I’m only four episodes into Live and it’s already begging to fly towards the top of my favorites list.
Honestly, I’m kind of offended that no one ever really recommended this drama to me directly. It was on my to-watch list because of the high praises I’d seen people give it, but no one ever said, “Hey Mindy, you HAVE to watch Live, you’d love it!”, because YOU GUYS, this is exactly the type of show that I adore! I really regret not watching it while it was airing!
After the first episode, I was hesitant as to how the show would make me feel for these police officers given the state of law enforcement here in the US. However, learning more about how the police work in Korea (and how glaringly different some of their rules and procedures are to the US) is so fascinating to me. One of the main reasons I will always be more open to Korean crime dramas over American crime dramas is that in Korea, the corruption and abuse of power rife within the system is always addressed, and is often a central theme. They dig deep into it and, while the shows of course want us to connect to and feel for the protagonists, the level of “copaganda” is no where near what we see in American media. We see these individual officers as whole, three-dimensional people, but we also see the grossly evident deficiencies of the system as a whole. There are things in this show that make me raise an eyebrow, but I think, for the most part, they’re supposed to.
Even completely disregarding the police backdrop, I’m already in awe of the writing in this show. The characters and their situations are so complex, and my feelings about each of them are even more so. This show makes me feel conflicted. It makes me feel stressed out. Sometimes, it makes me feel a little sick. But I love it. None of the violence is ever gratuitous, and the subject matters are handled as sensitively as I think they can be while still delivering an incredible impact and showing the complexity of it all.
Sometimes when I fall in love with a show this early it makes me worried. It’s rare that this level of affection and emotion that a show draws out of me can be sustained throughout its run, but I have a feeling Live will be one of the ones to do it. I believe in you, show! I can’t wait for these next 14 episodes. Let’s go!
Live is in my top ten list. You will love it even MORE as you go further.
2018 was a drama bumper year with four top notch productions – My Ajusshi, Live, Life on Mars, and Life. I remember Live and My Ajusshi were released in TVN around similar time. As I started Live first, I loved it so much and felt the need to be loyal to it that I wouldn’t start My Ajusshi despite reading all the praises for the latter. That tells you how I feel about Live. Someone mentioned it’s like Hill Street Blue (if you are old enough to know this US series).
I am a fan of Jung Yumi and she’s terrific in everything I’ve seen her in – but her character and story here in Live is much, much darker. I applaud her for picking up this project and then turn her role in a memorable one.
But, Live turns me into a fan of the two Bae’s – Bae Sung-woo and Bae Jong-ok. They are front and centre anchoring this human tale with our emotion rising and falling with theirs.
Certainly a superb piece penned by Noh Hee-kyung. I only just finished her My Dear Friends that has been been on my to-watch-list for a while – and it’s definitely worth my 20 hours. Go for that one after Live.
Well you are missing out imo! I think that LBY is a great actress in dramatic fare, plus she’s an elegant beauty. Oh well, different strokes for different folks!
No dispute, I agree Lee Bo-young is an elegant beauty and a hard working actress.
I’ve watched numerous of her works over the years from “Save the Last Dance for me” as the 2nd FL (and where she met her real life boyfriend and then husband Ji Sung) to her star-making turn in “My Daughter Seo Young” and some recent ones. Occasionally, I’d rewatch MDSY because it’s a good family drama with interesting characters and subplots.
Somehow, I don’t think her acting has moved beyond her MDSY performance. She’s not someone I’d follow so to speak but if a good script plus other great cast comes along, I may watch.
2018 was a good drama year. Live got good ratings and received critical praise, but unfortunately, kind of got overshadowed by the other dramas that year.
Dear My Friends is exceptionally good, especially with its theme and a stellar cast of veterans. The kind of story that will stay with you for a long, long time.
You must have never seen @cloggie and me fangirling hard about this show. It’s hard to really recommend this one because it is so gritty and gets way dark at times. It’s unapologetic in its depictions of human trafficking, abuse, and homicide, and these are topics many people would rather not see in their evening television, but the relationships are worth It. This is where we discussed it while live watching LIVE. Lots of intelligent conversation here between @hades, @pikalanapikake, @cloggie and others. https://www.dramabeans.com/2017/11/noh-hee-kyungs-live-recruits-shin-dong-wook-as-loyal-policeman/
True, but one reason I didn’t watch mother at the same time was because LIVE was so heavy. I think I would have needed an antidepressant if I saw both!
