Time Between Dog and Wolf: A Review

125 November 3, 2012November 3, 2012

by kaedejun

It took me a while to get around to this drama, but I finally did. Yay – old drama checked off my list! I’m glad I watched it, because in a way I got to see how action dramas worked in 2007, and compared it to the more recent dramas of late (think IRIS, ATHENA, and City Hunter). I have to admit I went into the drama with pretty low expectations; when I watched the first episode years ago, I couldn’t sit through the first half-hour. I was bored to death. But with nothing to do except some snuggling against my couch and huddling under a blanket, I sat through the entire first episode – and the entire series.

This drama has almost every melodramatic cliche you could squeeze into a 16-episode revenge/action drama, which is both its strong point and its weakest. While the fast pace of the drama helps keep the tensions high, it has more plot holes and crazy plot lines than I could keep track of. It also fluctuated between the story being propelled forward, and then stretches of meandering about as characters dance around the truth but never really get there. But perhaps a summary is in order for those who haven’t seen this series.

Lee Soo Hyun (Lee Jun Ki) was raised in Bangkok by his widowed mother, who worked tirelessly as a prosecutor, trying to bring the Jung Triad to justice after the untimely death of her husband (an NIS agent). Her investigations and police operations attract too much attention, and the Jung Triad decides to swiftly eliminate her.

It also doesn’t help that one of the higher-ups, Mao Liwarat (Choi Jae Sung), just lost his wife and daughter Ari to Seo Young Kil (Jung Sung Mo), one of his underlings. Young Kil made a deal with Soo Hyun’s mother where he would be given safe passage to Korea with Mao’s family (whom he loves dearly) in exchange for information about a scheduled drug sale. So Mao is filled with vengeance when he goes to kill the mother – point blank, and right in front of Soo Hyun’s eyes.

Mao, wearing a Thai costume mask, aims to kill again, but Soo Hyun holds his hand over the nozzle of the gun, holding his mother’s last gift: his father’s broken watch. Moved, and unable to shoot a child in the face, he leaves, but not before Soo Hyun remembers the tattoo on his arm. Soo Hyun had met Mao before when he walked Ari home, and shook hands with him, but guess he never saw the tattoo then…

Ari is forced to leave her home and her newfound friend for Seoul; she never had issue with her father, who was the best father he could be, but she wanted her long-suffering mother to be happy as well. Likewise, Soo Hyun’s parents’ friend Kang Joong Ho (Lee Ki Young) adopts Soo Hyun as his own and takes him to Korea.

His son Min Ki (Jung Kyung Ho) doesn’t have much of a problem with Soo Hyun, but dislikes that Soo Hyun is so distant and cold. He just wants to be friends!! They get into a schoolyard scuffle, and then get caned by the father at home. Joong Ho’s wife and son think that he would never hit Soo Hyun because he’s not his real son and is favored, but Joong Ho whips the boy for his insolence. Bonding moment — and Soo Hyun becomes a real part of their family.

Time passes. They grow up, and Min Ki and Soo Hyun become NIS agents just like their fathers. Min Ki is the troublemaker, being the more lazy agent, and so he ends up in the data mining section. Soo Hyun is quiet but brilliant, and super sharp – he becomes a field agent. It’s a testament to their bond as brothers that neither side is jealous, and neither is surprised by Min Ki’s playboy ways.

They bump into Seo Ji Woo (Nam Sang Mi) accidentally, with Min Ki pursuing her as a love interest, and Soo Hyun in the middle. But when the two old friends recognize each other and reunite, Min Ki can’t stand in the way of their sparkling chemistry. Or more like, Ji Woo’s enthrallment with Soo Hyun, and Soo Hyun’s indifference.

Soo Hyun is assigned a reconnaissance case against the Jung Triad and Mao, who have arrived in Korea in hopes of expanding their market and establishing a hub there. He’s nervous as he plants a camera bug, but then is in for the shock of his life when he recognizes Mao’s tattoo.

He goes rogue, attempting to kill Mao himself, and fires his gun against him. It’s caught on tape – and caught by Min Ki as he reviews the case, no less – and he is subsequently fired. Soo Hyun goes to Thailand immediately, and is followed by Ji Woo and Min Ki, who know he’s plotting revenge.

Soo Hyun tries and fails, and gets hurt, and then goes home. Director Jung, the chief of NIS, recognizes his talent and thirst for revenge, and offers him a position as a narc – he will go deep undercover in Thailand and attempt to infiltrate the Jung Triad. Commence Infernal Affairs plot, with a dash of Amnesia, a heavy dose of Denial and Revenge, a teaspoon of Brothers Reuniting, and a sprinkle of Final Showdown with a Twist.

