[Drama 2018] Life on Mars, 라이프 온 마스

[Guest]

Well after the first episode it's a bit early too say it's good. Tunnel was probably the best crime drama ever made, so I'm not sure. Maybe I will watch the first episode when I have the time.

[larus]

I watched the first episode and I liked what I saw. I like the characters and I think it will be a good remake of the original series. I just knew that I will like it. I trust this drama.

 

 

[bedifferent]

@Dhakra  the original BBC Life on Mars is before Tunnel and Signal so if you are talking about homage and stuffs, the Korean dramas are not the first.  This is a remake so some of us have an idea on how the story may end.  Thirdly, it deals with some other important stuffs besides a serial killer case which runs between two timelines.  

 

Fun to watch.  I watched both Signal/ Tunnel, this one is on par.  Watch a couple of episodes if you have time.

[40somethingahjumma]

1 hour ago, Dhakra said:

Well after the first episode it's a bit early too say it's good. Tunnel was probably the best crime drama ever made, so I'm not sure. Maybe I will watch the first episode when I have the time.

 

As much as I love OCN dramas... I don't know if there are too many SK dramas that have reach the heights of most of my favourite British crime dramas especially the absolutely stellar Foyle's War.  Tunnel was great for the most part but I just didn't care for the way it ended in so far as there were quite a few things left unexplained.

 

It's true that one episode can't tell us much about the quality of the drama overall. Still I don't imagine that they would be allowed to mess this one up too much seeing that it's a remake of a highly successful, highly popular, critically acclaimed BBC drama. But then I have heard some negative things about the US version.  In the original Life on Mars, the cases themselves are pretty straightforward but it's how they're linked to the protagonist's state of mind and general feeling of loss which is where the show comes into its own.

[jongski]

 I'm done watching the first episode.  First of.. can I just say Jung  Kyung Ho looks young! I love his present self as Tae Joon . I dig TJ in the present 2018. JKH always good actor! and I think this was like reunion from heartless city PD one of my favs.

 

That Ep 1. Welcome to the 80s! Tae Joon! rotary phone, rotary CTR tv 1988 Olympics.. military drill zone.. 80;s background music and the 80's cars.. plus the 80's fashion! And yeah Oh Dae Wan curly hair.  But can we go back to the present scenes?!  I'm crushing on TJ 2018 Hahaha

 

So ep 1 I like the episode.. TJ disoriented. Everything is so outdated  he's trying to think and  it has sunk in to his head yet what really was happening. The  gunshot to his head, then hit by car in present 2018 scene bumped him back into 1988 time slip.  I'm sure we'll get the reason behind the time slip to the 80's and how he managed to be there. But in this way going back to the 80's that coffee shop  girl, was it the first case of Manicure murder?  Or the one in the train track... when he saw murder? 

 

Since during present time,  TJ has all the knowledge and forensics to and the  evidence, will it help the case back in the 80s. In the way that  him going back to the past, he get more evidence needed.  In the present time the murder suspect was found not guilty due to contaminated evidence. There is someone bigger  behind the murdered  giving the orders. Who do you think is that  man behind all these murders?

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, bedifferent said:

@Dhakra  the original BBC Life on Mars is before Tunnel and Signal so if you are talking about homage and stuffs, the Korean dramas are not the first.  This is a remake so some of us have an idea on how the story may end.  Thirdly, it deals with some other important stuffs besides a serial killer case which runs between two timelines.  

 

Fun to watch.  I watched both Signal/ Tunnel, this one is on par.  Watch a couple of episodes if you have time.

 

Well you can't say it's on par yet. Most SK dramas begin really strong but lose their focus somewhere on the way. Take "Duel" for example. But since it's based on a BBC original series it seems like this won't be the case here. But then, remakes are trapped within the fact that they have already existed. 

I don't know, I think I will wait a little und then binge watch a couple of episodes. I still have to watch other dramas first.  

[sava2sava]

Loved the first episodes, Life between Mars and Reality is very interesting normally I don't care to much for these kinds of drama but I'm a fan of actor Jung Kyoung Ho.. His skills has greatly improved since I first saw him in endless love and heartless city..  So I'm all in for this one..  

