Showing posts with label rags to riches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rags to riches. Show all posts

Saturday, January 24, 2015

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.