Big Man

Title:	Big Man
Alternate Title(s):	N/A
Genre(s):	Crime & Mystery
Episodes	16
Network:	KBS2
Year Produced:	2014
Available to Watch On:	DramaFever, viki, Hulu, dramafans.org

Summary: Big Man is a South Korean drama directed by Ji Yeong Su. A tale of lies and betryal, this k-drama follows Kim Ji Hyeok (Kang Ji Hwan) as he is intentionally misled by the wealthy Kang family, owners of the Hyunsung conglomerate, to believe he is their missing son. The reason for their manipulation is that they botched the attempt to steal Kim Ji Hyeok's heart for their sick son, Kang Dong Seok (Daniel Choi). When the family's evil intentions are revealed, Kim Ji Hyeok must go head to head with Kang Dong Seok in a high stakes battle of corporate espionage and black market dealings where the winner takes it all.

RATING:
♥♥

Big Man = Big Disappointment

Recommendation: There's no denying that I'm a fan of Kang Ji Hwan. The more of his work that I see the more I like him. But... Big Man is a disappointment. As one of the series that I was most anticipating in 2014, I hate giving it the proverbial thumb down. Kang Ji Hwan and Daniel Choi are each power house actors in their own right. And, together, they should have been a big win for this k-drama. But the characters are unlikable and most of them have few to no redeeming qualities. Even Kim Ji Hyeok, our hero, is loud, obnoxious, and just plain over-the-top, making him hard to love. It's either bad acting, bad direction, or bad writing - take your pick because all of them are suspects. That's not to say there aren't "moments" in the series that are genuine and strike the right balance between entertainment and suspended reality. The overall experience, though, is like being in a bad relationship. You think it will get better if you stick around just a little bit longer. Here's my warning: It doesn't.

Magic Glasses: No Lenses, Perfect Vision

Other Thoughts (And Possible Spoilers): I have a love hate relationship with this k-drama. On one hand, I love the pairing of Kang Ji Hwan and Daniel Choi as the leads. They are proven to be skilled actors with successful careers and they are very easy on the eyes. On the other hand, I hate nearly every character in the script. I was equal parts repulsed and perplexed throughout the majority of Big Man's run.

Even if I cast the script and all its flaws aside, I don't think the acting is up to par for the caliber of talent cast into these roles. I could argue that they had very little with which to work. Daniel Choi only has opportunities to express greed and entitlement. Kang Ji Hwan spends 80% of the series as the abandoned child with impulse control issues. They evolve almost not at all and when it does happen it is too late to matter.

Furthermore, someone decided that Kang Ji Hwan would look good with reddish-brown hair and black stubble on his face. Really? Even the hairstyle can only be described as frizzy. Is that a good look on anyone? Come on!! If the acting and the story are going to be terrible, I should at least get to enjoy the view.

Sadly, the female characters did not escape the curse of Big Man and were as offensive and unlikable as the male characters. Between the wishy-washy romantic lead and the heart-stealing-psycho mother, the audience is hard pressed to empathize with any of the women's plights.

If Big Man were my boyfriend, this is what I'd say:

Me:  Big Man, I don't think things are working out.
Big Man: Why?
Me: Well, I liked the idea of you but reality is... a little disappointing.
Big Man: I don't understand. What are you trying to say?
Me: We just aren't compatible. It's not you. It's... Wait. It is you. Let's break up.

The End.