AGAIN MY LIFE
THE MASTERPIECE
2022
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Again My Life, a fresh, unique and heartwarming Fantasy-Legal-Political-Comedy-Action drama, radically different from other pieces of work. The awesome, thrilling, entertaining and moving epic stars Lee Joon Gi as Kim Hee Woo, a complex and profound cerebral character who came, saw and conquered many hearts. The avalanche of accolades and praises that Director Han Chul Soo and Lee Joon Gi have received is a measure of their genius, talent and brilliance. If Director Han Chul Soo is the soul of the drama, then Lee Joon Gi is the heart and spirit. Whatever Lee Joon Gi touches, turns into something that the public wants to watch; he has that kind of clout. Together, they breathe life into Again My Life and turn it into a masterpiece. Again My Life, a red-hot favourite in South Korea, is the top drama in many Asian countries.
Although
Again My Life is a fictional depiction of the collusion between politicians, prosecutors and businessmen, it resonates with the world audiences. The viewers are also entertained, particularly by slapstick,
deadpan, irreverent and black humour. The splendidly adapted drama, elevated by the
performances of the dream cast, comes to life on the screen. It premieres to
Number 1 ratings, making it the most watched Fri-Saturday drama throughout the duration of its broadcast. The finale of the series scored a nationwide average of 10.5% nationwide,
peaking at 13.7%, topping all the rankings of all programmes that were aired.
The penultimate episode averaged 12% in Seoul and nationwide, peaking at
13.4%. It topped the Friday-Saturday rankings across all channels and
timeslots and ranked Number 1 among the mini-series programmes that aired
20-27 May 2022. It was also the Number 1 most-watched programme of any kind among the key demographic of
viewers aged 20-49 on Fridays and Saturdays. According
to Osen (18.05.22), ‘… the
20-49 viewership is used as a measure of the program’s buzz and
competitiveness.’   While the ratings of many dramas might have fluctuated, remained low or slid downwards, the ratings of Again My Life rose steadily to over 12%, an indication of its worth and reputation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Again_My_Life Again My
Life is also rated FIRST among VIU drama viewers in Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong,
second in Malaysia and third in The Philippines. Viki rates it 9.5.
  The creative
adaptation of the heroic adventure from a superb manhwa is backed by dazzling,
top-notch performances, thrilling & stunning action, memorable music and
OSTs, a stylish wardrobe, awesome direction, amazing cinematography, excellent editing and beautiful posters.
With the
astonishing success of SBS’ Again My Life not only in South Korea but
also internationally especially on VIU, expectations are running high for the
remarkable cast headed by leading actor, Lee Joon Gi, and the creative production
crew helmed by Director Han Chul Soo, to win a multitude of awards, including The
Daesang for Lee Joon Gi and The Best Director Award for Han Chul Soo and Kim Yong Min.
 Lee Joon Gi has delivered a tour de force performance. Considered an acting genius with special qualities, Lee’s acting performance and action scenes form part of the drama’s most thrilling and spellbinding sequences. None can deny that all his scenes showing tears, fury, cynicism, smirks, detachment etc have the audience raving over him. One significant detail is his skill in keeping Kim Hee Woo's real feelings hidden away under several layers of varying intensity on certain occasions. All these have made Lee Joon Gi's portrayal of Kim Hee Woo the finest performance in the Kdrama world.  One important fact to note is Lee Joon Gi not only leads the drama, he is also the narrator of the story. This approach to storytelling, the use of the actor’s voice, makes the fictional characters come alive and heightens the excitement of the audience. The way Lee tells the story has an empathetic effect in which the audience sees more clearly the feelings, thoughts and actions of the characters in the tale. The success of Again My Life has cemented Lee's reputation yet again as one of Asia’s most bankable superstars.  Lee has showcased a huge array of mixed martial arts skills in the drama. The dazzling display of his incredible leaps, spectacular somersaults, awesome tornado kicks, lightning-fast punches, amazing body spins and rolls and so on and so forth are responsible for the surges of pure adrenalin and breathless excitement of the viewers. Some scenes, which are surprisingly similar to dances, have heightened the heady feelings.    https://twitter.com/i/status/1533949525064200192  Again My Life, an adaptation of the novel (webtoon) of the same name, is an intelligent drama about Justice, Crime and Punishment. The minor themes include diligence, loyalty, passion, greed,
corruption and the loss of oneself, patriotism (military enlistment), the
sanctity of marriage, and the importance of family and filial piety. Revenge
is but a miniscule part of the story. The drama also emphasizes the
importance of meticulous preparation, the value of a good education, a
network of loyal friends, supportive mentors and physical fitness in the fight
against evil or in any important endeavour.
