The Fiery Priest (2019)

Exciting, Moving, and Hilariously Funny!

I've been watching TV shows for over 45 years. I've been watching K-dramas for the last four. And frankly, the Koreans seem to be masters at combining humor and drama, deftly shifting from one to the other. Nobody else does it better.

"The Fiery Priest" sees a Catholic priest--Father Kim--, who has no compunction about laying down some serious whoop-a** on criminals and those who seek to harm others. Of course, not all is as it seems as we learn about his backstory.

The series is about murder, political corruption, religious corruption, and the power of the underworld's influence on exploiting the weak and helpless. At our center, is Father Kim, who has a temper to match his fighting prowess. I think if Father Kim lives to be an old man, he'll likely die of a heart attack.

Detective Gu soon becomes his sidekick. Initially Gu is an inept coward who can't seem to do anything right. Caught up in the corruption, he finds himself to be a shell of a cop in name only. Gu reminds me of a Gilligan or Stan Laurel...someone who causes more trouble than he resolves. Much of this is done for comedic effect, and you'll likely split your sides laughing at the antics of Detective Gu.

We also have the fiery Prosecutor Park, also caught up in the corruption, who quickly finds that she has a special place in her heart for Father Kim, even though they act more like a old, bitter married couple.

Once again, to masterful effects, this drama is very story and character driven with fun and exciting action sequences. In many ways, this series has something for everyone.

The humor is off-the-charts, and it's always extremely effective. I don't recall ever laughing so hard throughout a K-drama.

And yet, at its center, the story is about justice and caring for those few people within your inner circle. People who end up having your back and loving you no matter what you do. It's also proof that, despite the trials and tribulations, criminals and evil-doers never win in the end.

If you're looking for plenty of action as well as a series that is outrageously funny, you really can't miss with "The Fiery Priest!" Looking forward to Season 2!

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Hilarious and heartfelt

This is the first time I had to review a show since I loved it so much. I had no expectations and didn’t know what to expect, but I’m glad I watched it. It’s ridiculously silly and over the top sometimes,
in a really good and funny way. It’s also intense
and exciting, but with a really lovely emotional
core about justice, forgiveness, friendship, found
family...it even made me tear up a few times. The
protagonists face a lot of obstacles, but it makes
their victories even more satisfying. All the
characters are fleshed out and have great
development, and the acting is really well done
too. The ending was perfect but I’m really hoping
there will be a season 2.

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Kim Nam Gil should be enough to make one want to watch anything he's in -- Fiery indeed!

The Fiery Priest is everything from action to comedy to suspense and thrills. Nothing about this drama is wrong, from the acting (Kim Nam Gil and all other actors) to the writing to the directing and the fight scenes just fantastic. I've been following Kim Nam Gil for quite a while now. Not only is he a talented actor but a great person. I've enjoyed him starting from his "When Spring Comes" days to date and loved everything about him as a catholic priest with a fiery temper and a twist. To say that he was perfect for this role and the drama is an understatement. His acting is on point, be it in the comedic moments or the sad ones. Finding out he and most of his teammates filmed all their fighting scenes themselves made me appreciate the drama even more but Kim Nam Gil even more. He made me swoon more than I already do, something I didn't think possible. He more than deserved the award he received as best actor for the drama.

To that, credit must be given where due. The storyline, script, character development, and backstories were so well done. The comedic moments were so good I couldn't stop laughing, and I especially loved all the church scenes and characters with Father Kim leading the fray to affect the change he wanted not just for his district but the nation. As great as Kim Nam Gil was in his role, he couldn't have done it without his other leads in Kim Sung Kyun, Lee Ha Nui, Go Joon (he melts me every time he is on screen), Geum Sae Rok. And the support he received from Jeon Sung Woo, Ahn Chang Hwan, Baek Ji Won (Sister Sarah) I have to say I couldn't get enough of her and Eum Moon Suk in his role as Jang Ryong, what unique talents they all are-- I was in awe of them.

There's nothing I didn't like about this series; I even loved the OSTs. I was thrilled to know there may be a second season and patiently, or should I say impatiently await its release, either way, I'm beyond psyched for it and Kim Nam Gil for reprising his role as Father Kim.

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This could have gone so wrong...

For a while now, Netflix kept suggesting this drama to me because I'd watched THE K2. And each time, I ignored it watched something else. I mean, who wants to watch a priest fight crime? This guy was no father Brown after all.

