Unpredictably written, Circle threads the alternating timeline premise with a brilliant execution of the main heroes’ perspectives!
Halfway to 2017, I have sealed my benchmark Korean drama with Circle. I was in a constant eureka moment while watching Circle unfolds without knowing where it will lead me as a viewer.
- Main Cast: Yeo Jin Goo | Kim Kang Woo | Gong Seung Yeon | Lee Gi Kwang |
- Originally published on Hellokpop in July 2017
- Thrill/Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: Nine Times Travel | Duel | Alice |
Circle Peak Points
Intelligent and Gripping Writing
The two storylines converging to resolve the central conflict are intricately woven, with ample insertion of unexpected scenarios that catch the viewers off guard. I mentioned how for a change I did not over-analyze where the story is heading. The writing is on a mission to manipulate the small details supporting the major bends of the tale.
Whatever is happening in the first part of an episode is brilliantly translated to the problem being tackled in the second part of the episode. This is a scribbling challenge hard to transcribe due to the high risk of breaking the story’s consistency.
But the writer has effortlessly connected the dots neatly. The simultaneous narrative building propelled the primary addictive hook along with seamless cliff-hangers.
Outstanding Character Depictions
I swear I cried when the twins embrace each other in the waning episode. *chuckles Lead actors Yeo Jin Goo and Kim Kang Woo give justice to the unfortunate brothers, who are separated by greed yet reunited by faith. They match the witty writing as thinking characters, who are also adept to hit depressing faces when they seem to feel hopeless on the setbacks thrown at them.
The bromance is so fulfilling because the journey to get there was full of tribulations and brotherly love. The supporting cast parade provides a favorable showing. It helps that there was no surplus of unnecessary characters, which in a way contributed to the smooth flow of the storytelling.
Groundbreaking Narrative Mixed With Traditional K-Drama Approach
As an initiating drama for the sci-fi genre, succeeding stories that will thread on the same path has a lot to learn from Circle. That is to be decisive, direct and coherent.
In the drama, the electrifying mind-boggling sessions derive the driving points on scientific research that link technologies to the human brain. Well, it’s more of the abuse by humans on the advancement of that technology borrowed from a supposed alien.
Still following the standard well-rounded chronicling approach, Circle utilizes science in the plot but targets human emotions through the conflict’s core.
Slight Drawbacks
Woo Jin’s Agonizing Fate
For people who are not used to the sci-fi genre, Woo Jin’s story is a bit heartbreaking. After all that he has done, my emotional heart hoped for an ever after with his twin brother in a way where miracles could be used to save the day.
Given the sci-tech pretext already entrenched, making his character survived as a clone disappointed me a bit, because they could have just frozen him while on coma to explain why he did not age at all – when he woke up. *chuckles
To be honest, the narrative is well-expounded that you tend to overlook the small lapses. However, it would have been nicer if they did it on the part where they cloned Woo Jin.
They did not explain the happy-faced selca he had at Minister Park’s office. Nevertheless, Circle always finds a way to enlighten doubts, which is probably why they inserted that dramatic frame, citing how memories breathe life to a person for me to be appeased.
I think the whole memory makes a person’s gist of the story is a valid point, but it lacks emotional justification.
Time Constraint
Although everything was explained in 12 rounds, there are details that have to be expounded for viewers like me who wants the whole picture spread nicely. With the given fragments where I was left to decide whether I will analyze it or not, it would have been perfect if Circle elaborated the alien and cloning plots.
Employing it as impetus to the central conflict is acceptable, but it would be nicer if the backgrounds of the scenarios were discussed clearly.
Circle Series Musings
Circle made me work like a diligent student prepping up for a thesis presentation, with how I take notes of the plot’s bends and twists in case I miss something. *chuckles
It ambitiously taunts a revolutionary science fiction premise that is risky and exciting at the same time. Every episode just keeps on unlocking one revelation after another, making me decide that it is futile to decipher its trajectory.
I felt fulfilled on the closure of the twins’ journey to be with each other, owing to how the writer elaborated all those reasons why I had to have faith that they will get a happy ending.
It effortlessly drops an auspicious chronicle that is unafraid of possible limitations along the way. As an avid K-drama follower, I was scared and happy at the same time on how TVN pushes to present this cutting-edge plot owing to how nifty writing and intelligent scene execution would make or break the story.
The future setting framing is impressive in giving a picture of a technological dependent future for human race. The imaginative “stable care system”, which controls the harmful human emotions of the smart earth residents disabling their wicked tendencies, creates a fundamental plot that establishes the variance between the interchanging space-time continuum.
Notably, Circle leans to an amazing sci-fi story perceptive to viewers, who may or may not be a fan of the genre. It gives a lingering lesson on the value of human’s memories as well as how happiness needs to have a validation on the path it takes to achieve it.
As the first science fiction Korean drama, I am amazed at the smart writing and wickedly good maneuvering of the twists in the story. Since the surprises have to be linked from the present and future timelines, I applaud the clever team behind the production because they really did not give room for the audience to predict what would happen in the story.
Admirably, Circle never went wrong for being ambitiously inventive. It never showed any signs of defiance and was always sure of the track it was taking. The brave movement of the story plus the incorporation of brotherly love would just blow your mind away.
It is the best-written and directed Korean drama for 2017 so far. I also do applaud the wonderful synergy of the cast, who powered the brilliant writing for the stunning end result.
It might not draw curiosity from the general public because it is not an easy watch. But it is an absorbing drama experience for faithful K-drama watchers, who seek to try something new and extraordinary other than the usual regular stories.
Circle runs 12 episodes – so if you decide for a weekend binge, be prepared not to sleep as it tends to push you to unravel layer after layers by continuously watching.