Watching Again My Life is an incredible experience. The drama is UNIQUE and astonishing. What is unusual and intriguing about Kim Hee Woo, a
prosecutor from The Future, is he morphs into his younger self.
One gets to see the amazing younger self of Kim Hee Woo, who was in his thirties in his previous life. Kim Hee Woo, like the Turritopsis Dohrnii or immortal jellyfish which can rejuvenate itself, goes back about 15 years to the past. It is almost an impossible task for any actor to morph into his younger self and behave like one but the amazing 40-year-old Lee Joon Gi, The Actor with a Thousand Faces, has done it. Just so amazing.          Han Chul Soo's Again My Life is a work of vivid imagination, startling originality and creative genius. WOW. The drama is about Regression and The recall of Past Life memories. What makes one suspect that there is an element of reincarnation because in Episode 1, the Grim Reaper asks Kim Hee Woo, 'If you had one more life remaining, would you use it to arrest Cho Tae Sub?' From the words 'one more', one assumes that she is referring to the many lives that he had lived before and the next life might be the last. That might refer to 'Reincarnation'. But, it could simply imply that he had many past lives, whether from Time Travel or Reincarnation. Kim Hee Woo has returned from his previous life (The Future) to The Past. He then tries to change or correct The Future. Our initial impression is that Kim Hee Woo has reincarnated. The story, however, is about Time Travel. Time Travel is different from Reincarnation. Kim Hee Woo time-travels and regresses to his younger self - to that of a High School student. Lee Hae Nal, the novelist and Han Chul Soo, the director are intelligent in that they provoke us to think about the differences between Time Travel and Reincarnation.   In the television series, Again My Life, Kim Hee Woo did not reincarnate but immediately Time-Travelled back to the past. But, what seems to be puzzling is: Why is Kim Hee Woo narrating
his life experiences?
Past Life Regression. Kim Hee Woo, the Narrator is, as one imagines, resting on a couch and narrating his stories, with various emotions, to the therapist. It seems that Kim Hee Woo is under some kind of Past Life Regression Therapy, and while under hypnosis, he recovers his memories and talks to the therapist about the traumatic experiences of his past. It seems to be a cathartic experience and provides psychological relief for him.  Past Life Regression is based on the Past Lives (or the Reincarnation) hypothesis. Kim Hee Woo had probably time-travelled (or reincarnated) multiple times in the past. However, in these therapy sessions, he talks about only 2 lives - his life when he was murdered, and when he was resurrected and Time-Travelled to the past - to his high-school student days. If the Past Life Regression perspective is true, then, Kim Hee Woo is not only relating his experiences of one past life but two past lives – his previous life when he was murdered but also the second life when he was able to successfully plot the downfall of Cho Tae Sup. It means that he has gone through many hypnotherapy sessions with the therapist and each episode of Again My Life is the result of a therapy session. His therapy sessions imply another life - a third life. Life 1. Kim Hee Woo is murdered. Life 2. Time Travel: Kim Hee Woo returns to the past and causes the downfall of Cho Tae Sub and his cronies. Life 3. Kim Hee Woo could have time-travelled again and is sitting on the hypnotherapist's couch and telling his stories about Life 1 and Life 2.   The drama, emphasizing justice, crime and punishment, opens with a quotation on Justice by Pablo Victoria, a Columbian by birth. ‘A country can survive war, illness and poverty.
