PremiumThe Impossible Heir Review – Lee Jae-wook and Lee Jun-young make up for flawed execution with charming smiles
Starring Korean heartthrobs Lee Jae-wook and Lee Jun-young, alongside actress Hong Su-zu, The Impossible Heir is a thriller-revenge K-drama, streaming on Disney+Hotstar
Last Updated: 02.52 PM, Apr 05, 2024
The Impossible Heir Story
Disney+ Hotstar’s thriller K-drama The Impossible Heir recently concluded after a one-month-long run. The story of the series revolves around three underdogs: Han Tae-Oh, Kang In-ha, and Na Hye-won, all battling to take over the corporate conglomerate ‘Kangoh’ group and reach the highest ranks amid a power struggle.
The Impossible Heir Review
What began as an interesting show was quickly overtaken by a monotonous plot with a predictable ending. The Impossible Heir had a thrilling narrative that slowly began to get marred with ugly cliches of murder accusations, friendship betrayals, and a complicated love triangle.
The series began as a promising drama with intriguing initial episodes that featured the gory opening scene, showcasing the blood-soaked Han Tae-Oh with a pile of bodies before spiralling into the past to trace the beginning of a battle for power. However, the writers plan to add layers of mystery with new characters, and plot twists end in misery.
The loosely packed narrative and story execution make The Impossible Heir a hard watch that requires viewers to concentrate on business jargon and rivalries between the characters. If you miss an episode or two, chances are that you won’t be able to catch up with the story.
The use of multi-linear timelines with frequent time jumps from past to the present added to the depth of the story, but the flawed characters that seem to lack a consistent motive ruin the series.
Both the male leads, Lee Jae-wook and Lee Jun-young, stand out in the revenge thriller with their timely dialogue delivery and expressions. Jun Young’s character transformation from the lead to the unlikely villain with greedy intentions is spectacular towards the climax episodes. However, the female lead’s poker face and emotionless acting are excruciating to watch, especially when you consider a love triangle without any romance, feelings, or, well, love shared between the characters.
The Impossible Heir episode 12, which is the finale episode, is partly satisfying. If you ignore the first half of the episdoe, the second carries the entire show, which teaches us the inspiring lesson that dedication and intelligence can take you a long way. In spite of Han Tae-oh not being related to the Kangoh family by blood, he permeates the elite business with his good intentions, intelligence, and empathy.
The Impossible Heir Verdict
Despite having a formidable ensemble cast of Lee Jae-wook and Lee Jun-young as the male leads, alongside actress Hong Su-zu, The Impossible Heir fails to retain your attention due to its flawed narrative.
The open-ended romance between Han Tae Oh and Hye-won doesn’t make any sense, as they lack chemistry. Instead, Tae-Oh and Heejae’s chemistry has the rebellious spark of unlikely lovers. Their intense chemistry and scenes had K-drama enthusiasts excited, so it’s disappointing that their relationship is left unexplored in The Impossible Heir.
After 12 agonisingly long episodes, The Impossible Heir has finally concluded with a happy ending for Tae-Oh and Kangoh. Lee Jae-wook and Lee Jun-young have given impeccable performances as rivals. However, if you are looking for a classic revenge thriller with layers of mystery, The Impossible Heir is not for you. It fails to make a mark due to its convoluted plot and predictable storyline. It feels like there's a constant void and that the core elements of a mystery thriller are missing.