Review:

This drama has loads of Lee Jun Ki at his best, or should I say, trying his best? Whether it’s making spinning kicks or besting others at “Who can shoot first?” he always looks impressive and cool as he does it. Just how I like my heroes. However, there were moments of him screaming in despair or agony that had me wondering, “Are you screaming because this is all too much? Too over-the-top?”

Jung Kyung Ho holds up his end admirably, going from dorky to badass agent when he tries to take Soo Hyun’s place in NIS. The best part is putting the two of them together; together you have a wonderful bromance that shows how much they love each other and support each other.

Despite all the lies and betrayals, I’m glad that Min Ki quickly gets over it because he realizes that 1) he has his brother’s back, and 2) he understands his brother’s need for revenge. I think this drama had too many episodes with them not together, which totally sucked.

In regards to the love triangle though, because Jung Kyung Ho played Min Ki so well, I really wished that he ended up with Ji Woo. Though he threw tantrums when she couldn’t let go of Soo Hyun’s memory, he tried so hard to win her hand. He was a good guy, and I felt bad that Ji Woo wouldn’t accept him.

As for Soo Hyun, I never felt his love for Ji Woo – I think he lacked any chemistry with Nam Sang Mi, despite the drama claiming otherwise. Nam Sang Mi herself was quite annoying – she was always getting in the way of Soo Hyun and Min Ki’s plans, and I just wanted her to shut up and wait until the fighting was over. Though she saved Soo Hyun a couple of times, she also put him in a lot of danger too. Grr – I guess because I didn’t like her character, I didn’t like how these two guys were fighting over her.

[SPOILERS AHEAD] The drama had some crazy plot lines and plot holes that raised more questions as I watched than answered. I mean – when Soo Hyun comes back from the dead in the movie theater, the first thing the agents do is arrest him. Really? You don’t pause and stare mid-punch, crying: “Is that you, Soo Hyun!? Welcome back, buddy!”

Granted, you all asked once, “Is that Soo Hyun?” as you stared at him through the one-way glass, but it falls flat because no one even wants to pursue the possibility with a DNA test. It’s like in Ocean’s Twelve, when Matt Damon makes a passing remark that George Clooney’s wife looks like Julia Roberts. Umm, duh?! At least in Ocean’s Twelve, they do something about the likeness; in Time, they don’t.

Soo Hyun even conveniently gets amnesia, and at that point in the drama (around Episodes 6-8), I felt the series was dragging its feet. Things didn’t make sense – I kept asking myself, “Wait, don’t Mao and Soo Hyun recognize each other already? There are so many signs!” or “Shouldn’t he have seen that watch earlier?”

And then nearer to the end, I wondered, “How’d the Chief survive that flash bomb in his office?” and “Was Mao’s bodyguard Giraffe a double agent too or something?” and “Why the hell do we find out now that Mao and Soo Hyun’s father were friends?” At that point it was such an unnecessary detail that I wish they didn’t include that connection. The drama would have been fine without it.

It was ridiculousness built upon ridiculousness, to the point that when I reached the end, I was willing to buy everything despite my questions because there were too many gaps and potential plot wells to keep track of. “Don’t you know that already?” and “Oh, now you know?” were constant refrains in my head.

I felt the show didn’t pick up again until around Episode 13, when every episode after that had a better cliffhanger than the last. It’s like they got a whole new scriptwriter and editor for the final episodes, because suddenly the story was quicker, more exciting, and wrapping up its story.

Once Soo Hyun remembered who he was, allied with his brother, and their plans came to fruition, the wait became worth it. I don’t like the ending because it was so cheesy, and yet, I love how Min Ki and Soo Hyun essentially became their fathers, and Soo Hyun continued being a narc. In the end, I only cared about these two brothers.

I don’t mean to bash this drama, since I do think that because it was so short, and was trying to move as quickly as possible, it kind of glazed over a bunch of details. I will give this drama some props for developing solid characters like Min Ki, Soo Hyun, and even Ji Woo (as annoying as she was). It had a great supporting cast in Sung Ji Roo, Lee Tae Sung, and Kim Gab Soo, all of whom made me feel sympathy, made me smack my lips in deliciousness, and made me love to hate, respectively.

At its core, Dog/Wolf was about revenge, and yet it got sidetracked with the side story of Soo Hyun trying to take down the Triad in forgettable ways (except the time he finally teams up with his brother – see, two heads are better than one!). I’ll draw some parallels to more recent shows. IRIS took a little diversion with the whole NIS takeover, which was important, but all you really wanted was for Hyun Joon to just get chief Baek San already!

It also makes me appreciate City Hunter more, because it had a well-thought-out plot with enough twists that weren’t dropped in the last five minutes to keep me interested. City Hunter was also about revenge, but its plot of going against five men was actually laid out better than this drama’s plot of going after one man. Time Between Dog and Wolf is a drama that marks its time in 2007 – it’s a drama that makes me appreciate the later action dramas, which had less ambitious plots, but more focused storytelling.

