A Charming Shoot 'Em Up: Powerful Opponents Impresses!
A Charming Shoot 'Em Up?
I did not really know what to expect with this drama, I was initially drawn to it because Chae Rim who is known for choosing great projects is starring in it. I did have my doubts, though. Action-packed shoot ‘em up mixed with a love triangle? I have seen quite a few movies recently (You Got Me, Fool’s Gold even to an extent Mr. & Mrs. Smith) that failed in making this whole romancing the action hero charming, oftentimes it just comes off well either contrived or awkward. With all my doubts at hand, within one episode “Powerful Opponents” was neither contrived nor awkward… well, so far it is quite charming and incredibly endearing. Even with the punches of humor in the story, it is not fluffy. The drama already shows enough spirit and depth as it slowly unravels each character we may come to love and hate. All this carried by a very captivating heroine played by Chae Rim.
Of course, first episodes are always an introduction. What I like about K-dramas is they never just spill out the characters for us, we discover them as they also discover each other. Like little mysteries we still got to piece out.
We start off by meeting the President’s son played by the handsome, Lee Jin Wook. Here he is the oh-so-rebellious motorcycle riding, black market boxing and family-hating bad boy. I thought the initial scenes were borderline campy, which could have been done on purpose, I wasn’t a huge fan of the treatment. Almost a bit too obvious, I could be reading the writer’s handbook of the “basic character layout of a bad boy”.
HOWEVER---The whole treatment of such character is redeemed later on, when we see him on his bed---completely angst-ridden and in a way with a sense of self-hatred.
I’d rather they do this more “angsty” character than the extremely in-your-face bad boy. I see great potential in LJW in scenes that would require him to be more nuanced. Yet, how can I really judge right? The character is a complete mystery. All we know is he’s reckless and has (what seems like) deep-rooted issues with his presidential family. Though, the first twelve minutes was all about him, we hardly see him in the next scenes as we are later introduced with the main agents. The rivals.
In the first episode, the title “Powerful Opponents”/ “Rivals” seem to be directed to the relationship between these two young agents in the academy who seem at odds from the very beginning.
Young Jin played by Chae Rim looks quite delicate and feminine with her puppy dog eyes and cute face, but looks fool ya. She is really such a bad @ss!
The only female in the team she leaves a lot of the men hang to dry with her fervor, skills and strength. She’s also incredibly boisterous and arrogant about it. You know when people in a disadvantage usually have to work two to three times harder than the rest? She has this kind of pull to her, and she brings it in every aspect of her job and training. She is loud about it too.
Some men seem intimidated by such a woman; some just really do see her as that--- a woman. You cannot hit a woman, right? Especially someone as pretty as that, right? Not to this stern and silent classmate of hers, Gwang Pil played by Lee Jong Hyuk in what seems like his first leading man sort of role. Gwang Pil seems to sneer at Young Jin’s antics. His eyebrows always in an angry arch, his stoic face, and deadpan stare only says one thing--- he sees through her haughtiness and flair. He is more on the technical and more in the rather serious side.
Their first fight scene was accompanied with a tango; oh the battle of all passionate dances… I knew I was in for a different kind of action packed- romance.
The director never forgets that they are handling a romantic comedy first and foremost, even in the most action-packed training sequences it is treated in a light manner. The music is sweet and uppity during the training scenes. The editing of such scenes was seamless as we watch we are also building rapport with the characters. Simple scenes come out endearing and some weird way romantic, from who gets to walk first or the ways with the gun. The drama does not get all contrived on us and pretend like we’re in the latest blasting Michael Bay film.
In each scene we laugh at the rivalry antics of Gwang Pil and Young Jin, who seem to battle it out from sit ups to well---eating lunch.
But do not underestimate this as just a fluffy romance comedy with a few gunshots here and there, what made me root for this drama was within the time we actually see our aggressive heroine’s frailty. There is a fundamental depth in what seems like a simple concept of a would-be-love story.
Young Jin’s heart and drive seems to be for her family of scrubs and deadbeats who would rather gamble their lives away. Brought up in an all male household, Young Jin stands as the only woman and the only breadwinner. They do love her and understand her, but the appreciation is just lacking.
