Anais
Nice thriller to discover.
The Veil is a spy investigation series that tells the story of a top National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent, Han Ji Hyuk, who during a mission that ended up with the death of his two colleagues and the revelation of many agents Korean secrets in China, disappeared and was presumed dead. A year later, he reappears without the memory of the past year.He therefore begins to investigate to discover an internal traitor who wants his downfall, but he confronts a much bigger enemy behind a secret organization. He is joined by Je Yi, who is a young NIS agent with her own motives and becomes Han Ji Hyuk's partner.
The series is very mysterious, honestly we are suspicious of everyone, especially those who wish to "help" our protagonist, without forgetting that he himself because of his mental state makes us doubt his character.
Who is he really ? How far can he go to complete a mission ? What happened a year ago ?
It is really a complex character that plays Namkoong Min successfully. This character is cold, distant and determined, he wants the truth at any cost and has little pity for those who are his enemies, no matter how "close" to him that person was.
He quickly understands that he cannot trust anyone but despite this, he still goes from disappointment to disappointment.
I must say that the mystery thickens with the passage of time instead of the opposite, until the last episode.
I thank the writers of the series who did not want to invest in a ridiculous fast romance, so we were able to focus on the intensity of the series entirely without scenes made to satisfy fangirls in search of romance. And oddly, it makes the FL enjoyable, we can understand her motivations, and appreciate her character.
The series is dark, the tones are dark, the characters are all mysterious and complex, it is difficult to know who stands on which side, they all have multiple layers and even the antagonists are relatable and on the contrary sometimes we asks if our protagonists are that "good" and if they are not the "bad guys".
The action scenes, be it the fights, the car chases, they are all done with realism and excellent choreography.
The theme of the series revolves around the truth, the truth which is always different and altered according to the person, his memories and emotions. But also the series speaks of sacrifice, of those people who hold power and who according to them work for the country when in truth they only want power. The sacrifice of common people in the service of these people in power, ending up being nothing more than pawns and collateral damage, but also of the revenge that comes from suffering.
If there is cause for revenge, how should it be done ? On who ?
It's really a series that addresses these aspects of being human is this search for truth, for a goal to accomplish that could pull the most desperate people out of the arms of death.
I must say that this series managed to produce what it wanted as a result, it is impactful and intense.
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A journey to love yourself.
This series is one of the last to come out this year, and I didn't expect to be hit with such a captivating story only a few weeks before the new year, iQiyi jealously guarded this gem. The story itself is rather simple about two assassins, Ren Ruyi and Ning Yuan Zhou from two warring and enemy countries, Wu and An. Of course, it wouldn't be exciting if the two didn't fall for each other.The premise begins when in a bloody battle, the Wu state loses and the Emperor is taken prisoner to the state of An.
Yuan Zhou is the former leader of the Six Dao Hall, an assassin organization, who found himself accompanying Emperor Wu during this battle and one of the only ones to survive. Long story short, he is later pressured to accompany the delegation, with the Princess Yang Ying trapped by the Empress schemes into cross-dressing as a prince, and save the Emperor. At his side are other assassins who accompany him in his task, of course the audience is led to discover each character and fall under their charms.
As for Ren Ruyi, she is a former assassin of the Scarlet Guards who had to re-infiltrate the ranks of the organization to find the murderer of the Empress of An who was like a mother to her. Due to lack of luck, she finds herself having to abandon her scheme due to circumstances that will be detailed in the series, and she cross paths with Yuan Zhou while she tries to hide. Yuan Zhou agrees to host her and eventually, through other circumstances, she accompanies the delegation to enter the state.
I won't reveal more about the story, but I will touch on a word about how their love story was. First, it doesn't seem forced, then, refreshingly, it's Ruyi who runs after Yuan Zhou, who from a charismatic leader becomes timid in the face of these attempts. The two quickly learn to understand each other due to their unique position and much is conveyed emotionally through their gestures and facial expressions. It's mature and above all healthy.
