[Drama 2019] Designated Survivor : 60 Days, 60일, 지정생존자

[disembody]

9 hours ago, nrllee said:

Other things I liked about the Episode.  I liked that PMJ pulled his son up for disrespect instead of just letting him get away with it.  I also liked that they didn’t sugarcoat the reality of raising a sullen teenage boy by having him respond to his dad positively after that heart to heart in his room.  The poor man was looking for a fist pump shake but was met with nonchalance.  Someone mentioned that at least he “connected” with his son (via the WiFi password -  pun intended ).  The little girl is darling - all rainbows and unicorns.   You can tell JJH is a dad for real, he doesn’t miss a beat when talking to his little girl.  Awww... 

watching his son i was like "wow this was me in high school" teens are SOOOOO moody. i love jjh <3 

 

i'm still kinda confused on who's who and i'm in the beginning of ep 4. the reporter, she works for a conservative paper right? netflix doesn't translate the title cards for who each person is and it's really frustrating lol so idk  what her boss does exactly...

 

itll be interesting to see LJH's character. he has a penchant for ANNOYING morally grey men lmaooo so i'm excited to see how this guy plays out.

 

power isn't a bad word. it's just used badly. like pmj's idea of power is what leaders should have, the power to make a better world. his core beliefs, especially in the environment, are literally imperative to all our futures. the military and the rich have disrupted that. also the us-sk relations and how political the show is i love...

 

i want to mention that people are different. the president changed because he wanted to keep his seat. it's like obama who was a centrist; affable and generally an okay person in our sense of the world but policies that hurt people severely. 

 

we settle for either mediocrity or evil and consider that just human nature. power can cause corruption because of lack of guidance and personal lack of empathy. pmj's goal in life was not to be president, which i think is a huge benefit. you have to have some egotistical things going on to be a politician (and they know this) but the ones that aren't seeking complete power are the ones who hold their values and the people's safety closest to themselves.

 

pmj doesn't need to change, really, he needs to try his hardest in adversity and keep fighting for the people since that is their job. we think of politics like a game because it is but the gamble is people's lives. so what happens when one of those people inadvertently has to help change the world?

 

anyways, i really like this show!!!!

 

[40somethingahjumma]

@nrllee I get it... he's out of his element. He's a science nerd who's been dragged out of his academic bubble. It's obvious what they were trying to do but it seems to me just a bit heavy handed and obvious. But hey, it's a K drama, they do this sort of stuff frequently enough so I'm not seriously complaining. Still I can't help being gobsmacked by his political naivete although I don't deny that he's got an aptitude for research though.  A data-driven head of state... pigs will fly...

 

There's another similar sort of thing going on with the press secretary too whose lack of professional poise at the Blue House briefings is played on some level for comic relief as well as an obvious opportunity for the speechwriter to step up. I don't doubt that that's leading to another change over from the old to the new.

To me these are signs of wobbliness in the writing. A show that's not entirely sure-footed about its juggling act. Anyway, I'm still watching for now... if no other reason than for LJH... yesh!

_____________________________________

 

Episode 3 sees PMJ growing into the role and not content to be directed by veteran staffers while just "acting" presidential. It doesn't take him long to see that his actions or inaction has serious consequences... To have the power and not be able to use it. It certainly didn't take long for opportunistic politicians to strut their stuff at the sign of crisis. And of course the N. Korean refugees are just the ripe scapegoat for the tragedy of recent days. Yes, it seems illogical to blame the people who escaped a tyrannical state as the perpetrators but then we're all so paranoid these days... and some of that paranoia isn't unwarranted. Fear is a real enough feature of political maneuvering. 