[lumibear]

8 hours ago, bedifferent said:

 

@lumibear hmmm, the gun, the gun... what do you think of it?  At least we know there is some sort of back and forth in time traveling.  Tae Joo went back to the crime scene.  Why do you think he did? 

 

 

About his 2nd trip to the crime scene, do you mean when he went to the victim Seung Hee's place with his forensic equipment? He thought of the victim in the past who had similar manicured nails. And the DNA/fingerprints report said none were found so he was probably curious or motivated to investigate.

 

.

.

 

 

Aww, I haven't watched the original BBC series or any other remakes. Could you guys title your spoilers when you mention the original? 

[maddymappo]

18 hours ago, bedifferent said:

 

You mean when he mistaken and chased an innocent man?  They are not the same person but his mind is in "flux".

 

@lumibear hmmm, the gun, the gun... what do you think of it?  At least we know there is some sort of back and forth in time traveling.  Tae Joo went back to the crime scene.  Why do you think he did? 

 

I am going to watch subs now.  At this rate, I may finish two episodes before hitting the airport cuz I am not sure what kind of access I will get, including Soompi.

 

Tagging you because I have a good feeling about this drama @bebebisous33 @Dhakra @stroppyse @maddymappo @Jillia @Lmangla @staygold @CamelKnight 

Thank you @bedifferent for the heads up on this one. Just watched episode 1 with subs. Enjoyed the first very much.  Good direction and story telling.  Even though so many time changes, I can still follow along without confusion, which is a good sign. Also the weirdness, emptying halls, documents appearing, catching the wrong culprit,  seeing the man on tv, trying to wake him from a coma.  As pointed out by @40somethingahjumma  the contrast with the 80's.  And @jongski the rotary phones, and of course the typewriters.   I was struck (made very obvious) about how Officer Yoon is treated like a waitress and maid servant. 

 

I just love the cast too. Last time I saw Ko Ah-sung was in Heard it Through the Grapevine (didn't see radiant office), and Oh Dae Hwan is a fav too.  But it is always a great treat to see Jung Kyoung Ho, who as pointed out by @jongski does look very young, although he is only 35 in real life, seems like he should look older by now.  He is soooo great in action and fighting scenes, this part seems perfect for him.   Perhaps I will eventually watch the brit version too.

[40somethingahjumma]

And so the pissing contest begins 

 

I am so so happy with what we're getting right now that I'm very much revelling in the recontextualizing and the local flavour that's being offered here. Even the Hwaseong murders got a bit of a mention. There are some interesting twists that seem to be the show's way of differentiating itself from the UK series but I won't go into it and spoil it for anyone. 

 

This is turning out to be a fascinating SK police procedural in its own right even without all the associations with the original. The gathering of the neighbourhood leaders was probably one of the highlights of that last episode. At a time when there are no databases, widespread usage of computers much less the internet... people knew the movements of other people in their neighbourhood. Without the prying eye of CCTV and satellites, the next best thing used to be nosy neighbours who care and kept a sharp eye for odd occurrences in the local community. I don't know if this is what local authorities relied on to keep the peace but it does feel authentic, even from my own childhood in the 70s and 80s. Even if we didn't know our neighbours in our street personally, we knew about them. 

 

Despite the tenuous relationship between TJ and the 1988 detectives, they seem to be able to muster some kind of teamwork when push comes to shove. HTJ isn't a one man show thankfully showing up the apparently technologically backward 80s detectives but he's learning that they have their own approach to detective work... that works. Crime investigations are a lot more scientifically and technologically driven now but in the past there was a lot more leg work and a lot more reliant on relationship networks. Of course police officers had a lot more leeway with regards to authority and violence. I noticed a definite absence of search warrants  and the overabundance of thuggish interrogation techniques. 