One of the most pivotal scenes in the episode was when Young Jin confronts her brother over his dealings, the usually cool and bad @ss of a heroine loses herself in her anger and sadness. Underneath her tough exterior, we find a woman whose heart is broken over and over ironically, because of the people who are closest to her heart.
Within minutes… no even seconds, Chae Rim crumbles in front of us, such intensity and frailty brought out at the same time. She is just so relatable in these little moments. I like this heroine already; I hope she is as complex as this. I hope it won’t be a fluke.
Gwang Pil’s story is as much as a mystery, in a lot of ways he is the same with Young Jin completely immersed in his job and training. Completely fervent. Without his family’s backing, but unlike her he seems to be satisfied with his situation.
The mix of their clashing personalities and similar goals is what makes their chemistry work. They are so different but also a lot alike. It's like they both hate each other but they respect each other.
Gwang Pil is hard to read, even at the times when Young Jin seems to soften up with him he seems still as deadpan as ever. But with all that said, their scenes are still oddly swoon-worthy, even when the leading man's character is just so wry!
We like saw him smile… once… or was that an arched lip? With that said, I am not quite sure if I am completely rooting for him. There is so much potential in this love triangle, I really hope we will be as confused as Young Jin with the two men. It seems that both leading men do have a cold and bad boy exterior, both of them are going to clash with the hotheaded heroine and for sure, we will be going topsy-turvy with this romance.
But the best thing about this whole episode still is with Chae Rim. Young Jin’s last sequence in the graduation as she sadly looks at the empty chairs, wondering where her family is … then, she controls her tears and stands firm there. She screams her lungs out. It was both a funny and a heart-breaking sequence. Just in the little break of her voice and weak smile, she already tells us her story. They picked an amazing actress to portray an already endearing heroine.
So my verdict? They already passed the first test… that is to make a shoot ‘em up romance charming. All thanks to a great heroine to pull it all off. I also love the editing of the sequences that make everything fast paced and almost every scene vital. I also love the opening credits and the little graphics that go with each episode. Their next test is the revelation and the layering of each character and to keep this momentum. So far, this drama has gotten me. I’m all in.
I did not really know what to expect with this drama, I was initially drawn to it because Chae Rim who is known for choosing great projects is starring in it. I did have my doubts, though. Action-packed shoot ‘em up mixed with a love triangle? I have seen quite a few movies recently (You Got Me, Fool’s Gold even to an extent Mr. & Mrs. Smith) that failed in making this whole romancing the action hero charming, oftentimes it just comes off well either contrived or awkward. With all my doubts at hand, within one episode “Powerful Opponents” was neither contrived nor awkward… well, so far it is quite charming and incredibly endearing. Even with the punches of humor in the story, it is not fluffy. The drama already shows enough spirit and depth as it slowly unravels each character we may come to love and hate. All this carried by a very captivating heroine played by Chae Rim.
Of course, first episodes are always an introduction. What I like about K-dramas is they never just spill out the characters for us, we discover them as they also discover each other. Like little mysteries we still got to piece out.
We start off by meeting the President’s son played by the handsome, Lee Jin Wook. Here he is the oh-so-rebellious motorcycle riding, black market boxing and family-hating bad boy. I thought the initial scenes were borderline campy, which could have been done on purpose, I wasn’t a huge fan of the treatment. Almost a bit too obvious, I could be reading the writer’s handbook of the “basic character layout of a bad boy”.
HOWEVER---The whole treatment of such character is redeemed later on, when we see him on his bed---completely angst-ridden and in a way with a sense of self-hatred.
I’d rather they do this more “angsty” character than the extremely in-your-face bad boy. I see great potential in LJW in scenes that would require him to be more nuanced. Yet, how can I really judge right? The character is a complete mystery. All we know is he’s reckless and has (what seems like) deep-rooted issues with his presidential family. Though, the first twelve minutes was all about him, we hardly see him in the next scenes as we are later introduced with the main agents. The rivals.
In the first episode, the title “Powerful Opponents”/ “Rivals” seem to be directed to the relationship between these two young agents in the academy who seem at odds from the very beginning.