If I were to ever watch this drama again, it would be because of Lee Jun Ki and Jung Kyung Ho’s bromance. I might just watch the first five episodes over and over again, and then skip to Episode 13. Anything with the two of them is worth it; episodes with them apart just makes the drama fall apart.

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51 Appledumpling

November 4, 2012 at 7:29 AM

Impressive dramas from the year 2007 include"

'Surgeon Bong Dal-hee'
'Capital Scandal'
'Coffee Prince'

And, the drama that I still regard as the most meaningful, touching, and foremost "feather-in-the-cap" for actor Jang Hyuk, actress Kong Hyo Jin, and the best of all child actresses, the then seven year old, Seo Shin Ae:

'Thank You'

As a teacher, and a human being, not a day goes by that I don't use some of the enlightenment that I received from this drama when encountering and dealing with people and situations, sometimes beyond their control, that may account for unique behaviors and outlooks.

A drama or piece of art that can forever evoke emotion, understanding, and passion, has NO expiration date...

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52 Lilian

November 4, 2012 at 9:45 AM

It's so long ago that I cannot really remember the plot but for me I remember this drama because I really liked Lee Jun Ki. And coz Arang just reaffirmed my love for him again!

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53 L4E

November 4, 2012 at 11:47 PM

I think that knowing that this drama was planned and shot as 20 episodes. then cut to 16 episodes after the first week will answer many questions and explain why there were too many plot wholes.

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54 MsB

November 5, 2012 at 10:15 AM

Thanks for talking about my obsession, TBDaW! I absolutely loved this drama! Loved it! Flaws and all! Sure, it had a lot of them; I was not super sold on the romance either between Soo Hyun and Ari but the bromance was definitely one of the best! And Mao?! Love this actor! And am happy to have seen him in other works! I thought where City Hunter paled, this shined and vice-versa. I felt the action in CH was stilted while TBDaW made me replay action scenes over and over again! I loved the adopted brother scenes, I loved Kay/Soo Hyun in Thailand! I think the scenes between Ari and Kay got better during the amnesia period (at least the amnesia made sense). Yes, there were definitely plot holes; I can find them in every revenge/action drama I've watched but I so liked this drama that I bought it after only the first 6 episodes! And its on my iPad, Laptop so it travels with me! LJK obsession? Yeah, I admit it! Ijimae made me curious but this started the obsession!

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55 Joongirl

November 6, 2012 at 5:29 AM

This is the best drama ever in it's genre, sorry to city hunter fans, but even I've watched them both, I won't think twice to choose TBWAD as the best!!! This drama makes me bias to LJG forever

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Joongirl

November 6, 2012 at 5:44 AM

And it's action scene, the one that city hunter couldn't beat! TbWAD action scene was pretty life and real, while in city hunter, all I can't see just slow motion, City hinter is too pale and even shooting scene seemed so fake, sorry

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Joongirl

November 6, 2012 at 5:47 AM

Typo - all I can see justvslow motion, not can't see just slow motion

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56 f2lp

November 6, 2012 at 6:29 AM

Excuse me for the stupid question, but can you give me an example for Joon Gi overact? Maybe i missed this part. Some people call this "facial expression", but i know now is the era of the expressionless actors who stand like a log. While i watched them i think: "Is he sad", "Is he crying right now?", "Is he happy?" I just can't tell what the actors feeling because they have unmeaning face.
Absolutely different situation with Lee Joon Gi - every feeling of his character is showed on his face. But yes, maybe now we called this "overact"

And in the end, if u like stupid dramas with overacting actor - this is your drama.

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Joongirl

November 6, 2012 at 6:53 AM

He played two character roles here, and he played them pretty well, I can't see where and when he did overact? He's just awesome to play so different character at once, not many actors can do that!
Nowadays I have seen so many young actor acts just fine, so I watch them just fine, not that wow and not that hooked! LJG, who you called him overacted, well maybe people taste is different, but for me, he delivered pretty well the feeling of the character he played, such us when he played iljimae and cried over his sister wrongly death, I really got shivered and found my self crying too, something rarely happens to me. So that's called overact???

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sadako92

November 6, 2012 at 12:00 PM

I think (from what I understand) that f2lp means the same thing as you about the so-called "overacting".
I also share the same opinion. Especially when seeing all those US TV series with poorly written characters played by people who don't even bother to ACT. They just stand there, talking with a monocord voice with their faces unchanged. Most of the time they can't even move their eyebrows anymore because of the excess of botox... All those CSI, Criminal Minds and so on (there are so many copycats of these), this kind of expressionless, lazy "acting" is supposed to be the ultimate trend. Well, not for me. :)
I like actors who take risks and put all their heart in their performances. Lee Jun Ki does this all the time and since we are talking about TBDAW, yes, here again he acts with a rejoicing enthusiasm and leaves a strong impression. I've seen the drama only once but I still remember very clearly a lot of his scenes, especially the emotional ones. You can feel the involvement, you can feel a kind of passion that is not that usual in the world of kdramas and TV shows in general.

