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Series Review: IRIS


IRIS is oneof those TV series where the title role depicts the antagonist than the protagonist (ex. Aliens, Predator).  The series involves some conflict between North Korea and South Korea for 20 episodes, as well as the secret organization known as IRIS.  So this is the first season, there is a second season to that and I really think, this series was pretty intense.  Though I'll admit I did have my guilty pleasure on unique beauty Kim Tae Hee watching this series... unfortunately I'll never run into another girl that looks like her again.

Kim Tae Hee plays the beauty and brains bad-ass NSS agent, Choi Seung Hee.  Two men namely Hyun Jun (Seung Hee's love interest) and Sa-woo were recruited into NSS.  What the two didn't know initially was how they were actually falling for the same girl, without knowing it.  For Hyun Jun, the feelings linger even if Seung Hee is above him in NSS.  NSS seeks to stop the terrorist organization known as IRIS while they have to deal with the North/South Korean conflicts.  It also results to a love triangle between the two guys for Seung Hee.

The war between North Korea and South Korea is what I'd call manipulated.  North Korea has its two agents of security forces... namely Cheol Yong and Seon Wa.  Seon Wa is acted by Kim So Yeon (the hottie from All About Eve).  Seon Wa is also a counter-Seung Hee. While Seung Hee has an innocent, angelic like beauty, Seon Wa presents herself in the obvious way a lethal Communist enforcer.  Along the way, both sides are tied up.  What is weirder is that how a love triangle between Seung Hee and Seon Wa happens, especially when Seon Wa falls for Hyun Jun in the process of the North-South Korea rivalry.\Along the way, both teams are meeting the great potential threat in the IRIS Organization, which this is just just the first half.

In this one, what I really thought of the rivalry of both sides was that it shows even a huma side.  For example, Seung Hee and Seon Wa are rivals for the same man but there is still sense of honor.  Fora  Communist, Seon Wa actually wanted to warn Hyun Jun of the potential danger, when she realizes that IRIS has the data of Seung Hee.  I also thought of how the the sides of the Communist North and the Democratic South though rivals, were in need to unite against the common foe called IRIS.  The whole hostage situation in itself was one of the most interesting parts.  It's always so nice to see in a series how a villain can be so not easy to foil.  Sa Woo dies in the process, which is really expected when you are watching an espionage series.

IRIS wants to stop North Korea and South Korea for reuniting for some reason.  Is IRIS a Communist organization of sorts?  Granted in real life, the Kims aren't a reasonable group either.  In one way or another the heroine Seung Hee shows she's not to be underestimated.  IRIS had infiltrated the reunification summit and well, she disguised herself as an IRIS agent and used the confusion.  Meanwhile Hyun Jun does his part as her half, to stop the IRIS infiltration saving both the presidents of both North Korea and South Korea.

What I find a bummer is the ending.  Granted there is IRIS II the sequel but I felt like it was a Toshiki Inoue-like ending.  So Hyun Jun and Seung Hee are living a normal life. They want to get married but guess what?  Another IRIS agent named Ray (for the sequel) guns down Hyun Jun to death.  to be honest, I felt sad for Seung Hee here.  So sad.  On the other hand, granted that there is a sequel... so I'd better watch the sequels IRIS II and Athena.

My rating?  8/10.  Great series but gets you that bad ending. =P

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