Ruyi is probably the most badass female character I've seen, they didn't try to build her reputation too much, and on the contrary let her skills do the talking to later reveal that Ruyi is in fact a legendary assassin. Yuan Zhou is equally impressive, especially his wits and adept at playing mind games with his enemies. They are a power couple in all their glory and it is a pleasure to follow them.
The pacing of the story is really good, we don't dwell endlessly on misunderstandings, it's generally resolved within one episode and we stay focused on the main story. The secondary characters are just as interesting and often touching, they all have a story that is revealed. The overall production is really good and also the fighting scene, nothing on the level of "My Journey To You" (a series released this year whose cinematography is breathtaking) but really pleasant to see.
I have mixed feelings about the ending and the last episodes though, I think the writing could have been better and it's a let down by the writers.
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A very interesting series that perfectly mixes Korean police history and a good thriller.
The story revolves around the 1990s, where the citizens of Seoul were gripped with a paralyzing fear after a series of brutal attacks and murders occurred. The habits of striking randomly made it impossible for the detectives to predict the criminals next move.Aware of the American F.B.I. and its successful use of criminal profilers to identify serial killers, Gook Young Soo recruits Song Ha Young, a quiet, reserved, incredibly perceptive former detective for his team. Gook believes using this new psychological method will give the police an edge in capturing these killers.
Well I'll be honest, the first episode wasn't amazing in the sense that, me as a viewer, I wasn't captivated by the story. The first episode is supposed to do this to make the viewer want to find out more, but the show lacked in this as it was too slow for me. That's why I had only seen the first episode, and paused this series until I resumed it weeks/months later because I was bored.
Now, I want to establish that the series separates itself from other thrillers for several reasons.
First of all, its pacing, we discover a lot of detective work (door to door, documentation and archiving ... etc.) so it gives a more realistic impression of really observing what is surely the daily life of the police at that time, and that may be redundant. I have to say that the show is really about two episodes long for each killer in average, with the full story, starting with the POV of the killer and his victims, the police work, the arrest, and the aftermath - when they're in jail. It's really quite a process, and sometimes the show made us jump months or even years forward to showcase the realism and the time it takes for investigations to be solved.
Secondly, I would say it's really a series that was focused on showing how the Korean police integrated profilers and how they helped, it's a long process again, with many backlashes coming from superiors or colleagues who at that time didn't see why profiling a killer could help them solve cases. So there are a lot thrilling moments, I wouldn't lie, but it's really a series that focuses on the police and historical aspect of such an approach.
It reminds me of models, in the fashion industry, runway models are chosen for their very thin, almost characterless features and bodies to showcase the clothes. Well here, I would say the actors were good in their roles but ultimately they were more part of a bigger picture where the story was more important than the characters.
And lately the show hasn't been overly focused on drama, like no big shenanigans from superiors or rich, no backstabbing between friends or colleagues, no revenge, no love dramas, no overly character strong and intelligent. All these elements that are generally part of drama thrillers in Korean, here have been set aside to focus on realism and tell the story - a little fictionalized - of profilers in the police.
I would like to mention, also, that all the actors did a good job of bringing their characters to life, especially actor Kim Nam Gil who played the main role of Song Ha Young, showing how much this kind of profession - profiling - weighs on these people, and that it requires a certain mind, composure and discipline, and above all intelligence.
So I recommend sticking with the show after the first episode, I believe the story is very well written - the characters and the story, especially from a detective perspective, and despiste the sometimes slow pacing, realism cover that well.
It's really a series to see, and I must say that I really enjoyed it, the killers were real monsters, not romanticized, who often committed the worst crimes.
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Another good thriller.
This series is really something. I believe that along with "The King of Pigs", these are the two best revenge thriller series of the year. This series takes you to the guts until the last episode. There is a lot of suffering, and that explains the choices of certain characters who in turn have also caused other people to suffer.Some of the characters were some of humanity's worst trash, what they did to those kids is just awful. And the fact that years later they refuse to restore the truth to save their asses, it's really unbearable, and I also understand the "why" of the actions of certain characters. This series is an excellent suspense thriller, from beginning to end we have no idea of the revelations to come, even though I guessed the murderer quickly and his potential accomplices, I believe that the mystery does not lie in the "who ?" but in the "why?". Why these murders ?
