The Duo (2011)

Friendship/Bromance Sageuk went wrong

I have nothing against sageuk / period dramas, whether classic or fusion sageuk, there are some which were really great, and there were some which just so so for my taste, but this one was really poorly done. Let alone the cheesy premise, the plot and story development were really awful. There were tv-dramas with cheesy premise but still manage to charm you, but this was not one of them. It actually started out decent, until they hit the 15th episode or so.. Too many side stories and those side stories got more screentime than the main story. Unimportant supporting characters also got more screentime than most of the main characters. It's like the writer himself realized, the main plot was not that interesting, so let's just cover it up by playing more with trivial side stories. *bigfacepalm*

Cheesy premise + weak story/character development + too many unimportant scenes + too many plot holes + average actings = disaster! The only likeable thing from this drama is the character Kwi-dong, and he (plus his bromance with Chun Doong) was the only reason I finished this.

The best thing of this drama was the friendship/bromance between the main lead. They should stated Chun Jung Myun and Lee Sang Yoon as the lead actors (not Chun Jung Myung and Han Ji Hye, as her role turned out to be really not that important to the story!).

Overall, I can only recommend this to Lee Sang Yoon & Chun Jung Myung fangirls. On the other hand, I suspect Han Ji Hye's fanboys would be dissapointed by how little her role turned to be.
If you are a fan of sageuk dramas, and expect an epic sageuk, fat chance you'll get disapointed.

Rewatch value is only nice if you go for selected scenes.

Objective value: 6.5
Subjective value: 5.5

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There isn't really a whole lot to this story but it still somehow managed to keep my attention and I marathoned it pretty quickly. (If you're looking for romance, then pass this one by, it's hardly noticeable except for the very few scenes they talk). I liked the bromance between Chun Doong and Gwi Dong, loved how it started as kids and how it ended. There were a few scenes towards the end where I was unsure of Gwi Dongs true intentions. The story ran smoothly, but I think it ended too abruptly, not enough closure for me. The title "the duo" just means they were 'partners' in life as best brotherly friends <not really any other meaning... They both have different careers.

My favorite character was Chun Doong (Chun Jung Myung) his character was filled with so much warmth and compassion - I couldn't not fall for him <3 I have since labeled him *mr. warm eyes* ^_^ I started the drama however for Lee Sang Yoon as Gwi Dong, but his character didn't impress me too much, so he was just brushed off as a good friend/partner of Chun Doong's. Even as a fan of Han Ji Hye, I couldn't like her character in this drama at all as Dong Nyeo - she was so prideful, arrogant and snobby. Looking down on the people below her in status - completely different than her childhood character. Dal Yi (Seo Hyun Jin) was a strong girl with a heart of gold, who also had strong beliefs in trying to right the ways of the world. I loved her as a child and as an adult. I skipped most of the scenes involving the many side characters as they were uninteresting to me. I hated the 'wet nurse' *Gwi Dong's real mother* <her actions to me were unforgivable - she could have been more redeemable if she had looked after Chun Doong with love - but instead she completely ignored his existence and treated him like Frankenstein during their brief meetings. and the man that followed her around all his life was very pathetic in my eyes.

My ships: *when they were kids* Gwi Dong and Dal Yi, Chun Doong and Dong Nyeo - *as adults* Gwi Dong and Dong Nyeo (although I must say I never cared for this couple's romance at all) and Chun Doong with Dal Yi <3

I think there are quite a lot of plot holes, but for me it was easy enough to overlook...

Music: I only paid attention to the ending song, it was a pansori song that I believe is sung by pansori singer Song So Hee - but I have been unable to find it :'( (if anyone does find it, please link me).

I won't re-watch this one, in my opinion, it's good for a 1-time watch but not for a re-watch.

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Socialism in The Duo

The theme of socialism features prominently in The Duo. The drama narrates the life of the leader of an anti-establishment group from birth to death. The protagonist desires a world in which all people belong to the same class. One does not even witness a scene from the royal palace in the drama. In spite of his being a beggar in childhood, afflicted by heavy physical and psychological pressures and discriminations, the protagonist thrives and never seeks revenge. He is kind to the people around him and even those who have wronged him. Then how come he becomes the leader of an anti-establishment group and commits murder later? If the story is not opposing a person or persons, then what is it opposing to? The answer lies in the fact that the evil of the drama is the system and thought ruling over the unfair world of the story. Those who approach this system become more negative and those who turn away from it become more positive; those who guard the existing thought and those who stand up to it. And there is another group of people who retreat from troubles and unrest in order to maintain their fairly peaceful life. The story becomes more complex when the positive characters face an important challenge. Is the deadly path we are stepping into going to lead to a fairer world or have we just deprived ourselves of the privilege of life? The Duo depicts the futile efforts of a small group of people who stand in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of the society. These efforts include sparking revolts, stealing from the rich, and distributing among the poor, as well as assassinating the government officials. The drama clearly shows how the life conditions of human beings affect their beliefs and stances regarding various issues. The story includes four main characters who hold different viewpoints. Chun-doong is the one who comes to a certain belief after experiencing mental ups and downs, and he is murdered trying to make a just world. Although as a police chief, Gwi-dong speaks of justice, he is a conservative and he is the one who annihilates the group. Dong-nyeo does not even believe in the existence of injustice and believes that class distinctions are laws of nature and are basically right. Dal-yi is highly skilled at handling pistols. She is brave and she holds opinions similar to Chun-doongs’. However, she regrets her beliefs and purposes, and after Chun-doong’s murder and the disintegration of the group, she resorts to a normal life. In the end, all of these futile efforts might have made the characters of the story ponder and reconsider their thoughts and their consciences.

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Good cop, bad cop

Not enough "duo" action when taking into consideration the 32 episodes runtime. I don't feel the drama managed to accomplish anything with its story. The entire drama was structured around the duo but we barely got a few "duo" moments. Their paths don't intertwine as often as you might think. On the other hand, I found the romance quite problematic. It overshadowed big parts of the story and ruined some plots more often than not. Love interests and romance rivalry were two poor elements the drama tried desperately and continuously to shove in our faces. Of course, the ending was terrible as expected.

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