Summary: Inspiring Generation (Age of Feeling) is a 24 episode period drama produced for the network KBS2. This action heavy melodrama is set during the mid-1930s and follows the rise of a no-name youth, Shin Jung Tae (Kim Hyun Joong), as he struggles to survive and protect the people he loves. At every turn, he's unexpectedly thrust into the middle of ever larger political conflicts until he finds himself in Shanghai. As external forces seek to manipulate him, Shin Jung Tae must carefully choose for which cause he'll use his quick wit and iron fists. This comic book adaptation also stars Jin Se Yeon and Lim Soo Hyang.
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Recommendation: Inspiring Generation is just alright. It will not be a 2014 favorite and it certainly won't make my "Best Ever" top 10 list. The series, from what I've read, had issues behind the scenes that seem to have translated into issues on screen. There was the pacing issue. The first third and the last third of the series are gripping. The middle third of it put me to sleep. The fight scenes were nicely choreographed but so numerous that it often became distracting and lost its "wow" factor. On top of that, everything relating to the awkward love triangle between Shin Jung Tae, Kim Ok Ryeon (Jin Se Yeon), and Teguchi Gaya (Lim Soo Hyang) fell flat. The real success story of this k-drama is the depiction of the political conflict in the region and the different factions vying for territory and power. And, in my opinion, it was the bromances that stole the show. The combined forces of Shin Jung Tae, Mo Il Hwa (Song Jae Rim), and Jung Jae Hwa (Kim Sung Oh) added the spark of excitement that this series needed.
