Review: "Blood" Eps 3 to 6 - What Kind of Vampire Are You?

We’re now six episodes into “Blood” and I’m, surprisingly, still here. Although I can’t say that I like the drama, I certainly don’t hate it either. It’s the kind of show that doesn’t require too much thinking or dissecting and best watched with a really open mind. Depending on your tastes, that may or may not be a bad thing.

For me though, “Blood” has just enough intrigue to make me reach out and grasp onto the thin rope being dangling in front of me, even if that connection might snap apart at any given moment. After watching the last four episodes, how far did I manage to fall into the world of vampirism? Let’s find out!

Pure Blood Vampire

100% vampire and 100% on board. This special honor of highest rank goes to Park Ji Sang (Ahn Jae Hyun)’s dry sense of humor and quick wit. I couldn’t help but chuckle, in particular, at his zombie comment when asking about the tight security for ward 21A. I may not love him, but I do love his sharp tongue and the bickering that seems to take place every time he and Yoo Ri Ta (Goo Hye Sun) are in the same vicinity.

Although I don’t love Yoo Ri Ta either, I like the fact that their progressing relationship is totally push and pull. In a war of words, there is never a clear victor and that keeps their interactions entertaining.

On the other hand, I absolutely adore Joo Hyun Woo (Jung Hae In) and he’s the one I’m actually the most curious about. He’s obviously human and incredibly intelligent to boot, so what’s his story? How did he become so close to Park Ji Sang? What made Park Ji Sang confide in him? How does he have the knowledge to research the virus and provide Park Ji Sang with the Atisan?

There are so many questions and not enough answers right now, but I hope his background story will be nicely developed. Here’s your one and only warning, drama. If you fail to give my Hyun Woo the attention he deserves, I’m going to be reeeaaally angry!

And, of course, no Joo Hyun Woo and Park Ji Sang interaction would be complete without the ever adorable, ever present LUUVY. Man, I love that little robot!

As far as the hospital staff goes, I’ve been won over by Min Ga Yeon (Son Soo Hyun). Not the smartest of the bunch by any means, but she warms the heart with her positivity and determination to do well. She clearly knows she’s not qualified to work at such a prestigious hospital as Taemin, but that didn’t prevent her from trying. That kind of ambition is commendable and part of why I like her as much as I do.

In an entire hospital of seemingly perfect doctors and surgeons, Min Ga Yeon becomes a much needed breath of fresh air. The kind that re-energizes you before being forced to face the weariness of power struggles, conceited doctors, and other general annoyances.

I also think she harbors quite the crush on Doctor Park Ji Sang since she shoots worried glances towards Yoo Ri Ta and Park Ji Sang whenever they are verbally sparring. Cute.

Hybrid Vampire

If I were a half human, half vampire hybrid, which side would I ultimately choose to embrace after straddling the border for so long? I don’t have a definite answer for that, just like how I’m not sure whether or not I enjoyed these particular aspects of the drama… or if I found them a waste of time.

Lee Jae Wook (Ji Jin Hee)’s past was revealed and, with it, his tremendously flawed perception of the vampire virus. It’s an overused and tedious plot device for the vampire genre and, to be honest, “Blood” doesn’t bring anything new to the table by using it as well. Sure, it might be a solid and safe route, but, in the end, solid and safe are just synonyms for boring…

… Kind of like Park Ji Sang. Yes, I mentioned that I loved his ability to aim for the jugular, no pun intended, when it comes to throwing witty retorts at Yoo Ri Ta, but other than that, he’s actually pretty weak. I’m really not sure how he managed to survive 20 years by himself as a vampire since Lee Jae Wook is successfully tossing one curveball after another at him.

He knows that he was baited back to Korea, possibly with the intention of killing him, and yet, Park Ji Sang still chooses to walk into each situation completely blind. Does he ever have a backup plan? … Or even an initial plan? He crumbles far too easily in the face of difficulties and would have made an easy prey if Lee Jae Wook wasn’t having fun playing with him first.

But I will give him the benefit of a doubt since Lee Jae Wook, with his forty years experience of vampirism, might just be a really formidable opponent. Who knows? Maybe with Park Ji Sang’s sudden loss of emotional control and increase in vampire capabilities, it’ll provide more of an interest twist.

Which takes me to Yoo Ri Ta – the source of my frequent eye-rolling… in the beginning. Goo Hye Sun is finally beginning to shift her over exaggerated acting for something a bit more natural. She’s not all the way there yet, but at least I can ease some of my worries since there is still hope for her.

