Lee Jongsuk, Im Yoona, Kim Joohun, and Yang Kungwan feature in the hardboiled criminal drama Big Mouth, also known as (Bigmauseu) in Korean. Oh Chunghwan and Bae Hyun-jin directed it. This drama starring Lee Jongsuk again, especially as a comeback following Jongsuk’s military enrollment, came with a lot of expectations given that Oh Chunghwan previously worked with Jongsuk in “While you were asleep” and that his previous drama “Startup” performed extremely well. Let’s look at the positive aspects of Big Mouth before getting into the plot flaws.
Big Mouth and Big Mouse are both written in the same way in Korean, making it a creative title for the series. The plot also got off to a good start with this wordplay. As if being falsely accused wasn’t bad enough, the mystery and storytelling in the first few episodes keep getting Park Changho (Lee Jongsuk) into trouble after trouble while he is imprisoned. As viewers, we are pleased to see a married pair with a reasonable relationship and understanding take on virtually equal importance as the female lead and her counterpart. Strong character Ko Miho (Im Yoona) begins to unravel the puzzle of the web her husband has become entangled in.
To find the missing parts of his fictitious imprisonment, Changho and Miho approach the problem from two distinct directions. When playing the mind games that are hurled at them, Choi Doha (Kim Joohun) and Gong Jihoon (Yang kungwan) add twists and keep up. The show is definitely coming together and shaping up wonderfully. I eagerly awaited Gong Jihoon’s screen time because his character was so fascinating, even though he was virtually always morally tainted. His unfettered response to any circumstance was surprising. Then comes the major conundrum: “Who is Big Mouse?” Every episode either clarifies or adds a name to this show’s central mystery.
The television show is currently succeeding, and we viewers are transforming into Big Mouth exactly like Park Changho. When the show was maybe four or five episodes in, I was really that loud, urging others to start watching it and expressing excitement at the direction the drama was taking. This was promising because of the talented acting group and good production. With Jungsuk’s comeback with a strong series and Yoona already having an amazing year with a Girls Generation comeback, Confidentiality Assignment 2, and now Big Mouth, the show’s ratings were rising. For a further five episodes, probably up to episode 10, the show maintained its momentum. Then, starting with episode 11, everything started to go south.
I now truly wish I could ask Kim Haram, the author, what in the world transpired following that episode. Up until that point, the drama had made several allusions to hints, mysteries, and twists while implying that it knew the solutions. Sincerity be told, they weren’t really complex inquiries. But it turns out that in the previous six episodes, we have been given some handy and carelessly manufactured twists in addition to being left in the dark about the majority of the unresolved issues.I began to wonder if the author had changed or if the programme had begun to turn into something else. A compact narrative that started off well descended into a mess of unfinished business. Here are several narrative gaps and unsolved questions from Big Mouth that the show chose to raise but failed to address or adequately explain.
Big Mouth| Explicit Plot Holes
The daughter of Big Mouse Noh Park passed away, why?
Yes, we see a two-second scene of her murder, which strongly suggests that Chairman Kang’s son was responsible. He is said to have killed her as part of his serial killings. The audience, however, needs more than a two-second shot and some context if the entire act was a result of that vengeance.
Who is Chairman Kang’s son, Big Mouth?
Particularly in the concluding episodes, a character who wasn’t even cast received numerous mentions. even implying that Tak Kwangyeon, another prisoner, will be held accountable for his crimes as the psychotic serial killer.
Why even draw attention to the potential for suing Choi Doha over an inheritance?
Gong Jihoon was ecstatic to learn that Chairman Kang’s estranged serial killer son had sued Choi Doha for the inheritance dispute in the previous episode. Why devote so much writing and screen time to something that was either never used or never intended to be revealed before the end?
Hyejin doesn’t seem to be a concern to anyone.
After showing us scenes of terrible and psychotic domestic violence, the lost Hyejin thread or her murder is never mentioned again.
Big Mouth: What do Seo Jaeyoung’s papers cover?
One of the dialogues in the epilogue mentioned this. That smoking pistol was what made it possible for NF9 to connect with the cancer patients in his facility. But in all honesty, didn’t we know it from the start? It was always the intention of this paper to provide proof connecting NR to the cancer patients. What exactly did it have that caused Hyun Juhee to be astounded when she first saw it and caused the demolition of the covert lab? Changho initially got into all of this trouble thanks to the paper and Seo Jaeyoung’s passing.
rapid demise of Choi Doha.
