#kang tae wook

[adelledewitts]

Ex Mero Motu - Of one's own free will

A time-travel fix-it to Misty/미스티 (2018) in three four parts

The third part is up and as somehow this part got lengthier than I originally intended there's still an epilogue coming up!

You can catch up with the previous parts here:

Part I

Part II

Part III:

She woke up slowly. She tried to blink away the sleep from her eyes. The sun was already up, its beam shining warmly on her face. She felt like she hadn’t slept like this in a long time. She rubbed her forehead momentarily, trying to sort through her thoughts. What a strange dream she had. Her and Kang Tae-Wook talking in his office, her doing the impossible and changing the course of time. It felt like a fever dream. It was just that, wasn’t it?

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[adalindofcabinsix]

i want them to be endgame so bad

[my-drama-heart2406]

Why is no one talking about how In-ha is such a textbook sub:

Bratty✅

Attention Seeking✅

Daddy Issues✅✅✅

Constantly looks at his dom Tae-oh with horny eyes✅☑️✔️✅☑️✔️✅

[naksushadows]

The drama was bad but at least they served acting, chemistry, beauty and charisma.

[lullabiesinaglasswilderness]

[hotpotdragon]

Old Boy (2003)

[offbeatcappuccino]

the impossible heir episodes 1-4 ramblings

Last week was an eventful one for Lee Jae Wook, Hong Su Zu, and Lee Jun-young's The Impossible Heir. Not only was last week the premiere of the series, but Dispatch, the popular Korean tabloid, released "earth-shattering" news that Lee Jae Wook was dating aespa's Karina. This garnered controversy and scrutiny towards the show and could have contributed to its ratings. However, as a self-professed Lee Jae Wook fan, I tuned in to watch the show last week regardless of the news. The Impossible Heir is arguable Lee Jae Wook's first "adult" show. Much of his prior work involved dramas that catered to the YA audience and for the first time we see him essaying a far more mature and morally dubious character as Han Tae Oh. While the show is marketed as having three leads, in my opinion, Tae Oh steals the show.

In the first episode, we are introduced to a teenage Han Tae Oh. The son of a murderer, for the sake of his and his mother's safety, he's forced by himself to a small town. Unlike his peers, he has no legal guardian and rents a rundown house in the village. Before the first day of school, he manages to provoke the ire of Kang In Ha, the illegitimate son of the Kang-Oh chaebol family. While the two boys are initially at odds with each other and even end up having a dramatic fight in the school lunchroom, the episode ends with an unlikely partnership- Tae Oh offering to use his intelligence to help In Ha achieve the impossible- the opportunity to be the next heir of Kang Oh Group over his two legitimate half brothers.

Over the next three episodes, we see Tae Oh and In Ha grow up as college students and later employees at Kang Oh. During their college years, we see a blossoming friendship between the two as In Ha becomes Tae Oh's only companion during their time at Hankuk University. Alongside their internal scheming to take over Kang Oh, we see glimpses that their friendship is no different from any other peers. They have birthday meals, eat lunch together in the cafeteria, and drink late night beers from the convenience. In Ha constantly chides Tae Oh for working too many part time jobs, but remains the dutiful wealthy friend that is willing to book a tutoring gig for Tae Oh or drop him off at work to help him financially stay afloat. The dynamics between both men take a sharp turn with the introduction of Na Hye-Won, who both male leads end up falling for though she ultimately ends up dating In Ha, mainly because she views In Ha as her key to overcoming poverty and acquiring wealth and prestige.

Just as episode two ends, the show takes another five year time leap and both men are working for Kang Oh group. Hye-Won also becomes what appears to be a staff member for a political party. The three remain as co-conspirators in their efforts to take over Kang Oh Group. Of the three, perhaps the person who gets closest to the chairman, Kang Jun Mo, is Tae Oh, who ascends to the role of his personal secretary. Tae Oh becomes Jun Mo's greatest asset and trusted confidante. Through his role, he starts to move the game pieces that would create a clear path of succession for In Ha.

