Walking on Thin Ice

You’ll stress, you’ll judge, and you’ll still find yourself hoping they make it out alive

The title “Walking on Thin Ice” couldn’t be more fitting. Kang Eun Soo and James have been literally walking on thin ice since the day they became partners in crime. This drama doesn’t glamorize drug dealing at all. Instead, it shows how their lives spiral out of control, full of stress, fear, and constant running. The money might make things easier for a bit, but it never lasts long and definitely isn’t worth the risk.

To be honest, before watching this, I had little to no expectations. Just from the synopsis, it sounded pretty straightforward and nothing new to look forward to. I started watching purely because of Kim Young Kwang since I’ve been into his dramas recently. Well, this one turned out way better, even beyond my expectations. Now I’m completely invested in the story and constantly stressing out for the leads.

Eun Soo’s choice to sell drugs has been called selfish and foolish, selfish for damaging the society while she's trying to save her family, foolish for somehow dragging her family down. But think about it. When life corners you and every door seems closed, do you really stop to weigh how your actions might affect society or your loved ones months or years down the line? Desperation doesn’t think, it acts. And sometimes, survival makes you cross lines you once swore you never would. Also, if she hadn’t sold the drugs, this drama would literally have ended at episode 2, guys. That being said, I’m not supporting the action itself. No reason can justify the crime of selling drugs but calling her straight-up selfish and stupid isn’t fair either.

Eun Soo and James have such a nice dynamic. They only have each other to rely on now, and their chemistry just works. Both are smart in their own ways, though Eun Soo’s inexperience and occasional sloppiness sometimes get them in trouble. Still, it makes sense since it's her first time committing such crime.

James’s backstory was unexpected. He’s not the type who sells drugs just for the money. Unlike Eun Soo, the reason behind his involvement in the drug business remains a mystery, seemingly tied to something from his past. Definitely something interesting to look forward to as the episodes go on.

Not gonna lie, I’m rooting for the leads not to get caught or at least not that easily. I know it sounds wrong, but the story makes it hard not to root for them. For now, it’s tough to tell how it’ll all end, but I just hope both of them survive, even if that means ending up behind bars.

Overall, “Walking on Thin Ice” is a fast-paced drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat, with amazing performances from the entire cast and it’ll definitely make you stress out right along with them.

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A K-Drama Slump Killer

Oh, My God. I'm absolutely obsessed with Walking on Thin Ice! I went in because of Kim Young-kwang, but Lee Young-ae quickly won me over. The show itself is a certified banger. Seriously, if you're not watching, you're missing out on the best kind of chaotic thriller. I have rewatched the first four episodes twice already.

The Plot Is Full-Throttle from Episode One 🤯
Forget slow burns, this show throws you into the deep end. Kang Eun-soo is a regular mom/housewife whose life is completely collapsing, with a terminally ill husband, financial ruin, and about to be homeless. Then she stumbles on a massive bag of drugs (worth, like, a zillion won) and her whole Breaking Bad-style transformation begins. By the end of Episode 1, she's already connected to Lee Kyung (Kim Young-kwang, who is breathtakingly handsome), the hot art teacher who's secretly a high-end drug dealer and much, much more. I feel like there is a revenge plot twist coming, and I am here for it. The drama avoids the usual clichés; the stakes are sky-high, and I genuinely have no idea where it's going, which is such a relief!

The Leads Have Explosive Chemistry 🔥
You'd think a desperate housewife and a mysterious, double-life art teacher/drug dealer wouldn't work, but the dynamic between Lee Young-ae and Kim Young-kwang is fantastic. Lee Kyung (James) is quirky with a hint of danger, but Eun-soo doesn't just cower; she fights back. She uses her former bank sales skills to pitch a drug-selling business model! The shift from him trying to control her to her outsmarting him (hello, peppermint candy swap! 👋) in Episode 3 was brilliant. Their bickering partnership is what makes the suspense fun. I'm already shipping the chaos.

Eun-soo's Desperation is Too Real (and Annoying)
Okay, look, my only minor gripe is how absolutely reckless Eun-soo is, especially in the early episodes. Desperation is one thing, but making HUGE purchases and yelling the dealer's name in a crowded club? That's basic crime 101 failure! I agree with other viewers that she's constantly on the verge of getting caught by both of them. However, one must appreciate that her desperation is what makes her so bold, culminating in the shocking move at the end of Episode 3, where she turns herself in. Girl's got nerve! This plot reminds me of the American series Good Girls, three suburban mothers, best friends who turn to crime after a grocery store robbery to escape financial ruin. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.

Jang Tae-goo (Park Yong-woo) is the Human Bloodhound with Razor-Sharp Instincts Wrapped in a Cold Stare 🧊
Jang Tae-goo isn't some hot-headed cop running around yelling. He's the quiet one in the corner, and that makes him ten times scarier. Park Yong-woo plays him with this incredible, low-key intensity. He's the Ace Team Leader of the narcotics unit, nicknamed the "Psychic" because his gut feeling is apparently 99% accurate. And honestly, I believe it. He doesn't need a huge, flashy chase scene to be menacing; he needs to stare at a CCTV screen, and the tension skyrockets. He has this knack for cornering people with chillingly simple questions, which Park Yong-woo delivers with zero emotion. It maximizes his intimidating presence.

