,Rinbukyoku~Rondo~ [輪舞曲~Rondo~]
As I watched RONDO, I had this sense of longing to know more on the dark side of the mafia activities better known as Yakuza in Japan. Perhaps, a past incident of an acquaintance near-missed confrontation with them did somehow compel me to watch this drama. Strangely, as I indulged into it, my initial drive on the perception of the Mafia no longer really interest me while Takumi and Yuna triumphed over as my passion for this drama grows in a different direction.
Again, my apology to some who may find my long-winded posting a bit of boredom…… but all the same I hope you’ll enjoy watching the drama more than reading my reviews and commentaries.
The following reviews are written based on my own opinion and the comments made are not in any way judgmental….and a reminder to all that it contains, SPOILERS!!!
In a serious note, I would strongly advise those who have yet to watch this drama against reading the following reviews as it WILL SPOIL your chance of enjoying the thrills and suspense of the drama. Since RONDO is relatively new …. broadcasted by TBS in Japan on 15th January 2006, I am most concerned of SPOILING the viewers.
Hence, I’ve categorized the spoilers into two parts : the "minor spoilers" serves as an introduction but revealing more than the usual but the “major spoilers” will touch on in-depth storyline. So, you decide to what extent of the reviews that you intend to read……
WARNING : MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Brief Synopsis
This story is about cops, mafia, under-cover agents aka mole involving one of the most powerful terrorist organization in Japan, SHIN-KU who is actually operating as Kazama Holdings (in a pretense of conducting legal business). Kazama Holdings is a huge corporate and their businesses or rather power had expanded to Asia. Their main business is printing of counterfeit notes and laundering of money which was used to acquire other business by force in order to conquer their rivals and to hold stake of their businesses. They are mean and ruthless and their powerful influences had become a major concern for the police department. The Japanese Metropolitan Police Department is designated to STOP Shin-ku from committing any major crime …….but their extensive investigation process has to involve under-cover cop aka the mole….
Brief Introduction of Main Characters
Kazama Holdings is wholly owned by Kazama Ryuichiro (Sugiura Naoki, most feared kingpin in Shin-ku ) and with his son, Ryugo (Hayami Mokomichi) they ventured into drugs, casino and any other illegal businesses other than their main dealings in printing of counterfeit notes and money laundering. They are highly influential in financial and politics in Japan. The most fearsome opponent of Shin-ku was not the police but to nail down the “mole”. Ryugo has many other business interests without his father’s knowledge. He has his own group of men working under him and he is just as deadly as his father. The only other family member who is not directly linked to the business is Ryuichiro’s daughter, Tokomi (Ichikawa Yui). Her only interest is her driver, Nishijima Shou (Takenouchi Yutaka ).
The 2nd key person in Shin-ku, a henchman to Ryuichiro is Song Gyu Hwan (Hashizume Isao Hashizume Isao) a Korean national, whom he got acquainted with Ryuichiro during the war-time. They became trusted friends and Song acted as his confidante as well.
Nishijima Shou is an undercover cop and he worked closely with his best buddie, Hide (Sato Ryuta), they are involved in illegal activities organized by their employers, Shin-ku. Shou’s ability to sustain himself as an undercover cop for three years is stemmed from the fact that he is out for REVENGE. 24 years ago, Shin-ku was responsible for the killing of his father. He left his mother, Kanayama Yoshiko (Fubuki Jun) on her own for 9 years and he had gone “refuge” without any kind of explanation. Other than sending money to his mother (through telegraphic transfer), there’s no trace of him. His mother can only confide her fear and worries through Takumi’s close childhood friend, Ichinose Akira (Kimura Yoshino). She is often seen cheering and giving Takumi’s mother lots of confidence that one day, Takumi will return home. Akira gives us the impression that her interest in him went beyond the normal friendship….. perhaps, silently harboring the hope of extending their relationship to a step further....
Yoshihiko Isaki (Ishibashi Ryo ), a dedicated Chief Police Officer, who had since after the death of Shou’s father committed himself to fulfill his duties to track and hunt down all the illegal activities of SHIN-KU. He is the main force behind the police department and in his entire career, his mission is to find hard evidence and destroy the Kazama’s empire aka Shin-ku. He is the only person in the police force who is connected to Shou and who knew of his real identity (Kanayama Takumi ).
Chie Yuna (Choi Ji Woo), a talented musician turned restaurateur and her feebly sick sister, Yuni (Lee Jung Hyun) had arrived in Japan in search for their long lost father, Chie Hyun Ho (Hashizume Isao). Both of them hated Shin-ku as they were responsible in breaking-up their family. They came to Japan for a purpose…..to re-unite with their father whom had been missing after he had arrived in Japan (so it seems). When Yuna had lost hope to survive in a foreign land as a violinist, she decided to convert the small shop into a Korean Restaurant.
Watch out for Choi Ji Woo’s role as she later reveals a darker side of her identity as the story unfolds….
Kim Young Jae (Shin Hyun Joon) representing the Korean mafia who had been sent to team-up with Shin-Ku. There’s a mystery behind this man as he kept appearing at Yuna’s restaurant with a purpose of restraining her from carrying out her restaurant business. He had shown a keen interest in her but one will wonder what was his core interest in Yuna. It will appear in the beginning of the story that he and Shou were both fighting for Yuna but what lies behind their motives will be uncovered later. Another character who will surprise us….or some may have expected it!
Ryugo Kazama (Hayami Mokomichi) is the only son to Ryuichiro, a rich pompous heir to the Kazama Holdings but an extremely unhappy young man. His father planned to get him involved in politics. He actually yearned for his father’s love …yet he can’t help but hated him for the lack of love which he owed him. He has thousands of reasons to hate him. Ryugo was totally unmoved by his sister’s obsession with Shou. He was more concerned and protective over his own interests. He is extremely self-centred and behaved arrogantly most of the time, probably because of his upbringing. He repeatedly failed to gain his father’s trust and faith in his own business dealings. Always a loser with a childish business acumen …that’s what his father impression on him. He despised his father for not trusting his judgment and hated him even more when his father humiliated him openly. As he fought in desperation to gain control of his power, he was forced by his father to relinquish his “territory” to someone unknown and unrelated, a Korean by the name Kim Young Jae Sshi!.