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Joongirl

November 6, 2012 at 1:39 PM

Hi Sadako92~♥ yes, actually I was just supporting f2lP with questioning the what's so called "overacting" with bold tinted :)
Maybe because I used to watch LJG's acting, I made it as standard now, that when actor commits to play action scenes, they should learn first how to do it so at least they can minimize the using of double stunts, but so far, when it comes to action scene CG and slow motion helps those actors. As for overacting, too. How could he did overact when I found my self put his act as a standard for other actors to play every wrinkles in their face, I found ppl comparing this with CH, okey then for me the Actor of CH, LMH, he really acted like a wood, seriously and sorry for the fans, I don't mean to offense LMH fans. In time between love and dog, the episode that the writer here skipped, I watched it more than 20 times frankly speaking, and those episodes were my favorites, LJG made them to be my favorites. If in you're beautiful ppl found JGS's smirk was cool and amazing, sorry again forhis fans, I just saw his smirk as nothing compares to LJG as Kay's smirk her in TBWAD. Kay's smirk here is deathly for me. And people called it overacted??? Lol

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Joongirl

November 6, 2012 at 2:01 PM

Plus I really can't stand for the 'over the top' comment. Sorry writer nim here, I know it's your blog, but I found his 'screaming ' scene is proper. And I don't know that trying his best is called overact too, sorry for my less of experience in analyzing drama plot and actors acts. Writer nim seems to think alot when watching this drama, appreciate it, but sorry, all those words that you wrote above is really different with my opinion, call me so biased, in fact this drama made me so biased. And I watched long time ago, when CH and Irish haven't produced yet, so when that have produced, they can't make me mesmerized cos I have watched the same genre with good story and best acting, this is so original, others only followers for me. Tsk tsk well LJG was known as trendsetter. When he played as pretty boy, people followed,when he turned to action, people followed too. Oh, I think I am spamming now, sorry.

sadako92

November 8, 2012 at 12:07 PM

Sorry I misunderstood your previous comment, hehe.
I agree with everything you say. Except maybe that I like Jang Geun Suk very much in You're Beautiful, he's very funny and charming. But it's a different kind of performance. ;)
Back to Lee Jun Ki and Time Between Dog and Wolf. It's true that he's totally amazing in the screaming scenes, especially at the beginning of episode 13. Wow. You can tell the director pulled out everything he could from him. Let's be honest, we don't come by this kind of performance very often in kdrama or tv series in general. It is not overacting, it is acting. Brilliant acting should I say, because at this moment you can clearly see an actor who is feeling as devastated as his character. It's so real that you can't help but have goosebumps while watching and hearing him. And he offers us so many great moments to remember like this one throughout the whole series.
Also, like in Iljimae, he does all the action himself and he does it so well. I laughed a lot with your comment about Lee Min Ho in City Hunter because even if I wouldn't be that harsh with him, it's true that he cannot compare to Lee Jun Ki. In fact I saw the two dramas around the same period and I couldn't help but compare them and the two actors. And it's a big win for TBDAW. City Hunter is like a spy-series wannabe. It wants so bad to be serious and badass without having the means to do it. IRIS is far better than City Hunter, but would IRIS exist if TBDAW had not open the way before ?... Same with the actors : LMH acts on the surface when LJK feels deep inside every little emotion he's expressing. I vote for Soo Hyun ! :)

57 LJK4ever

November 6, 2012 at 6:33 AM

The best action romance!!!way better than city hunter and Iris:-) Junki rockz!!!my all time favorite drama of 2007 :-)

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58 Ur Wrong

November 6, 2012 at 6:42 AM

Many OVERRATED ACTORS nowadays who gain popularity and it sucks bigtime!A hater is always a loser.^^and there's no treatment for jealousy :P

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59 eunnie

November 6, 2012 at 7:02 AM

I used to really like city hunter. I used to think it really has an exciting plot, but ever since i watched this~ it felt like city hunter is such a light drama compared to this. It pales compared to this drama. Action scene wise, city hunter is like a kid trying to play games. The twirls and the kicks are brilliant and magnificent. After learning that the lead in this drama didnt use stunt double, even in those dangerous car scenes, i am so impressed!! There are scenes in here that even if i repeat a hundred times, it doesnt get old. The subtlety of emotions and the degree of emotions that needed to be prtrayed by the male lead is amazing for me.The flick of eyes, the difference in smirk~ and the twists are really good. The chemistry between the brothers and the chemistry of lee joon gi with the lead antagonist is also solid. This is all my opinion ofc, as u have urs.

