Connection (2024)

The Suspense is Real - Indeed ! Thriller fans are in for a treat

Connection - The breakdown of my thriller slump.

Short synopsis:-

There were three best friends In college days - Jun So, Yoo Jin, and Joon Jae Kyung. ( but time separated them.) Now that Jun So has passed away in mysterious way. Yoo Jin and Joon Jae Kyung will work together to uncover the truth behind their friend's death. One is a detective, and the other one is a reporter - a great combination !! Meeting after 20 years after their seperation, they have to work together to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of their friend, this duo is quite funny when they're working together. The teenage actors who portrayed these three characters are amazing, especially the one who plays Jang Jae Kyung.

BEST THRILLER WITH UNIQUE AND FRESH PLOT

Connection is a detective crime investigation thriller that adopts a unique story point from the classic thriller genre. The story is set in the Narcotic Control Unit, where our main protagonist, Jang Jae Kyung, is working. This is not a simple thriller, as we watched before, because the main element in this drama is that our main protagonist is a drug-addicted Narcotics Detective; this is what made Connection a unique thriller drama from the other thrillers.
It’s not my first time to see the main protagonist as a question between the system of law and society. The theme is complex because the line of drug addicts will raise questions about the duty of morality and the responsibility of Jang Jae Kyung’s investigation. Because the person who has the responsibility to catch drugs and keep the city clean becomes drug addicted, when we hear this point, it's very normal to expect him to step down from his position and go to rehabilitation, but Jang Jae Kyung chose not to step down from his job in order to uncover mystery and truth of his friend’s death.

MY RATING || 9.5 - 10 || SUSPENSE/STORY DEVELOPMENT & NARRATION.

The story-telling is exceptional. Every episode is well crafted; the story narration is excellent, like using the past events connecting to the present ongoing events to form a well-structured story without creating the space for confusion in the ongoing story, even though multiple new characters will be introduced and every character has clear writing.
The plot keeps you hooked till the end, and as the investigation progresses, every clue leads to the burning question: What happened 20 years ago? Who is the doctor? Who killed Jun Seo? What does the mastermind of the game want? Because as we learn about the past friendship of Jun Seo, we discover that Tae Jin, Chi Hyun, and Wong Soo are the main suspects, and everyone has a motive to kill Jun Seo or want Jun Seo dead. And the events led to Jun Seo's death. Here are two different people that we have to guess: 1) Who is the killer? 2) Who is the doctor? At some point, we thought we knew who they were, but next, the EP gives the answer, “Our guess is wrong.”. I think some of us will guess who the doctor is after some episodes, but until then, the suspense around the doctor's character keeps us hooked on the ongoing story.

FAST PACED PACKED THRILLER - BONUS POINTS

The Gossamer Suspense around every character makes us suspect every character except Jung Jae Kyung; it feels like this person is behind everything. Because every character had their own motive to be involved in the crime or somehow related to Jun Seo’s death. When the main and sub-characters are driven by the motive, it’s a good sign to expect more suspense and thrilling moments from thriller dramas, and “Connection” is the same drama. The plot twists and character motivations in this drama keep you on the edge of your seat. The more episodes we complete, the more suspense we will get from the drama. This is how the pacing continues till the end.

What I loved from the plot development

1) Solid Start and Good Pacing: From the start, by establishing the core story and the introduction of characters, the connection will catch the attention of us and challenges to complete every episode without skipping.
2) Engaging Characters: The creation of interesting and multidimensional characters, their motives and actions in the forming of suspense around those characters.
3) The suspenseful momentum in every episode.
4) Good storytelling and screenplay.
5) I disliked some characters and their motives at first, but as the story progressed, each of those characters became likable—good character development.
6) The dark atmosphere in this drama gives the absolute best thriller-dramatic experience.

