The Kidnapping Day

Korean Drama '' The Kidnapping Day '' is an intense thriller with a sensitive side.

The drama starts off quite strongly, with the pair of kidnapper-child being enjoyable to follow, as they start bonding and forming a somewhat family. Their relationship was also what kept things going when the drama started flaking as well.

Actually, towards the ending, the drama's twists were a bit over the top and, again, the strong duo were there to save the day, even if the rest of the characters were frustrating to follow.

The performances, finally, were all great by everyone in the cast.

So, overall, six out of ten.

Kim Myung-joon is desperate to save his ill daughter who is in need of a surgery and Kim Myung-joon desperate for money to pay for the surgery. His ex-wife Seo Hye-eun, suggests him to kidnap Choi Roo-hee who is a 11 year old girl and daughter to rich parents. As he clumsily tries to be a kidnapper, he finds Roo-hee appear infront of his car and collapsing. Taking her to his home, he realizes she has amnesia and assumes him to be her father. To make things worse, Roo-hee's parents are found murdered thus forcing Kim Myung-joon to go on the run with Roo-hee who just happens to be a genius child. How does he protect the girl while a bigger conspiracy gets unveiled around her parents murder, forms rest of the story.

With 12 episodes, Jeon Yu-na as Choi Roo-hee is the star of the show and the bonding she shares with Yoon Kye-sang as Kim Myung-joon remains the highlight throughout. It is their story that captivates the viewers while the murder mystery and the bigger conspiracy is the usual K-drama with a bunch of honest cops led by the promising Park Sung-hoon as detective Park Sang-yoon. While the initial 4 episodes succeeds in making us root for the two main characters, it also succeeds in establishing the narrative firmly for the mystery to unveil.

The final episode is a brave choice with pitting the antagonist against the girl and the episode is entirely driven by emotions. The show had plenty of chases and fight scenes but to go with a proper dramatic take for the last episode was a good choice and the performances stand out. The humor is well executed whereas the heart touching moments keep coming at the right time. Driven by standout performances and a engaging story, The Kidnapping Day despite it's minor flaws, makes up for a worthy watch.

Don't get misled by the synopsis, since this kdrama offers a lot more for your money than a mere kidnap story. It's so far been in parts a mixture of touching human drama mixed with "boy's-own" stuff, that's guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Very recommendable, as far as the first six episodes go - and here's hoping that the story and plot continue to surprise and outsmart the viewer's expectations. The lead character, Meong-Joon Kim definitely puts one in mind of the 1980s roles played by actors such as Bruce Willis, the sort of person who's just a born survivor, or, as we often like to say, a "Die Hard".

I have to start this off by saying this show's prerequisite for success is the dynamic between the trope of Badass and Child (though Myeong-jun's personality is kinda like Jackie Chan.) and gotta say IT WORKED. I absolutely loved their dynamic once I got immersed past Ep 1. The story often uses commonly used but still effective plot points: kid with cancer and tsundere character. Hey, nothing pulls on the heartstrings more than a parent trying his best to save his kid.

IT IS a bit frustrating at times I have to admit especially mid season 1. Although the finale made up for it in the end, it is one of the best finales I have watched for a while, made me tear up.

All in all, the premise is not that unique, we have seen in all forms of media the trope of protector and the protectee (Walking Dead, Last of Us) but the decision to make Myeong-jun whacky and hilarious instead of the stoic, unemotional protector is excellent. Ro-hee as well, though her sometimes monotone delivery of dialogues is kinda "eh". But the actress could act when the script calls for it.

Great acting, decent story. They shouldnt make a Season 2 if they are thinking about it. It just ties up nicely even with the twist at the end.

The Kidnapping Day is adapted from the popular Korean novel with the same title, using the black-comedy thriller genre. An amateur kidnapper who is willing to commit crimes to pay for his child's hospital bills, this drama will probably tell the story of a father's struggle for his child. A seemingly simple mistake sets off a chain of unexpected and tragic events, leaving these two characters in a complex moral and emotional dilemma. It's quite light to watch, even though it has the thriller, crime and comedy genres, but it doesn't seem to drain a lot of thought, although that doesn't mean it's not good, it's still recommended to watch because there are lots of implied moral messages that can be taken away.