I can look at Yoo Ri Ta in a few instances now and not automatically think of LUUVY with a human appearance. However, there is a constant shift between robotic and natural that throws me off, but I can find the silver lining to this. After all, it’s beneficial for me to take a break between my constant eye-rolling so they don’t get stuck like that, right?

To be honest, any longer of that supposed theater style acting and I can see myself dropping “Blood” faster than Park Ji Sang can sniff it out. It isn’t to say that I think Ahn Jae Hyun is doing stellar in comparison because, while he’s doing a decent job at molding Park Ji Sang into a multidimensional character, there are plenty of times where he falls short too. Just like Goo Hye Sun.

Take, for instance, the smirk that made its way onto his face after Yoo Ri Ta pulled off his dressing and found “stitches.” Pass! On the other hand, the lack of emotional complexity that should have been present as Park Ji Sang stared at a passed out drunk Yoo Ri Ta. Fail!

… But more on that later.

The hospital subplots are a hit or miss. I don’t care much for Woo Il Nam (Jo Jae Yoon)’s struggle for power or for Doctor Gerrard Kim (Kong Jung Hwan) in general while the unfortunate guinea pig, I mean, patient, suffering from alcohol withdrawal kept my attention.

Kim Gap Soo‘s Chairman Yoo Suk Joo is an enigma though. I suspect he’s fully supporting Director Lee Jae Wook’s secret project with so much gusto because he’s hoping to cure himself of his mystery illness. Yet, I can’t help but wonder if he even knows what’s going on behind the scenes since he’s given Lee Jae Wook and his New Drug Development Team full access and control while locking everyone else, like Choi Kyung In (Jin Kyung) out.

That, in the end, has the potential to be quite interesting, given Choi Kyung In’s determination to gain some kind of access using whatever means necessary.

Human

Don’t even think about coming near me with that vampire virus because I’m not interested. I’m allergic to it in the way that Park Ji Sang is allergic to alcohol. This lowest of the low rank, not to make fun of us humans, is here for me to scoff in the face of vampirism and the ridiculously lame moments it has given us.

Like the childhood connection. Why? WHY? I saw it coming. I bet everyone did, but why did it have to be so absurd? Why can’t a childhood encounter just be a childhood encounter and nothing more? A random stranger who made you realize your capabilities as a vampire? A person to be thankful for but not significant in any other way? Can a brief five minutes twenty years ago immediately alter your perception of someone you’ve immensely disliked since the beginning?

In “Blood”, apparently, you can.

Park Ji Sang never really warms up to Yoo Ri Ta, even during the seminar at Jeju Island. They attempt to get along because they’ve saved each other’s necks by now (Oh, look at me being all unintentionally punny today!) but he never actually likes her. The unfortunate yet immediate shift in opinion greatly changes the moment he realizes Yoo Ri Ta is actually Yoo Chae Yeon. You can even tell the exact moment that takes place in the forest. (Go, Ahn Jae Hyun!)

But still.

I find that tremendously superficial and it does not work for me. At all. I would have preferred for Yoo Ri Ta to change Park Ji Sang’s opinion and feelings for her by showing him that her brash and arrogant attitude isn’t all that she’s comprised of, just like the way she softened up to him after he collapsed outside the hospital.

But “Blood” seems to be comprised of a big ball of coincidence because it seems like everyone associated with or aware of the vampire virus is located right under Taemin Hospital’s roof. As if the New Drug Development Team, Lee Jae Wook, Park Ji Sang, and quite possibly the Chairman, himself, isn’t enough, Doctor Jung Ji Tae (Kim Yoo Suk) gets tossed in the mix as well with his super secret vampire research. Really, Drama? Really?

I can already foresee him giving into Choi Kyung In’s request to be her spy so that he can gain the support he needs to dive into that research project. Oh boy.

All in all, I’m still tuning into “Blood” on a weekly basis, but the investment is fragile enough that I could decide it’s not worth it in the end. I suppose time will tell, but I can say one thing: episodes 3 through 6 has been much smoother in comparison to the first two episodes.

Soompiers, what are your thoughts on “Blood” so far? Are you in the same boat as me or are you enjoying it significantly more than I am? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and I’ll, hopefully, see you next time after episode 10!

For all “Blood” recaps, click here.