With morally grey characters, an excellent cast, and family inheritance intrigue, The Impossible Heir seemed like a unique Korean drama that isn’t afraid to get cutthroat, especially with those suspicious shots of blood splatters in the trailer. There’s some of that here– Lee Jae-wook plays Han Tae-oh with a cold, straightforward determination, even outright declaring he would use Kang In-ha, with Lee Jun-young matching Jae-wook’s intensity. However, part of the drama feels undercut by a love triangle that, as a concept, isn’t a terrible idea, but was just hastily introduced in the first two episodes. The Impossible Heir has excellent tension with its reluctant allyship, family mystery, and the likely betrayal already, but it just feels like it could be better without the romance.
Synopsis
An ambitious boy grows up and joins an intense war of desires to become a star of his own.
Storyline
Growing up without his parents, Han Tae-oh has nothing but his wits. After meeting illegitimate chaebol son Kang In-ha, who relies on charm and good looks, the two partner up to climb the ladder of success, but Na Hye-won, daughter of a debt collector, stands in their way.
TLDR
To be honest… With the tension already existing between In-ha and Tae-oh, I’m wondering why they bothered with a love triangle at all.
What stands out
There’s already some delicious tension between Kang In-ha and Han Tae-oh that the drama already drives itself… but it honestly makes me wonder if the love triangle was mainly created just to establish that they’re straight or to distract from the possibility of them being siblings, with that near exact fringe.