 

Secretary Han's opposition to the presidential exercise of executive power was a somewhat unexpected but fascinating turn of events. It was on one level a test of PMJ's resolve on whether or not to issue the executive order but also I imagine a test of PMJ's mettle as a man and potential presidential candidate. But what's also intriguing is that this also signals a handing over of yet another baton because now Cha Young Jin will take over from Sec Han.(I will really have to watch Sens8 as well for more Son Seok Koo apparently) I suppose HJS saw himself as President Yang's man and realised his time was over. Only someone who is willing to buy into PMJ's agenda and approach... whatever that might be... can ably see PMJ through with conviction. Both younger men would perhaps usher in a new era of politics, stretch their wings... who knows... but that could be what's behind this test. 

 

Just wondering if we'll see Ahn Nae Sang again. His law and order platform had all kinds of lovely irony to it

[nrllee]

57 minutes ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

 

@nrllee I get it... he's out of his element. He's a science nerd who's been dragged out of his academic bubble. It's obvious what they were trying to do but it seems to me just a bit heavy handed and obvious. But hey, it's a K drama, they do this sort of stuff frequently enough so I'm not seriously complaining. Still I can't help being gobsmacked by his political naivete although I don't deny that he's got an aptitude for research though.  A data-driven head of state... pigs will fly...

 

There's another similar sort of thing going on with the press secretary too whose lack of professional poise at the Blue House briefings is played on some level for comic relief as well as an obvious opportunity for the speechwriter to step up. I don't doubt that that's leading to another change over from the old to the new.

To me these are signs of wobbliness in the writing. A show that's not entirely sure-footed about its juggling act. Anyway, I'm still watching for now... if no other reason than for LJH... yesh! 

 

 

Funny you should say that because in reading the reviews for the American version, critics were of the opinion that Sutherland was brimming with too much know how to be credible.  So they didn’t think he was inept enough and was suddenly blessed with political knowledge he shouldn’t have had.    Glad you’re strapped in for the ride.

[ktcjdrama]

This show is so good!! I can’t wait for the next episode! All the changing course whenever a crucial decision is made keep the tension up while watching. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Park to answer that last question. One other reason for me to keep watching is Sec. Cha Young Jin, my new addiction hahaha... more excited to see him than LJH  and really enjoyed seeing Sec. Cha interactions with Speechwriter Kim. 

 

I am all rooting for AP Park to run for the upcoming presidential election. 

The person seated beside Assemblyman Oh at the hospital, I believe is Sec.Han. He will join Oh in pushing him as the next president. So it will be Oh-Han against Park-Cha ~ purely my speculation. 

 

I still don’t think Agent Na’s fiancé is part of the bombing party. I like the character styling of KHN as Agent Na. And excited to see Father Han from The Fiery Priest acting in the role of her hoobae. 

[liltash85]

hi, I am new here... totally stucked with this story as the plot, directing and acting is so good. 

[iamlatika]

this drama want me to throw all my things here i was soooo arrrrgggg..

 

the last scene of ep4 when president was ask if you are dismiss in your position before becoming the acting president and he answered yes...he already reveal his weakness on live TV and because of this, his credibility as the acting president was already shaken and now added new villain to his lists how will he overcome this?

 

on the next episodes i hope he will meet kang ha na the female NIS one.. she know the real truth...

acting president park moo jin is a smart one.. although he doesnt know about politics im sure he can learn and make his bold move.

 

its so hard for me to follow and at the same time to like a political drama... but to think im getting hype with this one and it surprises me... im not really into this type of drama but the thrilled and suspense plus the actor portraying really got me excited...

