Don't Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus

Don't Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus Profile

• Drama: Don't Look Back : The Legend of Orpheus (English title) / Shark (literal title)
• Revised romanization: Sangeo
• Hangul: 상어
• Director: Park Chan-Hong, Cha Young-Hoon
• Writer: Kim Ji-Woo
• Network: KBS2
• Episodes: 20
• Release Date: May 27 - July 30, 2013
• Runtime: Mon & Tue 21:55
• Language: Korean
• Country: South Korea
• "Don't Look Back : The Legend of Orpheus" takes over the KBS2 Mon & Tue 21:55 time slot previously occupied by "The Queen of Office" and followed by "Good Doctor" on August 5, 2013.
• First script reading took place April 10, 2013 in South Korea. All the main performers and staff attended.

ABOUT THE SERIES "Don't Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus"

A man loses his father due to a woman's family. He loves the woman dearly. The man then is targeted by the woman's family to be killed. Now, the man changes his face and hides his true identity. He begins to take revenge on the woman's family, but he struggles between the desire for revenge and love.

Yi-Soo's (later played by Kim Nam-Gil) family moves into a small carriage house on the premises of Jo Sang-Kook's (Lee Jung-Kil) mansion. Yi-Soo's father works as the chauffeur for Jo Sang-Kook, who is the president of Gaya Hotel. Jo Sang-Kook is well respected, but his son Jo Ui-Sun (Kim Kyu-Cheol) doesn't take after his father. He continues to have affairs with actresses and anchorwomen. His wife suffers heavily because of his infidelity as well as his daughter Hae-Woo (later played by Son Ye-Jin).

Yi-Soo transfers to the same high school where Hae-Woo attends. They become friends and also develop feelings for each other, but things change.

Professor Kang (Choi Duk-Moon) visits Jo Sang-Kook's home and asks about a man. Jo Sang-Kook tries to hide his surprise. Yi-Soo's father then drives Professor Kang back to his home. Professor Kang leaves behind papers in the car. Yi-Soo's father finds the papers and reads it, before locking it up in a locker at the train station. The next day, Professor Kang is found dead.

Meanwhile, Hae-Woo's father causes a hit-and-run accident. Jo Sang-Kook makes a deal with Yi-Soo's father to take the blame for his son's hit-and-run accident. Yi-Soo's father accepts the deal, but later changes his mind. He calls Jo Sang-Kook to inform him of his change of heart and that he will go to the police station to tell them his was not involved in the hit-and-run accident. While crossing the street to get to the police station, Yi-Soo's father is killed by an unidentified man.

After his father's death, Yi-Soo tries to prove his father's innocence. Yi-Soo is convinced that Hae-Woo's father was the driver in the hit-and-run accident. Then, Yi-Soo is given a key to a locker in the train station. He goes there and reads the paper stored in the locker. Yi-Soo calls Hae-Woo and tells her that they will be together no matter what. At that time, Yi-Soo is taken away. He is presumed dead.

13 years later, Yi-Soo appears at the wedding ceremony for Hae-Woo and Joon-Young (Ha Seok-Jin). The night after their wedding ceremony, Hae-Woo and Yi-Soo meet on the hotel balcony. Yi-Soo's plan for revenge begins.

comments on Don't Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus

• I just finished watching this drama like 2 minutes ago. A lot of people didn't like the ending, but I did. I couldn't think of other ways to end it. This drama, I really enjoyed it because it's not only revenge, but you learn about other things along the way. Well you will need to watch it to know what I mean. This was a good drama in my opinion and I would watch it again, but not a for a while because then if I watch it a right away it will lose it meaning. So maybe in a few years or so. There were some part that was draggy, but overall it was a good drama. But I wish they would focus more on the other characters other than Hae Woo and Yi Soo. This drama was kinda similar to Bad guy, but in the end it was a lot different. I enjoyed the soundtrack. I have to admit after watching this drama I as curious about the Legend of Orpheus, so I am going to read it about it. Well at least I learned something from this drama is that Revenge is not a way to solve a problem.
• Dark and richly encrusted with elegant symbolism, Shark manages to be poetic as well as thrilling. The intensity of the lead and the constantly unraveling mysteries will keep the viewer moving desperately through the story -- much like the titular animal does to survive. That being said, certain issues keep this drama from being perfect. It's still worth a gander though; double that if you like dark revenge stories or are just a fan of Kim Nam Gil.

A major selling point of Shark rests in its surprisingly solid plot. The writers seem to have taken delight in the meticulous set up of their mysteries and, for the most part, executed them perfectly. Something I found unique was the way human ugliness and desperation colored the events. Many characters committed terrible acts and possessed deplorable qualities; innocent people suffered and became cornered by forces they couldn't control. It felt honest and multifaceted, a fantasy painted in the realistic gray tones of the world. Unfortunately, despite obvious care worked into the script, I felt disconnected from most of the characters until late. They often felt like mere pawns shuffled along the winding path of Yi Soo’s revenge. By the time one truly becomes invested, few episodes remain. This might be why people are conflicted about the ending, though it worked for me in any case.

Unsurprisingly Kim Nam Gil owns the stage as the vengeful Yi Soo. Not only is this his first drama appearance in years, he's still wildly talented and believable. Even when his character merely played puppet master from the shadows, Kim Nam Gil found a way to infuse him with humanity. His performance is equal doses pitiable and menacing, good and bad, black and white. Without him, Shark sinks. Ha Suk Jin (Joon Young) and Park Won Sang (Detective Byeon) play the most consistently sympathetic individuals in the series. They also feel the most like the “good guys,” in a story where you can never know who to trust. My first extended experience with Son Ye Jin was lackluster; I believe it may be the fault of the writers, since the young Hae Woo resounds more than her dithering adult counterpart. She felt most like a straw man whose purpose was to lead us through Yi Soo's machinations. I did like Honey Lee in her turn as Secretary Jang. Her interactions with the character of Dong Soo were surprising but much needed comedic gold.

There's absolutely nothing to complain about regarding Shark's musical repertoire. Instrumental tracks play their part without becoming heavy handed. Two vocals stand out: Boa's haunting ballad "Between Heaven and Hell,” and the soulful offering “Sad Story” of Boohwal's Jung Dong Ha.

MAIN ACTOR

• Kim Nam-Gil as Joon Yoshimura / Han Yi-Soo

• Son Ye-Jin as Jo Hae-Woo

• Ha Seok-Jin as Oh Joon-Young

• Lee Ha -Nui as Jang Young-Hee

• Jung In-Gui as Han Young-Man

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