Prison Playbook (2017) 슬기로운 감빵생활
Directed by Shin Won-ho, starring Park Hae-soo and Jung Kyung-ho.
Watched 11 - 25 January 2025 — 16 episodes (NETFLIX)
*Great slice-of-life prison drama with a stellar ensemble cast portraying well-written characters. The main character, baseball player Kim Je-hyuk (played by Park Hae-soo in his first-ever lead role), may not be the brightest but he is a keen observer and has a kind heart. He brings about a change in his prison cell and affects the lives of his cellmates.
*This show is highly rated and I can totally understand the love for it. I love the humour and heartfelt moments. There's also great cinematography and a fitting OST.
*I was a bit disappointed with the bromance between Kim Je-hyuk and Joon-ho (Jung Kyung-ho), I had hoped it would be more heartwarming. I also didn't think their chemistry was the greatest (nothing like the great chemistry between Shin Ha-kyun and Yeo Jin-goo in Beyond Evil). But we know how much they care for each other and I love how Joon-ho supported his childhood friend and was always there for him. Actually, for me this series was more about the other cellmates and correction officers, I love them so much!
*So many touching moments. The transfer of Doctor Go (who was imprisoned for taking the fall for the company's embezzlement); the whole storyline of Captain Yoo (Jung Hae-in) and his retrial and his brother and lawyer working on his case; the parole of Min-chul (Choi Moo-sung) being denied, him getting a special pardon and finding out he has a grown-up daughter (he's one of my favourite characters of the whole show); Kim Je-hyuk giving his phone number to Jailbird; et cetera.
*I prefer the feel-good moments and was less happy with the grim turn the series took with the arrival of Croney (Ahn Chang-hwan). I love how Kim Je-hyuk's cellmates protected him from Croney. Fortunately the character of Croney got redeemed and they made him Kim Je-hyuk's catcher. I love the scene in ep. 13 where Je-hyuk and his cellmates confront the thugs in the courtyard.
*The prison warden is a bit of a nitwit but I loved how he stood up for my fave correction officer, Assistant Chief Paeng (Jung Woong-in), and refused to have him transferred, something requested by horrible Prison Officer Na (Park Hyoung-soo). I also like correction officer Song (Kang Ki-doong) and how the lovable officers supported the inmates and rooted for their retrial/parole/release.
*I love Lee Kyu-hyung as Looney so much. He is funny and adorable, and I enjoyed his fights with Kaist (Park Ho-san) and later with Captain Yoo, they lean to slapstick humour. Yoo has a sweet soft smile, by the way. I knew when he was introduced he couldn't be a bad guy.
*In the end my heart broke for Looney. I really hated the fact that he went off the rails again and succumbed to his drug addiction. His loved ones should have waited for him outside the prison to pick him up but probably his downfall would have happened anyway.
*Why it was necessary to give a glimpse of Prison Officer Na's backstory in the last half hour of the show is beyond me. I wanted to spend more time with the lovable main characters. I cared so much about them that I didn't want to part with them and it made me sad that the series had come to an end. I was also a bit disappointed there was no reunion between the cellmates outside the prison and that the characters just sort of disappeared the moment they were transferred or released (Doctor Go, Kaist, Looney, Min-chul).
*Show has 2 romances. It might have been better without them but I did like both romances.
*My dream ending would have been Kim Je-hyuk and his cellmates reunited, them watching Je-hyuk's baseball game where he would make his great comeback. Well, this wouldn't be realistic but it would have been perfect.
*All in all, a great series, one that's definitely another favourite drama of mine!