Gloria – Ep26-Ep37

People, the keyword for relationships is: Communication!

But, I guess, if characters communicate, there would be no on-going drama. We’re about to wrap this drama up — our last batch of episodes come next, and everything seems to be almost boiling. There is, however, a big change in the dynamics of the show.

After the miraculous recovery of Jin Jin’s sister Na Jin Joo (Hyun Kyung Oh), the show seemed to turn from a self-aware telenovela that knew where it was going and felt somewhat real, into an over-the-top melodrama where everyone is keeping some bit of information from someone. Murders, attempted murders, blackmail, moles, multiple gang beat-ups — you name it, Gloria‘s got it. It’s quite exhausting.

And it all comes down to the bad guy. Everyone’s got their faults — the only sharp person that seems aware of everything that’s going on and figures things out is Manager Choi (Hyun Sook Park). But every other character that’s aware of part of what’s going on has their faults. However, it is Kang Suk’s big half-brother Ji Suk (Jong Won Lee) who brings the show to gutter-level. Not because of his performance, because gawd knows he is making us truly hate him.

The problem with Ji Suk’s character is that he is purely evil. He’s got no redeeming qualities, making him a cartoon bad guy, which is boring for a show that used to rely on characters instead of wire-tapping, cover-ups and blackmailing. It’s as if there’s someone finding a secret and trying to one-up the people that knew their secret, as it goes on and on.

Having said that, there are heartfelt moments in the show. There was a very touching moment between Jin Jin — Doona Bae playing her almost to perfection — with Kang Suk’s mother (Young Hee Na), in which Jin Jin tells her she must have been sent by her mom. As well as a moment with Dong Ah’s father (Jin Hee Han), who despite everything wrong he’s done, had a moment with his son as he laments not being able to be with Yoon Seo.

Rating: ★★★¼☆ 

Watch it online, legally and with subtitles over at ViKi.com

amy

YAM Magazine editor, photographer, blogger, translator and part-time web designer. Film junkie, music junkie… and lately series (a.k.a. TV) junkie.

5 Responses

  1. amy says:

    I couldn’t fit this into the review because it deals with the plot, LOL

    But Ji Suk’s plan to blackmail Yoon Seo is wonk! Because if Yoon Seo leaked the information and photos first, the media… and those crazy netizens attention would be so much, that her father wouldn’t be able to do anything to Dong Ah.

    Jin Joo’s holding onto that secret – when she’s already told everyone she knows except for her sister LOL – is faulty as well. Yeah, Jin Jin might be mad at Kang Suk over what Ji Suk did… but still, Ji Suk has more to lose than any of them.

    Rant about communication, secrets and blackmailing OVER.

    • julili says:

      @amy, AMYYYYY U CAN’T BEILIVE HOW ANNOYED I AM WITH JIN JOO AND JI SUK!!!! *stabs air* had it not been form them, this drama would be good….
      I wouldn’t mind 50 episodes of Jin Jin and Kang Suk trying to deal with Kang Suk’s father…..

      Is there a possibility to write a melodrama that makes sense?

      • amy says:

        @julili, there’s no such thing as melodrama that makes sense.

        Actually, I noticed something interesting. Yoon Seo’s story with Dong Ah is kinda like Moulin Rouge in that Satine and Christian hide their love, and then Satine gets tricked to make him believe that she doesn’t love him anymore.

        And then, BAM! Nicole Kidman on a magazine shows up.

        I think I might be the only one to see that LOL

        Anyway, you like Kang Suk… and though he’s okay, I’m really not interested in the rich boy falls for poor girl story. Though Chung Hee’s acting is so over the top some times, I’d like to see how his poor boy falls for rich girl story goes…

        And if Dong Ah ends up with Jin Jin by the end, I will give it thumbs up for realism. LOL

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