This drama was surprisingly so good.
How the story unfolded kept you in suspense but didn't make you feel annoyed as if it was being dragged out. The reveals were purposeful and linear so that each preceding mystery to unravel felt appropriate.Let's just say that this cast and the acting was definitely topnotch. Some of the best K-Drama acting you could find.
When new characters were added to the mix, they played a key role but not meant to distract or cause chaos to generate false intensity. The intensity always stayed on the core plot and didn't divert into any secondary stories, or triangles, or just plain stupid people doing stupid things, that you see in lazy writing. This writer had a story they wanted to tell and they told it well.
For a story about people lacking in emotions, there were far more emotions than you get in drama plots meant to be tearjerkers.
Lastly, the writer really did want to give a statement on the state of humanity with its gossip, quick judgments, misconceptions, and the influence of social media with its group think, and cancel culture tactics. How good people are driven to do certain things because they know this dynamic and want to avoid it at all costs. Topping this aura out with the mistrust and maltreatment of people who have mental health issues based in circumstances and genetics completely outside their own control and the unfairness of it all.
I really truly appreciate that the writer made these cases in the drama without wielding a heavy hammer in doing so. They were blunt yet sophisticated in their subtlety as well that you could choose to take this drama at face value or open the message within in it. This way, you attract the respect of more viewers with differing POVs. Well done by the writer. I'm certainly impressed.
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Refund My Time
I have always been curious about this show since it's always trending in Netflix and highly rated. I watched it a few months ago with my boyfriend and despite the numbers, I did not have expectations, save for the acting part because I know Moon Chae-won delivers.The production value is high and the cast is great, so where did it go downhill for us? Flopped on story, characters, and music.
I don't feel that the story was treated to its full potential and it could have been better if it was less cheesy and the characters were taking the situations seriously, as well as their solutions to situations. It's just ridiculous to see adults with high responsibilities on the public's safety conducting mediocre police work and letting their personal relationships get in the way of the investigations. On characters, there aren't many likeable ones save for the main lead's child. I also quite liked Kim Moo-joo's character because he's the most human I've seen in the series with his choices and his desire to do better and failing over and over again.
NOW, MUSIC. This is the first element that got to me and made me consider dropping at the very first episode. The scoring for this drama is SO OUT OF PLACE. For someone who studied film and media, it's just surreal to encounter such a well-loved piece being scored this way. The score feels like it's from a medieval fantasy film/series and they use it on scenes that are meant to add suspense. It detached me from the scene so much because of how misplaced it sounded.
We still finished the series, fast forwarding for the last 1/3 since we barely cared anyway, and it was a "refund my time" worthy experience.
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This review may contain spoilers
Weird Science
There’s no actual serial killer-catching or mystery solving here until the last few episodes. The main villain, the male lead’s father, is already dead when the story starts. He had an accomplice working with him but this person does not play an active role until the last few episodes. The story mostly deals with the male lead Hyeon-su, and his trauma about his past and how he copes with it. This isn’t a bad premise and I think that exploring the stigma that children of serial killers encounter could be interesting, but they don’t really get into this.I was confused about what the story was trying to say. Was it trying to say that children of serial killers could somehow inherit a psychopathic gene or that, when bullied by their communities, could eventually become psychopaths themselves? I get that a bunch of narrow-minded people mistreated Hyeon-su and his sister but it was a little unbelievable to me that not one person outside their community (not one person in the city, or even one doctor or person of science) thought he was innocent when there was really nothing to tie him to any of his father’s murders, other than the fact that he was this evil guy’s son.
Hyeon-su was so convinced that he could not feel any emotions and could not care about anyone…if so, why did he take the blame for what his sister did? If he was traumatized by the experience (if one can feel trauma then doesn't that mean he/she has feelings?) and became a ‘psychopath’, how come his sister wasn’t similarly affected? I don’t understand why he could suddenly see these visions of their father when his sister couldn’t . Given that SHE was the one who actually killed someone, why wasn’t she suffering and as traumatized as he was?
When he meets the female lead Jin-ha, he doesn’t really care about her, but decides to enter into a relationship because being with her made his ‘visions go away.’ Why did she have this effect on him if he didn’t have any feelings for her to begin with?
