Prison Playbook/ Wise Prison Life

The "Reply Series" Director Shin Won Ho has come and gifted us with another Gem. Wise Prison Life takes the crown for the BEST K-drama of 2017. While 2017, in general, failed to put out drama's that really engaged me, Wise Prison Life made me wish this was a daily drama.

Apparently, Park Hae Soo who plays the lead Kim Je-Hyeok, was in Six Flying Dragons. I have NO recollection of him being in that drama, but as the lead in this drama, he leaves an indelible impression. Je-Hyeok is a professional baseball player who is on the cusp of leaving for the MLB league when he goes to jail for attacking his sisters' rapist. Sentenced to 1 year in jail, he is forced to navigate through the prison system. While is profession makes some things easier for him, he still has to manage being manipulated, threatened, injured, and a litany of obstacles. Not known for being the sharpest tool in the shed, Je-Hyeok takes us on an incredible adventure.

This journey would've been made more difficult without the presence of Lee Joon-Ho, played by Jung Kyung Ho.
Now, let me take some time to fangirl. I LOVE Lee Joon-Ho!! If he could come out with 8 drama's in a year, I would watch them all. I was pleasantly surprised he was in this drama, but his character Lee Joon-Ho couldn't be played by anyone else.
Lee Joon-Ho is a prison guard who happens to be Je-Hyeok's lifelong friend. While they have to keep their friendship secret, Lee Joon-Ho makes sure that his friend is protected, taken care of, and everything else under the sun. As a guise of being a super-fan, Lee Joon-Ho is able to support his friend at his lowest time

Krystal from (Fx) plays Kim Je-Hyeoks faithful girlfriend. Kim Ji-Ho, is a constant source of love and support for her boyfriend. Even when he pushes her away you can still the impact that she has on his life. No one can understand him, and accept him the way that she does. This relationship gives us a lot of feels and brings light to a drama that can get pretty dark.

Kim Je-Hyeok's cell-mates are awesome as well. The interaction between them all is so heartwarming. They each have their own issues, but we are able to delve behind their sentences and see who they really are. Each person is humanized, and we are brought to compassion and love to even the scariest person. The way their specific cell runs shows the individual struggles and the group struggles of living in one room with 5-6 men of different ages and backgrounds.

This drama is like hot tea for the soul. There is one moment in the drama that crushed my soul, but otherwise, I felt consistently refreshed at the end of each episode. My cheeks hurt from laughing so much, and tears streamed down my face often. This drama is a rollercoaster that calls into question the things we see on the surface of our fellow man and illustrates the importance of knowing each man's story.
Anyone who is interested in a unique drama, who loves an emotional rollercoaster, will enjoy this drama so much!