The weakest aspect of the The Impossible Heir 's writing has to be Na Hye Won's character arc. Nothing about her frankly makes any sense. During the second episode, we are introduced to Hye Won as both In Ha's and Tae Oh's classmate and Tae Oh's neighbor. While its obvious that Tae Oh may have developed feelings for Hye Won due to their chance encounters, In Ha's feelings arise out of nowhere- to the point that it almost feels like he only wants Hye Won because he wants to take a person Tae Oh cherishes from him. However, if this was the case, the intensity of love that In Ha develops for Hye Won makes no sense. Furthermore, its puzzling to see the two boys so readily accept a stranger as a partner in developing and implementing a plan they have spent years working on together. Exacerbating this poor placement of the female lead is her poor portrayal by Hong Su Zu. Hong Su Zu's acting has been widely criticized by the Korean audience since the airing of the second episode. While I could see others' complaints last week, it did not initially bother me as much. However, the poor acting has become glaringly apparent in this week's episodes. If Hye Won is supposed to be who she's written to be- a morally grey character who is willing to do whatever it takes, including playing with someone's feelings, to escape her present circumstances, I would expect her to be desperate, shrewd, cunning, manipulative, and charismatic. However, the version that is presented to us is so blasé, stoic, and mediocre. Hong Su Zu's expressions and delivery are extremely limited- it's hard to swallow the thought that she's supposed to be a crucial main character.

Conversely, Tae-Oh's arc is the strongest point in the writing. As audience members, we are gripped by the elusive question- what does Tae-Oh get from this partnership? Why is he fiercely loyal to In Ha? and Does he truly want the best for his friend or is he planning on throwing him under the bus? Lee Jae Wook excels in playing the ambitious yet guarded Tae Oh, who becomes the "catalyst" of the story. Without Tae Oh, there's no plot. While Hye Won is a disappointing female lead, I was surprised by the chemistry between Tae-Oh and Choi Hee Jin's Kang Huiju, the younger half sister of Kang In Ha. Huiju develops an obsessive never-ending one-sided crush on Tae Oh when he becomes her short-lived mathematics tutor. At first glance, it's easy to brush her off as a minor character, but the amount of screen time she receives on the show suggests otherwise and Choi Hee Jin excels in playing the "petulant spoiled brat who surprisingly may be the only person in her family with a conscience".

If Tae Oh is a volcano patiently waiting to erupt at the right time,Huiju is a raging forest fire traveling at 100 mph. Her love and desire for Tae Oh is all consuming and destructive- something she wholeheartedly embraces but Tae-Oh fears. When Huiju's spontaneity comes to a head with Tae Oh's restraint, we see an electrifying chemistry between the two and we see another dimension of Tae Oh. While he can be avoidant and harsh, he is also gentle, kind, and protective. Its this internal push and pull that makes their relationship worth exploring.

One of the highlights of the latest episode was when Huiji confronts Tae Oh in a parking garage adamantly professing that she will force her parents to agree to their marriage and that she "will protect" Tae-Oh. I found her confession interesting on many levels because so far, all of Tae-Oh's relationships are exploitative. The other characters including his closest friend In Ha are only concerned about what Tae Oh can do for them and this is the first time we see someone offering to do something for him with no reciprocity. It's unclear if Hui Ju is a red herring or someone who will grow to be an integral part of Tae-Oh's life. As a viewer, I have to say that this relationship is one of the main draws to the show and is something that the writers utilize appropriately.