Wow, you are almost convincing me to watch this! I have a lot of trouble with cop-focused shows because like 90% of my job is literally suing law enforcement, so…yeah. I can do k-drama procedurals where it’s detective work rather than actual police work because it’s so different from what I deal with, but it still can get to me, which is why I don’t watch more of them. I do appreciate, as you said, that dramas tend to focus on the corruption and injustice, which makes it easier too.
I remember hearing good things about Live and loving the cast but the cop thing got to me and I never tried it. I’ve been in this field (on and off) for so long that I know my views are biased. Honestly, the state of American law enforcement is a large reason I needed to drop most of my American shows back in the day because I can’t deal with the copaganda (my one holdout, weirdly, is B99, because that show is very self-aware). But hearing you say it’s good makes me want to reconsider it…
If any cop-focused show could make you get over your bias, I think this one would be it!
I was watching B99 as it was airing, and the most recent season ended right before this year’s wave of protests started. I’ll be interested to see what changes the show makes for its next season, and how it will go about addressing the current discourse. I really loved the show but I’m not sure if I could still watch it unless they really do a good job with this next season.
I actually am really looking forward to see what the new season does, since apparently they had 4 episodes written in June but decided to bin them entirely in order to regroup after the protests started, and work to actively address the systemic issues in policing head on. I am extremely curious as to what that B99 will look like.
I also have been re-watching B99 because it’s what me and my mom watch together. We’re on season 6 now and it’s pretty good overall, in the sense that it does touch a lot on cultural issues and is well aware of the issues with police; the episode where Terry got profiled was great, if a bit ham-handed. And Captain Holt often talks about how his goal is to change the NYPD and its policies from within, which I really appreciate (though I roll my eyes too because never gonna happen in the real world; an officer like Holt would have left NYPD IRL), and suspect that the show will be digging into this more this year.
Again, a large part of the reason B99 is watchable to me is because it focuses on detective work rather than your day-to-day uniformed officers, which who I usually deal with. I do think that the fact that the majority of the cast are POC helps – but again it also speaks to a “whitewashing” of the actual issues in policing in America on TV. My experience has been that the race of an officer has nothing to do with their behavior – it is entirely an “us versus them” mindset that officers have. Which is terrifying when you think about the fact that their job is supposed to be to protect and serve. I can’t watch any sort of straight procedural anymore because I tend to get angry at the righteousness of the characters because it is such bullshit (I am not a fan of prosecutors – spare me the stories of their heroism).
Ooh, great points btw! I haven’t seen Live, but I’ll say that S.K addresses issues regarding police enforcement and shows how they are corrupt and etc. Which makes me feel better about watching these type of shows than NCIS type of shows in the U.S due to copaganda/current social events in the U.S.
Korea went through a P.R cleanse with cops, (see the cute mascots they’ve for police officers). There are moments that make me eyebrow raise too, but the self-awareness in regards to law enforcers in K-dramas for the most part makes it easier for me to digest them than American shows that portray cops in a wholesome/one dimensional matter.
mindy
October 13, 2020 at 9:08 PM
I’m only four episodes into Live and it’s already begging to fly towards the top of my favorites list.
Honestly, I’m kind of offended that no one ever really recommended this drama to me directly. It was on my to-watch list because of the high praises I’d seen people give it, but no one ever said, “Hey Mindy, you HAVE to watch Live, you’d love it!”, because YOU GUYS, this is exactly the type of show that I adore! I really regret not watching it while it was airing!
After the first episode, I was hesitant as to how the show would make me feel for these police officers given the state of law enforcement here in the US. However, learning more about how the police work in Korea (and how glaringly different some of their rules and procedures are to the US) is so fascinating to me. One of the main reasons I will always be more open to Korean crime dramas over American crime dramas is that in Korea, the corruption and abuse of power rife within the system is always addressed, and is often a central theme. They dig deep into it and, while the shows of course want us to connect to and feel for the protagonists, the level of “copaganda” is no where near what we see in American media. We see these individual officers as whole, three-dimensional people, but we also see the grossly evident deficiencies of the system as a whole. There are things in this show that make me raise an eyebrow, but I think, for the most part, they’re supposed to.
Even completely disregarding the police backdrop, I’m already in awe of the writing in this show. The characters and their situations are so complex, and my feelings about each of them are even more so. This show makes me feel conflicted. It makes me feel stressed out. Sometimes, it makes me feel a little sick. But I love it. None of the violence is ever gratuitous, and the subject matters are handled as sensitively as I think they can be while still delivering an incredible impact and showing the complexity of it all.
Sometimes when I fall in love with a show this early it makes me worried. It’s rare that this level of affection and emotion that a show draws out of me can be sustained throughout its run, but I have a feeling Live will be one of the ones to do it. I believe in you, show! I can’t wait for these next 14 episodes. Let’s go!
