guess I am weird but i feel uncomfortable about the drug thing. I am kinda surprised that no one comment abut it. I guess consider it is so often in US Show that people have become desensitized to it... but it still ruin people in so many way in real life...
so have yet to watch the show, even tough I like the actors.
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bong-soo
April 29, 2018 at 4:55 PM
Hi @sal. The drugs angle was a very important part of episode one. I thought Yeon-woo's reaction was one of disgust. Yes, he made the choice to deliver that briefcase. The title of episode one is: “Fate is determined by the choices you make, not coincidence.” I don't think we know yet what the consequences for making that choice will be.
One of the reasons I am always grateful for recaps is especially for the early episodes. I miss a lot of little things.
For example. Why did Yeon-woo save the briefcase? Well, @panshel surmises that maybe YW saved some of the drugs.
He put the case into a locker rather than tossing it into the river when he had a chance. I did not make that connection.
I think most would agree with you about the damage drugs have done to families and society.
I don't know if you watched PRISON PLAYBOOK (2017/18)
but you have to have a heart of stone if you did not sympathize with Han-yang (Looney) and his struggle with drugs.
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spazmo
April 29, 2018 at 6:07 PM
i kept thinking "your fingerprints are all over that suitcase!!"... what plan does he have for it later, hmmm....
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PakalanaPikake
May 1, 2018 at 3:02 PM
@spazmo,
I was thinking the same thing about fingerprints and other trace evidence (hair or other DNA sources, fibers, etc.). Or maybe we just haven't seen him wipe it down.
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spazmo
May 1, 2018 at 10:35 PM
and seriously, all that WEED would make the suitcase REEK to high heaven (oh, pun...) even when the undercover cops looked in it...
oh, but... i'm imagining that's how it would be...
*winks*
PakalanaPikake
May 2, 2018 at 10:27 AM
@spazmo May 1, 2018 at 10:35 PM
Har! I hadn't even considered the fragrance of all that imported organic hybrid "oregano" that he was delivering to a picky chef.
That's probably why Kang-seok kept the undercover cops near the door while Yeon-woo stuffed the incriminating evidence under the sofa, which so conveniently had upholstery that went down to the floor.
I'm still not sure why the cops didn't come closer when he opened the briefcase. But they screwed up on other stuff, so why not on getting close enough for a sniff test, too?
Or maybe the dealer uses super duper hermetically triple-sealed packaging? ;-)
dooleygongshil
April 29, 2018 at 6:49 PM
I think that's the point though. It emphasizes that he made bad choices. That his current situation is a bad one. It gives you a contrast that emphasizes how Yeon-woo's life is going to change after he becomes a lawyer, albeit a fake one. Drugs aren't hugely shown in dramas but it makes sense that they left that plot point in. And yes, I do agree perhaps people who watch US shows are desensitized--it is more commonly seen to various degrees. But it was toned down and changed in this drama version. In the original not only does he agree to deliver the briefcase, Mike is see smoking pot and getting high. And then when he get the job with Harvey, he stops. This parallels the general change in his life for the better (although it is based on a lie). So yes, it is an uncomfortable thing and drugs definitely have affected people in heartbreaking ways in real life. But I think you shouldn't let that stop you from watching the show, because I think that they do show drugs and related criminal activity as bad thing in both the original and this Korean drama.
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sal
April 30, 2018 at 4:16 AM
I see your point. It is a good thing they toned it down for this version. yes people make mistakes tough and he also don´t have good people in his life that can guide him. so like you say changing his life gonna do him good. kang seok gonna be the guiding figure he need. understand that :)
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24 blnmom
April 29, 2018 at 3:28 PM
Yay, thank you, LollyPip, as always! I liked this a lot, I didn't see the original either, but to me it actually reminded me of Gentleman's Dignity, which was one of my favorites. Maybe the quick dialogue? Or maybe just Jang Donggun, ha.
I was super impressed by Hyungsik here. I mean, I know he's a good actor, but he had to memorize the legal code he was spouting just like his character. That would take me forever to memorize, and then 100 takes to say it without screwing up.
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bong-soo
April 30, 2018 at 7:03 AM
Hi @blnmom I also like what I have seen so far. PHS's repeating of the legal code was pretty impressive.
(Imaginary scene: Director to PHS: cut, wrong, try again. Take 30...)
