K-Drama 
Messy characters take centre stage
The reviews on this one are quite mixed and I can understand why. It isn’t a standard approach and if you come wanting a fast paced snappy storyline like “The Judge Returns” or “Again My Life” then you will be disappointed on a number of fronts. This is less about plot and more about how character and behaviour are shaped by experience, morality and ethics. Ultimately it examines trust and the sacrifices you have to make to build it. Swapping the vulnerabilities that you know for ones that are unfamiliar to you and having the courage to rely on others to cover your back. It takes characters locked by circumstances in their individual boxes and follows what happens to them when they choose to open the lid and escape from their isolation.Unlike the dramas I mentioned above, where there is so much emphasis on rolling out the slick, clever plot twists that there is no time for things to go really pear shaped for the team of heroes (something I find annoyingly unsatisfying) in this drama there is real pain for the protagonists. Their scheming does not just knock over the villains and outwit them at every turn. They suffer serious setbacks and take the hits for the things they try to do.
I had a bit trouble in the first few episodes latching onto what I felt were pretty unlikeable characters. But I’m glad I persevered, because the richness of character is a real feature of the drama and gradually they wound me in, kept me watching and turned the tables until I was caught up by them. All of them are imperfect, protagonists and villains alike, and their faults are on full display. In fact that is the focus of the character growth.
It was a good ensemble effort and most of the cast stepped right up to the plate and gave some convincing performances. Personally, I didn’t particularly care for Lee Tae Ran’s performance as Jang Gyeong Ja, she didn’t have the depth and overplayed the melo.
Yes, as some of the reviews have pointed out, it slows through the middle, but that didn’t cause me a problem because there was always plenty of sub-text to think about and reflect on. in fact, rather than my usual binge habit, I wanted to take this one more slowly, so that I could appreciate the subtleties written into the excellent script.
The plot did have a number of holes in it but overall it stood up, had some decent twists and turns and as it was not a case of characters serving the plot, but rather the other way around, I was happy to just go along with it.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's like a Rocket; It goes up very fast and then down
In the beginning, the story is started very strongly. You can be curious about what happened to her family and why. It's very dark and has a profound secret. The cast is very good and fits the story.I watch Strong FL. But she is very annoying. She never talks directly. Also when she explains her plan, her character changes instantly. When she looks at the screen she seems very excited and willing to explain her plan. But normally she doesn't talk like that. Because of that viewers can't feel her character.
Also, I don't feel the chemistry between FL and ML. They are very good players, but they don't transmit their feeling I think. Watching the second couple's story is more fun and nice. Their chemistry is better than the first couple.
When you think ooh problem is solved but no. Another problem and a devil character show up. 16 episodes are very long for this story. They should finish 12 or 14 episodes.
Young actors are very good and I think they have potential. I want to watch them in more dramas.
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Ending Surprise
I could not understand why this drama was called Delightfully Deceit. There was nothing delightful about the cruelness, but l screamed and laughed out loud near the end. This drama was somewhat hard for me to watch on a continued basis. I had to remove myself for awhile and come back later to continue watching. It was rough for me because I wanted the good guys to win immediately. This is a good watch and I recommend it to all who like a story with good substance that will keep you intrigued.Was this review helpful to you?
For me it's a masterpiece
This drama is so good . I know all kdramas have good plot and acting etc , it's not new but this show has something different .Delightfully Deceitful is not your typical revenge drama — it’s a well-constructed psychological chess game where every move counts. Every episode peels back layers of deceit, trauma, and human psychology, making the viewer constantly question what’s real and who’s truly “good.”
Each actor, from the leads to the supporting characters, plays their part with conviction and precision. The emotional range displayed — from icy manipulation to heartfelt vulnerability — adds depth to the drama’s complex themes. Even minor roles feel purposeful, contributing to the show’s intricate web of deceit and emotion. It’s one of those rare series where every performance matters, creating a seamless, gripping viewing experience that keeps the audience invested till the end.
If you love psychological depth, antiheroes, and smart storytelling, Delightfully Deceitful is worth every minute.
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Delightfully Delicious
What is touted as a revenge drama is more akin to a cross between Leverage and The Pretender (or perhaps The Institute).. This premise is both interesting and dare I say, better than most kdramas of a similar theme. Ultimately, I binged it.There is a lot to like about this drama, a show that I wasn’t aware of until two years after it originally aired. The first half was a delight, a delicious morsel that had the level of intrigue, tension between relationships and portrayal of characters just right.