 

The male chauvinism is humorously replicated here in the treatment of Officer Yoon as some kind of glorified office girl cum part-time cleaner, coffee maker. She's also well-schooled in criminal psychology (probably a bit too well-schooled for someone who apparently dropped out) but it's par for the course these days to have a profiler on the team. Officer Yoon it would appear is meant to occupy that position. She also lends a sympathetic, circumspect listening ear to the confused and often frustrated HTJ. I can already see the chemistry between them building... most of it I'd say comes from how JKH's character behaves towards her... his respectful manner... compared to the more patronizing attitude of the other older men. (All of that is much in line with the original)

 

 JKH is doing marvellously well. I'm absolutely loving his reactions to the antics of his 80s colleagues and his own inner frustration at not having the kinds of access to technology-driven policing that he's been accustomed to. PSW is great too as his foil. He doesn't quite have the ascerbic wit of Philip Glenister's Gene Hunt but they both channel their own brand of inner thug.

[bedifferent]

16 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Tunnel was great for the most part but I just didn't care for the way it ended in so far as there were quite a few things left unexplained.

 

It's true that one episode can't tell us much about the quality of the drama overall. Still I don't imagine that they would be allowed to mess this one up too much seeing that it's a remake of a highly successful, highly popular, critically acclaimed BBC drama. But then I have heard some negative things about the US version.  In the original Life on Mars, the cases themselves are pretty straightforward but it's how they're linked to the protagonist's state of mind and general feeling of loss which is where the show comes into its own.

 

Tunnel ending was a little drawn out I thought. Didn't he take multiple tries at the tunnel before succeeding?  The US version of LOM that I watched is different than BBC's so I am looking forward to see how OCN closes out the drama.  The first episode has a similar theme but different enough in the details that keep me interested.  

 

You are so right.  In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, South Korea advanced to the semifinal baseball before losing the third place finish to PR.  That was in Sept 27,1988.  This series supposedly starts somewhere in the fall/winter season.  The baseball that he kept was probably from going to those exhibition games with his dad.  We should get a glimpse to his past and their relationship in one later episode.

 

 

15 hours ago, jongski said:

 But can we go back to the present scenes?!  I'm crushing on TJ 2018 Hahaha

 

 But in this way going back to the 80's that coffee shop  girl, was it the first case of Manicure murder?  Or the one in the train track... when he saw murder? 

 

Since during present time,  TJ has all the knowledge and forensics to and the  evidence, will it help the case back in the 80s. In the way that  him going back to the past, he get more evidence needed.  In the present time the murder suspect was found not guilty due to contaminated evidence. There is someone bigger  behind the murdered  giving the orders. Who do you think is that  man behind all these murders?

 

 

I know right?  He looks good   Yes, we are back at the scene of the first murder, coffee shop girl.  The train track, hmmmm I won't spoil it for you.  Question is if he is able to solve the serial murder cases, will it change his future course or mess it up so much that he can't go back to the present?

 

13 hours ago, lumibear said:

 

About his 2nd trip to the crime scene, do you mean when he went to the victim Seung Hee's place with his forensic equipment? He thought of the victim in the past who had similar manicured nails. And the DNA/fingerprints report said none were found so he was probably curious or motivated to investigate.

 

I think he went back because there were too many perfect handprints at the scene. There was also a substance that supposedly was related to the perpetrator.  @40somethingahjumma did I remember it correctly, that is a big clue   

Does anyone know why the cross doorbell caught TJ's eyes?

 

3 hours ago, maddymappo said:

 I was struck (made very obvious) about how Officer Yoon is treated like a waitress and maid servant. 

 

I just love the cast too. Last time I saw Ko Ah-sung was in Heard it Through the Grapevine (didn't see radiant office), and Oh Dae Hwan is a fav too.  But it is always a great treat to see Jung Kyoung Ho, who as pointed out by @jongski does look very young, although he is only 35 in real life, seems like he should look older by now.  He is soooo great in action and fighting scenes, this part seems perfect for him.   Perhaps I will eventually watch the brit version too.

Don't watch the Brit before finishing this one lol

 

When Tae Joo addressed her as Officer Yoon Na-Young, common among colleagues on a professional level, devoid of sex and age, it confused her.  Women rights, laws that push forward gender equalities I believe started in 1980s for South Korea.  During that decade, women enrollment in universities took off and they entered the workforce, in sectors that were predominantly male.  For Na-Young, she was probably one of a few women police officers in this small town.  Tae Joo at that moment just made a friend for life from the way he treated her.  Na Young will end up one of his closest allies.

