#warning: tvn's 1 hour and 30 minutes long episodes

[banghae]

Cmso you started wat hing wise prison life? How is it so far would you recommend it? How is jung kyung ho, what kind of role does he have.

Spoilers ahead for Wise Prison Life

Wise Prison Life is a lot of things, and one of those is becoming my favourite on-going drama (and I’m watching a lot of dramas right now). I really have no idea where to start, but I watch dramas for the characters, and I’m in awe of how much I’m enjoying the lead. I’ve seen Park Hae Soo act before, in SFD and LoTBS, and I know he’s a musical actor, but I’ve never seen him in a lead role. He’s playing a baseball (”Superstar”) player named Kim Jae Hyuk, and it’s evident from the way people talk about him, that he’s the center of attention. A few days before he’s supposed to fly to Boston to join his new baseball team, he is involved in a crime, and ends up having to serve time in jail instead. The thing I find fascinating about Jae Hyuk is that, despite the circumstances, you can’t read on his face the things he’s going through. He’s really bright and optimistic, but Joon Ho says that when he’s mad, he’s mad. He loves eating ice cream during the winter, and that sold me tbh. He’s probably my favourite character right now.

Jung Kyung Ho is playing Lee Joon Ho, a prison guard in the prison Jae Hyuk serves time in. They know each other, but I won’t get into the details because that would spoil the fun. I do realise, though, that I can’t talk about him without talking about Jae Hyuk. Outside of the prison, Joon Ho lives with his little brother, Soon Dol, and their relationship is hilarious. Soon Dol is Jae Hyuk’s fan, and the two are constantly bickering over how little attention Soon Dol gives his own brother because he’s too busy fanboying over Jae Hyuk.

I love the prison setting. It offers interesting themes such as surveillance and role hierarchies, and helps me put Foucault’s writing into perspective (I have an exam in like four days loool). There’s a scene where Jae Hyuk’s drinking coffee in his personal cell room, but the coffee’s grainy because there’s no hot water. He still drinks it. I’m also enjoying the stories of the inmates, and how Jae Hyuk’s learning about them, because things aren’t always as they seem. Shoutout to Beobja for being the real MVP. 

I’m a little worried about the female characters. We don’t see them enough, and I’m afraid they won’t be any more present. Ji Ho’s Jae Hyuk’s ex-girlfriend, and I’m still trying to understand their relationship, so I’m not going to comment on it right now. He has a mother and little sister as well.

I couldn’t recommend trying this enough, to be honest. Shin Won Ho x Jung Bo Hoon have a way of sucking you into stories, and making you stay, despite the sometimes gloomy and unfavourable twists and turns. It’s a black comedy, and doesn’t disappoint. I’m trying to find better words, but it’s just REALLY GOOD. I live.