Well, if you crack, I can't share the excitement of this drama. No Korean TV series has been so hard on me. I only watched it because I don't like to quit, because I think they'll always come back. And Kim Nam Gil is good, for the first time discovered him.
There are no complaints to the actors, they played well, but the presentation of the plot itself raises a lot of questions.
The problems shown in the series cannot be clothed in comedy, only drama. Laughter does not solve the problem, it only creates the appearance that everything is fine. And you won't do anything, and you'll think you can live like that. And you have to live in a city corrupt from top to bottom, in a city where the law is represented by stupid policemen, about whom everyone wipes their feet. Where the prosecutor is acting like an unbalanced psychopath. Where any crime of high officials is turned so that it almost becomes a saint, and everyone will swallow it.
I wish the jokes were highly intelligent, no. All toilet humor, everyone has some kind of constant diarrhea.
Well, the push on the Russians, of course, is colossal. I’ve never seen this before with the Koreans. Not only is the main Russian in the film with a Korean face, painted like you don't know who. And all the others are exposed to criminals and drug addicts, who are afraid of even the police, and for whom there is a separate ghetto. Not only is it not funny, it is even unpleasant to look at.
And the fights here are beautiful, yes, you can see it.
First impressions cannot be made twice. Therefore, when someone asks: “Where to begin acquaintance with Korean dramas?” – you have to go with trump cards.
“The Holy Spirit” is one of them.
By and large, there is everything here to either love Korean filmmaking immediately and irrevocably, or for sure to understand that you are not on your way with him.
A cool, eventful and totally unrealistic scenario. Extremely charismatic but goofy heroes. Slow-mo in beautiful poses. Quotes "from VK" and from the classics. Exaggerated humor. Genre swings in each series. A celebration of costumers and makeup artists. The struggle against the universal evil, which Koreans almost always appear in the form of corruption and social inequality. Heroic extermination of Soju by small groups, but on an industrial scale. Omnipresent traumas from the past, which the main characters have to overcome. You know, it's a complete set of pleasures. And unlike many other dramas – here it is mixed with taste.
Kim Nam Gil (Kim's father) is unseemly good! He is equally trustworthy in every image he has in his drama. And switch between them so easily and effortlessly, as if it does not require any effort. Here he is a sarcastic priest, who instructs sinners on the path of truth with barbaric statements. A minute later, a gloomy and broken ex-SWAT team member sweeps everyone in his path. And if you blink three times – a cocky, high-aged teenager who trolls the police and local gopniks, brawls in the station or, drunk in junk, tries to feed colleagues in the church burning hot dumplings, waking them up in the middle of the night.
You don't have to miss it. Father Kim's company is a worthy and diverse audience. Everyone has skeletons in their closet. Almost everyone has hidden talents. Almost no one has the desire to change and improve.
But Father Kim will reach all lost souls, whether they like it or not.
Does he have any good quotes?
“Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.”
9 out of 10
1. The script practically does not sag, almost to the very end maintaining a fairly high level. The priest with PTSD and fists is indeed hot-tempered, and he will inflame everything and everyone around him. Be prepared and don’t say you haven’t been warned. It will be interesting.
2.The genre of detective comedy allows you to roam the fantasies of screenwriters, as a result of which even the Pope will appear in the series, and you will say “Stra-e-ess” with a characteristic intonation for several more days. And you'll love it.
3. It is very rare for Asian TV series that female characters do not piss off with their inadequacy and stupidity. You may agree or disagree with their actions, you may like them or not, but there is not a single cryptic tantrum, and it is downright incredible luck and joy. After the first episode, I thought I would spit on a nun, but... oh, just watch what happens.
3. The only thing I was sure was that the psychologist would have a separate storyline, she was so shoved into the frame in the first series, but then as if she had been forgotten.
4. Due to the fact that this is a comedy, the first series look easy, even though it is a parade of constant failures. But the heroes do not give up ... and then you get used to the fact that they always go awry.
5. The standard model of Korean TV shows works here. Usually it's a kiss in Episode 8 and a false happy ending in Episode 14, followed by a 180-degree flip to somehow stretch out another 2 episodes. There are no kisses here, and because of the fact that series 20, not 16, the magic of the fourteenth series moved to the eighteenth. I won’t spoil it, but be prepared that the genre of comedy a little bit to the end will not last.
And more. Although Vladimir Kazayev is generally a rusty character, passages about the Russians and the Russian mafia are something that even the usual stereotypes cannot explain. But I advise you to just laugh at it loudly... well, just because it’s so bad that it’s even good again.
In general, definitely look.
Comedy action-dorama from the director Lee Myung-oo is a relatively young director in creative terms, but already shines with good films: “Whisper” 2017, and the series “Part-time Salesman” 2020 and “One Normal Day” 2021.
The plot of the film tells us about a former special forces soldier, and now a priest of the Catholic Church – Kim Hae-il, who has one problem – uncontrollable attacks of aggression, which he tries to cope with. As a priest, he can’t get rid of the nightmares he has every night and the hell he’s been through in his life is still there. But every path to light is made through darkness. His spiritual master and senior mentor, Lee Seok-yun, dies under strange circumstances and the priest (Kim Hae-ilya), acting as a detective, tries to get to the truth. Since the whole city is corrupt, it has a great deal of difficulty working its way through words and actions with its fists. For some of them only words are enough, but for others only active actions are needed. On the way, he has a young but daring assistant prosecutor (Pak Ken Son) and a policeman who has forgotten about honor and dignity (Gu Dae-yeon), they later go over to the side of the priest. And many other villains of the city.
