Korean Drama - Ghost

I spent last weekend catching up on Korean Cyber Investigation drama "Ghost" which i have been watching faithfully with hubby since it premieres in Korea on 30 May 2012. Starring solid casts So Ji Sub, Lee Yeon Hee, MBLAQ G.O, Eom Ki Joon and Daniel Choi (cameo), this 20 episodes drama airs on Wednesday and Thursday nights on SBS. The drama has been slowly gathering strong followers since its first episode due to its interesting story and hubby and i have been looking forward to each week's exciting episodes :)

We are attracted to the drama due to its unique and refreshing plot and Ghost is a drama that tells the story of the cyber investigation squad fights against the cyber crimes. Their joy and sorrow to solve the puzzles in the mission to unveil the many secrets of the real human being who hiding behind the machine of cyber world. It warns against the power of the internet and social network services, and is about the cyber-detectives who try to get to the bottom of relationships in the cyber world using hacking skills and high tech gadgets. Check out its exciting preview below:

Kim Woo Hyun (So Ji Sub) is the only son of a high ranking police officer. He entered the police academy ranked first and graduated from the academy ranked first. As a detective, he then joins the cyber investigation department together with Yoo Gang Mi (Lee Yeon Hee). Woo Hyun then works to reveal the secrets of those that hide within the cyber world. These cyber-criminals can’t be seen and are hard to pin down, just like a ghost. Even the police force’s top brain like Woo Hyun will meet his match as he tries to pursue these dangerous and secretive criminals on the Internet. How will he be able to track the shadows that lurk online?

Characters description:

Kim Woo Hyun (played So Ji Sub) graduated from police academy with flying colors and is the leader of national-police-cyber-investigation-team. A very perfectionist person, who posses amazing leadership skill, he has the top brains but unfortunately, he believes that friendship can caused damage to his work. He’s workaholic and sticks to his principles without exception when he resolves cases. Even though he’s excellent leader, he keeps distance with his colleagues as he thinks that too close relationship could harm the objectivity in his work.

He was forced to confront a past that he does not wish to remember while investigating a case involving his best friend Park Ki Young (Daniel Choi) who used to attend police academy with him but quit all of a sudden and cut off all contact with him. Unknown to Woo Hyun, while at the academy Ki Young had sent a computer virus out of mischief to Woo Hyun's father Kim Seok-joon (chief of the special criminal investigations section) and had ended up reading Seok-joon's emails and discovering contents of political embezzlement and a secret order from the top for Seok-joon to cover it up. He was arrested and forced by Seok-joon to ignore what he saw and he grew disillusioned with the corrupted police force and left to set up a media company called True Story. He also lived on as the genius internet hacker Hades to report only the truth. 

Woo Hyun was shocked to discover Ki Young's hacker identity. At the same time Ki Young was accused of murdering an up and coming actress and hacking her computer to make it look like a suicide case. Ki Young insisted to Woo Hyun that he was framed by someone else and is innocent.

By a strange twist of fate Woo Hyun discovered that there is a greater conspiracy behind the death of the singer and he was killed in an explosion that was supposed to kill Ki Young too. Ki Young ended up badly burnt beyond recognition during the explosion and he decided to assume the identity of Woo Hyun to find out the real truth and everyone thought it was Ki Young who had passed away.

Yoo Gang Mi (played by Lee Yeon Hee) is Kim Woo Hyun's partner in the investigation unit. She has feelings for Woo Hyun but has never dared to reveal her love to him. Though saddened with Woo Hyun's death, Gang Mi decided to help Ki Young to assume Woo Hyun's identity after she realized someone has been trying to take Ki Young's life. She also discovered someone in the police force has been tampering with the evidence related to Ki Young's case and is not sure who is the spy. She needs Ki Young to assume Woo Hyun's identity to keep him alive and find out the true killer of the actress. Ki Young and Gang Mi also wish to find out the reason why the late Woo Hyun was present during the murder of a man in a secret video taken by the murdered actress. However the truth might be more than they can handle and they do not know who they are really dealing with....

Kwon Hyuk Joo is known as the 'crazy cow' in the homicide department and he has always dislike Woo Hyun for his guts and arrogance. He has special sense and strong will to win as well as a fearful face which makes criminals afraid of him. He takes over as the leader of the cyber investigation team after Woo Hyun's 'accident' and is told by his superior to keep a close watch over Woo Hyun. He is suspicious of Woo Hyun's identity and suspects that he is actually Ki Young although he has difficulty proving his suspicion to everyone in the team. He does not trust Woo Hyun but is forced to work together with him on several occasions as they are after the same criminals!

Jo Hyun Min has been revealed to viewers right in the beginning to be the ultimate baddie of the show and he is the person that Ki Young and Gang Mi are trying hard to catch although they do not know of his involvement in all the crimes yet. Due to his careful planning and spies he has planted in the police force, he is aware of their every movements. He enjoys business with his sound and rapid judgement and has a smart appearance and manner as well. He is the true mastermind behind all the crimes and is the CEO of Se Kang Securities. It is not known yet what is his real purpose for committing all the evil deeds and why Woo Hyun has some dealings with him in the past. He is suspicious of the recovered Woo Hyun's identity since the explosion which supposedly killed Ki Young and tries to test if Woo Hyun remembers their past. 

I have been really impressed with lead actor So Ji Sub's acting in the drama as Kim Woo Hyun and Park Ki Young so far and love his pairing with actress Lee Heon Hee again after they appeared in 4 episodes drama special "U-turn" in 2008. I also like the fast paced and exciting plot of the drama. Those who have not seen it yet should watch it online at (http://www.mysoju.com/korean-drama/ghost-2012/) or (http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/ghost/) or (http://www.viki.com/channels/8112-ghost) as it is a really good quality detective drama.

I also love the soundtrack of the drama and its first soundtrack is titled “Burn Out” sung by idol group Block B.

My favorite is the second OST piece "Never Cry" by Shin Bo Ra which is a ballad piece written by Brandon Fraley, Jamelle Fraley and Cyndy Morgan of Jam Factory. The American team was recently acknowledged in Korea with Girls’ Generation (SNSD) Taetiseo’s Twinkle. The dramatic form, which leads from the calm intro to the grand climax like an opera, is said to fit the tight knit story of "Ghost" well. Check out its MV below:

Pictures From The Press Conference:

(Source: http://tv.sbs.co.kr/phantom/)
(Source: http://www.koreandrama.org/?p=18431)
(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Ghost_-_Drama.php)
(Source: http://www.viki.com/channels/8112-ghost)
(Source: http://www.squidoo.com/ghost-kdrama)
(Source: http://asianwiki.com/Phantom_%28Korean_Drama%29)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3guUGG_opmQ&feature=player_embedded#!)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn2ppN5l6UE&feature=related)
(Source: http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=7997)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjsPs2e6wiI&feature=related)