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blubluskye
April 30, 2018 at 7:28 AM
There's a Vlive interview of the cast before the premiere, and the cast all chose Hyungsik as the most passionate actor on the filming site. According to them, it's Hyungsik who wants the retake even if the director says "ok" :D
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25 bong-soo
April 29, 2018 at 3:42 PM
Thank you @lollypip for recapping SUITS. Like you I have no knowledge of the original series. Also like you I want to "evaluate this show based on its own merit". I reviewed my viewing history and WHISPER (2017) was the last purely lawyer-legal series I watched which was about a year ago. I won't break my own anti-comparison rule so soon but say I am ready for another lawyer-legal series.
SUITS is the first production of any sort that I have seen Jang Dong-gun. From the little I have seen so far I think I understand the respect this actor has.
I am familiar with Park Hyung-sik only from HWARANG (2016/17) and STRONG WOMEN DO BONG-SOON (2017) and as @dee mentions here he is neither King nor CEO. This part as Go yeon-woo has the potential to be the best role I have seen him in. PHS in this role comes across to me as a struggling young man in today's Korea. Then add on the bike and the haircut (nothing you can do about the face--too fine) and he will be terrific. Early days yet but I am impressed with the whole cast. I am looking forward to future recaps and taking the SUITS ride with my fellow beanies.
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26 dooleygongshil
April 29, 2018 at 5:01 PM
Thanks for the recap! It's interesting to see how people who haven't seen the original view this adaptation, and it seems that many of you haven't. There were many great things about our first two episode but it feels like its missing a little something. I'm optimistic things will pick up next week, but I'm hope for more of a spark and humor between our male leads. I'm trying not to compare too much (it's really hard), but the characters aren't quite what I hoped they would be--and mostly because they are overall more serious and stiff than I expected them to be.
I found LollyPip's interpretation of our male leads to be interesting, because with my lens as a viewer of the original, I saw something quite different. LollyPip writes "Yeon-woo’s genius has shaped his personality. He seems stiff and stand-offish [...] probably as a defense mechanism..." and I found this fascinating because Mike is not this way in the original. This, of course, gave me a bias in my interpretation of Yeon-woo as I found that I missed a lot of Mike's boyish smirks, cockiness and smart-assery in him. Mike's genius clearly shaped him in a different way LOL. I think that this character was likely changed in this way to make him more appealing to Korean audiences. There is something very kdrama about a lead with a defensive walls and a chip on his shoulder due to his own genius.
Likewise, Lollypip says "Kang-seok is [...] entirely straight-faced, but with an undeniable cheekiness underneath the super-serious-lawyer facade" which of course I interpreted as far too straight-faced and serious. Harvey is more pompous and expressive in his unpredictability and arrogant swagger. Perhaps this wouldn't fly in Korea, because maybe he would come across as too much of a disrespectful asshole given the culture?
One thing I do wish they had done was what they had done in the original with it comes to Yeon-woo's friendship with Chul-soo. I don't believe their friendship, they don't feel like friends to me. Why do you let Chul-soo do this to you Yeon-woo!? Trevor was also a terrible person, but you believed more that Mike and him had been long time friends. It makes Mike sympathetic in how he ends up being stupidly convinced into going along with Trevor's schemes to make some dough. It makes sense why he would make these mistakes knowing they were mistakes, because you believe that he cares about Trevor and their friendship, even if he is a crappy friend.
Ultimately I think they did a pretty good job with adapting it. I think many of the changes that were made make sense. Especially given a much different workplace culture. Some of the interactions that happen in the original just wouldn't make sense in a Korean setting. I see that many people thought it was quite similar to the original, but I think it feels different and that's not a bad thing. I look forward to seeing how this show progresses and I hope I can love these characters in their own way...
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Krystal Anne
May 3, 2018 at 1:52 AM
I disagree. I think Trevor is a worse friend that Chulsoo. Trevor is the reason Mike get expelled in the University. The orginal Mike actually is studying law in a University until he get expelled and bad record because of his 'so-called' friend which is why he can't study anymore. Atleast Chulsoo isn't that bad in the K-version which is why Yeonwoo still treat him as a friend. For me the Trevor is way worse than Chulsoo and not a real friend to Mike.
Also lots of people kept wanting them to banter more etc. but they already said they changes this version to Korean standard. Do you really think Knetz and the Korean public would agree to a hoobae answering back to his boss or sunbae like the way Mike do to Harvey?! Knetz would drag this drama and Hyungshik so hard. They would never ever agree for such a disrespect. They value their sunbae-hoobae hierarchy and Korean work culture. This isn't America where that would be okay but even in the Orginal Suits I thought it seems unrealistic at times. I'd rather not Hyungshik and this drama get drag by Knetz if they even so as make Yeonwoo a little rude and disrespectful by answering back.
