I just finished watching ‘Life’ because I needed more Lee Dong Wook in my life.
This drama is a total gem and I loved every second of it.
The drama writer is the same as Forest of Secrets and it most defenitly shows in narrative style and its mood. Also in both dramas Jo Seoung Woo (our dear Prosecuter Hwang Shi Mok) has a leading role although here he plays more of an antagonist. I have the odd feeling that both his characters are somewhat the same just instead of being devoted to upholding the law he is devoted to this huge conglomerate he works for in this one.
All characters are wonderfully complex and relatable even the baddies and there is no snow white character here either. Even the characters you root for have their flaws and selfish motives.
The hospital setting gives this drama a different feel and stakes from the usual crime drama. The medical stuff was kept to a minimum because the story focus is the struggle between the new conglomerate owners of the hospital and the fight of the hosptal staff to keep health care accessable to all people not just the super rich. I enjoyed the story complexity (I was lost after the first episode to be honest but the execution of the drama drew me in regardless) and most especially the character study that this drama at its core represnts.
This drama is now officially among my new favorites.
Sometimes being shallow pays of in dramaland because I never would have started this if it wasn’t for Lee Dong Wook.
I like how the writer totally changed track to develop Life after the critical success of her maiden work in FoS. While still a piece of social commentary on corporate priorities vs professionalism, it has been most successful in delivering a whole raft of interesting, three dimensional and memorable characters despite seemingly without a central plot. And you can have different interpretations of the title “Life” – not least medically related in my view.
I live-watched it and haven’t done any rewatch but almost all the major characters are still so vivid in my mind – and that said a lot about the script that created those characters and the spot on acting of the cast. And I have a lot of favorites:
– The dapper and boldly ambitious CEO played by Jo Seung-woo who is however a nobody once back home in front of his parents. What a far away world from that of Huang Shi-mok.
– The super capable and perceptive secretary played by Yeom Hye-ran. We need more people like her in the workplace.
– The Lee Dong-wook and Lee Kyu-Hyung (!) brothers.
– Moon So-ri’s neurology head whose arc from being indifferent to smart manoeuvring is among the most impressive subplot that I like.
– Yoo Jae-myung’s low profile and quiet turn right after his alpha portrayal of Lee Chang-joon.
– The organ donation coordinator who has the most unenviable job in the hospital. Well done, Tae In-ho.
If to be real picky, Won Jin-ah is miscast or she’s not quite ready to deliver what’s required in her role. And to a certain extent, Lee Dong-wook fails to land effectively as the protagonist here (and sorry for this opinion as you are obviously his fan).
This show is on my top ten of all times. I always say it’s a drama in which nothing really happens, so I get why many people can find it boring. I was totally invested in the story and the characters. All of them.
My favourite will always be Secretary Kang. This drama marked my eternal devotion to Yum Hye Ran.
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peachnita
October 28, 2020 at 3:04 AM
I just finished watching ‘Life’ because I needed more Lee Dong Wook in my life.
This drama is a total gem and I loved every second of it.
The drama writer is the same as Forest of Secrets and it most defenitly shows in narrative style and its mood. Also in both dramas Jo Seoung Woo (our dear Prosecuter Hwang Shi Mok) has a leading role although here he plays more of an antagonist. I have the odd feeling that both his characters are somewhat the same just instead of being devoted to upholding the law he is devoted to this huge conglomerate he works for in this one.
All characters are wonderfully complex and relatable even the baddies and there is no snow white character here either. Even the characters you root for have their flaws and selfish motives.
The hospital setting gives this drama a different feel and stakes from the usual crime drama. The medical stuff was kept to a minimum because the story focus is the struggle between the new conglomerate owners of the hospital and the fight of the hosptal staff to keep health care accessable to all people not just the super rich. I enjoyed the story complexity (I was lost after the first episode to be honest but the execution of the drama drew me in regardless) and most especially the character study that this drama at its core represnts.
This drama is now officially among my new favorites.
Sometimes being shallow pays of in dramaland because I never would have started this if it wasn’t for Lee Dong Wook.
PYC
October 28, 2020 at 6:53 AM
Life is indeed a gem.
I like how the writer totally changed track to develop Life after the critical success of her maiden work in FoS. While still a piece of social commentary on corporate priorities vs professionalism, it has been most successful in delivering a whole raft of interesting, three dimensional and memorable characters despite seemingly without a central plot. And you can have different interpretations of the title “Life” – not least medically related in my view.
I live-watched it and haven’t done any rewatch but almost all the major characters are still so vivid in my mind – and that said a lot about the script that created those characters and the spot on acting of the cast. And I have a lot of favorites:
– The dapper and boldly ambitious CEO played by Jo Seung-woo who is however a nobody once back home in front of his parents. What a far away world from that of Huang Shi-mok.
– The super capable and perceptive secretary played by Yeom Hye-ran. We need more people like her in the workplace.
– The Lee Dong-wook and Lee Kyu-Hyung (!) brothers.
– Moon So-ri’s neurology head whose arc from being indifferent to smart manoeuvring is among the most impressive subplot that I like.
– Yoo Jae-myung’s low profile and quiet turn right after his alpha portrayal of Lee Chang-joon.
– The organ donation coordinator who has the most unenviable job in the hospital. Well done, Tae In-ho.
If to be real picky, Won Jin-ah is miscast or she’s not quite ready to deliver what’s required in her role. And to a certain extent, Lee Dong-wook fails to land effectively as the protagonist here (and sorry for this opinion as you are obviously his fan).
Eazal
October 28, 2020 at 2:30 PM
This show is on my top ten of all times. I always say it’s a drama in which nothing really happens, so I get why many people can find it boring. I was totally invested in the story and the characters. All of them.
My favourite will always be Secretary Kang. This drama marked my eternal devotion to Yum Hye Ran.