[Drama Review] 'While You Were Sleeping' � Episodes 3 & 4

AKP STAFF

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING -- EPISODES 3 & 4

SBS's new drama 'While You Were Sleeping' continues to wow audiences every Wednesday and Thursday night with its taut pacing and characterization.

The two people who have prophetic dreams have discovered each other.� And we have a new player involved in all this:

Park So Yoon (Kim So Hyun), a concert pianist whose mom collapses at the concert, apparently a victim of domestic abuse. Jae Chan's younger brother, Seung Won, is a classmate and a fan.

Hong Joo works tirelessly, using her gift to predict the events in Jae Chan's life that day, and does things like order his coffee for him ahead of time. When she proves that she has the gift he tells her he doesn't want any part of it. Largely because he predicted his dad's death as a child, and now just wants to live his life as a prosecutor prosecuting crimes, instead of stopping them before they happen.

But the domestic abuse charge is changed to assault, which can only be prosecuted if the victim agrees, rather than injury, which carries a heftier penalty. Why? Because Yoo Bum got paid handsomely for it. Seung Won confronts So Yoon over her internet history�and finds out that she intends to kill her father. Meanwhile, Hong Joo is trying to make sense of her dreams. Jae Chan all of a sudden takes an interest in her power when she mentions that his little brother is going to kill someone and blame it on him. And Seung Won holds So Yoon's hand and offers to take her home.

I'm a fan of Kim So Hyun -- I first saw her in 'School 2015: Who Are You?' and was impressed. I'd like to see her smile more, but I don't think that's going to happen here. She plays the distressed teen role to the hilt. And I love how she acts grimly determined. She projects an air of arrogance about her, too, an attitude that says she won't dissolve into helpless sobs.

I think it's interesting that they're dragging Seung Won into this. I like how they've just dropped hints, here and there, that he would be roped into possibly helping So Yoon murder her dad. I can't see him trying to pin it on his brother, but there was her speech about stupid prosecutors, so maybe it's not so out there.

Also, Jae Chan's attempts to fit in with the other prosecutors is amusing, but also perhaps telling? Maybe he really doesn't belong there. There's a social component to most office jobs, and South Korea seems to be a great example of that. He really should have done his homework on social media at least.

And it does seem a little like they're trying to throw a few stumbling blocks in there to keep Jae Chan and Hong Joo separated. Maybe with Episode 5, they'll finally start working together. It's about time.

So once again, I'm blown away by the acting and the plot. I haven't seen something this good since 'Descendants of the Sun,' and it's nice that I have a new show to look forward to on Wed/Thurs. But what do you guys think? Drop me a line in the comments below.