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walkwithheroesGiant is a sixty episode Korean drama that tells the story of three siblings over a period of forty years. It's described as an "epic", and the description is true to its word. Giant spreads from 1970 to 2010, and has many historical moments that really make you think about the way people lived during this time period. There are huge plot twists and turns, major character development, struggles, and, of course, love.
The thing is, I adore epic dramas like this (Sandglass, East of Eden, Seoul 1945) - I love when there are shows that have lots of characters, struggling and fighting for their dreams. This show has something for everyone, so I was really looking forward to watching it. I started with episode one three weeks ago, and have watched all thirty-six episodes that have been released. My verdict? It's epically awesome!
The story follows the three Lee siblings: Lee Sung Mo (the oldest brother, born in 1953); Lee Kang Mo (the second brother, born 1958); and Lee Mi Joo (the only sister, born sometime between 1962-1964) as they struggle to stay alive (and get revenge) after their father is killed and they are separated for ten years.
Spoiler-filled info about the Lee siblings and all the angst that has happened behind the cut!
We start off in 1970, in a rural area, where the three siblings live with their father and pregnant mother. Sadly, things take a turn for the worst when their father is killed (it's not a spoiler, it's in the drama summary and happens in episode one) and the family is forced to go on the run. Sadly, mom is sick, the baby has malnutrition, and Lee Sung Mo is forced to leave his mom and siblings - in order to distract the men that are after his family. Mom dies early on, and twelve year old Lee Kang Mo is left in charge of a newborn and a seven/eight/nine year old. Then, things get worse for the siblings. . .
Sung Mo ends up joining the KCIA (faking memory loss), gets beaten, kills innocent people, and works for Jo Pil Yeon - the man who murdered his father. Sung Mo hopes to get revenge one day, while also hoping to find his lost siblings and mother. (He doesn't know mom is dead and believes they are all living in Seoul.)
Kang Mo ends up losing Mi Joo and giving the infant up for adoption. He also ends up working for Hwang Tae Sub, a business and (unknowingly to Kang Mo) an old friend of Kang Mo's father. Tae Sub puts Kang Mo through middle school and more or less has Kang Mo look after his daughter, Hwang Jung Yeon. He's sort of her companion/body guard. Kang Mo grows up well, and has a hidden love for Jung Yeon.
Mi Joo gets separated from Kang Mo and the next time we see her, she's in an orphanage. She lives in the orphanage, doesn't go to high school, and makes her way to Seoul. There she gets the job as a housemaid. Her employers are good to her (the man offers to send her college; the woman may treat her harshly, but she clearly cares a lot about Min Joo) and she grows up religious and cheerful.
All three suffer hardships, but all have the dream of finding one another and living happily together. Sadly. . .
Sung Mo ends up shooting Kang Mo; the two brothers are rivals because their bosses are rivals; Kang Mo gets arrested for a murder (he was framed); Kang Mo is forced to leave his "wife" Jung Yeon because he finds out that she is the daughter of one of the men who killed his father; Mi Joo falls for Min Woo (the son of Jo Pil Yeon) without knowing who he is; Mi Joo becomes pregnant with Min Woo's baby, but is forced to leave him and her brothers; Min Woo falls apart and becomes harder and crueler; Jung Yeon misunderstands many things and becomes a twisted and hard business woman, determined to take down Kang Mo; Kang Mo becomes a hardcore business man, wanting to take down Hwang Tae Sub - and that's just episodes 10-36! We still have twenty-four episodes left.
According to the drama summary, things are going to get much more dramatic and even more angst-filled for our characters. And I, for one, am looking forward to it.
Giant is a well-written, well-acted, and beautifully filmed drama. It truly has something for everyone, and despite being a drama, it has some beautiful humor and heart. The characters are all complex and interesting with many underlying layers. Just when you think you know someone, they change on you. Characters start off likable (or unlikeable) and then change due to tragedy or finding happiness.