However, one cannot survive in a country where justice does not exist.’   In the closing sequence, Kim Hee Woo, an upright prosecutor, also emphasizes the crucial importance of justice, one of the main themes of Again My Life. 'A country can survive even after a war. A country can also survive disease and poverty. But a country without justice will not be able to survive in the end.' Criminals should be punished. Kim Hee Woo has achieved his mission of bringing the downfall of Jo Tae Sup. The latter's lackeys, except one, have either committed suicide or been thrown into prison.
In Episode 1, Kim Hee Woo points out that it is his job or duty as a prosecutor to punish Cho Tae Sub. Punishing Cho Tae Sub is not an act of revenge but bringing him to justice.   And in Episode 9, he emphasizes that he is a prosecutor and his only master is the law.  Revenge is but a minor element in the television series. Revenge is not about justice. The vengeful victim retaliates against the person who has harmed him. Rising above his personal resentment, Kim Hee Woo does not swear personal revenge on Cho Tae Sub but he does not want the criminal to escape justice. Probably, Lee Min Soo seeks vengeance against Cho Tae Sub for framing his father for the crimes that he did not commit.
In Again My Life, symbols abound. In Episode 1, there is a square and a circle on the floor of the rooftop where the fatal fight between Kim Hee Woo and Dr K is carried out. It seems that the staircase looks like a triangle from a certain angle, but, the real triangle is the pointed top of the tall building nearby. The square looks like a book, perhaps the Book of Life. The scene is spectacular. The
Square-Circle-Triangle motif is probably based on a famous painting of Sengai
Gibon (1750 – 1837), a Japanese monk. The circle-triangle-square is
Sengai's picture of the universe.
Zen painting at Kennin-ji
Episode 1  D.T. Suzuki, who
introduced Zen to the West, interpreted Sengai’s painting to represent
formlessness and infinity, in accord with his view of emptiness as the essence
of enlightenment. Suppress the ego. Discipline your mind. Understand
the oneness of all things. Get back to basic purity (or in Zen
terms, Buddha nature). The founder of Aikido, Ueshiba Morihei, put forward similar ideas. ‘The body should
be triangular, the mind circular. The triangle represents the generation of
energy and is the most stable physical posture. The circle symbolizes
serenity and perfection, the source of unlimited techniques. The square
stands for solidity, the basis of applied control.’
Episode 16
https://twitter.com/i/status/1530554967005794317
Enclosed in the circle is the letter H which could mean Heaven and / or Hell. The unconventional design concept of the stage in the sky represents a journey through time and space. The upcoming fights in the fantasy drama take the spectator from Earth to Hell and Heaven and then back to Earth again. Kim Hee Woo is murdered and then, resurrected and is given a second life.
In
Episode 16, the viewer is reminded of the Square-Circle-Triangle
motif of the famous painting of Sengai Gibon in the confrontation scene between Kim Hee Woo and Kim Jin Woo.   In this
scene, the stone shrine or sculpture has an umbrella-shaped triangle, which
is both a triangle and a circle. The triangle sits on a square stone. The stone
structure represents Kim Hee Woo as he is positioned nearer to it.
Kim Hee Woo, who has the upperhand, has 'a triangular body, a circular
mind and solid control'. To repeat: ‘The
body should be triangular, the mind circular. The triangle represents the
generation of energy and is the most stable physical posture. The circle
symbolizes serenity and perfection, the source of unlimited techniques. The
square stands for solidity, the basis of applied control.’  But, one must not forget that in Korea, the ‘circle, square and triangle’ images also appear in the basic framework of traditional Korean clothing construction. This composition principle has been presumed to be associated with the Cheonbu concept of the Dangun era which declares that nature and human beings are considered united.’
.jpg) It contains the profound philosophy which states that a circle symbolizes heaven and represents number one, a square symbolizes earth and represents number two, and a triangle symbolizes human beings and represents number three.
In Episode 15, the image of a circle within a square is clearly seen against a green background, the rooftop of a building. The two geometric shapes enclose the letter, H. Or, is the letter an I? 
The Circle and Square feature prominently in Feng Shui. The
ancient Chinese associated the circle, an image of unity, perfection and
completeness, with the heavens.
On the other hand, the square, with its straight lines and sharp
corners, is associated the earth, the realm of man.