Another couple who injected some light humor in this drama is Yuna’s neighbor, Matsudaira Fujiko (Okamoto Rei ) who operates a shop opposite the Chie sisters’ shop selling vegetables together with her jovial husband, Matsudaira Teppei (Shiomi Sansei). Fuji-chan also acts as Yuna & Takumi’s translator. To me, this couple plays an important role in Rondo not one to be typecast as “unimportant roles”. Without them, many of the links between Yuna/Yuni/Takumi could not have been related or translated to the viewers……
On Casting and Comment on Production
Introduction
RONDO is a suspense thriller with a romantic theme to tone down the upbeat twists and turns its way through an underworld of crime and revenge where nothing is as it seems. Indeed, a profoundly complex storyline, intriguing plots, redemption and revenge seeking, cops nailing baddies, mafia gang aka Shin-Ku as the most wanted “king lords” in the police force. Sure, you will get to watch gun-battle, violent bashing of victims, breath-taking scenes at the sub-way train/car chasing, heart pounding scenes. I must admit that this is one drama that sets apart from my previous experience of watching Japanese and Korean dramas.
The opening montage gave a powerful introduction of two main stars standing at different position…like an awakening mystery storming at their path…… and only the fallen snow flakes dancing away gives one a different feel…….RONDO………..
It gives one a great pleasure of watching a movie-like drama in the comfort of your home….definitely a valued production. TBS and Yedang Entertainment had invested heavily on this production in conjunction with the 50th anniversary celebration of TBS. Needless to say, it promises an ensemble of an all-star cast! …one great-looking hunk aka every one’s J-heartthrob, one perfecto agassi aka “hime” Princess in Japan, one half of young talented looking hunks and the other half of experienced ahem older hunks. Viola! You have an absolute dream cast.
All the characters connect to the story and with only 11 episodes, I’m truly…. truly spellbound by how they managed to develop all the key characters so in-depth which literally speaking, left no room for me to whine and was hunger for more …the suspense is killing my inquisitive mind and was pinning for more love scenes of the main couple.
Impression on Technical Production
I just marvel at the details of the entire production created for this drama and you must watch out for the music effect which actually was composed to project a certain “feel” for each approaching suspense scene. I love how they create the moods for the viewers to blend in their story telling and you’d witness subtle camera trick every now and then. The atmosphere of the back alley where Hide often frequented the place is one of my favourite scenes….like how they zoom in/out the scenes….focusing on the character and then throwing in some mysterious feel with a touch of flickering black and white screen. The smoke effect makes it more enticing…..like an ensuing dark tale of paranoia and intrigue. The sound was brilliantly designed to capture some of the suspense scene ~~ like one outstanding piece which I must mention ~~ a chanting-of-some-kind-of-religious-phrases…..
The music and effect team did a splendid combo ~~ and it left me in awe…totally unexpected. It is undeniably TRUE that it did satisfy our appetite for creating a movie-like atmospheric feel! Based on this experience, I am certain that my future indulgence of watching any K or J-dramas will inevitably put be in a position for comparison.
It did little to distract me and felt unperturbed when I read that RONDO resembles the HK movie, Internal Affairs. Not having watched Internal Affairs, I can’t really say of Rondo’s version maligned the trilogy. I would prefer to remember RONDO, the original script……..
Expectation on the theme.............
- Waves of insecurity lay hidden in my chest
- Before my eyes lay directions in which I must go, which way
- This is how life flows, that way you will say goodbye to me
- I believe in myself, things that I believe in
- This is where everything starts
- I believe in myself, the warm light
- Down this road in between I will walk…..
- I believe….
This drama is like a jigsaw puzzle, that is to say it is somehow fragmented to begin with and will leave you confuse (often leave a suspense ending at each episode) until you put all the pieces together. That is one reason that you will be glued to this suspense thriller and I was reveling my good fortune of watching such a top-notch-deep-end stuff!!! . I sense a growing desire on the part of the audience to see something that gets into the grey areas of police work. There were glimmers of a high-tech action cum computer flick gadgets (I shall delve on this when I write on Most Brilliant Scenes) that sent me back to primitive years…..and perhaps as I often complained of my failure to grasp all the latest high-tech computer world has to offer me, I am truly amazed….maybe not for some but it is to me…**big sigh**.
The flow of the drama leaves you no room to rest your thoughts as each scene you watched you need to recap the facts quicker than the lightning flash as the storyline really goes at a fast-paced. Watch-out for all the “important camera shots” which actually “tell the story” without being said….some scenes were without dialogues but the facial gestures and eye contact of the actors relate the story. Where possible, please do not blink (just exaggerating) as the directional focus of the camera shots does all the talking. I strongly advised viewers to watch the drama at least twice to understand the in-depth of the storyline. It’ll satisfy your quest to fill your doubts and you’ll understand more on why certain actions causes the actors to behave a way you may have not found any link in your first attempt of watching.
Well, if you are in the mood for a jigsaw puzzle, this is the drama for you…and if you are able to piece the puzzle together in your first viewing …..I’ll salute you for possessing a powerful memory but it is a POSSIBLE MISSION…for some!
PLEASE STOP TO PONDER : MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Touches on Sensitivity Scenes
It was a pleasant surprise to me, as this Korean-Japanese joint production drama did not touch on two very common issues in line with a topic involving the MAFIAS …firstly, they had avoided scenes involving “geisha aka hostess” and lastly no vulgar languages were used but common swearing words were heard. I noticed a discrepancy on the sub-titles (source from Asabou) which should have been translated as “Get out” instead of f*&# at the scene where Yuna was holding a knife aiming at Kim Young Jae. It proves that without these two ingredients ….with great storyline and good acting, it can turn out as a successful production!
Thoughts on the Role of Main Actors
Aha! Many may have thought I had deliberately forgotten the main STAR, the role of Yuna and Shou/Takumi. Of course not! How could I have not touched on the best and romantic part of this drama (a much-awaited savior for most drama addict lovers).
The script writer threw in a dog as a go-between for two strangers who hardly understood each other due to language barrier. I like the story with a tag line that reads “the bonding of a relationship with a dog in tow” is so romantically scripted”….Thanks to JUSTICE (Shou’s dog), Shou and Yuna got a reason to meet often…. (on an alternative day as a joint-effort to “baby-sit” JUS) and it paves way for both of them to develop their relationship a step further….indeed a doggie-love story. I like watching how these two strangers meet, argue and dispute over the dog’s custody and later developed into a much meaningful relationship ….with the help of Justice and of course, not forgetting the translator, Fujiko-san, the nosy neighbour with a kind-heart. Every episode, we notice a deepening of the relationship and a further understanding ….and we could feel them growing closer together and more sparks fly between them. Despite the language barrier, their eye contact and body language did the “talking” and they are obviously attracted to each other.
