AGAIN MY LIFE
EPISODE 3
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 A SPINE-CHILLING NIGHTMARE
OF A DUEL  Episode 3 kicks off with an electricity-laden fight between Kim Hee Woo and Dr. K but it was a foregone conclusion that it would end in the former’s defeat. The fight is reminiscent of the one in the opening scene of Episode 1. If the opening of that first episode is a revelation of the creative genius of the team led by Director Han Chul Soo, the opening of the third episode is an extension of it, except that, while the other feels surreal and magical, this one seems realistic.    
While walking back from his drinking spree with Kim Hee Ah and Lee Min Soo, Kim Hee Woo realised that he was being stalked. Glimpsing Dr
K in his hazy state while crossing the overhead bridge, he gaped. A strange
madness befell upon him. In the highly charged moment, his eyes smouldered. Will
his strong passions of rage and vengeance release the beast or monster in
him?        Kim Hee Woo's passions ran amuck. With a howl of unrepressed rage, he rushed forward to thrash Dr K, a symbol of evil. The vigour and venom in Kim Hee Woo’s eyes, bearing an almost frightening intensity, was disquieting. He kicked and punched Dr K but to no avail. His calm rival was impervious to pain and seemed unbeatable.
The camera whirls round the two fighters.
Pummelling Dr K incessantly, Kim Hee Woo tried to strangle him. One fighter was calm but the other hot-headed and desperate; the calm man got the better of his reckless opponent. Dr K, whose body was as hard as iron, sneered at him for not having made much progress in his fighting techniques since the last fight. Everything proved futile. It was a fight to the finish. Kim Hee Woo's nemesis punched the life out of him. Blood streamed over his face. His brain was addled and his body shook convulsively.     Dr K's arms spread out to seize him. Shaken and weakened, Kim Hee Woo reeled drunkenly. Defeat was a bitter pill for Kim Hee Woo to swallow. Having fallen to the ground, he lay like a dying dog crumpled in a heap.
The use of light and shadow is creepily effective. Shadows flicker across his face. The score, and the narration by the lead character keep the suspense ratcheted up. The viewers watch the scene with bated breath.      Kim Hee Woo, who was dragged and thrown over the rails of the overhead bridge, fell headlong towards the busy thoroughfare. This time, it was frightening. When his head nearly touched the ground, his face was bathed in a blinding light from the headlights of a lorry. It was impossible for him to shield his eyes from the intolerable light. Dr K disappeared from his nightmare and Kim Hee Woo woke up suddenly in sweat. Kim Hee Woo’s fall from a great height in this episode is similar to the previous surrealistic truncated fall into the abyss of darkness except this time, the fall is realistic; it is fast, thrilling and there is an aura of dread as he reaches ground level.
      WALKING DOWN MEMORY LANE A QUAINT PATCHED
TUNNEL-LIKE BUILDING The nightmare, which came down like a ton of bricks, made the man from The Future realise that he was weak and he ought to improve himself physically. That gave him a considerable boost to start his physical training straightaway.  The next morning found Kim Hee Woo at his old gymnasium in his previous life. A wave of nostalgia swept over him. This segment is coloured by bittersweet remembrance of the hardships of training and the inadequacy of his dedication to his martial arts training that had eventually led to his death. The street scene comprises the three primary colours - red, blue and yellow.
  The architecture of the gymnasium is like a work of art. The beautifully artistic tunnel-like blue-orange structure borrows the bright colours of the primary and the secondary colour wheels. Blue and orange are striking complementary colours. One catches one’s breath. The director has crafted a scene that is visually striking. The quaint patched tunnel-like fantasy building is something out of nursery stories, an enigma – a collision between fantasy and reality.
  It is almost impossible to build the gym with pieces of abandoned corrugated roof materials and iron. The patched roof, which covered all of the building from side to side, is painted bright blue. The orange frontage is tainted with dirt and grime. The painstaking attention to detail given to this sequence makes one think of a dream in the past which fuels the mood of warm, melancholic nostalgia.   Walking in, Kim Hee Woo boldly requested a sparring session with the instructor to test his physical ability. Kim Hee Woo remembered his training that he undertook in the past in order to protect himself. He trained in the boxing ring with his ‘sifu’ or master, Sung Jae. The simple sparring session was a testimony of his flawed fighting techniques. Although Kim Hee Woo was nimble on his feet, the master proved to be really strong. The song and beat of the music, What the Ggang by Yoon Do Hyun, livens up the scene.   The interior of the gymnasium is not disappointing as it is filled with a painting of a boxing fight, gym equipment of the past, trophies and plaques won by the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) instructor. One is inspired by the exuberant colours of the past. The boxing ring is painted blue and fenced by red and blue ropes. In the background, there seems to be long pieces of leather that are blue, red and yellow - striking primary colours. The gymnasium which is painted green contrasts with red headgear and gloves of the instructor. Red and green are complementary colours. Even the Korean flag’s blue-red yin-yang symbol harmoniously matches the studio equipment.                      The master, his favourite MMA instructor, offered him the place to train free of charge.
