"Knowing someone from so long does not always mean you actually know them."
Initially i thought this drama would be a bit boring. As the leads are already married i assumed that they will be trying hard to save their marriage. Only because it was categorized as a pyschological thriller i wanted to give it a shot and all of my assumptions were proved wrong.This drama made me "RETROSPECT".It made me think about humans,relationships and the necessity of wise upbringing .There are many things that i liked in the drama but i would like to point out the top 5
1.Everyone of us want a perfect life and we would want the reason of our happiness to remain with us forever.
we might have a secret and would want to hide it from people who we are scared of losing and we would do anything for it to remain buried.
2. Due to fear of not having someone by our side we start giving them only what they need and show them what they want to see, in the process we loose ourselves and the fact that we are hiding our true emotions might haunt us someday.
3. Becoming blind in love , This applies even for love between a child and parent. Parents just hope that there will be a day where our child will see the brightest sunshine and that will be life changing. They see all the mistakes of their children as silly things and wait for them to change.
4. Due to cowardice we might hurt people close to us which might end up being the biggest regret of our lives. We might not know what the other person is going through and not be by their side when they need us the most and finally when we realize our mistake it might have been too late . Many of them might not get an opportunity to makeup for it and they end up waiting for the rest of their lives, but when they do get a chance they will give their everything to set things right .
5. People start believing what they have been said since childhood. The society also plays a major role in building the child's personality. If someone says we are bad at something we actually think that might be the case irrespective of it being true or not. If society keeps emphasizing on the point that our personality is like "THAT" we actually start believing "THAT" and someday we might actually become "THAT".
I just found myself thinking about a lot of things after watching this drama.Each episode had atleast 1 dialogue which mesmerized me.
"Eagerly waiting to see how this ends"
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This review may contain spoilers
Not bad but overrated and overly melodramatic
Watched this after reading a recommendation saying this was better than Little Women, which I really enjoyed. It's not. It's actually more melodrama than suspense, and it's the kind of melodrama that has no restraint, that does not know when to stop and just makes you go brrr.It started off okay enough. It was pretty compelling in the beginning, especially when I thought the ML really was some psycho with a dark secret. It quickly because obvious that he was the ultra pure "good guy" though masquerading as a psycho instead of the other way around. I was still rolling with it at this point and still quite engaged, even though I noticed how bland and predictable the plot was compared to other suspense kdramas.
And then Episode 12 happened, and all of a sudden the FL, who I felt neutral about throughout but was actually starting to like, made this BS speech at the police station while talking to the ML's sister, so her sister-in-law. She started talking to the sister like she was a piece of trash and she, the FL, was some high and mighty purveyor of all things holy and right. This just really made me go cold for the drama bigtime. First of all, the sister accidentally killed that foreman in the act of trying to protect her brother. It was not her fault that the brother decided to take responsibility for the crime, or rather the act that was done in self-defense. She actually had suffered her whole life due to this, and the guilt that it brought. And now that she wanted to clear her brother's name, his wife tells the sister not to meddle because he was her (the FL's) "person," and he did not need his sister to protect him. Like okay. You're the wife but that does not mean she stops being his sister. She's his family as much as yours, and if she wants to do this for her brother, who are you to stop her and to talk down to her like she was garbage? This really ticked me off and I started disliking the FL from this point on, and actually wanted to drop the drama. But after a while, I decided to see where it was going since I had not decided on what else to watch.
And then the poker-faced "pyscho" ML who was formerly incapable of showing emotions suddenly started crying...and crying and crying and crying in this really melodramatic, over-the-top way. I know he probably had a lot of pent-up emotion, and this was most probably what they were going for, but it was just too much, and the way he cried was not pretty LOL. I couldn't unsee the way his mouth drew down into a small dot and his face crumpled and sort of became long and thin. And from that point on, every time I saw him, all I saw was his unpretty crying face and I started not liking the ML as much as I did in the previous episodes. And it all went downhill from there, along with the plot, which became more and more ridiculous and just all over the place. So, no. Little Women isn't perfect but it's a far cry from this one. I guess the reason this is so highly rated is because there are a lot of drama viewers who are attracted to melodramatic romance. I like romance too but I prefer romcoms. I just am not a fan of melo. This was just too much for me -- too much crying, too much talking, too much drama, especially between the couple, that it just felt cringey and cheesy and just too much. Contrast this with Little Women, where what you could call the main couple, even though they weren't really a couple, elicited much more emotion and gave off more romantic vibes with the barest, the subtlest glances, smiles, and such than this one with its nonstop melodrama ever could. And even the suspense aspects of this and the overall plot just didn't hit hard enough for me. I thought it was a bit lame and not executed well. IMO this series is generally okay -- not bad per se -- but does not deserve to be the number three highest rated drama on this site.
