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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Falsify"

At times it feels like Korean drama has an endless supply of Evil Rich Guy™ characters doing horrible things to brooding male heroes in the revenge genre. It would be unfair to dismiss a work like "Falsify" due to its premise and its proximity to such stories alone, however. Armed with a great cast and a quartet of interesting characters, the drama has a lot to say.

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"Falsify" may be a typical revenge work at heart, but it is a case of a well-planned one reaching beyond the formulaic constraints of its genre. There are smart twists, personal stakes and a bigger picture the characters must work towards unraveling, and it is clear that the writer knows exactly what story they want told. This is further solidified by the lack of idealism in it, as it offers an honest look into problems without clear or miraculous solutions.

Moo-yeong after a major, but bittersweet victorySeok-min facing off with Tae-won

The series is definitely well-written and its characters are nuanced and engaging, but "Falsify" is a great example of why casting is so important to a work and why it should be done with more responsibility for stories which are not designed as light entertainment only. For all their meaty personal stories, insecurities and strengths, the characters of "Falsify" would have been far less captivating if portrayed by lesser actors, whereas an incredible cast of solid artists elevates them.

The only shame is that the supporting cast and their own roles are not given as much attention and freedom as the leading characters have. The drama's humor is an issue, especially due to its insistence on popping up at very inappropriate moments, but even without it the supporting actors struggle to work through roles whose sole purpose is to be silly, frustrating or boring plot devices. This sadly extends to the villains, aside from the main culprit masterfully portrayed by Moon Sung-keun.

So-ra and Jin-woo bidding a rescued victim farewellCheol-ho's last recording

As well-constructed as the main points of the drama are, the series does not escape some contrivance with these characters, but also with some parts of its plot. There are times when mainly the heroes make decisions or mistakes that feel out of character with the sole use of driving the plot forward at the expense of consistency and a more thorough approach. This is particularly problematic, because it happens during important parts of the story.

This is not majorly detrimental to the enjoyment drawn from the drama or the overall value of it as a work, however. "Falsify" is still a solid piece which manages to provide all the good parts of revenge and justice dramas with a minimum amount of the often tiring melodramatic theatrics. It has a great main cast portraying engaging main characters through an entertaining and ultimately satisfying story.

"Falsify" is directed by Lee Jeong-heum, written by Kim Hyeon-jeong-IV and features Namkoong Min, Yu Jun-sang, Uhm Ji-won and Moon Sung-keun.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Watch Episode 1 on KOCOWAtv

Watch Episode 2 on KOCOWAtv

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