“The Hot-Tempered Priest” (dorama) is simply stunning, fascinating series, primarily for its plot, which looks like a successful combination of comedic and dramatic elements with numerous references to other cult films. And also the charisma of the main character - the priest, who is so cool that one appearance in the frame increases the coolness of the scene at times.
For European and Russian viewers, high-quality Korean TV series are a breath of fresh air and a break from the disgraced Hollywood. How nice to watch such series they, of course, sometimes ridiculously remind anime and sometimes actors deliberately overplay, showing too bright facial expressions, but this refers to the specifics of Korean cinema.
Writer Park Cha-bom seems to like to confront opposites. This applies to both the main character and the secondary ones, starting their way from the starting point of the development of the character they move in the opposite direction. And the plot develops in a way that tests and tests all of them for strength. Director Lee Myung-woo highlights the main problem of Korea is corruption and criminality in power. It shows that we must always fight and try to change not in words, but in actions.
The whole team of actors played just amazing and nice to see that they appear more and more often on screens.
An unexpected and pleasant discovery, when viewing which you can just spend a couple of evenings, clearly you will not regret it.
Since I’m so addicted to Kim Nam Gil, and I really like this actor, I’ve decided to revisit all the movies he’s been in. I know that this actor is good in all roles, including comedy, and I was convinced of this by watching the drama “Tempered Priest”. The plot revolves around the former intelligence fighter Kim Ha Il, who left his simpler, for quite understandable reasons (in the drama everything is told about it). For lack of meaning in life, carrying with him a great sense of guilt, and being saved by a priest, he also received training and took the rank of priest, becoming father Michael (just like an archangel...). Of course, the habits of the former intelligence agent make themselves felt. And the priest actually beats the crap out of the parishioners. In both the literal and the figurative sense of the word. The drama is very dynamic and funny, if you like Korean humor and its hyperbolicity at some point, then I think you will like it very much. I liked it.
In the main line there is an investigation into the murder of the senior pastor, Ha Il has to unite with the authorities to reveal the truth - no less temperamental prosecutor (Lee Ha Ni) and a raspy policeman (Kim Song Gyun), as well as arrange periodic showdowns with local bandits - Jang Ryong (Yim Moon Suk) and his boss Hwang Chul Bom (Ko Joon).
Separately, it should be noted that the secondary characters also cause a sense of empathy, are well thought out and each carries a micro-story. Bandits with principles and a clear awareness of the importance of taking responsibility for what they have done are respected. They're even a little sorry at the end. A lot of funny moments were associated with the hero Jang Ryong, as he had a very specific hairstyle and an extremely shocking appearance, as soon as he was not called. And mop, and mop, and even Rapunzel. There will be a store worker with a specialty in astrophysics, and a colorful Russian bandit with the name Gadzyaev, and a food deliveryman (aka a waiter), who is an immigrant with boring skills that will open to the middle of the drama. All parish workers are extremely difficult in their stories, their track record from a past life will make you wonder more than once.
In general, the drama is easy, pleasant, there are philosophical moments. You also think about the meaning of life, about the role of a person in the lives of other people. There will be quite touching moments where you can cry.
Interesting facts:
1. At one point, Kim Nam Gil's character will be in cast, and it won't be a sham. The actor really hurt his hand while shooting, performing stunts.
2. Kim Nam Gil received desan (the main prize) for this role at the 2019 SBS Drama Awards.
3. There were rumors about the review of the filming of the second part.
If you want an easy movie with specific Korean humor, then this drama will be a great choice.
10 out of 10
That's grass! Sectarians, the Russian mafia (with Korean faces), priests with secrets in the closet, the prosecutor, who does not get into the pocket for words, sloppy policemen - in short, it will definitely not be boring. And most importantly, despite the number of series, it does not look long. I really hope for a second season.
“God gave me the talent to punish instead of the ability to forgive.” – Father Kim
Forgiveness and words of admonition can break through to the hearts of sinners, if they are not too mired in vices, and there is still a bit of conscience and shame in them for their actions. But what if evil is too much ingrained in some people? Words like that won't work. But they are very well influenced by Father Kim, a warrior priest who restores justice in a very corrupt town.
“My brothers, raise your hand against the priest and you will be in hell.” – Father Kim
The main character, Kim Hae-il's father, knows what hell is, he has gone through it and almost every night sees him again in nightmares. A person who has been to hell is not afraid of threats and is unaware of fear, which is very surprising to the local criminal group, which did not expect such interference with its plans as one hot-tempered priest.
As they say, “one in the field is not a warrior” – and Kim’s father gradually gathers his own team, from those whom he was able to reach with his words and actions.
“The level of its steepness is growing every day.” Just a walking explosion of sexual charisma – Detective Co.
The drama is simply stunning, and knocks down the charisma of the main character almost immediately. I haven’t seen such a hero in a long time. Kim Nam Gil has been one of my favorites before, but he’s amazing here, especially after I found out how many injuries he got from the action scenes and that the cast on his wrist was real, not scripted.
Bottom line: a very good series, don’t miss it. Some comedic moments were just to tears (especially the banter about Star Wars and the drama Mr. Sunshine). A couple of points reduced only because of too hung cranberries about the Russian mafia with Korean faces, but this did not prevent you to watch and enjoy the series, especially shown “Russian” not so often.
8 out of 10