Moving

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Synopsis

Kim Bong Seok, Jang Hui Soo and Lee Gang Hoon attend Jeongwon High School. They look like ordinary students, but they all have special abilities (flying, healing wounds, super-strength). While they try to conceal their powers, their parents fight to protect them from people who want to use their children to their advantage.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

Moving is a masterpiece! I had not felt the need to binge-watch a drama that fast in a very long time, but the story is so addictive! First of all, the cast is top-notch with many veteran actors and promising young figures. Second, the story is brilliantly written and perfectly combined with the beautiful direction. I really liked how each episode is centered on one character at the beginning, as it allows for a better understanding of their power and past. The drama combines action scenes with romantic moments with an incredible subtlety. Not only is it sometimes fast-paced and thrilling, but also heartwarming and relationship-centered. As for the special effects and CGIs, they are super credible. No wonder it’s the most expensive drama ever to date! All in all, I can only recommend you watch this show, it’s amazing!

Analysis

• Timelines
  1987
  1990
  1992
  1994
  1995-2002
  2003
  2004-2016
  2016-2018
  2019
• The narration
  Part 1, the individuals
  Part 2, the organization
  Part 3, the clash between countries
• The love stories
  Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Doo Sik
  Jang Ju Won and Hwang Ji Hee
  Kim Bong Seok and Jang Hui Soo
• Relationships
  Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Bong Seok
  Jang Ju Won and Jang Hui Soo
  Lee Jae Man and Lee Gang Hoon
  Secondary characters
  Teacher-student relationship
  Other moving bonds
• Humanity and feelings
• The institutions
  South Korean team
  North Korean team
  US team
• Ending
  The final fight
  Rebellion against the system
  A happy ending
• Towards a second season
  Mr. Min’s takeover
  Frank and Elias
  Young Tak, the time master
  

Timelines: Though the drama starts in 2018, the story goes back to as far as 1987 to introduce the parents’ past and how they got entangled with the government’s elite forces. On top of that, the time travel through the decades that forged characters’ careers and lives displays glimpses of major political and cultural events of the country such as the ANSP and its restructuring into the NIS or the Cheonggyecheon project. Below is a chronology of the events that occur in the drama.

1987: It all starts in 1987 when Kim Doo Sik (Jo In Sung) flies towards a commercial plane that has a terrorist on board. He uses his special ability to warn the pilots, but his attempt is unfortunately unsuccessful. The plane blows up in the sky. Later on, we learn that Kim Doo Sik had never been ordered by the higher-ups to rescue that plane. He did it out of empathy which is what Mr. Min has always disliked in him. Doo Sik is considered a romanticist which taints his potential as a black agent. Nonetheless, Kim Doo Sik is the best agent the ANSP has ever had. And that plane incident is the only stain in his file.

1990: Though Jang Ju Won’s (Ryu Seung Ryong) love story is explained after that of Doo Sik and Mi Hyun, it starts earlier in time. In 1990, Jang Ju Won is the ‘Monster’. He is the hitman of a gang in Ulsan that is now expanding. Whenever in need, his boss calls him to pave the way for the gang and to fight against the rival groups. Jang Ju Won’s ability is his healing power. No matter how many times you stab, shoot, harpoon the man, he always recovers. Due to that, Jang Ju Won has used his body as a way to make money (by defrauding people after they had hit him with their car for instance) and to survive. He’s a taciturn, silent and rather passive character, but can turn into a killing machine quickly. Despite his physical strength, Ju Won has a soft heart. He’s innocent and loyal to his peers. He’s kind and doesn’t get into troubles willingly. Jang Ju Won is actually two-sided. He can be cruel, brutal, fierce and violent, as much as he can appear to be calm, kind, gentle and affectionate. It all depends on the person and the situation. That being said, the ‘Monster’ falls for the feisty Hwang Ji Hee (Kwak Sun Young). She delivers coffee, but also works as a prostitute. Nevertheless, Jang Ju Won is drawn to her and tries his best to woo her. The turning point of their relationship is when Jang Ju Won destroys the neighboring wall, when he hears Ji Hee being assaulted in the room next door. He smashes everything and everyone. After that incident, it becomes clear that ‘Hulk’ has captured Ji Hee’s heart and that their feelings are mutual. Unfortunately for Ju Won, he’s entangled in a gang war following his friend’s betrayal and a revenge scheme from one of Ji Hee’s aggressors. Mr. Min also gets wind of his ability and puts him to the test using the gangs. When he’s about to be attacked again (though this man is un-killable!), Kim Doo Sik puts an end to the fight. Jang Ju Won is then taken by the ANSP and becomes Doo Sik’s partner. Together, they are sent on a variety of missions throughout Russia, Hong Kong in 1993…. Jang Ju Won seems to have finally found a purpose. On a more personal note, he asks for Ji Hee’s hand in marriage.

