This review may contain spoilers
I just finished watching this. I cannot write my thoughts completely spoiler-free but obviously I won't reveal anything major. This is a story of a police detective with a supernatural power and a genious profiler trying to catch a serial killler that has something to do with their past. Have we seen it again? Of course. It was interesting? Absolutely.When you came across a mystery-police thriller you wanted to be unpredictable with suspense, action (a bit) and a good case. And this drama has everything. A good case with suspense from the first episode (and it is torture when you watch it week to week) and really clever way of building and revealing the mystery. Nothing is like it seems and it can trick you. And that it is the best part. He has superpower and she is a genious but they misunderstand and lead themselves to wrong paths. As the plot was reavealing I really enjoyed the whole theme with the power abuse (from the police, prosecution, rich etc) and how they used the power their positions seems to hold to hide their mistakes.
If I find something negative is that at some points the plot was too complecated with no reason, just to be complicated. And I was a tiny bit disapointed from the final ending and the "true villain". I understand their motives and their use in the envolve of the plot and Dong Baek's character but I think was a bit random. That's the reason I give it 9.5. As for the rewatch value, I don't rewatch mystery series a second time because I know the end and I cannot enjoy them. But you can see new perspectives the second time.
Also, really nice cast with special credits to Ko Chang Seok and Yoon Ji On, with their great characters that confirm that the sidekicks are always the best.
(Sorry of any mistakes, English isn't my first language)
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It's super amazing drama of my life
Great cast and performance is fantastic
Cast killed audience with their performance
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This review may contain spoilers
First of all I'd like to say that I normally watch a drama when it has fully aired, but with the Memorist I watched it as it aired. It is a different experience and to be honest, I don't think this is a drama you should binge through. I enjoyed watching two episodes back to back and then coming to this site and read everyone's comments and join the discussions... it somehow became a special drama maybe because of it.If you are expecting a drama that shows you where it's heading and hints heavily on the culprit from the first episodes, you will be sorely disappointed! This drama is a rollercoaster and for the most part, a very thrilling one.
Analysing the main characters of the show, I will start from Dongbaek, the memorist detective. He is a little firecraker who ends up more times than I can count in the hospital, he's cocky and comes across as arrogant but hides a painful past. What I liked about how the show approached his powers, was when they spoke about how scanning people's minds can actually be violating someone's human rights... and honestly it is a valid point. Therefore, for his scans to be considered as evidence, like with any other type of evidence, they have to be collected legally and with a warrant.
Han Sunmi is the female lead and a great profiler. She is cold and smart and determined to find the culprit for her father's murder. I found at the beginning of the show that her personality was a bit inconsistent but eventually the writers seemed to have found the balance and made her a more solid and likable character.
Both main characters are surrounded by various side characters who don't have much space in the story, but are well written. My favourite characters being DB's team members who, as the story progresses, grew in me a lot.
The story also features plenty of evil characters, but by far the most important is Jaegyu. Mysterious at first, you eventually get to know his whole life story, and to be honest, I ended up sympathising with him. His character was by far more interesting than the eraser, which brings me to what I DIDN'T like of the show
The Eraser:
Few times a show introduces a character that truly terrifies me, but in the memorist they did a great job with the eraser. This evasive character full of hatred and insight. I had never thought before that erasing people's memories could be such a strong weapon until I watched this show. From beginning until the final episode, his identity is never revealed, and once we find out it is Dongbaek's sister, it kind of makes sense... it couldn't really be someone else and yet... it left me feeling really disappointed. I'm sure if I re-watched the series all over again, I would find a million reasons why it doesn't quite fit right, and the series had been so good until then that my expectations were maybe too high.
All in all, I was going to give the show 10 points, but the last two episodes dropped it to 9. It is a VERY different and enjoyable drama whether you like crime shows or not, and it does make you think much more than I am used to.