ACTING -

Ji Sung is always an exceptional actor. I’m watching Ji Sung dramas from The Devil Judge, and after watching the TDJ drama, I became his fan. For kdrama fans, he is well known for his script selection; he had fans for his script selection too. After TDJ, he came with the ADAMAS drama, which is also a thriller, but I was disappointed with the drama, but his acting was outstanding like always, even in a dual role. After almost 2 years, he is back again with CONNECTION, this time again with a new combo of writer Lee Hyun and director Kim Moon Kyo, who have experience with 2 projects. In this drama, Ji Sung played the multi-dimensional character Jang Jae Kyung. This is not his first time acting in complex roles; he has to portray two different kinds of emotions in his two-faced character role as a detective and drug addict. It’s not as simple as watching him in a drug-addictive role; without a proper way of portraying these types of complex roles, they will be written off soon in any drama. Throughout his character, we feel sad for him, we cry for him, and we start rooting for him. The emotional weight is less, and it is suitable for JJK characters. This is one of my favorite acting roles in 2024.
JEON MIDO 
This is my first drama with Jeon Mido, and I don’t know about her acting that much. But Yoon Jin's character is really fitting for her, although sometimes it feels like an anti-main role. Her acting makes it even brighter in her role. I'm going to check her other works now, thanks to Connection.
KWON YEOL
This actor, Kwon Yeol I was watching him in the Voice drama; he is one of the best actors in antagonist roles. The way he portrays his roles in every drama makes it even more fascinating; the cool and coldness in his acting is just a delicacy to watch. Actors like Kwon Yeol or his anti-character roles are always challenging for the main characters in every drama or movie; this is the specialty of Kwon Yeol's presence in a work. I am always looking forward to the projects that make him the main protagonist in a drama. In this drama, Park Tae Jin is a pure evil character, and we hate him till the end. But what made him evil is not himself, so somewhere I hope for his good side, but once the twist blows, I just hope for his ending. Pure acting brilliance from Kwon Yeol.
The other actors, Kim Kyung Nam, Jung Soon Won, Yoon Na Mo, Cha Yeob, Jeong Jae Kwang, Jung Yoo Min, Lee Kang Wook, and Park Keun Rok—each of their characters and acting are noteworthy performances. I enjoyed every minute of their screen presence. Also, the teenage actors who acted in the main lead roles—Cho Han Gyeol, Kim Min Ju, and Lee Hyun Soo—are just simply benchmarks for future potential actors; decent performances from these three I’m rooting for them to watch more dramas.

WRITTING, DIRECTION AND SOUNDTRACK DEPARTMENTS

I’m honest here; somewhere I was not fully confident in writer Lee Hyun and director Kim Moon Kyo’s this new typical thriller. The subject/plot of their drama is quite hard to deal with, and without proper execution, it may turn into a messy plot. But I was wrong about them; their perfection shows how carefully they took every step forward to deliver a good thriller for us. It starts with formation. Casting like Ji Sung, Kwon Yeol, Jeon Mido, and Kim Kyung Nam as the main leads and supporting cast is a mix of well-known actors and establishing actors. Each character's role is well written. A good screenplay leaves no scope for confusion. The soundtrack is pretty good—not that much space for song tracks, but the background music tracks are amazing and enough to carry the whole drama without song tracks, especially the ending theme music track of eps, which is one of my favorite thriller music tracks.
If anyone wants a perfect binge thriller to watch, I recommend this drama. Highlights of this drama for you
Fast-paced, well-written, great acting, no slow episodes, well-maintained suspense.

ROM LINE BETWEEN MAIN LEADS :-

For those who are expecting Rom between main leads; At first, I had some doubts after watching the first episode, like the female lead (Jeon Mi Do) got married so, how the makers going to convince us with this element relationship between Jae Kyung & Yoon Jin. But after watching the second episode, I'm convinced with the story about their relationship. It’s a thriller so expecting the Rom line between main leads is nearly impossible but we will except sometimes when it depends on the story demand but not in this type of thrillers, if anyone curious about Rom line in this drama – I say No.