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Joongirl

November 6, 2012 at 7:17 AM

Pretty well said dear :)

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60 Caroline

November 6, 2012 at 7:25 AM

This is the best drama ever!!!

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61 Joyce

November 6, 2012 at 7:28 AM

This drama is almost 5yrs and why brought this stuff now?Sorry?but I completely disagree bout ljk's acting is somewhat over the top when he screamed? Because he's the only k-actors with his young age who can conveys all the emotions in a drama and his versatility is totally amazing. I've watched CH too ,but I couldn't even finish watching the drama ...they market the looks of LMH than his acting...I wasn't impressed at all.I dunno how you define a good actor without flaws...coz for me LJK is a great actor.I don't find any flaws when regards to his acting skill...he's just so awesome!but anyways we do have different taste and likes...perhaps UR taste is somewhat unique for my taste...cheers.

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62 Krysha22

November 6, 2012 at 7:30 AM

TBDW is my all time favorite drama. I can watch it anytime and be mesmerized by Lee Jun Ki. Gosh!

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63 redbunny

November 6, 2012 at 8:28 AM

Good drama!!! Amazing actors! Incredible action sequences! What i don't get is why Ljk is overacting. I found his acting to be really good. Much better than lee min ho in my opinion(i dont have anything against the guy, in fact i watch some of his dramas) both in action and in acting. Lee jun ki even nailed the three character he portrayed here : LSH and Kay and then the combination of the two after he recovered his memory. His face is undeniably unique, but his expressions are right on dot. I have no problem watching this again, and i would recommend it especially to anyone where action drama is their cup of tea. ^^

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64 Joyce

November 6, 2012 at 8:45 AM

Nothing can BEAT the original...how can some ppl compare TBDAW to the recent action dramas?hey,it's where action revenge romance started...just in case you don't know,ok?ofcourse there's a big difference,huller?dramas from before is really different from dramas nowadays!coz of the high tech they used so there's really a big difference!WATCH CH in 2007 I don't think it will be a huge hit.Because I don't even get excited watching it last year..it was only the lawyer who seems so interesting character and the antagonist in CH...

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65 Avlish

November 6, 2012 at 5:35 PM

I remember this drama made me start to like Lee Joon Gi and became fan of him, and this drama made me also love Lee Joon Gi and Nam Sang Mi's tandem. Absolutely, TIME BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF is the BEST DRAMA I've ever seen in my entire life (so far) and I think nothing can be as good as this drama is. and I surely NEVER FORGET! Loved the entire scenes, love everything in this drama though I wish it have more romantic scenes with Lee Joon Gi/Soo Hyun and Nam Sang Mi/Ari and how I also wish that it could have a happy ending between Joon Gi's and Sang Mi's character, but I'am not disappointed on how it end because of the great acting of every actors and actresses this drama make it more real. I SALUTE this drama, everyone behind it; directors and staffs especially Lee Joon Gi and Nam Sang Mi, they have done GREAT JOB/a piece of work that is truly UNFORGETTABLE and TREASURABLE. KANSAHAMNIDA! Hope they can do great drama like this drama again with Lee Joon Gi and Nam Sang Mi. WISHING FOR PART II! ^_^

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66 Rawr

November 7, 2012 at 1:36 AM

This time i can't agree with you kaedejun! I don't get the overacting bit. Lee junki's versatility in acting is truly amazing!

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67 CJ

November 7, 2012 at 10:45 AM

Highly recommended drama!I so love this drama great storyline and great acting from LEE JOON GI!!! Number 1 actor :-)

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68 merz

November 7, 2012 at 7:30 PM

wow!Jun Ki overact you say?!... I'd say superb acting skills.

I just can't stand the acting capabalities of the new breed of actors these days,they're so lacking..ah wait they have good looks at least.I tried to watch these dramas but couldn't finish...

With Jun Ki,even a boring drama is worth watching.

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69 noi

November 8, 2012 at 7:03 AM

lee junki is so freaking handsome here. junkiiiiii please pick a kickass dramas like this againn!!!!

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70 Kaybee

November 13, 2012 at 9:32 AM

OH my! You are actually reviewing an Old drama! I LOVE Time between dog and wolf! Alas, I couldn't finish the drama but this drama is very well made and well executed by the actors. The plot is interesting and feels somewhat like 'Green Rose' another drama you should do review on if possible (Go Soo....swoon). For me TBDW is Lee Jun Ki's best work so far and of course now Arang and the magistrate also made it to his best works list! :) Cheers for the review!