Finally, I gave in and watched.

Oh wow, funny and a delight.

The story could have gone downhill fast, let's admit that. Especially if they'd written a priest out there kicking butts without a reason. The writers wound a great tale, a great background for Father Michael (Kim), they gave him a reason to be who he is and a goal, a mission to accomplish.

Sure, the background story broke my heart but it was well thought out.

The comedy in this drama isn't for everyone. And at times there are some exaggerations, but I've seen worse (Ossan's Love *cough*).

The secondary characters added to this made for an amazing ensemble of characters with personalities that are worth the watch. They add spice to the Fiery Priest, giving an all round great watch. If nothing else, the rapping detective alone is worth the watch.

The Fiery Priest was funny, dramatic, heartfelt and action packed--I love martial arts in anything so I enjoyed that part of it immensely.

Recommended.

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When it was good it was very very good, when it was bad ...

A mortal sin for any writer is to undermine the credibility of their characters. But that becomes a cardinal sin when they do it just to try and raise a cheap laugh or serve the demands of the plot. There was so much to like about Fiery Priest and also Vincenzo (same writer), but in the end I couldn’t finish Vincenzo because I refused to watch a great character destroyed by its creator in collaboration with the director and I struggled with Fiery Priest.

In both dramas, the problem really kicked in for me about a third of the way through, when the stakes become increasingly serious. I felt that early in the drama, I had been invited to believe that Kim Hae Il was a bona fide professional, operating in a world where ruthlessness and violence are central. But a little later on, he repeatedly behaved like an amateur, and a stupid amateur at that. This attempt to marry comedy with hard core action failed because the comedy felt forced at the expense of both credibility and (worse) character integrity. The result was to destroy my connection to the main character and leave me confused about how to view him. Instead of being the cool dude that many characters in the drama thought he was, in key scenes, Kim Hae Il was presented to the viewer as an incompetent idiot to be laughed at, not with. To be honest, I was so pissed early on with the writer and director for spoiling what had the potential to be a really good drama that I nearly stopped watching.

But not being someone who wants to give up easily, I found there was enough merit in the cast to keep me going. Around two thirds of the way through, the drama had been reduced to farce. And yes, it is very funny. So I just gave up and went with the flow and enjoyed the comedy and suspended my disbelief when things got serious and his character flipped. However, Kim Hae Il is simply not credible as any sort of cohesive character and I think it would have been much better if I had never been asked to take him seriously. I felt that Kim Nam Gil was as confused about the character as I was, but did his best to convince me.

If you are prepared for your hero to exhibit multiple, contradictory personalities, encompassing super cool action hero, ruthless killer, sexy priest, tortured soul, fluffy bunny, goofy adolescent, angry man, and a totally cringeworthy imitation of Johnny English, then this is absolutely a good drama for you. As many before me have said, it offers up in spades in so many other departments, with some wonderful performances, great characters and inventive fight choreography. A shout out to Lee Ha Nee and Go Jun, who were exceptionally good.

What my rating means: 7+ A watchable drama, but nothing exceptional. Good enough to qualify for the race, but finished with the pack. The sort of thing that promises more than it delivers.

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now I'll miss this ;)
the good:
+ the teammance (this is what I always want, a big unique team)
+++ Kim Nam Gil
++ the comedy sense
+ Park Kyung Sun (I'd have preferred it if she joined the team faster, but I like the freshness of her, she's like a girl vr of siwon?)
+ hip hop girl and her normal non obsessive crush (I kinda shipped her with Ssongsag)
+ the action scenes
+ the costumes xD

things I didn't like:
- the story
- the small plots
- the pace (things started really moving by the 2nd half, especially after ep14)
- the bad guys (I really couldn't careless about them they were slightly too weak)
- the bad guys screentime was a waste of time ;)

ps. my rewatch value is either a 1 or a 10

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Pure entertainment!