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This review may contain spoilers
This review first appeared on: https://frommelbtoseoul.wordpress.com/2020/05/03/review-the-memorist/(NOTE: there is a spoiler discussion at the very end of this review, but has been marked with a warning beforehand)
I am a complete sucker for crime-related dramas, seeking the thrills and shocks that come from solving a case. In comes The Memorist and the last 8 weeks has been a rollercoaster of emotions with me strapped in tight in the front seat.
What I loved most about The Memorist? The writing/plot layout and ability to explore notions of power, freedom of choice, and whether bad deeds are justifiable in the face of good intentions.
The series hooked me in quickly, choosing to start off with the crime-solving nature of the show and slowly letting us learn about the characters throughout the first few episodes. I liked that the pacing was fast from the get go, and kept it up for the majority of the drama. It meant that I was on the edge of my seat from the suspense and sudden twists that were included. In fact, what the drama did really well was build suspense in the last few minutes of every episode before leaving us on insane cliffhangers. I kept thinking my heart was going to explode from the intensity and thrill that was packed into 5 or so minutes. It also meant that I kept wanting more. It’s always hard, when you’re watching in real time along side a drama’s release schedule, to maintain interest between weekly episodes. Or at least for me anyways. If I find that week’s episode to be lacklustre or not heading in the direction I’m enjoying I will tend to not want to revisit the drama the following week. I guess maybe I’m just picky?
Another thing that I really liked, although have seen mixed reactions towards, was the inclusion of a number of plot twists. Usually, I would not advocate for numerous plot twists in a drama because I find that they can be distracting to the overall storyline and some dramas even lose the sense of direction. However, with The Memorist that didn’t happen at all. Instead, I found the plot twists created really successful shock value, which again, kept me engaged, but also served to add layers to the story. None of the plot twists, I found, were useless or absurd. I will note that for a drama that, despite being set in the real world with real life elements, has characters with somewhat abnormal or supernatural abilities, then anything becomes fair game. I wouldn’t nitpick a plot for “unrealistic” when it resolves around a character that can access memories. Bottom line, the shock factor to this drama was well delivered and really made my watching experience that much more enjoyable.
Lastly, I loved how smart the writing was in The Memorist. What I mean by this is that the complete reveal of the killer and the reason behind why the killings were happening was such an “ah-hah” moment to me. I don’t particularly care for the who the killer was, although I did notice that many weren’t sold on who it was once it was revealed. However, what I liked that the show did is use the character who was the perpetrator as a vehicle to deliver strong messages around choice and responsibility of action. I won’t say much more here, because I don’t want to spoil anything, but look further down if you want to see a quick discussion about what I mean! To me, the entire storyline was solid and made sense. I fully believe in why the perpetrator did what they did and how everything shown in the drama, character and events, were necessary to the completion of the story. Again, I experienced a lot of “ah-hah” or “ohhh” moments – moments of revelations really.
The Memorist was a solid drama. The crime-solving aspect kept me captivated and by focusing on just the one crime/criminal, it allowed for the drama to really flesh out the story and keep things distraction free. I wouldn’t watch this drama for the characters, in that I didn’t grow emotionally attached to any of them. I liked them enough but really only enjoyed the show for the story it offered. I do however, appreciate, that there was barely any romance in this. Not all scenarios in real life would result in a love story, especially when it comes to resolving a serial killer case, and if anything, liked that the bond built between the characters revolved around comradeship and loyalty between friends. So refreshing to see in a Korean drama! Give this show a watch because it is well worth your time!
SPOILER DISCUSSION:
This my warning that the next few sentences will be a spoiler filled discussion on what I really meant about how the drama utilised the killer, Eraser, as a vehicle to explore some thought-provoking ideas.
