Episode 3 to 5’s main theme was “Rescuing the First Daughter.”  However, I’m gonna start with where we ended in episode 2. As I had guessed, Jeong Woo and Jae Hee didn’t end their realtionship well. Jae Hee was the daughter of NTS higher and he asked Jeong Woo to leave his daughter for their both sake. Mr. Han reminded him that a field officer couldn’t have such both glory and love. If you choose your career, drop your love before that person got hurt…or even killed. So yes, Jeong Woo decided to do what was best for them both.

But you can never avoid faith can’t you? And so couldn’t Jeong Woo and Jae Hee. After the surprising encounter, they ended up working together. Jeong Woo asked for Jae Hee’s life abroad from Joon Ho, who had worked together with her.

Jae Hee was set up by his old Russian enemy, the man who made the bloody ritual with black rose. Jeong Woo and the team found out that he was the same man Jae Hee thought had killed long a go. That man came back for revenge. Jeong Woo rushed to the ambush location to help Jae Hee.

Jae Hee got shot, but she’s okay. She and Jeong Woo finally had a chance to really sit and talk. I understand Jae Hee when Jeong Woo asked her about the wound on her upper hand, she answered, “The hurt wasn’t here (hand), but here (heart).”

Jae Hee was recruited personally by Dr. Kwon to join the NTS.  And it seemed that Dr. Kwon had a kind of “interest” in the talented young field officer. He was assigned back to NTS and soon was sent out to go abroad investigating the fishy movement of a particular terrorist.

Together with Ki Soo, Jeong Woo went on the mission that brought him from Algier in Algeria to Venice in Italy. I got annoyed by how Ki Soo kept complaining about him travelling around such beautiful places! They tracked down the terrorist movement to this particular Grey Cat shop. The bad guy ran away after blowing up the evidence and then died hit by a truck when Jeong Woo catched after him. What remained was some photo negative showing what seemed like randomly unrelated places.

Jeong Woo met a Korean girl (Lee Bo Yeong) in one of the places he visited in Venice. She’s an architecture student. At first she said she’s a Japanese, but when they met again the second place Jeong Woo and Ki Soo went to, she stopped lying.

In the meantime, North Korea had been suspicious about the South Korean involvement in the disappearance of the nuclear scientist, Dr.Kim. The Blue House denied. Here we had a cast from IRIS, the head of North Korean security team who then focused on nuclear development: Park Cheol Yeong ( Kim Seung Woo).

Seong Hyeok heard the news of the North Korean coming to the Blue House. He made an excuse to go there, and managed to have an “incident” meeting with the NK representatives. Park Cheol Yeong made an unwelcome gesture to Seong Hyeok’s greeting, but Seong Hyeok said, “Today’s enemy could be tomorrow’s friend.” I think he was planning something in his head.

Jeong Woo and Ki Soo became friends with Jo Soo Yeong, and she helped them visited places seen in the developed photographs. She said they’re places she regularly visited, but nothing was suspicious for Jeong Woo.

Nothing, until the Blue House told them that the first daughter was there in Venice. She turned out to be the architecture student. Jeong Woo, almost insanely rushed back to Soo Yeong’s place, but he’s just too late.

The first daughter was finally kidnapped. Jeong Woo made a long fast running tried to catch up with the mob’s car.He ended up made himself injured. Jae Hee came as a the first NTS support arrived, you know…personal reason as well. The rest of the NTS had already set a basecamp in Venice.

And looked who was in the team: the mysterious Hae In!

She turned to be a plain-faced woman and it seemed that she was personally recruited by Dr.Kwon, specialized in negotiating with the enemy. She was even let herself brought by the terrorist to the place where they’d been hiding Jo Soo Yeong. Jeong Woo was overwhelmed by the situation. He always had thought that Hae In was just a children-tour guide in NIS. Finding out that she might be a Black agent (cold hearted slash merciless fierceful top Korean secret agents).

President Jo was facing a difficult choice between his country safety and his daughter’s life. As a good nationalist,he of course had to choose his country. He’s not giving up Dr.Kim to the terrorists. So then Secretary Kim requested a help from the US government.