Our main pair were superb. There is definitely something there between them. The evil characters were good. The notes of intrigue in the first half were classic and very good.
Show does have its brutal moments. They catch your attention. Each member of our Scooby Doo gang are suffering in their own way. Our heroic lawyer suffers from an empathetic illness that appears to threaten his life, a new one on me.
Three episodes from the end, my suspicions became clear and I wasn’t too happy with how the story was turning. The ultimate evil, mysterious, chairman was ho hum and in my view undermined what was a cracking story.
Chun Woo-hee Is an acting powerhouse. Her next drama: A Typical Family is proof of this. Kim Dong Wook is an actor I like very much and did a good job here. Then there is Yoon Park - his versatility knows no end - think Introverted Boss, For Eagle Brothers and Birth Care Centre.
Show overall, is delightfully delicious. If you like intrigue, morally grey characters with redemptive arcs and growing connections between a Scooby Doo gang, then this show is for you. Don’t be put off by the MDL rating.
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Better Than the Rating, Delightfully Surprised
This is a story about an evil bastard who destroys the lives of thousands of people, and how some of those wrecked people organize to bring him down. In the process of getting some payback these people heal each other and themselves. The story emphasizes steep character growth for the many broken individuals involved in the revenge scheme.The plot can be complicated but no overly so. Much of the uneven early presentation may have to do with this being a first script for the author.
I found the first seven episodes OK and good enough to hold my attention. It was the seventh and eighth episodes that I felt really hooked, and then it got better from there as the payoffs in plot development and character growth show up.
Usually the website ratings on shows are a good guide, but not always. Sometimes a particular drama appeals to a niche leaving others cold or indifferent resulting in a lower than deserved score (or the process can work in reverse). It's worth checking if you're in the niche for this one or not.
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increasingly intricate, blending elements of revenge and deception into a captivating narrative
Delightfully Deceitfully is a gripping Korean drama series consisting of 16 episodes, centered around a group of con artists with a female lead as their charismatic leader. The story unfolds at a fast and engaging pace, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. With each passing minute, the plot becomes increasingly intricate, blending elements of revenge and deception into a captivating narrative.While the series excels in many aspects, one minor drawback lies in the portrayal of Kim Dong Wook as the male lead. Unfortunately, his performance falls somewhat flat, as his character, a lawyer, fails to deliver the depth and excitement that the story demands. Moreover, his voice tone remains disappointingly similar to his previous roles, which hampers the distinctiveness of his character.
Fortunately, Chun Woo Hee shines brilliantly as the female lead, injecting the series with a magnetic energy that elevates the overall viewing experience. Her portrayal of the leader of the con artist group adds an extra layer of intrigue, making the series even more enthralling.
In addition to the main cast, the supporting characters play crucial roles in advancing the storyline. Their contributions are significant, weaving a complex web of relationships and motivations that enhance the overall depth of the plot.
Overall, Delightfully Deceitfully is a must-watch drama for fans of the con genre. Despite a lackluster performance from the male lead, Chun Woo Hee's captivating portrayal and the well-crafted story will keep you hooked until the very end.
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intriguing story that hooks you in
originally came into this thinking it’d be one of those ‘filler’ dramas I watch when nothing exciting is being aired. but it was actually one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while. while it doesn’t do anything widely unique in terms of story, it brings out the question of how justice is defined by different people and it leaves us wondering at different points of whether violence or the law would have worked better in that situation consistently. it also had a rather great list of side characters who made the Lee Ro Um Group feel much more full of life. it does get a bit slow at times, but the eventual plot twists made it worth itWas this review helpful to you?
blood and gore
oh my gosh, this was so very well put together. from the beginning tomthe end, the storyline and production were amazing. a little on the gory side for those who dont like blood but nevertheless a brilliant drama. I love the fact that they had a secondary couple romantically even though you dont see too much romance between the lead actors, the sentiment is there. Understandably the emotions are subdued, due to her being raised by a criminal organisation. controlled by any signs of weakness (hers being those she loved or saw as family).I also loved how the writer wrote a redemption side to the FL, although she set about to kill those who had killed her family, the ending is so well written.
Kudos to the whole team, writer, producer and actors.
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Three episodes too long
This Drama started very strongly, with the central character Lee Ro Um especially interesting. Portrayed as a genuine sociopath, she was fascinating. The basic setup seemed like 70% Leverage, 10% Dark Angel, and the first 3/4 of the Drama set it up well.The major flaw was that it was too long, and as a result, it went soft and soggy in eps 13&14. This was especially noticeable with Lee Ro Um, but the Drama also burdened us with the inevitable mother and child reunion for the ML character Han Moo Young. Yawn.
