I love Korean dramas but I must admit I do get tired of the same old formula now and then. So when SBS kicked off its early summer lineup with Money War (a.k.a. Money's Warfare) in 2007, I was pleasantly surprised by what I now consider to be by far one of the most unique Korean dramas I have seen in years. In its groundbreaking blend of comedy, tragedy, and social satire, Money War tells a heartening tale of ordinary citizens who suffer from major debt hangovers. They often fall prey to unscrupulous moneylenders who charge extortionate interest rates, which in turn traps them in a vicious cycle of debt. And it doesn't get any better as these bloodsucking sharks will use every possible means of intimidation, aggression, and violence to retrieve money from their hapless victims.

Based on Park In Kwon's popular comic strip, Money War unfolds the story of a down-on-luck man named Geum Na Ra (Park Shin Yang) whose obsession with avenging his father's death drives him over the edge. Money becomes his target for retaliation when Na Ra discovers that his debt-ridden father committed suicide after constantly being harassed by a loan shark. Adding to his grief is the death of his mother, which comes despite Na Ra's perilous effort to obtain cash to pay for her hospital fees. In fact, he even agrees to break up with his longtime girlfriend in exchange for cash in a dead-end deal with his girlfriend's disapproving grandmother. Believing that money is the source of all evil, Na Ra, of all things, declares war on - yes, money! However, realizing the only way to defeat his enemy is to understand the enemy, Na Ra decides to become a loan shark. He finds a job working as a money collector for the notorious loan shark Ma Dong Po while learning the trade secrets along with life's philosophies from the old and legendary pro Dok Go Chul (Shin Goo) who reluctantly takes Na Ra under his wings. Then Na Ra gets the shock of his life when he learns that his gangster boss Ma Dong Po is the very man responsible for his father's death. But Na Ra keeps his cool, scanning for the right time and the right place to seek his revenge.

Certainly, there was high expectation for this drama due to the fact that this was Park Shin Yang's return to television since starring in the hugely popular melodrama Lovers In Paris. In Money War, Park takes a 180-degree turn in portraying a man on the verge of insanity, conveying his character's angst, sorrow, and paranoia with striking realism. Simply put, the man steals the show. But as much credit is given to Park and his hair-raising performance, a significant chunk of the credit also goes to the amazing work put out by Park's co-stars: the lovely Park Jin Hee who put mini skirts and vests back in fashion and Lee Won Jong who nailed his part as the sleazy bloodsucking Ma Dong Po.

Hit dramas leave behind memorable quotes as in Lovers In Paris, which gave us "ae gi ya ga ja" and "ne ahneh nur it da" (which translates to "Baby, let's go" and "In me, is you", respectively). Making no exception to the rule is Money War which offers gems of wisdom in each of its episodes. If I had to pick my favorite quote, it would be: "men leave scars, but money leaves interest". Boy, I'll drink to that. But the similarity between Park's two dramas ends here. Deftly dissecting the underground world of moneylending in Korea, Money War offers a delightful escapism from the usual array of themes which I believe I can recite even in my sleep.