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71 Sunny

November 25, 2012 at 1:11 AM

The writer here seems to be afraid that lots of new fans of LJG (gain after AATM) will watch his previous works and love TBDW much. So you wrote negatively about this drama not likeable to watch, right? It's sure there's no treatment for jealousy.
TBDW is actually a very good action packed k-drama for all time!! The action scenes of Lee Joon-gi are too realistic that I feel impress whenever I watch them. And move together with him on his emotional scenes, LJG's acting is always superb!
As you think the wooden acting with unclear facial expressions as a standard acting, you will feel LJG is overdoing the acting, haha. In fact, TBDW is too much better than your favourite city hunter which has pale plot, unimpressive slow-motioned action scenes, and wooden acting of lead actors. Although iris may good, it's just follower of TBDW, the first smash hit action-revenge korean drama.
Lee Joon-gi is the coolest undercover agent I've ever seen. None other k-action dramas can beat TBDW. But of course, LJG's next spy theme dramas will sure be again in my favourite action drama list^^

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72 JGiStar17A

November 25, 2012 at 2:17 AM

Lee Joon-gi is the Big-time Action Star, his movies & dramas are really great~!! TBDW is the Best modern k-action drama & Iljimae is the Best fusion historical action drama! TBDW has a very interesting storyline. Lee Joon-gi's acting here is just perfect for the whole drama with his amazing skills.

It's like the writer here is just making an attempt not to watch TBDW on the viewers who will watch it after impressing Lee Joon-gi's great acting in A&M. Your recent action dramas are only filled with high techs, slow-mos, and lack in real talents.

Do you think LJG is overacting? Lol~ Actually, he's the only k-actor who can portray all of his different roles to be wonderful and can make the viewers "wow" if you're not his anti. Looking forward to JG's next wonderful projects *^o^*

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73 Natasya1988

November 30, 2012 at 10:58 PM

Aigoo~there’s no treatment for jealousy!!! TBDW is like the greatest action k-drama ever in the history of the universe.

Yes, I am a bit obsessed

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74 Gasenadi

December 30, 2012 at 3:53 PM

Kaedejun= grac!as. keybd bad. agree w u 100 pc re ds here drama.

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75 Gasenadi

December 30, 2012 at 4:49 PM

(Let me try on another device...) I put this on my To Watch List after seeing Nam Sang-Mi in Bad Family and then again in Fermentation Family. But couldn't find it anywhere until after Arang. Arang's the drama, imo, in which LKJ's acting shines w/o histrionics.

TBDAW had some poignant issues raised, some at the very last minute. LOL! What constitutes family, friendship, loyalty, and reality? Yes, JW could be annoying as she mediated btwn Mao and
SH, but all the previous craziness would lead anyone to attempt some kind of sane detente. And after LJK's mellowed intensity in Arang, the screams in TBDAW were jarring to me, even tho the plot made me want to scream along w/him. GAAH!

Now this drama has some of the elements that first attracted me to kdramas (CH being my unforgettable first). First, how awesome to get to see Bangkok AND SKorea! Then the unique ability to make villains human, not just another caricature of crime boss turned entrepeuner. This one, like so many movies and some few dramas, doesn't evade the collusion btwn organized crime and those in power and how
ordinary people are used as mere pawns.

Thanks, kaedejun, and hope to see more reviews of older dramas when you can fit them in your packed schedule.

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76 Cecilia

January 1, 2013 at 8:49 AM

Time Between Dog and Wolf is still my all-time favorite. Lee Jun Ki's acting is superb, and the show is definitely worth watching!

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77 alien1

July 19, 2013 at 4:22 PM

Viva bromance, dude you are so right, ur resume is exactly what i had in mine when i watch this drama,,and those things about episode 1—5 then 13 is also happen in my case...

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78 Pam

July 22, 2013 at 10:06 PM

So glad kdramas have improved! Female lead was hella annoying to me. Highlight of this drama was LJK in business suites, even though the gold necklace along the with the suites looked douchebaggy! Lol!!!

Well, I really watched this drama for JKH, currently watching him as Paksa Adeul in Cruel City! Figure I could get double the eye candy with LJK and JKH together...that was worth watching all the shortcomings of this drama! Lol!!!

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79 mary

July 31, 2013 at 1:26 AM

I liked this drama...after arang i was searching fora leejung ki drama and found this....but they could have really made it better...there were too much of dragging...and the romance....was a bit boring.... i mean the leadsnrarelynhad that many scenes to make usnfeel that they really love each other and both of them dont hv that great chemistry...i liked min ki and his coworker more....period.
And the ending whatnwasnthenneed to repeat the same story of pretend to be dead....

And they left that. Chiefs plot hanging.