Ah, did I mention how much I adore the OST?
Oh, and Jeong-o is a badass.
diniyuukie
October 13, 2020 at 11:41 PM
The OSTs are icing on the cake! It makes everything better ❤️
Ally
October 14, 2020 at 4:58 AM
100% agree! I still play the OST!
mindy
October 14, 2020 at 6:17 AM
I wish they would’ve released a full OST with the English songs as well!
Ally
October 14, 2020 at 8:50 PM
I have some on my Spotify live playlist. Lol.
diniyuukie
October 15, 2020 at 11:26 PM
i feel like they released the whole ost album on spotify but i need to check again.
Beverly
October 13, 2020 at 11:42 PM
This has been on my to watch list for awhile.
mindy
October 14, 2020 at 6:17 AM
We seem to have similar taste, Bev, so definitely put it on your list!
PYC
October 14, 2020 at 4:53 AM
Live is in my top ten list. You will love it even MORE as you go further.
2018 was a drama bumper year with four top notch productions – My Ajusshi, Live, Life on Mars, and Life. I remember Live and My Ajusshi were released in TVN around similar time. As I started Live first, I loved it so much and felt the need to be loyal to it that I wouldn’t start My Ajusshi despite reading all the praises for the latter. That tells you how I feel about Live. Someone mentioned it’s like Hill Street Blue (if you are old enough to know this US series).
I am a fan of Jung Yumi and she’s terrific in everything I’ve seen her in – but her character and story here in Live is much, much darker. I applaud her for picking up this project and then turn her role in a memorable one.
But, Live turns me into a fan of the two Bae’s – Bae Sung-woo and Bae Jong-ok. They are front and centre anchoring this human tale with our emotion rising and falling with theirs.
Certainly a superb piece penned by Noh Hee-kyung. I only just finished her My Dear Friends that has been been on my to-watch-list for a while – and it’s definitely worth my 20 hours. Go for that one after Live.
Meanwhile, I’m in my drama slump after FoS2……
mindy
October 14, 2020 at 6:19 AM
“2018 was a drama bumper year with four top notch productions – My Ajusshi, Live, Life on Mars, and Life.”
You’re forgetting Mother! Mother, Live, and My Ajusshi all overlapped on tvN at the beginning of 2018. Amazing.
PYC
October 14, 2020 at 6:57 AM
Unfortunately, I am no fan of Lee Bo Young whose acting is the same no matter what role she plays. No intention to watch Mother, sorry.
soulsearch12
October 15, 2020 at 7:00 PM
Well you are missing out imo! I think that LBY is a great actress in dramatic fare, plus she’s an elegant beauty. Oh well, different strokes for different folks!
mindy
October 15, 2020 at 7:03 PM
100% agree!
Mother is one of the most perfect dramas I’ve ever seen
PYC
October 18, 2020 at 2:23 AM
No dispute, I agree Lee Bo-young is an elegant beauty and a hard working actress.
I’ve watched numerous of her works over the years from “Save the Last Dance for me” as the 2nd FL (and where she met her real life boyfriend and then husband Ji Sung) to her star-making turn in “My Daughter Seo Young” and some recent ones. Occasionally, I’d rewatch MDSY because it’s a good family drama with interesting characters and subplots.
Somehow, I don’t think her acting has moved beyond her MDSY performance. She’s not someone I’d follow so to speak but if a good script plus other great cast comes along, I may watch.
miss h
October 14, 2020 at 8:46 AM
2018 was a good drama year. Live got good ratings and received critical praise, but unfortunately, kind of got overshadowed by the other dramas that year.
Dear My Friends was excellent too.
PYC
October 18, 2020 at 2:25 AM
Dear My Friends is exceptionally good, especially with its theme and a stellar cast of veterans. The kind of story that will stay with you for a long, long time.
Ally
October 14, 2020 at 5:14 AM
You must have never seen @cloggie and me fangirling hard about this show. It’s hard to really recommend this one because it is so gritty and gets way dark at times. It’s unapologetic in its depictions of human trafficking, abuse, and homicide, and these are topics many people would rather not see in their evening television, but the relationships are worth It. This is where we discussed it while live watching LIVE. Lots of intelligent conversation here between @hades, @pikalanapikake, @cloggie and others. https://www.dramabeans.com/2017/11/noh-hee-kyungs-live-recruits-shin-dong-wook-as-loyal-policeman/
Here was my 2018 end of year review with it. It was never published here, but on my blog. https://freethekimchi.wordpress.com/2019/01/05/when-you-cant-ignore-life-because-of-kdramas/
mindy
October 14, 2020 at 6:21 AM
I probably saw you guys, but again, I only SAW other people praise it! No one recommended it to me! 😛
And hey, I was watching Mother at this time, and I recommend it to everyone despite the heavy subject matter! No excuses, Ally! 😂
Ally
October 14, 2020 at 10:19 AM
True, but one reason I didn’t watch mother at the same time was because LIVE was so heavy. I think I would have needed an antidepressant if I saw both!
