All the characters had depth and gave you all the feels, even the villains made you despise them with their superb acting (Chief Yeom - urgh!). The OST is amazing (ITS ON SPOTIFY), I as a non-Korean speaker still sang /rapped my heart out along to any songs that played.
It is great to see all these amazing dramas being taken up by Netflix.
Anywho onto the review
Story
It is about a baseball player who ends up in prison, annoyingly, because he protected his little sister from assault. Whilst in prison he meets people, goes through various trials, and comes out on the other side. The people he meets all change around him to become better people and he ends up influencing the whole penitentiary because of the simple and humble way he behaves. I don't want to give too much away.
The suspense is amazing and I am one of those people that hate to watch the preview of the next episode only to be annoyed that its not what I thought, but it really works here because everytime the preview shows something bad is going to happen to KJH there is always a way to turn it around. There is no dragging and there is also no unnecessary scenes as everything makes sense in the end. The drama has been directed very well and the story is amazing. I don't believe I am giving it justice so just watch it. You wont be disappointed
Acting
Amazing! Every single actor/actress plays their parts well. You laugh when the characters laugh or mess up and you shed a tear when the characters are going through hard times. KJH's character is so refreshing, although he is dopey he is still very smart and at times as the viewer you forget this but he remedies a situation and you then remember that he is actually really smart. Min Chul was another character I loved as he was so cute and his facial expressions portrayed everything he felt. His storyline was such a joy to watch. The bond between the guys with people leaving and people joining was amazing to watch. KJH and LJH's friendship was so endearing = true bromance. LJH was there for him, even following him to the next prison just to make sure he was okay. Loved those two together. The best comedic scene between them is when LJH is trying to help KJH overcome his struggle to throw straight, I cried laughing at those scenes.
Music
AMAZING lol, like I have said earlier the playlist is on spotify. Every song is amazing and the way they were played throughout the drama made sense. The music director matched the music to each scene really well and you never felt like a song was too loud or played too often it just worked.
Rewatch Value
Definitely a 10 because I want everyone to watch it and I want to be there when they do. Such a good drama, everytime someone comes to visit I make sure to get them to watch it lol.
Anywho in a summary = Great end to 2017 and Great beginning to 2018. Brought me back into KDrama's after a long hiatus.
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Now, I blessed the day I started this. This drama proved me wrong so hard I fell in love with it. Haha. The stories, the acting....the bromance! Everything was just so good.
This drama had a solid enough plot to keep me going. And I found myself always craving the next episode.
The writer did a good job in making it a light enough drama by adding some comedy. Many times it had me laughing until tears were running. But then there were also parts where my heart was in my throat and I was at the edge of my seat. Especially when the main guy was in danger.
I had a complete soft spot for Looney. I found his story sweet, honestly. But it killed me a little bit inside what happened at the end. Captain Too was also calming a spot in my heart. Those bastards did him wrong! But the end of these two stories seemed a little incomplete and I wasn't that satisfied, sadly. Like what happened afterwards? I need details.
The acting was remarkable! A complete 10 for that! And the music too. My boy Eric Nam, as always, has a wonderful voice.
Overall guys, this drama is definitely worth the watch. You won't regret it.
I'm out "Mic Drop" ?
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I watched the first episode raw so I didn't understand a thing and i'm not satisfied. Later on, when the subs were out, there were actually many witty dialogues and scenes that i can't catch when I was watching it raw and it received my like immediately.
The story is definitely the title, Wise Prison Life. The prison life actually frustrated me and made me think that there were no good person here since it was prison. But the characters aren't clearly black and white. Also they won't give you a saint main character. We either hate or love the main character.
Through reply series, I got to know how good Shin Won Ho is and this one won't prove that statement wrong. He didn't give you the over-the-top character and it is proven by how he made an unskilled actor to act decently. If it's otherwise, I'd drop immediately.
Also the cinematography is one of the reason why I love cable series more than non-cable series. There are no cheap fillers and each scenes had their own charms.
The music, wow, i realized i haven't downloaded osts for a while and only liked one or two osts from recent dramas but this one, each osts are so good and enjoyable. My personal favorites are heize's and of course Seungyoon and Mino's (please listen, everyone!)
I would definitely rewatch this since all the scenes are so hilarious, even the sad one would make me cry if i rewatch it.
