[Drama 2016-2017] Solomon's Perjury 솔로몬의 위증

[hartofseeker]

I was soooo late in jumping on board of this show because I wasn't sure how I felt about another high school show =P the summary hinted at the show's potential, but I was turned off by the fact that my fave kid actor's character was killed off so early in the series lolll so I only checked it out of boredom, starting at the latest episode at the time (ep 7/8?) At first glance I found JiHoon intriguing, but I didn't know how to feel about him because he was so secretive and I couldn't understand why he would be the male lead. I knew the talent in the actress playing SoYeon so I figured I'd cheer her on the most... I even thought that sweet JoonYoung would be my replacement favorite guy character... but then boyyyy was I proven wrong when JiHoon bared it all in ep 8 and consistently tore my heart apart ever since. Now there's no doubt AT ALL that JiHoon has my heart more than any of those wonderful kids. I'm so SO happy that these precious kids found each other through this tragedy and gained a better perspective for their experience as a student in a prestigious school. I will forever LOL at straight-laced dorky MinSeok and his equally dorky romance hahaha

Awesome show and so much heart in the message that it shares. Done with grace, gentleness, and gravity that is a delightful surprise for a drama centered on high school students with implications even for adulthood. A beautiful way to start 2017 =)

[sava2sava]

5 hours ago, hartofseeker said:

Awesome show and so much heart in the message that it shares. Done with grace, gentleness, and gravity that is a delightful surprise for a drama centered on high school students with implications even for adulthood. A beautiful way to start 2017 =)

@hartofseeker  I couldn't agree with you more, I've been putting iff watching the last two episodes waiting for subs so I can fully understand the ending.. But this drama really took me by surprise..

[jongski]

 Waiting is the hardest! 11 and 12  still raw. Last two episodes and  really want to see the conclusion of what really happened to Lee So Woo. Will I get to see flashback of HJH slump inside the phone booth crying his heart out.... what will happen to HKM? to BJY and his  situation with family. To JR..is she leaving for good? To CWH? he's vindicated but not excused with his bullying ways.  Since page 1 I've been posting in this thread and never missed episodes.. y'all know how much I terribly enjoyed this high school thriller.  Will share my thoughts after watching sub.

In the last couple of years, I've only enjoyed two (under the radar) youth dramas - Because It's The First Time(2015) Page Turner (2016) both well written and good acting skills and now I can add  Solomon's Perjury to that fav youth drama.

@hartofseeker thumbs up to your post.  I also like dorky judge. My fav  is HJH with LSW JY

@bebebisous33 also waiting to see your final thoughts.Really happy you stuck it out here and we're able to fully understand cos of your analysis  each  episodes. It's better than reading reviews .

 And since no subs yet...allow me for the OT .an article about actor who played CWH

"Another South Korean rising star Baek Cheol Min is currently the most talked about on the web." Read more

[bebebisous33]

@jongski Don't worry. I will definitely post an analysis after the last two episodes, but I am still waiting for the subtitles!! For this drama, 100% is a must!! I hope, we will see the actor who played HJH very soon. He was excellent. 

[sava2sava]

3 hours ago, jongski said:

In the last couple of years, I've only enjoyed two (under the radar) youth dramas - Because It's The First Time(2015) Page Turner (2016) both well written and good acting skills and now I can add  Solomon's Perjury to that fav youth drama

@jongski Add Solomon Perjury (2017) to your list.. Wow the last two episodes was just awesome. I want spoil it for everyone else but the last two episodes subs are out..

[bebebisous33]

@jongski Finally, I was able to watch the last two episodes. I agree with you that this Youth drama belongs to my favourites (I would add Sassy Go Go to your list).  Now, it is even clearer why HJH wanted to have the school trial. Sure, he wanted to expose the VIP scandal. Yet the other reason was because of his guilt. He was blaming himself for his best friend's death as he had found no point in convincing him not to commit suicide.

On the other hand, I had the impression that HJH put himself as defendant in order to stop his father from keeping lying. When HJH confronted his father, HKM realised that HJH knew everything. He was so shocked seeing his son so disappointed and hurt. 