?
Too many loopholes but still...just good to pass time on

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80 anon

August 12, 2013 at 12:50 AM

Regardless of its flaws, I LOVED this drama to DEATH. I also agree Soo Hyun didn't really show much love towards Ji Woo, but I think in the story, he's SUPPOSED to really love her. I personally don't think it's really about the chemistry...but more like they pretty much didn't develop their relationship at ALL. Soo Hyun had too much baggage, he didn't open up. Most of the time was spent out his attempt at revenge. Until he finally did accept her, they already jumped to him going undercover.
I kind of looked past that and just believed the love exists.
Although very cliche, but I still felt they made the drama quite action packed and still hooked me. And honestly, LEE JUN KI IS SO FULL OF HOTNESS IN THIS DRAMA <3 I honestly almost forgot how GOOD he looked in here.
And I still really liked Nam Sang Mi (even though her character, I agree, caused a lot of trouble sometimes) and Jung Kyung Ho.
Really loved the bromance, and also the family love. I remember how hard I SOBBED when the father died :'(

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81 JinSoo

February 21, 2014 at 7:05 PM

I'm totally blind by the review of Dramabeans. This just got my taste of story. Flaws - what's that? haha bu tI respect the opinion of the blogger.

Seems like I have not watched the dramas you are talking about, but the stories I want to see in every drama are all here, and it seems like I'm the only one who loved episodes 6-end more as well as Sang-mi's character.

Yes, lee Joon ki is so good in here. made me love him even more, so as Kyung ho.. and Mao, the most lovable villain i've ever seen in a KDrama.

Time Between Dog and Wolf is definilety my most favorite Korean Drama

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82 August

April 20, 2014 at 4:03 PM

I finished all 16 episodes of TBDAW and can now check it off my to watch list. :)

It was cool to see various Thailand sites/locations. I kept thinking of the 1980's and in some ways it felt like an old school crime drama.

I liked the bromance between Lee Soo-Hyun and Kang Min-Ki. Mao as one of the villains was human. The actor Choi Jae-Sung went beyond portraying just another caricature of a crime boss.

Lee Jun Ki had different hairstyles to coinside with the character arc and help distinguish personality traits of his characters - Lee Soo-Hyun & Kay.

The parental relationships (blood and adopted) were both stable and nice to see for a change. The story tackled motivation for revenge, identity questions, loyalty to friend and foe, and aspects of the criminal underworld throughout the drama was intriguing.

How quickly time goes/passes by. One can only imagine the excitement and intensity experienced by those that watched it live originally in 2007. Now watching and marathoning it seven (7) years later makes for a vastly different viewing experience and exposes some of its datedness.

Choi Kang-Joo's pants in BOTC were always to short. In contrast, the pants worn by Lee Soo-Hyun (aka Kay) and Kang Min-Ki were long and looked like they were always about to accidentally trip.

Seo Ji-Woo (aka Ari) had a great wardrobe and owned her feminity and sexuality. They really don't dress heroines like that now in most kdramas.

Some of the episodes would end with a particular scene as the cliffhanger and then open the next episode with a totally different scene. I keep thinking that I had skipped or missed a scene in error. It took a moment for me to realize nope - that's just the way the show is edited. TBDAW way of deploying of cliffhangers is totally different from how they are normally used nowadays.

Which one will end up withstanding the test of time?
Time Between Dog and Wolf (2007)
IRIS (2009)
City Hunter (2011)
Two Weeks (2013)

I don't know, but I enjoyed each one!

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83 Pearl~ai88

July 21, 2014 at 10:25 PM

Hi from 2014! I just finished watching this drama b/c I recently re-watched Arang and got on a LJK jag. Joseon Gunman episodes aren't coming out fast enough, so I finished this drama in between, lol :) I actually really really enjoyed it. I resolved when I started it not to get too invested in it and just watch it as a fun action drama, so the plot holes didn't really get to me as much as they usually do. I just came away with the good bits- the bromance and the twisted relationship between Kei/Soo-hyun and Mao. I loved Mao's character as a genuinely bad guy who is still sympathetic and charismatic. Even though it wasn't played out perfectly, I really connected with the pseudo father/son relationship between him and our hero- I guess the whole brotherhood and undying loyalty mixed with the constant potential for betrayal in the gang world is really intriguing to me :) I rolled my eyes when the amnesia rolled around right on time, but at least the show did something interesting with it in creating the new character of Kei. I actually liked him better than normal Soo-Hyun, who always struck me as selfishly fixed on his revenge. Unlike Yoon-Sung in City Hunter (whom I <3, :3 :3 :3) , he isn't motivated by justice in any way (at least not that I could tell) and so that made it hard for me to connect with the character. Kei was more cocky and laid-back, and more ruthless- just plain cooler really- and entirely motivated by selfless devotion to his boss. Even if that devotion was misplaced, it made him more likable and even admirable in a way. I really wish there had been a lot more conflict for Soo-Hyun when he regained his memories in trying to reconcile his old and new personalities.