Overall it's 9 for me. I hope they have spin-off like reply series too
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Do not avoid it because of its Title
I watched prison playbook recently and My senior recommended it and its really awesome. I don’t have enough words to express my feelings. But still I want to say few words.Prison Playbook what a story man am still laughing and enjoying this series. Making a simple story into a great script I applause to the screen writers.this drama returned my faith in kdrama because I had been bored of due to usual, accident, memory loss and romance in kdrama which is too much of cliche.
To the wonderful script of prison playbook all the actors did their part very well.KIM JE HYUK as the center of the story was written off well and PARK HAE SOO played it even more amzingly.I had an awesome laugh when everyone was trying to get hot water for noodles and KJH sleeping I had other thoughts that they might be trying to break off the jail.his friend LEE JOON HO being a support from the beginning was the best. All the cellmates had their own stories and everyone played it outstandingly overcoming their hardships.loony, kaist,crony,kim etc. All the other character such as girlfriend, sister of KJH, brother of LJH and captain yoo,were also given their parts in perfect proportion not to make it more as a family drama.
I had this crush over jung hae in when watched him in drama while you were sleeping..And after watching prison playbook am just obsessing over him.he just rocked the military and prison uniform handsomely.He is in my new addition to favourite actor list.
Music is also catchy and worth listening.the first ost OK by Bewhy from the first episode makes its deep impression with the beats and lyrics.
Rewatch ofcourse yes. Anytime and any mood you can have this watch with anyone friends or family either low mood or good mood. Its perfect. 10/10
My only concern after watching it was like does prison life seems this easy as shown, then I remember KJH saying to captain yoo that he is also hanging in their to survive.
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You will surely love this.
It's my second time to add review to a drama since I last watched "The Third Charm".This drama gives us a peek of prison life and gives us real life lessons that not all in the prison are "bad". Some are falsely accused, some are slaves to their weakness and some are really wrong. The main lead taught us that it better to have EQ than IQ and that's when comedy enters in the drama. I just love this drama even if it is more than an hour long. It made me laugh hard and cry hard. Every character left an awesome impression for me. I hope the producer would give us a second season. This drama is gold and will teach us how to behave so that we would not end up in jail. Haha. God bless MDLister.
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This review may contain spoilers
I absolutly loved this show. The acting was good and I love that they don't completley glorify prison life. I love that each character has a story and each character knows what they did to end up in jail was wrong... For example, Min Chul knew it was wrong when he killed that man and he doesn't glorify prison... And though his time there is not horrible he still makes the best with what he can, owns up to his mistakes, and tries his best. I also love that Je Hyeok is kind and willing to give anyone a chance as long as they earn it. I love that even though he didn't have too, he gave Crony a 'new beginning' by bascially 'killing him with kindness' and in turn caused Crony to become appreciative.
Speaking of Crony, it brings me to my next point... Aka: the only issue I really had with the show and that I am a bit surprised no one else spoke about in their reviews.... I am honestly a little butthurt that we didn't get to witness Crony or KAIST getting out of jail... Same with captain Yoo (though after discovering his retrial went well we knew it was coming soon) after they moved KAIST to Deogu they just completly drop his existence and that really upsets me. He deserved to be brought up again.
I also am upset how they played the crap out of Looney. He spent MONTHS vecoming sober and drug free just to get out and immedietly get set up by the hippie guy and sent back to jail? WTH was that about? I was so happy his mother showed up to see him and his boyfriend was wanting to propose...just for him to F it up and go right back? They did his character dirty.
Would have loved to see a "several years later" type of scenario that included updates on everyones lives.
Other than those things I thoroughly enjoyed this show. I would rewatch it and I would recommend it to others, I already have actually.
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STORY:
The firsts episodes (maybe 1, 2 and 3) serves to introduce you to the story and to presents you the numerous characters that are in the drama. You can notice right away that there is a sad tone, very much serious, but also a very energetic ritm and many funny moments, thing that you wouldn't expect in this type of context.
First of all, let's talk about the main character: even though at the beginning he seems an anonimum person (temperamentally speaking), bit by bit you'll learn to know him and you will find out a very warm man, with a kind heart, probably because he knows very well what means to feel real pain and despair. He is a bit stupid sometimes (in a good way, he made me laugh so much), very genuine and naive, but he knows how to play his own cards when the game requires it, and he perfectly succeeds in empathizing with others like nobody could do. The thing i loved the most about him is that all the kind gestures he do, he never speak of them about it, he just do them, in silence, only because he can't stay put and watch other's pain.
