plot is nothing fantastic but i think it was handled well. the ending was satisfying. the acting more than brilliant. if nothing else, watch for the two lead actors who were truly amazing in their portrayals. and the very cute romance between sjs and hjm :)

@ 50 xyz

Man, you are right. Thanks for the correction. I googled and found indeed there are 2 locations for the "tulous". Fujian and Hakka tulous.

SJS not kidnapped in Beijing but in Shanghai?! That's even more amazing because Shanghai is further away from the Gobi Desert which is about 1200 miles worth of driving.

For this drama, I thought the setting and location is important to the story (although I am usually not that picky about location), which is why I did some research on it. No way are they going to leave SJS/Cho-in to die in some back alley. They couldn't have shown SJS/Cho-in's determination in getting out of a tight spot. Did you see that guy traverse the dunes? That was my only wow moment!

I will continue with a few more epis tonight, but boy, now it's difficult to see where my "FF" button is. I hope it doesn't continue to disappoint otherwise I will be forced to put a post-it flag on my FF button.

@ omo
I find Queen of Housewives (female revenge - b!tchiness?!) a whole lot more entertaining. I can see why JB is recapping QoH and don’t want to be caught dead recapping C&A. While waiting for the next epis of QoH, I will start Story of a Man.
---
funny thing to say given she recapped the more than horrible boys over flowers and witch's amusement. dramabeans recaps (though something i am thankful for), or lack thereof, does not equal the quality of the drama.

Oh God. Just watched the ending. Please Javabeans watch this! You will be SO happy with it. Cain and Abel defnately goes in the top 10 dramas of 09 for me. I really really reallyyy recommend this for anyone who appreciates SUPERB acting, who wants to see like the most BEAUTIFUL love story blossom, wants a good dose of reality, catchy and GREAT ost and anyone craving a PERFECT( or very close to perfect), satisfying, happy, realistic ending MUST watch this. Seriously I knoww the first few episodes aren't that exciting, but TRUST me just keep watching it you'll fall in love. And i just need to say it one more time HAN JIM MIN + SO JI SUB =BEST BEST BEST CHEMISTRY + LOVE

This drama for me started out fast but then got slow (just like most dramas) but anyways...even though I'm not always into the action/revenge dramas this was kind of addicting (not as addicting as BOF though). Why? It definitely has to do with SJS and SHJ's acting!! And as for the females.. I really didn't care much for them..I'm mean I can't believe how fast Seo Yeon went back to the older brother. I was like "this girl is desperate for a guy to be my her side." I did feel sorry for O Young Ji during the early espisodes but then just got bored of her. Anyways, I was crying nonstop during the last episode but like someone had metion b4 I wasn't to happy about the mom's exit and lake scene! Even though I enjoyed it at times I don't know if I could watch this again.

I just watched Cain and Abel few times , especially ending , excellent drama !
Everyone have different taste in drama ,for me any drama had to have deep
meanings to think about , the lesson to learn from and outstanding acting skills
and C&A has it all .
The beginning of drama the narrative from CI to explain why he lost his memory and again the narrative from CI by the ending , very impressive , forgiveness needs
time , only human being can heal human being scar ,you get hurt more by the one
you love , trust and respect .
This is not usual ending in K dramas .
This drama was not based on true story , but thank to all actors and actresses
for their acting skills , writers for their imagination they made me believe their story,
i felt sorry for CI ,as a prominent neurosurgeon , when he got hurt by low line
gangsters , i really hated SW and his mom for their evil intention but my heart
at ease when they regretted and jailed themselves for their sins .How great is
this drama ! A lot lessons i can learn from this drama ,small misunderstanding
can build up the hatred and lead to painful ,destructive outcome . Sometime in our life we might encounter some unpleasant situation , don't react before we pause for a while and think it throughout first .
Thank you for sharing your thought .

Thanks for posting the theme song. It was haunting me and I'm glad to have it.

