#kim shin rok

[ladyverdance]

Is that why you asked me that? Did you find anything? That was the first thing you asked me. "Are you looking for her?" - that wasn't what you asked. When it's Min-jeong of all people. And we hadn't found her body.

Kim Shin-rok as Oh Ji-hwa BEYOND EVIL (2021), dir. Na-Yeon Shim

[stuff-diary]

Hellbound (Season 2)

TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2024

Hellbound (Season 2, 2024, South Korea)

Director: Yeon Sang Ho

Writer: Yeon Sang Ho & Choi Gyu Seok (based on their own webtoon)

Mini-review:

I feel like I'm one of the few people who loved the first season of Hellbound. It used an original and terrifying concept to showcase a fascinating exploration of themes like religious fanaticism, sectarianism and media manipulation. And this second (and final?) season delivers the goods once again. Yeon Sang Ho continues to be a master director of action scenes, plus the performances he gets from this cast are simply superb. On top of that, the CGI is much better than it was in the first one; I'm glad they made an effort to improve on that. I'm sure many people will stay mad at the show for refusing to give clear answers until the very end, but I think that makes the viewer feel the same chaos as the characters. If this is really the end, I have to say I really enjoyed what this dark fantasy had to offer.

[namjhyun]

Yoon Kye Sang, Park Sung Hoon, Yu Na and Kim Shin Rok for VOGUE Korea September 2023 promoting The Kidnapping Day.

[dramastream]

Kim Shin Rok for Arena Homme+ Korea (Feb. 2023)

[4ever-always]

Hellbound 2 - 2024

[somanykdramas]

HELLBOUND 2

GENRES: Drama, Supernatural

SUMMARY: What does it mean to be a sinner? What does it mean to be forgiven? Is it possible to survive Hell?

THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING: Cults, hanboks, live-streaming, scheming governments, adorable orphans, solar trains, redemption, nightclubs, hiking, prophecies, and overdue reunions.

HOT TAKE: I tell ya, I'm so grateful that both seasons of this show are so short--these episodes are intense, emotional, and full of action that I'm not sure I would be able to handle the normal 16 ep run.

The stakes are so much higher, our organizations have had time to improve their craftiness and deceit, and the citizens of the world are that much more wary that their time for demonstration is nigh.

Although we are not graced with the acting prowess of Yoo Ah In, I will give credit where credit is due--Kim Sung Cheol did an outstanding job and really made his character his own.

[tinyreviews]

Tiny Review: Uprising 2024. Korean Historical Class Allegory.

Though the marketing is on the two main characters, their arcs did not feel compelling to me. Feels a lot like hitting the beats for the sake of hitting beats.

I found it interesting that it took a Japanese invasion to potentially, inadvertently improve the slavery situation. But this was never fully explored 😓

Uprising is a 2024 South Korean historical war action film directed by Kim Sang-man, written by Shin Cheol and Park Chan-wook, and starring Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min, Kim Shin-rok, Jin Seon-kyu, Jung Sung-il, and Cha Seung-won.

[michyeosseo]

you’re like a car crash through my heart

I Know What I Like by Muki

[lemon-inferno]

Reborn Rich the final episode

What an ending.

It's so bittersweet but I love it. Maybe it's my obsession with Jin Do Jun, but if you follow the actual chronology of things - Do Jun was reborn as Hyun Woo first. Because he died first. And if fate cannot be changed then he was meant to recover his memories as Jin Do Jun, which had alread been burried within him. Even before Hyun Woo "died" (for a week), it was meant to happen. So who is really who at the end? As Hyun Woo called it, you could think of it as repentance, but for me personally, Do Jun existed in Hyun Woo long before Hyun Woo got "reborn" as Do Jun.

All that being said, I do have some very smaaaaaall issues with the ending.

First, it felt rushed. Honestly the last 3 episodes or so felt really rushed compared to the rest of the drama's pace. Everything that needed to happen still happened, but it was just.... I don't wanna say half-baked but.....