Currently, the drama is in 1983 - we've got twenty-seven years left. I'm guessing several time jumps are in store. I'm looking forward to where these characters go and how all their relationships change in the coming episodes.
The thing is, I adore epic dramas like this (Sandglass, East of Eden, Seoul 1945) - I love when there are shows that have lots of characters, struggling and fighting for their dreams. This show has something for everyone, so I was really looking forward to watching it. I started with episode one three weeks ago, and have watched all thirty-six episodes that have been released. My verdict? It's epically awesome!
The story follows the three Lee siblings: Lee Sung Mo (the oldest brother, born in 1953); Lee Kang Mo (the second brother, born 1958); and Lee Mi Joo (the only sister, born sometime between 1962-1964) as they struggle to stay alive (and get revenge) after their father is killed and they are separated for ten years.
Spoiler-filled info about the Lee siblings and all the angst that has happened behind the cut!
We start off in 1970, in a rural area, where the three siblings live with their father and pregnant mother. Sadly, things take a turn for the worst when their father is killed (it's not a spoiler, it's in the drama summary and happens in episode one) and the family is forced to go on the run. Sadly, mom is sick, the baby has malnutrition, and Lee Sung Mo is forced to leave his mom and siblings - in order to distract the men that are after his family. Mom dies early on, and twelve year old Lee Kang Mo is left in charge of a newborn and a seven/eight/nine year old. Then, things get worse for the siblings. . .
Sung Mo ends up joining the KCIA (faking memory loss), gets beaten, kills innocent people, and works for Jo Pil Yeon - the man who murdered his father. Sung Mo hopes to get revenge one day, while also hoping to find his lost siblings and mother. (He doesn't know mom is dead and believes they are all living in Seoul.)
Kang Mo ends up losing Mi Joo and giving the infant up for adoption. He also ends up working for Hwang Tae Sub, a business and (unknowingly to Kang Mo) an old friend of Kang Mo's father. Tae Sub puts Kang Mo through middle school and more or less has Kang Mo look after his daughter, Hwang Jung Yeon. He's sort of her companion/body guard. Kang Mo grows up well, and has a hidden love for Jung Yeon.
Mi Joo gets separated from Kang Mo and the next time we see her, she's in an orphanage. She lives in the orphanage, doesn't go to high school, and makes her way to Seoul. There she gets the job as a housemaid. Her employers are good to her (the man offers to send her college; the woman may treat her harshly, but she clearly cares a lot about Min Joo) and she grows up religious and cheerful.
All three suffer hardships, but all have the dream of finding one another and living happily together. Sadly. . .
Sung Mo ends up shooting Kang Mo; the two brothers are rivals because their bosses are rivals; Kang Mo gets arrested for a murder (he was framed); Kang Mo is forced to leave his "wife" Jung Yeon because he finds out that she is the daughter of one of the men who killed his father; Mi Joo falls for Min Woo (the son of Jo Pil Yeon) without knowing who he is; Mi Joo becomes pregnant with Min Woo's baby, but is forced to leave him and her brothers; Min Woo falls apart and becomes harder and crueler; Jung Yeon misunderstands many things and becomes a twisted and hard business woman, determined to take down Kang Mo; Kang Mo becomes a hardcore business man, wanting to take down Hwang Tae Sub - and that's just episodes 10-36! We still have twenty-four episodes left.
According to the drama summary, things are going to get much more dramatic and even more angst-filled for our characters. And I, for one, am looking forward to it.
Giant is a well-written, well-acted, and beautifully filmed drama. It truly has something for everyone, and despite being a drama, it has some beautiful humor and heart. The characters are all complex and interesting with many underlying layers. Just when you think you know someone, they change on you. Characters start off likable (or unlikeable) and then change due to tragedy or finding happiness.
Currently, the drama is in 1983 - we've got twenty-seven years left. I'm guessing several time jumps are in store. I'm looking forward to where these characters go and how all their relationships change in the coming episodes.
