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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Falsify" Episodes 19-20

Plans change and allegiances crumble as Tae-won finds himself cornered by heroes and villains alike. The man begins a mysterious game as our Team Good tries to make sense of what is going on and find more allies after So-ra's attack. A major breakthrough happens when a helpful hand from the past points Seok-min to the right direction, but Moo-yeong's involvement and personal goals may become a problem.

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I never paid attention to Cheol-ho's (Oh Jung-se) mistakes, because they could have easily happened from someone who is under great pressure and in a hurry. They looked like convenient ammunition for the leads to use against the villains; a small, albeit obvious logical flaw acting as a plot device. It is exciting to see yet another seemingly insignificant element turn into a twist after Jeon Chan-soo's (Jung Man-sik) cigarette trail.

Cheol-ho talking to Seok-minYoo-kyeong and Seok-min following Cheol-ho's lead

The series is very smart to withhold information from viewers, because it makes the revelation of their true nature more entertaining later on. It also works, because Korean dramas usually have major problems with plot logic and viewers are therefore used to letting things which do not make sense slide. The unknown is also scary and so Tae-won's (Moon Sung-keun) latest move has gravity, because it makes us fear the truth Splash Team will discover, as much as we may want it found.

Although the drama masterfully connects these previously unrelated dots for us, I do spot something in these episodes which stands out in a bad way. If Seok-min (Yu Jun-sang) knew everything that we are shown about Cheol-ho and the time leading up to his death, why did he not look into his demise? Cheol-ho begged him not to, but Seok-min's original refusal was due to anger and disbelief, not due to Cheol-ho's words. This feels like a plot hole, because the signs ignored by someone as perceptive as Seok-min were too glaring.

So-ra talking about her attack to Moo-yeongMoo-yeong being told he is a liability

The possibility of a romance between So-ra (Uhm Ji-won) and Moo-yeong (Namkoong Min) may be an issue as well. Romances can be great, but in Korean drama they tend to take over and often shift the focus of stories where there is no built-in room for them. I am not worried too much yet, but there are more important things happening which do not leave room for love triangles, if Jin-woo's (Jung Hee-tae) reactions are anything to go by.

I hope Moo-yeong can keep his sudden crisis-sparked crush at bay while the current story is forming, especially now that we have such an interesting conflict with Seok-min. As for the latter and the changes happening in the narrative as the past is revealed, I hope the writer can keep a tight grip on things so that their internal logic keeps working well.

"Falsify" is directed by Lee Jeong-heum, written by Kim Hyeon-jeong-IV and features Namkoong Min, Yu Jun-sang, Uhm Ji-won and Moon Sung-keun.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Watch Episode 19 on KOCOWAtv

Watch Episode 20 on KOCOWAtv

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