At first when Eraser was revealed as the timid maid in the evil lady’s house my reaction was “oh” until the drama explained why and how she became to be Eraser. For me, it was such an intentional move in trying to showcase the difference between individual’s choice and the consequences from that. The Eraser turns out to be Dong Baek’s sister and they both have the same ability. However, despite Dong Baek seeing all the terrible memories and actions that were committed, which caused harm to so many people including him, he never strayed from the belief of combatting evil through justice and law. On the other hand, his sister lost all faith in achieving justice through the legal system. Instead, she seeks to serve justice herself, and in that sense, starts to succumb to the terrible actions that she was trying to punish people for in the first place. Dong Baek makes a great point in that even though he could, he chooses instead to use his ability for good or to better himself. He would rather not see it as a tool anymore and instead reflect on what the ability delivers to him. This was honestly such a fascinating addition to the drama, in that it made me think on how we all have the ability to act, it’s just a matter of what we choose to do and the consequences that will come with it. Also, there is the classic question of whether bad deeds are justifiable in the face of good intentions. This is a much harder question to answer for me as not everything is black and white but props to The Memorist for really making me think instead of just consuming what is on screen.
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This review may contain spoilers
Casting is great. Music is great. The story/plot is great but the pacing for me is too fast, and I feel like there’s no room for to breathe sometimes because each episode is mostly intense. There were episodes that included comical scenes, but I guess I would love to see more of the comical side of the Main Character (MC). And it felt like they jumped right into the plot with not that much introduction and development for the MC. I do sense a lack of character development even though each character has their own personality, but I guess it’s too soon to say that because we’re at 4 episodes at the moment. I say that about the character development because the characters are into solving cases so much that there’s no time for them to build up their character through personal communication with one another. This results in the audience feeling there’s not that much connection between the MC and other characters.Overall, this kdrama has potential and looks promising. I got hooked because of the story/plot. I hope they do something about the characters connection with each other. If you’re into intense stuff and love thriller, crime, law, and superpowers, you’ll like this kdrama.
(Just a recommendation if you like this type of kdrama but a lighter version — While You Were Sleeping won’t disappoint you. I’m 100% sure)
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My romance lover ass would love to see some romance too, even if it's not the main point of the drama. But maybe it would ruin it, who knows. I don't see romance tags on the drama so it's possible that it won't happen, though.
Anyways, totally looking forward to the next episodes and I wholly recommend it!
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Yoo Seung Ho plays the character of Dong Baek who has telepathic by touch and Lee Se Young plays the Police Detective Han Sun Mi. I loved YSH in "I'm Not a Robot"! FINALLY! A drama without romance or a triangle love and not somebody fighting over who gets who! Too funny! This a story that is a DRAMA! I enjoyed every episode and didn't have to skip to the next one! Every episode had my focus. This is a rewatch! The main actors were true to their story and the supporting actors were great! Honestly, I didn't think it was going to end the way it did... you know that one part that you try to guess who the real criminal is and when you get to that part... IT'S LIKE "I didn't know that was coming"! DO NOT SKIP TO FIND OUT... You have to watch each episode... it's only 16 episodes so you can hold out! If you do... you will ruin the whole story for yourself. HA! Thank you, writers! I needed the suspense!
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Para mim é algo positivo, mas imagino que para outros não e tem o fato de que houve uma mudança do rumo que acho que foi arriscado, porém até que gostei pois foi bem empregado na narrativa, tirando algumas ressalvas e coisas que precisavam de mais profundidade e outros esquecidos.
Sinceramente me irritei com a relutância da Sun Mi em usar a ajuda de DongBaek, mas pensando na parte jurídica, como prender alguém sem provas concretas? Isso me fez perceber que ela é uma boa profissional que coloca a razão no lugar da emoção, diferente dele que é mais emocional, amei esse contraste entre os dois. Por isso, porque fiquei satisfeita com o final e outros motivos que citei, acho que para quem gosta do estilo, eu recomendaria sim.
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Une enquête prenante où le suspens est maintenu jusqu'à la fin !
J'ai adoré ce drama pour de multiples raisons. Chaque épisode que l'on voit est de plus en plus prenant. On s'attache énormément aux personnages et ce, très rapidement, on a peur de ce qui peut leur arriver, on s'intéresse sincèrement à leur passé que l'on apprend à découvrir petit à petit. Et surtout l'enquête... Une enquête tellement prenante. On se demande jusqu'au bout qui est "L'Effaceur", et à chaque fois que l'on pense avoir trouvé, on se retrouve sur d'autres pistes.Le pire dans tout ça, c'est que même les personnages "méchants" ont une histoire et un passé vraiment prenant également. Un cercle sans fin, on se retrouve plongé dans un thriller dans lequel on a à la fois envie de démasquer le criminel, et en même temps pas envie que tout cela s'arrête.
