[REVIEW] MBC TV series 'The Man Called God'

Official poster of "The Man Called God" [MBC]

"The Man Called God" - First episode (MBC TV, 9:45 p.m.)It is hard to say what exactly this drama is about. But come to think of it, it seems "The Man Called God" -- from the script to its action sequences -- tried to create something close to an adult comic. The show displayed how plain it is by unfolding its romantic plot involving every character within its improbable storyline. And the action scenes portrayed the very sentimentality voiced in adult comics where machos rule the world or sing of romance with the backdrop as night life or the political and economical circle. How the camera scans up and down the bodies of actresses Han Go-eun and Yu In-young dressed in their bathing suits also reveals that the show's taste in aesthetics is at the level of that seen in the cartoon section of sports papers. So were it not for the fact that this drama has a spectacular cast composed of top actors Song Il-gook, Han Chae-young and others, or the fact it is a weekend blockbuster series made on a 10 billion won budget, the drama could have received acknowledgment as a adult comic-like drama.However, "God" was created in the way that it makes it seems like the adult version of the "Power Rangers." It is hard to differentiate the character Michael, played by Song Il-gook, with the characters from the children's show, along with how similarly the audience is exposed to the tasteless interior design of the office and poor computer graphics. Other than the drama telling its clear message that it is about revenge, all the other scenes and sequences are too much to be called coincidence. The story behind the death of the main character's father was the main source of fun and excitement in the original comic but the TV adaptation, far from elaborate, sliced that very part out. Did the producers intend on this? One cannot help but be reminded of the scene where Michael, while dancing with Jin Bo-bae played by actress Han Chae-young, tells her to "just keep quiet and keep up."Written by Kim Kyo-sukEditor : Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>