Incarnation of Money

Synopsis:

It is a story of a man who witnessed a crime done to his family when he was a child but lost his memory after an accident. So, he grew up in an orphanage, however, he was able to study law due to a benefactor, who was responsible for his accident, thus he became one of the brightest prosecutor of Korea. His name is Lee Cha Don, whom later became Lee Kang Suk. Ji Se Kwang became his mentor but unbeknownst to him is the perpetrator of the crime done against him. As he learns about his past, he devised a plan to seek revenge against the people who destroyed his family.

Characters:

Kang Ji Hwan as Lee Cha Don | Lee Kang Suk
Park Ji Bin as Younger Cha Don | Kang Suk
Hwang Jung Eum as Bok Jae In
Seo Shin Ae as Younger Jae In
Park Sang Min as Ji Se Kwang
Choi Yeo Jin as Jun Ji Hoo
Oh Yoon Ah as Eun Bi Ryung
Kim Soo Mi as Bok Hwa Sool
Park Soon Chun as Park Ki Soon
Lee Ki Young as Kwon Jae Kyu
Jung Eun Pyo as Hwang Jang Shik
Lee Seung Hyung as Go Ho
Yang Hyung Wook as Yang Goo Shik
Kim Hak Chul as Jung Hae Ryong
Choi Jin Ho as Lee Kwan Soo
Do Ji Han as Kwon Hyuk
Lee Byung Joon as Jo Sang Deuk
Yoon Yong Hyun as Kim Pal Do
Joo Hyun as Lee Joong Man
Lee Ji Hyun as Hong Ja Mong
Go In Bum as Lee Cha Don’s Uncle
Seo Dong Gyoon as Secretary Seo
Cha Ji Hun as Detective Kang
Jo Woo Jin
Song Kyung Chul as Gentleman of Jingogae
No Hyung Wook as Bok Jae In’s Math Tutor on Episode 3
Lee Han Wie as Plastic Surgeon on Episode 5
Lee Moon Shik as Park So Tae on Episode 9
Kim Byung Ok as Nursing Home Director on Episode 11
Choi Jong Ryool as Ji Man Ho on Episode 15
Kim Kwang In as Yellow Sea Credit Union’s Major Stakeholder
Maeng Bong Hak (맹봉학) as Yellow Sea Credit Union’s Major Stakeholder
Choi Sang Hoon as Jun Hoon

My Review:

So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?

Once in awhile I want a different pace of K-Drama. After so much romcom no matter how great they are, I get a bit tired of almost similar plots especially during those years where stories almost runs the same. So, I did my typical browsing on my favorite blog review sites to see what else I can watch that has a different style and genre. Commonly they wrote the same recommendations regarding this drama. It sounds interesting enough, so, I checked it out. The reviews were right that the first 3 episodes indeed is the background history laid out for the audience, so, you’ll know the backbone of the plot. And, what a story it is! This is the first K-Dramas I’ve seen that did deal with the cruel realities of life…more so on who we are as people.

(1) As it depicts the story, it mainly raises the question…what’s your price? I guess, no matter how one denies that they have a price…everyone do have one…including myself. It may not be money but what’s important to us. Not only that this K-Drama raises that question but it gets deeper to the philosophical question, can this price truly can change even one’s deep sense of morality? Such provocative thoughts that this K-Drama was able to incite in my head. I guess, when one have live long enough like I do, unfortunately, you really get to meet some people that can make you distrust to the very core about people per se. They are living in a mask of image in goodness, generosity and success. Yet, they will sell you in a heart beat if they feel you will endanger their existence and image to society. And, this K-drama depicts exactly that kind of humanity. Wherein we judge each other as far as only what we can see. If a person is religious, one must be good. If a person is giving to charity, one must be generous. If a person is rich, one must be successful. But, do we ever even think that what meets the eye may probably what’s not actually is? And, this is exactly why I like about this K-drama, it shows different persona and human behaviours and shakes you up out of your naivety.

(2) All the actors in this K-Drama even from the smallest supporting roles provided justice to their characters. Both the main characters and the villains are not pegged like the typical characters we get to see in a lot of dramas wherein the good is all good and the bad is all bad. The main male character here is not squeaky clean that we tend to expect for a leading man. And, even the original victim is not someone one would feel pity for being murdered. I actually felt he deserves to be murdered. But, as abhorrent he is like for real, a person is not just a single facet because on the flip side he was sort of a good father. As I’ve said, what I love about this K-Drama is that all characters are truly multifaceted, hence, you feel they are real. This is one of the reasons why this K-Drama is worthy of my time to watched.

(3) It is almost flawless in its execution, writing and delivery. There’s no time for one to be bored or be tempted to fast forward it. However, I must admit after the 10th episode I can’t wait to see what happens that I ended up watching the last episode, so, I can finally go to sleep and watched it backwards so I don’t have to feel the angst of finding out the punishment rendered to all the villains behind the crime and be able to savour in a relaxing mood each episode as it unfolds. Truly guilty as charge of cheating and watching the ending first. My limit for K-Dramas these days is up to 20 episodes and this is a 24 episode drama. Too long for me already to watch it straight as I still have to eat, sleep and work in between.

What I do Not Like About this K-Drama?
This K-Drama though is not perfect, however, it has very little flaws. My main problem with it is the depiction of the laws and procedures done in Korea. Such as, how can the law believes that a rich guy will give everything to the mistress without even leaving anything to the son? I don’t know how accurate this K-Drama depicts the law in Korea as I don’t live there but if it is, it is as strange and even some as unfair as the laws in my own country. I guess, law and justice in this world is more leaning to those who do have money and power wherever one lives. And, the people who are creating and implementing these laws are as scarier or even more so than the criminals or the perpetrators they accuse, judge and punish. As it was said on Episode 21…“How dangerous justice is without conscience. And, how violent power is without righteousness.” Such an apt description of the law and justice to our world whether real or reel.

Would I recommend this K-Drama? Yes

My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 5/5 Stars

OST:
01. 돈On Days For You – Jang Jae In
02. Up & Down – EXID (이엑스아이디)
03. Chance – Kim Ji Soo
04. Memories of You – Ivy
05. Money – P-Type (피 타입) & Swings (스윙스) feat. Kang Min Hee
06. You Are In Love – Seo In Young
07. Caval – Various Artists
08. You Are The Love (Acoustic) – Seo In Young
09. Cha Don’s Theme – Various Artists
10. Rights of Man – Various Artists
11. Jae In’s Theme – Various Artists
12. Vendetta – Various Artists
13. 공모자들 – Various Artists
14. 누구나 검사가 될 순 있지만, 정의롭긴 쉽지 않아 – Various Artists
15. Money On My Hands – Various Artists
16. A Painful Reminiscence – Various Artists
17. Uncertainly – Various Artists
18. 불야성 – Various Artists
19. Lovely Jae In Lovely – Various Artists

Search

Quick Look

Recent Posts

Archives

Submit a Comment Cancel reply