I believe many viewers especially those who fell in love with the couple, would have appreciated, if the writer had elaborated more on their on-screen lovey-dovey scenes. I guess with the limited episodes and with other characters to develop, this is unfortunately not possible unless they extended the episodes….but then that will go beyond the norm of a Japanese production.
A heartfelt drama that is emotional without being a tear-jerker. A well-scripted story which should keep any and every Korean-Japanese drama buff hooked for its superb production ~~ indeed lifted up it’s expectation of “a movie-like-drama production”.
I couldn’t agree with some of the not-so-well-received reviews that I read in other forums with regards to Choi Ji Woo's acting skill – so I might as well take another shot at the subject. First of all, I’d dispute the notion that she hasn’t played other roles “two romantic comedies with different storyline….”The Romantic President” and “Everyone Has A Secret”. Strangely, why does everyone remember her maudlin roles in Beautiful Days, Winter Sonata and Stairway to Heaven and had no impression on her other roles? But if one may recall, most of the viewers love her in these tear-jerkers drama (which was the reason she earned a nickname “hime aka princess” for herself in the Land of the Rising Sun after her role as Yoo Jin in Winter Sonata). Perhaps, her new challenging role as Yuna aka Ai, will leave a different impression on those who has never claimed to enjoy watching her acting. To those who had not given CJW a chance to prove otherwise, please tune in to watch her portrayal in RONDO…..hopefully, you’ll discover how versatile an actress she can be. But whatever verdict you may have concluded……and by the end of the drama, if you couldn’t come to terms with my opinion………..just treat it as one of your journey of discoveries!
Judging by response from J-addicts, Takenouchi Yutaka had maintained his popularity and he is indeed a crowd-puller but most importantly he is a superb and experienced actor. I still find him as charismatic and attractive as he used to be during his hey days. He did not lose the charm he exudes from his previous roles except he had looked matured…...probably with his grown moustache. In a quick glance if you view him at a certain angle, I noticed he had shed some of his boyish look but looking at myself now, what else can I expect! Sometimes, I imagine him minus the moustache for his role as Takumi and somehow couldn’t make out whether it’ll suit his image as make-believe of a “gangster”!!
Everyone is fond of his role character Shou/Takumi and I find him very focused in his role and felt like he is synchronizing his life as Shou and Takumi and he did it expertly. Yutaka was totally immersed in his role as someone so painstakingly going through 3 years of hardship as an undercover cop in search of his father’s killer. His unhappiness is written in his face....and I noticed his tension building up as he develops his role character.
He was the main reasons many tuned in to watch Rondo….(a general revelation I read from other forums). What could be the response I expect of from a forum whose fans are in favour of anything related to Japanese? Similarly, anyone would have read the same expectations of pinning for Choi Ji Woo in a Korean forum.
The Story Unfolds....
Tragedy Causes Hatred
Korea …..It was 1982, and everything looked normal except that a planned bomb is targeted to trigger at 9.00 pm sharp at the home of the Sakuras’. Shortly before the incident, the Sakura and Kanayama’s family was exchanging some light conversation while their children happily enjoyed playing together. A thunderous blasting erupt an inferno and screams of anguish were heard and fearing for their lives, those people on the ground site run amok fleeing to safety. Debris fell down from the high rise apartment and hit the ground which landed on some unlucky bystanders. Far off, a siren began to sound as the fire brigade and police car were dispatched to the site. Kanayama who witnessed the incident from the ground view, realized the unit belonged to Sakura’s family. Instinctively, he knew it was planted by the highly dangerous mobster, Shin-ku. As one of the most respectable Police Officers, Kanayama was determined to carry out justice and without hesitation he knew he has a job to execute …. investigate the cause of the incident. Unfortunately, before he could help to put justice to the case, he was killed along with Mr & Mrs Sakura…. fortunately, they left behind their two young girls who survived ….and they lived to tell the story …..
Hatred Causes Tragedy
Tragedy and Hatred ……closely intervined
In a shock to find his father dead, young Kanayama, an 8 year old boy vowed to become the best Police Officer, like his father when he grows up. He wanted to find justice just as how his father would have been if he lived. While Isaki was on his way to enlighten the accounts of the case to his late friend’s wife, Yoshiko, he stumbled upon a small metal gadget which he picked it up. Isaki returned the watch belonging to Takumi’s father and placed the scratched watch on the young boy’s wrist. While his father is gone, he left behind his most treasured gift, a watch. As the watch’s second-hand ticked away the minutes, hours, days, months, years…..it actually ticked away all the years of happiness he would have enjoyed with his beloved father….but that was not to be and for 24 years, Takumi grew up full of hatred towards the people who had killed his father while his mother had only happy memories of her late husband to fill the emptiness. Their happiness was robbed by all these ruthless men. Until today, he still wears the worn-out watch …..it serves as a wake-up call for Takumi…a timely call indeed………… for redemption and revenge.
The World dances as if a sad Rondo........
Like today ........
Back to present….year 2006, the watch is still working…the glass surface still remain scratched ….it was purposely left unattended …a sign that Takumi wanted to remind himself of the past. He entered the Police Force with a vow to become the best cop. He was under the tutelage of Isaki which later became his mentor. He had endured all the painful sufferings silently and he was tormented by the memory of his father’s death at the hands of the ruthless Shin-ku. His mission is to find his father’s killer. NOW, it is payback time….and in order to destroy the powerful Shin-ku, he needs to become one of them….and hence, an undercover cop is being created to enter the world of SHIN-KU and he is now known as Shou Nishijima (a fake persona).
The only person who can keep him sane and let him the freedom to release his anger, fear, guilt, hatred, disappointment and relives his tiredness and swinging moods is Isaki-san. Isaki is like a “vengeful bean bag”……letting Takumi all the chances to punch and with every punch he hits ~~ he achieved a sense of a psychological reliever-effect. It definitely helps him to regain some conscience that he is still very SANE and he who lives in a devious life is only Shou and not Takumi. The only person who knew his true identity as Kanayama Takumi is Isaki. He is the only person who has access to his REAL profile and capable to regain Takumi’s identity as a cop ~~~ in one word his life lies in the hands of Isaki. Other times, he is known as Shou-san by his superior in Shin-ku and his best buddy in the mafia-world is Hide-san.