Like you guys, I also spent a lot of time yelling at my screen- mostly "Your hyung is too good for you, jerk!". Seriously, Min-Ki was a great character and such a nice guy. Not once did he give in to jealousy of his brother, ultimately accepting the love between Soo-Hyun and Ji-Woo without a word. And once he finally gets a clue (after a frustrating few episodes being all ragey) he does everything in his power to protect his brother. I expected him to go off the deep end eventually in order to keep Ji-Woo for himself, but he never did, Yay! Not to mention their equally awesome and supportive dad, who wrung my heart with his desperate attempt to protect his son, ending in tragedy. If I wasn't loudly requesting everyone to appreciate Min-Ki like they should, I was yelling at the writer for making Ji-Woo's character soooo stupid!!! I liked the actress throughout, and even the character most of the time, but as the conflict revved up her motivations and actions kept making less and less sense. In the first half of the show, she kept making a big deal about how she "only had one dad" and wanted nothing to do with her bio-dad's shady lifestyle. Except then she was desperate enough to protect the very father she rejected...

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Pearl~ai88

July 21, 2014 at 10:27 PM

Whoa! I've never exceeded the limit before! Anyway, continuing...

Except then she was desperate enough to protect the very father she rejected that she was willing to BLOW SOO-HYUN'S COVER??? So he could get shot by her evil father? Really!!?? If they had portrayed her as regretful for leaving her dad and still caring about him from the beginning, it would have been more believable for both the character and the plot.
Overall (9/7) (Using the Dramabeans rating system)- crazy but with some kind of special magic that will make it stick in my memory for years to come. And LJK- love you oppa!!!

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84 Marsha

August 22, 2014 at 5:04 AM

Everybody can state his/her opinions. For me, this is much better than city hunter (sure, cuz i always came back to watch tbdw, but once is enough for city hunter) I know lee min ho is so attractive but lee jun gi is better in action dramas. Even if people think that his face do not suits his voice and..the 'kick'..hehe. Still, he is my favorite and i love action kdramas especially that strarred by him.

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85 layla

April 9, 2016 at 11:20 AM

LJK is my favourite actor right after Yeo Jin Goo but holy shit I got through 4 episodes before I had to drop this series because Ji Woo was annoying me that much. This is coming from someone who was rooting for her up all through episodes 1-3. I really did like her, but then she started violating SH'd privacy. No means no, not "please stalk me around Thailand even though I told you to leave me alone."

Then she had the gall to get mad at him when he wouldnt share his secrets. I can maybe forgive this if they were BFFFFFFLS, but they haven't seen each other for 13 years, they aren't BFFFFFFLS and I don't understand why she feels entitled to know very personal info he obviously wasn't comfortable sharing.

If it were me, I would have been so uncomfortable that I would have fled that hotel, if not the country, right then and there.

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86 ruby283

September 10, 2016 at 12:10 AM

I have to agree the drama was too long and fell short at the end, the bromance is the best than in any other drama, and the no jealousy or conniving girlfriend was a plus. I loved that they were not jealous of each other and they grew up like to well-adjusted kids growing up in a home with two decent parents, that is a change in dramas...
that line of the friendship with Mao and So Hyun's dad, I think it was to show that the chief Jung was the bad guy of the whole thing and he ended up at the top with two extra bodyguards at the entrance of the Blue House like a boss... It is what we all have feared in real life, spies are mishandled and used and discarded by these intelligence agencies around the world, each government knows about it, but the benefits they get from this poor saps is more than what they value their lives, so why should they stop it, just pretend it doesn't happen. what I don't get is that tall guy and it makes me think of Iris and TOP's role in it, not sure if he was one of the good guys or a totally bad one, but he was there... At least it is my take.
The ending LSH was trying to forgive himself, at the end he came to the conclusion, a funny thing happened on my way to my revenge, I found out only bad people with no feelings go all the way, he killed the bad guy, but he lost more of what he gain. I have watched it over 50 times I loved it, holes and all it is a nice weekend watch when there is no other drama to watch.

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87 r.m.kian

October 14, 2016 at 11:08 AM

Thanks for your great review!
Like so many others, I watched this drama because of its main actor Lee Jun-ki, and well at that time I didn't realise its flaws (since I was busy admiring lee jun-ki :D )
But after reading your review, I admit that it did have some wholes and unnecessary things to it, leaving some important parts that needed to be settled.
However, for an overall opinion, it was worth it. Its classic revenge plot line made it even more interesting. Also, I think soo hyun and ji woo were completely matched; but the script didn't let them to show it.
Ah, and the OST "Longin" was rather touching.

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