Mouse

Mouse came highly recommended to me after I had finished Beyond Evil. Perhaps because of this (and its stellar cast), I had incredibly high expectations for this drama. Unfortunately, the drama failed to meet those expectations.

The premise of the drama is incredibly unique, and the acting throughout is absolutely stellar. However, there was just way too much going on and too many twists it tried to take that it ended up becoming tiring. My parents, who have a hard time keeping track of characters as it was, got even more lost than I did. I think the drama could have done just as well even if it had been simplified, but instead, the second half of the drama seemed extremely dragged out and almost boring. Honestly, the last episode was stellar and they probably could have cut out 5 episodes before it and just gone there (okay, not actually, but you get the point). There are also certain cuts that are really sudden, and I kept thinking there was something wrong with my stream but it seems like that's just how it's cut.

It's a drama that started off well and ended up well, but the middle was a bit of a mish mosh to me. I'm still giving it a decent star rating because the acting really was magnificent, but unfortunately, it won't be a drama that I immediately think to recommend to others.

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Would be better as a film

I didn't think Mouse was as good as some people would say. Despite having an quite interesting plot, the execution was slow and sometimes even confusing, in a way I would wonder how some things could even make sense in the drama's universe.
However, the plot twists and the way the main revelation was "hidden" on the previous episodes were just chef's kiss – even if you had already gotten a spoiler (like me)
That being said, I would thoroughly recommend you to binge-watch it if possible in a 1.5 or even 2x speed, as you will forget what happened before if you don't watch it for a long time and also don't lose much of your time that way.
But if you don't want to watch the 20 one-and-a-half hour episodes, "Mouse: The Theatrical Cut" is a much, much better way to spend your time, as it summarises the drama.

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“Mouse” isn’t an easy watch — it’s challenging, unsettling, and often deeply disturbing. But that’s exactly what makes it brilliant. It’s a rare K-drama that dares to dig into the darkest corners of morality, genetics, and the human soul. Every episode pulls you deeper into a psychological maze where the line between good and evil blurs until it disappears.

Lee Seung-gi delivers a career-defining performance as Jung Ba-reum, a character whose transformation is as terrifying as it is fascinating. His portrayal captures the duality of innocence and monstrosity with such precision that you can’t help but question your own moral compass. Lee Hee-jun, as detective Go Moo-chi, matches him perfectly — volatile, broken, yet fiercely human. Their dynamic is electric, filled with tension, mistrust, and reluctant empathy.

The writing is bold and layered, tackling questions rarely explored in mainstream television: Are killers born or made? Can someone truly change their nature? How far would you go to play God? The narrative unfolds like a puzzle — fragmented, deceptive, yet meticulously designed. Each twist doesn’t just shock; it redefines everything you thought you knew.

Visually, “Mouse” is dark and cinematic. Its use of lighting and sound builds constant unease, while the direction maintains an almost surgical precision. The pacing may test your patience at times, but every detail pays off in the end.

What makes “Mouse” unforgettable isn’t just its suspense — it’s its courage. It forces viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about empathy, morality, and the fragility of sanity.

Complex, haunting, and emotionally exhausting in the best way possible, “Mouse” is not just a thriller — it’s a moral experiment. Once you start, it won’t let you go.

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I WAS FUCKING RIGHT, it's too late though I've already grown to love this psycho <3

!!MAJOR SPOILERS!! WATCH FIRST

This drama is so good! The plot twists, everytime I think I know the plot, they hit with the are you sure? then it changes woah!!

At the start it's kinda confusing cause I don't know and literally can't remember for the life of me who's who but it's always like that at the beginning still this one had too many people!!

I was so confused with Jae hoon and Sung Yo Han, swear those two were the same person?!? I thought I got his name wrong this entire time but actually it's not even him it's BA REUM!!!

Ko Moo Chi was my fav since day 1 like how are u gonna try to kill someone and when they try to do it themselves you scold them as if they're your child??? talking about some 'come down from there now', 'I won't shoot you I was just playing', 'you're too pretty for jail and you know they're perverts there so...'? and this is ep 1 don't get me started on the pettiness, he really kicked his seniors chair cause he was frustrated, you weren't wrong but please don't throw a tantrum in the middle of a police station?? all fun and games but stop promising people you're going to kill for them!!

Moo Chi and Choi Hong Joo hilarious at the begining, they're a duo but not really because it's just for mutual benefits.