1992: Lee Mi Hyun (Han Hyo Joo) has super senses. She can hear and see better than anyone else. She is top of her class and becomes the first female agent on the field. On her first mission, she is tasked to go to China. But once there, the mission goes south when the leader asks his subordinates to eliminate people who are still awake after he has spiked their tea. According to him, this is proof that they are spies from North Korea. This is of course untrue, but it results in a bloodbath. Lee Mi Hyun refuses to kill innocents and throws a grenade to help them escape. The mission fails and she’s demoted to a job as an analyst. Unbeknownst to her, it’s also her first encounter with Kim Doo Sik. Indeed, he was the back-up on the operation and refused to kill her. I believe that he saw in Lee Mi Hyun the same value he’s always abided by: Humanism. This is love at first sight for Kim Doo Sik as well.

1994: 2 years after the failure of Mi Hyun’s first mission, she’s given a second chance by Mr. Min to prove her worth as an agent. She is tasked to get in contact with Kim Doo Sik in order to assess his ability to fulfill a top secret mission aka if he would be apt to put his country’s interests before his own values. Little by little, Lee Mi Hyun schemes her encounters with Kim Doo Sik. The 2 of them eventually get closer, but Lee Mi Hyun fails a second time. Doo Sik has uncovered her plan and knows why she plotted their meetings. Nevertheless, he suggests they keep pretending because he’s attracted to her. Mi Hyun and Doo Sik become lovers, go on dates and slowly open up to one another by revealing their powers. This couple is adorable and gave me butterflies. It’s clear that they hold a deep affection for each other. Doo Sik’s love for Mi Hyun is moving, especially when you consider it was love at first sight for him. Behind his cold facade of an elite black agent, he proves to be quite the romantic. Lee Mi Hyun is as smitten with him as we are. That’s why, she lies to Mr. Min when he asks her about the mission. But the failed mission is actually a win for Mr. Min who used Mi Hyun and Doo Sik’s affection for her as a way to bind him to someone and keep control over him. Indeed, Kim Doo Sik has no family. He could thus disappear without leaving a trace and never come back if he wanted to. But his love for Mi Hyun is the missing link Mr. Min needed to keep him grounded. Shortly after, Kim Doo Sik is sent on a mission in North Korea. In the last episodes of the drama, we see Doo Sik arriving in the ‘presidential palace’ where dictator Kim Il Sung rests on his bed, kept alive by machines. Kim Doo Sik is supposed to kill him, but renounces at the last minute. By attacking North Korea, he sets of series of events for which the outcome is the final clash between North and South at Jeongwon High School. Indeed, North Korean officer Kim Deok Yoon (Park Hee Soon), who begged Doo Sik not to enter the dictator’s room, is commanded by the North Korean Security Department Chief (Son Byung Ho) to search for gifted individuals, test their abilities and transform them into soldiers ready to attack the South. Meanwhile, the natural death of Kim Il Sung sparks a chain of events in the South. Higher-ups are convinced Doo Sik’s mission went astray and order to capture him. But the latter has vanished. In the end, Kim Doo Sik chooses to go back to Mi Hyun, knowing that she was being watched and that he would thus be arrested. Once at the HQ of the ANSP, he takes Mr. Min hostage, shoots on Mi Hyun who is rescued by Doo Sik’s trusted partner Jang Ju Won. That way, Lee Mi Hyun is free of suspicion.