The Chinese use a circle within a square to represent Heaven on
Earth, meaning the Divine is connected to the earth.
In the scene, on the orders of Kim Jin Woo, Park Sang Man is killed by Dr. K, who
throws him off the rooftop.  Old Chinese coins are round with a
square hole in the middle. It means heaven encompasses earth and is therefore
greater than earth.
If the circle is within the
square, what does it mean? Does it mean that earth is greater than heaven? Life
and death is decided by heaven (God). Could it be interpreted that man (Kim
Jin Woo) is trying to overrule heaven by killing another man?
  In Episode 1 and 16, there are images of a building with a horn top. In the
fantasy drama, the horn of the awesome building symbolises authority, great
power and victory.
The horn
in the Bible has a religious meaning; it can refer to the Horns of God or
Salvation (or it can mean the horns of the devil). When the Bible talks of the
righteous, it symbolises the power of the believer. When God exalts the horn
of someone, he is bringing victory to the oppressed.  The
viewer is shown in Episode 16 that Kim Hee Woo, the righteous
prosecutor, is highlighted against the background of the horn. It symbolises
his triumph over the evil people he has fought but the truth is, evil will
continue to persist until the end.
EPISODE
16
     It takes great brains, imagination, creativity and camera tricks to produce the amazing scene at the rooftop from where Kim Hee Woo has been thrown. Time Freezes. Dr K is frozen in time. Only Kim Hee Woo and the Grim Reaper are alive. The Grim Reaper in startling Red. None has expected that the Grim Reaper would be dressed in crimson red. The reimagined Grim Reaper in red is a great departure from the usual dark images, or dark clothes worn by the Grim Reaper. Red means many things particularly joy, courage, energy, determination, action, adventure and excitement. It symbolises Kim Hee Woo's next life. The Theatre in the Sky. And none in the audience has expected to see the fantastic screen in the sky. The Grim Reaper shows Kim Hee Woo's past life on that screen. Astonishing. The Revolving Stage. Another amazing feature in this extraordinary scene is the revolving stage. Kim Hee Woo, The Grim Reaper and the frozen Dr K are standing on a stage that revolves. We are given an idea about the surroundings as the stage turns.  https://twitter.com/i/status/1512675660917280771 When the Grim Reaper delegates Kim Hee Woo the task of taking down Cho Tae Sub, he promises her that he would not allow Cho Tae Sub to pervert the course of justice. It is the burden that he shoulders.
 In
Episode 16, one can see the surroundings clearly as the circular roof top,
which serves as an amazing circular stage, revolves in a complete circle.
In this
fantastic scene, the circular rooftop resembling a clock, is seen as a whole
from afar. It seems the audience is waiting for something to happen as the
fantasy clock is ticking away. In the end, Kim Jin Woo, the righthand man of Cho Tae Sub, decides to commit suicide.
Again My Life features gripping performances not only from Lee Joon Gi but also from the other members of the cast. Kim Hee
Woo, who
wants to change the political-prosecution world, becomes The Change, who
makes a huge difference and impact to the story by getting into the inner
circles of the villains, forming dangerous liaisons and outmanoeuvring the Machiavellian
senator Cho Tae Sub. Since the prosecutors are compelled to take their
marching orders directly from Cho Tae Sub, nothing would change unless
there was a reform of the corrupt prosecution system.
With the
benefit of hindsight - wisdom, knowledge and experience of his previous life,
the Man from The Future, returns to The Past. Experience has
taught him that he cannot fight his enemies alone; the road to justice is not
a one-man show. He needs to have the support of his family. Networking, mental and physical training, garnering the
assistance of a platoon of mentors and assembling an army of loyal and
supportive allies would drastically change the outcome of his fight against
evil.
A good education, particularly higher education will pave the way to bigger opportunities and better jobs. An example is Kim Han Mi. 