Si l'on mêle à tout cela des questions de réflexions sur l'influence et l'impact des médias sur les opinions publiques qui étaient très prenantes aussi, et en plus une équipe d'acteurs vraiment géniale, on a un super mélange ! Vraiment l'équipe formée par le trio Dong Baek, Han So Mi et les deux coéquipiers de l'inspecteur, on a une équipe d'enfer (ils se surnomment même les Avengers) et super attachante !
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Ripetitivo, pasticciato, elefantiaco
Iniziava così bene... I primi episodi erano così tensioattivi, adrenalinici, ti tenevano sul bordo della sedia con gli occhi incollati allo schermo. Riuscivi perfino a tollerare che fosse quasi sempre tutto così scuro, buio, tanto che spesso non si capiva cosa stesse succedendo e si era costretti a rivedere alcune scene più volte. I personaggi acquistavano spessore a poco a poco, i misteri si dipanavano uno dopo l'altro e tutto sembrava un gioco a incastro particolarmente ben riuscito.Certo il fatto che gli attori fossero in gran parte così belli e bravi giocava la sua parte, e che la musica e gli effetti sonori fossero così adatti e contribuissero al crescere della suspense contribuiva alla riuscita dello spettacolo.
Solo che, a un certo punto, la storia ha cominciato a diventare ripetitiva. Matrioske, o scatole cinesi così numerose, alla fine, ti stufano. Ogni volta seguono una pista e sono sempre 10 passi indietro. Ogni volta credono di aver trovato il colpevole e invece no, è sempre qualcun altro. Ogni volta c'è qualcuno ai vertici che interferisce con le indagini. Ogni volta presentano qualche personaggio nuovo, e hanno tutti nomi simili e facce simili! Sono di media intelligenza, ma evidentemente non basta: non ci capisco più niente e, quel che è peggio, non mi importa nemmeno più di capire. Ad un certo punto, l'accumulazione è tale che si arriva non più alla noia, non più al fastidio, ma alla vera e propria esasperazione!
Sono arrivata a metà dell'episodio 12 e ho deciso di arrendermi. Ho dei sospetti, ma ormai non mi interessa più di vederli confermare o scoprire che mi sbagliavo. 4 episodi e mezzo... non ce la faccio più, né voglio saltare all'ultimo. Semplicemente, abbandono. Vado a cercare qualcos'altro, con buona pace di Yoo Seung Ho, carino finché si vuole, bravo finché si vuole, ma in definitiva non stiamo parlando di materiale da oscar che giustifichi da solo 4 ore abbondanti del mio tempo.
Purtroppo bellezza e bravura sono state messe al servizio di una sceneggiatura per certi versi troppo ambiziosa, ipertrofica, ripetitiva, senza alcun senso della misura. Come se non bastasse, alcuni personaggi si comportano ripetutamente in maniera idiota senza alcun motivo apparente. Il continuo susseguirsi di colpi di scena e un cast elefantiaco han fatto sì che l'attenzione, inizialmente calamitata dalle vicende, scemasse progressivamente, fino ad arrivare al punto di non ritorno. Abbandonare un drama simile dopo averne visto 3/4 è anomalo, ma indice di profonda insoddisfazione e di un problema di fondo. Rinunciare a scoprire il colpevole significa essere esasperati intollerabilmente. Pazienza.
So che molti non saranno d'accordo con me, ma non posso farci niente, io per prima sarei stata ben felice di veder finire questo drama con lo spirito di scoperta e l'entusiasmo con cui l'ho iniziato. Non è andata così.
Lascio comunque la sufficienza perché fino a circa metà era veramente tutto quello che mi aspettavo da un thriller soprannaturale. Hanno voluto strafare. Peccato.
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