STORY/PLOT DEPTH :-

This drama is not just a simple thriller; it also explores the theme of friendship, which also adds more depth to the drama. Ignoring a friend is not a crime, but it depends on how we are convinced that we are not ignoring them but just making new progress in our lives. Use the friendship to improve ourselves as well as others, but avoid getting greedy with them or influencing them to make mistakes to make yourself a profitable person. Even though life is hard, never touch the dirty money because it will hunt all your life. Forgive the friend who resented himself for his previous actions, because we never know why they acted like that at that time. Forgiveness is part of life, so give it to them when they are still here (sorry, I think I wrote quotes on friendship).
This complex friendship between the main characters is the crucial element in this drama, which keeps the plot running forward and leads to various crimes, from small to large, taking the lives of people in order to protect themselves.

Finally:-

Yes, I enjoyed the pace of the drama! Too often, all thrillers start strong in the first half but lose their suspense in the second half, leaving me with some disappointment, like getting bogged down with unnecessary side plots and losing their momentum in the story or in creating the suspense (I experienced it with Adamas). The writer Lee Hyun and director Kim Moon Kyo succeeded in carrying the same momentum of the drama till the very end and delivered one of the best thrillers.


( Update after drama complete)

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Connection slams in with a fury & endless riddles that literally drives the fandom crazy! XD

When a narcotics investigator Jang Jae Kyung/JK (Ji Sung) finds himself forcibly addicted to drugs, he must fight himself to maintain his sanity while uncovering the truth behind a suspected-suicide of an old friend. The aftermath of the two cases draw him back to the past, hinting at hidden connections.

This crime mystery is such an experience! :D I had a blast with the repeating cycle of “anticipating-excited-anxious-confused-rewatching & discussing theories with friends” each week! Each episode goes full-on with action, thrills, unpredictability, and mysteries; not only about JK’s drug challenge but also inferiority complex and trust issues. I like the first-person point-of-view of the camerawork and storytelling, that puts me in JK mindset, makes me fully invested with the case and anxious for him!

The entire series has a dark atmosphere, but I kept cracking up to some scenes even though they are not doing comedy. The small moments & how it went down to some characters were so funny to me. The only one aspect that was underwhelming is few characters’ motivations, they're neither grand nor justified. Pathetic to the core, some of them have brains and the rest are brainless. However, their doings keep the stakes and the suspense high throughout!

The casting of young actors and their adult version is perfect! Each of them has amazing resemblance. On acting, the entire cast take the lead and has a great chemistry, everyone works well together! Their strong performances gave me a range of emotions towards all the angelic and wicked characters.

Of course, Ji Sung contribute so much to my enjoyment. He is so GREAT on screen! So harrowing. As Jae Kyung, one minute he's a thinking master, running everywhere to catch baddies, the next minute he shows a realistic depiction of being high on drugs, which is not overly sensational. His pain and despair are contagious, he really broke my heart. Only a very controlled & skillful actor can do so. Also, the look he gives in many moments, I get emotional, so much so that some scenes often replay in my weekend dreams, bruh...^^’

Finally, if you want something intense, gritty, and mind-boggling — with a captivating cast that literally set things ablaze, watch this one. You won’t regret it!

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Masterpiece

Connection is the story of Jae Kyung. He is an ace detective who is hell-bent on his job and does not allow even the slightest emotion to come between his work. The wall of his room has been burdened with his past which is a clue to the secret the man has been carrying within him. His strong conviction takes a pitfall when his twenty-year connections with friends and foes question him about his own choices.
Being a huge fan of Ji Sung, this story has been my must-watch ever since its announcement. He brings nuances into his psychologically strained character making them intriguing. As the story keeps on going past while tackling issues of the present, suspense builds around what happened twenty years ago. Helmed by the man behind "Lovers of the Red Sky", a connection has severe darkness etched throughout. The character Yoon Jin portrayed by Mi Do is another mystery to be read along. Her Yoon Jin also bears a big baggage like Jae Kyung. The upright and assertive she is gets clouded by an unfair dismissal.
The task of a writer involves giving space and breakages to every character which builds a story. The way past and present clashes help in intensifying the connection between leads throughout. The use of black and white color outfits works as the element to exhibit what those cloth wearers are feeling inside. There is no color left in their lives. The drinking scene at the beginning where Jae Kyung mostly stays silent and only pours a drink to everyone describes his social ineptness.