I can see the effort of the writer though. They try to make them banter but still making Yeowoo respectful and talk in a formal way as to not offend the viewers. They atleast is trying to stay true to the orginal but also staying true to their Korean work culture.
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dooleygongshil
May 3, 2018 at 12:06 PM
Yes, as I mentioned in my original comment, I do see that they changed the interactions given cultural differences, but I still did hope for more levity to be incorporated in some other way. I do realize that seniority and hierarchy are such important parts of the work culture and that Korea is very different in that sense. I agree that we can see the effort of the writer in balancing the source material with something that is true to and representative of Korean culture and Korean audiences. I know much what I felt was missing, was missing for a reason. I was just hoping to see it in some other way. I feel that it's not so much that the banter is missing but that it was surprisingly gloomy and serious overall in comparison. It's not a bad thing, as I'm still going to watch. It's just different.
In regards to Trevor. It's not so much that I think Trevor is a better person than Chulsoo. We haven't really seen enough of Chulsoo yet to really say. Yeonwoo's background is still quite mysterious---we don't actually really know the full extent of his circumstances yet (i.e. why didn't he just go to law school) so I have yet to make judgement on that. For me, it was that I felt like they didn't seem like friends. Trevor and Mike acted more like people who knew each other for a long time and actually like hanging out with each other. Yeonwoo seemed bored and unimpressed, like "why am I here with this guy?"
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27 Hwari
April 29, 2018 at 9:44 PM
Why KBS World don't aired this drama? It same goes with drama Miracle That We Met they only aired until 4th episode when it been put out. No satisfied reason given at all.
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blubluskye
April 30, 2018 at 12:42 AM
@Hwari Ikr. What's up KBS World?
I'm glad I found another source of legal streaming : VIU (sadly it's available to only certain Asian countries)
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28 Eliza Bennet
April 30, 2018 at 1:51 AM
Well it looks like this is an adaptation with a lot of fidelity to the source material.
I liked Suits a lot since it reminded me of the TV shows in the 80s (my teenage years) similar to LA Law etc. It is a fast paced, kind hearted show and I think they did good here.
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29 Nizmy
April 30, 2018 at 2:06 AM
Thank you @lollypip for recapping my two favourite shows, Suits and My Ahjussi :)
I watched a few scenes from original Suits. What can I say that so far both main leads (JDG and PHS) create the new version of harvey n mike. I love if they have kind of bromance like senior and junior instead of friends. Because that is the beautiful culture of korea.
And i love the scene when yeon woo recite all the law like he is reading the book instead speaks like a lawyer.it seems more logical because he remembers the law terms by reading them since he didnt have experience in the court.
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blubluskye
April 30, 2018 at 3:58 AM
I like (and agree with) your observation about how Yeon Woo recites differently than the original Mike. That makes a whole lot of sense. In that sense, I like how the Korean remake stays true to the source material but don't completely imitate it and lose their color.
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30 Amy
April 30, 2018 at 5:28 AM
I like chae jung ah's character hope she will grab a lot of attention through this. I like her eyes and the pretty smile. Seen some comments about her being not living up to the original version. I don't think it is her fault though as the characters are little watered down, It could be to make Jang dong geun's character seem more dominant (for the lack of a better word).
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31 tesshan
April 30, 2018 at 6:42 AM
Thank you for the recap. I as well have never watched Suits...just seen some clips here on British TV now that Meghan Markle is getting married to Harry.
I really like the atmosphere and the witty exchanges.
PHS is exceptional and I am really curious to see how the story progresses. Feel a bit sad about how his friend is dragging him down to an even worst place.
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32 ru.ini.sa
April 30, 2018 at 8:35 AM
I haven't watched the original series but this one feels really interesting! PHS is as great as ever - you can spend whole day looking at his occasionally glittering & almost ever-sad eyes. The plot line is great too. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming episodes.
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33 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
April 30, 2018 at 10:42 AM
Nice to see that our aspiring young actor from Waikiki is still landing roles. I keep imagining him auditioning for this one, Waikiki-style.
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34 jillian
April 30, 2018 at 3:12 PM
Ahhhh you are recapping the show! 😃 i like the show so far and has not seen the original at all. I love PHS and for me he is the heart of the show. JDG's character is really interesting too.
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35 spicykimchi
May 1, 2018 at 5:25 AM
I've seen the original and I'm cautiously optimistic about this *fingers crossed* The banter could use some work, but I'm guessing it's more of a cultural thing and maybe they just need to get used to each other. I'm going to reserve judgement on Da-Ham, who plays Donna's character because I L.O.V.E.D. Donna. Donna was my crack. I need her to have Donna's spunk and I don't think it's there just yet.