Torn between his desire for justice and his own growing doubts, the mission begins to tear his soul and it becomes increasingly clear that the longer he remains on the hunt, the more he is in danger of becoming the hunted!...by Shin-ku……
Shou lived in a very simple apartment not luxurious let alone impressive since the place was meant more as “a shelter” or a “hide-out” for him. His only companionship is his dog, a Boston Terrier (hope I got this cutie canine name correctly). One of the reasons, I believe he named his dog “JUSTICE” is to pay homage to his late father as you may recall, his father’s last word to him is “justice”…and the other reasons could possibly be to remind himself to seek and uphold JUSTICE for his late father who was innocently killed.
Something about Isaki..........
Next to Takumi, Isaki’s role had grown on me and the more I observed him, the more I am attracted to his character. They way he executed his duties, his sharp acumen, his commanding power, his judgment …interest me and even his unkempt office caught my attention. His habit of sticking newspaper cutting on the board and the way he posted 3M notes on the pagoda seemed to appeal me….maybe we shared a common habit except I don’t stick on pagodas but on my computer desk. Strange, how Isaki grew on me …well, can’t say he’s good looking but his character attracts me!
Isaki is so obsessed with his work and in every case which involves Shin-ku, you’d bet he is the man behind the investigation. Whenever Takumi and Isaki meet, they’d bound to be differences between them….Isaki was not satisfied with some of the basic feed-back information from Takumi which is not good enough for the police to take action. Meanwhile, Takumi is tired of feeding information because he suspected there is a mole in the police department. There are too many coincidences that broke the investigation and he is beginning to give up…except he can’t as he had spent 3 years as one of the members in Shin-ku. The last straw was the case that brought devastation to him…the death of Kobayashi whom he thought, he could have lived if not because of his discovery. The mole acted faster than Isaki’s men.
When I first saw Isaki meeting with Shou at the roof top…..I thought …hey! Not another roof top scene “tete-a-tete meeting” ….(typically a Korean drama scene where they love to discuss private matters ala gossip at the roof top). They finally satisfied my displeasure and held most of their secret meetings at the bowling alley instead…….a secluded area. At times, you can see them at an open park but at different spots communicating or via SMS and occasionally conversing through the net……
These two guys are very open with their feelings and as I said earlier, Takumi find solace in him....and similarly, I think Isaki needs a trusted partner, like him. Unfortunately, Takumi’s suspicion grew stronger when he witnessed the scene of Isaki meeting with Song. I think at that moment, it crashed Takumi’s heart ---believing Isaki could be the mole. He decided not to trust anyone and finally tapped Isaki’s phone. He was tired of being set-up and in the end he planned to act alone despite Isaki’s restraining order. He was not prepared to sacrifice other people’s life ~~the fact that the mole is still at large. His decision infuriates Isaki. No matter how mad Isaki is, he knew he has to save Takumi from exposing his role. They closed a gap on their relationship when Isaki turned up to warn Takumi of the disguised Sai (whom Takumi thought was Yuna’s father), who is actually Asano Taro, a Shin-ku member. Kim Young Jae wanted to trap him or rather to discover who could be the mole in their organization. While in the midst of freeing themselves, Isaki was shot on the arm. However, they escaped but I suspected Kim Young Jae saw glimpses of them….(not sure whether he could identify who the mole is).
The police mole, Ishiyama, was eventually shot and detained by Isaki. Great job done by Isaki! If you’d observe carefully, the camera actually did dimly focus on the suspect on few occasions and it is just a matter of time, I suspected the writer would reveal his identity.
The scene at the ship dockyard where Takumi happily saluting to Isaki : At a far distance, a gunman lodged a metal gadget (of which I can’t make out what it is?) into Isaki’s stomach, he fell down struggling against the pain. He was still very much alert ….honestly that was really really a shocking scene for me. I screamed out...OMG! and I mourned his death! It was one of the most terrifying scene and on close observation, I noticed the weapon that killed him is the same one he stumbled upon at the time of Takumi father’s death, 24 years ago. Poor Isaki… he died as a bachelor without a family as his entire life revolves around the police force and Shin-ku! I pitied him …..and his last words to Takumi showed that he takes great consideration and concerned in people around him….(maybe he regretted spending most of his time solving cases which took away his chances of finding a compatible partner). He wished Takumi would find happiness with the person he loves and he knew Takumi is in love with Yuna …..don’t waste time and of course don’t walk the same path as he did! That was exactly what Takumi’s new boss had told him ….
Hide, the trusted friend….
Hide is the only person, Shou trusted and in return Hide treated Shou as his own brother. He is often heard calling Shou…OPPA!…probably teasing him of his relationship with Yuna! To Hide, Shou is his partner in crime and probably inspired by Shou’s character, a most respectable and experienced gangster, he was contented living in his shadow. He has high regards of this man due to his own shortcomings (he wasn’t daring and smart enough to execute some of the stunts…like how they both miraculously escaped from the sub-way train unhurt) ……but I often wonder how in the world as an international student, he ended up in Shin-ku. However, he is an awesome linguistic and he is capable to converse in few languages. Guess, he is another creation where the writer needs him to deliver the translated messages for Takumi and Yuna.
His lively character and as a cheerful-smart-street-gangster he frequented the back-alley stalls comprising of “foreign traders” and everyone seem to acknowledge his presence. He did inject some laughter to the patrons and owner of the stalls as he filled the atmosphere with zest. He is so adorably funny and he possesses one of the canniest under-cover skills that without him, the drama would appear non-comedic as his screen presence made us giggle and laugh ~~ he sure does have a way of wooing girls….his very own style! I can’t help but laugh at his way of throwing a line or two in the hope of getting the girls attention. Whenever he approaches the area, it tells us that he has a private meeting with Shou ~~ and time to feed info to him indeed he would do anything for his OPPA~
Personally, I like his disheveled afro-look-alike hairstyle which suits his role character. For some reason, his role character in Rondo touches lightly on his previous character he acted in Pride . This guy is full of enthusiasm and energy and….despite being hospitalized and walking in a limp, he still got the strength and humour to try his luck to date the nurse …..that’s HIDE…all right! He never failed to tickle me……great job, Ryuta-san!!