Overall, Impossible Heir is a Malthusian and Machiavellian drama that wholeheartedly embraces the capitalistic jungle. It may not be a show that fans of prior Lee Jae Wook's dramas will love, but it still deserves to be given a chance.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️.75/5

[olvaheiner]

올드보이 // Old Boy (2003)

[youknowihavenochingu]

Kdrama male leads of 2022

Kang Tae Oh- Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Nam Joo Hyuk- Twenty Five Twenty One

Lee Jae Wook- Alchemy of Souls

Ahn Hyo Seop- A Business Proposal

Lee Jong Suk- Big Mouth

Park Jinyoung- Yumi's Cells

Wi Ha Joon- Little Women

Song Joong Ki- Reborn Rich

Son Seok Koo- My Liberation Notes

Im Siwan- Summer Strike

[queenjang21]

our beloved author & writer, since "the impossible heir" are done, can you make a story or one shot/imagines for our beloved INHA and TAEHO please 🙏❤️

[adelledewitts]

" 'Do you do background checks?'

'In order to survive as a lowly reporter, I need to know which prosecutors are new and their basic family backgrounds. I wouldn't call it a background check.' "

Go Hye-Ran gets a new assignment at work.

[my-drama-heart2406]

If I had a penny for everytime a guy who played a total scumbag on D.P. co-stared in the same project with Lee Jae Wook, whose character is very obviously attracted to LJW's character and who also finds LJW really attractive in real life...

I would have two pennys.

Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

[iris-sistibly]

So...apparently The Impossible Heir only has 12 episodes in total, I thought it was gonna be a 16-episode series. I have just finished episode 6 but I have also spoiled myself for the next couple of episodes that I already have the gist of the direction of the story. I may or may not post a full commentary/review about the series once I am done with all 12 episodes but so far, here's what I have to say:

I do agree that the storyline had a lot of potential, but unfortunately, they fell short as far as storytelling is concerned. The lines were just meh and the lead actress was so painful to watch, painful in the sense that I don't want to see her on-screen, that's how bad her performance was.

Choi Hee-jin was the saving grace of the show, despite being the second lead with only a handful of lines and a few minutes on screen, she NAILED every scene she was in. Lee Jae-wok, Lee Jun-young, and the rest of the cast did really well despite the crappy storyline.

Honestly, they could have saved this whole ass show had they shifted the focus on Han Taeoh and Kang Huiju's relationship the moment Na Hyewon pushed through her marriage with Kang Inha. I'll never get tired of saying this, but Jae-wok and Hee-jin have MUCH better chemistry than all of the former's scenes with Hong Suzu combined. It could have been an opportunity for Taeoh and Huiju to work together and find out the truth about who was trying to fuck up Taeoh or whatever and take KangOh together by storm, and eventually Taeoh realizing that he actually likes Huiju (I mean come on, if they gave an open ending for these two, why not just let them fall madly in-love with each other?) They could have been THE power couple of the show, and the entire series could have been saved.

I hope Jae-wok and Hee-jin would be given an opportunity to work together again as the lead actors of a drama or a film. They deserve a much better project than this.

Oh, and bring in the Taeoh x Huiju fanfics. I would love to read all of them ❤️

[dramafantiny]

Tae-Oh & Hui-Ju| I Will Catch You (1x06)

[i-got-the-feels]

Rom-Com/Dramaedy/Slice of Life/Quirky

When life gives you tangerines

My youth

Can this love be translated?

Melo movie

Our movie

Dearest nemesis

Potato research centre

Divorce Insurance

Good boy

Seocho-dong

Love scout

Mystery/Angsty/Thriller/Business/Cerebral

Mercy for none

Made in Korea

Knockoff

Cashero

Project Y

The good man

Show business

Dear X

Two women

The price of a confession

Hyperknife

The manipulated

The murky stream

Nine puzzle

Unmasked

If these dramas deliver - 2025 is gonna be an iconic year for kdramas

[offbeatcappuccino]

a colossal disaster ~ impossible heir final reflections

I recently finished watching the last two episodes of impossible heir and I am convinced that this show will go down as one of the biggest disappointments of 2024. After being a close follower of Lee Jae Wook's career for several years, I was excited about him playing another cold traumatized morally ambiguous character. However, there are too many weaknesses in the writing that cannot be made up by the spectacular acting from Lee Jae Wook, Lee Jun Young, and Choi Hee Jin. We all already know how I feel about Hong Su Zu and her character Na Hye Won. Like many predicted, the big reveal in this show is that Lee Jun Young's character Kang In Ha is a backstabber that has been secretly plotting to frame his best friend Han Tae Oh as the murderer of Kang In Ju in order to fulfill his dream of ascending the Kang-oh throne.