Meanwhile, an DIS agent from Japan office came to Seong Hyeok, handing over a top secret report about his research result that inform the organization about ATHENA penetration in the company. His report telling that Seong Hyeok right hand man was the mole agent. Seong Hyeok just pretended it was his first time hearing the terrorist organization named ATHENA. Too bad for the researcher, Seong Hyeok killed him on his way back.

The result was DIS took over the operation. Jeong Woo and Jae Hee, just like the other members of NTS team,protested the decision, but couldn’t do much.

Dr.Kwon and Seong Hyeok sat alone together for the first time about their unfinished business from the past. They agreed to put their history behind. Dr. Kwon asked why Seong Hyeok let him go 3 years ago. Seong Hyeok said it’s probably a compassion he had as the loser party in that battle.

Seong Hyeok had spotted Jeong Woo because of his good job tracking the terrorist movement from Algeria to Italy. I think he knew Jeong Woo’s potential and how that could be their future problem. So Seong Hyeok asked Jeong Woo to talk. He told Jeong Woo to just stay behind in this operation. It’s  an order from the higher and related to political matters between South Korea and US.  Jeong Woo argued that it’s about rescuing a person’s life. But Seong Hyeok said everything was political in this world.

Dr. Kwon played along with DIS,but this smart guy wasn’t that weak. He played a trick as if he’s giving Dr.Kim up for getting back Ms. Jo’s safe and sound, but he’s not. The NIS also put a wire on DIS team, so they could overhear DIS plans. Knowing he’s not gonna get Dr.Kim, Seong Hyeok changed his plan. He’s applying the Silence Storm mission, that means they’re wiping out the terrorists regardless the hostage’s safety. Since Jae Hee and Jeong Woo were so determined in saving Ms.Jo, Dr.Kwon gave them a permisson to go on a ‘command-break’ mission of bringing back the first daughter alive. And the mission included the reluctant Ki Soo.

The three of them went discreetly to the location. They went behind DIS and tried to penetrate from another entry.
Everything went well, until Ki Soo accidently blew a shot that broke the silence. That was just how lousy he could be .

Let’s see how the operation went on after the sudden-blow accident by Ki Soo in the next episode. Everyone was then alert. The terrorist started to gun fire their uninvited guests…

Anyway, among other good scenes, this one was my WOW! moment. The scenery was beautifully natural monumental .

So let’s just get down to the business…

This action drama is so SEXY, that’s my first impression in general. But i’m not sure which part of the drama that make it sensual…i don’t think it’s merely because of the sexy story line or the “unproper-for-under-18” scenes. The whole things in this drama is a sexy package.

Anyway, the first episode was opened by the issue of “saving Dr. Kim Myung Guk”. The president of Republic Korea, Jo Myeong Ho (played by actor Lee Jeong Gil), held an emergency meeting with his staffs considering the nuclear scientist who’d been researching a new type of nuclear energy and spotted by the North Korean for developing their nuclear weapon. Recalling the incident on earlier episode of IRIS where another nuclear scientist was killed by T.O.P character that time, the President was worry if there’s a leak. (there was eventually in IRIS, if i’m not mistaken).

This’s President Jo Myeong Ho:

This man, a senior agent  Kwong Yong Gwan, was ordered to go on a mission of saving Dr. Kim, who was kidnapped by the Russian in Japan. His main job after setting Dr. Kim free was to make sure that scientist could go to South Korea safely. He summoned his team, agents who’re scattered in many places on this planet: Spain, Greece, US, and Korea.

And it’s our hot bad guy: Seon Hyeok (Cha Seung Won), a cool-expressionless agent who worked for Athena, an international organization of terrorism.

I love this opening fight between Cha Seung Won and athlete Choo Seong Hoon who played as one of the summoned agents. It took place in an elaborate male restroom. And I think the fight was sexy   : the way they fought, the way they bled, the way they had an intense talk, the way they hesitated, even the way they ended the fight…both men were badly bleeding

Meet our sexy double agent Yoon Hye In (Soo Ae). She originally worked for Seon Hyeok, but later we found out something else. I like her steady character. She’s plain face, cold-hearted, and sexyly dangerous. I almost forgot that Soo Ae has a melancholy image.