1995-2002: The end of the 1990s is punctuated by a series of changes for both couples. The debacle caused by Doo Sik leads to several shifts: Mr. Min’s demotion, the disappearance of the ANSP renamed the NIS in 1999. Lee Mi Hyun loses her father and ends up alone, but free from the agency. She starts another job, while still yearning for Kim Doo Sik and hoping for his return. They reunite about a year after. A time jump follows in which Mi Hyun and Doo Sik live in a remote farm and have welcomed a baby boy Bong Seok. They seem to be living a happy and simple life. They also realize that Bong Seok has his father’s gift, and so that abilities are inherited. On 14th June 2000, the two leaders of the Koreas sign the North-South Joint Declaration which declares the reinstatement of Mr. Min at the head of the NIS. His first action is to recapture Kim Doo Sik. To do so, he recruits new agents with powers among which the parents of future protagonists in the story appear in the first episodes (Jeon Gye Do’s father for instance). In order to let his family escape, Doo Sik willingly gives up. Lee Mi Hyun is forced to hide with a toddler Bong Seok and to conceal his ability. Meanwhile, Doo Sik is sent to the North again. Only difference this time is that North Korean soldiers know he would come and are prepared. Their elite soldiers manage to stop Kim Doo Sik and they throw him in jail until his miraculous release in 2018. Jang Ju Won also experiences change after the 1995 events. He remains in the organization at an administrative post but misses the field. He gets married to Ji Hee as well. Though everything seems to have settled down for him, he’s discontent and feels empty. We get to witness his married life set to the rhythm of work, sleep, work. In the year 1996, the Gangneung submarine infiltration incident (aka the discovery of a North Korean submarine on the east coast of South Korea) sets the country on high alert. It pushes the government to take action. Mr. Min reaches out to Jang Ju Won and offers to have him back on the field. Jang Ju Won accepts and joins the military as a special agent alongside Jo Rae Hyuk (Yoo Seung Mok), a man with the abilities of a rat. They are charged to hunt North Korean soldiers. However, these so-called soldiers are elite forces with powers who lured the South Korean military forces to destroy them. Jang Ju Won successfully saves many soldiers who discover his ability to never die. Among them stands Choi Il Hwan, who later becomes the teacher in charge of assessing teenagers’ powers at Jeongwon High School. This expedition against the North is the final puzzle piece for Mr. Min who uses it as a way to convince the government of the necessity of having elite agents against North Korea. He hires new agents and recreates the Black team that will proceed with Doo Sik’s capture in 2000. Around 1997, Jang Ju Won and Hwang ji Hee welcome their daughter Hui Soo. In the year of 2002 (when South Korea amazes everyone with its talent during the Soccer World Cup), Ji Hee dies in a car accident. At the same time, Jang Ju Won learns that his daughter has the same abilities as him. He’s devastated by the loss of his beloved wife and chooses to cut down on field work to take care of his daughter.

2003: The story deviates from Jang Ju Won to Lee Jae Man (Kim Sung Kyun) who is Lee Gang Hoon’s father. In 2003, the government projects to transform Cheonggyecheon overpass into a stream (like the one that we have today). This massive reconstruction project suggests the ousting of numerous shops along the overpass. Lee Jae Man’s family is one of them. Lee Jae Man is considered an idiot by most people, but he’s physically strong. He can carry enormous loads, and only has at heart to protect his wife and son which caused him problems after an incident back in 2000. While trying to protect his wife, he beat up a man (gravely). He was arrested and had a criminal record. He also had just welcomed a son Gang Hoon. In 2003, Mr. Min hears about his extraordinary strength when Lee Jae Man comes to rescue his wife who’s been arrested by the police for protesting against the Cheonggyecheon project. Jang Ju Won is called to capture him, but considering his low IQ Lee Jae Man is disqualified to be an agent. When authorities get to his house to arrest him, his son Gang Hoon demonstrates the same amount of strength as his father. This teaches Mr. Min that children inherit their parents’ abilities. It’s also the beginning of Jeongwon School Project where Mr. Min wants to nurture talents to use them afterwards for the country. The same night Mr. Min discovers children’s abilities, Jang Ju Won takes off with his daughter.

2004-2016: For almost 10 years, Choi Il Hwan watches over high potential high school students. Disguised as a PE teacher, he trains them and evaluate their potential. Among these students are Jeon Gye Do aka Bongpyeong’s son and Yang Se Eun aka Naju’s daughter (2 former agents who arrested Kim Doo Sik°. The former is deemed unqualified, while the latter dies of cancer.

2016-2018: The main protagonists Lee Bong Seok, Jang Hui Soo and Lee Gang Hoon attend Jeongwon High School. The US has sent their agent Frank to kill retired black agents like Naju, Bongpyeong and Jincheon. While teenagers discover their powers and make new friendships, parents uncover the truth behind Jeongwon High School’s real purpose. By the end of 2018, North Korea sends its agents to recover files on the gifted children living in South Korea. That’s when the clash between the 2 sides happens and a final fight unfolds.

2019: This year marks the end of a cycle. Kim Doo Sik kills Mr. Min, while his equivalent in North Korea is executed as well. The 3 main teenagers have graduated and have entered college. Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Doo Sik have reunited. It’s also the beginning of a new cycle with Ma Sang Gu’s arrival at the head of the bureau and the dispatch of a new American agent on Korean soil.