After giving some thought, I realised that it makes his crying in the bathroom (episode 10) even more poignant. HJH was so hurt because he thought that this all had happened due to him: LSW having trouble with his father HKM as he found his secret and the burden, LSW had to experience after the discovery. I am glad that HKM decided to turn himself in as he didn't want to lose his son. Moreover, he must have realised that HJH would blame himself. I really loved the ending, when HJH explains why he doesn't want to give up. Despite his hardships, he is still able to see the good things in life. HKM's statement shows us that he had reflected on his actions and words. Actually, LSW had idolised HJH's father hence he was so disappointed by him. I do believe that it was not just HKM's words that pushed him over the edge; rather the fact he witnessed how low HKM could become. HJH's father was not just a savior, he was also an ordinary man who could be a coward and greedy.

School was guilty for LSW's death but in my opinion, this doesn't mean that it is not just the administration and the principal's office! I couldn't help smiling when the students admitted that school and the foundation were found guilty. The students seem to think, they had nothing to do with it. However, to me, the students were also responsible as they didn't pay attention to LSW in the first place and they didn't try to defend him at all. School means administration and the students!! I can never forget his reproach "You're like the others!" He was really disappointed by the students in general. Sure, they didn't push LSW, yet their indifference and their fundamental judgement played a little role. Noone from his school tried to visit him and to convince him to come back.

[jongski]

 Wow. I just finished right now the last two episodes and I like! It's rare for me to like youth kdrama .. as it's never engaging/good as jdoramas especially if genre is youth/high school themed. ones. For this drama.. gonna add this to my favorites.. as I've mentioned previous post.

This k version is done  and written more on a sentimental level rather crime mystery one. It dealt with youths and their relationship with  families on emotional fronts I love how it had angst but never dark. It was cute but never cringy. It showed friendship and being there for each other despite what may happen. I give credit to the director and the writer for well made drama.

At the end of the drama, I found my self  thinking how much of good person HJH is. He took everything, owned everything  all because of  for his love for LSW  for his father HKM. From episode 1 to 16 we rarely saw him smile in this drama .. the rare times was that earlier flashback  ep 1 &2 and that with LSW. Throughout  he would  always have that far away look, with tears brimming. He knew what had happened. He was carrying the burden, the feeling of guilt that he wasn't able to do something. He knew LSW was having problems, he was concerned.  His monologue at the end was so beautiful and touching  and speaks of  what he was feeling.  I love that scene.

I'm in awe of Jang Dong Yoon. an actor doesn't need to cry and wail  and shout to be able to emote and express feelings to show good acting. I love his character from the beginning to end. What an excellent actor.

@bebebisous33 I totally agree with your about JDY as HJH. And your thoughts spot on  looking back, that crying scene in the bathroom made it all the more poignant. He was crying to all the hurt and pain.  The school as well as the students were at fault for not doing anything to help one of their own. And despite HJH words to him on the rooftop,  In the end depression  triggered that suicide.

Thank you again, for the analysis. I always understand the drama as whole much better when you explain <3.

One of my favorite best scene throughout the drama... that end scene of HJH  and his monologue. He was talking as it LSW was alive He said.....

You asked me to find you a reason for you to live. I thought about it a lot,  what is the answer to your question. I still don't know the reason why I should live. No one actually know it. It's not that person lives because he knows the reason to do so.....

Credit;cahtryn1004

 

[jongski]

It's really a beautiful drama.  Gotta congratulate JTBC

 Their friendship!  And because he lost him in suicide, it was even more hurtful and poignant.

"i lost my mom in winter , i lost my dad in winter & i also lost you in winter"  - Han  Ji Hoon, ep 12

ctto

[jongski]

Han Ji Hoon was there when Lee So Woo committed suicide.

ctto

 Jang Dong Yoon as Han Jo Hoon. Solomon's Perjury. Impressive excellent acting. Also Seo Young Joo amazing acting.

 So many positive reviews/arricles for a well made drama. The amount of love and appreciation and it's mostly from international viewers. Only 12 episodes but what good 12 episodes.  The cast despite being rookies acted well. Reading good praises for them.

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[jongski]

 The end. His story ends here. Love the ending. Watch the view  to hear Han Ji Hoon answer to Lee So Woo.

 

[ecs707a]

I know, I know, I'm WEEKS late in getting here.  What can I say?  I think I was kind of saving the last episode. 

