Title: 너를 기억해 | I Remember You | Hello Monster | Neoreul Gieokhae
Genre: Thriller, Mystery & Romance
Episodes: 16
Broadcast Network: KBS
Broadcast Period: 2015-June-22 to 2015-August-11
Synopsis:
As this K-Drama starts, Lee Hyun (Seo In Guk) speaks of how a story has a beginning and an ending. His story begins when he receives an anonymous e-mails about a serial killer killing women at Bangbae-dong, Korea. He is a genius criminal profiler with a degree in criminal psychology who lives in the US but has lost his memory on the day his father died when he was a child. The e-mails, clues and gift seems to be coming from someone who is related to his forgotten past, something he is trying to remember. So, he traveled from the US back to Korea and ended up in a crime scene where he then meets the Special Crime Investigation Unit. Part of the Special Crime Unit is Cha Ji An (Jang Na Ra), who’s is also linked to Lee Hyun’s past. Cha Ji An who’s been in love with Lee Hyun since they were kids but he didn’t even know she exists. As Lee Hyun tries to search his lost memory, he became entangled with the investigation of the Special Crime Unit of solving series of crimes committed by serial killers. There’s one in particular case that is somehow entangled in his past as well as Cha Ji An’s background. As they both journey to the story of their pasts, they discovered each other as well as their history of being linked to a serial killer, Lee Jong Min.
Characters:
- Seo In Guk as Lee Hyun
- Jang Na Ra as Cha Ji-An
- Choi Won-Young as Lee Joon-Ho
- Lee Chun-Hee as Kang Eun-Hyeok
- Park Bo-Gum as Jung Sun-Ho
- Jeon Kwang-Leol as Lee Joong-Min
- Min Sung-Wook as Son Myeong-Woo
- Kim Jae-Young as Min Seung-Joo
- Son Seung-Won as Choi Eun-Bok
- Im Ji-Eun as Hyun Ji-Soo
- Nam Kyoung-Eub as Kang Seok-Joo
- Shin Dong-Mi as Yang Eun-Jung
- Hong Hyun-Taek as Lee Hyun (During Younger Years)
- Park Ji-So as Cha Ji-An (During Younger Years)
- Hong Eun-Taek as Jung Sun-Ho (During Younger Years)
- Do Kyung-Soo as Lee Joon-Young (During Younger Years)
- Shin Jae-Ha as Serial Killer On Episode 5
- Kim Kyu-Cheol as Serial Killer’s Father on Episode 5
- Seo Young-Joo as Lee Jung-Ha on Episode 6 & 7
- Ryoo Sung-Hyun as Lee Han-Cheol on Episode 6 & 7
- Lim Seong-Eon as Ji Hyun-Sook in a cameo role.
My Review:
There seems to have a recurrent theme on K-Dramas wherein the character gets amnesia and the storyline of the characters seems to revolve somehow in their childhood past. This drama has both. However, it is presented in a sense, thank God, in a much interesting and different manner and genre. Thus, it is interesting enough for me to find time to watch it the entire series.
So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?
(1) I actually like the supporting actors more than the lead characters. Lee Joon-Ho played by Choi Won-Young and Park Ji So (during the younger years), Choi Eun-Bok played by Son Seung-Won and Jung Sun-Ho played by Park Bo-Gum were such complex characters and they were played brilliantly by the actors. The characters have so much depth and well written and acted on the screen that there are times I feel a certain sympathy where there should be none. An understanding of some sort as to why they became the way they are. It is the first time that I prefer the characters that’s not the heroes of the story. I actually didn’t have much connection to the leads while watching it.
(2) I like the scenes where there exchange of conversations before it was fully revealed who the killer/s were. It is so subtle that makes the ambiance more eerie for the audience watching. Thus, it is effective on making it more suspenseful and scary rather than actors who are over acting a character of a killer.
(3) The relationship of the Lee Hyun and Jung Sun-Ho as siblings. It was done and featured with such simplicity and even mundane things yet it gives impact to how much they love each other.
(4) The manner they reveal the background of the characters and the suspenseful way of what’s going to happen next made it truly thrilling to watch.
(5) Such a lovely and apt OST. Even the songs without lyrics I can’t help but enjoy listening. I’m not much of a music lover but when I hear music that sways ones feelings no matter what the language it is, I can’t help but listen to it. (listen to it below).
What I do Not Like About this K-Drama?
I don’t feel any connection or chemistry to the relationship between the Seo In Guk and Jang Na Ra. It is sometimes even boring to watch them until a bit part of the ending and scenes where one consoles the other in difficult situations. Otherwise, I rather watch the supporting characters. They are the ones who made it more interesting to watch. I also have a complaint…I know most Koreans don’t speak English well, however, can’t an actor try at least harder to speak a line or even two words of English better when his role is supposedly have lived in the US for quite sometime and a genius even? At least make an effort. This kind of details is something quite important to make the character more believable. I also don’t like some times when they portray a group of supposedly elite detectives yet they don’t follow proper police procedures on a crime scene with no basis at all as to why. I can understand scenes that one character can ignore proper procedure due to their own feelings but to have no basis as to why makes me feel frustrated. I prefer a story with consistency and truth to the roles they are portraying and being able to understand at least their motivations. It is also quite predictable. I kinda guess in such a short time the mystery of the story. So, that was disappointment for me.
In a nut shell, why do I like somehow this K-drama? Well, it successfully made me think whether one can be born evil. The question of how a person can develop as to who she/he will be…nature versus nurture. The villains of this drama are somehow portrayed as people you can understand as to why they do what they did. It is the same feelings I had on the English series “Dexter”. The main villains are not so unlikeable and were delivered by actors who are so great in their roles that you can’t help but feel for their back story. At the end of the series, I feel it also delivered effectively a message of us always having choice on how we live our lives and being responsible for those choices. And, most importantly, what stir me the most on this entire drama is the discussion about the definition of hope between the Cha Ji-An and Lee Joon-Ho: “If you have hope, then, happiness will grow from that hope.” However, there’s another side of hope: “Hope is the worst of all evil. Because it only extends human’s agony.” Isn’t that food for thought?
Would I recommend this K-Drama? More or Less
My Rating to this Drama: 3/5 Stars
OST:
01. Who Are You (너, 누구니 ) – Lim Kim (김예림 [투개월])
Play Me:
02. Remember – 디어 클라우드(Dear Cloud)
Play Me:
03. It Shows (티가나요) – Hong Dae Kwan (홍대광)
Play Me:
04. 너를 기억해 – Various Artists
05. 니가 보여 – 신용재 [4men]
06. 안아줘요 – 벤
07. 과거로의 초대 – Various Artists
08. Black Waltz – Various Artists
09. Invitation To The Crime – Various Artists
10. Memory – Various Artists
11. 살인을 말하다 – Various Artists
12. Days Gone By – Various Artists
13. Hello Monster – Various Artists
14. 커지는 의심 – Various Artists
15. Loneliness – Various Artists
16. Shy Love – Various Artists
17. Murderer – Various Artists
18. To My Jian – Various Artists
19. 널 보고 있다 – Various Artists
20. Clue – Various Artists
21. Stocker – Various Artists
22. Shadow Of The Devil – Various Artists
23. 기억을 가지다 – Various Artists
24. Hunch – Various Artists
25. Painful – Various Artists
Download Area for the OST (Please take note that this is an outside URL and it’s not mine. Posted it for if I love the music and I want a copy I always have a difficult time to find sites that will provide you the music without the hassle. So, kudos to these sites!!!):
- http://mp3lio.com/
- http://k2nblog.com/album-various-artists-i-remember-you-ost-mp3/