Hye In was ordered to kill the summoned agent in Hawaii. Calmly she tailed the agent to the lift. She acted normal, just like any other attractive woman…until the moment she did her action. She rocks!

This is Dr. Kim Myung Guk, the center of the story in the opening of the drama. He was kidnapped by some Russian while he was in Japan, supposed to attend a seminar. That night, there were two teams trying to get him out: Agent Kwon’s and Seon Hyeok’s.

The two teams competed against the western kidnapper and also against each other. After some one by one fights, hundreds of gun shots, and a building blast, Agent Kwon’s team could take Dr. Kim out. but that’s not long. One by one the NIS team was killed by Seon Hyeok’s men. There’s only one left, and this agent was about to take Dr. Kim to the car when they’re surrounded by Seon Hyeok and the gang in the basement.

Agent Kwon, who had been giving commands  from afar, came for a help. Dr. Kim managed to get to his rescue car, but the agent didn’t survive. He was shot dead, so Agent Kwon left the basement immidiately, making sure Dr. Kim was safe.

Seon Hyeok’s team didn’t let him get away easily. There’s some chasing action on the street. In the end, Dr. Kwon’s car was shot by Hye In and that made it crash turning up side down on the street. Agent Kwon was badly injured, but Dr. Kim was nowhere to be found. His condition was unknown.

Seon Hyeok got Agent Kwon. He tortured Agent Kwon with a painful serum in order to make him speak. But Agent Kwon was determine. He gave Seon Hyeok nothing.

Seon Hyeok received a phonecall from his English-speaking boss. The boss told to eliminate Agent Kwon if he eventually got nothing from him. We heard a couple of gun shots from afar. Hye In heard those bangs and turned around…

…then we flied to the time of three years later.

Now it’s time for our hero to show up. Jeong Woo Seong played as NTS (National anti-Terrorism Service) Agent Lee Jeong Woo. I like the way they make his character to be non-dramatic : a cool and perfect heroic agent. He was quite ordinary in my opinion, not the kind of cold-heartedly plain face and fierce words character. He’s quite simple, but of course still had the quality of a hero: good looking, good shooter, and good fighter.

Lee Jeong Woo’s partner slash sonbae was Agent Park Song Chul. Their partnership a bit reminded me of the pair agents in hollywood’s “Lethal Weapon” (Murtaugh&Riggs) and “Men In Black” (Agent K & Agent J), where an old agent paired with a young-handsome agent. They had a witty relationship.

The two NTS agents were on a mission in the theme park. Nothing happened eventually and they decided to end the mission. Jeong Woo saved a boy from falling of the fence and that led him met this beautiful woman…Hye Jin. Her figure then was more lovelier than three years ago.

Jeong Woo surely had a crush on her. It was a big surprise for Jeong Woo when he went to NIS head quarter. The beautiful woman, Hye In, turned out to be an NIS agent. From then on, he always found an excuse to go to NIS and for “accidently” ran into her. However, her reaction was nothing more than professional communication.

The ex-Athena agent was then an NIS or it had always been NIS from the first time?

Hye In was still in touch with Seon Hyeok. He was safe and sound. Getting to the 2nd episode, we found out that Seon Hyeok was not a cold-hearted man as we might think before. He was cooler than Jeong Woo, but he’s not an iceberg. He did invite Hye In for a business matter. She handed him a cellphone contained important information she had taken from the guy in the theme park. However at the end, Seon Hyeok handed her a birthday present.

It seemed that Hye In had been receiving presents from Seon Hyeok all these times, and she kept them all very well. I assumed their relationship was more than just partners?   Still a mystery.

And here we come to the sexy Italian scene we had seen from the trailer. Jeong Woo was ordered to go to Italy for a mission. His boss said he’s gonna be working with an NIS agent he’s meeting there. And it was too good to be true for him that his NIS agent partner turned out to be Hye In!

Their mission was to take a file from a wealthy Italian man’s hidden safe box. The scenes were very much James Bond. Jeong Woo was in black suits and bowtie with advance gadget and weapon. Let’s say he played as the 007 Agent. Meanwhile Hye In, she was the distraction. She’s the sexy seducive Bond girl who rode a very fancy sports car, backed up her partner and found him a way out.