.......cont'd/2
As I watched RONDO, I had this sense of longing to know more on the dark side of the mafia activities better known as Yakuza in Japan. Perhaps, a past incident of an acquaintance near-missed confrontation with them did somehow compel me to watch this drama. Strangely, as I indulged into it, my initial drive on the perception of the Mafia no longer really interest me while Takumi and Yuna triumphed over as my passion for this drama grows in a different direction.
Again, my apology to some who may find my long-winded posting a bit of boredom…… but all the same I hope you’ll enjoy watching the drama more than reading my reviews and commentaries.
The following reviews are written based on my own opinion and the comments made are not in any way judgmental….and a reminder to all that it contains, SPOILERS!!!
In a serious note, I would strongly advise those who have yet to watch this drama against reading the following reviews as it WILL SPOIL your chance of enjoying the thrills and suspense of the drama. Since RONDO is relatively new …. broadcasted by TBS in Japan on 15th January 2006, I am most concerned of SPOILING the viewers.
Hence, I’ve categorized the spoilers into two parts : the "minor spoilers" serves as an introduction but revealing more than the usual but the “major spoilers” will touch on in-depth storyline. So, you decide to what extent of the reviews that you intend to read……
WARNING : MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Brief Synopsis
This story is about cops, mafia, under-cover agents aka mole involving one of the most powerful terrorist organization in Japan, SHIN-KU who is actually operating as Kazama Holdings (in a pretense of conducting legal business). Kazama Holdings is a huge corporate and their businesses or rather power had expanded to Asia. Their main business is printing of counterfeit notes and laundering of money which was used to acquire other business by force in order to conquer their rivals and to hold stake of their businesses. They are mean and ruthless and their powerful influences had become a major concern for the police department. The Japanese Metropolitan Police Department is designated to STOP Shin-ku from committing any major crime …….but their extensive investigation process has to involve under-cover cop aka the mole….
Brief Introduction of Main Characters
Kazama Holdings is wholly owned by Kazama Ryuichiro (Sugiura Naoki, most feared kingpin in Shin-ku ) and with his son, Ryugo (Hayami Mokomichi) they ventured into drugs, casino and any other illegal businesses other than their main dealings in printing of counterfeit notes and money laundering. They are highly influential in financial and politics in Japan. The most fearsome opponent of Shin-ku was not the police but to nail down the “mole”. Ryugo has many other business interests without his father’s knowledge. He has his own group of men working under him and he is just as deadly as his father. The only other family member who is not directly linked to the business is Ryuichiro’s daughter, Tokomi (Ichikawa Yui). Her only interest is her driver, Nishijima Shou (Takenouchi Yutaka ).
The 2nd key person in Shin-ku, a henchman to Ryuichiro is Song Gyu Hwan (Hashizume Isao Hashizume Isao) a Korean national, whom he got acquainted with Ryuichiro during the war-time. They became trusted friends and Song acted as his confidante as well.
Nishijima Shou is an undercover cop and he worked closely with his best buddie, Hide (Sato Ryuta), they are involved in illegal activities organized by their employers, Shin-ku. Shou’s ability to sustain himself as an undercover cop for three years is stemmed from the fact that he is out for REVENGE. 24 years ago, Shin-ku was responsible for the killing of his father. He left his mother, Kanayama Yoshiko (Fubuki Jun) on her own for 9 years and he had gone “refuge” without any kind of explanation. Other than sending money to his mother (through telegraphic transfer), there’s no trace of him. His mother can only confide her fear and worries through Takumi’s close childhood friend, Ichinose Akira (Kimura Yoshino). She is often seen cheering and giving Takumi’s mother lots of confidence that one day, Takumi will return home. Akira gives us the impression that her interest in him went beyond the normal friendship….. perhaps, silently harboring the hope of extending their relationship to a step further....
Yoshihiko Isaki (Ishibashi Ryo ), a dedicated Chief Police Officer, who had since after the death of Shou’s father committed himself to fulfill his duties to track and hunt down all the illegal activities of SHIN-KU. He is the main force behind the police department and in his entire career, his mission is to find hard evidence and destroy the Kazama’s empire aka Shin-ku. He is the only person in the police force who is connected to Shou and who knew of his real identity (Kanayama Takumi ).
Chie Yuna (Choi Ji Woo), a talented musician turned restaurateur and her feebly sick sister, Yuni (Lee Jung Hyun) had arrived in Japan in search for their long lost father, Chie Hyun Ho (Hashizume Isao). Both of them hated Shin-ku as they were responsible in breaking-up their family. They came to Japan for a purpose…..to re-unite with their father whom had been missing after he had arrived in Japan (so it seems). When Yuna had lost hope to survive in a foreign land as a violinist, she decided to convert the small shop into a Korean Restaurant.
Watch out for Choi Ji Woo’s role as she later reveals a darker side of her identity as the story unfolds….
Kim Young Jae (Shin Hyun Joon) representing the Korean mafia who had been sent to team-up with Shin-Ku. There’s a mystery behind this man as he kept appearing at Yuna’s restaurant with a purpose of restraining her from carrying out her restaurant business. He had shown a keen interest in her but one will wonder what was his core interest in Yuna. It will appear in the beginning of the story that he and Shou were both fighting for Yuna but what lies behind their motives will be uncovered later. Another character who will surprise us….or some may have expected it!
Ryugo Kazama (Hayami Mokomichi) is the only son to Ryuichiro, a rich pompous heir to the Kazama Holdings but an extremely unhappy young man. His father planned to get him involved in politics. He actually yearned for his father’s love …yet he can’t help but hated him for the lack of love which he owed him. He has thousands of reasons to hate him. Ryugo was totally unmoved by his sister’s obsession with Shou. He was more concerned and protective over his own interests. He is extremely self-centred and behaved arrogantly most of the time, probably because of his upbringing. He repeatedly failed to gain his father’s trust and faith in his own business dealings. Always a loser with a childish business acumen …that’s what his father impression on him. He despised his father for not trusting his judgment and hated him even more when his father humiliated him openly. As he fought in desperation to gain control of his power, he was forced by his father to relinquish his “territory” to someone unknown and unrelated, a Korean by the name Kim Young Jae Sshi!.
