You're All Surrounded (2014) - Series Review: "Oldie but Goodie"

In this year when Korean Drama is well crafted and created, I was able to come across an old Korean Drama called "You're All Surrounded" on Netflix that aired in 2014 on SBS. Lee Seung-Gi, Cha Seung-Won, Go Ara, Ahn Jae-Hyeon, and Park Jung-Min star in this drama.

Image from You're All Surrounded

This series follows four new detectives who were assigned to the criminal department after a major shakeup in the police force. Lee Seung-Gi will play Eun Dae-Koo, Go Ara will play Eo Soo-sun, Ahn Jae-Hyeon will play Park Tae-Ji, and Park Jung-Min will play Ji Kook. These four detectives were assigned to work under Seo Pan-Seok, played by Cha Seung-Won.

It not only uncovers the lives of the new detectives who handle criminal cases, but it also reveals the story of Eun Dae-Koo. Eun Dae-Koo has a tragic past in which he witnessed his mother's murder, and the detective assigned at the time was Seo Pan-Seok. While working for Seo Pan-Seok, he will try to uncover the truth about his mother's death and hold those responsible accountable.

The story was good based on the plot described above. It was simply too old for me. For me, the set-up, cinematography, location, and even lighting were outdated. If you're familiar with how Korean dramas are produced nowadays, you'll notice that the elements mentioned above were different. Aside from that, the actors and story were excellent. The actors performed admirably in their roles, and they have earned the right to appear in future dramas.

Even the drama series itself was not particularly appealing; however, because it was about a crime series, I tried to understand and finish it. The cases they were involved in were not particularly difficult, but because they are new to the job, dealing with those that were would be hard. They made numerous errors even when solving simple cases, let alone complex ones. And, I believe, the main story was the murder of Dae-Koo's mother, which is why they didn't want to complicate the other cases they were working on.

One of my favorite cases here, and I apologize for the spoiler if you haven't seen it yet, was the hostage taking in a restaurant. I find it amusing that they were one of the hostages at the time, but they were still trying to solve the case. It was hilarious to watch them, and the fact that they attempted to do resolve on their own was admirable.

The hidden identity of Dae-Koo, who had a painful past, added spice to the story, making it mysterious. My heart even skipped a beat every time there was a scene that might reveal Dae-Koo's story.

The protagonist of the story was good, but the antagonist did such a good job that I wanted to smack their faces every time they did something really irritating. I thought this type of story was good as long as the antagonist did an excellent job. I've always believed that in order to tell a good story, the antagonist is just as important as the protagonist.

Image from You're All Surrounded

I can't say it was a recommendable drama because I believe there were scenes that could have been cut. What kept me watching was what would happen to Dae-Koo and how he would achieve justice for his mother. I believe that not everyone will be as dedicated to finishing this drama as I was, so I must state that this drama is not for everyone, especially those who will be watching it in 2021 or 2022.

Overall, it was an Oldie but a Goodie, as I said. Leaving aside how it was captured, lit, and made, the story was there, and the acting was there, making it a worthwhile drama to watch. If you care about lighting and cinematography, I wouldn't recommend this, but if you want to learn about the previous dramas starring Lee Seung-Gi, Go Ara, and Ahn Jae-Hyun, try watching this one. It was great to see them all together on one screen. It's a shame that Ahn Jae-Hyun hasn't had any dramas in the last few years, but I wish and hope that he will be able to participate in dramas again.

Have you seen this drama? How did you feel about this one?