Okay, I’m not going to include any spoilers of note, but I have to say that the characters Hwang Shi-mok and Han Yeo-jin (Jo Seung-woo and Bae Doona respectively) are probably going to be my favorites of 2017, and there’s still half the year (and drama) to go!

I feel like this one is my reward for sticking with Man X Man; the acting and plotting is top drawer here. I should be kicking myself for watching it as it airs (and don’t get me wrong, there are times that I do), but I kind of like the anticipation as I wait to see what clever, twisty thing is going to happen next. In a way, if I were inhaling it, I might not have time to sit back and reflect on the story. In some ways it reminds me of Heard it through the Grapevine – not that the plot is at all similar, but tonally it evokes the same feels. They are both populated by highly intelligent lead characters, have characters that have genuinely good hearts, and the stories include that perfect combination of tension and levity. I couldn’t inhale Grapevine at the time either.

I won’t reveal any of the details, but Hwang Shi-mok is really a delightful, fresh character. Due to a condition (this is a character description well-publicized) he’s unable to experience most human emotions and this is used brilliantly in the show. His ally, Han Yeo-jin is decent and human, and doesn’t judge him for this lack. Her camaraderie with him so far is so gratifying on so many levels.

Is it Monday yet?

#bae-doona, #cho-seung-woo, #forest-of-secrets, #jo-seung-woo, #stranger-secret-forest