Despite the initial negative reviews on dramabeans I decided to watch this (via my soju.com since I don't get Korean dramas on TV since AZN was dropped by Comcast).

I found it a remarkably good drama over all. Some of the plot twists were outré--but hey, this is soap opera; some took too long. But over all, it was very well done, very, very well acted--and the hatred and drive for revenge on the part of the doctor-parents and then among the brothers was very believable, very real. (Take it from a southern Italian who has seen this sort of unforgivingness warp a family for the better part of a century!)

The ending was wonderful because there was a sort of spiritual redemption, even though we know that there is always an inevitable course of events (don't want to spoil this by saying more). I was reminded at the end of a line from the Latin poet, Virgil, "Sunt lacrimae rerum"--a short phrase in Latin but not easily translated well in less than an English paragraph--but the basic idea is that all human events (rerum) are enmeshed in tears (lacrimae).

I hope dramabeans takes the time to watch this again and in toto--and to post more of the music. It was used very effectively to shift moods, underscore moods, create moods.

And there was a special bonus: the scenes from China, particularly those from the Gobi, from the Hakka village in Fukien province, and contemporary Shanghai.

Definitely one of the best K-dramas I've seem.
Thanks.

o sad this drama ended!! i read a few messages you guys left and i totally advise you to buy it/watch it!
the drama is great, nothing to compare with BOF (that i personnally didn't like)
the actors are great and not just So JI SUb, the whole cast really was amazing no one bothered me.
about the story, it is about revenge, but not only that. it's about brotherhood, about love, about people! i mean you have feelings at first of hatred towards a person then you totally change your mind about it because you slowly understand what's the script about! so if like me you love watching true dramas because they have a great storyline behind, Cain and Abel is for you. i really have no regrets and i'm definetly gonna watch it again. and plus they have very original scenes, and the fact that Han Ji Min plays a north korean adds excitement in the drama.

here's a list of the drama i realy liked; but it's up to you to like it sometimes i watch dramas a year later and i almost hit myself for not watching just because it "didn't seem interesting" lol
1. iljimae with Lee Jun KI: very sad but great acting and nice story
2. coffee prince: original drama, sometimes funny
3. on air: totally different style from other dramas; totally loved it
4. the legend great too

so just try it, best drama of the year (for now!)

Finally, it ends!
If U ask me if I'd recommend this drama, I'd say no unless U're dying to see So Ji-sub on screen again--like me ^^
The show has become more and more painful to watch as it evolves. There's only one word for it: MELOdramatic. Superb acting (except for the girl acting as Seo-yeon, I guess it's because I never like those type of tearful characters), alright soundtracks, acceptable cinematography, BUT in a flawed & unrealistic plot => Such a waste of my time yet I had to drag along with it.
^^ I don't intend to persuade anyone + lack of passion for the drama so excuse me from having to give out examples!

PS: I think the bro should have gone to jail, not to have his gf take care of him & sit around all day long (even in remorse).

who took out the bullets for cho in when he was shot in china? (mum)
Did Yong Ji know that Sun Woo and the step mother wanted to killl Cho In? (mum)
Did Seo Yeon know that the step mother wanted cho In's life? (mum)
Why didn't Chul Chee Sil reveal Sun Won gave order to kill the 2 gangsteres? (mum)
why the "like mother like son" did not put into jail? (mum)
I thought when Young Ji comes to Seoul, then it would be easier for her to bring her parents to Seoul plus Cho In did not mention that he would wants to help her financially to bring them in the last episode which I guessed her parents would show up in seoul at the end(tat was her dream), it did not happen? (mum)
I don't understand "Only human being can save human being" so here it's safe or save? (mum) coz Salvation/deliverance comes from the Lord.

edit:
Why didn’t Choi Chi Soo reveal Sun Won was the one who gave order to kill the 2 gangsters? (mum)

Sorry.