Let me introduce you to the characters: There are 3 priests.Two of them are to --Forgive me Father cause i sinned-level because of their hotness!!The oldest one is a mentor and unfortunately he dies!Is not a spoiler is written in the synopsisis,LOL!The younger one has a heart made of gold,And then we have our main char.A troubled man full of remorses who carries the sins of his past and turned to Church to find peace guided by his mentor.He is hot-tempered as hell,he has a bad mouth(he swears alot for a priest!)he kicks asses like there is no tomorrow,he is hilarious,he is FIRE!I Love Him!
We also have a nun,with a naughty past,a devilish prosecutor with the sweetest dimples ever.We love to hate her and we end to love her!A detective,he used to be a good one but he lost his way.A rookie young detective with her values high,she kicks asses as well and also she raps!
And of course we have our villains too!Some of them are pure evil and we hate their guts.Some others are evil but we sympathize them and even like them.At least i did!
The story is well written and simple.Our characters work together to find who murdered the oldest priest,Is a crime investigation with suspense,with many heartwarming scenes,with many good fighting scenes,with pain and tears,a large range of emotions and with the most hilarious funny moments.Seriously be careful while watching i spitted my coffee several times!
WWB!Iam so glad there is a S2!I CANT WAIT!
So what are you waiting for?Go and watch it now!

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Superpriest!

I feel absolutely terrible now that I've completed watching this drama. First and foremost --- DO NOT LET THE ABSENCE OF ROMANCE TAG DETER YOU FROM WATCHING THIS GEM!

Whew! Now that I've got that out of my system, I'll try to write a review that atleast appears to be legible. Personally, according to me, good dramas are the ones that need to be truly experienced first hand instead of leaving the viewer in a dilemma as to whether to watch or not by reading the synopsis and reviews.

The very first episode introduces us to a rather eccentric and hot tempered priest, Father Kim Hae Il, who is sent back to his church in Gudam after beating up a bunch of thugs in another town. I kid you not, the priest is the very reason I began this drama. And he along with his Tsunami gang is what made me stick till the very end.
I digress, so let me return to the plot... well. Within a matter of days, his mentor and the Head Father of the Church, Father Lee, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. When the Prosecutor Seong Ok decides to close the case without futher investigation despite Father Kim's frequent pleas, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
A drastic decision offers him complete authority to personally oversee the case... which is handed over to Dae Seok, an incompetant detective, by the perpetrators who instigated the crime. Now with multiple people attempting to hinder the truth from coming to light, Father Kim takes drastic measures while grappling with his own guilt.

This is one of the most genuinely funny and witty dramas I've ever seen. The basic storyline is pretty overused: a group of people with the ultimate power utilizes and compromises the safety and security of the people. The characters aren't really gem worthy -- they are real, raw humans who have made mistakes or "are" making mistakes.

There is also plenty of action! I have actually hyped for every single one of them! This might sound pretty un-Godly, but Father Kim need not change who he was to become a messenger of God. Sometimes, it is the power of fists that delineate our boundaries.

There is Bromance and comradeship that keeps the whole drama afloat. I loved and adored the friendship between Song Sac and Yoo Oh Han. They were secondary characters, but were one of the hearts of the show. Jang Ryung, the bob hair guy and villain was someone I couldn't hate. He was so stupid and funny. Hwang Cheol Bum, a thug turned owner of a trading store, was another interesting character. Both of them were people whom I believe turned out to be who they were due their circumstances. Not because they were genuinely evil individuals.

And the OST?! AWESOME!! I feel to laugh just by listening to them. (Extreme Gootham City is one of my absolute favorites.)

The drama does have intense emotional scenes. The underlying theme is uncovering the truth behind Father Lee's death, so there are times that we must take deep breaths. Nobody gets away unscathed. Not even our Tsunami Priest and his friends.

By the last episode, I was upset that the drama was ending. I wanted to see more punches and fights and Team Tsunami in action. It was completely fulfilling, funny, heartwarming, witty and absolutely lovable!

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you should watch this when your bored or if you just want to watch a drama

Th plot was good and there wasn’t anything bad about it particularly. very funny i laughed a lot especially the middle of the drama was the most humorous. At the beginning i was just watching this drama while playing some games and i watch trailers on this app in between watching the drama yet i didn’t get as much distracted and manage to watch everything.

The acting cast did great. All of them were very charming in their own way... ahem I might’ve fell for that one gangster guy and both of his sidekick.. cause like they are hot.. anyways the cast did great very very charming cast.

The music was great i guess but somehow i dont remember the music, only the ‘honey honey’ part

Although the drama was great i will not rewatch it so i can cherish the drama

Overall i gave it a 9 out of 10 because it was great. I laughed a lot and enjoyed the drama, the comedy in this is a stress relief. Watch it when your feeling down, you might forget about your worries!