 

see you next week... President Park Moo Jin (Ji Jin Hee)

[shinuuuuuuu]

i've this thought for quite some time now, after so many years of failure adapting (or remaking?) popular US series, i think they really really need to stop. or if "stop" sounds a bit too much, maybe "improve" or why not trying another way? the problem is that the original is popular (already) and it's not like no one's watching any US series or subscribing netflix and so on. MANY drama remake got this problem: slow plot (way too slow) than the original (when people watching the original do not consider fast plot as a problem). and/or unnecessary additional character. and/or additional element for makjang (when thriller/suspense/political/law drama (say: stranger, voice, or ocn's) have proven it's credibility by getting good ratings (and no complaints)

 

in the US DS, kiefer character is a minister. in the first episode (before he was appointed president), i saw him talking to emily about law and politics. about housing reform, about filing a protest with the president, about a backup plan if it fails, etc. even he also watched political news at home. which means he knows and understands politics. is he clumsy? yes, he is. he asks why nuclear launchers do not need eye scans like in the movies. not by bursting a bottle of chemical open in front of US delegates and make it as TV headlines. i think they made his character an idiot, not clumsy

[40somethingahjumma]

I've been giving some thought to why I have issues with this show in a way that I don't with Chief of Staff, which is brilliant by the way. I don't actually dislike it. On some level I think it's a lot of fun especially if I don't take it seriously. But that's the problem too because the show doesn't feel as immersive. I've been, at some level, following national and international politics since I was able to read newspapers so yes, the character of PMJ is rather too naive for my comfort. It's as if he's been literally living under a rock. It isn't just the lack of political savvy, it's also the lack of understanding of human nature. The gap of where he is presently and where he needs to be seems too great. I don't doubt that this is done primarily for storytelling purposes but it does challenge my sense of incredulity beyond my comfort zone. So for instance, when the general wants to send the black ops team into Cambodia to pick up the N.Korean defector, he is seen to have some justification because he can state with confidence that the commander in chief is wet behind the ears. It's a way of creating conflict when there mightn't be any otherwise.

 

I think some of the problem of this show is that they chose to do a kind of Mr Smith Goes to Washington characterization of PMJ while airdropping him into a pool of sharks and alligators. The result is at times a painful watch as he navigates his way around clinging on to his idealism yet without the complementary savvy to deal with the predators nipping at his heels when he makes his stance. The man valiantly chose to get into the boxing ring to play with the big boys and honestly... the blowback can be excruciating to witness. I don't disagree with most of his decisions actually but he needs to think two, three steps ahead of his opponents who will exploit his weaknesses.

 

I haven't seen the US version... so I'm not comparing. It's certainly not easy to adapt an internationally popular series but my take is that a good writer with a good understanding of what made the original tick can make all the difference. The K version of Life on Mars was excellent. Not only was it a fantastic adaptation of the original, it's a wonderful drama in its own right.

 

However I'm keen to find out who is behind the bombing and the North Korean angle. The timing of the whole thing must mean something. I'm intrigued by all that and have a few theories about what's really happening. That's the part of the show that's keeping me interested. Moreover, I'm already very excited by LJH's highly suspect assemblyman Oh Young Seok. "The miracle" that's apparently no miracle. My husband jokingly said to me, "You don't believe in miracles, do you?" My reply was, "Not in a Kdrama." To reveal this much so early in the piece suggests to me that it could be a red herring but I'm keeping an open mind about the character's motivations. It could be that someone called him during the speech... or that he had to answer nature's call.

 

[Yana Mujay]

All set is good, the actor acting, the setting and the plots just  little disappointed about the execution many scene been pulled to long maybe the director wanna give a thrilling effects but in fact that's scene made felt annoying,wish the director could seeing this.

Now days viewers really to critical to advanced such traits. 

Excited waiting next episode.

 

[nrllee]

17 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

I am all rooting for AP Park to run for the upcoming presidential election. 

The person seated beside Assemblyman Oh at the hospital, I believe is Sec.Han. He will join Oh in pushing him as the next president.

 

O I didn’t think it was Sec Han.  I thought it was mystery man in the character chart but I guess it could be him. .  I thought Sec Han was a good guy and now that he’s actually away from the Political game I think he’s actually better placed to be PMJ’s ally/advisor without all the pressures from his actual post.  He can be totally neutral and objective but he knows all the players.  It would be odd because it looks for all intensive purposes that LJH knew about the bombing and walked away to a section where he was likely to survive?  I don’t think Sec Han would be party to the bombing?