The narration: In my opinion, the drama is split into 3 main parts and follows a funnel-like pattern to introduce characters, explain their pasts and connect events all together.

Part 1, the individuals: Episodes 1 to 7 (approximately) introduce the main characters of the story, the setting and the first problems that arise. In terms of characters, the drama focuses on one specific individual and his/her powers per episode. So, we have one episode focused on the main trio of teenagers Kim Bong Seok (Lee Jeong Ha), Jang Hui Soo (Go Yoon Jung), Lee Gang Hoon (Kim Do Hoon); their unexpected allies Jeon Gye Do (Cha Tae Hyun) and enemies like Frank (Ryu Seung Beom). In terms of setting, the school appears to be a pivotal location where the protagonists all go. Above all that, Jeongwon High School proves to be quite mysterious as it seems that teachers spy on students with extraordinary capabilities and keep records on them. Teachers are suspicious, just like the principal or the cleaning lady. While on his mission to eradicate now retired agents, Frank discovers that the school is a breeding ground for gifted teenagers. The presence of this US agent on South Korean ground represents a menace to everyone which forces Mr. Min (Moon Sung Geun) to intervene after the deaths of several of his former agents. He threatens his American equivalent named Mark (Daniel C. Kennedy) who has no choice but to give in. In parallel, Hui Soo’s father, Jang Ju Won has unexpectedly met Frank and gotten rid of him – or that’s what we are led to believe. The seven first episodes also offer the opportunity to understand the lives that Bong Seok, Hui Soo and Gang Hoon and their parents have lived so far. Teenagers start creating strong bonds, especially Hui Soo and Bong Seok, while sharing their secret that is their special abilities. But the fragile balance that characters seem to have found is rapidly jeopardized when their powers start being exposed to the public.

Part 2, the organization: Episodes 8 to 15 transport us back in time. We end up in the late 1980s/1990s/early 2000s. This time the spotlight is not on the children anymore, but on their parents and their job as agents. The narrative moves from the depiction of individual’s story towards the introduction of a special agency from the ANSP. In those episodes, we follow the romance of Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Doo Sik, as well as Jang Ju Won and Hwang Ji Hee’s and their trials while escaping the Mr. Min’s claws. Several characters who reunite in the last episodes start their relationship during that timeline. Whether it’d be Jang Ju Won and Lee Jae Man in the 2000s or Kim Doo Sik and the North Korean soldiers.

Part 3, the clash between countries: The last part from episodes 16 to 20 is centered on the fight between North and South Korea. When the group and the agency were the main framework of part 2, part 3 showcases a clash between countries and national interests. The protagonists from part 1 (the children) and part 2 (the parents) join hands in this fight. While parents want to protect their kids, the latter explore their powers to fend for themselves.

The love stories: Romance in Moving is just like the title says it! It is moving and heartwarming. In most cases, characters who are quite different tend to make the perfect match, all because they have a good heart. I really loved how love stories were intertwined with the action and displayed through time.

Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Doo Sik: The first flash backs in the 1990s focus on Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Doo Sik’s encounter. The former is a failed female agent who was demoted for her refusal to obey orders, the latter is the top black agent of the agency. Though both pretend they meet unexpectedly, they actually know each other beforehand. Lee Mi Hyun is tasked to spy on Kim Doo Sik who himself was present during her failed operation. They bond over the coffee machine, then over a plate of donkatsu. Slowly but surely they rely on each other and reveal their secret. Up to the point that Mi Hyun lies to Mr. Min and Doo Sik risks his life to see her again after troubles arise. Their love is a blooming one that is showcased with the rhythm of seasons. The 2 cold, distant and lonely characters strike a relationship in the snowy winter. Then they confess under flourishing trees in trees. Both are faithful and fully trust each other which explains why their relationship is long-lasting and solid. Kim Doo Sik always fulfills his promises, even if it is years later. As for Mi Hyun, her love in her husband never wavered despite the separation. Together, they are blessed with a child Bong Seok who gets the best of the both world: His super senses from his mother and flying abilities from his father. The episodes centered on their family life were heartwarming and beautiful. I could feel the love Doo Sik and Mi Hyun had not only for each other, but also for their child. Their reunion at the end after years of being apart is an excellent way of finishing the drama.