Even though i adore all the characters, if i have to choose my favourite, probably he would be Tenent Paeng, because below the rudeness there is a very kind man that love his job and has a very clear vision of how is the best way to do it. Jail in not a common place: dangers are always behind the corner and you have to remain mentally and emotionally stable. You can't be friendly with the convicts, but is extremely important to remain human. So, the balance is fundamental, but is not a very easy task: Tenent Paeng understood this very well and even though is very rude sometimes, in reality he do what he can to help the convicts to survive to jail in the most human way possible. He has done so much for a them in silence, and in that aspect is very similar to the protagonist Je Hyuk (but he has a more puppy way to do it). If i have to choose one word to discribe him, it would be "tsundere" :D <3
Loony (Han Yang) is another important character to me: he made me laugh so much and cry so hard. In his extreme solitude, he seems like a defenceless puppy in my eyes. I've pity him for feeling alone for most of his life and yes, he became a drugdealer and it's a very serius crime, but like in every case, it's important valuate the personal background of the criminal and his story was so so sad. Every time he becomes serious and talk about himself and his life, i feel like my heart is torning to pieces. I would want to hug him and say him "you're not alone", but i can't beacuse he is a character in a drama, (but not being able to help him it's frustrating anyway).
As the episodes goes by you will find yourself completely absorbed: the daily routine in jail (that i wrongly thought it might be boring) is a very valuable part, that make you understand more than anything else that in a lot of cases there isn't black and white, right and wrong, bad and good. The only thing that is truly there is life, and life can be difficult, because you could choose the wrong pat and you have to pay for it, but also because sometimes there is no much justice as we would. Someone could do a bad thing because is a bad person, yes, but maybe someone else only found himself in a difficult situation and had no other choice. The most important thing that i really learned and feeled watching Prison playbook is that you truly can't judge a book by its cover, and not only you can't, but you musn't, because every human been have the right to be heard first. The most powerfull thing is the meaning of the little things and the little gestures, that can make someone happy in a very sad or difficult moment, because if hating or just give the cold shoulder is easy, in the same way is easy also to do a small thing, it doesn't cost anything.
Bromance is also a very important part of this drama: Je Hyuk and Joon Ho are best friends that doesn't see each other for years, but they meet again when Je Hyuk get arrested and goes to jail. Lee is a prison guard and his presence there helps Kim Je Hyuk a lot: he find in his best friend the strongness for fight again in this difficult situation that he's in. Their friendship is one of the best friendship i have ever see in a show (film, drama, anime and whatsoever), they have a truly sincere and strong bond, more than between bloodrelated brothers. Joon Ho is always rough with Je Hyuk, but also very affectionate in his own way. Surely they would give away their life for each other.
One of the thing that you wouldn't expect it is the strong sense of family: obviously i'm not talking of the classic family, but after all family is not only your mum, your dad or yours brothers and sisters related by blood. Family is a strong and deep bond that could born even in the most unexpected place, just like a jail (where maybe the common imaginary is more the feeling of loyalty between criminals or gangsters, obviously a stupid way of thinking).
ACTING/CAST:
I have nothing to say, only a big WOW! The actors impersonate the charcaters so much that it doesn't seems at all that they are acting. A special plause goes to to Lee Kyu Hyung (Loony), because the character that he has interpretate was so complex in every aspect!
MUSIC:
A big mention goes to the sundtrack (including the opening and the ending songs): apart from the classic ballads that you can also hear on most of the Korean dramas, there is also a big part of rap and pop music that seem to have nothing to do with the general atmosphere of the show, but in reality they match with it very very well.
REWATCH VALUE:
Even though the episodes last 90 minutes (they are very long, because usually they go for 60/70 minutes), you will not event notice it and time will flies away while watching it. It's not so foregone to want to rewatch a thing that you liked, because there are stories that are based on plot twist and once you've watch them the strong emotion will gone, because there will be no more surprise effect anymore. But this drama is based on human emotion and on the nature of the characters, so if you watch it a second time or a third, maybe you will learn something new everytime.
CONCLUSIONS:
I can say without an esitation that this drama becomes a real drug. You must put in part pregiudice for one of the best drama ever. Prison playbook is really much more than a description in words could explain (but i had to tried anyway). The strong feeling while watching it is so intense and real that you might forget that you are watching a drama at all. The story development and the many flashback that shows the background of every main characters are so immersive that you can feel it right to the bones. Every single moment is very well thought out and functional to complete the large puzzle.
in conclusion, if it would have been possible to give 15 instead of 10, i would have done it right away, without even thinking it.