How long has Choi Doha been poisoning himself with the dangerous pool water without realising it? as he appears to pass away rather quickly!
How did Changho even discover the spot where Choi Doha buried the documents and the gold?
After Choi Doha’s passing, the show is rushing to finish everything in the final three minutes. Everything absolutely fits together well. There are none. There is not much more time.
What in the name of God was happening in the hidden lab?
When it’s convenient, the story makes such facts crucial, and when it’s not, and details are expected, the plot simply ignores the relevant information. Bravo!
Can someone using a fake identity hold office as mayor of a city?
His bogus identity had been heavily exaggerated until it was of little relevance. Isn’t that a fantastic tool to take him out? You claim there is not enough proof.
Big Mouth: What happened to the grandfather of the actual Choi Doha?
To uncover the Mayor’s true identity, the grandfather of the real Choi Doha was transported to a secure place. Although it spent a lot of time on that thread, the show never used that. What went wrong with him?
How long has the Chairman Yang gang been out of jail?
Yang Chunsik was released as his prison term came to a close, which is understandable, but how could all of his followers/gang members leave at once?
No consequences following a riot at a prison.
After episodes 11 and 12, neither the prisoners nor the prison staff are subject to punishment for rioting or treason. This also involves the passing of the prison’s acting warden. Instead, a large number of prisoners are now liberated and moving around with Changho! (Recall how an uprising in Orange is the New Black had negative effects? What television plays teach us, etc.!)
Park Yoongab, is he now a free man?
Park Yoongab wasn’t released on bail. He is now a free man, then. Perhaps it wasn’t as significant to Changho’s journey, but there are many other errors like this in the programme.
With so many unanswered questions and the introduction of serial murderer character mentions midway through the conclusion, I almost believed we would enter a season 2. However, the “Deus ex Machina style” radiation poisoning in the pool water that killed Choi Doha so fast seemed to put an end to any further storytelling.
Convenient storytelling that just serves the needs of the current plot is endless. The most notable instance is Ko Miho’s diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer. It takes her a while to get to the stage of metastatic cancer that results in a bleeding nose and gums. She detects the same thing, possibly that very night, as soon as the prisoner Tak Kwangyeon inquires about the symptoms. Additionally, her demise is depicted in an exaggerated manner. Even the scene next to his wife’s deathbed and Changho’s acceptance of her illness are rushed.
The vulnerable, tearful moments in Lee Jongsuk’s earlier shows are masterpieces. But let’s not even get there; in the earlier episodes, the vulnerability Chongho displays with Miho always got us. However, the scene where he is finally losing her is really lacklustre in this closing episode. Director Nim, tell me honestly, what happened?
Miho didn’t need to be sacrificed in the typical female stereotype narrative for the male lead to achieve his anticipated peak, even though she remained a powerful female character through the entire story. It was terrible to witness a fantastic K-Drama relationship’s disappointing conclusion; great couple, wrong drama!
The programme will regrettably rank with “worst ends” in the category of “best starts.” The programme has lofty goals to demonstrate particular facets of society. It aimed to highlight the negative effects of wealth and power, corruption, a lax legal system, the contempt for others’ lives and well-being on the part of the higher social class, and the suffering brought on by the unchecked inorganic socioeconomic growth of a metropolis. Being the good Big Mouse that Miho hopes he will be, Changho has at last accepted his responsibility to resolve and assist with some of these problems. Though it started off with good ideas and even tight storytelling, everything fell apart along the way due to very sloppy, subpar, and occasionally irrational execution to get to the point.
The pleasure of trying to figure out who Big Mouse was, though, kept me entertained for the first 10 episodes. Characters that were vividly portrayed by a superb performing cast and will always be remembered. I liked how Im Yoona and Lee Jongsuk became a smart yet entertaining couple. Yoona’s acting in this season has improved significantly. Naturally, I was overjoyed that Gong Jihoon, my favourite character, ultimately achieved his goals.
Despite the jokes, Big Mouth, which had the potential to be 2022’s most acclaimed and discussed drama, will now be included in the list of “Mediocre Shows Of 2022” because of its precarious position on the critics’ radar.
What did you think of the K-Drama Big Mouth’s storyline and resolution? Any other comments? Please leave a remark below.
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