Jang Ju Won and Hwang Ji Hee: Jang Ju Won is the monster with a heart of gold. He’s loyal, kind, affectionate, but also pure and innocent when it comes to love. On the other side, Hwang Ji Hee has lived it all. She’s a feisty woman who works as a prostitute to survive. As unexpected as it sounds, Ju Won falls head over heels for Ji Hee and her fighting spirit. Meanwhile, Ji Hee is drawn to Ju Won and his ability to make her feel protected and safe. He’s her ‘Hulk’ (like literally). The green monster who’s willing to go through a wall to rescue her (what he does!). Ju Won is also very responsible when it comes to taking care of his family. Even if Ji Hee always pushes him to do something he appreciates, he’d rather have a stable job and provide for her than to start anew and put her at risk. Their relationship as a married couple is adorable. Quickly they settle down in a routine that seems to convene to both until Ji Hee’s solitude at home starts to become burdening. That’s when they decide to welcome their baby daughter Hui Soo. She’s her parents’ treasure. When Ji Hee dies in a car accident leaving behind an indestructible Hui Soo, Ju Won is devastated. He’s lost the love of his life, his forever support, his soulmate. I honestly cried during those scenes. My heart was broken in thousand pieces. After everything they had gone through, they could only enjoy some years of happiness. What an unfair world!

Kim Bong Seok and Jang Hui Soo: Kim Bong Seok and Jang Hui Soo represent the new generation of ‘super-people’. As the children of former agents, it’s only natural that they would be involved in the fight against agencies and other agents. The unexpected part though is the bond they have right from the beginning. When Hui Soo is first transferred to Jeongwon High School, Bong Seok develops an immediate crush on her. Bong Seok rapidly becomes Hui Soo’s friend, if not her closest friend considering she has none in this new school. They spend most of their time together, support each other and rely on one another. Like all teenagers, they have their doubts on their future and their present if we take into account the difficulty for them to blend among non-extraordinary people. Hui Soo discovers Bong Seok’s secret quite fast, as he starts floating whenever he sees her (just like his father when he first kisses Mi Hyun). For Hui Soo, his floating is the perfect proof of the feelings he has for her, which she finds cute and heartwarming. Even if Bong Seok admits he feels like he doesn’t fit, Hui Soo comforts him by saying he’s special just like her. Their friendship then turns into romance with swoon-worthy confessions. On top of that, this love line forces Bong Seok to learn how to control his power in case Hui Soo finds herself in danger (it occurs twice in the drama, especially at the end). Thanks to her and through his love for her he awakens his real strength and becomes who he’s supposed to be. We may think that Bong Seok is the most in love (to be honest I couldn’t resist his sweet smile), but Hui Soo also cares a lot about her classmate. She clearly reciprocates his feelings and wishes to help him as much as he helps her. Finally, I find it quite ironic that Bong Seok and Hui Soo are connected through their parents: Kim Doo Sik and Ju Won used to be partners. Funny that their own children also become involved one way or another, even years later. They also share a lot of similarities, but one trait that all love lines have in common is the tenderness and affection characters have for their respective partner. That being said, it was only normal that Bong Seok and Hui Soo would be two lovely lovebirds and absolutely adorable cuties.

Relationships: Moving showcases a variety of relationships. Whether it’d be between parents and children, teacher and students, or even partners, the drama emphasizes on the each character’s humanity and the bond that can bloom sometimes unexpectedly between people. It celebrates parenthood, friendship, love and so much more.

Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Bong Seok: Lee Mi Hyun was forced to raise her toddler Bong Seok almost on her own. After Kim Doo Sik was taken away by the agency, she fled with their son and hid. All along she had only one goal in mind: To protect her child from those who chased after her. Her past as an agent and her knowledge of the agency left her scarred though. Lee Mi Hyun unwillingly transmitted this fear of being found out to her son even if she only wishes for his happiness and safety. Bong Seok learned how to conceal his power rather than to embrace it and felt estranged with his mother’s past. He’s never known his father, his name, his life and his mother’s before having him for instance. Bong Seok is also quite restricted in his daily life: He needs to give constant information on his whereabouts to his mother for example. This may be the normal behavior of a mother, but it is heightened in Mi Hyun’s case. Bong Seok is kind and accepts this until he can’t bear it anymore. In a pretty straightforward conversation with his mother, he makes her understand how stuffed he feels. This moment is an eye-opener for Mi Hyun who concedes she’s been tough and the reasons behind. This clearing up of the air allows for mother and son to reconnect, but also to bond even more. The last episodes are the best epitome of their strong relationship and Mi Hyun’s mother instinct. She goes to the school, armed, and fights against those who want to harm her child. She pronounces the following sentence which I really found beautiful: ‘I’ll become a monster anytime, if it’s to protect my child.‘ Similarly, Bong Seok has grown up to the point that he‘s also capable of protecting his own mother. At the end of the fight at the school, he carries his mother on his back to evacuate her from the collapsing building. This scene is put in parallel with that of Mi Hyun carrying her toddler on her back. Roles are now reversed but the bond remains just as strong.

