Mid story with hella plot holes. I still can't get over CW (idrm the character's name, only the initials) dying in Ji Hyuk's flashback but then being alive in the present storyline. Idek if they addressed it. The back and forth memory loss thing was so draggy. Like yes, I get that's the premise of the drama but gosh. Namgoong Min's acting was as elite as ever. Never failed me before and never will.
The whole Sangmuhoe plotline was kinda shifty as well. There were like 6 different stories that were all intertwined which on a large scale makes sense if done CORRECTLY however that was the writer's downfall. They had all these storylines which made it difficult for them to keep track of and follow. Additionally, I spent the whole time trying to guess wbo the main villian was and when you find it out it was just meh. It wasn't exciting because the villain is exactly who you expected the villain to be. Yes, they tried to do a plot twist with Ji Hyuk being the one who killed his team mates but tbh I saw that coming a mile away.
Anywho, speaking of keeping track, I genuinely cannot name 5 of the characters. This was my first time watching and drama and not being able to list the main cast characters. There was soooo much happening that I was never able to slow down and build a relationship with any of them.
Going more in depth, Jae Yi's story with her dad was actually really touching and could've been a scene stealer if much focus was placed on their relationship. When we figured out who her father actually was and the story behind it all, it would've been really nice to be given flashback (seeing as the drama was literally built on going back in time to recall one's memories). The only really touching scene we get is in episode 12 when they're on the roof top after that bomb scare.
Another thing worth mentioning is Ji Hyuk's childhood. Why did Director Lee have the info regarding his parents death and kept it hidden for so long? He had trauma because of that incident and his trauma could've been relieved if even a tad bit of that information was shared much earlier. While we're on this topic... What was the purpose of his backstory? Like i get that it's to build a solid character and show that his trauma stems from something greater but looking at it his backstory was only shown like 3 times. There was not depth to it. So, that's that as well.
Finally, I just wanted to just say that the drama is a fun watch. Minus all the plotholes ofc. The action in this is one of the best I've seen in kdramas. It's literally on par with k-movie such as dare i say, Man from Nowhere. The hand to hand combat and the stunts that were pulled by NGM was top tier. The make up team did amazingly well, too.
So, if you're looking for action and want it mixed with a lot of CORRUPTION this would be best for you. Plus, you won't even have to look hard because the villians are literally right in front of you. So mid drama with elite acting.
7/10