The Innocent Man (TV Series 2012) Poster

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8/10
Overall Great!!!
Chaokage6 February 2021
This drama is a revenge story at heart. I very much enjoyed the continuous battles of wit. The romantic relationship between Kang Ma-Roo and Seo Eun-Gi was filled with lots of heart break. You may think of it as an ill-fated relationship. If I can summarize it in few sentences, I would say that this drama is a near accurate account of the lives of the entitled and the lives of the forgotten. One thing I hated was the ending. I don't know what's wrong with writers when it comes to endings, but they tend to end series in matters of minutes instead of taking their time with it for at least a full episode. The ending also looked rushed and unnecessarily ambiguous.
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9/10
Amazing revenge story, executed beautifully
Rita_Roy29 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
If tortured, broken, angsty characters finding redemption is your thing, look no further. Finely written, with multiple layers, beautifully executed, complex characters, fabulous acting, this drama is a must watch. The writer, the director, the actors all deserve a bow. It is a pity that dramas like this don't get the kind of recognition world over that they deserve just because they are from another culture - people are missing out becuase they don't want to deal with subtitles. Personally I would rather this not be dubbed ever, but watched listening to the beautiful Korean language and the original nuances of the delivery by the actors. There are enough synopsis's out there if you search in Google. All I will add is that rarely does an anti hero have all the characterstics of coldness, calm and strength of character that Kang Maru does. And rarely do the female leads have such strong personalities. The naunced writing at every stage is a joy - e.g. (Spoiler alert) the female villain refuses to accept herself as a victim or any absolution, owning her choices, even when the anti hero apologises for his part in her path to evil. Beautiful in every frame.

thanks to the team who created this piece of work that gave me much joy.
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9/10
The Good and the Bad within all of us - GREAT DRAMA!
natassa-athens19 June 2020
It's when you wonder many times in your life if you are a good person or a bad person. This great drama plays with these two roles that exist within us and makes us wonder what someone might win or lose in life, depending on his good or bad deeds. It really deserves to be watched! Great acting from Song Joong-Ki! The other actors were great too, but he is exceptional! And so handsome! :) :)
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10/10
One of the best I've ever watched.
ayantham2 May 2021
Yes, there are some stupid parts here and there...but it's normal in Korean drama. Overall, the drama was amazing. This was one of the very few dramas that actually made me cry at the end (happy ending, don't worry) because I was too much emotionally attached to it.
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10/10
a stupendous drama
aminifatimaaa8 December 2018
An extremely impressive drama, very well executed by all the actors who portrayed their characters well. The storyline was sophisticated and very intriguing and the drama really fits the 'melodrama' type of ideal. Song Joong-Ki fit the role of Kang Maru very well and his chemistry with Moon Chae-won was very strong. This drama has plot twists, powerful emotion, and a very realistic ending. It's an outstanding drama, and definitely worth watching.
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10/10
Superb!
christianriverogh12 March 2021
I just super love this drama! Watching it over and over again.
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10/10
Superb!
christianriverogh12 March 2021
This drama is just so perfect. I watch this drama a hundred times. I watch it 9 yrs ago and still my favorite drama ever watched.
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6/10
Mixed Feelings
aggiemanalac9 May 2021
I am not sure how I feel exactly about this drama. The best description I can give is "mixed".

It was... okaaaay... on the overall. The overall story and plot were good, but I can't say the same for the script. There were a whole lot of "letting things pass" for me to make it through to the end.

I had initially given up on the first episode - I found the premise of Ma-ru taking the fall for Jae-hee's homicide unbelievably stupid, but when I rationalized it with blind love and devotion, I was able to move past it.

Song Joong-ki as Maru was perfectly cast. What frustrated me though, aside from his being gullible and pathetic when it came to Jae-hee, was that it wasn't clear when his feelings for Eun-gi became real, sincere, and distinctly different from when he first thought of using her for revenge.

Moon Chae-won as Eun-Gi was effective. Nothing great with her acting, but not bad.

But Park Si-yeon was uni-dimensional as Jae-hee. She had only one facet and her monologues were deadpan boring. Super old-style acting. She was reciting her lines rather than acting them.

Couldn't praise the soundtrack either and I had to keep reminding myself that this series was from way back 2012. But still.

Starts strong, but drags starting around episode 12 that I had to skip episodes 15 and 16 and speed-watch episode 17 and still manage to keep up with the story.

Worth watching if you're forgiving of a lot of lapses in logic and some second-rate acting of a pretty face. And if you are extremely patient.
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Worst Kdrama I've ever seen
Ariebeth9 December 2022
I forced myself to finish the entire drama because of SJK, but the plot was SO. BAD.

The show was honestly terrible and nothing made sense. It consisted a series of flip-flopping bad decisions and flashbacks of the same past scenes, replayed over and over again to inflate the episode count, making the drama long and draggy. The dialogue was filled with cliches and most of the acting was bad and exaggerated. The hair/makeup, set and wardrobe were subpar as well and looked very low budget. The designers seemed to equate "rich" with lots of bling instead of class, so whatever the cast wore were tacky and cheap-looking.