 

So honesty wins out after all in the end.  I was on the edge of my seat too.  Will he lie and betray his convictions?  But his moral compass swings true.  He’s a good man.  At least this way he doesn’t have to spin some excuse about being away from the Assembly meeting and have his Wife lie for him or something.  He takes the bullets and lives with the consequences.  Actually the reporter lady looked almost sorry when he answered her question honestly.  I guess she has a conscience after all?  I am worried that PMJ will have to take the flack for the rogue General though who is going to send the troops out to capture the evicted Myeong (?) somebody - the guy in the video .  All these names are leaving my head in a spin.  But I like the side characters. None thus far seem superfluous.

 

I like the pace of this thus far.  And I like the characters.  I have no problems with PMJ being under a rock.  He’s but 6 months in politics.  Much of the time been nose deep in environmental studies and measuring particulate matter in the air.  Stuff that matters to him.  Everything else just sort of goes over his head. I guess I am like that too so I warm to him as a result.   When my friends talk stock market and office politics,  I switch off but I get excited beyond belief when someone mentions a new enzyme that was discovered.  Scientists look at global warming and climate change as important matters (and yes my stomach lurched too when there was all that talk about launching nukes, my first thought was not war...it was the ongoing radiation, sickness and holocaust conditions post nukes).  I would make a horrible politician.  Much like PMJ.  So I am in his corner.  Scientists unite.  

[nrllee]

19 hours ago, shinuuuuuuu said:

now more or less, almost everyone is being salty over the show. now i'm watching solely for LJH, no more or no less. 

 

Almost everyone?  Coming from a Scientist, I am curious to know how you came to this conclusion?  Coz immediately my mind goes to figures and data. Almost everyone to me indicates >90%.  Is there a Naver article or something that led you to this conclusion?  Like one that got heaps of negativity?  I would like to read the source if that’s the case.  Thanks in advance.

 

And yes I also thought like PMJ when everyone else was pointing the finger at North Korea for the bombing when the video was released.  This was an anomaly, the situation played out differently to the past events.  Side bar - Scientists love anomalies - we hone in on them (if they are people) and sign them up for medical studies to find out why they are “different” from everyone else , potential for new discoveries or new treatments.    Hubby was mortified when I suggested he submit his medically unusual shingles case to a doctor friend, complete with pictures for the sake of medical advancement.  I assured him that his identity would be protected, he would be Patient A, in his 50s, of Asian descent... He clamped down on that conversation quick smart and exercised his right to remain silent. 

 

EDIT - ratings seem to be holding steady on tvN at 4.2-4.3% in second week.

[shinuuuuuuu]

@nrllee because you choose to be straightforward, i will do the same. i do not like the way you respond and i feel it's very offensive. i am not here to argue, that's why i keep myself not to directly reply/mention/quote someone to throw out offensive sentences because as long as i understand, this is an open forum. last but not least, i chose not to bring up my degree and position to inform that i deleted (related) sentences in my previous post. sorry if i offends you in any way. thank you  

[nrllee]

@shinuuuuuuu I am sorry I came across that way. I honestly wanted to know where you got that information from. There are other sources of articles other than Soompi so I just assumed you got that information somewhere.  I did not mean to offend. I apologise if I did.  I want to read what other people think (good and bad) of the drama.  Not everyone will enjoy it and everyone will have different feelings and opinions.  So I like reading other people’s takes on things.  It broadens my mind. 

[joccu]

Assemblyman Oh is too suspicious to be miracle survivor. I totally believe he knew that the bombing will happen or he even was part of bombing.

And the blue house attack also came in suspicious time. The attack happened only after Oh was rescued. That can't be coincidence. 

Is brutally honest policy dangerous?

I think if you're brutally honest that can actually harm you but I think president Park made the right choice. 