Another couple who injected some light humor in this drama is Yuna’s neighbor, Matsudaira Fujiko (Okamoto Rei ) who operates a shop opposite the Chie sisters’ shop selling vegetables together with her jovial husband, Matsudaira Teppei (Shiomi Sansei). Fuji-chan also acts as Yuna & Takumi’s translator. To me, this couple plays an important role in Rondo not one to be typecast as “unimportant roles”. Without them, many of the links between Yuna/Yuni/Takumi could not have been related or translated to the viewers……
On Casting and Comment on Production
Introduction
RONDO is a suspense thriller with a romantic theme to tone down the upbeat twists and turns its way through an underworld of crime and revenge where nothing is as it seems. Indeed, a profoundly complex storyline, intriguing plots, redemption and revenge seeking, cops nailing baddies, mafia gang aka Shin-Ku as the most wanted “king lords” in the police force. Sure, you will get to watch gun-battle, violent bashing of victims, breath-taking scenes at the sub-way train/car chasing, heart pounding scenes. I must admit that this is one drama that sets apart from my previous experience of watching Japanese and Korean dramas.
The opening montage gave a powerful introduction of two main stars standing at different position…like an awakening mystery storming at their path…… and only the fallen snow flakes dancing away gives one a different feel…….RONDO………..
It gives one a great pleasure of watching a movie-like drama in the comfort of your home….definitely a valued production. TBS and Yedang Entertainment had invested heavily on this production in conjunction with the 50th anniversary celebration of TBS. Needless to say, it promises an ensemble of an all-star cast! …one great-looking hunk aka every one’s J-heartthrob, one perfecto agassi aka “hime” Princess in Japan, one half of young talented looking hunks and the other half of experienced ahem older hunks. Viola! You have an absolute dream cast.
All the characters connect to the story and with only 11 episodes, I’m truly…. truly spellbound by how they managed to develop all the key characters so in-depth which literally speaking, left no room for me to whine and was hunger for more …the suspense is killing my inquisitive mind and was pinning for more love scenes of the main couple.
Impression on Technical Production
I just marvel at the details of the entire production created for this drama and you must watch out for the music effect which actually was composed to project a certain “feel” for each approaching suspense scene. I love how they create the moods for the viewers to blend in their story telling and you’d witness subtle camera trick every now and then. The atmosphere of the back alley where Hide often frequented the place is one of my favourite scenes….like how they zoom in/out the scenes….focusing on the character and then throwing in some mysterious feel with a touch of flickering black and white screen. The smoke effect makes it more enticing…..like an ensuing dark tale of paranoia and intrigue. The sound was brilliantly designed to capture some of the suspense scene ~~ like one outstanding piece which I must mention ~~ a chanting-of-some-kind-of-religious-phrases…..
The music and effect team did a splendid combo ~~ and it left me in awe…totally unexpected. It is undeniably TRUE that it did satisfy our appetite for creating a movie-like atmospheric feel! Based on this experience, I am certain that my future indulgence of watching any K or J-dramas will inevitably put be in a position for comparison.
It did little to distract me and felt unperturbed when I read that RONDO resembles the HK movie, Internal Affairs. Not having watched Internal Affairs, I can’t really say of Rondo’s version maligned the trilogy. I would prefer to remember RONDO, the original script……..
Expectation on the theme.............
- Waves of insecurity lay hidden in my chest
- Before my eyes lay directions in which I must go, which way
- This is how life flows, that way you will say goodbye to me
- I believe in myself, things that I believe in
- This is where everything starts
- I believe in myself, the warm light
- Down this road in between I will walk…..
- I believe….
This drama is like a jigsaw puzzle, that is to say it is somehow fragmented to begin with and will leave you confuse (often leave a suspense ending at each episode) until you put all the pieces together. That is one reason that you will be glued to this suspense thriller and I was reveling my good fortune of watching such a top-notch-deep-end stuff!!! . I sense a growing desire on the part of the audience to see something that gets into the grey areas of police work. There were glimmers of a high-tech action cum computer flick gadgets (I shall delve on this when I write on Most Brilliant Scenes) that sent me back to primitive years…..and perhaps as I often complained of my failure to grasp all the latest high-tech computer world has to offer me, I am truly amazed….maybe not for some but it is to me…**big sigh**.
The flow of the drama leaves you no room to rest your thoughts as each scene you watched you need to recap the facts quicker than the lightning flash as the storyline really goes at a fast-paced. Watch-out for all the “important camera shots” which actually “tell the story” without being said….some scenes were without dialogues but the facial gestures and eye contact of the actors relate the story. Where possible, please do not blink (just exaggerating) as the directional focus of the camera shots does all the talking. I strongly advised viewers to watch the drama at least twice to understand the in-depth of the storyline. It’ll satisfy your quest to fill your doubts and you’ll understand more on why certain actions causes the actors to behave a way you may have not found any link in your first attempt of watching.
Well, if you are in the mood for a jigsaw puzzle, this is the drama for you…and if you are able to piece the puzzle together in your first viewing …..I’ll salute you for possessing a powerful memory but it is a POSSIBLE MISSION…for some!
PLEASE STOP TO PONDER : MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Touches on Sensitivity Scenes
It was a pleasant surprise to me, as this Korean-Japanese joint production drama did not touch on two very common issues in line with a topic involving the MAFIAS …firstly, they had avoided scenes involving “geisha aka hostess” and lastly no vulgar languages were used but common swearing words were heard. I noticed a discrepancy on the sub-titles (source from Asabou) which should have been translated as “Get out” instead of f*&# at the scene where Yuna was holding a knife aiming at Kim Young Jae. It proves that without these two ingredients ….with great storyline and good acting, it can turn out as a successful production!
Thoughts on the Role of Main Actors
Aha! Many may have thought I had deliberately forgotten the main STAR, the role of Yuna and Shou/Takumi. Of course not! How could I have not touched on the best and romantic part of this drama (a much-awaited savior for most drama addict lovers).
The script writer threw in a dog as a go-between for two strangers who hardly understood each other due to language barrier. I like the story with a tag line that reads “the bonding of a relationship with a dog in tow” is so romantically scripted”….Thanks to JUSTICE (Shou’s dog), Shou and Yuna got a reason to meet often…. (on an alternative day as a joint-effort to “baby-sit” JUS) and it paves way for both of them to develop their relationship a step further….indeed a doggie-love story. I like watching how these two strangers meet, argue and dispute over the dog’s custody and later developed into a much meaningful relationship ….with the help of Justice and of course, not forgetting the translator, Fujiko-san, the nosy neighbour with a kind-heart. Every episode, we notice a deepening of the relationship and a further understanding ….and we could feel them growing closer together and more sparks fly between them. Despite the language barrier, their eye contact and body language did the “talking” and they are obviously attracted to each other.