   KIM HEE AH  The viewers could tell that Kim Hee Ah, who was patiently and eagerly waiting for Kim Hee Woo, was interested in him but he was not into her. His lack of anxiety and naivete bear witness to that. Was it her ploy to prepare sandwiches more to draw his interest rather than to thank him for having helped her? Anyway, haven't she already thanked him that night when she was threatened by the pervert?     She was altogether an open book; her actions could be easily understood. It was hilarious that the guileless man told himself that he was popular.        Worried that Kim Gyu Ri had not been attending lectures, Kim Hee Woo met up with her. Sadly, her adoptive father, whose business had gone bankrupt, had fallen ill and their apartment would be auctioned off. In his previous life, Kim Gyu Ri had left university because of her financial crisis. Kim Hee Woo realised that he could and would change her future.      REAL ESTATE AUCTIONS Fate intervened. When attending auctions at the Seoul Central District Court, the young undergraduate met Woo Yong Soo, an elderly real estate tycoon, who was endlessly making purchases of real estate. Their lives interestingly intersected.          No one can be a formidable MMA fighter without a punishing training schedule. Kim Hee Woo's priority was to train in order to defeat Dr K in the future. He continued training in MMA in the gym as well as sweating it out running under the close supervision of Sung Jae, his awesome instructor. It is not true to say that Kim Hee Woo only got physical training (MMA) and mental training on his brain. Although his mental prowess expanded with law lectures and his physical strength improved dramatically, he realised that relying on brains and brawn wasn't good enough. Kim Hee Woo was lacking in friends who could help him. He did not have the clout to take on Cho Tae Sub without the right connections and allies. The young man improved himself socially; he developed close friendships at all levels of his life, accumulated genuine allies through networking and acquired valuable mentors. His mentors came in a wide variety of forms and from different locales. As the saying goes, 'When the student is ready, the teacher appears'. Surprisingly, making connections with the corrupt and greedy was not beneath him. In fact, it worked in his favour. Penetrating the rank and file of the hierarchy of evil, he was able to trawl through their secrets and mine for evidence against them.         Being the professor’s favourite student, Kim Hee Woo was often asked to respond to his difficult law questions that most students couldn’t understand nor answer properly. It would not be easy for the layman to understand all the legal gobbledegook either. The professor’s praise was glowing and everyone was impressed.              Eager to have a meal of webfoot octopus with his friend, Lee Min Soo rushed enthusiastically towards him after the lecture was over but when Kim Hee Woo saw him, he quickly swerved sharply, made a U-turn and scooted away. He couldn’t get away fast enough. In his haste to catch hold of the younger man, Lee Min Soo tripped over someone’s feet. The class clown, as always, was unembarrassed. One wonders why the webfoot octopus dish is so popular?   THE KEY TO REAL ESTATE
Kim Hee Woo dropped in at the auctions court yet again. A gruff and unapproachable but towering figure of auctions was making a lot of real estate purchases again. Kim Hee Woo mulled over his strange basement apartment purchases. He was unaware of how to make real estate purchases nor had he a clue as to why the elderly man was buying real estate. Checking out all the elderly man's purchases, the young man couldn’t figure out the logic of investing in such real estate, which was without any possibility of value increase nor lucrative rentals.
             The scene comes alive when Kim Hee Woo, the effervescent but thick-skinned greenhorn made a beeline for the elderly man and directly requested the tycoon to share his trade secrets. Despite refusing to divulge his well-kept secrets, the elderly businessman would only condescend to give him a hint, ‘Look at the map’.        Kim Hee Woo could barely disguise nor suppress his excitement after finding the answer to the puzzle. The elderly man’s properties were located right in the area scheduled for redevelopment. He then begged real estate magnate for help.          The drama is peppered with numerous references to the duality of good and evil. The tycoon asserted, ‘Real estate involves greed. It starts with a piece of land, starts building and plant trees to increase its value. When you’re greedy, you lose yourself.’ Kim Hee Woo is suddenly reminded that he could not catch the devil unless he became the worse monster. Was it impossible to achieve one's ambitious goals without stooping to evil? He asked the real estate tycoon how he could achieve success by taming one’s greed and using it for a good cause. ‘That’s nearly impossible,’ the tycoon emphasized.