Second, Hyun Woo got shot straight in the head point blank. You're telling me he miraculously survived that? Sure there are some miracles that happene even in real life, but it's a patter I hate with tv shows, nto just kdrama. At the very least, he would've needed years to recover. Although, if I really want to defend it, I could say the years he spent as Do Jun somehow changed Hyun Woo's brain's perception of time which afforded him just enough time to recover. Still, between Do Jun's and Hyun Woo's death, Do Jun would've had a much higher survival rate than Hyun Woo. Sure, Do Jun's car got slammed pretty hard, but it's not comparable to getting shot at point blank IN THE FREAKING HEAD, now is it? :/

Also I would've loved to see the actual process of Mr. Oh Se Hyun working with Do Jun's mother, instead of just hearing about all the things they're gonna do..... but we don't get to see them.

Jin Sung Jun's character deserved more too. Sure he was greedy, but he was not guilty of ordering Do Jun's murder. Both times he was innocent. He knew everyone would've suspected him, which is was exactly what his father wanted. It's the reason why he got the company in the first place. Sung Jun deserves some justice too. I feel like it would've been that more epic if the show had gone back to the conversation between Hyun Woo and Sung Jun from episode 1 and committed to the bond that was forming. Imagine if we had Hyun Woo and Sung Jun working together in the final episodes. Hyun Woo gets to finish Do Jun's deed and Sung Jun finally has a change of heart and pays tribute to his grandfather and runs the company with the same heart his grandfather had.

On a more positive note (says anticupid), Hyun Woo did not end up in a relationship with Min Young! Which makes logical sense, for once. I'm not saying I'm happy that they didn't get together, I'm saying it happened for the right reasons. But I'm sure most of the ship's fans will be satisfied that she seemed to recognize Do Jun in Hyun Woo in the end. One could imagine they did end up meeting up and like.... making babies. Idk.

I liked the future Min Young a lot more. Although for her to become the Soonyang Grim Reapper and wear only black because she was mourning for Do Jun, I really would have loved to see more of their relationship developing at least? As it was all based on only a few times they talked? Briefly? But I guess human emotiones are unpredictable, so it's possible. Anyways, there's that.

A little sad the endings of the rest of the characters were rushed by too, but I didn't see anything that made me think "hmm this doesn't make sense". Honestly, is there not going to be a season 2? Now I'm kinda disappointed, because I wish we had spent more time with how the other characters' life continued. As well as more to see of Do Jun with his family. But I get it, it was never the focus of the show.

All my other thoughts about this drama flew out the window.

I can say it was a lovely experience. I enjoyed this so much despite constantly finding something to nag about. I loved following Jin Do Jun's life, and that particular era in South Korea's history. The real footage they used. I loved Jin Yang Cheol's character, I loved Lee Sung Min's acting (as well as Joong Ki's, always).

It made me cry a couple of times and any drama that invokes real emotion in me keeps a spot in my heart. Especially when Ha In Seok went to testify and thought Hyun Woo was Do Jun (was he wrong though?) and wanted to protect him. The unspoken hero of this show. It was a fantastic story, even if we look at it only from Do Jun's perspective, it makes for an amazing story. Had Hyun Woo not even been a part of this drama, I would've still loved just watching Do Jun and his grandpa. Hyun Woo's growth at the end was the bonus for me. I get to exprience something which unlocked his cage and his heart. The boy who grew up in poverty and had many hardships because of it, the boy who willingly walked into a cage because of his trauma caused by poverty. He put his emotions aside, thinking that money was more important than them. Finally, he was freed from it all.

With a new look on life, a new heart and a new dream, he was able to leave all of his hurt behind and live in a way that not only fits him better, as a human, but also a life that Do Jun would be proud to see him live.

Ugh. I'm gonna miss Do Jun's smile though. I know Joong Ki plays both, but that smile is now Do Jun's until the day I die and there's no changing my mind.

Alright, time to go cry in a dark corner. I love-hate this ending.

[undisclosedmemoirs]

My guess? Young Ki is responsible for the accident and Sung Jun knows about it. Do Joon will eventually be out of the picture and Young Ki is going to get the CEO position in the end, so we will have to wait for the board meeting to see how that will happen.

