The Legendary Witch

Title:	The Legendary Witch
Alternate Title(s):	N/A
Genre(s):	Melodrama, Romantic Comedy, Crime, Suspense
Episodes	40
Network:	MBC
Year Produced:	2014
Available to Watch On:	viki, dramafans.org

Summary: Moon Soo In (Han Ji Hye) was happily married to the eldest son of the wealthy Ma family, owners of the Shinwha Group conglomerate. When her husband unexpectedly dies, the family frames her for embezzlement of company funds and sends her to jail for two years. It is there that she meets three women (Ko Du Shim, On Hyun Kyung, and Ha Yeon Soo) that change her life for the better and the man that will help her love again (Ha Seok Jin). After the women are released from prison, they support one another and gradually build new lives and find new love. But they all have strange ties to the Ma family making it difficult to forget the past until all the wrongs have been righted and the sins exposed.

RATING

♥♥♥½

Recommendation: Let's start off this recommendation with an acknowledgment that the first four episodes of this series are painfully dull and difficult to watch. However, if you can get past that hurdle the series recovers and quickly achieves "watchable" status. So much so, that this became a weekly staple in my k-drama viewing schedule for the last few months. This underdog tale does a nice job depicting the transformation of a group of women from victims in survival mode to competent and self-assured women capable of mastering their destinies. Han Ji Hye played it safe in the role of Moon Soo In and her performance was just okay. Undoubtedly, she was cast for her star power but the real strength of the series is the chemistry between the broader ensemble cast and the overall journey of the series. While the additional 4 episodes did not necessarily serve The Legendary Witch well, it did not hurt the undeniable charm that this show cast over its audience either. This is a must watch among the end-of-year dramas that closed out 2014 and took us into 2015.

Other Thoughts (And Possible Spoilers): For anyone that has read more than a few my reviews, you will know that I tend to be very critical of how k-dramas depict women. It's all angels and demons in k-dramaland as far as women are concerned. But The Legendary Witch does a nice job developing the relationships between the female cast without letting it degrade into cat fights and fake pregnancies. Granted, Moon Soo In, as a character, is right on the border of stereotypeville. She's pretty, sweet, and men are dying to be with her (pun totally intended).

"It's not my fault I was born with perfect features and a model like figure."

On that note, I'll provide this warning: MAJOR SPOILER COMING UP NEXT!

In episode one, the audience learns that Moon Soo In's husband has just died in a helicopter crash but there were no remains to be found. Somewhere around episode thirty four, her husband makes a surprise appearance. Doh! He's not dead. Did I enjoy this particular plot hook? No. Did I think it was necessary? No. Am I going to poo poo the whole series because of it? No. If anything, I applaud the writer for bringing back a character just to kill him off again. You don't see that everyday.

While Han Ji Hye and Ha Seok Jin are the couple du jour of The Legendary Witch, the other couples in the series are more interesting and have more compelling stories. Often, I found myself looking  forward to the scenes involving the secondary characters and wondering when their relationships would progress. In many cases, it didn't happen until the 11th hour as the series was winding down. Still, everyone found a happy ending that deserved it and the audience gets to walk feeling happy, too.
 

Wish you were here....