His
supportive and loving parents, Kim Chan Sung (Park Chul Min) and Lee
Mi Ok (Kim Hee Jung) are a godsend for the busy prosecutor.  His
stable of mentors, which include Real Estate millionaire, Woo Yong Soo (Lee
Soon Jae), Mixed Martial Arts Expert, Kang Soon Jae (Joo Woo), Chief
Prosecutor Jong Seok Kyu (Kim Cheol Ki) and Assemblyman Hwang Jin
Yong (Yoo Dong Geun), play a crucial role in Kim Hee Woo's success in defeating evil. Kim Hee
Woo
His
younger male collaborators, including Prosecutor Lee Min Soo (Jung San
Hoon), Lawyer Kang Min Seok (Lee Jae Woo), Investigator Oh Min Guk
(Na In Kyu) and Prosecutor Ji Sung Ho (Kim Young Jo), are confidence boosters, and indisputably important in his perpetual struggle against evil.  Women, an
indispensable part of his successful campaign, are seen to be immensely
empowered. He helps three fearless women - the shrewd and intelligent
conglomerate heiress Kim Hee Ah (Kim Ji Eun), the outstanding political reporter
Kim Han Mi (Kim Jae Kyung) and the fiery prosecutor Kim Gyu Ri (Hong
Bi Ra). His three angels prove to be an amazing and formidable force in his
justice campaign. In the final moments, Han Ji Hyun, Cho Tae Sub’s female
aide (Cha Joo Young) decides to side with the justice seekers. The squad of
angels is an inspiration to all justice fighters.
 
Besides
the young women, he also partners with Computer whizz-kid Park Sang Man
(Ji Chan) whom he mentors and subsequently, the younger man becomes his loyal
and useful assistant. Park Sang Man, in turn, takes Martial Arts Fighter
Lee Yeon Suk (Choi Min) under his wing while the prosecutor himself trains
him further in martial arts for future combats.
Kim Hee
Woo realises
that the route to justice is not necessarily achieved through laws, which may
be ineffective and cumbersome. The collusion of the politicians, prosecutors and businessmen has enabled crime to thrive. The corrupt prosecutorial system supports the
powerful Cho Tae Sub (Lee Kyung Young) and his acolytes. He even
has the top man, the President under his thumb. The latter's mistress is his Achilles Heel. As Cho Tae Sub has a whole range of
Machiavellian manoeuvres to thwart his rivals, sometimes Kim Hee Woo has
to resort to underhand tactics (e.g. witness coaching) to achieve justice.
When it
comes to bullying and undermining rivals by the leaders of society, none
outdoes the ruthless Cho Tae Sub who makes
use of the media to control the truth and to plot false character attacks.
His evil deeds roil and invoke the outrage of Kim Hee Woo and his
allies. The other members of the evil circle include Chief Prosecutor Kim
Seok Hoon (Choi Kwang Il), Senior Prosecutor Jang Il Hyun (Kim
Hyung Mook), Prosecutor Choi Kang Jin (Kim Jin Woo), Cho Tae Sub’s
righthand man, Kim Jin Woo (Kim Young Hoon), and the assassin, Dr. K
(Hyun Woo Sung). Despite many setbacks, Kim Hee Woo remains optimistic. He unleashes the inner tiger in him. The prey, in his previous life, now becomes the hunter and he uses his mental and physical intelligence to hunt down criminals. With Lee Yeon Suk, his martial arts partner, he kicks, leaps, punches and pummels criminals like he is swatting mosquitoes. The action and martial arts segments are some of Lee Joon Gi’s most exciting performances in Again My Life.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1530365716129513473    One important component of the drama is the highlight of environmental issues. In the drama, Kim Hee Woo takes a parttime job at KMS. As a clerical assistant, he has to prepare for meetings, organize documents, deliver documents to the court. After overhearing that KMS has taken on a case to represent some environmentalists who are against the Cheonha conglomerate’s plan to raze Mt Cheongpung to build a resort, Kim Hee Woo, on his own initiative, decides to help the lawyer and to do justice to the trust that others has in him.   He goes beyond the call of duty to carry out meticulous research into Mt Cheongpung, a large sanctuary for the Longhorn Beetle, an endangered wild animal, the Slipper Orchid, an endangered wild plant and the Kalkora Mimosa, another endangered species. Although the other lawyers in the firm are against the case, Kang Min Seok (Lee Jae Woo) won them over with incisive reasoning accompanied by the detailed information gathered by Kim Hee Woo. Using these as their argument for the preservation of the ecosystem, KMS won the lawsuit against CheonHa.           Other than environmental issues, Again My Life largely focuses on Korean culture like patriotism (military enlistment), filial piety and food. Before Kim Hee Woo reports for his military duties, Kim Hee Woo bades his sad parents a tearful farewell. He performs the necessary Korean cultural ritual of paying respects to his parents – prostrating in front of them. The drama also highlights Foodology, a Korean health supplement brand.