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The show The Fiery Priest was new to me as I mainly watch romance dramas and even in that genre it’s pretty specific in the main ideas I want displayed. However I genuinely enjoyed this show as it was very exciting fast paced show that I enjoyed a lot . As a romance lover, I cannot deny I wanted some romance to happen however there was none and yet it seemed complete in many ways.
Story:
Goods: The writing, the directing and everything else was used to make sure the story is frontline and center. The plot line is exciting and gripping and it never seems to lose side of what really matters ( the story ) . This story can make you lose nights of sleep so be aware as it’s very addicting. The side plots are equally as entertaining as the main plot.
Bad: Even though the story was amazing it was definitely cliche and often overplayed. There were many side effects and the ending was satisfactory however it wasn’t amazing . The story is good yet this show is more of a one time watch and not really something you can watch again because of the cliches.
Acting:
Good: The cast was mostly very good. Kim Hae Ils character definitely feels like the perfect match as it just seems natural when he says ridiculous lines even when they don’t make sense. Park Kyeong Seon and Gu Dae Yeong s actors were also very good and even Seung Ah ‘s actors because they were able to do the roles and gave you the right emotions to feel. I think the underrated actors were Hwang Cheol Beom and Jang Ryong because they make you feel so grey and confused and totally charmed me. (Funny story: I cried when Jang Ryongs hair got cut ). Also Songsak and Yo Han definitely were very entertaining.
Bad: This just goes to the True Villains of the drama. Most of them look a bit cartoonish while they’re acting especially the NIS agent and Chief Kang. They seem like they’re not very comfortable while filming and weren’t blending well with their characters. They fail to look evil and just seem like little kids most of the time.
Writing:
Good: the writing was funny and well timed ,it definitely seemed they thought the script true and fell like a really fun drama. The script also brought the characters to life and added a lot of life to the drama.
Bad: This is more to do with the little intricacies in the script. But how are so many characters dumb. Like their moves are predictable and foolish. It definitely didn’t show how smart villains usually are and how hard it is to pull things off. However as I said I’m just picking on the small details.
Main Point:
The Fiery Priest is very enjoyable and I would definitely recommend to watch it as it removes a lot of stress with its fun engaging script. There are a few plait holes which is which is why I didn’t give it a higher score but I did really enjoy it. All the characters are interesting even if some actors aren’t the best at portraying them. I will miss watching this as it definitely was a really fun ride throughout it all.

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I started this drama because I was looking for a good comedy kdrama and was not disappointed. There were a lot of quirky moments, heartwarming relationships, cute bonds, action scenes, as the list goes on, this is not just comedy centered but to a more precise plot and path. Although I liked most part, the acting, visuals, even the plot, two things primarily bothered me. First, some characters who had suddenly changed their attitude. There's not even a build up, just a complete 180-degree of change in personality– though in a good note but still, I find it quite fast. Second is the number of episodes. At some point while watching, I kinda felt bored and felt like everything has become repetitive? The introductory part of the story, which is the starting point of all, just vanished into thin air until the last 2-3 episodes. Idk, it would've been better if they congested it in 16 episodes? Aside from the two mentioned, everything else was good. Starting off with our very charismatic male lead; Kim Nam Gil slayed his role well. I think no one else could've done better. Ha Nee also was impressive and the character she played was really comedic,, and loud lmao. Overall, this was such a good watch. All characters were entertaining and just the perfect drama to detoxify you from makjangs (for example Penthouse ㅋㅋ)

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The perfect balance of comedy-crime drama

Close to perfect. I wonder why I always hesitated to watch this before. Amazing plot, various character developments, good comedy, great acting, cool action scenes, and exciting suspension. Nothing is a bit unnecessary for me, but the shortcoming was maybe at the first episode it was a bit slow, but it keeps getting better on each next episode. I love how it focuses not only on the priest or the prosecutor but also on other supporting roles' character development like Jang Ryeong and Ssongsak. Having the main character as a priest makes it more interesting than most of the same drama in this genre. In the end, the main idea of people repenting their sins feels align with the purpose of the priest himself. It makes me emotionally attached to each character. When it's characterized and comedy-crime, it doesn't lack the thrill when the action came in. Props to Kim Namgil for his great acting. But what I truly love the most is their good chemistry and how their relationship evolved from some stranger, some enemy, some acquaintance, to become one as family. Everything is beautiful and well-written.

Ps: I love how some sad and heart-breaking scenes not really using sad ost that makes you cry but rather they use the upbeat scores that make you feel furious and want to get revenge on those villains while watching it. It doesn't feel like I have to cry every time.

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