FRIDAY NIGHT DRAMA: Blade Man

Would you believe it? It’s that time again! Yup, it’s time to start another weekend drama marathon and this week I’ve chosen Lee Dong Wook’s most recent work, that oddly different mix of something otherwise known as Blade Man (or Iron Man, take your pick).

Wrapping up its run this past week on KBS, Blade Man is the story of a traumatized, spoiled rich man-child, Joo Hong Bin (Lee Dong Wook) who not only has superpowers but also the odd ability to grow spikes out of his torso when he’s angry and the world’s sweetest orphan, Son Se Dong (Shin Se Kyung) whose only superpower is her insane ability to bring out the good in the worst of people. As one would expect, this odd pair are thrown together in some rather peculiar ways and the relationship that develops between the two turns out to be one of the most wonderfully adorable OTPs in the history of Dramaland. Seriously, I love these two so much, I could write sonnets about their cuteness but I won’t because I love you. (Apparently I’m full of love today…)

Beyond the cuteness of this drama’s OTP, there were several supporting characters who found a way to steal my heart and some who managed to scare the crap out of me. Seriously! Madame Yoon (Lee Mi Sook) is one of the scariest women in the history of scary women! Unfortunately, the greatness of this drama’s characters is eventually overshadowed by the blah-ness of a plot that starts out unique and refreshing and ends up falling flatter than Wile E. Coyote after he’s been hit by a steamroller. If it makes you feel any better, the blah doesn’t kick in until about two-thirds of the way through this drama so you get several episodes of unique and quirky before you start trying to bang your head against a wall.

As frustrated as I was with the way this drama went, I still enjoyed it because who doesn’t love watching Lee Dong Wook be ridiculously cute? Beyond the cuteness of Wookie, I loved that this drama dared to try something different even if the writers drop-kicked the unique and original out the door towards the end. It’s because I honestly loved the first half of this drama that I’m recommending it for your weekend drama to marathon but I will warn you now, it’s going to fall apart quickly, once you pass the half-way point and if you throw your computer out the window, I refuse to be held responsible because YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

If you’re a fan of superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy or just admire writers who dare to use their imagination, you’re probably going to enjoy this drama (or at least its first half). If you manage to drag yourself through this entire drama, I want to know what you thought so be sure to come back and leave me a comment below. (Oh! If you’re really interested to know what I thought about this drama in more depth, you can read the weekly review my lovely friend Drama Debussie and I did of this very drama HERE. Hooray!)