Another flaw caused by the Drama's excessive length was the mystery of the mystery. The Drama dragged out its central mystery, who the "Big Bad" was, until the end of episode 13. The whole team were supposed to be prodigies of various kinds but somehow they missed the fact that the Bib Bad was basically walking around with a tattooo on their forehead that said "I'm the Big Bad" from at least episode 6.
The final 2 epiodes tightened up a bit, and overall it was a much better K Drama spin on "Leverage" than the actual Korean Leverage was. But it could have been so much better with fewer episodes.
One other important point to note: Besides doing an excellent job of portraying her character, Chun Woo Hee is also "really, really, really ridiculously good-looking" 😍
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This review may contain spoilers
When the act of conning takes time
I went into this drama with so much interest and LOVED the first 4 episodes.The episodes layed heavy on the crime-theme and had fun scenes using, among other things, breaking of the 4th wall to interact with the viewer which was nice and made for a clever way of explaining.
From there, we are introduced to the core group of people that revolve our main protagonists and the reality that they have all grown apart and struggled to get together as a working group again. This is where the plot starts to falter. Their overall struggles in a plot that starts unraveling more and more sinister crimes unfortunately makes the story drag. At one point midway, none of their plans have actually succeeded when doing it in the team. There is always something that goes wrong or derails them from their plans. While that is frustrating and feels like we are getting nowhere, it is really nice to see them try to improvise more and more each time. By the middle of the series, there is a huge lack of the comedy that was seen earlier. It is kinda hard to skip most of the middle, since there are alot of fragments and things that all connects by the end of the story.
Towards the ending we kinda got back the "old" format that we had grown fond of in the first episodes. This emphazises even more how far the storytelling/cinematography/script from the first episodes the drama went during the middle part that just did its own thing without any of the comedy.
Overall I did enjoy the drama alot!
Is is really heavy on the theme of crime and overall else, building friendships (there is practially no romance at all). The FL is a confident smart con-person and the ML is an compassionate lawyer, so if that partnership peaks your interest, give the drama a try!
We also got an AMAZING cameo by the talented Moon Ga Young that I enjoyed. The story tied up nicely towards the end with an happy ending :)
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This review may contain spoilers
NOT my usual genre , but well done & Not a mindless revenge fest. Plus there's a happy ending
I went from "not interested" to "completed" and it's solely due to the format & the story. I like light dramas so this genre is not "in my wheel house" . Plus, it starts out with some horrific scenes & introduces you to a female lead that you will struggle to warm up to for 98% of the drama. Though there are guys everywhere & alot of action & violence, this story revolves around the female lead. Which makes it hard for you as a viewer if you find her to be more psychopath than leading lady. (cause you're not wrong!) BUT, wait, I will try to convey why this might be worth your watching., But first:I have seen the male lead in Resident playbook (which I dropped) & he seems to be playing a similar bland "deadpan, droll" character who doesn't do much emoting . So the leads are a difficult pairing character & story-wise. The drama format has flashbacks to show you how things were done contrary to how they seemed to be done, as well as the female lead "breaking the 4th wall"- (speaking directly to the audience) which really works well. This is a multilayered story, with the layers of each character getting peeled back to reveal what's at thier core.(some characters get more peeled than others !) With revenge being the driving force of the story and with all the violence that ensues, it took me off guard when the plot revealed that 1 person's forgiveness & determination to take the moral high ground infected/inspired those around them to follow suit.
Actually there are 2 characters, whose doggedly attempt to do things within the confines of the justice system, while at the same time supporting characters who 'appear' (key word) to be deviant . What's surprising is that though the plot is full speed ahead set on one course, the male lead, (who comes across as anything other than a course changer), will prove to be the catalyst for diverting the story from a forgone sad conclusion.
I normally don't shy away from heavy spoilers, but with this drama, they would essentially really spoil it.
The drama surprised me, it drew me in, & yes there were a few episodes that I could have done without, but I really liked that they had characters question thier own perspectives & some even evolved, learning how to reconnect with thier humanity when they & other characters thought it impossible. I liked that they had many characters standing up to take responsibility for thier actions. I was a tiny bit disappointed that they didn't give us one more millisecond of what passed for "romance" as a nice way to conclude things, but there was a "happy" ending for the main characters and I will spoil it to say that though the lead's 'romance' (if you want to call it that) is implied at the end, I was glad to see they didn't force things.
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