Episode Guide
Episode 1: The first episode of the show was good. It had a lot of action and excitement. The review score for this episode was 3.5/5. Episode 2: The second episode of the show was better than the first. It had more action and excitement. The review score for this episode was 4/5.
The novel follows the lives of the five members of a dysfunctional family, as they are all implicated in a series of murders. The author does an excellent job of creating believable and sympathetic characters, while also ratcheting up the suspense with nail-biting twists and turns. This is a must-read for crime fans who enjoy a good psychological thriller. ..
Netflix’s latest K-drama is a 10 episode exploration of loyalty and the lengths one will go to protect their family. But then it’s also about the perception VS reality of one’s family; how the surface can sometimes show a very different story to what’s really going on under the hood. This motif of family is not only in the conventional sense of blood relatives though, it also extends out to family ties for the drug ring gangsters too.
The show is well-made and provides a lot of interesting insights into the lives of its characters. The flashbacks are especially helpful in filling in some of the blanks about their past. The pacing is perfect, and the story flows smoothly.
This is a well-done exposition scene that gives the reader a better understanding of what’s going on. Late in the episode, we are also given some black and white shots of earlier events to give more context and gravitas.
Dong-Ha’s story is about how he tries to make ends meet and save for his son’s surgery, only to have the money go bad and fall apart. He goes from being a hardworking man to a struggling one, all because of one mistake.
Dong-Ha is desperate for money and strikes lucky on his way home from work, noticing two bags of money in the back of a car. The two men inside are dead. After taking the money and burying the bodies in his own back garden, Dong-Ha unwittingly tumbles head-first into the seedy underbelly of crime, and in particular the Yongsoo and Sangseon Drug Rings.
Kwang-Chul, the second-in-command for this drug ring, starts to investigate, leading him to Dong-Ha’s back garden. Only, it also brings officer Joo-Hyun there too. Will Dong-Ha come out of this on top?
Dong-Ha is a Korean-American man living in a predominantly white neighbourhood in Los Angeles. He’s been the target of intimidation and threats from local gangsters and police officers since he moved in, and fears for his safety. The first few episodes of the series follow Dong-Ha as he tries to stay one step ahead of those looking to take him down. ..
Dong-Ha is the son of the head of the Yongsoo Drug Ring, and he’s not content with his father’s role in the business. He wants to take it over himself, and he starts to distance himself from his brothers. This rift starts to grow between Kwang-Chul, Kang-Jun and Yoon-Soo, and it becomes difficult for them to work together.
The Model Family is a television series that examines the lengths one will go for justice and loyalty. Even Joo-Hyun, the officer investigating the Drug Ring, is given a compelling arc and most of these characters have a solid and satisfying conclusion to them. However, do be aware that the final scenes of the season are pretty ambiguous, meaning we may or may not be getting a second season.
The acting is fantastic all around with Jung Woo as Park Dong-Ha, Park Hee-Soon as Kwang-Chul, and Choi Moo-Sung as Yong-Soo. Everyone else puts in a good performance too but these three stand out as the best. ..
The show has a lot of potential, but it’s not perfect. The editing is sloppy and the soundtrack is forgettable, but overall the show has a lot of potential. There are some similarities to other popular TV shows, like Ozark and Breaking Bad, and the plot and characters are evolving nicely. However, there are some areas where the show could use some improvement. The editing could be more polished and the soundtrack could be more memorable.
While it would be easy to point at A Model Family and call it a Korean copycat, there’s enough here to let this one stand on its own two feet.
The story is about a family that is under pressure to find a way to make ends meet and keep their home. It’s not perfect, but the pacing and compelling acting – not to mention a slick aesthetic – make it worth watching.