https://mykoreankitchen.com/jjimdak/      
One has to point out that the director is a genius to use The Dance Class to subtly compare Kim Hee Woo to Edgar Degas, the French painter. It is an unusual way of telling the story about Kim Hee Woo and Kim Hee Ah.
Episode 10 In Episode 11, as Kim Hee Ah stares at the painting, The Dance Class by the French artist, Edgar Degas in an art gallery, she tells Kim Hee Woo that it reminds her of him. ‘It feels like someone is peeping at something …. poking around to take a peek.’ It cannot be denied that Kim Hee Woo has parked his nose into the affairs of the Chunha conglomerate but he has also been investigating all kinds of crimes that Cho Tae Sub and his conspirators are involved in. Then, at one exact moment, Kim Hee Woo turns and stands right in the exact position of Jules Perott, the famous dance teacher who is depicted in the picture.
The clever positioning of Kim Hee Woo in this scene is astonishing.
It is at this point in time that we are reminded that Kim Hee Woo, like Jules Perott, is also a teacher; he is a real estate mentor of Park Sang Man and a martial arts teacher of Lee Yeon Suk.
 The painting is perfectly chosen. The scene is pregnant with meaning. It is difficult to grasp the nuances of meaning in the conversation unless one understands the background of the painting and the sordid truth about the ballet dancers. Degas, a fervent painter of ballet dancers, knew of a luxurious room behind the stage where dancers could warm up before their performances. But the room also served as a men’s club where powerful and wealthy men could socialise and proposition the ballet dancers. These men had authority over who had the plum role and who was to be cast off. Sex work was part of a ballerina’s reality. The happenings were of interest to Degas who hovered ‘behind the wings, backstage, in class or at a rehearsal.’ Like Degas, Kim Hee Woo, was a keen observer of things. Degas knew of the sexual going-ons behind the stage and likewise, Kim Hee Woo knew of most things including the sexual excesses in the showbusiness organization of Choi Kang Jin’s father. Choi Kang Jin is no different from his father as he had compelled Cho Yoon A, an actress, to provide sexual services to important clients.  The moment when Kim Hee Ah stares at the painting, while standing in the exact position as the ballet dancer in the foreground with her back facing the viewer, is perhaps a comparison of the vulnerable Chunha heiress with the ballet dancer, a prey of the powerful men. Kim Hee Ah’s bright future is threatened as the powerful, rich and greedy Cho Tae Sub is ready to spring at her and swallow up her family's business.  It must be reiterated that the choice of the painting is
perfect. Degas’ painting, The Dance Class, which seems to uncannily
speak of the leading characters, sums up the Again My Life drama
beautifully.
The director
brings us from the beautiful painting by Degas to the picturesque scene
outside a huge glass window of presumably, the museum building. It is a remarkable
scene of buildings, shrubs and trees. The window of the building is so huge
that the two young people seem to be staring at a Big Picture or a big
painting. 
Contrast. While the palette of pale, soft, mellow colours is supposed to lend a bright yet surreal, calm, peaceful feel to the scene, the topic of conversation between Kim Hee Woo and Kim Hee Ah has a disturbing effect on them. The gloomy conversation of the stark reality of life is enhanced by the dark clothes they are wearing. The two black figures are silhouetted against the bright scene outside.
 The scene implies that Kim Hee Ah is being given the Big Picture of what is about to happen by the prosecutor. Kim Hee Woo’s words have given the young lady a look at the Big Picture of her future and the future of the Chunha conglomerate, and of how Cho Tae Sub would destroy her family.