            ‘You’ve a discerning eye a judge of good character. You knew right away I’m a righteous man,’ Kim Hee Woo slyly joked.        The tycoon, possibly intrigued by the serious young’s man playfulness and good-natured laughter, decided to test him. Kim Hee Woo was instructed to serve an eviction notice on an economically disadvantaged woman within half an hour. If successful, the old man would consider him to be his collaborator. Kim Hee Woo not only surprised him by his success but also kindness; he had offered to help the tenant file for personal bankruptcy for free.
        The tycoon, his newly minted mentor in the world of real estate, had sage advice for him. Judicious and prudent advice that was born from experience. Delivering an eviction notice is rarely easy but results were important. Kim Hee Woo disclosed to the old man that he was preparing for the future. Woo Yong Soo warned that in real estate, 'if one is greedy and ruthless, one loses one’s humanity'. The naïve and idealistic Kim Hee Woo declared that he wants to change the way the world works while abiding by the law and upholding justice. The young man doggedly refused to believe that it was impossible to immunize oneself from evil.
           He requested the old man for advice about purchasing Kim Gyu Ri’s family apartment which was slated to be auctioned.         With Kang Min Seok’s help, Kim Hee Woo bid for the apartment in the lawyer's name. The lawyer, astonished by the young undergraduate's energy, called him a busy bee. Kim Hee Woo was perceived to be a hive of boundless activity. As it turned out, the lively undergraduate was successful in his bid and his hilarious antics almost caused a commotion in court.
           THE MEANING OF PATRIOTISM When Kim Hee Woo met up again with Woo Yong Soo, he thanked his mentor for his invaluable tips. The tycoon surprisingly called him ‘a silly goose.’ The playful young man, a bundle of bubbly cuteness and sheer adorability, basked in older man’s affection. One could imagine that he would have ruffled the young man’s hair had they been a mite closer to each other.         They talked about patriotism, love for the country. A case in point is Kim Gyu Ri's situation. Kim Hee Woo argued that intelligent students were the national treasures, the human assets who must be cherished by the country because they were the building blocks which made the nation great. They had to be helped. He explained that Kim Gyu Ri was a great person and the country’s top student. Buying back the apartment at the auction to protect her future was a patriotic act. It was worth saving her future as she was the top student of the Republic of Korea. Kim Hee Woo gets us laughing by his playful childlike manner. The elderly man, who has a unique croaky voice, gave him more than friendly advice endearing the grandfatherly figure to the audience.      
BECOMING INHUMAN Woo Yong Soo asked Kim Hee Woo his opinion on the case and then explained his side of the story.         The tycoon asked him whether he remembered the lesson on the
key to real estate. ‘It begins with a plot of
land. You put up a building and plant trees to increase its value. It’s
greed. When you are greedy, you lose yourself.’     If Kim Hee Woo had started with the aim of increasing his wealth, his focus must never waver. If he strayed from his target, it was impossible for him to do real estate. What Woo Yong Soo meant was real estate requires great concentration and one momentary lapse in focus would send him spiralling into failure.
    It is not difficult to imagine that the tycoon was a no-nonsense guy and he brooked no criticism of his business philosophy. He harboured a cynical view of life. Getting down to the real nitty-gritty, he advised against compassion when it came to eviction. Having sympathy and empathy was good but people might turn out to be ungrateful. That kindness-impaired person he had helped might turn against him. Goodwill will 'come back to bite him, claw at him and wound him.'         What animal is being described here?
‘If it happens too many
times, you stop being human.  A stunning picture of the cruel and merciless reality is being
painted for his future, if he was not focussed.    From where they were standing, which overlooked the stunning city,
they were both lost in their own thoughts. Somewhat surprisingly, the lesson seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. Kim Hee Woo returned to tell the tenant that he had a solution for her woes; he had found her a new place and he would help her move and repair that apartment.      Pleased with himself for helping her out, he was startled to find Woo Yong Soo waiting for him. Being human was not a far-fetched idea. He had created a positive image of himself that was humane but the tycoon warned him that he might bankrupt himself for being compassionate. Was it pointless to be a do-gooder?