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I don't know if I actually liked this or not. I feel like the story/plot, pacing, acting was all good, however the drama failed to keep me interested. Specially in the second half.
There's nothing else to be said: I was just scrolling on my phone throughout the episodes and just missed a lot of details, the story took a direction I wasn't 100% on board with. The ending was cool though, I felt like it picked up.
It is a good story and I'm glad I watched the drama, but definitely wouldn't watch it again. I did enjoy the acting of the main characters, so I'm looking forward to watching them in their future projects.
Also, can we praise the daughter Eunha? She's such a good child actress! So cute I always had a smile on my face when she appeared.
6/10 - A OK drama.
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Disappointing and Overrated
LIKES:The little girl the FL & ML’s daughter is super cute.
Acting was good for the most part, especially Lee Joon Gi.
Music was well chosen for the scenes, but nothing memorable.
Appropriate colour palate.
Initial episode seemed interesting, but went downhill fast.
I liked the villain (acting on point!).
Cinematography: lighting, set locations, filters used and some of the special effects were good.
DISLIKES:
PRODUCTION had turned off the film stabilizer too many times and that caused the shaking camera syndrome.
WRITING
Plot holes and over use of coincidence to tell the story, contradictions, the writer unsure if this drama should be a thriller or romantic melodrama and it cause the script to become terrible and cliched. The usual trope is what it turned into, with a predictable ending. Not even giving us a little bit of character growth at the end. Also the writer needed to research how crime investigation is done, because it was very lacking. Completely disappointing in many ways.
DIRECTING
Some scenes had actor/actress reaction just over the top (FL crying and screaming too much) and also other scenes where there was serious delay in reaction.
OVERALL
Considering it was created in 2020, I had high expectations of the execution of this drama and was very disappointed. Only watch it if you have never seen a crime/thriller drama before. I don’t recommend it otherwise and I won’t rewatch it.
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has everything youre looking for
Flower of Evil is one of those shows that hooks you from start to finish. With a story full of twists, deep characters, and incredible chemistry between the leads, it’s impossible not to get invested. The drama blends suspense, emotion, and heart-pounding moments while exploring themes of trust, love, and secrets no one wants to uncover. All of this is wrapped up with flawless direction and a soundtrack that amplifies the tension. It’s the kind of series you start thinking, “just one more episode,” and end up binge-watching without even noticing!Was this review helpful to you?
Outstanding!
From the PERFECT cast, to the amazing story... idk where i should start to compliment this kdrama.First 10/11 episodes were a masterpiece. This was headed to be my ALL TIME favorite Kdrama and then it became one of my favorites.
I suspected EVERYONE in this kdrama. When i say everyone i mean it. From all the cops, to the in laws, to the friends, to the wife, to the sister, to the main actor. No one was safe. Every episode i had a new suspect in mind, and usually that never happens to me while watching Kdramas, because usually no one has the budget to have a lot of suspectful characters. It's usually so easy to understand the plot right away from like episode 3, but NOT this one!
From episode 1 to 10, this was the best Kdrama i've ever seen in my life. Unmatched... but then from episode 11 to the end, the CRAZY enthusiasm i had while watching every episode slowly started to fade. Not because it turned bad, not at all, but because it started to feel like a long filler to get to the end.
Leaving the wife, returning, going together, pretending to work with her, leaving her again... felt, to me, very repetitive and easy to spot intentions. And up until episode 10 almost nothing about this kdrama was predicable for me. Idk how to really explain it, but usually this sort of tv show makes you suspect everyone until the very end, and leave 1 or 2 episodes max to clear it all out. Revealing a lot of honest feelings at episode 11/12, when the show ends at 16, was a bit risky.
Not to mention the last episode. When i finished episode 15 i was like "ok. now what?" and then from the first shot alone i knew what the writers would do with the rest of the story, and even though you could say it was fitting (2nd chance)... idk, also felt a little bit like an unnecessary arc?!
With all of this being said, this Kdrama it's still a "9" for me.
I never re-watch content, but i can't wait to re-watch this in a few years. I feel like i might end up having different feelings towards it. Feels like something i should watch more than once.
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This review may contain spoilers
Memory loss
This drama kept me on the edge of my seat. Great acting on both the main characters. But why tell us he had no memory of his childhood and then never go back to explore why it happed. I got the feeling it was suppose to be a big clue, but never mentioned again. By the way, why 500 characters? I don’t have anything more to say. How do I know when I have reached 500 characters? Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz filling in the space qwertyuiopLjjhfdsaazxcbnm,.poiuytewqadgjkl.mnvxzqertyioplkhgdsazcbnm,.ljgsaaqetioplkgsazvn,.