Jang Ju Won and Jang Hui Soo: Hui Soo is Ju Won’s precious daughter. For this man who’s been alone most of his life and lost his wife prematurely, his child represents the apple of his eye. After Ji Hee’s death, Ju Won decided to assume the role of both parents and make sure she would be taken care of properly in order to fill the void left by her mother. Though absent at first because of his work as an agent, he compensates the lost time when he flees with her. Father and daughter are very similar not only because they share the same regenerative/healing power, but also in terms of personality. They are calm, patient, speak little about their feelings, but feel many different emotions. They are also kind and comprehensive, comforting and forgiving. Together they are a beautiful pair that equals Mi Hyun and Bong Seok’s bond.

Lee Jae Man and Lee Gang Hoon: If Jang Ju Won and Lee Mi Hyun are the type of parents who would sacrifice themselves for their child, Lee Jae Man (Kim Sung Kyun) is even more devoted to his son. Due to his mental disability, Lee Jae Man is not always able to understand social cues and the messy situations he puts himself into. Nevertheless, there’s one thing he’s sure of: Lee Gang Hoon is his utmost priority, even before his wife. When Gang Hoon was a child, Jae Man would bring him to school and fetch him at the end of the day, play with him, spend his free time in his company while his wife was making money at the shop. Even when he gets himself into trouble for helping his wife during the Cheonggyecheon riot, he goes back to his son and leads the agency to his house. But he had made a promise to his son and refuses to break it. At the end of the drama, he reiterates his devotion to his child by running to his rescue, when he’s on house arrest and probation. But Lee Jae Man doesn’t care about rules or laws. His father instinct tells him that his son is in danger, and the only thing he can think about is to go and protect him. Lee Gang Hoon is also quite close to his father, as he willingly joins the agency. In exchange, the government accepts to clear his father’s criminal records. Though they don’t talk that much, Jae Man’s affection is reciprocated. The only difference is that Jae Man uses his strength to defend his son, while Gang Hoon utilizes his brain and skills to protect his father.

Secondary characters: Parenthood is not expressed only through our three main pairs. In the background, there are other side stories that show parental love. For example, the agent named Naju lost her daughter of cancer while she was being harshly trained at school. After her death, she started adopted other children. It was a way for her to take care of other kids who needed shelter, while fulfilling the void left by her deceased daughter. Jeon Gye Do aka Bungaeman and his father also have a complex relationship. But what transpires is that his father (another agent chased and eliminated by Frank) protects him until the very end. Upon discovering the truth, Gye Do (Cha Tae Hyun) also tries to get his revenge.

Teacher-student relationship: Choi Il Hwan (Kim Hee Won) used to be in the army where he encounter Guryongpo that is to say Jang Ju Won. He thus applied to be an agent. However, his mission was a bit different than what he’d expect. He went undercover as a teacher at Jeongwon High School. For many years, his role was to assess students with high potentials and deliver reports on their performance. Unfortunately, many failed or even died. This made Il Hwan question his purpose. In the end, he spent more time teaching than as an agent which opened his eyes in some ways. Maybe what he’s good at and should do is guide students on the right track. Not a path that has been chosen for them by the agency, but rather one that corresponds to their talent and desires. Choi Il Hwan takes his role seriously, and protects even the most ordinary students like Bang Ki Soo (Shin Jae Hwi) or Han Byul (Park Han Sol). Throughout the drama, I really had the impression that Choi Il Hwan was being used by Mr. Min (like so many others), but he was not entirely betraying his values. In his own way he was also protecting his students from him.

Other moving bonds: I would finish this part on relationships by mentioning that bonds are visible between South Korean characters, but also between North Korean agents. The elite team with superpowers that is sent at the end to retrieve the files on the teenagers has its own story. Its members went through similar struggles as agents, suffered together and protected each other. They are soldiers, comrades, and partners. They are not beast, monsters or purely aggressors who come to wreak havoc and destroy their enemy. On the contrary, the drama manages to show their humane side. Kim Deok Yoon for instance refuses to fulfill his mission by killing Bong Seok, simply because he’s a kid. And killing kids has never been part of the deal. Kwon Yong Deuk (Park Kwang Jae) and Im Jae Seok (Kim Joong Hee) have developed a special type of friendship. As Jae Seok had spent most of his time in a dark cell, Yong Deuk started using a suitcase to transport him and hide him from the light. Even the training they’ve been through has forged an invisible bond between them which explains their pain when they lose one of their own.