         Woo Yong Soo asked Kim Hee Woo how much wealth would satisfy him. The young man's ambition was lofty and knew no bounds; he wanted to have
the ChunHa Conglomerate in the palm
of his hands: ChunHa Electronics. ChunHa Motors. ChunHa Construction. Money was power and he would use it to destroy Cho Tae Sub.           The intellectually-challenged layman among the audience must be pleased that all the harsh reality of real estate has been properly explained.
CHO TAE SUB DEFRAUDING AN ELDERLY
CITIZEN OF HIS HARD-EARNED ASSETS IN THE NAME OF PATRIOTISM  Cho Tae Sub divulged that there would be redevelopment in Seoul and he was eyeing to take over Woo Yong Soo’s properties to build a small apartment complex. Luck was on their side because the properties were wholly owned by the elderly man and he would be easy to deal with. They had ‘to help him (Woo Yong Soo) to use his assets nobly for the country for the last time’. His remarks betray an utter contempt for truth, integrity and the rights of the individual. In Cho Tae Sub's eyes, he personified the country - he was South Korea. The money of wealthy people was to be contributed (willingly or under compulsion) to the politician as ‘their show of patriotism’ to the country. It was robbery in broad daylight. Cho Tae Sub callously instructed his underling-cum-conspirator, Park Dae Ho, the owner of DH Money, to carry out his instructions. In doing so, Park Dae Ho would be putting big money into his own pockets. When Park Dae Ho asked whether he should make a clean sweep of all the old man’s properties, he was ordered to only leave him the house he lived in.             Cho Tae Sub’s warped idea of patriotism is compared to Kim Hee Woo’s idea of patriotism. The politician flattered himself that robbing Woo Yong Soo of his hard-earned wealth and channelling the ill-gotten gains from the elderly man’s sweat, blood and hard work into his and his conspirators’ pockets is essentially helping the elderly man to be patriotic to the nation. This part of the story tears apart the flimsy façade of greedy politicians and exposes the greed and corruption in the political world which is a hotbed of not only corruption and greed but also, dirty secrets. The viewers laugh at Cho Tae Sub’s avaricious remark, which
lampoons all the powerful pillars of society who are greedy and corrupt. KIM GYU RI AND LEE MIN SOO THE KOREAN CULTURE OF BOWING With the end of her housing problems, Kim Gyu Ri finally returned to continue her studies at Hankuk University. Kim Hee Woo, her saviour, promised to help her to prepare for the mid-terms.     Park Seung Wan, the student president who was interested in her, also offered to help her. Holding out his hands to shake her hand, he was surprised by Lee Min Soo, who had quickly grabbed his hand and kissed it.      The genius, who seemed quite flirty and amorous, didn’t want Kim Gyu Ri to stand on ceremony with him. But, the cautious young lady kept him at arm’s length by bowing to him. Whether joking or not, both bowed to each other in the narrow confines of the seats in the lecture hall. It was funny beyond words when he muttered that, ‘Only married people bow to each other.’ Kim Hee Woo was naturally confused by his odd behaviour.        It seemed that Kim Hee
Woo had been tutoring Kim Han Mi for
some time. The young lady had taken
an interest in studying for the university. Now, why did he tutor her? When
he assured her that she could make it to the university, she revealed her
ambition of wanting attend the same prestigious university as Kim Hee Woo. Even though he was
surprised, he encouraged her. She politely called him, Teacher. His good
nature-cum-concern for her tugged at her heartstrings but she understood that their relationship was platonic.        JJIMDAK RESTAURANT
Kim Hee Woo's parents announced that they had signed an agreement to open a jjimdak restaurant. The young man, though surprised, supported the idea since their family recipe was amazing.      Kim Han Mi’s father, Kim Seok Hoon, had summoned her to his house to give her money for her college tuition since her mother had requested for it. Intimidated by her formidable father, she accepted the money.