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Gripping, psychological, thought-provoking . . . !
What an incredible drama from incredible actors. Minding that it is a psychological melodrama rather than a horror/thriller keeps you in check with what the creators intended for this drama to be. It reminds you of individualistic humanity and how our experiences in life can mold us into something more than what we might expect. The opinions of others can also greatly affect what we might think about ourselves.The drama is very introspective and perfectly portrays an individual discovering who they really are and what they are willing to do to protect what they truly care about. The cinematography does a wonderful job at alluding to the inner turmoil present in the ML and FL. The soundtrack, though repetitive, evokes such strong mellow and bittersweet emotions. The acting is superb, and I would never expect to see such genuine portrayals of love, betrayal, and deceit. The story takes a slower turn in the last quarter of the drama, but nonetheless, eventually keeps you on edge leading up to the finale. The tropes present in this drama are used to perfection to really draw out the emotions by the leads. The show climates beautifully and powerfully.
This show really does an incredible job portraying mental health issues, without seeming theatrical or weird. It paints a perfect picture of nature versus nurture and ultimately which of those two will prevail in an individual's life. It has become my all-time favorite Kdrama and I would rewatch it as often as needed to remember how great it is.
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This review may contain spoilers
Simply beautiful story, wonderful storytelling
when thriller / mystery dramas are done well, they leave an impact on you and man, did this drama break and fulfill me at the same time. i’ve seen many thriller movies and shows but FOE truly left a mark on my heart from how brilliant this drama is — i was hooked from the start and above all what transcended the most: a couple whose love would get tested and that showed the true meaning of loving someone and believing in them even when everything else tells you not to. hyun soo is loving, gentle, and kind to his beloved wife but in reality he’s haunted by a dark past — being the son of a serial killer and a psychopath that struggled with being rejected from society, thus leaving him scarred emotionally. yet he is innocent of the crimes pegged against him and forced to clear his name from a crime that would lead to his own wife investigating him; events that were seemingly impossible and devastating that it left me wanting to know how ji won would handle the fact that her husband was connected to the case she was handling and her choice in trusting in her husband is simply incredible. seeing ji won as a skilled, badass detective that is passionate about her work and an empowered woman that knew how to let people know she meant business without walking all over them was awesome — once again applauding MCW’s bomb acting skills!i applaud the casting because lee joong ki and moon chae won’s chemistry as a married couple was impeccable. their romantic scenes made my heart skip a beat and i’d laugh and cry with them. i’d say one of their most meaningful scenes is when hyun soo denied ji won’s love, saying he’s incapable of loving her and her only response was “you love me. i can feel it”. that scene upon from others simply made me fall in love with them as characters from the mix of angst and love from our leads — and the acting from both LJK and MCW was astoundingly wonderful; LJK especially left me mind blown by his ability to make one feel for his character hyun soo especially his facial expressions — it was also impressive to see him completely switch his demeanor from the loving husband to a sinister man with that dark look in his eyes. his character truly had me pondering if he was good or bad at times and just when i thought i had figured him out, a twist would suddenly yet again leave me in the dark. it was quite a ride following the characters as they attempted relentlessly to uncover the true culprit, the thriller aspect shining through brilliantly. lee joong ki simply smashed his role and i will forever remember his acting in this drama as one of the best performances i’ve ever seen.
the plot in this drama stayed consistent and always left me wanting more, rushing to watch the next episode because of how captivated i was. the music that set the eerie, mysterious vibe only enhanced the scenes and truly made the scenes enjoyable — especially the villain’s subplot. baek heesong is a bone chilling villain that would make shivers go down my spine from the creepy facial expressions to when he mercilessly killed his maid — the actor did a great job in portraying his character, especially when he was dangling from the cliff, his psychopathy showing and the darkness that lived inside him resurfacing even in his last moment of life. the aesthetics and lack of plot holes made the drama all the more enjoyable and it is a true gem that deserved the high praise it received. some viewers i noticed were unsatisfied with the ending but i personally thought the drama ended well on an open ending, hyun soo may not remember ji won completely but he could properly love her and be happy with her and their daughter. the writer did an incredible job in execution and i applaud the impeccable raw talent by the actors; this is one of the best dramas i’ve ever seen and i highly recommend it to all thriller lovers out there!
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WHEN ACTING BECOMES ART.