I do think that the shift in In Ha's becoming an overly ambitious fake friend was somewhat well justified with the writing. There were signs in the earlier episodes that he saw Tae Oh as his "dog" and held very little regard for him. One notable example is him "stealing" Na Hye Won despite being very well aware that Tae Oh had a crush on her. When In Ha is finally recognized by his father as his son, In Ha makes several independent decisions without consulting Han Tae Oh- suggesting the very early signs of a schism between the two men. However, its hard to swallow that out of nowhere he becomes capable of conspiring in the murder of his own brother, his best friend, the man that helped him kill his brother, his father, and finally, physically assaulting his wife and having her institutionalized against her will. What is actually quite bewildering in all of this has to be the relationship between In Ha and Mo Gi Ju, the murderer of Kang In Ju.

In last week's episodes, we are shown that Han Tae Oh comes across video evidence from the murder scene, which directly implicates Mo Gi Ju and Kang In Ha. This subsequently allows Tae Oh to be declared innocent and have his charges dismissed. When Gi Ju is interrogated, he refuses to disclose In Ha as his co-conspirator and in the last episode, we see that Gi Ju initially considers In Ha to be his friend. This is what is incredibly perplexing because at what point in the plot did these two become friends? It's one thing to be co-conspirators or to make a mutually beneficial deal, but to become close friends to the point that one of them is willing to take all the blame to protect the other? This is a loose thread in the plot that the show runners never seem to take the time to address.

Another thing that is never explained in the show is In Ha's extensive connections with the prison system. However, this could just be me being picky and maybe in the short span that he was able to be recognized as a legitimate son, he also was able to bribe a prison guard to help him carry out his dirty work. Despite these flaws, I will say that Lee Jun Young is absolute perfection when it comes to playing a maniac.

Apart from this arc, one of the biggest flaws in the last episode was the drastic shift in the characterization of Kang Seong Ju, one of In Ha's older brothers, who along with his mother was scheming to become the CEO of the company. However, after his mother's arrest, Seong Ju tearfully exclaims to his mother that he's sick of vying for the top and wants to prioritize his happiness. This is a sharp departure from his conduct just a few days prior when he was attempting to fill the vacuum left by his father's illness. What is even more difficult to swallow is the sudden respect that Seong Ju develops for Tae Oh, even going as far as respecting him as the next chairman of Kang Oh and bowing to him even though like everyone else in the family apart from Hui Ju, believed that Tae Oh was lesser than and a threat to their ambitions due to his proximity to the chairman. Seong Ju's arc is almost too good of an ending that you can't help but feel that the writers resorted to deus ex machina in order to tie all the ends.

Hye Won as usual was a disappointment and its confusing why they would market her as a main character when she had barely any lines or things to do in this episode. She has been one of the weakest female characters I have seen in a while with her existence mainly serving as a prop used to justify the conflict between the two men. She, herself, does very little to move the plot forward. Perhaps one of the saving graces of the show and the only reason I stuck with watching it is a brief scene that we see in the last few minutes of the show. Kang Hui Ju decides that she is going to travel the world and during the three year time leap, we see Tae Oh smiling at a picture of Hui Ju in Cancún, which she sends as her "survival update". The ending is very open-ended and ambigious, but if you were me, you interpreted it as Tae Oh finally reciprocating his feelings for Hui Ju.

While The Impossible Heir has been an utter disappointment, one of the good things about the show was the chemistry between Hui Ju and Tae Oh. Luckily, this has captivated the minds of some amazing writers and there's a flourishing AO3 page for the show with some of the best angst fanfics I've seen in a while.

Rating: 1.0/5.0

Keep watching kdramas and living your life like one,

offbeat_cappuccino