      Kim Seok Hoon’s son, her unofficial half-brother, despised her. Who wouldn’t when the illegitimate daughter came calling, now and then, begging for money? Contemptuous of her, he gave her a dressing down and belittled her and mother, whom he dismissed as ‘parasites’. To add insult to injury, he taunted her further about helping her to get easy money. It was a virtual smack in the face. Refusing to bow to such indignity, she rose haughtily to the occasion and retaliated by calling him scum. When he raised his hand to hit her, she fought back. However, she danced to his tune and admitted to being lowborn. Concluding the fight, she totally demolished his ego by implying as a taxidermist, her job was to skin animals. The audience could feel the passion behind her words and know that she spoke with conviction - he was just a beast.        Overhearing their noxious battle, Kim Seok Hoon rushed out, slapped and rebuked her. She realised then that she, an illegitimate offspring, was an outsider; she was a chink in his armour.   Phoning Kim Hee Woo for consolation, Kim Han Mi divulged her personal problems with the Deputy Chief Prosecutor. They drank soju and feasted on a dish of spicy chicken feet, a delicacy of South Korea.            Although Kim Hee Woo's schedule seemed to be full, he spent some personal time explaining legal ideas and jargon to Kim Gyu Ri. As usual the uninvited guest, Lee Min Soo, barged in and interrupted his explanation on
aggravated rape. Theatrical and attention-loving, the oddball acted out a possible scenario to impress the young lady.                      THE SECRET CLUB THE OLD-BOY NETWORK Kim Hee Woo’s enemies in his previous life were fixated upon him like a
spider who had him in its web. Park Seung
Wan appeared and told him that Choi
Kang Jin wanted to see him.     Choi Kang Jin, the President of the Students’ Council, having closely monitored the younger student, claimed that many professors praised Kim Hee Woo, whom they considered to be extraordinary. That was why he wanted the crème de la creme to join the Students’ Council.      Something was interesting was about to happen. It seemed the brainy undergraduate had been summoned to have 'an audience' with an elite member of the legal fraternity. Kim Hee Woo was formally introduced to Jang Il Hyun. Taking the cue from Choi Kang Jin, he greeted the important and pompous senior with great enthusiasm. The two seniors had decided to make him a member of their prestigious secret club, the existence of which even other law majors were ignorant. The alumni of the secret club, an old-boys network, had a very close bond.
   The goal of the club was to select smart juniors whom the seniors could groom to be their collaborators. Promising juniors were selected in advance to tame them and their ambitions, and to prevent them from being threats to those at the top. A competent senior who held a key position would help the junior make the right moves and build an impressive resume. When the senior climbed up, his chosen junior would replace him, and in turn, prevent others from climbing up. Such connections were crucial if one wanted to move up the ladder of success. This was the pecking order and the structure of the secret club, the ruling class. It was an ingenious idea of building power using the junior members to provide the scaffolding to support the leaders at the top. This showed the dark underbelly of the political and prosecution world.
               The two seniors ruminated on the secret partnerships and the greed and corruption of people of great positions of power. They proudly listed the Minister of Justice, the Prosecutor General, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and so on and so forth as the members of their secret club. It seemed the powerful and the powers-that-be were all in cahoots with each other.     The talk provides dollops of humour to the scene. Learning of their secrets, the amused Kim Hee Woo rose to the occasion and played his obsequious role with aplomb and ceremony; he quickly kowtowed to them. Pouring them drinks and pretending to agree with them, he assured them of his cooperation and promised that he would live up to their expectations of him. The audience could see that he took perverse glee and pleasure in playing with their egoistic emotions. Is anyone surprised that Kim Hee Woo had shown himself to be a dab hand at currying favour? One has to remember that Kim Hee Woo was a young man with an old soul, a man from The Future.
       They laughed and drank and feasted; the two seniors were certain that they have recruited a smart junior who was one with them. He had officially joined the secret club. With too much alcohol that dulled his senses, Jang Il Hyun carelessly disclosed an interesting secret about DH Money. Cho Tae Sub’s money was managed by Park Dae Ho, the CEO of DH Money. The government was launching a new project on the edge of Songpa and redeveloping Gyeonggi, where Woo Yong Soo’s properties were located. The startling fact was they were targeting him at one go to make millions from their project. Few were privy to plans that were decided in the corridors of power and Kim Hee Woo felt fate had brought him into the inner circle.
