New Delhi: The 1960s will be best remembered as a decade of revolution and change in the established order.

The latest Korean drama Uncle Samsik (Sam Sik translates as Three Meals) stars Parasite star Song Kang Ho and Byun Ho Yan and explores a turbulent time in the country’s history.

As South Korea recovered from the ravages of war, its sluggish economic growth, political corruption and turmoil, and its dependence on aid from the United States, it was also on the cusp of dramatic change.

Kim San (Byun Yo Han) is part of the Reconstruction Bureau and has conceived a five-year plan for the restoration of the country. He is ambitious and idealistic, as he explains in an emotional speech how in America, as a struggling student, he lived above a pizzeria and survived on pizza.

Pizza was the magic word, as his own country was dependent on aid from the United States, struggling with unemployment and starvation. Kim San is transferred to the Audit Bureau, because the minister in charge, who is targeting the presidential election, considers the young man’s enthusiasm to be impractical chatter.

However, Kim San is flexible in her work and meets Pak Duchil (Song Kang Ho), a fixer and a social chameleon of sorts, who is nicknamed Uncle Samsik/Uncle Three Miles because of his team’s poverty-stricken family. She manages her three meals even in that time.

Uncle Samsik wants to connect with Kim San, whose optimism attracts him. He tells her that they both share a similar vision, which is to help their country stand on its feet. However, Pak Duchhil is a ruthless magician and can go to any extent to achieve his goals. He has a warning that if Uncle Samsik does anything for anyone (gangs, politicians or people at large) you have to return the favor. After all, there is no free lunch. While idealist Kim San, whose views and his relationship with the daughter of a communist leader have made him a target of the ruling party.

The two form an uneasy alliance, because at the end of the day whatever their means, their ultimate goal is the same, to change the fortunes of their country.

Uncle Samsick starts off slow, but draws you in with its story, as these two unlikely men form an alliance and try to navigate the politics of their time.

Does Duchille see traces of his youth in Kim San? Although the show wastes no time diving into the politics of the time, it can be a little confusing for those not familiar with S. Korean politics. But it is the dynamic between these two men, Uncle Samsik and Kim San, that is the core of the plot.

Uncle Samsik is Song Kang Ho’s first TV show in his 35-year career. He brilliantly plays the role of Uncle Samsik, a mysterious man with glowing eyes who can become a formidable foe when provoked. Byun Yo Han maintained his dominance and gave a great performance.

The onscreen dynamic between Song Kang Ho and Byun Yo Han is further enhanced by the actors, who get into the groove of their characters.