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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Remember" Episode 15

Why does anyone ever cooperate with Gyoo-man on any task whatsoever? He doesn't even pretend to be friendly, the guy just barks orders out practically at random, and  when he does reward loyalty there's always this thick veneer of condescension. Gyoo-man's family money is good, but it seems like there's only so much Gyoo-man a character can tolerate before deciding, you know, forget the money, I'd really much rather punch him in the face.

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There's times it seems like Gyoo-man is testing how far he can go without provoking an overreaction. That's how confident he is in the power money can buy. Naturally it helps that Gyoo-man lives in an ultra-corrupt world where pretty much anybody who wears a tie can be coerced into behaving duplicitously somehow. So far the main moral I'm getting from "Remember" is not to trust anyone who wears a tie. It's good advice, really. Those things are such a menace to knot correctly I halfway suspect that anyone up to the task must have made a deal with the devil somewhere along the line.

Kidding aside...well, really, how else am I supposed to discuss "Remember" except with a copious amount of kidding? This is a drama where conspiracies lurk around every corner yet no one one bothers to lock the door. Jin-woo slips his hand to one of the enemies on his list solely to be a smug jerk, and rather than backfiring, the scene in question ends up being the only tangible positive result of the latest piece of video evidence, thanks to another corporate conspiracy plot twist.

Rage against Gyoo-man is the main saving grace of "Remember" because bit by bit, people are getting frustrated enough with him that I can feel the hatred. That's the main powerful quantity at play for a revenge drama like "Remember". Confound the logic and plausibility, these people are being held back by social decorum from punching Gyoo-man in the face. I, too, have known people like that, and wish to revel in the escapism.

...All right, maybe I don't know anyone who went as far as Gyoo-man did five months ago (hopefully), but iffy subject material notwithstanding, I thought the latest exposition of Gyoo-man's misdeeds was fairly appropriate. Think about it. Does Gyoo-man strike you as the kind of person who would take for an answer? Besides, a nice bit of rage is just what's necessary to make the sentimental scenes all the more sweet.

Review by William Schwartz

"Remember" is directed by Lee Chang-min-I, written by Yoon Hyeon-ho and features Yoo Seung-ho, Park Min-young, Park Sung-woong, Namkoong Min, Jung Hye-sung and Jun Kwang-ryul

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