    Beneath the polite display of manners that were required in Korean culture, Kim Hee Woo, with his sparking wit, aroused the audience’s
laughter. Judging by the company he kept, if one didn’t know any better, one
would have thought they were all one of the same kind. Kim Hee Woo would soon penetrate the highest echelons of power and
become the mole who would turn savage against them. The artistic setting with its earthy colours, for the conspiracy discussion, is an interesting conversation topic. The pale brown beauty of the wooden walls, with their vertical and horizontal lines, is further enhanced by the row or line of faded green bamboo poles in the background. There is beauty in simplicity. As the saying goes, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. The wall panels and decorations provide a perfect contrast to the drama’s exploration of the dark, complex and complicated underside of the political and prosecution world. The conversation about the ugliness and the horrible truth of the cloak and dagger activity of the corrupt and greedy prosecutors and politicians stand in stark contrast to the plain and quiet beauty of the room.
 Kim Hee Woo was determined to stop the conspirators. The tycoon's properties were in serious jeopardy. When Woo Yong Soo learned of the plot of DH Money, who was aided by the corrupt politicians to rob him of his property, he wasn’t a bit surprised. The intelligent undergraduate warned that since the tycoon had taken out loans to buy the properties, the evil men would plot to increase the interest rate to the maximum. When it was impossible for him to pay for his loan, the properties would be auctioned off. They would bankrupt him and then, buy his properties dirt cheap. Kim Hee Woo advised him to sell off all his properties at one go. Banks were merging. DH Money, with funds from Japan, could easily acquire Bando Bank, from which he had acquired his loans.                 Kim Hee Woo advised Woo Yong Soo to sell his properties and transfer all the deeds at once. If he didn’t, he would have to face the possibility of being kidnapped and locked up to prevent him from paying back the loans. In Kim Hee Woo’s previous life, Cho Tae Sub had employed such heinous means of stealing assets by manipulating banks. Several doomed tycoons including Woo Yong Soo had been reduced to being penniless overnight. The real estate tycoon’s body was found in the Han River. Was it assisted suicide or outright murder?        The next day, Woo Yong Soo hastily sold off all his assets via Evergreen Real Estate. True enough, there was news of a merger between DH Money and Bando Bank.
   On learning of Woo Yong Soo’s transactions, Park Dae Ho was furious but it was too late. Nevertheless, the fearful banker had to report his failure to Cho Tae Sup, who was lenient on him. The politician could forgive the banker as he was still useful.     Cho Tae Sup was surprised by Woo Yong Soo's clever move; he had practically no idea that the real fox was not the old tycoon but the brainy Kim Hee Woo.   They had to look at the big picture. 'If you’re not good with money, you can’t be a leader. Money is power,' declared the politician to his sidekick.
   Woo Yong Soo celebrated his birthday with Kim Hee Woo. Sitting on a hilly patch of land overlooking the housing estate which would be redeveloped in the future, they could imagine the highrise apartments. Advising the young man to do good with his talents, the elderly man handed over his bank book to him. Kim Hee Woo was given the licence to manage his enormous wealth. That Kim Hee Woo had saved him from bankruptcy was a sign from the universe. The real estate tycoon saw Kim Hee Woo as someone who was special. Suggesting that the young man could use his wealth to take over ChunHa some day, he warned him not be tunnel-visioned or he would not be able to see the forest for the trees. When Woo Yong Soo first saw Kim Hee Woo, the latter’s eyes reminded the former of himself a long time ago. He regretted not taking care of his wife. The younger man was warned not to let his obsession consume him or he would lose himself.
 The old man’s words, it ‘must be a sign from the universe’, left an impact on Kim Hee Woo. Were his guardian angels lurking when their paths crossed? Was it fate that the elderly man was prevented from being declared a bankrupt?
                      Cho Tae Sub’s world was beginning to fall apart with the change in the destiny
of Woo Yong Soo. This brings to
mind W.B. Yeats poem: Things fall apart: the
centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon
the world. Kim Hee Woo and Cho Tae Sub were
trapped in a dance of destiny. The young man had put a knife on the things
that held the politician and the other criminals together and their schemes would all fall apart. Many heads
would roll. Cho Tae Sub and his
cronies were doomed. CHO TAE SUB RETURNS TO HIS ALUMNI Kim Hee Woo and Kim Gyu Ri
learnt of the Dear Youth, Get A Goal
talk that would be given by Cho Tae Sub
at their university. When they decided to attend the talk, Kim Hee Ah seemed apprehensive. Was she a bit jealous of their relationship?      The politician made capital out of his visit by delivering a clever, witty speech to the young naïve, innocent minds who didn’t know any better. He certainly played his cards right as the undergraduates were easily impressed.
 But, excitement ratchetted when the Lady in Red aka The Grim Reaper or Pluto appeared.
