Starring:
- Song Seung Heon as Han Moo Gang (Detective) / Kim Jun Hee/ Black (Grim Reaper #444)
- Go Ara as Kang Ha Ram
- Lee El as Yoon Soo Wan
- Kim Dong Jun as Oh Man Soo
- Kim Won Hae as Na Gwang Gyun (Crazy Dog)
Acting: 7
Storyline: 8
Overall: 7.5
Grade: B
It has been an intense, intriguing, action-packed 18 episodes (almost 30 hours) with the latest “Grim Reaper” theme drama “Black”. It keeps you glued to the screen in a compelling way when you thought you were getting close to who the culprits were as the story unfolds, but every time, the twists and turns would lead you on to something new.
Intricate details showcased in this detective-like thriller, with a mixture of the unknown “afterlife”, and a little romance, give the viewers a gravitational pull.
As most would agree, if not for the last 10 minutes that spoiled the “beauty” of this drama, it would undeniably be getting much better reviews. Nonetheless, it is still a drama worth watching, despite the ending that left us going “duh-ed”.
“Black” is not just the name of the Grim Reaper #444 in the show, it also adds an additional “mysterious” layer to the dark theme. While the colour black is often associated with gloomy, dark, inauspicious things, or even death, it is a combination of all these factors that gels the drama together to be so attractive to the viewers.
Topics that most people would choose to avoid, such as killings, murders, suicides, are all being discussed in this drama. It gives you a different perspective to how one action; decision made by someone can create a butterfly/chain effect and affect many others in the process. How being greedy and unsatisfied with whatever we already own, can lead to not just bring harm to others, but also harmful to self.
While we know that happy comedies would be lighter for our moods, the pace of “Black” and how fast things unfold leave you very little time to get gloomy. You would want to continue watching and hunt the culprits down with the characters.
It not just opens our curious minds to what holds in the unknown “afterlife” topics, but also sets us thinking about what are the things that are most important to us in life and if we have spent too much time wasting our time and energy on material things but would not bring you any real happiness at the end of the day.
Some people lose themselves in the process of becoming successful, some lost their family and friends, some lost everything. Most would only regret and repent when they are “dead” in the drama. I guess the director is trying to tell viewers that we should always reflect on our actions and rectify before it is too late.
Everyone makes mistakes.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a 2nd chance to make things right or could turn back time to make things right. It is also about admitting and facing up to your mistakes, instead of trying to cover your mistakes with more lies or doing harmful things.
While Lee Dong Wook’s “Grim Reaper” image has been deeply entrenched in our minds and hearts since “Goblin” took on a global storm, Song Seung Heon/Hyun’s tough, rash but witty “Grim Reaper” detective image does get on our good books too.
It seems that Song Seung Heon has not aged since “Autumn in my Heart” and is still the “Oppa” in many people’s hearts. With a tall, hunky physique, coupled with dashing good looks and nice thick brows, Seung Heon oppa fits so nicely in that black suit that you wouldn’t mind seeing him wearing it for 90% of the drama.
Song Seung Heon’s acting abilities has been much criticised over the years that he always takes on pretty similar roles and there’s not much difference in his expressions.
While yes in a way, I do agree that the usual male lead roles would be either someone with a very bad, nasty temper or someone who is too perfect to be true, the director does give some opportunity for Seung Heon Oppa to enact 3 characters in one body.
It’s about a Grim reaper who’s stuck in a detective’s body, but as time goes by, he found his previous life memory as well. He then fell in love with a mortal woman who has the ability to see spirits.
How should Song Seung Heon enact the difference then?
Well, that’s for you to watch and find out for yourself.
We can see a big difference between Moo Gang who’s too timid to be a policeman and throws up at the sight of blood or can’t even hold a gun, versus a very badass Grim Reaper who is unfeeling and violent.
It also has to do with the pace of the storyline that would not leave viewers too much time to scrutinize his acting. I would say he has pulled through this drama better than many of his past dramas.
Even though there’s a 14-year gap between him and Go Ara and you feel that there’s a lack of super great passion cum chemistry, I think it was just sufficient for a drama like this where romance is not the main line. You do not need something too intense for a puppy love.
If you are expecting many kiss scenes etc, then you would be disappointed. However, there would be sweet scenes like sharing an ice cream cone in the amusement park and sharing a little peck.
It also shows the gradual transformation of Black who was nonchalant and unfeeling to everyone and everything around him, to becoming a warmer person, who would seek justice and also care for Ha Ram. He eventually breaks down upon uncovering the truth and had to find ways to solve everything and make life better for Ha Ram.
While we can say all that he has done is noble and is in the best interests of Ha Ram, would Ha Ram have wanted him to do it this way?
It is probably destined that they would meet somehow, since there were many things that linked and intertwined their fates.
In a way, they both have a very sad past. Ha Ram has the ability to see spirits and can foretell how people will die. It puts her in a spot whenever she has to struggle if she should try to save them. People would all shun her since she is being treated like a little “witch” and someone unlucky.
However, she did not manage to see #444 because he was dressed in all black as a camouflage.
Their love was a forbidden one, so were their actions in saving lives against heaven’s will.
Ha Ram would try to save the lives of those whom she can foresee how they were going to die, while Black would try to ensure that she doesn’t defy this “natural” process of how each individual should meet their end.
Whether she could save those people, there’s either guilt or agony in her most of the time. Guilt if she saved the bad guys instead and in exteme agony when she failed to save the good folks.
It all started from showing care as an “oppa” to slowly wanting to protect her from harm and falling in love with her.
There’s nothing too much to focus on their love triangle. Kim Dong Jun does resemble 李国毅 and has some cute camaraderie with Go Ara, but everyone could tell that our female lead only has eyes for the male lead.
Lee El is Moo Gang’s ex girlfriend who tried to keep him with her despite the fact that “Black” is actually in love with Ha Ram. She has a dark past that she tries to hide beneath her “doctor” image.
I’m sure the viewers would also love Kim Won Hae’s acting in this drama. This Ajushi has been acting as a supporting role in many dramas recently and he excels in villainous roles. However, even as an upright policeman in this drama, he could just exudes his acting skills so effortlessly as a “mad dog” who just wouldn’t let go of the villains. The drama would probably be much less exciting without him around.
All in all, I would say I have enjoyed the drama greatly. So many of the supporting roles have acted very well and made this drama much better than expected.
Most importantly, we should not forget some of the tragedies that happened in real life and we need to reflect and learn from these incidents.
Everyone can be a better person and we should learn to give ourselves a 2nd chance.
Sometimes, all it takes is not to give up but just hang on a little longer.
No matter how tough things seem to be at this moment in time, they will eventually turn out to be better and you will pull through it.
