"I have a winning strategy." While you'll come to love that catchphrase if you watch Liar Game, it wouldn't surprise me if it were actually spoken by the producer who first pitched the idea of a Korean version of this classic Japanese manga story. If so, they were right: from the beginning of this fast-paced drama, all the way to its closing minutes, it gets its hooks in the viewer and never lets go. There are twists and surprises in every episode and you won't be able to resist the urge to predict what's going to happen next. Although Liar Game is held back slightly by the clichés it employs (causing some of the twists to be too predictable), it is ultimately a satisfying ride for any fan of intrigue. STORY It takes about an episode and half or so for this story's manga roots to show. If you have any experience with Japanese manga/anime like Yu-Gi-Oh, Hikaru no Go, or even ones themed around sports, you'll immediately recognize the format of this show. Main Character is tasked with winning a complicated game against challenging opposition > Main Character uses math/numbers/cleverness to win said game > plot twist creates problem > Main Character uses quick thinking to overcome the problem and win the game at the last second in dramatic fashion. While Liar Game deviates from this formula slightly at times, you can still expect to see those steps play out for each major chapter of the plot. The major twist of the plot, too, is painfully cliché, especially if you're familiar with popular Japanese storytelling. However, despite Liar Game's plot being rather formulaic, the twists and the games are consistently interesting, and the characters involved have all the charisma anyone could ask for from this premise. And clichés aren't bad if they're executed well, which Liar Game does with aplomb. For more details on the story itself, just analyze the promo poster for this show that's probably in the upper right hand corner of your screen right now. That one picture basically explains the entire premise perfectly. ACTING/CAST If you start Liar Game, this category will likely be the reason you stick with it. Most of the Supporting Roles here will be in almost every episode, and they'll be important. So with an Ensemble Cast this big, each actor needs to bring something to the table that will grab the attention of the audience. They succeed. Choi Jin Ho, Park Jae Hoon, and Jo Jae Yun are the best of the supporting cast, but the top spot really goes to Lee El, who gives maybe the second-best performance in the show. How Lee El finds herself stuck in Supporting Roles after this performance makes no sense to me. She's unbelievably watchable and gorgeous to boot. She deserves bigger roles. Of course, with any good drama, the Main Roles absolutely shine. Lee Sang Yoon is his usual self: very watchable and good-looking. Really, his only job is to step in front of a camera, look "less Korean" with that face of his, and not ruin the scene. And he does that perfectly. The guy is great. The female Lead, Kim So Eun, was essentially born to roles like this one: a perfect, sweet, naive angel. She just has the face for it, and like many of her peers, her eyes project an earnestness that befits the character. She's easy to like, easy to fall for; a good "helpless damsel" character, but with enough of a spin that she's not boring. Watching her in this is like watching a puppy: it never gets boring and you can't help but go "awwww" every few moments. But the actor that really bumped the score here from an 8.5 to a 9.5 all on his own was, without a doubt, Shin Sung Rok. When I first saw him in You Who Came From The Star, I thought "Yikes... that face...!" But when I saw that he was in this, I thought "Oh good, that face!" Never has anyone in the world had such a perfect villain's face, and you will want to see him on screen more and more the more you see him. Beyond that, though, the way SSR *uses* his face in his role here is what will blow your mind. If you love villains, Liar Game has the perfect one for you. MUSIC Liar Game's vocal songs are unremarkable and forgettable. However, the incidental music is actually quite good. Music is critical in building tension in shows like this one, and the job is done well here. It's unlikely that the Liar Game soundtrack is going to sell a ton of copies or pull in more viewers, but it does what it needs to do and does it well. REWATCH VALUE Sadly, with shows that center on intrigue and mystery, you can't expect a ton of rewatchability. What keeps you hooked is not knowing what's coming next, so in general these sorts of shows will score low here. What helps Liar Game to achieve an 8/10 in this category is the cast. There are several performances that would be worth watching multiple times. However, the RV could have been even higher had they seeded a few more major plot mystery hints throughout the earlier episodes. Still, Liar Game doesn't hurt in this area if Rewatching dramas is your thing. OVERALL Liar Game is a thrilling, if familiar, mystery show with a stellar ensemble cast that will keep you guessing until the very end. If you enjoy Japanese manga/anime stories and have somehow never been exposed to Liar Game until now, this one should not be missed. If you're just looking for a fun, quick kdrama, Liar Game is perfect for you, too. Watch it for the story, stay for Shin Sung Rok. You won't regret it. Or maybe you will? Maybe this was all an elaborate ruse. Maybe I am Shin Sung Rok. But as they say in Liar Game... "If you want to know the truth, you have to play the game."