I am not ready to see the downfall of Jin Yang Cheol. By downfall I mean going from a strong and imposing business man to a frail and weak old man. Nothing wrong with that, it's life and he has serious health issues, but looking at the preview and seeing him showing signs of dementia is truly heartbreaking (LEE SUNG MIN WITH HIS GENIUS ACTING).

I know he is not the best man around but the show really made us actually care for him a bit. All in all he is the antagonist of the show, but not really. He is an emperor who built his empire from scratch and wants someone to understand that. To understand the struggles he went through and what it takes to mantain that empire. Unfortunately, his first son and grandson can't grasp that idea, the second son only wants affection but does not have what it takes to take over, his only daugther is automatically out of the race and his fourth son was practically disowned. However, his youngest grandson does get it and their interactions are getting increasingly precious, even after knowing how ruthless JYC can be.

[dramaddict-and-proud-of-it]

Reborn Rich

Year : 2022 | Country : KR | Nb of episodes: 16

My rate: 9/10

Synopsis :

Yoon Hyun Woo is a devoted, hard-working, and loyal secretary to the Soonyang chaebol family, which runs the lucrative Soonyang Group business empire, founded by Jin Yang Cheol. During a power struggle between Jin Yang Cheol's children for control of the empire, Hyun Woo is ruthlessly betrayed and killed under the orders of an unknown member of the chaebol family. Miraculously he wakes up as a kid inside the body of the youngest member of the family – Jin Do Jun.

After he realizes what has happened, Yoon Hyun Wo plots to use his new “identity” to formulate a hostile takeover of the group – and punish the people who killed him. But, will the cold-blooded and money-hungry CEO of Soonyang Group, one who firmly believes in right of primogeniture, be so easy to win over or conquer? Will Hyun Woo be able to wrest the reins from Jin Yang Cheol's children? And what role will be played in all this by a dogged public prosecutor named Seo Min Young, nicknamed “Soonyang Group Grim Reaper”?

Main cast :

Song Joong Ki as Ji Do Joon / Yoon Hyun Woo

Lee Sung Min as Jin Yang Cheol

Shin Hyun Bin as Seo Min Young

Yoon Je Moon as Jin Young Ki

Jo Han Cheol as Jin Dong Ki

Kim Young Jae as Jin Young Ki

Kim Shin Rok as Jin Hwa Young

Kim Nam Hee as Jin Sung Joon

Park Hyuk Kwon as Oh Se Hyun

Tiffany Young as Rachel

My thoughts on this drama :

This is a drama that made we go What The Hell at the end. Like, really.

It's a masterpiece. As far as modern, cheabol themed dramas go, this is by far one of the very best. We're again dealing with some big money revenge plot but it is so well executed! Song Joong Ki aced his role. I'm still stuned by his performance.

Highly recommended if you wish to enjoy a fast paced, well built story with interesting characters.

A Favorite ?

YES

[namjhyun]

Kim Shin-Rok for Marie Claire Korea October 2024 promoting the film Uprising.

[dramastream]

Kim Shin Rok for Harper's BAZAAR Korea, February 2023

[fansof-heo]

🤣🤣🤣 Gosh I love him in this 💖

[somanykdramas]

UPRISING

GENRES: Historical, Action

SUMMARY: When you’re born into Joseon slavery, you’ll stop at nothing to find a way out.

THIS MOVIE HAS EVERYTHING: Switches, abhorrent paternity laws, sparring, branding, fog fighting, crow dinners, greed, royal insanity, hunters, rock-throwing, questionable friendships, true friendships, robes, invasions, and loyalty.

HOT TAKE: The plot of this movie was swift and succinct, perhaps to the detriment of its believability. The action scenes were excellent, the cinematography was epic, and the resolution of the third act big-boss fight was one of the best I've seen in a while. Also, some great long-overdue comeuppance for a King that should have just shut the hell up.

That being said, our main characters were a little unmotivated, there were more 'Monty Python-esque' limbs severed than I was expecting, and some real hard choices to be made--ones I'm not sure I would have been strong enough to execute.

[ukn0ws]

신성록 shin sung-rok, 김재욱 kim jae-uck, & 노윤 noh yun triple cast as 투우 / "bullfight" in 2024 musical 파과 / pagwa.