“One Ordinary Day” (2021) is an ongoing Korean drama starring Kim Soo-hyun and Cha Seung-won. It is an eight-part series that explores the society’s twisted system and injustice based on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) television show, “Criminal Justice” written by Peter Moffat.
It premiered on November 27th and successfully attained the #1 spot for the most watched show on Coupang Play. It is also drawing much attention from international viewers through the streaming platform, Viu.
So far, here are three things that impressed the viewers about the new series:
1. Perfect Cinematography
“One Ordinary Day” exceeds its performance in cinematography. Everything from the framing, composition, details, lighting, colors, to camera technicalities and editing works are flawlessly and perfectly executed.
You’ll get blown away by the stunning city night shots. Even the prison cell motion shots, filtration, lighting, and focus are insanely impressive!
But more than the beautiful and high-quality images, the cinematography on this show is well-versed in story-telling and conveying emotions to the audience.
For example, the contrast of warm and cool tone colors visually describe a mood. Every panning and detailed shot speaks volumes and conveys a significant story.
2. Great Screenplay and Plot
You can tell that the drama is so well-written, directed, and edited even with two episodes released so far. A Korean remake series, “One Ordinary Day” revolves around two men whose lives intertwine following a homicide case.
An innocent college guy gets embroiled in the murder of a woman he spent the night with, making him a prime suspect. And a third-rate lawyer who finds him innocent comes to the rescue to lead the investigation.
In the process, they will face a number of trials—all circumstantial evidence at the crime scene point to the key suspect, the netizens increasing rage, and media’s scrutiny. Despite the odds, they will embark on a difficult search for truth and fight for justice, exposing the twisted system of the country.
It’s the flawless pacing, timing, and directing that makes the plot of this crime-psychological drama interesting. It gives you a sense of thrill on how the poor innocent guy and third-rate lawyer go against injustice, as well as win from the unethical media reporting and dirty strategies of the Chief detective.
3. Outstanding Performance
After more than a year, the phenomenal actor of the hit series “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” (2020) is finally back with a bang! The young multi-awarded, top hallyu star, and one of the highest-paid actors in the Korean entertainment industry, Kim Soo-hyun, characterizes the college student who is accused of murder.
Once again, he never disappoints to deliver an awe-inspiring performance. The first episode alone proves him to be an exceptional emotive actor as he breathes various emotions for the character: innocence, curiosity, childlike cries, panic, and frustration.
There’s always a sense of depth in the way he acts. His expressive eyes screams anxiousness. The way he portrays fear transcends through the screen. His acting stirs your emotions and he makes you feel the desperation of an innocent, accused, helpless guy.
Likewise, Cha Seung-won, who plays the role of a third-rate lawyer is outstanding with his performance. He will make you feel his heart for justice, disappointment for the dirty moves inside the cell, the media, and police force, as well as his irritation for his foot problem. He is a witty, trustworthy, but funny character.
The producers of the show are right when they shared, “The passionate performances of Korea’s top actors Kim Soo-hyun and Cha Seung-won will leave a deep impression in the hearts of viewers.”
Drama Rating: 10/10
With two episodes released so far, everything from the storyline, plot, characters, performance, editing, music, to lighting is flawless and solid. It is a perfect 10!
“One Ordinary Day”, which is written by Kwon Soon-gyu and directed by Lee Myung-woo, is above ordinary and a highly-recommended, must-see drama.
Photo cover: Coupang Play
KORB 