Cloggie
October 14, 2020 at 1:08 PM
It’s a masterpiece. And I don’t say that very often
miss h
October 14, 2020 at 9:48 AM
The OST was so good.
I hope you love it until the end. I did. I’ve gone back and re-watched the last arc a time or two. The drama packs such a punch.
SnarkyJellyfish
October 14, 2020 at 1:20 PM
Wow, you are almost convincing me to watch this! I have a lot of trouble with cop-focused shows because like 90% of my job is literally suing law enforcement, so…yeah. I can do k-drama procedurals where it’s detective work rather than actual police work because it’s so different from what I deal with, but it still can get to me, which is why I don’t watch more of them. I do appreciate, as you said, that dramas tend to focus on the corruption and injustice, which makes it easier too.
I remember hearing good things about Live and loving the cast but the cop thing got to me and I never tried it. I’ve been in this field (on and off) for so long that I know my views are biased. Honestly, the state of American law enforcement is a large reason I needed to drop most of my American shows back in the day because I can’t deal with the copaganda (my one holdout, weirdly, is B99, because that show is very self-aware). But hearing you say it’s good makes me want to reconsider it…
mindy
October 14, 2020 at 1:25 PM
If any cop-focused show could make you get over your bias, I think this one would be it!
I was watching B99 as it was airing, and the most recent season ended right before this year’s wave of protests started. I’ll be interested to see what changes the show makes for its next season, and how it will go about addressing the current discourse. I really loved the show but I’m not sure if I could still watch it unless they really do a good job with this next season.
SnarkyJellyfish
October 14, 2020 at 4:23 PM
I actually am really looking forward to see what the new season does, since apparently they had 4 episodes written in June but decided to bin them entirely in order to regroup after the protests started, and work to actively address the systemic issues in policing head on. I am extremely curious as to what that B99 will look like.
I also have been re-watching B99 because it’s what me and my mom watch together. We’re on season 6 now and it’s pretty good overall, in the sense that it does touch a lot on cultural issues and is well aware of the issues with police; the episode where Terry got profiled was great, if a bit ham-handed. And Captain Holt often talks about how his goal is to change the NYPD and its policies from within, which I really appreciate (though I roll my eyes too because never gonna happen in the real world; an officer like Holt would have left NYPD IRL), and suspect that the show will be digging into this more this year.
Again, a large part of the reason B99 is watchable to me is because it focuses on detective work rather than your day-to-day uniformed officers, which who I usually deal with. I do think that the fact that the majority of the cast are POC helps – but again it also speaks to a “whitewashing” of the actual issues in policing in America on TV. My experience has been that the race of an officer has nothing to do with their behavior – it is entirely an “us versus them” mindset that officers have. Which is terrifying when you think about the fact that their job is supposed to be to protect and serve. I can’t watch any sort of straight procedural anymore because I tend to get angry at the righteousness of the characters because it is such bullshit (I am not a fan of prosecutors – spare me the stories of their heroism).
dee23
October 14, 2020 at 4:14 PM
I am at ep 1 for the last 2 weeks but not dropping it… just pacing myself. It gets too dark, too real very quick.
frabbycrabsis loves KBS Drama Specials
October 15, 2020 at 3:56 PM
The OST is so gorgeous!
You’ve got the smile I wanna see, you’ve got the heart to carry me~
soulsearch12
October 15, 2020 at 6:52 PM
Ooh, great points btw! I haven’t seen Live, but I’ll say that S.K addresses issues regarding police enforcement and shows how they are corrupt and etc. Which makes me feel better about watching these type of shows than NCIS type of shows in the U.S due to copaganda/current social events in the U.S.
Korea went through a P.R cleanse with cops, (see the cute mascots they’ve for police officers). There are moments that make me eyebrow raise too, but the self-awareness in regards to law enforcers in K-dramas for the most part makes it easier for me to digest them than American shows that portray cops in a wholesome/one dimensional matter.
poliwag
October 17, 2020 at 5:10 PM
I loved Live so much. Yangchon is just me, and I wrote an entire piece about it (I will never shut up about this), I’m glad you’re getting into it 😀