 

@40somethingahjumma @triplem running off to watch E2 subs.  Good to see a rating increase.  

[40somethingahjumma]

@triplem A one percent rating increase for an OCN drama is pretty good. I'm hoping that it'll see the same sort of numbers that Voice and Tunnel did last year. It's definitely off to a great start. It will be interesting to see if they can maintain the momentum all throughout.

 

2 hours ago, bedifferent said:

 

 

You are so right.  In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, South Korea advanced to the semifinal baseball before losing the third place finish to PR.  That was in Sept 27,1988.  This series supposedly starts somewhere in the fall/winter season.  The baseball that he kept was probably from going to those exhibition games with his dad.  We should get a glimpse to his past and their relationship in one later episode.

 

 

I think he went back because there were too many perfect handprints at the scene. There was also a substance that supposedly was related to the perpetrator.  @40somethingahjumma did I remember it correctly, that is a big clue   

 

 

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. It's nice that they're taking a lot of trouble with those sorts of historical markers. I'm completely ignorant about baseball in general much less baseball in Olympics but I am fairly sure that sport will come into it sooner or later not just because it is set in 1988 in Seoul. But the Olympics is an international event which lends itself to some of the sorts of cases that they may have to tackle down the track. Especially when they made such a big deal of the emergency drill the moment TJ "lands" in 1988.

 

Minor spoiler alert for BBC series

Spoiler

I'm really interested to see how they hope to bring in TJ's family into this. In the BBC series he has various encounters with them so I've been wondering if it's the same here. Seeing there's a boyhood memory in the forefront of his mind, I'd say so. And the mention of his dad's death anniversary.

 

As for the other comment, I'm not sure what you're referring to.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

A one percent rating increase for an OCN drama is pretty good. I'm hoping that it'll see the same sort of numbers that Voice and Tunnel did last year. It's definitely off to a great start. It will be interesting to see if they can maintain the momentum all throughout.

Indeed. If they keep this quality, I think SK audiences will tune in. I enjoyed both Voice & Tunnel & felt they deserved the ratings they got .  I’m usually not to bothered over numbers , but given that I really love JKH , this is important so that he’ll continue to get good roles in the future. 

 

 

Based on Good Data rankings , the online buzz for JKH & this drama is high - 4th and 6th place respectively in its debut week

 

[allegramente]

I've watched both the BBC and US versions years ago so a Korean version is welcomed. Will they come up with a 'different' ending?

 

Officer Yoon Na-Young, however, reminds me of a different show. She feels like Endeavour's Shirley Trewlove... anyone feels that way too?

 

I like the 88 police team chemistry so far and the comic moments... laughed with the Captain's idea of roping in the 'neighbourhood watch alliance'...

[maddymappo]

I have not seen any of the earlier versions. So it's all new to me.  I have ominous feelings about the "doctor" that appears in his subconscious, urging him to break out.  He says that Seo Hyun is waiting for him,  well then why doesn't he hear her voice? They say that people in coma do hear.   And so if she was there she would be talking to him too.   

 

Surprisingly in the USA, none of the 4 legal streamers are showing this!  Very frustrating.  I guess as far viki goes, the big weekend non-kokowa "get" for the weekend is "What's Wrong with Secretary Kim".  And DF has RU Human 2? - usually ODK streams OCN (albeit without subs).    Can't understand why all three didn't grab it with great plot. Maybe OCN is doing so well they are asking more money for licenses.   But I imagine the biggest viewership is usual from the pre-teen young teen crowd.  

[Guest]

Just now, maddymappo said:

Surprisingly in the USA, none of the 4 legal streamers are showing this!  Very frustrating.  I guess as far viki goes, the big weekend non-kokowa "get" for the weekend is "What's Wrong with Secretary Kim".  And DF has RU Human 2? - usually ODK streams OCN (albeit without subs).    Can't understand why all three didn't grab it with great plot. Maybe OCN is doing so well they are asking more money for licenses.   But I imagine the biggest viewership is usual from the pre-teen young teen crowd.  