The characters, including the murderers all have motives, and sometimes even if as an audience we judge their actions, we understand why. And I honestly think it was all done with a certain realism in every aspect.
The series is therefore really well done, the tones are dark, enigmatic. The music is memorable. Well detailed script. The characters are striking with a sometimes sickening realism. I must say that I finished this series with the ending that it deserved, and I don't feel the need for more episodes or less, everything has been explained and makes sense.
So honestly, a good thriller that I recommend for sure.
Ps. From what I get, it was inspired by real events, which is the more tragic. In light of this, I do wish the kids here, the victims were more highlighted rather than the antagonists who did horrible things to them.
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Wolves disguised as Sheeps.
This story is pure fiction, thriller and horror. It turns out that during a school retreat, the students of a class find themselves alone and locked in the Mafia Game. There are the Citizens who must find the Mafias, and they are helped by the Police and Doctor, while the Mafias must kill all the citizens. Every day, the Citizens must vote for a person they believe to be one of the Mafias, and they must then hide during the night because they are immobilized in a sleep while the Mafias hunt to kill them. It's a cruel and bloody game of cat and mouse that gives rise to desperate and even psychopathic characters.The series really took the storytelling from a fairly human and brutal angle. We end up with teenagers who kill each other and betray each other between friends, who do unspeakable acts to each other, and the worst is that we can sense desperation and that they hate the fact that they have to do this to survive.
The key word is not to stand out to draw suspicion, and until the last episode there were revelations about characters that we didn't suspect.
The only downside is the ending, although I was expecting a sort of simulation, and that it spoils the story a bit as unrealistic, it teases a second season that I hope will see the light of day. Otherwise, even with this kind of ending, the series is very much enjoyable for its thrilling and suspenseful moments.
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Family doesn't begin and end with blood.
This story is supposedly centered around a tragic love story but in truth, I would rather say that it is a family drama spread over a decade.The story is quite complex and long, but it all starts with Yoon Na Moo. He is a studious and upright young man, who meets Gil Nak Won, a newly moved neighbor. What should have been the beginning of a tender love story between young teenagers quickly descends into hell, and all because of Yoon Hui Jae, Yoon Na Moo's dear father. You see, Yoon Hui Jae is a psychopath and serial killer, over the course of his life he has killed women with no motive. This man who only gives value to strengh, has two sons, Yoon Hyun Moo is Yoon Na Moo's big brother. Yoon Hyun Moo is basically a bully, but this is more complex, in truth, he is a character who has lived with the suffering of not being acknowledged by his father. Considered a "weakling", he never received any degree of attention. So, he's acting out, trying to attract the attention of his father, but also his stepmother who cared for the two boys. In contrast, Yoon Na Moo is the son cherished by his father, whom he holds in great esteem, since he was very young.
With that said, Yoon Hui Jae, the father considers that any kind of love and affection that his beloved son receives is holding him back, making him weak. This leads to a terrible Christmas night where the father murders Gil Nak Won's parents, and attempts to kill her too only to be stopped by his son, who defends Gil Nak Won against his father, calls the police, and later testify against him.
We then follow the characters over the space of 12 years, as they grow up and try to live with the terrible memories of that night, still mysterious to the public. Yoon Na Moo tries to atone for his father's crimes by being a police officer.
The story becomes more complex when murders by a serial killer begin and a stalker tries to take Gil Nak Won's life.
The series initially relied heavily on flashbacks to emphasize the relationship of each character, their motives and actions. The characters in the family are well developed. And if at the beginning we are carried away by the love story between Gil Nak Won and Yoon Na Moo when they are young, and which continues over time, quickly the family relationships in the Yoon family become the center of the intrigue and the main engine of the series.