Later, it was pointed out how clumsy the killer’s accomplice (the ’second killer’) was and yet, nobody could tell what he looked like or find any clue about him. Also, the actor playing him was so over-the-top and deranged that even a blind man could have spotted him. The only person who met him in the past was Hyeon-su’s sister, Hyeon-ha…and yet she had to take hypnotherapy to remember him. In her hypnotherapy session, she still couldn't remember what he looked like because he was wearing a hat* in their father’s funeral.
A hat, not any kind of facial covering.
I don’t get why Hyeon-su later decided to take on the identity of a rich man’s son. This rich man’s son (Baek Hee Song) was in a coma, but was technically still alive, so what he did was completely unethical. Also, not one of them even considered what would happen if this guy woke up. Why didn’t Hyeon-su just do a Jean Valjean and assume a brand new identity with false papers?
The female lead, Jin-ha, had an unconditional love for Hyeon-su, which I normally would have appreciated but she crossed a line both legally and unprofessionally when she burned evidence that could be used against him. She was convinced he was innocent and that the investigation would clear him, so why did she have to do that? After talking to Hyeon-ha (who wanted to confess at this point), she insists that nothing be revealed. What kind of decent cop would insist that someone take the blame for another’s crime? When her detective squad discover that Baek Hee Song and Hyeon-su (the guy they’ve been looking for) are the same person and that she had been lying to them, instead of suspending her for a bit because she was personally connected to the case, they decide to believe in both of them and let them continue…based on nothing. In fact, the reporter working with the male and female lead who was once forcibly tied up and kept in their basement for a few days suddenly develops Stockholm syndrome and becomes a loyal friend to them.
One of the serial-killer-duo’s victims is a woman named Jung Mi Sook. For some reason, they decide not to kill her and predictably, she reappears later to add more drama. During all this time, she somehow ended up imprisoned by a human trafficking group. This group had no connection to the story whatsoever but they forced it in by making this gang have ties with the rich old couple and the second killer...who conveniently turned out to be Baek Hee Song! This means that by taking his identity, Hyeon-su got himself into deeper trouble..but it’s nicely resolved in the end because he has a lot of plot armor. Also, the rich couple try to get rid of Hyeon-su using this trafficking group.
One of the last dramas I watched had a man get up miraculously from a wheelchair. It also happens here, but the difference is that the real Baek Hee Song had been in a coma for more than 10 years and had not used his legs/muscles. How could he not only get up but outrun someone instantly? How can a maid, who was hired by the Hee Song's because she was deaf, suddenly hear and tell what is going on? It also turns out that Baek Hee Song killed his mentor, the main villain and the original serial killer, by bashing him in the back of the head. For some reason, people conclude that he committed suicide but how does one do that by getting smashed from the back?
The story actually ends at episode 15 but they decide to extend it by giving Hyeon-su amnesia. This is not a trope I care for, but some of the dramas I like have had it, so it was not a deal breaker. In here, they added it to prolong Jin-ha’s suffering over Hyeon-su, as if he didn’t have enough baggage to give her. He also spends 15 minutes crying in a self pitying mess over the fact that he ‘can’t have emotions.'
The reason I gave this drama a higher rating is because the actors Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chai Won performed well..but that’s it. It lacked more logic than anything I have ever seen before.
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Sadly not a masterpiece and surprised by the ratings
I really wanted to love this, i like Lee Joongi and the synopsis looked interesting but it was really disappointing. It started interesting but then it keeps getting worse and worse and it gets ridiculous in the end, not enough attention to details to be a crime and thriller drama. Everything was too predictable, full of cliches and it get so frustrating at some point.I didn't hate the male lead even if he keeps doing the same mistakes again and again, he has a good character development throughout the show (sadly it all get destroyed with the last episode).
Joongi was amazing as always but even his acting couldn't save this drama for me but the little girl and her relationship with him was one of the few things that i loved, i adored every single moment with them.
The Fl was probably the most disappointing character, she keeps trusting the male lead and stop trusting him within a second and it gets ridiculous and irritating. She doesn't looks like a detective, she continue to be handcuffed with extreme ease, she also makes very serious mistakes. I liked the actress but not when she was crying or screaming (and it happens a lot) i'll like her more in other dramas probably.
A thing that i loved was the villain, WOW, his acting was so good (can't wait to see him again) and i loved his character despite all the clichés. The drama would it be so boring without him, it's thanks to him that i didn't dropped it. If you love evil characters usually you will love this one as well.