Anyway, I probably don't have much to say that everyone else didn't say already.  I love so much that they brought us back to that line that I loved so much in...episode 1?  Was it that far back?  When Seo Yeon said it to Joon Young on the roof when they started their adorable friendship.  There's a difference between not wanting to live and not wanting to live like this...when Joon Young cut in as Ji Hoon testified about So Woo and how he really held such hope deep inside at the same time as hurt and disappointment with the world. He wanted the world to be better, but it just kept letting him down until he really didn't want to live.

I feel a little like the conclusion/resolution of the trial was anticlimactic, but it also fits.  After twists and turns, it finally felt less like *gasp* and more like, oh, okay.    But it's more real that way, and I like it for that reason.  I did hope for a little more of what led to Ji Hoon's dad deciding to testify, though.  Of course it was inevitable in terms of story, but it would have been interesting to see a little more of his inner turmoil.  (Or more of the aftermath, with him and Ji Hoon hashing all that out. Sequel?  Haha)  Man, he was stone-faced and resolute as he was lying on the stand, and then he comes back and tells the truth.  The end.  I am glad they finally got around to explaining exactly why it was such a big deal that these kids were under "special management".  I kept wondering why it mattered so much that they essentially bought their way in, when, like Ji Hoon's dad said, that money would be put to good use funding the school.  But since there were other issues, like making up certain things to cast those students in a positive light in their records, while hiding other disciplinary and academic problems...well, I get that and why the students would be so put out.  But for such a long while, I couldn't quite figure out why we were supposed to care so much about that.  I just went with it and loved the ride regardless, but it was odd.  Maybe a little cultural disconnect?  Or was I just not supposed to be thinking that much about it?  Or was it just a small writing hiccup that they forgot to make that more clear?  Don't know.  Doesn't matter, really.

But speaking of the trial, I totally teared up when everyone said "not guilty".  Actually, even before that, haha.  Poor guilt-ridden Ji Hoon <3

Also, the resolution of Joon Young's situation with his mom felt a tiny (tiiny) bit simplistic, but I love that it was also open-ended and a little uncertain.  He looked a little dubious in that therapy session, did he not?  So cute that his dad was so gung-ho with the dad love though.

Related: did anyone else think of the movie Ordinary People when they finally explained why Joon Young's mom was so awful to him?  No?  Probably not, lol.  I adore that movie, but I don't imagine it's that widely known.  The brothers, and the blaming...it's kind of similar.  And Mary Tyler Moore just died, so maybe I've got that movie on the brain.

I hate that ending song.  That's all I've got to say about that   I muted it every time it came on.  Gosh, I thought they did so well with the music on the show until that song, and also that weird song they played when they announced the verdict.  Both bad and weird in my book.  Give me more Danse Macabre, please.

So, yeah.  I'm going to miss this show a lot.  What am I going to do without cute Joon Young-Seo Yeon moments?  Without all these exquisitely, perfectly heartbreaking slices of teenage pain?  I think that's what Ji Hoon's final speech to So Woo was - he's grown up and gained some perspective.  His pain, So Woo's pain, everyone's pain is terribly, terribly real, but the only way through is just to live.  And eventually, it isn't so bad. 

How about a few more cute BTS photos?

Spoiler

source

 

[ecs707a]

Nobody posted these two BTS videos?

Snacking on set and the scene where Woo Hyuk runs into the crowd:

 

And we find out just what Seo Yeon and Ji Hoon's assistants were typing so diligently during the trial, with a cute group photo session at the end:

credit: JTBC Drama

[ecs707a]

Interview with Shin Se Hwi (Lee Joo Ri) with a bit about Solomon's Perjury:

credit: ARIRANG K-POP

[jongski]

 Reading an article/review in nytimes about netflix's adaption of of "13reasons why"  reminded of suicide/thriller/emotional kdrama version Solomon's Perjury. This drama even if it's only 12 episodes, dealt with suicide ( first 2 eps attempted suicide of BJY and, the real suicide of LSW),  that So Woo's question why he should live, what reason, why he shouldn't die. I love this drama. I want sequel. I want them the youths again.. raw rookie actors but impressive!

that aforementioned  netflix drama, has season2. I wonder..  should  SP have sequel as well? Hmmm.. Actualy this drama could've had 16-20 episodes instead of 12 as each characters backdrop has story of their own plus going forward to HKM out of jail. HJH as law student, BJY and the unhappy family life , CWH story. Doubt if they will do a sequel... but why not. This is favorite drama for 2017. About to rewatch this again.