Money Game

Assalamualaikum, good day dearest! Here up another k-drama review. 

Title : Money Game

Episodes : 16

Genre : Finance, Drama

Director : Kim Sang Ho

Writer : Lee Young Mi

Network : tvN

Cast : Go Soo, Shim Eun Kyung, Lee Sung Min

Plot : 

Jungin Bank, a bank that the Korean government holds equity in is on the verge of bankruptcy. The people were worried that they will face another financial crisis similar to what happened back in 1997. Chae Yi Hun is a chief in the Economic Policy Bureau at Financial Services Commission (FSC). His father, Prof.Chae Byung Hak is the best economist in South Korea whom a true believer of free market policy. Yi Hun however doesn't really agree with his father. He had given his opinion on Jungin Bank to the whole country. Heo Jae, the vice chairman  of FSC is a man with big ambitious. He had experienced the financial struggle in 1997 first hand. Heo Jae is determined to improve the country's financial structure at any cost. He went for a dangerous road to achieve his mission. Lee Hye Joon is the new recruit in the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF), she is a strong to her believe on what's right and what's wrong. Came from a poor family, she was always looked down on by her colleagues despite having the best idea. The three of them begin to work together to prevent another financial crisis to the nation.

SPOILER ALERT

At first, I was a bit reluctant to watch this drama, fearing that it might be another drama like 'Life', going on and on about the management of the hospital between the businessman-minded president and the medical staffs. Ugh, it was really boring for me. This drama however is another new world (kind of) to me. It was so crazy with the plot and everything. And it is like a big refresher for my dusty brain. Haha, even though I only learnt the fundamental things in the finance class, I still could understand their stances with the economical situation.

The plot was done well and it is very much informational. Especially when they related what happened back in 1997 and their situation now. It was like, the history repeat itself. At first, Heo Jae seems like the bad guy in this drama. He went against his own professor, Chae Byung Hak. He was so mad and frustrated with him to rejected every idea he came up with even he, Prof.Chae Byung Hak himself had no solution to the crisis. But as the drama went on, he was just another ambitious guy who wanted to realized his mission but went the wrong way. He dream to change and improve the country's financial structure but his method was way too wrong to begin with. He asked Bahama, a private equity fund to invest and buy Jungin Bank with a full knowledge that Bahama was the one who mess them up back in 1997. And when the representative of Bahama changed her mind, he request for Eugene Han, a more dangerous man to work with. 

I love how there were subtitles of their name and ranks in every episode. It makes the viewer understand a little bit more on who is who and what they did. It kinds of important because they keep getting promoted/demoted in the plot. The sub helped the viewer focused on what they might had missed because of how fast this drama move. There was also subs on technical terms that would help the viewer understand the plot better.

Every episode would left you with a big surprise and that makes me keep going. When I thought that they (Chae Yi Hun, Lee Hye Joon and Hoe Jae) would finally find their way out of the messes, there will always be something to hinder them from winning. This drama was so technical and intense. There was mentions of international affairs, the impacts of US-China trade war, the political involvement, the chaebols system power and so much more. I am so glad that I am able to digest them up without having me burning too much of my brain cells. It was all credited to screenplay. The director done a really great! And the actors were great playing out their character. Especially Lee Hye Joon. I love how strong, bold and determined she is. Her character was the strong base to this drama. Without her character, it will be pretty much like 'Life' again. 

The unexpected romance between Hye Joon and Eugene was so shocking to say. I honestly thought that Eugene only interested to her because of the similarity between her and his mother. But then, he seems so genuine that I'm confused. Hye Joon however doesn't seems interested to him in romantic way. 

The ending gave justice to everyone that deserves it. Even though Heo Jae failed to realize his dream, their economy at least doesn't go downhill. Even with the drama ending, it doesn't say that they able to recover in the short period of time. Chae Yi Hun was still have to went for negotiations and the bureaucrats still need to work hard on their economic. 

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-thes