Young Jin played by Chae Rim looks quite delicate and feminine with her puppy dog eyes and cute face, but looks fool ya. She is really such a bad @ss!
The only female in the team she leaves a lot of the men hang to dry with her fervor, skills and strength. She’s also incredibly boisterous and arrogant about it. You know when people in a disadvantage usually have to work two to three times harder than the rest? She has this kind of pull to her, and she brings it in every aspect of her job and training. She is loud about it too.
Some men seem intimidated by such a woman; some just really do see her as that--- a woman. You cannot hit a woman, right? Especially someone as pretty as that, right? Not to this stern and silent classmate of hers, Gwang Pil played by Lee Jong Hyuk in what seems like his first leading man sort of role. Gwang Pil seems to sneer at Young Jin’s antics. His eyebrows always in an angry arch, his stoic face, and deadpan stare only says one thing--- he sees through her haughtiness and flair. He is more on the technical and more in the rather serious side.
Their first fight scene was accompanied with a tango; oh the battle of all passionate dances… I knew I was in for a different kind of action packed- romance.
The director never forgets that they are handling a romantic comedy first and foremost, even in the most action-packed training sequences it is treated in a light manner. The music is sweet and uppity during the training scenes. The editing of such scenes was seamless as we watch we are also building rapport with the characters. Simple scenes come out endearing and some weird way romantic, from who gets to walk first or the ways with the gun. The drama does not get all contrived on us and pretend like we’re in the latest blasting Michael Bay film.
In each scene we laugh at the rivalry antics of Gwang Pil and Young Jin, who seem to battle it out from sit ups to well---eating lunch.
But do not underestimate this as just a fluffy romance comedy with a few gunshots here and there, what made me root for this drama was within the time we actually see our aggressive heroine’s frailty. There is a fundamental depth in what seems like a simple concept of a would-be-love story.
Young Jin’s heart and drive seems to be for her family of scrubs and deadbeats who would rather gamble their lives away. Brought up in an all male household, Young Jin stands as the only woman and the only breadwinner. They do love her and understand her, but the appreciation is just lacking.
One of the most pivotal scenes in the episode was when Young Jin confronts her brother over his dealings, the usually cool and bad @ss of a heroine loses herself in her anger and sadness. Underneath her tough exterior, we find a woman whose heart is broken over and over ironically, because of the people who are closest to her heart.
Within minutes… no even seconds, Chae Rim crumbles in front of us, such intensity and frailty brought out at the same time. She is just so relatable in these little moments. I like this heroine already; I hope she is as complex as this. I hope it won’t be a fluke.
Gwang Pil’s story is as much as a mystery, in a lot of ways he is the same with Young Jin completely immersed in his job and training. Completely fervent. Without his family’s backing, but unlike her he seems to be satisfied with his situation.
The mix of their clashing personalities and similar goals is what makes their chemistry work. They are so different but also a lot alike. It's like they both hate each other but they respect each other.
Gwang Pil is hard to read, even at the times when Young Jin seems to soften up with him he seems still as deadpan as ever. But with all that said, their scenes are still oddly swoon-worthy, even when the leading man's character is just so wry!
We like saw him smile… once… or was that an arched lip? With that said, I am not quite sure if I am completely rooting for him. There is so much potential in this love triangle, I really hope we will be as confused as Young Jin with the two men. It seems that both leading men do have a cold and bad boy exterior, both of them are going to clash with the hotheaded heroine and for sure, we will be going topsy-turvy with this romance.
But the best thing about this whole episode still is with Chae Rim. Young Jin’s last sequence in the graduation as she sadly looks at the empty chairs, wondering where her family is … then, she controls her tears and stands firm there. She screams her lungs out. It was both a funny and a heart-breaking sequence. Just in the little break of her voice and weak smile, she already tells us her story. They picked an amazing actress to portray an already endearing heroine.
So my verdict? They already passed the first test… that is to make a shoot ‘em up romance charming. All thanks to a great heroine to pull it all off. I also love the editing of the sequences that make everything fast paced and almost every scene vital. I also love the opening credits and the little graphics that go with each episode. Their next test is the revelation and the layering of each character and to keep this momentum. So far, this drama has gotten me. I’m all in.