140. Heard It Through the Grapevine 풍문으로 들었소 (2015) Korean

Lee Joon, Go Ah Sung, Yoo Joon Sang, Yoo Ho Jung

Drama Rating: 9/10     Neck Score: A

Wow, finally finished it.  It was so long (30 episodes) and so heavy that we couldn't get ourselves to finish it faster.  We just had to take it slow.  However, this was not because it was bad, it was because it was so good.  All of the characters were so dynamic and fully fleshed out that you both loved and hated them all.  I seriously had times of love and hate for pretty much everyone in the show, including the parents and main couple.  In fact I think every one of the main characters deserves a slow clap, especially the dad who played that hilariously detestable role so very well.  I do have to admit that I didn't know what was going on half the time.  Right up until the end of the show, I found it hard to follow the political or legal conversations.  Those ones in that cafe thing in Hansong where they always did those weird kaleidoscope shots.  The ending was good too, satisfying without wrapping everything up in an unrealistic bow.  Overall the show was a mash of realism and idealism, and the clashing of those two ideas.  As well as a battle of the generations, Confucian traditions, and class/social systems.  It was a very poignant statement about society and tradition.  It was very artistically done, and though I may not have understood everything, probably from the language and cultural barrier, I agree that it deserves all those awards that it won.  It's a solid, meaningful drama, even though it's long and heavy.