Kdramas have always been of a certain expect quality but this drama just did not make the cut. I wish I could get back those precious hours of my life that I had spent on this lousy show.
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8/10
I'm happy.... right now
alaningle721 July 2021
A medical student from a poor background is in love with a tv reporter with an unhappy past from the same area, both their lives are changed forever when a tragic incident occurs. A great drama with an interesting plot but I think it could have been better with more episodes, the reason is because of the many subplots that just disappeared without real explanation and what seemed like a hurried storyline when events reached their conclusions. Great acting from all the cast but particularly the leads, Song Joon-ki, Moon Chae-Won and Si-Yeo Park.
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7/10
Represents reality how the good and the bad stays in human nature side by side
Giselle171013 September 2020
This drama really puts u in deep thought! The human mind is so complex. Till the end I kept questioning myself either Ma ru actually loves Eungi or his ex gf. But the truth is once u care for someone u keep going back. U just do. Like he said to her "I might not love u again but I will stand by ur side. I will understand u. I will protect u. Forever" I didn't want to believe at first that it's possible for human mind to be this complex and act this way but after I finally finished it I realized it's more than that. Overall the first half of the drama is fun and last half is a bit dragging but good ending.
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8/10
THE INNOCENT MAN IS MR NICE GUY ON NETFLIX
ljansen-8768226 August 2023
Ok this is essentially about REVENGE. Slow long term REVENGE.

A real drama that reels you in and hooks you with a bit of getting lost in the middle where you don't know who to side with. Empathy sways from one character to the other in love/hate emotions, but you keep snacking, watching and never stop until the last episode.

The character development in this series is just top notch! Everyone grows over time whether for the better or worse. Revenge seems to be the key but occasionally you begin to wonder if it is just revenge or passion.

The ML is beyond excellent. Song Joong-Ki fits the role of Kang Maru perfectly. A fine actor. Both the female leads were a bit wobbly with the actress playing Jae-Hee practically script reading, and not quite up to the standards of Song Joong-Ki.

I will quote another reviewer here because it perfectly sums up exactly my thoughts "I would say that this drama is a near accurate account of the lives of the entitled and the lives of the forgotten."

Yes it drags a bit in the middle with lots of sub plots relating to the business and his friend which never really get explained, but I rolled with it. If it was a book I would have been skipping chapters!

Took points off for the appalling end! I could almost hear some shout "Wrap it up now, right now, I said now!" The worse ending tie up ever seen and still it wasnt clear.

Still, watch it you won't be disappointed.
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6/10
Good beginning and end but slow middle
phd_travel29 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This 2012 throwback to early 2000s K melodramas started off well. Fast moving and entertaining at first but things slowed down and got agonisingly repetitive once the amnesia story came in. Then things picked up in the last 2 episodes. Song Joong Ki acts quite well here. He acts better and is more suited in this role than Descendants. The ladies are pretty enough. OK watch just too many episodes.
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3/10
I wish I could unsee this show. Give me my time back!!!
mlaralot8 January 2021
There's a special spot in hell for writers who spoil a good premise like this. As if that weren't enough, the ending is worst than an open ending: After enduring pleas, confessions and betrials by the dozen you "are told" what happened to the characters and find them years later in a still open situation... It's like watching a piece of "nothing", if such a thing exists. Don't bother with this show.
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1/10
Bad
kajalkashsinha21 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Stopped watching at ep 3. I didn't like the female lead and how desperate she is. It was suppose to be revenge but she was the one making first moves. It was annoying to watch. Concept was good but not executed well. I watched three ep by skipping it most of the time.
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2/10
Not Good Enough
PennyReviews9 November 2022
Korean Drama " The Innocent Man " is a melodrama with a romantic twist.

The main problem, however, of this drama is its characters. They weren't all annoying, but they were idiots or acting like idiots. Nothing of what happened should have happened if they were using their brains, for instance. And they kept acting without thinking and then pretending to be victims.

Other than that, the drama used any cheesy trop that ever existed in dramaland and to the biggest extend possible. And not in an enjoyable way. Therefore, the romance got tiring and unbelievable.

The performances, finally, were pretty good.

So, overall, two out of ten.
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4/10
Slow and boring without humour
bureausylviadeckers7 April 2024
A slow drama with an overdose of extreme feelings and attitude. Sometimes the repetitions and slowness makes it come to a standstill but pretending to be o deep and intriguing all around humans emotions of good and bad. But the bad is so bad that they don't belief it themselves. Some roles are played really good - Song, Lee, Lee and Han. The last two bring some humour into the dry desert of overdone drama. Some don't play there part and their facial experience hold nothing and act out noting. Very uncomfortable to look at.

The scenario is so illogical that you are swept of your feet with wondering who the bits and pieces of the storyline can add up.

So be warned and don't spoil your time. There are some other great dramas with some of the actors so do yourself a favour and look at stuff that has some body.
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