The Day of the Kidnapping

I usually tend to avoid this genre, but to my surprise, I found myself completely engrossed in it. As someone who often fast-forwards through many scenes while watching a K-drama, this specific series had an incredible ability to keep me hooked. I was so captivated that I even went back and rewatched several key moments. The overall experience was genuinely enjoyable, defying my expectations and making me appreciate this genre in a whole new light. The character development, storyline, and cinematography all contributed to its allure, and I'm delighted to recommend it to others who may have reservations about this type of show.

The Kidnapping Day is adapted from the popular Korean novel with the same title, using the black-comedy thriller genre. An amateur kidnapper who is willing to commit crimes to pay for his child's hospital bills, this drama will probably tell the story of a father's struggle for his child. A seemingly simple mistake sets off a chain of unexpected and tragic events, leaving these two characters in a complex moral and emotional dilemma. It's quite light to watch, even though it has the thriller, crime and comedy genres, but it doesn't seem to drain a lot of thought, although that doesn't mean it's not good, it's still recommended to watch because there are lots of implied moral messages that can be taken away.

This young actress killed it. She carried the entire show on her back along with her way-in-over-his-head kidnapper. Their pseudo father-daughter relationship on screen is awkward, funny, and endearing, despite the unfortunate circumstances that brought them to their current situation. Since the new-family dynamic was the focus of the earlier episodes, I found the beginning more enjoyable than the latter half, as the big mystery of the show naturally started taking over.

The show's central mystery of who did what to whom, which landed our fugitive duo in their predicament, is intriguing but ultimately unoriginal. The gradual revelation of a single crime scene and the events that transpired can become somewhat repetitive; however, it still managed to hold my attention. Fortunately, this series consists of only 12 episodes.

The bad guy is comically... a rich villain stereotype, something you've seen countless times before. In contrast, the other villain who works under him and handles all the dirty work is surprisingly decent. I found myself liking him because, deep down, he is actually a softie.

I have to start this off by saying this show's prerequisite for success is the dynamic between the trope of Badass and Child (though Myeong-jun's personality is kinda like Jackie Chan.) and gotta say IT WORKED. I absolutely loved their dynamic once I got immersed past Ep 1. The story often uses commonly used but still effective plot points: kid with cancer and tsundere character. Hey, nothing pulls on the heartstrings more than a parent trying his best to save his kid.

IT IS a bit frustrating at times I have to admit especially mid season 1. Although the finale made up for it in the end, it is one of the best finales I have watched for a while, made me tear up.

All in all, the premise is not that unique, we have seen in all forms of media the trope of protector and the protectee (Walking Dead, Last of Us) but the decision to make Myeong-jun whacky and hilarious instead of the stoic, unemotional protector is excellent. Ro-hee as well, though her sometimes monotone delivery of dialogues is kinda "eh". But the actress could act when the script calls for it.

Great acting, decent story. They shouldnt make a Season 2 if they are thinking about it. It just ties up nicely even with the twist at the end.

Kim Myung-joon is desperate to save his ill daughter who is in need of a surgery and Kim Myung-joon desperate for money to pay for the surgery. His ex-wife Seo Hye-eun, suggests him to kidnap Choi Roo-hee who is a 11 year old girl and daughter to rich parents. As he clumsily tries to be a kidnapper, he finds Roo-hee appear infront of his car and collapsing. Taking her to his home, he realizes she has amnesia and assumes him to be her father. To make things worse, Roo-hee's parents are found murdered thus forcing Kim Myung-joon to go on the run with Roo-hee who just happens to be a genius child. How does he protect the girl while a bigger conspiracy gets unveiled around her parents murder, forms rest of the story.

With 12 episodes, Jeon Yu-na as Choi Roo-hee is the star of the show and the bonding she shares with Yoon Kye-sang as Kim Myung-joon remains the highlight throughout. It is their story that captivates the viewers while the murder mystery and the bigger conspiracy is the usual K-drama with a bunch of honest cops led by the promising Park Sung-hoon as detective Park Sang-yoon. While the initial 4 episodes succeeds in making us root for the two main characters, it also succeeds in establishing the narrative firmly for the mystery to unveil.

The final episode is a brave choice with pitting the antagonist against the girl and the episode is entirely driven by emotions. The show had plenty of chases and fight scenes but to go with a proper dramatic take for the last episode was a good choice and the performances stand out. The humor is well executed whereas the heart touching moments keep coming at the right time. Driven by standout performances and a engaging story, The Kidnapping Day despite it's minor flaws, makes up for a worthy watch.