Humanity and feelings: Drama focuses on human emotions like love, affection, camaraderie and solidarity, empathy… no matter what side is showed North or South. You feel a lot of empathy for Frank and Im Jae Hyuk though they are on the US and North Korean sides, as much as you hate Mr. Min for splitting Kim Doo Sik and Lee Mi Hyun and forcing them into hiding.

The institutions: There are 3 major organizations in the story. Though they serve different countries – and thus purposes/interests – they obey the same principles: Using people with powers to their benefit, send them on missions as agents to kill the so-called enemy, create diplomatic incidents or disrupt the country through major political stirs in order to gain authority, wealth, power or control over the enemy. Elite soldiers are used and disposed of very easily no matter the team. They are victims of this system that sees them as weapons/pawns and not as people on the political (and international) scene. Hence the governments’ determination to catch people with powers and force them into joining the ranks by threatening them in most cases with their families’ lives.

South Korean team: Out of the 3 institutions, South Korea appears to be the least cruel when it comes to training black agents. This doesn’t mean that the process is not brutal and sometimes immoral of course. But compared to the US and North Korea, it causes the least damage. The ANSP forms potential agents that it trains in very difficult conditions to assess whether they’d be capable of fulfilling their mission. Recruits are taught the fundamentals of theory (shooting, being discreet, how to react under pressure) before being sent to the field if they match expectations. However, the field is a ruthless playground as Lee Mi Hyun’s first case demonstrates. The enemy is not always who we think and situation are rarely black and white. Hence the moral dilemmas agents are confronted with like killing their colleagues or innocent people. When it comes to agents with powers, the ANSP uses them on all sorts of missions where their skills are an asset. Nevertheless, the missions are not always right. But black agents must stay loyal to the cause. Though the field is no walk in the park, it’s even harder for agents to quit their job, especially when they have supernatural capabilities. The ANSP chases them and refuses to let them go, using most of the time family members as hostages. They thus become prisoners and have to abide by rules that go against their values. That’s the reason why agents like Jang Ju Won, Lee Mi Hyun and Kim Doo Sik fled and/or hid from the ANSP.

North Korean team: Even if the South Korean government uses and disposes of agents according to their rules, it’s even worse in North Korea. Upon learning that the South is using people with abilities to attack/spy on them (following Kim Doo Sik’s intrusion in the presidential palace), North Korea starts recruiting its own army. However, the tests actually are survival games in which candidates either succeed or die trying. Indeed, they are pushed at the edge of a cliff with soldiers in their back. They need to jump or they receive a bullet and die on the spot. This terrible method makes more losers than winners, as we see a pile of cadavers on the ground below. Even their trainers, like Kim Deok Yoon can’t withstand such cruelty of the government towards its own people. All in all, the North Korean institution doesn’t care about casualties or human lives. Its agents are soldiers that is to say pawns placed on a chessboard. This explains the solidarity and camaraderie between North Korean agents. Just like in the South, the families of the agents deployed on the field are held captive and executed if agents fail.

US team: Thanks to the episode centered on Frank, we also get to see how elite agents are selected and trained in the US. When North and South Korea await for potential agents to be teenagers/adults before testing them, the US has a completely different strategy. They take them as children, de-sensitive them to the world of violence and push them to their limit in a sort of survival game from which only a portion survive. Children’s humanity is taken away, worse than in the 2 other countries. When code names based on the hometown were used in South Korea (e.g. Jang Ju Won is Guryongpo), the US categorizes each child using a letter. Frank is thus ‘F’. And this letter is scarred on their backs.

Ending: In less than one episode, many different events happen. Most of them point towards a good resolution of the intrigue and a happy ending.

The final fight: The final episodes at school entail the core of the action: The clash between North Korean soldiers and the South Korean characters. The drama brilliantly showed how equal both teams actually are by making characters with similar powers fight: Bong Seok vs. Jun Hwa (both fly); Ju Won vs. Yong Deuk (both invincible); Gang Hoon and Jae Man vs. Chan Il (super-strength); Mi Hyun vs. Deok Yoon. Of course other characters with their own specificities join the fight (Jae Seok and Gye Do for example), but this doesn’t change the fact that there’s not much difference between North and South. If we extrapolate even further, North and South Koreans are quite the same: Agents have experienced terrible trainings and lived atrocious moments, they speak the same language, are used and disposed of by their respective governments in similar ways, and remain human until the very end. The final fight may look like a confrontation between good and evil, but it’s actually a useless battle against normal people who just wish they’d be free to live their lives the way they want with their families, in spite of their powers.