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36 korfan
May 1, 2018 at 12:32 PM
Thanks for the recap, LollyPip!
I also haven't seen the original series of this, so I have no preconceived notions about it. It was a good introduction to the characters and I look forward to seeing where we go from here.
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37 PakalanaPikake
May 1, 2018 at 2:51 PM
Thanks again, Lollypip. I came back to reread and refresh my memory of the character introductions.
Did you really, really have to entice me with that reference to NINE: NINE TIME TRAVELS?! One more series for my ever-expanding to-watch list.
I just watched the premiere episode and enjoyed it. Thanks for a great recap. I like what we've seen of the characters so far.
I'm boggled to realize that I first encountered Chae Jung-An (Hong Da-ham) as flighty artist Han Yoo-joo in COFFEE PRINCE. Jin Hee-Kyung (head honcho Kang Ha-yeon) played the grown up Chun-hwa in the 2011 film SUNNY. All that girl power obviously paid off. ;-)
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38 Belle
May 1, 2018 at 7:48 PM
they've really copied the source material, down to the toast truck close to the firm's office building. in the original, it's a bagel cart.
and unless I'm mistaken, they're using the same score from the original! or at least one that sounds very much like it. Suits is one of my favorite American shows and I was expecting a lot from this remake, but it's essentially a carbon copy of the original, only less funny with a less compelling cast. part of the draw of the original Suits is how the script is crisp and witty, but in Korean it's kind of meh. I'll just go back to watching the original, since this remake isn't offering anything new apparently.
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39 Trixie
May 2, 2018 at 7:52 PM
I can’t find this to watch. I have DramaFever and Viki neither of which are carrying Suits. I was really looking forward to it. Where can I watch it?
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stpauligurl
May 2, 2018 at 7:55 PM
try dramacool
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40 Del
May 2, 2018 at 11:12 PM
Comment was deleted
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41 Sam
May 3, 2018 at 11:06 AM
There he is! Hyung Sik Oppa is back! And I'm loving Suits more because he's back!
The first episode had a lot of suspense from the very first scene- I'm guessing it has something to do besides Yeon Woo's fake lawyer thing (or maybe that's just the Suspicious Partner feels when I'm thinking along the lines of 'framed for murder') But this was sure refreshing after my long long spell of drama slump. Will be looking out for more awesome, quirky character developments, cases, dialogues, etc. Oh, not to mention the hot likeness of PHS ...
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42 Nico Ishk
May 30, 2018 at 2:11 AM
Episode was ok, nothing really popped out (I saw the original already).
For me, I think they have the wrong cast, not that the actors/actresses aren't good, I just think that for these roles, they could have found better. I guess it could be a matter of taste.
For example, Harvey would have been better played by either Daniel Henney, Choi Jin-Hyuk or So Ji Sub....
I hope it picks up during Episode 2
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bong-soo
May 30, 2018 at 7:36 AM
Hi @nico-ishk. I hope you hang in there with SUITS. I am totally unfamiliar with the original version so the characters and story are all new to me. I really like this cast but then I am not comparing them to those who originated the roles.
Thankfully @lollypip has been recapping each episode and there is a dedicated bunch of beanies who comment. Join
in. I hope to see your comments.
O/T. Choi Jin-hyuk. One of my favorites and his PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is in my top five list. I will watch anything he is in.
His return from the military drama TUNNEL was great.
Also the director of P&P is directing the current LAWLESS LAWYER with Lee Joon-gi and is terrific. Although not being recapped beanie fans are commenting here:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/02/lee-jun-ki-offered-tvn-legal-action-drama-lawless-attorney/
So Ji-sub. I had not seen any of his work until recently in the feature film BE WITH YOU which I really enjoyed. I can see why he has a lot of fans and at 40 still has tons of charisma. One again I hope you hang in there with SUITS>
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43 Anupama Singh
April 15, 2019 at 6:13 AM
I saw this went back & watched the first episode of American Version of Suits...you know what...this is way better then that...everything is captive...characters...direction...plot (although same )...
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44 Khan
June 16, 2022 at 10:51 AM
Do you think anyone has time to read over all this?
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mindy
June 16, 2022 at 11:03 AM
Do you not know what a recap is…?
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bong-soo
June 16, 2022 at 11:30 AM
Really!
Thanks @mindy. You made my day lol!
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45 pohonphee
June 16, 2023 at 7:14 AM
Park Hyung-shik 😍 I'm marathoning this now ha ha
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