While Bond always ended up on the bed with his girls, Jeong Woo ended up making out with Hye In on the balcony with the sunrise as the background. Who knew how they really ended it…

…It ended up there. Sorry, but the whole Bond in Italy scenes was Jeong Woo’s nap time dream In the reality, Hye In still played hard on him. ;p

We might have thought Agent Kwon had long dead, killed by Seon Hyeok that night we heard the two gun shots from afar. However, Agent Kwon was safe and sound. He ran a simple life on a rural area.

One fine day, this man was visited by Choi Jin Hee, Presidential Secretary. He told Agent Kwon that the President needed him to be back on the “field”.

Kim Gi Soo (played by Kim Min Jung) was our next character. He was the owner of an underground casino, eventually became a help to Jeong Woo and Song Chul. He was a bad temper man, but not the kind of a fighter. He used to be a top North Korean agent stationed in China, but it seemed that he liked money more than dealing with complicated secret missions. Song Chul and Jeong Woo thought he might be a big help for them since he learnt alot about Russian and China secret information. However, his character was not yet really best describe in episode 2.

Agent Kwon was indeed back as top agent. He inspected NTS since he’d work with them dealing with international terrorism. NTS agents welcomed him nervously.

And there he was, Choi Shi Won. He was a witty young NIS analyst named Agent Kim Joon Ho. Just like Kim Ge Soo, episode 2 hadn’t told about his character very much yet. But i guess he’s gonna be more or less similar to the character of Agent Na from KBS ‘Secret Agent Miss Oh’. He’s young, energetic, witty, and eager to be an elite spy.

Seon Hyeok was then became the Regional Director for Department Intelligence Service stationed in South Korea. Their secret mission was “Finding Dr. Kim Myung Guk’s whereabout”. On the surface, the organization is an international organization dealing with nuclear energy.

Seon Hyeok made a visit to the Blue House where he met Secretary Choi and two others. But a big surprise came when he met a very familiar face. While Seon Hyeok looked a bit shock, Agent Kwon approached him casually as if they hadn’t met before. He even offered a handshake and introduced himself politely.

Jeong Woo and Song Chul out for a mission in Busan, thanks to the info given by Kim Gi Soo. They’re investigating a Russian ship. Jeong Woo tailed quitely a suspicious “sect-weirdo” man, but an open scheme was not avoidable. He almost got caught, but then another team from NIS came…pointing guns at him since he apparently got in the way of their mission. It seemed that the team was European stationed, and among them Jeong Woo found a familiar face:  Han Jae Hee, played by Lee Ji Ah.

From the first time he saw this woman, i knew their relationship was more than just friends. And it turned out to be true…they used to be a happy couple. They had a very serious relationship, but something happened in the middle of the way that made them broke up. I bet they didn’t end it well.

I think this drama had made a good introduction in its two first episodes. Mysteries are still hanging on the air, waiting to be revealed one by one. Dr. Kim Myung Guk’s whereabout is also still a mystery. I like to find how Seon Hyeok deals with Agent Kwon in the next episodes. The romance can also developed into a complicated triangle or quadrangle love relationships.

I don’t really want to compare this with IRIS. But I think this drama is worth watching. As I have said before, action drama is not my favourite. However, Athena has made me sit and watch joyfully for its whole two episodes. So it gotta have something…

December 13th  “Athena: Goddess of War” started airing on SBS. The results were very encouraging, this drama managed to beat other dramas and gained as high rating as 22.8% on the first day (according to AGB Nielsen).
Athena is a spin-off of IRIS, and it is not possible to repeat or even exceed the success of IRIS.

Athena starred by Jeong Woo Seong (as Lee Jeong-woo), Cha Seung Won (as Son Hyeok), Soo Ae (as Yoon Hye In), Kim Min Jeong (as Kim Gi Soo), Lee Ji Ah (Han Jae Hee), and Choi Si Won. This drama is no different with IRIS, still revolves around special agents, NTS.
And I think almost the leading actors in this drama are so hot, especially Cha Seung Won (Frankly, that’s why I decided watched this drama )

[info sources: 1, 2, images source]

Actually this action drama was supposed to be released on November. But it had been postponed because of “Giant”. And while “Giant” episodes comes to an end, “Athena: Goddess Of War” is ready to replace it starts on December 13.
For anticipation, SBS has released the highlight and trailer for the drama.