      
Episode
1 The law is the essence of the story. The Prosecutor’s
Oath is emphasized in Episode 1 when Kim Hee Woo was inducted as a prosecutor; it is reinforced in the last episode, Episode 16. On realising that he could not catch Cho Tae Sub using legal means, Kim Hee Woo decides to resign. What he is about to do would be a contradiction to his oath. The parting conversation between Kim Hee Woo and his superior, Jeon Seok Kyu, is intensely moving. Both have worked together in Gimsan to remove evil from the town. Together in Seoul, they have arrested criminals and ensured that there is no miscarriage of justice. The Chief Prosecutor knows that Kim Hee Woo has a mission to accomplish; his younger colleague has to sacrifice the prosecution job that he loves in order to go head to head with Cho Tae Sub in politics. Their feelings are restrained. Like them, the viewers are unutterably sad. The sadness is made worse by the beautiful instrumental music.
 Episode
16
 https://twitter.com/i/status/1530944622683230208 Kim Hee Woo finally realises that the Grim Reaper is right. 'You can't catch the devil unless you become an even worse monster.' He is on his way to becoming 'a monster'.   
The director also uses a lot of colours to paint his story. The architecture of the gymnasium in
Episode 3 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.
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 director's love for the blue-orange complementary colours is evident in the drama. In Episode 15, in the seduction scene in the bar, there are blue and orange bottles on the shelf. Blue here symbolises wisdom, depths of understanding and the human psyche. Orange stands for danger. A darker orange represents distrust and deceit. Kim Hee Woo understands the psyche - the mind, the deepest thoughts and feelings of the lobbyist, Jung Se Yeon and he distrusts her. She is full of deceit and a 'danger' to men.     The blue-orange colour combination is part of the colour design of one of the Again My Life posters.  Kim Hee Woo’s story unfolds against the backdrop of the old world. The pale orange colour of buildings speaks of the past. With his extraordinary resurrection and return from the dead, Kim Hee Woo is charged with the mission to change the course of history. He is compelled to dismiss his personal feelings. The blue shadow and aura that hover around Kim Hee Woo give him a surreal glow. Blue speaks of the future. The blue skyscrapers are signs of the future. With his hands in his pockets, he is seen to be fully focussed on the future goal ahead of him. The single-minded man would not allow himself to be distracted or swayed by the lovely lady beside him. In Episode 5, Gimsan, located in a beautiful picturesque coastal area, is the place where troublesome prosecutors are exiled to. Kim Hee Woo chooses to be posted to the place.
The warm reddishness of the road to Gimsan contrasts with the cool blue colour of the sea and the blackness of the rocks that line the road.
The red speaks of
Prosecutor Kim Hee Woo’s fiery enthusiasm, the cool blue
denotes the calm and languidness of those at the Prosecution Office in
Gimsan. The black foretells of the dark criminal underbelly of the rural
town. In the same episode, the primary colours also appeared in the billiards room, next to the illegal casino.
When Kim Hee Woo decides to launch an attack on the place, the fight which he starts is lightning-fast and makes the head dizzy. The speed of his martial arts
moves perfectly matches the dizzy black and white zigzag patterns of the floor of the
illegal casino, which seems to be ‘moving dizzily before one's very eyes.’  The blue, red and yellow colours in Episode 1 give us an inkling of the feelings of Kim Hee Woo and the Grim Reaper. There is a sea of blue in the scene. The Grim Reaper is dressed in red. The triangular top of a nearby building is lit in red. Yellow lights adorn the circular rooftop.  Blue, a cool colour,
symbolises the sadness of Kim Hee Woo’s past life.
Red symbolises passion, energy, power and intensity. The Grim Reaper exercises her power of resurrecting Kim Hee Woo. The prosecutor, who is bestowed a second life, declares his passionate intention of bringing Cho Tae Sub to justice.