The other detectives and the journalist didn't shine for me honestly. I didn't felt attached to anyone .
The Ost was not bad, little few good songs but that i'll probably won't remember for a long time. We mostly hear the same song and it gets tiring at some point even if it was good.
Loved the cinematography though.
It doesn't even come close to be a masterpiece in my opinion. I'm honestly so surprised by the reviews, maybe i should've not have such high expectations.
If you want an intense and good thriller, a good crime with a lot of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat this is not the drama for you.
But if you prefer a well acted melodrama and cheesy romance full of cliches then you will probably like it.
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1- On epi 6, when she found out abt his husband, she shows that she believes that he is "GOOD" but how could she torture him by bringing him to that crime scene...
2- Next, she broke up him saying 'I Hate U" & all those "HURT" words then following day she loves him again??? i dont understand how the writer play with the emotion
3- The scene were she was trying to catch him... she rum after him.. she is a "Detective" BUT she dont even have GUN??
4- Also epi 15, she is again DETECTIVE, why dont U answer ur phone.. hahahaha
5- When he lost his memory, legally she is his "Family" why did he not keep his husband in his house to bring back the memory??
AND... I hope they elaborate more on the Psychological Factor like why is his Father a Serial Killer.... till the END i did not understand why he kills people... or was it really him killing?? The Accomplish Killer, also i hope they did show more on why he turn out to be a killer when he has everything, thou i understand that it was that Serial Killer makes him like that but WHY?? whats behind him that he become a killer??
KUDOS to the Actors they were so good specially the Real Baek Hee Sung... goosh he is sooo damn bad but hot....
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Work of Art!
talented, brilliant, incredible,amazing, show stopping, spectacular,never the same.emotions were a roller coaster ride. yet worth it.
It is about almost reckless courage, self-denying dedication, and a desperate search for a better future. It is a drama about love and seeing all your hopes crumble. It is about revealing a truth so grand that one’s mind cannot grasp it.
The colour, the light, the texture of real life, would clutter up your eye and distract you from the lovely artifice.
I might rewatch this when Im feeling lonely.
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This review may contain spoilers
A good dose of thriller, dark and gripping moments and a nice romance. Hugely entertaining.
STORY:A perfect couple with a perfect life is caught up by the tragical past of one of them. They have to admit the reality they tried to ignore, escape and forget and fight hard the dangers which threaten their couple, family and loved ones.
I see the story in 3 parts:
- The Unveiling : One has to hide the truth when the other is slowly finding clues of the usurpation. Well written, fast paced, good sub plots to bring clues and inevitably unveil the truth.
- The Aftermath: The time of daze, anger, misunderstanding, self reflection about themselves, what matters for them, what is their red line, what can they do in the name of family, love, friendship, camaraderie...
- The Showdown: After the evil from the past found them. Dark, gripping, breathtaking, with schemes and confrontations which put me on the edge of my seat.
CHARACTERS/ ACTORS:
- Baek Hee Sung / Du Hyun So : A kid broken by events in his childhood. To escape the consequences, he built a web of lies but he will be confronted to his past and to himself to admit who he is and become who he wishes to be. Lee Joon Gi amazed me. I saw sides of his acting that I have never seen before. Great portrayal of a man inbetween being a nice lie and becoming the monster they say he is.
- Cha Ji Won : A strong policewoman who discovers the truth about her husband and has to question herself to know where she stands and what to do for the ones important for her. I left Moon Chae Won an aging not attractive not interesting woman in MamaFairyATW. Here she is stunning. beautiful, classy, to portray a stubborn, strong, determined woman shaked emotionally to her core but who will stand strong.
The secondary characters had their share of depth and complexity and their great moments.
- Adoptive parent: Annoying, scheming, despicable, pitiful
- Police team : Competent, incompetent, funny, friendly, understanding, committed, a nice brotherhood
- Kim Moo Jin: Enemy then fun and courageous sidekick
- The Evil from the past: An evil hidden perfectly and slowly unveiled until it unleashes its madness for revenge
MUSIC:
Perfectly adapted to the different situations to create the right mood.
REWATCH VALUE:
Often it is hard to rewatch when the story is known and the suspense is blown up but in this drama there are many excellent scenes to make it worth. From their romantic scenes as teens to the "explanation scenes" or " I will outsmart you" scenes, "my cops my family" scenes... The ones with the evil from the past are just great.
