Intriguing, catchy, fast-paced, and enticing are the adjectives that first come to mind as I watched the first episode—a mysterious How To Get Away with Murder South Korean style show. Now, who wouldn't be intrigued by that; no one I know at least.
The drama tells the story of how the students and professors in the law department of Hankuk University, one of the most prestigious schools, get embroiled in the murder of one of their law professor Seo Byeong Joo (Ahn Nae Sang), a former chief prosecutor and the law school’s adjunct professor with a shady background is found dead during one of his mock trial sessions on school grounds. As the police investigate, some of the students are targeted as suspects, and they all seem to have something to hide. But to the utter shock of his students, Law Professor Yang Jong Hoon (Kim Myung Min), a former elite prosecutor and most revered law professor, quit his job as a prosecutor because of his past encounter with Seo Byung Joo. That past leads to his immediate arrested as the most likely of suspects. But it all just seemed too easy.
At first glance, there seems to be interesting dynamics between the students from Han Joon Hwi (Kim Bum), the ace and natural leader of the first-year law school class, to the two Kang Sols with the same name, but that is where their commonality ends. Kang Sol A (Ryu Hye Young) comes across as someone with something to prove because of her poor background, while Kang Sol B (Lee Soo Kyung) comes across as a rich crass overachiever. Seo Ji Ho (Lee David) comes off as a bit stand-offish, with a chip on his shoulder. Jeon Ye Seol (Go Yoon Jung) is a gorgeous student who people always love, and Yoo Seung Jae (Hyun Woo) is a doctor-turned-law student. All the actors looked great but as great as everybody seems, Kim Myung Min, in Law Professor Yang Jong Hoon's role, on the other hand, looked fantastic and is fantastically brilliant.
The relationship I find most intriguing at this early juncture of the show is between Yang Jong Hoon, and former judge turned civil law professor Kim Eun Sook (Lee Jung Eun). There is an air about her that makes her come across as a master at what she does, but her relationship with Jong Hoon and her past will be of more interest as the drama moves along. I am sure there will be additional relationships to examine, especially between the students (and professors alike), as they seem to be hiding some secret. One thing I have come to learn watching as many kdramas as I have, nothing is as good as it seems and nothing is as bad, but the truth seems to always fall squarely in between. Watch Episode 1 here.