[mslee's thoughts]Iron Man / Blade Man Review - Halfway Still But Getting More Interesting

Is it a bird? A plane? Superman? Anya..anya... it's Hong Bin! Joo Hong Bin the Blade Man!

Yes, our hero in this fantasy drama sprouts blades on his body whenever he gets mad. And not only blades, he has gotten extra superpowers like unbelievable strength and amazingly, can defy gravity that he can rise above, not just like Spiderman who uses his web to jump from place to place but Hong Bin is like Superman who can elevate himself from the ground and like what he did in this episode, he was like jumping from trees to trees.

Hmmm...so, now I am intrigued with the appearance of this ahjussi who I hated from the drama Golden Cross.

What is he up to?

What is his role in this drama and what fate he has with Joo Hong Bin. From previous episode it was revealed that he had tortured a girl, and I conclude that it was Tae Hee. And surprisingly enough, butler Yoon was the one who had dealings with this ahjussi. Now I wonder if all along Hong Bin [and me, the viewer] has mistakenly blamed his father for the death of Tae Hee.

But then, what about this letter which was given by Hong Bin's brother to the gardener which somehow got switched with the pocket money and lost for a while but now found it's way back but not into Hong Bin's hands but butler Yoon's, unfortunately. So, she is rude enough to open letters not for her and decide for herself what to do with it and not letting Hong Bin know about it. It was said that Hong Joo, the brother, knew about Tae Hee.

Butler Yoon is getting creepy although something about her past with the father of Hong Bin could have been reasons why she is acting this way. She felt a bit sad when the father just ignored her.

I wonder why this drama gets low ratings when in fact, the characters are all interesting, intriguing and has layered personalty that has to be revealed yet. I say there is nothing predictable in this drama besides Se Dong's kind personality and the craziness of Hong Bin. But whatever is still in store for the viewers are mysteries as of this moment. One by one, it is being unfolded.

Just like how Hong Bin got to have blades sprouting from his body whenever he is mad and coinciding with bad weather like rain.

From this episode, while getting angry seeing Se Dong slapped by his step mother, blades started to appear again on his back. As he walked, childhood memories came rushing back. He grew up lonely. He grew up not being loved or appreciated. He easily got scolded by his father who had high expectations of him and even butler Yoon knocked him on the head when he started whining. It seemed that his emotions were all locked up inside, building, spreading through out his entire body, not being able to express his feelings. The story somehow explained why the anger brews and how it became the blades coming out when he no longer can control his rage inside. It was like blades became the manifestations of all emotions he has gathered through out these years, along with Secretary Ko's explanations that it began when he donated his bone marrow.

This can be acceptable considering this is a fantasy drama, just like when Spiderman got bitten by a spider. But then, just like what I wrote above, I have a feeling that somehow, this creepy ahjussi has some thing to do with Hong Bin.

The interesting part of Hong Bin's extra ordinary power is that even if the weather is good, now blades can come out anytime whenever he gets angry. And he has not learned yet how to control them from getting out of his body. He must think of Se Dong with her happy face and their cute moments to make blades disappear. He tried so hard but whenever he thought of the slap Se Dong got from his stepmother, anger boils deep down and blades come out again. He needed to hide from her for a while. He felt so guilty when Se Dong got hurt instead of Hong Joo's mother. She had 50 stiches according to Seung Hwan at her back.

The romance in this drama is getting cuter every time. It may not like be other sweet couples in other k-dramas, still, Hong Bin and Se Dong have their own kind of chemistry that is fascinating enough to make their scenes together fun to watch.

Because Se Dong can not leave Hong Bin alone even if she wants to, [perhaps] and she just can't ignore him whenever he apologizes to her or show him his vulnerable side. Hong Bin saw through her already. She is gullible and he is using that side of her to get close to her. He knew he needs her. Se Dong's appreciation of Hong Bin is the reason why she calms him inside. She is a caring person and he found it in her being. She is so selfless that it makes every one around her feel safe and important. Just like Chang when they first met, he found her warmth. Of course this was triggered by her parents death.

In episode 11, she witnessed how strong Hong Bin was but even if Hong Bin asked her if she noticed something from him, she did not care to ask. It is unlikely that she is too dumb to see what really happened when Hong Bin saved the people inside the car while he carried it and righted it and then snapped the car door open, detaching it and throwing it away with one hand.

Is Se Dong overlooking things that she noticed about Hong Bin? Why? Or she knew something is different but she just does not care.

The drama also showed that Hong Bin has finally opened up his heart to Chang. The child is giving him his love innocently, purely and he likes to please him as his father. He even likes to wave him goodbye, in which Hong Bin realized he likes to see.

Tears fell unknowingly on Hong Bin's face as he hugged this minute of a child who is his son. A small soul has given him something that can not be bought or taken away from him now that he received it. A love that is not asking anything from him in return.

But will Chang and Se Dong's love keep Hong Bin from being the monster he is as the Blade Man? What more will make him angry enough to harm people?

Police has gotten wind up of what happened in the park. They questioned him but of course there was no evidence pointing to him. But then, in the internet, someone has uploaded a video of him while he was holding the car above the ground when he saved a child and a mother. Will this be the start of Hong Bin getting famous, or people knowing him as a man with super powers? What will be the reaction of the people if they see him with his blades?

I wonder where the writer will take this story?

The drama is not only humorous in some parts but also heartwarming.

A son being proud of his father is something that Chang has given Hong Bin. I think in the end, Hong Bin's father will realize something but I hope it won;t be too late. That Hong Bin is not a possession he has to have for him to fulfill some dreams but a living person who has not gotten any warmth from him as a son should have from a father.

This is a 20 episode drama and it is just halfway. More will unfold. Secrets are still hidden from the past. They have to be revealed. And very much looking forward to them.

Ratings are important but I think the storyline is much more important and I think viewers have judged this drama easily from the start. I wish they could have stayed and followed this unconventional and not your everyday typical drama to know that Blade Man is offering a refreshing kind of story.

-mslee1107-

more screen caps from episodes 10 and 11

Episode 10