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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Remember" Episode 17

In short order "Remember" tacks on a second trial to the first one. Which is a bit of a shame- I actually mostly like the rape storyline. The fact that it's taking a relatively long time to conclude doesn't even bother me so much because it makes sense for Gyoo-man's legal team to use delaying tactics. It takes time to manufacture evidence and bully witnesses into giving false testimony. What's more, this tactic has become increasingly ineffective since In-ah knows how they operate.

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Yes, In-ah, rather than than Jin-woo. Which also gets no complaint from me. What with Jin-woo always obsessing over his father he has an easy time losing sight of the injustice right in front of him. I also like how In-ah's big legal talent is not turnabout cross examinations and crack investigative skills, but rather how she's a good negotiator. In-ah knows that emotional appeals, logical appeals, and debate by proxy have to be carefully tailored to context for maximum effect.

Dong-ho's incarceration for murder lacks much bite, by way of comparison. The facts of the case are mostly the same as we could have guessed ourselves last episode, and there aren't any major new revelations to give the Dong-ho case much in the way of interest. Really, the main mystery that comes up here and is not answered is how the corporate conspiracy was able to prepare this frame job at all, given how the meeting time and location was decided at the last minute.

...Of course, there's always the angle of how Jin-woo is still mad at Dong-ho over his betrayal way back in the beginning of the drama, but given that this is practically the only thing these two characters ever talk about I'm really not able to feel much in the way of dramatic urgency when it comes to either one of them. Strictly speaking even if Dong-ho is convicted I don't really see how that makes him any less dangerous to Gyoo-man. Recall that Jin-woo's intelligence regarding the rape victim came from a guy behind bars.

Maybe it's a little cruel of me to feel somewhat indifferent to the main conflict. But for me, the big issue with a lot of the trappings in "Remember" is that, coated as they are in thick long-term melodrama, there's just some parts that are too ridiculous to take seriously knowing they could pop up again at any minute. Like Jin-woo's memory loss. Although if that means In-ah has to save the day, well, maybe it's not all bad.

Review by William Schwartz

"Remember" is directed by Lee Chang-min-I, written by Yoon Hyeon-ho and features Yoo Seung-ho, Park Min-young, Park Sung-woong, Namkoong Min, Jung Hye-sung and Jun Kwang-ryul

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