Hi Ginger , i will try to explain all your questions .
For my understanding ,CI did not want to believe his brother and his mom , ironically both of them are doctors, had tried to murder him but YJ has no clue
because CI didn't wish her to know . Anyway CI still want to protect his family name , to forgive their sins , to solve their problems within the family. SY knew SW evil plot but she is too naive to let SW manipulating her .Later on CI knew his brother using Choi guy to murder two chinese gangsters and himself , likely police would know too , SW and his mom would be in jail but they didn't show in the drama .
CI was working on sponsoring YJ parent as he kept mention few times that he wanted to meet them.
And the meaning of only human being can save human being is very clear , simple as it is ,
who else can save us ? We totally are responsible for our actions .
I hope i can answer your questions properly .

lf .

i like this drama very much.. it looks real for me.. erm .. you can watch in mysoju with engsub.. huhuhuhuu

one of the masterpiece for Kdrama , i've been watching these drama for more than a decade ( non-korean, living in the US) , i love this drama so much , it covers everything for me , love hate revenge forgiveness hope , so ji sub and han ji min are the best in here their love was slowly and deeply . I was having cain and abel withdraw when the series ended..lol !! the best drama for 2009 with East of Eden leading the pack .

i really really wanted to love this drama, but as others have mentioned above, it was kind of a mess. whats really sad is that it had such potental, and i caught a glimpse or two here and there of brilliance, but mostly it fell short of the mark.
my favorite scenes were those when he'd returned to the hospital and no one knew if he remembered everything or not. i think it would have been a better drama if they'ed played that angle more and revealed slowly, a little at a time, the extent of his memory as he worked to undermine what they were doing.
I don't agree that this is so ji subs best work, he did better in u-turn, rough cut, and (pre-military) MISA. he was good, he's a very talented actor, but over all i was dissapointed.
i'm not sure i would list this a strictly a revenge drama, there were strong catholic overtones in its themes and seemed, in the end, to be more about turning the other cheek and about forgiveness. most revenge dramas are all about the damage the main character causes to himself and the innocents around him and his target. revenge turns us all into monsters and most revenge dramas show that to one degree or another, before redeeming the main character (if there is a redemption).
cain and abel just isn't strong enough to hold its own in a catagory that contains ressurection, i'm sorry i love you (MISA), the devil, and now Story of a Man. (i would recomend all of those before i'd recomend cain and abel)
its watchable but highly overrated.

yiiiiiiiiiiiiikes.

mmmkay. it was good and also not good.

acting? wonderful, awesome, i dunno how they put up with their lines and the long hours of staring at each other hatefully. the evil characters really knew how to make you hate them and wanna hit them (but then you remember your computer screen would probably break) and the good characters just made you wanna get up and cheer them on.

story? RIDICULOUS, as in ridiculously unbelievable, not ridiculously good. it's extremely melodramatic. while i was watching the drama, i knew that none of the story would and could ever happen in real life, but secretly, i was enjoying (for the most part) the drama of brotherly strife, memory loss, and people hiding their sicknesses to "protect their loved ones"

in my honest opinion, it's only worth it to watch the 1st episode, maybe 3-4 in between, and the last couple episodes. the drama definitely lost it's momentum everytime the story went back to the meetings where the Vice President (aka the queen b, as in biatch) would make her evil plans. in my mind, if i have to use the fast forward button, it's not a drama worth watching. but as i started to fast forward, i discovered some of the episodes were really good.

SPOILER ALERT: you know, when Cho In went back to Seoul and methodically and fairly recovered everything that belonged to him as well as revealing the wrongdoings of the people who tried to hurt him. i'd have to say these episodes were my favorite.

this drama isn't too bad. :D i saw some people had listed surgeon bong dal hee as one of the good dramas. and to be honest, i couldn't get past the 3rd episode of surgeon bong dal hee cause i had felt it was JUST a hospital drama. but i really liked watching the medical aspects of this drama. maybe because i was watching So Ji Sub, and maybe because there was such an evil vs. good plot going on as well.