[ktcjdrama]

12 hours ago, triplem said:

Sec Cha is so hot  ...don't flame me , but I ship these two. I know romance should be the last thing here..but oh well , they got chemistry

No worries, I ship them both too  

[nrllee]

On 7/10/2019 at 4:26 PM, 40somethingahjumma said:

I think some of the problem of this show is that they chose to do a kind of Mr Smith Goes to Washington characterization of PMJ while airdropping him into a pool of sharks and alligators. The result is at times a painful watch as he navigates his way around clinging on to his idealism yet without the complementary savvy to deal with the predators nipping at his heels when he makes his stance. The man valiantly chose to get into the boxing ring to play with the big boys and honestly... the blowback can be excruciating to witness. I don't disagree with most of his decisions actually but he needs to think two, three steps ahead of his opponents who will exploit his weaknesses

 

I love this analogy!  I guess it begs the question as to whether the Mr Smiths of this world should therefore stay clear of politics because they just haven’t got it?  No Boy Scouts allowed. Just savvy politicians with the gift of the gab and spin.  All politicians lie to a greater or lesser extent, it’s a given?  Truth has no place in politics.  Certainly not absolute truth of honesty.  Everything is relative.  A little white lie here and there is okay surely?  So for him to tell the truth about his dismissal is just dumb?  And to give the lady Opposition leader the truth too about the North Korean video?  Just naive?  Personally I feel it’s a smart move on his part.  His very honesty astounds his peers.  It means he doesn’t have to make up more lies to cover the original lie.  He doesn’t cower and hide. He stands in the light even if they approach him in the cover of darkness.  If he starts his political career on a lie, it will set a precedent for his future in politics.  Will he fall on his own sword because of his honesty?  Possibly.  But there are worse things to lose your job for.  Even if it is the highest post in the nation.

[40somethingahjumma]

14 hours ago, joccu said:

 

I think if you're brutally honest that can actually harm you but I think president Park made the right choice. 

 

1 hour ago, nrllee said:

 

I love this analogy!  I guess it begs the question as to whether the Mr Smiths of this world should therefore stay clear of politics because they just haven’t got it?  No Boy Scouts allowed. Just savvy politicians with the gift of the gab and spin.  All politicians lie to a greater or lesser extent, it’s a given?  Truth has no place in politics.  Certainly not absolute truth of honesty.  Everything is relative.  A little white lie here and there is okay surely?  So for him to tell the truth about his dismissal is just dumb?  And to give the lady Opposition leader the truth too about the North Korean video?  Just naive?  Personally I feel it’s a smart move on his part.  His very honesty astounds his peers.  It means he doesn’t have to make up more lies to cover the original lie.  He doesn’t cower and hide. He stands in the light even if they approach him in the cover of darkness.  If he starts his political career on a lie, it will set a precedent for his future in politics.  Will he fall on his own sword because of his honesty?  Possibly.  But there are worse things to lose your job for.  Even if it is the highest post in the nation.

 

I think it's fine to be brutally honest if you have got a plan in place, not just the facts. Honesty means vulnerability which means you've got to be certain and have a backup plan. I've seen all too often that honesty can be used against good people in politics. Politics is like a game or at least it is played like one by the people who are engaged in it. There are winners, there are losses. One has to think strategically and long term. Does he want to win individual games or is he after the league championship? It can't be just about doing "the right thing" at that moment. There needs to be a clear understanding of what the endgame is. 

 

I too think that PMJ made the right calls but it's how you make them that's just as important. Does PMJ want to run for the presidency? That's an important question because that will determine how he handles the 60 days. If he keeps trying play president, it gives people the impression that he is serious about politics and wants to hang on to the role. So he has to jolly well make his mind up. There's no sense in dipping his toes in now and again to "do the right thing" because there's blowback every time he dips his toes. If he doesn't want to be president, he should listen to his staffers and get out of their way. From my perspective it seems that he's not content to sit in the sidelines because he keeps going against the advice of his staffers and making highly political gestures. Optics is hugely important and it hasn't quite sunk in for him that's the case. For PMJ there can't be a middle ground. That's what Sec Cha keeps telling him and Sec. Cha is far more politically savvy than he is. PMJ cannot have his cake and eat it too in terms of how he plays in the shark pool.