Bong Yi and her grandma are such an amazing duo everytime they're on screen I end up laughing though it's kinda sad wish they were nicer to each other, can't believe Bong Yi decided to blame her and called her cause she can't walk in the rain!! First of all Ba Reum is meant to be walking you still (I think) and second let's get a therapist and deal with our trauma because my grandma won't be there for me forever how about that huh?? PLUS she loves to blame everyone. To be honest Bong Yi trauma is 100% valid and her not being able to cross the bridge is fine but please don't blame everyone around you.

I was genuinely convinced that Ba Reum was a psychopath from episode 1 because of his interaction with the head hunter and slowly I was piecing it together like when Daniel said that the gene is dormant and gets awaken after the first kill I thought maybe that's why Ba Reum is so nice, sweet and sensitive?? Or when Yo Han mentions about the other child who is a monster that I physically erased from my memory how could I forget the mom met another mother at Daniels clinic!! But I kept doubting myself and still ended up liking him though so the end of episode 4 I was so shocked!! I thought it was Yo Han then.. its all fake!? And Ba Reum was super cool and brave instead. After comes episode 6 where Ba Reum and Yo Han are both dying and having this prolonged eye contact for whatever fucking reason, it just makes me like him but also be more suspicious of Ba Reum then when he killed the bird I wasn't even shocked (kinda wish I was tho would make it more interesting) but was instead super confused was I right? are you showing your true self cause you're pissed or is it a change that happened now?? But Thy tricked me and said it's cause of the injury!! but I WAS FUCKING RIGHT, it's too late though I've already grown to love this psycho <3 was really routing for him in his imaginary fights with Yo Han lol. Didn't want him as a psychopath watching him talk about the hiking murder actually creep me the fuck out bring back sensitive Ba Reum, I still have mixed feeling after everything cause psychopathic Ba Reum is kind of... but sensitive Ba Reum is also so I really don't know!!

Ba Reum psychopathic 'twin-telepathy' connection is dumb af that's literally impossible like you can sense something maybe if you're near or hold a convo/eye contact with someone and be like wait maybe we're similar, I accept that BUT not just a straight up your not a psychopath, your not a psychopath, you... are not a psychopath but YOU def a psychopath, cries wtf?!?

Iwas panicking when he was having 'Yo Han's' memories literally I was like; Why is he having memories of young Yo Han aka Jae Hoon when it's not his?!?! Are u literally mentally connected omg please don't let this show go down hill it was going so well!! Are him and Yo Han like spiritually connected cause Ba Reum felt hurt when seeing Hong Joo. Glad that wasn't it cause the show would've downgraded.

When Seo Joon transplanting his Yo Han's brain into Ba Reum because of Hong Joo, I wanted to slap her because I thouh it was because of Yo Han, now knowing the truth I'm so glad she did.

Moo Chi anger during the live in episode 5 is truly heartbreaking got me sobbing while watching it... then what they did to his brother why!!!

I feel a bad for Yo Han cause a some of students tried to beat him to death just cause of his 'father', all of this pain because of his mom poor boy.

Bong yi with Suseong serial murder case saying that Ba Reum will find the survivor then when he says that's hard, her and Koo Dong Goo give him puppy dog eyes, adorable but cmon are u a pushover or just a softie towards Bong Yi, Ba Reum lmao. Bong Yi is so unlucky she can't just live her life!! then Ba Reum being the true killer all along omg Bong Yi run before it's too late!!!

There were some weird transition or scene cuts throughout the show at one point Bong yi was in the rain with her hood all the way down then at a different angle she wasn't it was a little messy but just some scenes and I wished they stated things properly too cause even after getting the answer it still left me somewhat confused, this is because instead of giving us an investigative storyline we got given one with holes or a manipulated view where we have to throw that entire view away once the true answer given. They use science and scientific terms though it's scientifically incorrect which as someone with degree not just in science but forensic science it annoyed me at points it even got unrealistic where I just wanted to yell that's not how the world works. Another thing you shouldn't look too deeply in is certain logistics like why two guards who are protecting someone both leave their posts unattended it's stupid.

All the characters had dark pasts to try and justify why they acted a certain way which to be honest was a little too much and at times just wished they'd stop. Though I enjoyed this drama it was cause of the actors story and scenery as well as the emotions portrayed that made me fall for this because the plot you could easily guess it and at the end they gave a cliche bad guy turned good one which was done beautifully but also wish I could have gone a different way.

!!My favourite Moo Chi quotes!!

