Consensus: Disappointed but not surprised, to be honest.

I didn’t find the execution of its final ideas and plot points to be that smart or interesting, I consistently felt cheated out of interesting emotional moments for multiple reasons (mainly they just didn’t have the set up), Ji Hyuk’s motivations seemed to flit in the last two episodes especially, but never really felt enough focused in the first place for his character to work outside of NGM’s acting. Je Yi, and Ji Hyuk’s relationship with Je Yi, could’ve been so much more interesting and compelling but just consistently wasn’t. None of the supporting characters except for the ones that… died early were that interesting either. Plot holes, convenient plot devices and heavy exposition dragged the rest of it down.

And then we end with Sangmuhoe being revealed super easily despite the extra-convoluted mess we waded through all show to get here.

(also this might not be much of an issue for viewers so much, but why did the violence suddenly get toned WAY down in the latter half…)

I feel like this show could’ve been a lot better and a lot stronger, and it’s a shame because NGM was 🔥 and there were parts with a lot of potential. But overall, it feels like it either chickened out, got cut off at the knees or simply just never had enough intent/guts to begin with, to end well.

It's over.

The story wasn't very appealing and the characters neither. A lot of twists were predictable. I liked NGM in this role but even if his character could have been better written.

I'm kinda sorry for NGM, he worked hard for those muscles, but I think he could have done the same without it. It's not like there were so many action scenes that requested them. At the end, he was more investigating like a cop than doing missions.

In the same style, I think IRIS let me a better impresison.

I think the reason Ji-hyuk had to erase his memories is because with those painful memories he couldn't function properly. He had to erase those memories of the past year as a sort of reset on himself so he could investigate properly. With the memories of his failed mission, he wouldn't be able to find the mole. That's why he told himself to find the mole before the final video was revealed and before he regained his memories because once he did, he would become overwhelmed again, which is exactly what happened. The show sort of dragged in the middle and I can't believe they killed a certain character off so early in the show, but I stayed for Namgoong Min and he did not disappoint. That man is all kinds of delicious!

I thought last week there would a Western show down between JHJ and BMS and it did arrive at the bank rooftop but through several unnecessary plot manipulations which made the ending feel anti-climatic. Namkoong Min clearly carried the show but his character’s psychological choices were convoluted in a story with too many conflicting layers.

BMS' final master plot really made no sense: destroy 25% of SK banking/economy or kill 33 people. If he was angry and vengeful against the agency or the politicians who used the agency to their personal gain, he should have taken out those prime targets as a super spy would have done. For a cunning spy, BMS' final bout of madness motivation of terrorism made no real sense.

I really did not think the mystery puzzle fit very well. Part of the problem was the unreliable, memory "erased" narrator but who was able to send messages to his future self. If he could not trust anyone or anything, how could he make proper conclusions. He was trailing throughout the series but got to make his heroic speech. Part of the problem was the unbelievability that there was no checks, balances or accountability in the writer's NIS immoral world. You really had no one to really root for - - - HJH became a cartoon action hero surviving a hail storm of bullets on a weekly basis.

As with many dramas this year, I come away thinking The Veil could have been better. If you wanted to make a base, bloodfest kung fu series, OK fine. If you wanted to make a spy thriller, fine, make it simple and logical. If you wanted to make it an odd couple justice story, OK but don't make them look, feel and act like strangers waiting in and ATM line.

NM is being touted for Best Actor for his role. His expressions and emotions were muted because of lack of depth in his character development.

This show was all over the place plot wise. And yet, I really liked it lol. Big plus, Namgoong Min. This guy is a top A actor, he held this show together. That said, Kim Ji-eun more than held her own. I'm glad she trusted and believed Ji-hyuk all the way, and she was a smart character. Not into the dasmel in distress scenes (2 of them), but I appreciate her cool and stable nature here. Poor Park Ha Sun though, she just got the short end of the stick here :( (I hope the spinoff does her better).

For me, the plot went from this guy discovering his identity again, and then delved into other subplots, and then another. The last episode gave me a lot Die Hard 1 vibes, with the counterterrorist holding people hostage inside. The villain had a sad arc, kinda like Bucky the Winter soldier brainwashing vibes. Nice Eric Clapton usage here!!

Kinda thought we were going to get some Baska (Heartless City) ending, that was ambiguous. Really liked how they clarified that Jihyuk was able to heal, and go back to work. Fell like they were going for a Stranger S1 ending, in terms of exposing the lies of the NIS, but hoping to fix the system from within. Even more recent, Devil's Judge also had a similar ending with our ML finishing up his duties, and coming out of it with a regained perspective on his life/work.

Big props, no women expect one was killed! Low bar, but thank god!! Also, action scenes were well directed. Loved that I could clearly see the action scenes, and NGM doing it himself (or most of it). One the Woman's action scenes are so poorly directed, (But Good Casting's PD does a bad job w/ shaky cam/tight shots). Its ironic b/c the PD for The Veil was shown when Park Ha Sun was on Managers (K-variety show), and the PD was very energetic and playful, but he did a great job w/ the action scenes!!

Ending gives me S2 vibes. Overall, some quibbles, but I wanted a straight up action/thriller show, with a bad ass lead, and I got that. Bonus points for it being 12 episodes, it didn't drag that much in that regards. Seriously, so over all these 16 episodes show with 1 hr + runtimes that drag on.

Episode 11. We are at the memorial service. One of the navy servicemen who died is Deputy Director Do’s son.
Viki translates her son’s rank as a ‘Private’. I say to my self, “really, a private in the navy? Let me jump over to Kocowa and see how they translate his rank. Kocowa has him as an ‘Ensign’. Myself: “that’s more like it.
Note to Viki: you really should review Deputy Director Do’s ‘eulogy’ in episode 11. It is a mess.

i loved NGM! he made the show for me. the cast did a great job but he is the star! he can act out any story and make me believe it

Thanks for all Star Wars references, because while I was watching I was repeating myself "Here we go, Skywalker again". The way JeYi (a character I never liked and who had as many plot holes as the plot itself) repeated "I know my dad is still in him" made me think she wasn't referring The Force enough.

Anyway, I can't add much to what all you have said, this drama could have been better but it wasn't, but I watched and enjoyed because of NGM's acting. He's just overwhelmingly good. I think him and CSW are the actors I most admire in dramaland. They can carry a drama on their shoulders even if it's a mess.

I have been trying to get my thought together about THE VEIL and it has been kind of tough. I was really looking forward to Namgoong Min and THE VEIL. Initially NGM’s caveman pics gave me pause but I decided to take the plunge.
The first 3-4 episodes were awesome (violent- especially episode 3) but awesome. Maybe the great car chase scenes in episodes 2 and 3 and MGM’s physicality led me to expect that for the entire drama.
I agree with many of the beanie comments above.

(O/T I remember at the conclusion of NGM’s DOCTOR PRISONER (2019) (Viki US) (5 stars) thinking, “Wow”! NGM had great nemeses in Kim Byung-chul and Choi Won-young. The story went back and forth to see who would get the upper hand. Tremendous writing.)

Well at the end of THE VEIL I didn’t get that same feeling.
NGM was terrific but I don’t think he really needed to bulk up like he did.