I finally finished watching this drama after months of having started watching it (long story). Good cast. Loved the Han Ji Min (lucky girl, she gets to work with a lot of talented and attractive guys).-SJS pairing. I think HJM did a good job and can't imagine anyone else in that role (certainly not the actress who was originally cast to play that role and went on to lead a Saeguk that got axed because of low ratings). Since MISA, SJS's acting has improved so much that I now actually enjoy watching him on screen.

Shin Hyun Joon is a good dramatic actor, but I prefer him in comedies. All through the series I felt that he had been miscast because he did not looked (physically) like his parents, and that bothered me. I felt that the last words by LCI, on the final scene, sounded a little preachy.

I wouldn't give this drama an A or10, but I liked it and enjoyed the romance between SJY and HJM's characters a lot. I would definitely recommend this drama.

i am an african american single mother of four boys this show came into my life when all i could think of was my hearts pain coming from being with a man who was the father if my children who had beat,raped and hurt me as i fought to be free from him i watched this story of what i feel was the truest lesson and ended as the truest meaning of love although the storyline was peculiarly unpredictable i found the strenght to believe in what is good and to to be that always because love is so beautiful and storng when it means well thankyou for this brilliant portrayal of a lesson i neede to learn when i think about the story it makes me cry but in a good way the kind of tears i have longed to shed those of passion and memories of moost of all me thankyou love christelyn davis

Hi

I've looked a trailer for the "2012". I was interested in this theme.
Please advise me a good site on this topic.
And what do you think about the end of the world 2012.

Thanks.

Vera, agree with you.
i actually expected a lot frm this drama, not to mention SJS comeback one, but the first few epi were slow and full of complicated hospital language beyond understanding.
everything was to slow for me, and i would have liked it better if the two brothers (choin and sunwoo) has been more honest to each other.

and about the mother, i dont feel its entirely her fault. The scriptwriter just seemed to eager to put her as the antagonist and and sunwoo and choin to live up to the name of the drama Cain andAbel.

i have to say he failed miserably.

i love sojisup's acting scenes in the desert though, but he running away frm the explosions and the bullets just seemed to fake.
jisup's character frm kind hearted doctor Choin to fugitive Gangho was to fast, without much emotion.
i just didnt find it refreshing, nor sad, or ANYTHING!!!

i havent watched the ending yet, but i dont think ill be expecting much of it, since the first few epi i have already watched is too boring for me.
Plus i hate the blood scenes.

Oh God!!!Even with the fast forward button i couldnt stand this drama.Its a miracle that I finished it.
I watched it because of So Ji Sub.Okay he deosnt dissappoint me with his acting but why dissappoint us with that kind of judgement to do this drama?
Story was beyond ridiculous.Nothing had a point.I mean if one guy was supposed to be jealous of someone then they should atleast show us what the hell is happening.Instead when you reach the next episode all of a sudden everyones intention has changed.
I couldnt understand the jealousy and hatred that Sun-woo had towards Cho-In then how will I understand the fact that the mighty hero almost was forgiving everyone yet made them regret and have their pay for it?
the story was a flop in short.
If we wish the romantic plot to save the drama....that plot is more ridiculous than the drama itself.I mean where on the earth deos that kind of love is justified.It felt wrong that Gho-In had to end up with Young-Ji.with all what she was hiding from him for her selfish puropose.and han ji-min deosnt help atall with her acting(seriously I thought she was just like that in Rooftop Prince.....)

i'm currently halfway through this drama. it totally has me hooked. the right amount of suspense and cute mixed. before, when i read the comments here, i had half a mind to leave this drama for later to watch, since i'm not into revenge dramas. although it's a little nonsensical regarding the motives of certain characters, i'm still invested in this story where sojisub loses everything and slowly plots his way to gain back what he lost and to find out who's against him. while the bad guys are scary, i found that i was most scared when sojisub thinks of doing bad. maybe it's his acting that's good.