In short, Jirisan is a solid drama. The creators set a tone and pace in the first episode, which they managed to keep until the end. At no point did I feel the drama lost its track or got boring, it has solid pace, a solid storyline and solid characters.

Even though it's neither as enthralling as the premise may sound nor as sparkly as the A-list cast portraying the characters, it does have something that make it stand out from other k-dramas, maybe it's the unique setting or the realistic tone, cannot point it out.

Jirisan has a linear story telling (despite its constant time jumping, which some may find confusing), as in there is progress in the story with each episode giving away clues and bringing you one step closer to the truth about the ongoing crime-mystery surrounding the mountain. The thing about that mystery-thriller genre however is that even though it's the theme of the drama it's not its focus. I'm sure many might have felt that this show seems more like some "Mountain Playlist" in line with Hospital Playlist or Prison Playbook, except for less humor and more realness. I actually enjoyed the mix of mystic thriller and daily log of rangers' tasks and duties and also the insight into the lives of the villagers, people visiting the mountain and for sure enjoyed the beautiful backdrop of Mount Jiri.

The seasoned actors delivered. There is nothing more to add, as there was no one in particular who stood out from the rest. I think that's mainly because all characters seemed "pretty normal" as if they were real people with real stories, no stereotypes, no exaggeratations, no overly dramatic fl, no unbearably badass ml - just well written characters mirroring real people. It was nice to see Jun Ji Hyun again after her long break and Ju Ji Hoon as Hyun-Joo with his charmingly calm demeanor.

What I enjoyed most about this drama is that every episode felt like one chapter from an encyclopedia on Jirisan National Parks, showcasing not only the beauty of the mountain but also nature's unpredictable cruelty. Also, some scenes were surprisingly touching and emotional, I sometimes found myself struggling with holding back the tears.
The camaraderie shared by the rangers is another strength of the show; again, it was neither over the top nor too bland, just perfectly balanced and fun to watch.

Some Minor flaws, - little spoiler - there are a lot of deaths in the show and some felt really unnecessary and were hardly dealt with. Also I would have loved to see more interaction between the main characters, especially in the last episodes, but that is just my preference.

The main lesson I take from the show is how tough physically demanding jobs are, which makes me appreciate fireworkers, police officers and rangers among others even more. This show is a song of praise to those heroes.