OVERALL: One of the best kdrama this year. In my top 2. Very well made, well written, lots of interesting and complex characters. Many intricate connections. A very human vision of people compared to the notions of good or evil. Totally recommended. 10/10 for being so entertaining, smart and human.
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BREATH TAKING drama
If there are more than 10 stars, I will rate it 100+. This is the best drama I have encounter in my life. It taught me how loyal true love is, and taught me many mystery surprise things. Ever since episodes 1 & 2 were released, this drama kept me wondering more and it became more interesting as new episodes release. I'm beginning to be addicted. Their chemistry is so intense, the storyline and plot are amazing! The male lead acting is out of the world, he became my favorite actor. the female lead acting feels so real, her voice is so gentle. 😍 I would watch it 10x over and over again if they don't have season 2. Such a fascinating drama like this, It a waste if its only 16 episodes. But please give us a surprise and a happy ending! our Hyun soo deserve a happy ending after all he has been through. I will wait if there are 100 episodes. I am breathless every episode. This drama deserves more attention. I am sad to see this drama is not on Netflix but it's their loss. Thanks for releasing this AMAZING drama. They deserve an award. Fighting, flower team!!🌹🌹♡
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This review may contain spoilers
An alluring account of a lonely mind which keeps you engaged
"Some truths can ruin a life in a single moment."Whenever I would pop on this website in search of a drama to watch, "Flower of Evil"kept jumping out at me, carefully luring in my interest until one day I gave in and decided to watch it for myself. To see to which degree the hype around this show is justified. And, for the most part, it is earned. But then there are some decisions I can`t help but question.
For starters, most of the characters in this drama, I like. They are acted with ardent precision(most of the time) and keep you engaged since they`re far from one-dimensional. Lee Joon-Gi gave an incredibly convincing and layered performance and I`m glad I managed to see him at the top of his game, considering that this is my first experience with his acting. In that sense, I`ll be sure to check out some of his other projects. The way he presents his character of Hee Sung/Hyun Su(which I noticed have the same initials, whether that was done intentionally or not, it`s an interesting titbit for sure) is both intriguing and clear enough for me to figure out his worries and thoughts through the way he looks at other characters, through some facial cues(like his cheeks shaking just slightly) and these are for me signs of a quality actor. It also helps that he was dealt a character who`s both rather atypical and compelling. Hyun Su`s story, for me, is one of caution tales that are always told but never minded. Being raised by a psychopath and cold blooded murderer Do Min Seok(whose potrayal is also a big favorite of mine, wish they included him more, because he is, without a doubt, the most menacing presence of the drama), shunned by his community upon losing most of his family and even regarded as the second coming of his dad are all just the start of his troubles. Constantly being accused of doing something he hasn`t done, having so many near death experiences etc. it`s a miracle he only came out of all that with antisocial disorder. Throughout this drama, I understood him and cheered him on because I cared greatly for him and his family as a whole. Though I do think at times, writers were unnecessarily cruel with other characters` reactions towards him, namely Moo Jin and Ji Won. When it comes to his turbulent relationship with Ji Won, I was also invested. I felt like both of them were at times making decisions too volatile for what they`ve been through, but they created a solid foundation and believable feelings for one another for me to get over that. Ji Won is optimistic, ambitious, uncompromising in her beliefs but still mentally strong to handle the ordeal presented to her upon facing her husband and his troubled past. On the other hand, she can be cruel, cunning and blind to answers right in front of her eyes. As I said, most of these characters are wonderfully layered and are the backbone of this drama. Another thing to be commended is the cinematography. The shots of this drama can be quite creative in certain moments, when even I went:"Oh, that`s neat!"I even applaud the writing of this drama for some nuanced details, like how Jung Mi-sook`s body was never found, only for her to be alive. There are some fun things and surprises to be found within the writing of this drama.
The atmosphere is done well, for both the alleviating and menacing moments. For the most part, this drama is acted, written, shot and presented well and I`ve come to really appreciate everything it has to offer.
However.