Despite how fucked up the characters are, discovering the obsessions and unhealthy relationships they have, I can't help but have affection for them. Whether it's the mother-in-law who fled with her little daughter, witnessing Yoon Hui Jae one night with a bloody face, and who is trying to make up for leaving the two boys behind with their father. The big brother who tries to repair a family that no longer exists by committing crimes but also by sacrificing himself. The little sister who loves her two brothers unconditionally. And the more fascinating one of the psychopathic father with his youngest golden son.
This is an intricate and tragic web to behold.
As a final mention, I must say that I loved hearing the pronounced dialect of the main characters, I found it very charming.
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The Ultimate Sacrifice.
I didn't know what to name this review to bring together all of my feelings after finishing this series but I think the ultimate sacrifice says it all.I picked up this series at random, it had been on my watchlist for a long time but for some reason I never got to it. After a series drought, seeing Jang Ki Yong in the cast, knowing that he is also in that of an upcoming thriller, I became curious.
I have to say that in a sense the story and execution is a bit clumsy, and surreal but so tragic.
The story revolves around Kim Soo Hyun, a young man who has been trained since childhood to kill by a hitman, prior to that, he has no memory of his past life and knows nothing beyond the fact that his biological father wanted him dead and that he was in an orphanage. We then follow Kim Soo Hyun on the road to discovering his past while he is guided by a mysterious client to kill powerful men who all seem linked by the management of the said orphanage years ago. After each murder, he receives a photo from his client which supposedly will help him discover who he is.
Do Hyun Jin is the other person we are acquainted with. She is a young woman who was adopted at a young age into a very rich and powerful family, and decided to become a police officer. She finds herself on the trail of Kim Soo Hyun when his serial killings become apparent.
The two of them also come to know each other randomly, and quickly discover that they are linked to the same orphanage, and even that they were childhood friends. Kim Soo Hyun is the infamous "number 88", a number that brings dread to the most powerful while sweet memories to Do Hyun Jin.
The story devolves into a web of connection between the past and present, the persecutors and victims. Kim Soo Hyun is not only trying to discover his past but to make right by his friends and those who continue to suffer under the yoke of the antagonists.
Kim Soo Hyun is a cold and quiet character, he never smiles, and he only speaks in a few words. It’s a great performance offered by Jang Ki Yong, because Kim Soo Hyun says very little but his looks and locked emotions say a lot. He can be the most caring guy in the world one moment and a cold killer the next. What I liked throughout this series was that I was virtually not afraid for him. He was very capable and intelligent, as he said, others may make mistakes, but not him, and in the end ; I can say that on his road to revenge he didn't make a mistake. I really like this character for what he brings.
The ending is more than tragic, but honestly I couldn't see him spending his life in prison, or even running. So I think the ultimate sacrifice he made for the children fits the character.
As for the other characters, I found myself having affection for them, especially Kang Seul Gi and Philip Ahn, who infiltrated my heart without me seeing it, they were annoying but endearing, a bit like siblings that we unwillingly to keep close but that we love regardless. I even warmed up to Do Hyun Jin who was quite obnoxious at first but turned out to be a nice addition.
I must say that one thing that the series succeeds in is the cruelty and realism of the unfolding of certain events and the fate of certain characters. Generally, in other series, when a character is in danger, they are somehow saved by the protagonist who miraculously arrives at the scene in time. Here, this is not the case. The protagonist is not omnipotent, he is not a superhero, and people including children are killed mercilessly because no one knew in time.
Despite the sweet moments and slow pace, this remains a fairly dark thriller overall that deals with tough subjects. I recommend the series without hesitation, entertaining and terrible at the same time, with a satisfactory in a sense.
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Simple Korean BL.
I think it's a cute romance, I enjoyed following the two couples. The plot is rather simple, it's boys trying to conquer their crush. The acting is good but nothing incredible either, the Korean actors have difficulty getting above awkwardness when it comes to physical touches while they excel in emotional delivery (I hope the Korean BL industry will continue to grow until we can have full fledged series). I would have liked it to explore more in length if only the episodes were allocated 10 minutes more, without a lengthy intro and epilogue.I think that to pass the time without hassle, it's ideal.
