#LawAndTheCity mini review

 ⚖️ I am an LA Law fan for many years (late 80s to early 90s), never mind if I had to wait once a week (Tuesdays) for a one-hour episode on free tv. And up to now, this is a genre that I totally enjoy, be it movies, tv,  or books.

Among popular K-legal dramas, I’ve seen Law School, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Divorce Attorney Shin, Vincenzo, Big Mouth...and there’s a whole lot more. There's also an ongoing drama, Beyond the Bar, in Netflix.

In his comeback drama, we see #LeeJongSuk (I Can Hear Your Voice, While You Were Sleeping, Romance is a Bonus Book) in #LawandTheCity. I waited for the series if only for him and #KangYouSeok (Black Knight, When Life Gives You Tangerines). After Big Mouth, LJS returns to a character who at first appears to be aloof, distant, but later, shows his compassionate and tender side. KYS plays a lawyer after being a doctor in Resident Playlist. Although I have seen #MoonKaYoung (MGY) in True Beauty and The Interest of Love, I find her somewhat cold on screen. Not sure if the holding back is intentional on her part, but she wasn’t really “chemistry-ing” with her male leads. And initially, I wasn’t shipping her character and that of Jong Suk. However, surprisingly I felt it on Episode 6, and there was no turning back. 

LATC is set in Seoul’s Seocho-dong Law Town, and we meet five lawyers and share their joys and sorrows as they navigate not only the demanding legal world, but also their personal struggles, friendship, and growth.

• LJS – Atty Ahn Ju Hyeong

• MGY – Atty Kang Huiji

• KYS - Cho Chang Won

• Ryoo Hye-Young – Atty Bae Mun Jeong (Reply 1988, Law School, Gangnam B Side Nice Guy)

• Im Sung-Jae – Atty Ha Sang Gi (who always plays villain roles Gangnam B Side, Worst of Evil)

And of course, when you see Yum Hye Ran (Glory, WLGYT), you know it can't go wrong.

What I like about LATC is it’s pure and simple - no need for complicated plots, disgusting bad guys or irritating love triangles (although we felt that Atty Cho seemed attracted to Atty Kang for a while, but gave it up when Ju Hyeong and Huiji admitted they were dating). Legal cases were nicely written and presented, and for someone who enjoys watching courtroom scenes, most were heartwarming, interesting and touching. As always, I would find myself tearful during emotional moments, with superb performances from the cast. I find the OBB so cool and one of my favorite scenes was when they were waiting for Huiji in the elevator as they leave for court to hear the decision on her father’s case. See last photo.

Watch out for their lunches-catch up meals, you will end up hungry and craving for Korean food. It’s illegal! And I object Your Honor!

All 12 episodes of LATC are streaming Disney+ PH 

tvN drama 

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#Trigger

 #TRIGGER WAS A BLAST 💥

I like them individually. But what do you do, how will you feel if there’s two of them?

Hands down, Kim Nam Gil (The Fiery Priest, Island, Karma) will always own the show. Even if he’s out there all alone, he will own it and his presence, strong as ever, is all over. 

But with Kim Young Kwang (Somebody, Call it Love, On Your Wedding Day)? This is pure riot. This is intensity on the highest level.

💥 And I am not bullet-proof.

#Trigger is NOT for you if you prefer light, slow burn healing dramas, relaxing or kilig rom coms. But if you like a fast-paced, gripping, action series, and blood does little to scare you, PLEASE DO NOT MISS THIS.

"Trigger" is an action thriller series set in a dystopian South Korea, where illegal firearms are suddenly being made available and accessible to ordinary citizens via parcels. We see Lee Do, a police officer and former military sniper, and Moon Baek, a two-faced Joker-like arms dealer, being entangled in a web of gun violence. Sort of a nonchalant and OA duo. 

Is it troubling? Of course. How can it not be? The series show what these weapons could do when people are triggered, and the chaos and crimes that these could bring to an unsuspecting gun-free country.

For me, we know that crimes and violence, especially with firearms, may never be completely gone in this world, so I wasn’t expecting issues to be resolved in the end, but we can hope. The two gentlemen together are enough for me, though. I will forever watch Nam Gil and Young Kwang wherever, whatever. 

Some complained of too many characters and multiple subplots just so they can extend up to ten episodes. It could have been a two-hour movie, too. But I didn’t mind, I was squealing with excitement each time a new episode comes. To those who have not watched k-dramas or are not familiar that South Korea has a strict gun control, you must explain to them why the police officers were not shooting those trigger-happy men who were deliberately violently killing people. "Bakit hindi barilin, bakit hindi pa barilin?"

Trigger is obviously because of the guns. But it could also refer to the trigger point one will reach, and how it will transform an otherwise meek person to a murderer once given the opportunity to hold a gun (except for the sex offender who had no excuse, he just wanted his probation officers out of his miserable life. He was plain evil). "A gun was the only option they had left. All those pent-up resentment and frustration had to have an outlet."

It could also be a cry for help, especially those whom we fail to listen to or constantly ignore. People with mental health issues, people whose feelings and thoughts are invalidated. People who are bullied but are not heard. People who are exhausted and pushed to their limits. Let’s all try to listen, to be kind, because we don’t know up to what extent they can hold on.

💥Trigger ends with a bang, and I am shot to the heart. 

Other members of the cast:  

• Park Hoon (Descendants of the Sun, Memories of Alhambra, The Nice Guy) as Gu Jeong-man

• Gil Hae Yeon (The Silent Sea, In Her Place) as Oh Kyung-sook

• Kim Won Hae (Revenant, Strong Girl: Bong-soon) as Cho Hyun-sik

• Kim Joong Hee (Marry My Husband, Squid Game) as Reporter Wang

• Lee Suk (Love to Hate You, Squid Game) as Jeon Won-Seong

All 10 episodes of Trigger are available for streaming Netflix

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