 

In Mr Smith, Jeff is played and manipulated by the big wigs so there is a dose of reality there. Does his filibustering make a difference? Perhaps... not without help from friends and  a miracle when Claude Rains' character finally confesses his culpability.

 

22 hours ago, triplem said:

Finally catching up on eps 4 @ktcjdrama, Sec Cha is so hot  ...don't flame me , but I ship these two. I know romance should be the last thing here..but oh well , they got chemistry

 

An interesting observation, when OYS was  carried out on a stretcher , there was this short moment when he saw Agent Han's face and recognised her immediately, and quickly shut his eyes after. The interview at the hospital makes him even more suspicious when he said all the right things - how can he be happy to be alive when everyone around him is dead...this was a typical politician sort of speech.  Can't trust his handsome face 

 

Kang Hana posted this BTS of her and LJH 

 

 

Can't blame you dear. I saw it too.  The UST between Cha Young Jin and Jung Soo Jung was palpable. The only reason why I'm not giving this pairing my complete blessing is because I think JSJ is still a bit naive for my liking. But she's learning.   

I'm really really liking the actor who plays Cha Young Jin... Son Seok Koo... he's my latest discovery. And Sec. Cha... yeah... what to do... I have a thing for smart guys.

 

And... I did see some potential between OYS and Agent Han as well.

[nrllee]

Yup agree @40somethingahjumma.  Presently he still doesn’t strike me as someone who really wants the scepter handed to him.  He still has this “I am just a seat warmer” mentality (I am just here for 60 days) so he seems to lurch from one crisis to crisis with barely a chance to consolidate and catch breath.  He has to WANT to be there if he’s going to put his hand up for Presidency post 60 days and to effect any positive change or be of any real use in the political world.  As the Minister for Environment he wanted to be there because he wanted to make a difference and felt that he could make a difference.  That mentality hasn’t translated to his position as President.  Will be interesting to see where the writer takes his character.  

[KDrM]

On 7/10/2019 at 12:57 AM, shinuuuuuuu said:

i've this thought for quite some time now, after so many years of failure adapting (or remaking?) popular US series, i think they really really need to stop. or if "stop" sounds a bit too much, maybe "improve" or why not trying another way? 

Next time, please just write "improve or why not try another way."

I understand if you're disappointed, but some do like it.

You're implying that this 60 days Designated Survivor is a failure adaptation and should stop or shouldn't have even started. 

That's very discouraging and it just ruined my mood since this is currently my favorite kdrama.

 

xxx

 

Hey, the earlier Blue House spokesman, before NW, might have not been the original spokesman?

Because we had a scene in episode 1 where a man was talking about every authority higher-up important figures are gone. 

So I'm guessing that the one who sweats a lot was new spokesman after the incident, and that's why he was not good at it.

Reporter also doesn't seem to know him much. If he was original spokesman, she should have known him.

[nrllee]

12 hours ago, KDrM said:

Hey, the earlier Blue House spokesman, before NW, might have not been the original spokesman?

Because we had a scene in episode 1 where a man was talking about every authority higher-up important figures are gone. 

So I'm guessing that the one who sweats a lot was new spokesman after the incident, and that's why he was not good at it.

Reporter also doesn't seem to know him much. If he was original spokesman, she should have known him.

 

Yeah it did strike me as a bit odd that he’s not used to being in the hot seat. I mean that’s kinda a given for that position?  It’s part of the job description.  So it would make sense if he was just a stand in like PMJ because he was thrust into that spot due to circumstance.