Overall Verdict
This is a high-quality, tightly written thriller that doesn't mess around. The acting is phenomenal across the board, the suspense is consistent, and the moral ambiguity is spicy. This one's going on the "must-watch while it airs" list. It’s a hexagonal, well-made drama that screams “must watch”.

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Peak Cinematography, Story, and Lines (1st Half Review)

I liked the cinematography, how they sometimes split a scene into two’s or 3’s to show multiple perspectives, it helps the viewer not miss a thing and brings about a comicy atmosphere. The FL and ML also perfected their roles to a T, their interactions are super (i’m always wanting more, when there’s a lot already), everything was believable and realistic, also loved their lines, it was thoughtful, meaningful and sometimes playful.

Although an episode is 1hr+ long, you won’t get bored as it’s so well written, you’ll crave more. the first ep was so domestic that i thought: “is this the same series i read the synopsis for,” i was seeing the potential but it hadn’t unfolded fully yet, but the ending cliffhanger made me go on to EP 2, plus the killer Outro and Intro music_right now the soundtrack’s what’s fueling me as i write this review.

First time coming across a series’s soundtrack where the female artists dominated and killed the soundtrack, in a good, melodious and vocally sound way. All in all it’s a well balanced series so far, the domestic scenes, emotional scenes and action ones (my fav so far- ep 5’s ending leading to ep 6’s_10mins+ in).

Ps- I loved how eun soo wasn’t written as a character that can’t get things done herself + she’s so unpredictable and coolheaded at the same time, a true human calculator.

PPs- As someone in the comments said, i also adore the fact that the Promotional poster is a scene from the series (ep 4_50mins+ in if u’re wondering).

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This drama tries to sell itself as something bold and original, but at its heart it’s just a recycled formula: a desperate family, a terminal illness, financial ruin, and drugs as the “solution.” That setup has been done before — and better — so the show already struggles to stand on its own feet.

The female lead is introduced as a middle-class housewife facing her husband’s hidden debts and cancer. Instead of dealing with reality responsibly, she quickly slides into crime. What’s most disturbing is how the story treats her actions as sympathetic or even empowering. She isn’t some tragic antihero — she’s choosing to spread poison to young people while her husband is still alive, turning his illness into a shield for her criminal choices. That doesn’t make her strong; it makes her reckless and selfish.

The most absurd twist comes with the daughter’s art teacher doubling as the drug dealer. This isn’t clever shock value — it’s disturbing. He isn’t just a shady figure from the streets; he’s someone trusted to educate teenagers. Putting him in this role raises chilling questions: if he’s selling in nightclubs, what stops him from selling to his own students? The fact that the show brushes past this risk is careless, and pretending it’s “exciting chemistry” between him and the female lead is even worse.

Performance-wise, Kim Young Kwang does a good job shifting between friendly teacher and calculating dealer. His acting is believable, but strong acting can’t fix weak or ethically rotten writing. A well-delivered performance doesn’t excuse a story that normalizes crime while ignoring its victims.

The pacing so far is quick, but “fast-moving” doesn’t mean “good.” When the plot is predictable — the husband will die, the daughter will inevitably be caught in the fallout, and the FL will keep spiraling deeper into crime — then rushing to the end only exposes how shallow the twists really are.

If this drama wants to deserve real praise, it needs to stop glamorizing the FL’s decisions and show the consequences of her actions. Not a neat escape, not a romanticized criminal partnership, but genuine karmic justice: accountability, shame, and the destruction that drugs bring to young lives. Anything less would be a betrayal of the very world it pretends to portray.

My score so far: 4/10. Strong acting wasted on a story that mistakes shock value for depth and crime for empowerment.

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Più moralista di quanto sembri

Iniziamo col dire che considero questo un bel drama, con una trama che viene portata fino alla fine con coerenza e personaggi complessi interpretati da bravi attori. In particolare il protagonista maschile. Ho adorato la colonna sonora e la fotografia, nonchè il coraggio di mettere in scena alcune scene parecchio crude ma mai inutili o scontate.
Ma da spettatrice occidentale abituata a film o telefilm thriller sullo spaccio di droga e criminalità varia non posso dargli un voto altissimo poichè non riesce in una delle cose principali dei thriller almeno per me: il ritmo. Non lo mantiene. Crea dei picchi dei crscendo, ma poi finisce in pausa, crea altri picchi, poi di nuovo pausa....troppi flashback a mio avviso, alcuni ci stanno e creano suspance e sorpresa, ma troppi vanno a rallentare e over complicare la trama che poteva sfilare via molto più lineare. e creare più impatto. Peccato perchè poteva gareggiare con film o telefilm occidentale se non avesse ceduto sul complicare inutilmente acuni passaggi o creare troppi tempi morti e che alla fine finiscono per sembrare ripetitivi. Diverso dal mondo occidentale anche il concetto centrale e moralista del fatto che chiunque tocchi la droga non possa redimersi mai del tutto e debba venire punito. Non importano le tue motivazioni hai sbagliato e devi pagare.

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