I believe many viewers especially those who fell in love with the couple, would have appreciated, if the writer had elaborated more on their on-screen lovey-dovey scenes. I guess with the limited episodes and with other characters to develop, this is unfortunately not possible unless they extended the episodes….but then that will go beyond the norm of a Japanese production.
A heartfelt drama that is emotional without being a tear-jerker. A well-scripted story which should keep any and every Korean-Japanese drama buff hooked for its superb production ~~ indeed lifted up it’s expectation of “a movie-like-drama production”.
I couldn’t agree with some of the not-so-well-received reviews that I read in other forums with regards to Choi Ji Woo's acting skill – so I might as well take another shot at the subject. First of all, I’d dispute the notion that she hasn’t played other roles “two romantic comedies with different storyline….”The Romantic President” and “Everyone Has A Secret”. Strangely, why does everyone remember her maudlin roles in Beautiful Days, Winter Sonata and Stairway to Heaven and had no impression on her other roles? But if one may recall, most of the viewers love her in these tear-jerkers drama (which was the reason she earned a nickname “hime aka princess” for herself in the Land of the Rising Sun after her role as Yoo Jin in Winter Sonata). Perhaps, her new challenging role as Yuna aka Ai, will leave a different impression on those who has never claimed to enjoy watching her acting. To those who had not given CJW a chance to prove otherwise, please tune in to watch her portrayal in RONDO…..hopefully, you’ll discover how versatile an actress she can be. But whatever verdict you may have concluded……and by the end of the drama, if you couldn’t come to terms with my opinion………..just treat it as one of your journey of discoveries!
Judging by response from J-addicts, Takenouchi Yutaka had maintained his popularity and he is indeed a crowd-puller but most importantly he is a superb and experienced actor. I still find him as charismatic and attractive as he used to be during his hey days. He did not lose the charm he exudes from his previous roles except he had looked matured…...probably with his grown moustache. In a quick glance if you view him at a certain angle, I noticed he had shed some of his boyish look but looking at myself now, what else can I expect! Sometimes, I imagine him minus the moustache for his role as Takumi and somehow couldn’t make out whether it’ll suit his image as make-believe of a “gangster”!!
Everyone is fond of his role character Shou/Takumi and I find him very focused in his role and felt like he is synchronizing his life as Shou and Takumi and he did it expertly. Yutaka was totally immersed in his role as someone so painstakingly going through 3 years of hardship as an undercover cop in search of his father’s killer. His unhappiness is written in his face....and I noticed his tension building up as he develops his role character.
He was the main reasons many tuned in to watch Rondo….(a general revelation I read from other forums). What could be the response I expect of from a forum whose fans are in favour of anything related to Japanese? Similarly, anyone would have read the same expectations of pinning for Choi Ji Woo in a Korean forum.
The Story Unfolds....
Tragedy Causes Hatred
Korea …..It was 1982, and everything looked normal except that a planned bomb is targeted to trigger at 9.00 pm sharp at the home of the Sakuras’. Shortly before the incident, the Sakura and Kanayama’s family was exchanging some light conversation while their children happily enjoyed playing together. A thunderous blasting erupt an inferno and screams of anguish were heard and fearing for their lives, those people on the ground site run amok fleeing to safety. Debris fell down from the high rise apartment and hit the ground which landed on some unlucky bystanders. Far off, a siren began to sound as the fire brigade and police car were dispatched to the site. Kanayama who witnessed the incident from the ground view, realized the unit belonged to Sakura’s family. Instinctively, he knew it was planted by the highly dangerous mobster, Shin-ku. As one of the most respectable Police Officers, Kanayama was determined to carry out justice and without hesitation he knew he has a job to execute …. investigate the cause of the incident. Unfortunately, before he could help to put justice to the case, he was killed along with Mr & Mrs Sakura…. fortunately, they left behind their two young girls who survived ….and they lived to tell the story …..
Hatred Causes Tragedy
Tragedy and Hatred ……closely intervined
In a shock to find his father dead, young Kanayama, an 8 year old boy vowed to become the best Police Officer, like his father when he grows up. He wanted to find justice just as how his father would have been if he lived. While Isaki was on his way to enlighten the accounts of the case to his late friend’s wife, Yoshiko, he stumbled upon a small metal gadget which he picked it up. Isaki returned the watch belonging to Takumi’s father and placed the scratched watch on the young boy’s wrist. While his father is gone, he left behind his most treasured gift, a watch. As the watch’s second-hand ticked away the minutes, hours, days, months, years…..it actually ticked away all the years of happiness he would have enjoyed with his beloved father….but that was not to be and for 24 years, Takumi grew up full of hatred towards the people who had killed his father while his mother had only happy memories of her late husband to fill the emptiness. Their happiness was robbed by all these ruthless men. Until today, he still wears the worn-out watch …..it serves as a wake-up call for Takumi…a timely call indeed………… for redemption and revenge.
The World dances as if a sad Rondo........
Like today ........
Back to present….year 2006, the watch is still working…the glass surface still remain scratched ….it was purposely left unattended …a sign that Takumi wanted to remind himself of the past. He entered the Police Force with a vow to become the best cop. He was under the tutelage of Isaki which later became his mentor. He had endured all the painful sufferings silently and he was tormented by the memory of his father’s death at the hands of the ruthless Shin-ku. His mission is to find his father’s killer. NOW, it is payback time….and in order to destroy the powerful Shin-ku, he needs to become one of them….and hence, an undercover cop is being created to enter the world of SHIN-KU and he is now known as Shou Nishijima (a fake persona).
The only person who can keep him sane and let him the freedom to release his anger, fear, guilt, hatred, disappointment and relives his tiredness and swinging moods is Isaki-san. Isaki is like a “vengeful bean bag”……letting Takumi all the chances to punch and with every punch he hits ~~ he achieved a sense of a psychological reliever-effect. It definitely helps him to regain some conscience that he is still very SANE and he who lives in a devious life is only Shou and not Takumi. The only person who knew his true identity as Kanayama Takumi is Isaki. He is the only person who has access to his REAL profile and capable to regain Takumi’s identity as a cop ~~~ in one word his life lies in the hands of Isaki. Other times, he is known as Shou-san by his superior in Shin-ku and his best buddy in the mafia-world is Hide-san.
