Runaway: Plan B

My very first KDrama that I started watching for Rain and Daniel Henney and ended up totally crushing on Jung Jin Lee. I was so obscenely addicted to this show I finished it in three days. It is so fun, funny, exciting and sexy. Rain and Jung Jin Lee are so beautiful to look at it is painful. I loved the romance between the two officers and the relationship between Rain and Jung Jin. Definitely check out the making of the show too. They are soo cute. They travel to some amazing locations too.

My first time seeing him, Rain was perfect for the role and now I understand why he had such a success worldwide. Although he does not have a good looking face a la Daniel Henney, or Jang Hyuk and Oh Jiho (both from Chuno), and Kwon Sangwoo (Bad Love) he definitely has a macho persona that is unique to him, a mischievous and playful type, that women finds very appealing. It is not just me but my wife agrees with me. Lee NaYoung was my favorite discovery. Watching her performance here as she talks, walks and portrays her character through her facial expression and body language, she reminds me of Audrey Hepburn. She was able to show the strengths and vulnerabilities of a real heroine that made me believe in her situation of a "lady in distress." She is in a league of her own, and no other Asian actress may be compared to her. She is truly unique in many aspects of her persona. The following website has amazing pictures (supermodel material) that portrays her elegance, grace and sex appeal, all beyond just having a pretty face: http://www.askactor.com/actress/Lee_Na_Young/galleries/. Also check her nonofficial international fan site: www.leenayoung.org. I also liked the actress who played Sophie, she grew on me with every episode.
This action/thriller drama has a sophisticated screenplay and a brilliant execution and direction. It has the feel similar to the best James Bond movies and of the best cold era/sixties spy movies; the same intensity of the Bourne Identity series but with the difference that it combines exquisitely a well executed deadpan comedy (for example the interactions with the Buddhist monk, the delayed reactions of Rain to mask his pain, the antics of the associates of Rain, and the yelling and bickering of the police section chief) with political intrigue, conspiracy, and realistic action scenes. It also reminds me of "Charade" with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, where Hepburn was also a damsel in distress surrounded by conspiracies, masquerades and pretenses, as is the case here with Lee Nayoung where she was betrayed by the only person (Daniel Henney) she believed in and finally could not trust anyone, not even Rain despite all the evidence that he had the best of intentions to help her. Akira Kurosawa, Billy Wilder, and David Mamet are my favorite movie makers, and please note that on purpose I did not use "directors" as I believe that directing and writing are an integral part of a well made movie and cannot be separated. And based on their efforts so far with Chuno and Runaway, I will definite follow any future work of the writer/director team of Chun Sungil/Kwak Junghwan. Runaway is far superior than IRIS. IRIS had a good start and good storyline but two things ruined it. First, the two leading male and female actors were just weak, they looked and acted as if they were playing roles in daily romantic drama. Lee Byunghun is not the typical action actor/hereo, still he was ok, but the worst is that Kim Taehee was cast as the main female role. She is plainly put a bad actress, and her performance said it all. She is too stiff, all smiles with no real expressions or emotions, she is just a pretty face. However, their love making scenes were too much to bear, they did not have any chemistry, overdone, and too corny, and their romantic flashbacks were too long and completely lacking in subtlety. Secondly, all the scenes involving the President was unrealistic, as we see him always with only one or two people of his cabinet in moments of extreme crisis as if he were just another beaurocrat, and in the end, during a public event when attacked he had very few protection and was fleeing on foot with only her female presidential secretary who just turns out to be an IRIS??? The bad guys and the North Korean agents were all very good actors and very scary looking terrorists, and the idea that IRIS was infiltrated into key government positions interesting.
The soundtrack is very addictive and will stay in your head and never leave: Crazy Bounce, Gloria, Mayday, and my favorite "Bang Bang Bang..." that my 3-year son goes nuts dancing every time I play it and wants more of it to no end, and I see why because I indulge in it with him and with my wife who usually joins us later. There are cameo appearances of Lee Da Hae, Oh Jiho, all in the first or second episodes, and many actors that had major roles in Chuno are also here with major roles, like all the associates of Rain who are ridiculously funny. The dialogue is crisp and smart. One example that I would like to note is the following:
In the first episode where Lee Nayoung and a Buddhist monk discusses whether to hire Rain as a private investigator:
Lee Nayoung: He seems to have a head but not a soul.
Monk: He is a sentient being, a temporary existence of a transmigrating soul. Life is the appearance of a cloud as it passes on, and death is the disappearance of a cloud as it passes on.
Lee Nayoung: Is that a teaching of Buddha?
Monk: Of course, did you think it was of Jesus?