"Come down from there now!" and "I won't shoot you I was just playing" need context with these but why is he saying this when he is a detective!? he need to be fired but also don't lol.

"I heard your parents waited 10 years to have you. I bet they were thrilled without even knowing how spoiled you'd turn out to be" it's limited edition okay I would want it back too even if its an umbrella.

"No, I found you uncomfortable" (saying it to Choi as she wants to work together after the whole Yo Han thing) damn straight faced and all, I get it but no hesitation whatsoever lmao

"I dont like that jerk either" Lol after yelling at Nepo he moves straight to Detective Lee leave them alone u deserved to sit in that cell and use your leftover braincells to think over all the stupid shit you do as you try to get yourself imprisoned!!

The entire I got mugged speech and the other officers looking a him like *side eye* hilarious.

"I should've caught and killed Kang Duk Soo myself. You have no idea how bitter I am that someone beat me to it" HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT AS A DETECTIVE?!?! How this man still has a job is truly a miracle, make sure u pray to God and your brother cause he def did some amazing work for you to be living while being this lucky.

Though this is an absolute masterpiece it's one with flaws, it's made to make you think and I will be talking about this for months to anyone who wants to discuss this. the possibility of finding psychopaths before they are born or the punishment and irony of the show I have so many different views of this that I'd love to rewatch and discuss with someone.

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Very complex which may be a good thing or could be a bad thing depending on what you are after

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean mystery, crime, thriller television series with 20, 70 Minute, episodes.

There is a serial killer on the loose and no-one feels safe. After his mother and father are victims, Ko Moo Chi (Song Min-jae) bravely identifies the killer causing one of the most notorious killers to be sent to prison. Fast forward and now Ko Moo Chi (Lee Hee Joon) is a detective who will stop at nothing to get the bad guy. He is on a personal mission to put as many killers behind bars as possible. It seems there is a new serial killer whose crimes rival the brutality of the "head hunter" the killer who killed Chi's parents. After several chance encounters with another police officer officer, Jetong Ba-reum (Lee Seung-gi) who is known for his good deeds and many, including Chi, wonder if he has what it takes, in terms of a hardened personality, to make it as a homicide detective. Nevertheless they team up to stop this new serial killer. Oh Bong-yi (Park Ju-hyun) sees Ba-reum as stability in a life that has been far from stable. Their romantic pairing is something her grandmother wished for seeing handsome and kind Ba-reum as a perfect pairing for her granddaughter who is haunted by a traumatic past. Choi Hung-ju (Kyung Soo-jin) is an investigative journalist specializing in stories about killers. Her work has her working with Detective Chi frequently and he values her opinion. They were once romantically interested in each other but life events drove them apart. Will they catch the killer through their combined efforts before he can kill many more? Is everyone who they seem?

Spoiler alert***
What I liked about this series. It went very in depth on the psychology behind psychopathy. It showed very clearly how some psychopaths are experts at blending in with "normal" people and how those closest to them can be fooled. I liked the relationships between friends, former lovers, and even the interplay between the serial killers and the police. I thought all of the actors played their roles very well.

What I did not like about this series:
1) It was so complex that it made the story hard to follow at times. The plot twists were frequent and you had to pay careful attention to things that may have happened several episodes ago or you may miss the significance of the latest twist. It caused me to tune out several times to let the story play out a little bit and get back to normal.

2) I did not like the inconsistencies. For example the killer was a psychopath even as a child and had one of his father's mice (assumed). But if the mouse was his father's it did not make sense as he was in school when it showed him with the mouse and his father was put in jail before he was born. So, where did he get the mouse as a small child? Another inconsistency was when Bong-yi was rescued as a child by Ba-reum. He gives her a piggy back ride and they seemed to be about the same age. However, earlier in the show the Bong-yi commented on their age gap and it seemed to be significant, like maybe 10 years.

3) An event with new characters would happen in one episode and seem to conclude then several episodes later they would mention the names of the people involved in the episode. By the time I would figure out what event they were referencing, the story would have moved along.

4) I did not like that I felt I had no one to root for. I like Ba-reum early on but when he turned out to be bad, I was very disappointed. The rest had some serious character flaws, Bong-yi jumped to conclusions, Chi wanted to kill the bad guys and be judge, jury and executioner, and Chung-ju does not open up to anybody.

