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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Falsify" Episodes 17-18

Heroes and villains alike are starting to get bolder with their decisions in "Falsify". Moo-yeong finally learns of a painful truth necessary for moving forward and So-ra has a close call when she pushes the villains' buttons a bit too hard. Tae-won is feeling the heat as well, reminding us that no pawn is above betrayal from their masters.

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It is good to see that Moo-yeong (Namkoong Min) is opening up to Seok-min (Yu Jun-sang) and learning from his mistakes, which will hopefully help him maintain focus from now on. Each case brings our team closer to the culprits and the closer our heroes get to blowing the cover of these "elders", the more dangerous things will get. Moo-yeong takes a big hit regarding his brother, but Cheol-ho's (Oh Jung-se) wish to make things right will further motivate him.

Moo-yeong not taking the truth too wellSo-ra realising that she is in danger

While I welcome the increasing, tangible danger for our Team Good, "Falsify" does give me a scare with So-ra (Uhm Ji-won) in these episodes. I have seen many a promising woman character given the damsel-in-distress treatment as a plot device and for the sake of elevating a leading man. In Korean drama, this trope is sadly overused. My relief when So-ra saved herself was indescribable. The scene is still suspenseful and her understandable panic provides drama, but without mistreating her character. Well played, "Falsify".

Our heroes are not the only ones feeling the pressure, however. I am glad to see Tae-won's (Moon Sung-keun) wife used as a motivation, rather than an excuse. His villainy is therefore not dismissed due to her illness, but it is given dimension. This is much better than having someone who is wicked just to serve as an antagonist, because a humanized villain is more engaging. The more Tae-won fights for someone who would never approve of this battle, the closer he will get to the downfall foreshadowed by the distrust of his employees.

Tae-won feeling unworthy of his wifeSeok-min comforting Cheol-ho

I wish the rest of our villains had some nuance to them as well, although I do appreciate that Jeon Chan-soo's (Jung Man-sik) talk of smoking during his demise becomes something useful. It was an odd and overly dramatic element of his death, but it makes sense now. It is fortunate that the characters in "Falsify" actively gather evidence, because a series largely about journalism would feel too silly otherwise.

While I do not expect character development for other antagonists, I do wonder if Tattoo Man (Kang Shin-hyo) is being used through a personal need like Tae-won. Most importantly, I wonder if Tae-won will be our endgame villain. The Splash Team has to finish Cheol-ho's work after all. I suppose we will have a better grasp of where the story is going as the new case develops.

"Falsify" is directed by Lee Jeong-heum, written by Kim Hyeon-jeong-IV and features Namkoong Min, Yu Jun-sang, Uhm Ji-won and Moon Sung-keun.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Watch Episode 17 on KOCOWAtv

Watch Episode 18 on KOCOWAtv

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