     
This drama, a blend of a mysterious fairytale and realism, has exhibited signs of a masterpiece ever since Episode 1. Episode 3 unquestionably confirms it again. The drama so far is beautiful, thrilling, tragic, moving, romantic, informative and magical all at once. This unusual story of time-travel, fate, destiny, morphing into a younger self, a life mission against evil and the power of the Universe takes the drama to a brand new level. It surpasses the viewers' expectations and sets the bar for artistic creativity and invention even higher. Other dramas pale in comparison to this unique drama that has rocked the drama world ever since its premiere. Episode 3 beats with suspense, easy-going humour, tension, excitement and magic. Lee Joon Gi packs every scene in AgainMa with thrills and excitement; he is a master of his craft. Lee can deal with seriousness, anguish, dread, despair, anger, frustration and being cute quite easily, exerting an emotional impact on many levels. It’s unsurprising that he can reach a mass audience. Lee Joon Gi' performance is, as usual, magical, powerful and spectacular. His top-notch acting cannot be denied. Lee uses his movements (extraordinary body language and facial expressions) as a way to create pictorial shapes. Every nuance of his posture and expression is highlighted in natural or artificial light. He utterly fascinates in many scenes as he effortlessly inhabits his character, Kim Hee Woo in Again My Life.
One cannot imagine any other actor pulling off Lee’s serious, thrilling fighting sequences on the overhead bridge and in the MMA gymnasium (Thanks to the directors) while kidding around with his hilarious or adorable childlike image in key scenes.
Lee creates distinctly different personas in different scenes. He is the smart-alecky, childlike, playful and effervescent munchkin kitten Kim Hee Woo when he hovers around Woo Yong Soo, the elderly real estate tycoon (Lee Soon Jae). One cannot but savour the endearingly moving personal chemistry between the younger actor and the veteran actor. His scenes with the seasoned veteran actor Lee Soon Jae, linger and remain in the memory. The veteran actor, with his unique gruffy manner and grandfatherly demeanour, endears himself to the audience. The descriptions and explanations on real estate, auctions, evictions and personal philosophy performed in his hoarse and raspy voice make the audience sit up.
 Lee's foxy character with his obsequious manner and smiles in the scene between Kim Hee Woo and Jang Il Hyun (Kim Hyun Mook)-cum-Choi Kang Jin (Kim Jin Woo), the secret club members, is hilarious. His chemistry with the two actors is obvious; they get us laughing with their conspiratorial talk.
Excited viewers have also described Kim Hee Woo and Lee Min Soo's (Jung Sang Hyun) chemistry and friendship as 'bromance'. Kim Jae Kyung's performance in this episode is also laudable.
Kim Hee Woo cute munchkin kitten chemistry with Park Chul Min & Kim Hee Jeong who portray his parents cannot be denied. And, the chemistry between Kim Chan Sung, his father, and Lee Mi Ok, his mother is visible - the warm and loving couple is quite a pair! Lee Joon Gi’s ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement or Additional Dialogue Recording) and voice-over narration, is a unique and precious element in the masterpiece drama, Again My Life. Kim Hee Woo, the omniscient narrator, comes from The Future and knows about The Past. He returns to The Past to rewrite history. The omnipotent being sees, feels and hears everything. Armed with the experiences, knowledge, lessons, and memories of his previous life, he intervenes in situations that he saw fit to correct, and he reverses the mistakes of The Past. Kim Hee Woo, in his modulated but disembodied voice, shares his philosophy of life and psychology through his narration. The viewers can sense the energy in Lee Joon Gi’s modulated ASMR narrative voice. The creative screenwriter has created vivid images with his carefully crafted words and Lee Joon Gi has excited the audience with his compelling narration. The dazzling plot and settings in this episode are unforgettable. Everyone has turned in suitably intense performances. The drama, a real gem, pokes fun at the prosecution, political, financial and real estate auction worlds. Ideas are presented in an intellectually stimulating and humorous way. This episode is most remarkable in its insight into real estate and corruption. The satire is undeniably amusing. The unique architecture of the MMA building is an interesting talking point.
This episode of SBS’ Again My Life is a masterpiece in itself thanks to the synergy among the cast led by Lee Joon Gi, and the production crew led by Director Han Chul Soo who is assisted by Kim Yong Min, screenwriter Lee Byung Hun, and the Action and Martial Arts Directors, Lee Soo Min and Won Jin, and the editor. |
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