Torn between his desire for justice and his own growing doubts, the mission begins to tear his soul and it becomes increasingly clear that the longer he remains on the hunt, the more he is in danger of becoming the hunted!...by Shin-ku……
Shou lived in a very simple apartment not luxurious let alone impressive since the place was meant more as “a shelter” or a “hide-out” for him. His only companionship is his dog, a Boston Terrier (hope I got this cutie canine name correctly). One of the reasons, I believe he named his dog “JUSTICE” is to pay homage to his late father as you may recall, his father’s last word to him is “justice”…and the other reasons could possibly be to remind himself to seek and uphold JUSTICE for his late father who was innocently killed.
Something about Isaki..........
Next to Takumi, Isaki’s role had grown on me and the more I observed him, the more I am attracted to his character. They way he executed his duties, his sharp acumen, his commanding power, his judgment …interest me and even his unkempt office caught my attention. His habit of sticking newspaper cutting on the board and the way he posted 3M notes on the pagoda seemed to appeal me….maybe we shared a common habit except I don’t stick on pagodas but on my computer desk. Strange, how Isaki grew on me …well, can’t say he’s good looking but his character attracts me!
Isaki is so obsessed with his work and in every case which involves Shin-ku, you’d bet he is the man behind the investigation. Whenever Takumi and Isaki meet, they’d bound to be differences between them….Isaki was not satisfied with some of the basic feed-back information from Takumi which is not good enough for the police to take action. Meanwhile, Takumi is tired of feeding information because he suspected there is a mole in the police department. There are too many coincidences that broke the investigation and he is beginning to give up…except he can’t as he had spent 3 years as one of the members in Shin-ku. The last straw was the case that brought devastation to him…the death of Kobayashi whom he thought, he could have lived if not because of his discovery. The mole acted faster than Isaki’s men.
When I first saw Isaki meeting with Shou at the roof top…..I thought …hey! Not another roof top scene “tete-a-tete meeting” ….(typically a Korean drama scene where they love to discuss private matters ala gossip at the roof top). They finally satisfied my displeasure and held most of their secret meetings at the bowling alley instead…….a secluded area. At times, you can see them at an open park but at different spots communicating or via SMS and occasionally conversing through the net……
These two guys are very open with their feelings and as I said earlier, Takumi find solace in him....and similarly, I think Isaki needs a trusted partner, like him. Unfortunately, Takumi’s suspicion grew stronger when he witnessed the scene of Isaki meeting with Song. I think at that moment, it crashed Takumi’s heart ---believing Isaki could be the mole. He decided not to trust anyone and finally tapped Isaki’s phone. He was tired of being set-up and in the end he planned to act alone despite Isaki’s restraining order. He was not prepared to sacrifice other people’s life ~~the fact that the mole is still at large. His decision infuriates Isaki. No matter how mad Isaki is, he knew he has to save Takumi from exposing his role. They closed a gap on their relationship when Isaki turned up to warn Takumi of the disguised Sai (whom Takumi thought was Yuna’s father), who is actually Asano Taro, a Shin-ku member. Kim Young Jae wanted to trap him or rather to discover who could be the mole in their organization. While in the midst of freeing themselves, Isaki was shot on the arm. However, they escaped but I suspected Kim Young Jae saw glimpses of them….(not sure whether he could identify who the mole is).
The police mole, Ishiyama, was eventually shot and detained by Isaki. Great job done by Isaki! If you’d observe carefully, the camera actually did dimly focus on the suspect on few occasions and it is just a matter of time, I suspected the writer would reveal his identity.
The scene at the ship dockyard where Takumi happily saluting to Isaki : At a far distance, a gunman lodged a metal gadget (of which I can’t make out what it is?) into Isaki’s stomach, he fell down struggling against the pain. He was still very much alert ….honestly that was really really a shocking scene for me. I screamed out...OMG! and I mourned his death! It was one of the most terrifying scene and on close observation, I noticed the weapon that killed him is the same one he stumbled upon at the time of Takumi father’s death, 24 years ago. Poor Isaki… he died as a bachelor without a family as his entire life revolves around the police force and Shin-ku! I pitied him …..and his last words to Takumi showed that he takes great consideration and concerned in people around him….(maybe he regretted spending most of his time solving cases which took away his chances of finding a compatible partner). He wished Takumi would find happiness with the person he loves and he knew Takumi is in love with Yuna …..don’t waste time and of course don’t walk the same path as he did! That was exactly what Takumi’s new boss had told him ….
Hide, the trusted friend….
Hide is the only person, Shou trusted and in return Hide treated Shou as his own brother. He is often heard calling Shou…OPPA!…probably teasing him of his relationship with Yuna! To Hide, Shou is his partner in crime and probably inspired by Shou’s character, a most respectable and experienced gangster, he was contented living in his shadow. He has high regards of this man due to his own shortcomings (he wasn’t daring and smart enough to execute some of the stunts…like how they both miraculously escaped from the sub-way train unhurt) ……but I often wonder how in the world as an international student, he ended up in Shin-ku. However, he is an awesome linguistic and he is capable to converse in few languages. Guess, he is another creation where the writer needs him to deliver the translated messages for Takumi and Yuna.
His lively character and as a cheerful-smart-street-gangster he frequented the back-alley stalls comprising of “foreign traders” and everyone seem to acknowledge his presence. He did inject some laughter to the patrons and owner of the stalls as he filled the atmosphere with zest. He is so adorably funny and he possesses one of the canniest under-cover skills that without him, the drama would appear non-comedic as his screen presence made us giggle and laugh ~~ he sure does have a way of wooing girls….his very own style! I can’t help but laugh at his way of throwing a line or two in the hope of getting the girls attention. Whenever he approaches the area, it tells us that he has a private meeting with Shou ~~ and time to feed info to him indeed he would do anything for his OPPA~
Personally, I like his disheveled afro-look-alike hairstyle which suits his role character. For some reason, his role character in Rondo touches lightly on his previous character he acted in Pride . This guy is full of enthusiasm and energy and….despite being hospitalized and walking in a limp, he still got the strength and humour to try his luck to date the nurse …..that’s HIDE…all right! He never failed to tickle me……great job, Ryuta-san!!
.......cont'd/2