Yellow, a warm colour, refers to the optimism, positivity and enthusiasm of Kim Hee Woo who is confident that justice will be served. In Episode 16, the viewers
wonder if Justice is actually achieved. The colours of the attire of the
characters in this episode are mostly black, white or blue. Black symbolises evil (darkness and despair). White stands for goodness (purity and spirituality). Blue represents truth (calmness,
serenity, wisdom and confidence).   Han Ji Hyun, the Grim Reaper, solemnly dressed in black, dies a metaphorical death. She ends her evil life in prison. Her blue prison attire denotes that she, having found peace and calm in her life, has finally arrived at the truth. The black attire that she wears in church in Episode 16 of the drama contrasts with her billowy red pantsuit in Episode 1. Red symbolises her passion in bringing Cho Tae Sub to justice. Kim Hee Woo promises the Grim Reaper that he would punish Cho Tae Sup at the beginning of the story. In Episode 16 of the drama, she, dressed in black clothes and a hat resembling the Grim Reaper in Chapter 1 of the manhwa, meets Kim Hee Woo in church. That meeting with Kim Hee Woo symbolises that, with her help, his promise of punishing Cho Tae Sub will soon be realised.  In the final scene of Episode 16, the final episode, Kim Hee Woo is enveloped in a blast of light or white. He looks very cool in this surreal scene.
 The drama begins with an opening with Fantasy elements – the beautiful fall of Kim Hee Woo from a skyscraper at night with fantasy buildings in the background. There is a Grim Reaper in red, a Theatre in the Sky, a revolving stage and a violent fight. But the drama closes with a picture of an ugly truth. The stark reality in the day time shows that criminals still abound. Some prison inmates are let loose on flimsy excuses. The message is, the fight against crime, like anywhere else in the world, is an ongoing challenge.
   https://programs.sbs.co.kr/drama/againmylife/clip/70902/OC461043892
Justice is difficult to measure.
The justice system can be flawed. Some people think in black and white, good
and bad. To those who think of black and white terms, a person must either be
entirely good or entirely bad. The drama tells us not to see things in absolute
extremes. Real life situations do have some grey areas. Cho Tae Sub is evil but he has some fine goals; his means of achieving
them are evil. Han Ji Hyun cannot help but be evil; she is under the
clutches of Cho Tae Sub. Most of the evil people in the
story get their just desserts. Cho Tae Sub and Kim Jin Woo
commit suicide and the rest, except for Choi Kang Jin, are thrown
into prison. Justice is served.
https://programs.sbs.co.kr/drama/againmylife/clip/70902/OC461043892
But, the fight against evil has
no end. Kim Seok Hoon and Jang Il Hyun have been released earlier
than expected. It is awesome that the drama starts with a fantastic fantasy but ends with the brutal reality that the war against crime is an ongoing struggle. Kim Hee Woo’s facial expression shows he is not divorced from the realities of life. He has to continue with his mission to combat evil at every opportunity. Does the final image - a surreal picture of Kim Hee Woo reinforce the idea that the drama is a fantasy?
The unexpected ending is an open one, which many suspect might pave the way for the highly anticipated Season 2 of Again My Life. YOON DO HYUN
WHAT THE GGANG?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8i_1r7slv0
BRING IT ON
SON SEUNG-YEON  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A9-og7gEkQ BURN PARK DOJOON
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL_zj-hd4Yg
TILL THE END YOO SUNG EUN  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKfQpM6B7sk ALONE GB9  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79kH6lbhIP4
The phenomenal performance of the dream cast and creative production crew of Again My Life should earn them the top awards and the lion’s share of awards in 2022 and 2023. Again My Life is the Best Drama (2022) and the Best Adaptation (2022). Han Chul Soo should receive the Best Director award and Lee Joon Gi should be awarded the Daesang. The team should also be awarded Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Action, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Screen/Scriptwriters, Best OST and many more. Perhaps, an award should be given to the Lee Hae Nal, the novelist, and another for the beautiful music. The designer of the intriguing and unusual posters also deserves an award. The global Kdrama audience strongly recommends The Presidential Commendation (or higher awards) for the Han Chul Soo (Director), Lee Joon Gi (Actor) and Lee Byung Hun / Jay and Kim Yul (Screen/Scriptwriters). 
 
Lee Joon Gi with Director Kim Yong Min (l) and Director Han Chul Soo (r)  |
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