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While watching it, so many emotions went through me: I either wanted to hug the characters, or slap them when they were acting dumb, even cry with them. And I laughed. So much. I doubt any drama made me laugh that much before. As in really laugh out loud.
I also have to praise Jung Kyung Ho and Park Hae Soo for their acting: they couldn’t have looked like more friends than what they did. I honestly thought I was watching two best friends just being two best friends.
I loved the subtle and not-so-subtle friendships that grew right in front of our eyes. I loved how slow-paced yet exciting the storyline was. I just wanted to finish the whole thing and see all the characters get their happy endings. This drama is about regretting, and about redemption. Just like in real life, you sometimes don’t understand why people do this or that, but it’s because you don’t know their background stories. If you knew, you’d probably understand.
If there's one thing that left a bittersweet taste it's definitely the fact that you don't get to see what happened for a few characters, I'd have liked to know what happened to them.
I'm happy and sad I finished watching this show: it's the kind of drama you like so much you wonder if you'll ever get to watch something like that again.
Now I remember why I watch korean dramas: I honestly would have never gotten to watch something like that if I had stuck to western TV shows.
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Absolutely delightful watch.
I loved getting to know all the characters, and the show was brilliantly cast.Jung Kyung Ho is uniquely endearing, as always, and I enjoyed all the character development.
Many laugh out loud moments. My very favourite part was finally getting to see Jung Woong In (Lieutenant Paeng) do some real acting - because he gets to play a real person - and not just a generic jerk.
That was the most fun of all, because it really made me like the actor, which I hadn't before.
Well worth anyone's time. There were quite a few emotional bits toward the end, and the writers really knew how to get me invested in each and every character. I was ... dare I say it? ... reformed ❗️?
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Perfect
One of the best dramas out there. The plot, the characters, the colour scheme were all perfect. I genuinely cannot find one fault in this show. I've rewatched it like three times. The OST was so good, I still listen to the song The door by winner and zico.The one thing I didn’t like was the romance part of the main lead, found it not necessary to be honest.
The chemistry between all the cast/ cell mates was one of the best ever. I loved how the show showed so much depth of the characters.
I’ve rewatched it around 5 times now and I still enjoy it like it’s the first time I’m watching it. I don’t know what hold this show has on me but I’m genuinely obsessed with it lol. I highly recommend it :))
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This review may contain spoilers
Amazingly thoughtful bromance
I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. It was heartfelt, with a great balance between showing us the internal struggles and thoughts of each character, and throwing in some plot elements that keep the story moving.At first, I wasn't super impressed with Je Hyuk and wondered whether the story would be more entertaining if it revolved around a different character. But after a few episodes it became clear that he was the glue that holds the ensemble together. I especially loved Jung Woong In as the experienced guard and Kang Gi Doong as a younger guard. Along with Jung Kyung Ho, they were simply fantastic.
The crew of prisoners was also impressive, especially Choi Moo Sung as Min Chul, the lifer with a heart, and of course Lee Kyu Hyung as Loony, who always kept us sympathetic to his plight. I also enjoyed Jung Min Sung as Doctor Go and wish his story had been fleshed out more.
The show isn't quite perfect though. For some reason, Kaist's story was dropped rather suddenly, leaving me to wonder if there was a budget reduction or last-minute scheduling conflict with Park Ho San. And the backrgound stories of the cellmates could have been expanded upon a bit more. A few more episodes would have fit the bill. And I know this show is about a male prison, but I feel there could have been some way to include more females in the cast, perhaps as the journalists, or as part of various flashbacks.
All in all, this would be a fantastic rewatch, full of stellar performances.
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Can't Stop Watching Since Eps 8
I found myself dragging to watch the show for the first 7 episode. But since Episode 8, I always dream about watching it when I'm not! It was hillarious, funny, and great amount of bromance. The acting is superb as I know many of them are from background theatre. So, the funny moments that, if done by those who can't pull it off, would make us cringe. Not this one though.Not a lot of love-romance kind of thing. But really emphasis on the human relationship. It is so funny that I can't stop laughing every episode (again, from eps 8 and above).
So, if you find yourself bored, give yourself a chance to wait until it hits episode 8. It's worth it!
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