5) Loose ends. There were a lot of unexplained things. Such as the mouse, why did Ba-reum have a mouse. The mouse almost seemed to be controlled by Ba-reum when it attacked the snake - what was that about? We also never got the full story of what transpire to PD Choi as a young child. What happened to her brother? How did the serial killer get her to work with him? The Oz organization was mentioned frequently but when things wrapped up we never got the full story of who all belonged to Oz and why they joined. The pregnant lady who was identified as having a child with the psychopath gene at the same time that Ba-reum's mother was, what happened to her and her child? There were so many psychopaths it was hard to keep track of who was who.

6) Romance died. I know it was never fully intended to be a romance but there was a cute romance developing between Ba-reum and Bong-yi and then we found out the truth about him and that was that, as it obviously would be. But then even Detective Chi and PD Choi, they had a romance in the past and, at the end, Detective Chi indicates to another detective he still has feelings and might confess but then PD Choi and he sit down and talk about their feelings of guilt over the way things played out with the doctor. They sort of agree it sucks and they will live with that guilt then she just walks away and he drives off into the sunset in his egg truck. Felt like we had build up in both cases only to be let down in the end.

7) There was a lot of emphasis put on the psychopath gene and, while they mentioned that there was a possibility the individual may not be a psychopath but a genius instead, they never pursued that angle. It is not dissimilar to what, in reality, is known about psychopaths that there are thrill seekers who have that similar flatline emotional state but do not exhibit as murderers, they may be thrill seekers (extreme sports), highly competitive business or finance moguls, or other such adrenalizing pursuits. It was unclear if the Doctor was thought to have the psychopath gene, he was part of the experiment so you could assume he did, however it was not clear.

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I am literally GAGGED

I started watching this because somebody recommended it on TikTok, and I am literally GAGGED. This is what I imagine when they say "psychological thriller." The way they frame Ba Reum's character as likeable, they get you to fall deeply in love with the character, then completely crush the character's entire being to create another version of him that is morally questionable but still socially "acceptable," then reveal what he is really like is sooo genius. Every character has so much depth and connection to each other, and it builds a level of complexity that completely destroys the idea of strictly good or bad. It is very well done to the point that you find it difficult to completely hate any characters. This is such an interesting approach to psychological thrillers, and I would recommend it to everybody that is into this genre or open to it. Ko Mu Chi I LOVE YOU!

9/10 watch.
2.0 rewatch value because my mental is not strong enough to watch it more than once.

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História impressionante e show de atuação

Mouse é um kdrama que me surpreendeu imensamente. Tem uma trama envolvente desde o primeiro episódio e entregou mais do que prometeu. É claro que em alguns momentos acabei ficando confusa, e parecia que não estavam contando a história direito, no entanto percebo isso como essencial para as reviravoltas e o choque nos últimos episódios. Pode ter sido desatenção minha em alguns sinais, mas gostei dessa confusão porque a compreendo como parte da trama e também das mudanças que ocorreram após o incidente cirúrgico. Lee Seunggi foi excelente em cada cena. Conseguiu fazer três personagens diferentes e guiar os sentimentos do expectador com uma atuação maravilhosa. Com certeza entrou para o meu Top 3 de kdramas favoritos. Excelente!!

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So far, like it.

I was one of the viewers who absolutely liked the ep 1 of mouse, for someone who has a short attention span, this is a good start. Watching it gives me different kind of emotions and I am so fond watching the ep1-6, however there are some part which I found doesn't make sense. I skipped some parts that I found boring. After the brain transplant thing happened, I started to doubt how will the story flows, it was so messed up.

I knew that Ba Reum is the psychopath from the start, just like any other kdramas, it's easy to guess who is who. I lowkey wanna drop it tbh, but I'm glad that I watched ep14-15 and everything makes sense now.

To clear everyone's confusion about the "brain transplant" who says it's unnecessary, the scriptwriter's purpose is to let psychopaths feel the remorse, guilt and pain. In that way, they'll suffer.

When Yo Han's brain transferred to Ba Reum, the psychopath Ba Reum started to regain his memory through Yo Han's brain. Concluding that Yo Han is not a psychopath but the 1% genius, he has emotions that normal people have. The brain of Yo Han is now in Ba Reum's head, this is the reason why he now has emotion.

As I said, I was also belong to those people who doubted it. To everyone who felt disappointed, let me tell you that this one is working well. And besides, even if the brain transplant is non-existent in real life, just remember that you are watching a Sci-Fi story so do not expect that it can be realistic as what you think.

Anyway I won't feel tired praising Lee Seung Gi's acting, he already proved himself but he outshine it this series! All casts deserve an applause & recognition.

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