[HanCinema's Drama Preview] "The K2"

It is time for romance, political intrigue and action in tvN's "The K2", a drama which has a promising premise, even if not yet a clear story. The series has been releasing action and drama packed teasers. The cast looks good and everything else does as well, but I will be brutally honest in saying that writer Jang Hyeok-rin of "Yong Pal" has a lot to prove with this.

Premise

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Kim Je-ha (Ji Chang-wook) is a bodyguard who is hired by Choi Yoo-jin (Song Yoon-ah), the ambitious wife of presidential candidate Jang Se-joon (Cho Seong-ha) for protection. Ko Ahn-na (Lim Yoona) is Se-joon's illegitimate daughter and she lives her life as a shut in.

The Worrying

Writer Jang Hyeok-rin

As someone who has watched "Reset" and "Yong Pal", I struggle to trust Jang Hyeok-rin at the moment. Both shows have been riddled with problems in their plot ranging from minor inconsistencies to the absolute meltdown we witnessed in "Yong Pal" after its first few episodes and following a plagiarism scandal. Can the writer get past his issues and deliver a coherent whole?

Lack of Pre-production

Joo Won's dark circles got so bad by the end of "Yong Pal" that they could have earned a listing in the credits and we all know that rushed filming and quality do not go well together either. While this series is on cable television and the writer is now more experienced, I do worry about how a drama involving intricate action will handle live production.

The Reassuring

Guaranteed Excitement?

Action is a genre which is often easier to do in terms of writing than more plot and character focused pieces. At the same time anyone who has ever watched bad action pieces knows that badly made action is incredibly boring. Even so, the concepts and characters "The K2" uses seem ripe with dramatic potential, which could make this series very exciting.

A Lot to Make Up For

As harsh as I am with writer Jang Hyeok-rin, I feel every creator who loves their art understands their responsibility in the creative process and wishes to always deliver the best that they can. No one person can be blamed for a failed production and this is a fresh work and a fresh chance at doing well with a new and capable team.

Final Thoughts

"The K2" has big names involved and a big concept to deliver, but it is also a cable work with a lot of expectations placed on it. If the production can avoid significant meddling with its regular flow and give its creators a steady environment to work in, "The K2" might just become writer Jang Hyeok-rin's first true success.

"The K2" begins its run on September 23rd and will air every Friday and Saturday at 20:30, on tvN. It is directed by Kwak Jeong-hwan, written by Jang Hyeok-rin and features Ji Chang-wook, Song Yoon-ah, Lim Yoona and Cho Seong-ha.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'