There’re a lot of fights, interesting places, and also kisses. And why Jeong Woo Seong looks younger in this drama? 
After seeing this trailer, I think all of the casts were really suitable for each of their roles, including Soo Ae. Actually she looks dauntless in here, sorry for my previous thought.

Trailer:

[video and images sources]

All Athena-leading-actors attended the press conference held on November 30. “Athena: Goddess of War” will be airing Dec. 13th on SBS, which is different from the “IRIS” that aired on KBS.
The male actors, Jeong Woo Seong, Cha Seung Won, Choi Si Won, and Kim Min Jeong appeared very cool with simple black suit. Especially Cha Seung Won, nice and sexy shape.
And for the girls, sometimes I still don’t believe Soo Ae play in action drama, her face is too calm and too pretty to make fighting scene. And Lee Ji Ah looked cool as always.

The actors:

Jeong Woo Seong

Soo Ae:

Cha Seung Won:

Lee Ji Ah:

Kim Min Jeong:

Choi Si Won:

[info sources, images sources: 1, 2, 3 ]

The action drama that will start airing this December, Athena:Goddess of War, just released the next posters. Athens is a spin-off from IRIS. It’s an additional story from that boxoffice drama, still with the same story line, setting and theme, but different stories and characters.
“Athena”, starring Jeong Woo Seong, Soo Ae, Lee Ji Ah, Cha Seung Won and Choi Si Won, and the rumble has been started since the beginning of this year (maybe because it is a IRIS’s spin-off). This drama takes sets in many countries such as Italy and Japan. and I think this poster is more cool than the previous one, especially Lee Ji Ah and Cha Seung Won’s poses.

[info and images source]

After teaser and MV, this time is the trailer …
After I watched it, I have more curiosity about “Athena:Goddess Of War”, because the trailer was shown more character besides Jeong Woo Seong and Soo Ae. They are Cha Seung Won, Choi Si Won, Kim Min Jeong, and Lee Ji Ah, even Lee Bo Yeong and BoA (which are not the main characters in the drama, just special appreance).
Wow! Choi Si Won and Lee Ji Ah are really cool!

Trailer:

[info and image source; video source]

Spin-off IRIS, “ATHENA :Goddess of War” released teaser and soundtrack, I Love You (널 사랑한다) by Park Hyo Shin.

You must watch these videos. Really, my first impression was just “WOW!!!”
Jeong Woo Seong is really handsome and looks much younger. He even looks like the asian version of Bond.  After seeing these videos, I think I’m falling in love with Jeong Woo Seong-ajeossi…
Will Athena be able to exceed IRIS’s success? We will find out, soon!

can’t wait to see my handsome ajeossi…

Teaser

MV

[videos sources: 1, 2; image source]

Excitement still continues in the production of the “ATHENA: Goddess Of War”, especially after the drama’s posters were released, showing the action of the casts: Jeong Woo Seong, Soo Ae, Cha Seung Won, Kim Min Jong, Lee Ji Ah, and including Choi Si Won (Su Ju’s member) who was holding a gun [yeah, this cute man could actually be…cool ].
The drama is a spin-off from the blockbuster drama, IRIS (2009), and it was already started production in June. The filming will be conducted in some countries like Italy, Japan, New Zealand, and other locations. However, this drama is not a sequel to the IRIS. IRIS2 (IRIS’s sequel) will be released in 2011.

ATHENA is an additional story from IRIS, the drama showcases a different character from IRIS, but still picked up the line of anti-terrorisme agents’ lives, National Anti-Terrorist Service (NTS), where romance also lies within, and still bring up the issue of South and North Korean conflict.
Choi Si Won’s performances will probably splashy, while Seo Ae’s appearance is a surprise. The actress usually looks cute, but in this drama she seems to reveal the other side of her…she looks like a warrior princess which is actually a combination of sexy and cool.
I’m very exciting to see their actions, especially Jeong Woo Seong, for me, he always looks mature and sexy …. and hope this drama will be successful, just like IRIS…

[image source; info sources 1,2]