This drama is very hard to review. It's quite impossible to be unbiased when you are facing such great performance as those of Lee Joon-Gi and Moon Chae-won. The first time I was so pulled in by their acting that I forgot everything. The storyline is quite confusing, not because is a bad story, but I guess it's the classical case of wanting to put too many cookies in the jar. As a thriller with a limit of 16 episodes (more would have been redundant) it's very hard to follow the story of a serial killer active for generations and with ramifications into high up family, government and police. Add to the mix false IDS, family secrets, psychological issue and it's really too much too handle. Thankfully, a STELLAR cast among wich: Gong Mi Ja, Kim Moo Jin, Choi Jae Sup have a way to act while explaining that is superb.I know I sound like a groupie, but seriously, Joon-gi and Chae-Woo reached their peak with this drama. NO EXCESSIVE CHEMISTRY between them. Just a normal MARRIED couple going through hell. Bravi.
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DRAMA OF THE YEAR
Honestly, I wanted to make a slightly in-depth review for this, but I've seen a lot of extremely good reviews posted already; so instead, I'll try to make it short and simple.I have absolutely no idea why some people are calling this overrated. It was definitely being talked a lot about within the community but outside the MDL community, almost no one knew about this drama. The cast wasn't your typical mainstream household names, so non-avid watchers weren't swarming to watch this drama and join all the hype it was creating. Flower of Evil definitely isn't overrated. I honestly wanted this drama to garner even more attention than initially gained.
This is exactly what I was looking for in a genre like this. I often found myself at the edge of my seat losing my breath as I didn't want to miss a beat in very intense scenes. I kept asking myself "HOW??", "THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING THIS??", "THE WRITERS DID THIS THIS EARLY??" in the majority of the drama. This drama will keep you second-guessing, and it's what makes this drama so fun; you're never too sure of yourself.
Flower of Evil is a masterpiece. It is definitely a very interesting drama to watch. What more can I say?
Last words: Unexpectedly heartwarming
Everything was somewhat... poetic in a sense
edit: the ending? not so sure about my thoughts about it. I can't wrap my mind to it if there could've been a better one.
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How do I move On?
Where to begin… This drama absolutely captivated me from the very first moment to the very last. The storytelling was so engaging that I found myself completely immersed in the world of the characters. The romance was depicted with such depth that I was just blown away. I do not know how to move on from this drama...Every interaction between Hyeon Su and Ji Won crackled with an almost palpable electricity. I found myself holding my breath as I observed the intricate dance of their lives unfolding together, like two magnets drawn closer by an invisible force. Hyeon Su's journey to discovering his deep love for Ji Won was just so amazing to watch; every glance and every tender touch spoke volumes about his feelings. Their chemistry was undeniable, creating countless heart-stopping moments that left me breathless and captivated.
As they faced challenges the dedication they showed for each other was beautiful. It flowed seamlessly through their conversations and gestures, weaving a tapestry of connection that was truly mesmerizing. Witnessing their love story unfold felt surreal as if I were peering into a world where love could transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. Every shared laughter and knowing glance was a testament to the depth of their bond, leaving an indelible mark on my heart.
Although I found myself yearning for even more scenes showcasing their relationship, I still felt a sense of fulfillment with how their romance unfolded. The balance of tension and tenderness in their connection left a lasting impression on me, making this drama an unforgettable experience.
Joon Gi's performance as Hui Seong/Hyeon Su was nothing short of extraordinary. At first, I had my doubts about his character, but as the storyline unfolded and deeper layers of his persona were revealed, he quickly captured my heart and became my favorite character. I found myself completely engrossed in the inner turmoil and complexities of his mind, which Joon Gi translated into a captivating portrayal. His ability to convey a spectrum of emotions made it challenging to express just how masterfully he brought Hyeon Su to life.
Equally impressive was Chae Won's interpretation of Ji Won. Her portrayal breathed life into a character that, while not as intricate as Hyeon Su, held her own significance within the narrative. Ji Won is a multifaceted woman caught in a web of conflicting responsibilities; she grapples with her loyalty as a wife, her deep-seated love for Hyeon Su, and her unwavering commitment as a detective devoted to unveiling the truth. Chae Won's nuanced performance captured this internal struggle beautifully, showcasing her incredible range as an actress.
Overall, I am truly blown away by the remarkable chemistry and depth both Joon Gi and Chae Won brought to their roles. Their performances elevated the story to new heights, and I have no criticisms whatsoever regarding their extraordinary acting skills.
The storyline of this series is absolutely breathtaking! The writer’s creativity and skill are evident, and they truly deserve a medal for crafting such an engaging narrative. I was captivated from the very first scene, and I can honestly say that not a single moment felt boring or predictable. Each twist and turn kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating what would happen next.
In addition to the gripping plot, the cinematography was impressive. Each scene was filmed with great attention to detail, showcasing stunning visuals that brought the story to life.
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