Around the 10th episode mark, up to which point everything flowed remarkably well, the mystery was unfolding, our characters were facing conflicts too striking to miss. Then we hit a wall, which was removed in the 14th episode. For those three episodes I was both uncomfortably confused and started to disengage. With the reveal of the accomplice(which I commented about on my feed), the mystery aspect of this drama became quite predictable. And it all comes down to the way they decided to present the character of Hee Sung. Our actual main villain, Hee Sung, was someone I was both unsure and wary of due to my extensive knowledge of dormant characters who appear for a brief period of time, only to reappear and take center stage in mystery novels and shows. Agatha Christie did this a lot. In fact it was done to such a degree it became incredibly predictable, so I was really hoping it wouldn`t happen here too, as this drama was too refreshing for such a trope. But it happened. And then it was followed by MEMORY LOSS. And just like that, the voice in my head became that of Michael Scott`s famous NO!NO!GOD PLEASE NO!NOOO!
My stance on the villain of this show is this:I wished they picked the sensible motivation over sensationalism. While Kim Ji-hoon did a fine job with the role he was given, he would at times come off as genuinely threatening, but other times it crossed into this comedic territory where I thought how I`ve seen this many times before. Honestly, I did wish his father was the accomplice. To some it might`ve been predictable, but honestly, a villain with true motivations is far less predictable then an incorporated lunatic whose only job was to be a villain. Not only would such a role fit with his father`s temperament, but the clues we were given would fit in a lot more with his profile. Most importantly, at least in my case, I felt like his father could really be a somber presence and a nice juxtaposition to his wife and Do Min Seok too. Again, I don`t mind the villain we got, but I wish there was more to him and that he was incorporated into the story with more conviction. That part was done really clumsily. There were also some convenient coincidences, but others have already expanded upon the idea, so I won`t go into it too, but they were CONVENIENT. Finally, the last episode happened and it was...something. Whilst the way they went into the whole memory loss shenanigan was admittedly more original that most, and with some purpose, it was still MEMORY LOSS in an otherwise quite original drama. And I hated that, can`t mask my feelings. It was weird, nonsensical and I wondered if we REALLY needed to end on this note. I`m glad mostly everyone got their happy ending, though. I cared about these characters and wanted their lives to finally change for the better.
In conclusion, there were some things I really loved about this drama and there were some things I really didn`t care for. But, it is a drama I`ll remember from time to time and smile to myself, because it still managed to stand out from the rest.
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A mind blowing drama
I have watched hundreds of tv shows and dramas , i can say that i have spent years of my life in front of the small screen and this drama is by far one of the best dramas i have ever watched. At the end of every episode ,you will just have mixed feelings , you will be overwhelmed , satisfied with that perfect acting and scenario , sad and glad... I recommend this drama for every person who is searching for something out of the box , for every drama watcher out there who is tired of those romantic cute cliché and wants depth in what he is seeing... This drama is just for you , It has thriller , action , love , melodrama and more in it.. It is as perfect as it can be and you will enjoy every single second of it...Was this review helpful to you?
Perfect mature romance with thriller twist!
well acted, well written, well directed, well executed!I love how mature the romance was portrayed in this drama. their love was describe really deep for each other.
the suspense makes my heart was beating so fast and the plot twist makes my jaw dropped.
I 100% agree with some of the review that said all the cast here are next level in acting, they were all really really good! not only ML and FL but all the supporting cast and guest cast.
this is gonna be my all time favourite drama. obviously 2020 best drama for me :)
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One of the best execution of romance thriller genres, and hidden identity trope
I love this drama for all its' twists and turns, the creepiness, darkness, action and many thrilling / anxious moments, each episode adds momentum to the plot, which constantly evolving and stays unpredictable all throughout the end. The characters are smart, three-dimensional and contribute meaningfully to the story. I like the set up of the leads being a sexy married couple, it sets up the high stake immediately.All cast are brilliant, but I really enjoy Lee Joon Gi's character, even when I was not sure exactly what his true intentions are, I find him incredibly emotional and caring, and I'm fully rooting for him. Moon Chae Won's character is very well-written, feminine and capable at the same time. Despite of what happened, she stays true to her character, I pro all her decisions with all of her flaws.
Truly one of the most beautifully acted, intense dramas. It sat with me for a few weeks after I finished, to this day I still rewatch it and fully felt the addiction to watch one more episode. This is one of the firsts kdramas I watched, and now... among around 250 dramas later, I still haven't found any drama which combine romance and thriller genres as well as this one. It is one of my very favorites, so memorable!
-July 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge
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