“The K2” (더 케이투)

By Jae-Ha Kim
Substack
July 12, 2018

☆☆☆☆
Kim Jae-Ha (played by Ji Chang-Wook)
Go An-Na (played by Im Yoon-Ah)
Choi Yoo-Jin (played by Song Yoon-Ah)

↑Note: Korean names denote the surname followed by the given name.

“The K2” is billed as an action thriller, but it’s really a story about people who are so thoroughly broken that their sense of morality and justice is skewed to an absurd level.

Kim Jae-Ha (best. name. ever!) is a mercenary, who has been been accused of murdering civilians, including his fiancé. And in case you think I made up his name …

While trying to clear his name and avenge her death, Jae-Ha runs into An-Na, the illegitimate daughter of Se-Joon, who is a strong contender to become the next President of South Korea. Se-Joon’s wife, Yoo-Jin, may (or may not) have killed his mistress (An-Na’s mother) — a decade or so ago, in a jealous fit of rage.

Because he knows she’s the rainmaker who can get him to the Blue House, Se-Joon allows himself (and his child) to be manipulated by her cruel intentions.

Enter Jae-Ha, who isn’t afraid of Yoo-Jin, who — in turn — is fascinated (and turned on) by his impertinence. By some antiquated notion of propriety, she doesn’t make any romantic moves on him, partly because he is a good 20 years or so younger than her. (The same age difference doesn’t matter to her husband, of course, who has affairs with young women and barely-legal girls.)

This is the kind of drama where Jae-Ha — also known as K2 — initially tries to kill Yoo-Jin, but ends up working for her. Hired first as her bodyguard, he accepts Se-Joon’s offer to guard An-Na instead.

It’s no spoiler to say that An-Na and Jae-Ha develop feelings for each other. They share some sweet rooftop (and ramen) moments.

Even though I know that Yoo-Jin is a character I’m supposed to dislike, I felt bits of empathy for her. Song Yoon-Ah is an incredible actress. Listening to her laugh gave me both chills of fear and joy. In her more human moments, it was so clear how much she longed for a man to dote on her the way Jae-Ha cared for An-Na.

Make no mistake about it. Goo-goo eyes aside, Yoo-Jin is not a nice person. Though she hasn’t committed all the crimes she is accused of, she also has no issue keeping An-Na in captivity for most of her life; or ordering enemies to be killed. In front of her.

Her relationship with her younger half brother, Sung-Won, is one of loathing and suspicion. And it makes for some of the series’ most dramatic (and funniest) moments. Lee Jung-Jin is so good as the sociopathic sibling. (If you want to see Lee portraying another asshole, I highly recommend the superb Korean film, “Once Upon a Time in High School.”) Anyhow, Sung-Won shares his sister’s love of money, power and muah ha ha laughter. He is almost as cunning as Yoo-Jin, and possibly even more ruthless.

Girls’ Generation’s Im Yoon-Ah has the least fleshed out role. But she is very good at portraying the sheltered and emotionally tortured An-Na. In a cast full of seasoned actors, she more than holds her own. My favorite An-Na moment was when she was in church, singing a gorgeous, heartbreaking rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

As for the main man, Ji Chang-Wook is captivating. A nuanced actor who can say as much with one look as with words, he has that It factor that is irresistible.

I would love to see Ji and Im do a remake of the film “The Bodyguard” (but with Yoon-Ah singing different songs.) I could see Ji doing justice to the best line in the movie. When a smitten woman approaches Kevin Costner (Whitney Houston’s bodyguard in the film) at a party, she flirts with him, oblivious to his disinterest:

Woman: I’ve been watching you all night from across the room.

Bodyguard: Why don’t you go back there and keep watching?

😂

Remember at the beginning of this review how I said this drama is billed as an action thriller? There is a lot of action, but I would’ve preferred more realistic one-on-one fight scenes, rather than Jae-Ha battling dozens of adversaries, who were polite enough to attack him one at a time. As if they wouldn’t have all attacked him at once.

The last episode ties the series up nicely, with everyone pretty much getting what they deserve.

If there was something I really disliked, it was the prominent Subway product placements. Jae-Ha even marvels at how An-Na loves the fast food joint so much that she always wants to eat there.

No. Just no!

Say My Name:

Word. 😛

Airdates: 16 one-hour episodes aired on tvN from September 23 to November 12, 2016.

Spoiler Alert:

Yoo-Jin did a lot of bad things, but she never killed or hired a hit on An-Na’s mother. Yoo-Jin’s chaebol father, who knew about Se-Joon’s affair, had the woman killed. Yoo-Jin had goen to the apartment to try to stop the murder attempt. She found the An-Na’s mom on the floor, asking for help. Instead of helping her, she walked away. So while she didn’t kill her, Yoo-Jin also didn’t attempt to save her.

Instead of trying to escape the bomb that Sung-Won had planted, Yoo-Jin and Se-Joon choose to die together in an explosion. It was actually their sweetest moment together as husband and wife.

Sung-Won escaped, but is later shot and killed by Yoo-Jin’s loyal right-hand woman.

#TheK2 is billed as an action thriller, but it’s really a story about people who are so broken that their sense of morality & justice is absurdly skewed. #JiChangWook & #YoonA are so good in it that I’ll forgive the Subway product placement.🙄My revu⏯https://t.co/oBjBgC7D8p pic.twitter.com/oawOzDKzTZ

— Jae-Ha Kim 김재하 (@GoAwayWithJae) July 12, 2018

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