The Kidnapping Day

Such a disappointment! A super interesting premise that goes down the wrong road with poorly defined characters, cartoonish & unnecessary chase scenes & violence. Of course, in similar fashion to other shows (like Vagabond), characters can be stabbed, in car accidents and beaten to a pulp, but everyone instantly recovers. And at times characters can easily stay off the grid, that is unless someone (or the writer) needs to find them ASAP.

What saves this is the great performances of the two leads. Yu Na and Yoon Kye-sang.

Glad this was only 12 episodes and virtually all are 60 minutes. With so many great stories/compelling Korean drama's, check out the far more entertaining Reborn Rich or Start-Up for light weight, but wonderful shows.

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.

Don't get misled by the synopsis, since this kdrama offers a lot more for your money than a mere kidnap story. It's so far been in parts a mixture of touching human drama mixed with "boy's-own" stuff, that's guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Very recommendable, as far as the first six episodes go - and here's hoping that the story and plot continue to surprise and outsmart the viewer's expectations. The lead character, Meong-Joon Kim definitely puts one in mind of the 1980s roles played by actors such as Bruce Willis, the sort of person who's just a born survivor, or, as we often like to say, a "Die Hard".

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.