Rebellion against the system: After the events at the school, there’s a sort of domino effect on what happens to the agencies in the South and in the North. A rebellion enfolds in which survivors execute the heads of the organizations in an attempt to free themselves from the government. Mr. Min is killed by Kim Doo Sik who’s been released by Jun Hwa. The latter has also killed the leader of his agency in retaliation for using their people as cannon fodder. Many lives have already been lost. So, both sides agree this rule of terror has to end with their generation.

A happy ending: By the end of the drama, the story seems to point towards a happy ending. In 2019, all students (including our main trio) graduate from high school. Jang Hui Soo enters university with a sports major, her father’s chicken place is working well and they have added a new member of the crew: A former North Korean soldier who has the same ability as them. Kim Doo Sik is freed from his North Korean cell by Jung Jun Hwa and is at last reunited with Lee Mi Hyun and his son. Bong Seok has managed to control his power and uses it on a regular basis to help people when accidents occur (e.g. fires in a building). Though no one knows his face, he goes by the name of the Yellow Man in the media. One important point to note here, and that could be interesting if there’s a next season, is that by doing so Bong Seok is slowly revealing to the world that there are some people who have special abilities. Now that their existence is out in the open, it may become harder for the government to use them as black agents.

Towards a second season: There are many clues at the end of the season 1 that point towards a continuation of the hit drama. So, let’s see together what these twists are.

Mr. Min’s takeover: At the end of the drama, Mr. Min is executed by Kim Doo Sik as part of his plan to put an end to agents’ exploitation – and as part of his revenge also I guess. Unfortunately, the need for elite soldiers is too great for the South Korean government. So, instead of shutting down the organization, another agent takes over Mr. Min’s position. The finale reveals that it is Ma Sang Gu (Park Byung Eun) who’s patriotic to the core and cruel. His demeanor had already been displayed during Mi Hyun’s first operation as an agent. Ma Sang Gu gathered people during an event and eliminated everyone who turned out to be a spy/traitor. Lee Mi Hyun’s intervention is what put an end to the massacre which cost her a spot on the field. Seeing Ma Sang Gu as Mr. Min’s replacement is rather concerning because he’s even more immoral. The last scenes of the drama also shows glimpses of the future with Gang Hoon joining the NIS as a special agent. The reason why he adhered is to erase his father’s criminal record. But his intentions and journey within the organization remain unknown. Finally, another interesting twist occurs in the finale. It is revealed that Shin Hye Won’s (Shim Dal Gi) actually Mr. Min’s superior. She used to be the bullied student at Hui Soo’s school and Hui Soo had to transfer schools after a fight while trying to protect Hye Won. That being said, it becomes clear that Hye Won’s involvement with Hui Soo was to lure her out of her current school and make her go to Jeongwon High School. I believe that Hye Won is also gifted considering that she looks like a teenager. So, maybe she doesn’t age at all. Nevertheless, I’m very intrigued to see how her character is going to interact with the rest of the story, as she was essentially in the shadows in that season.

Frank and Elias: The ending sheds light on the international situation following the events in South Korea. Mark, the US equivalent of Mr. Min, is seen skimming through confidential files, while on the phone. Frank, the US agent from the beginning, is qualified as missing – though a scene shows him alive. In the meantime, Mark requires that Elias be sent on a mission. Indeed, Frank was not the only child to survive his deadly test. Among them was a younger child marked with an ‘E’ in the back who seems ever more dangerous, clever and capable than Frank. We don’t know his power yet, but he is probably going to be a challenge.

Young Tak, the time master: During the episode centered on Choi Il Hwan, the drama reveals several students he’s tested in his career to see if they were qualified enough to become agents. Though most of them were failures, one student managed to slip through the cracks. We don’t get to see his face during his one-to-one with Choi Il Hwan, but we experience his power. He can stop time without Il Hwan realizing it. The fact that the drama didn’t expose his face is a sufficient clue to understand that he may be relevant in the next season. If push comes to shove, Young Tak may become the greatest enemy or ally in season 2. I am also very curious to see how his power is going to influence the narrative because it can and will definitely change the game.