Small downside, the editing of certain scenes are confusing, sometimes I was wondering if it was a scene imagined by our protagonists, dreams or simply reality because certain characters switch behaviors very quickly.
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One of the best action and revenge drama of the year.
I'm more than familiar with Woo Do Hwan as an actor, he's the one who made me check out this series and I don't regret it.I would like to say that a lot of k-dramas tends to fall too much into the cheesy cliché when it comes to good people supporting each other to accomplish a goal/revenge (example Mad Dog, Taxi Driver S2), the interactions just become superficial and predictable, good storyline is replaced by humour.
Here, the series had the perfect balance between emotion, action and intensity with humor and the relationships between the characters.
Woo Do Hwan here is showing how much he is one of the most promising young actors in South Korea, his acting of a good kid wanting to protect his loved ones was embodied perfectly, we really feel for him. But I have to say, it wouldn't have been the same without Lee Sang Yi completing him. The two have shown us a very strong friendship, which goes beyond social expectations and is based entirely on the instant friendship and familiar feeling they got toward each other since they've met. Their moments of support have been truly admirable. Woo Do Hwan making us feel like he needed Lee Sang Yi, his hyung. They supported each other until the end.
Park Sung Woong was a perfect antagonist, just the right amount of annoyance, complexity and substance. A real psychopath.
As for Kim Sae Ron, I was surprised when she abruptly left the show after Lee Sang Yi's life was in the balance, without really saying goodbye, but I guess it make sense for her to fulfill her grandfather's wish by going in Italy, I would have hoped for it to be written better.
Speaking of writing, the script is just awesome, it's simple but intense, the fighting choreographies are very realistic, I felt really engaged in the story. And for once the police are quite effective and the nepo kid is likeable. So what more could you ask for ?
I just hope to see Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi on the same screen one day, they have great chemistry.
I recommend this series without hesitation.
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Hands down, it's one of the best Thai BL series of 2022.
Wow, I have to say this is one of the best Thai BLs I've seen, and that's just down to the acting. In all, of all the Thai BL series I have seen, the only two series that have such good acting are "Not Me" and "I told the sunset about you".Here, there are two aspects of acting that I would like to highlight.
The first is the couple. I think the way it was shot definitely played on the outcome, it was far from the cheesy shots and sometimes uncomfortable where the actors just stare at each other to make it last - which is incredibly embarrassing to witness. Honestly, I learned to ignore that in the Thai series because it's present in all of them, but here, thank god we were free of that. This makes the moments when they look into each other's eyes seem natural and not excessively long.
Speaking of the couple, it looks like they were comfortable with each other. This is the first time I've seen these actors, but from what I've gathered they've known each other and worked together for several years. This is their first series as both main leads, and it shows how well they know each other. They have perhaps the most natural chemistry and interactions I've ever witnessed between two men who play off each other's attraction.
Maybe it's also a personal feeling, but their chemistry and how comfortable they are really surprised me, from just talking, arguing or when they show their physical attraction.
Second is their individual acting. I don't know where this kid is from but War is one of the best Thai actors I've seen. And I'm not saying this lightly as I never considered the acting of Thai BL series actors to be ground-breaking, but War just threw me off. This kid is talented, I hope no matter if he wants to stay in the BL industry or not, he gets into other projects, especially complex scripts that would highlight his talent.
I mean, his eyes say so much, his micro expressions and then also his character who could have been shallow like the majority of young men who play in these series where they are blindly in love with another, but with little he could showed how much he could add to the character. He didn't just play a character, he embodied it, which is rare, and he showed he has potential.
I hope that if they still have acting projects together, War and Yin, they won't choose another series that gives us the same thing and the same kind of role as many duos do in their other BL projects.
To mention Yin, yes he doesn't shine enough to be at War's level, but his acting is more than decent. I don't expect him to ever pull off the same kind of complexity as War but it definitely has potential to grow, which is quite a lot compared to many of its peers. Honestly, I'm waiting to see more about it.