In Asia , VIU has the licensing rights.  But yeah, I would think the genre is important too - to appeal to the younger crowd. I was surprised that Netflix did not pick this one up. They are not subbing any ongoing dramas at the moment and this would have been a perfect choice.

 

I have been looking for drama reviews for this show. Does not look like DB is recapping. Found this site that highlights some scenes. 

 

https://dramaswithasideofkimchi.com/2018/06/11/life-on-mars-episode-2-recap/

My Thoughts  

I’m loving how spine-tingling this drama is. Yes, I’m shallow and I’m also enjoying feasting my eyes on hunky Tae Joo (who makes 80’s fashion look really really good), but the storyline has me intrigued. I hope this show holds on to its momentum, right now I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see what Tae Joo’s next step will be.

Til the next murder,

[maddymappo]

12 minutes ago, triplem said:

I hope this show holds on to its momentum, right now I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see what Tae Joo’s next step will be.

somehow I don't think that step will be off the side of the building.   But you never know, could be a surreal moment.  and he lands back where he started, ........ or could Officer Yoon be watching out for him?  We will see, one thing for sure, he isn't going to die for now.

[cafe99]

54 minutes ago, maddymappo said:

I have not seen any of the earlier versions. So it's all new to me.  I have ominous feelings about the "doctor" that appears in his subconscious, urging him to break out.  He says that Seo Hyun is waiting for him,  well then why doesn't he hear her voice? They say that people in coma do hear.   And so if she was there she would be talking to him too.   

 

I havent seen the other(s) version(s) too, so I'm a little afraid of reading this thread because somebody could do some spoilers (even in the form of "the ending will be diff, or this or that" sometimes just a simple opinion could be a spoiler tho)...  and the episodes 1&2 were absolutely crazy for me, I loved loved loved loved them. 

 

Also, I'm very happy for the ratings ♥ I hope they will increase because the cast and the story are amazing 

[maddymappo]

45 minutes ago, cafe99 said:

 

I havent seen the other(s) version(s) too, so I'm a little afraid of reading this thread because somebody could do some spoilers (even in the form of "the ending will be diff, or this or that" sometimes just a simple opinion could be a spoiler tho)...  and the episodes 1&2 were absolutely crazy for me, I loved loved loved loved them. 

 

Also, I'm very happy for the ratings ♥ I hope they will increase because the cast and the story are amazing 

Yes, me too. I hope those who saw the Brit and US version will take advantage of the "spoiler" hidden comment boxes. 

[40somethingahjumma]

@cafe99 and @maddymappo

Rest assured, there's nothing been said about the previous versions in the last couple of pages that can be considered spoilers from the BBC version. A few pages back @triplem did ask us an oblique question about the ending and we answered her in vague terms inside spoiler tags. The British and US versions have different endings from what I've heard so who knows... they might do the same thing here. I also read somewhere that there's a Czech version and a Russian version as well. But I haven't had access to either.

There are already quite distinct differences between the OCN version and the BBC one just from these two episodes especially in how the police procedures are carried out. What the writer has done is taken the overall template of the detective going back in time trying to work out what the heck is going on and infusing it with different details and a uniquely SK flavour.

 

I'm sure everyone here will do the right thing and use spoiler tags when making comparisons or just referring to the other versions.

My aim is to keep my reviews as strictly as possible about the SK version. If I make comparisons with the UK version it will just be cursory things like characterization and setting.

 

2 hours ago, maddymappo said:

I have not seen any of the earlier versions. So it's all new to me.  I have ominous feelings about the "doctor" that appears in his subconscious, urging him to break out.  He says that Seo Hyun is waiting for him,  well then why doesn't he hear her voice? They say that people in coma do hear.   And so if she was there she would be talking to him too.   

 

 

Your question is a good one and probably worth pondering over. I'm a bit suspicious myself as to the motives of the "doctor". But TJ's hearing a lot voices and he seems to be having a hard time working what's what.