The biggest element of a crime thriller is to maintain the pace. Director Moon Kyo did a terrific job of keeping the motion strong while bringing unprecedented twists with each scene. The gap between the present and past is what this connection is about.

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Who is the Doctor?

This is a good crime drama with a well-written plot and characters. The overlap between characters flows nicely, so it does not feel forced. The pacing is also smooth and well-controlled, preventing the series from feeling slow or boring as the audience learns new things and sees developments in each episode. To me, this is an A series; I give it a 9.

I assume I'm not dropping spoilers since what I'm writing here is my guess, as this crime drama plays with a detective theme. To answer my headline question, I'm guessing the 'real' or the 'first' doctor is already dead. Now, who is playing the 'Doctor'? (whom I call the new Doctor). The new Doctor seems to care more about money above all, rather than maintaining control and power. It could be the prosecutor, the widow, the loyal secretary, or the narcotics chief.

While from enemy to friend story is cute and heartwarming, friend turning into an enemy is devastating. In this crime drama, I particularly enjoy the exploration of a friend becoming an enemy, as in this story, they were classmates in high school.

Lastly, Jae Kyung seems to be one step behind. Although it's a bit blurry, someone appears to be reading his moves. Let's see if the writer or director isn't too shy to push this narrative. I believe someone in the Narcotics Team is involved, my bet is on the lady boss. If it's not her, then the head of the Anhyeon Police Station might have something to do with it.

Final note: I understand that it takes a really smart writer to pull off a crime detective story where the culprit is someone close and well-known to everyone. It requires well-crafted settings to cover the tracks without flaws. Otherwise, it will result in plot holes. It would be safer if the writer used a side character, who the main lead is not very close to, as the main culprit.

So, let's see!!!

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Best thriller airing right now

Omg I was just holding my breath till the end of the second episode. what a fast paced series.. with lots of suspense and everytime leave us in a cliffhanger. Not to mention the acting, we all know the leads and their extraordinary performance. Ji sung my fav..
From the 1st two episodes, we can see friendship, revenge, love, death, investigation, fight and everything. This is a complete pack.
The plot also seems new to me. A detective from the narcotics team (jang jae- he is the main lead) who, after being forcibly addicted to drugs by some illegal drug dealers, finds unexpected turns in his life. And at the same time, his old friend commits suicide which he believes as a murder. The main plot twist is that, his dead friend left 5 million dollar worth insurance money to both our main leads jung jae and oh yun ( btw they were not so close to give them 5 million dollars lol). it's suspicious. Now our officer has many things to unfold, like.. the drug dealer, the murderer, and also the reason for his friend to take a life insurance worth 5 million dollars, all while hiding his addiction from everyone. The answer to the questions is all connected.
It's interesting to me atleast. But I can guarantee you.. you will all wonder what will happen next.. for sure
So go and watch this masterpiece

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A Must Watch Fast Paced Crime Thriller

What happens when a narcotics detective becomes a drug addict?

The concept is intriguing, we normally watch detectives running behind drug dealers in most crime thrillers, apprehending them & bringing them to justice. When the tables are turned, will you apprehend the detective or save him? Ji Sung is back on our silver screen with a bang and it is not surprising given his varied repertoire. Starring alongside Jeon Mi Do, Kwon Yool, Kim Kyung Nam; we have an undeniably strong casting with an equally reliable storyline. It keeps you on your toes, the antagonists are mean, given their rich disposition but hidden beneath the veneer of friendship and dishonesty. The drama seems to revolve around Jang Jae Kyung (Ji Sung). He is the central figure who just got promoted for arresting major drug dealer, but this promotion leads to his downward spiral. How that happens, we will recount that!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/27/connection-first-impressions/

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