So in the end, the script itself is nothing special, it's deja vu, it's just two guys trying to navigate their new found love. Lots of unnecessary scenes and plotlines, really many stupid choices made by the characters, but it's filled with a mix of human emotions from tender moments, love, joy, complicity, misunderstanding, fear, sadness and jealousy. It's the typical mix of these series but it's really the acting that did everything here.
As for the second couple, for me they had nothing special and nothing new to bring that I haven't already seen a hundred times in other BL series but their acting is good for the role they had.
So, I highly recommend this series.
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Alice in Borderland Season 2
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The best sequel I've seen of a Japanese show yet.
I must say that season 2 has surpassed the first season. Here not only do we experience the games on a wider scale (the entire city) but also the point of view change and make the rhythm more interesting.In season 1, after episode 4 we spend the rest of the time pretty much at the "Beach" where the plot develops but here, we change each episode of location and challenges.
And the intensity was there.
My heart aches because it's over, it was really entertaining and the characters once again, highly relatable. The acting was top-notch.
The only downside for me is the ending. I don't want to spoil anything, but I must say that they tricked us several times with false explanations to this alternate reality, and compared to the truth, these lies were more exciting.
But I still recommend to see, this season is definitely the best.
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Imawa no Kuni no Arisu Season 1
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A series striking of intensity.
I'll make it short, but from the first episode the series transports us to a very intense world of anguish and fear.People are forced to play games that are deadly, each of these games are represented by cards that designate whether it is a test of combat, physicality, mind or heart. Those of the heart being of course the most tragic.
The series makes us discover this almost apocalyptic world, we become attached to characters who leave far too soon, we root for them to just make out of a game while just afterwards they are immersed again in the cruel aspects of this world.
The loyalty and values of these individuals are put to the test.
It's really a superb first season that grabs the viewer and does not let go.
The production is insane and the acting is top notch, not one character was lacking.
I highly recommend.
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Intriguing first season.
I will make it short. This series lacked appeal, the script was lackluster. The dialogues aren't insane and even the scenes aren't used to their potential but I think what saved all of that is the characters. Not that they have incredible lines or acting, but they have humanity, and you can't help but empathize with them.They suffer, they are treated poorly, they lie and were lied to, they were betrayed, but they get out of it by helping each other.
I wonder how season 2 is going to be as the reviews generally say it's better.
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Waste of a good potential.
This is the first time I'm rating so low a series. Like really. Can't believe the MDL score it up to 8.0, fans of Sehun are really eating up everything this guy does.Really average, barely decent series. The thing is that overall it's an action mini-series but everything was lacking.
The script is bad, I don't understand where the writers were going. The production and filming was horrendous, I mean it looked like a filming project series done by students. The camera and shots were shaking. Not to mention the acting, really lacking here, whether in all the characters or their lines. It was just plain bad.
The fighting choreographies were quite good but so slow, it was obvious that it was acting.
No, really this kind of series is really the opposite of what anyone wants to produce these days.
Honestly, "Weak Hero" tackles the same topics of bullying and school better, but overall "Weak Hero" in terms of production and writing is so much better, and I can't even imagine when we get season 2, who will do the delve into school gangs, what here "Dokgo Rewind" tried to do but ultimately, failed.
I do not recommend, a waste of time.
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Intense series.
I'll make it short. It's the typical revenge scenario, so nothing new here. On the other hand, I think it was executed quite well overall. Personally, I found who was the culprit from the first episode but it didn't stop me from enjoying the series.I don't watch a lot of series with female leads because generally I don't get on with their often cliché characters, but here I liked the simplicity, yet the determination of a young girl to find out who killed her father. She was a hero that I loved to follow the journey. I felt for her and I rooted for her until the end.
In terms of production, I must say it's very good, the script really leaned on the emotional side, and if we could sympathize with the killer, with a psychopath ? What if we hated a police force that does its best ? Me, that's what I love, simple but well-crafted scripts that transport us emotionally.
Only one regret is that one of the detective died, especially in this way, I had come to love his character, and he deserved better.
Overall, a good mini-series, a good script, a good production with intense fighting choreographies, good actors. 8 episodes were enough, no need more or less.
I recommend this series.
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