This review may contain spoilers
Honestly, as for this drama it left so much for the audience to comprehend and pick-up, given the 16 episode format with an average of 30 minutes running time. Though Jeonghyeon and Sehyeon's chemistry is through the roof, this story leans more towards the reality behind how people with trauma etched since childhood would react in triggering situations as an adult. It may have been quite annoying to watch Sehyeon continuously acting on her emotions most of the time, but it captures her struggles pretty well. That being said, the romance element would be minimal, and the ending was golden with the three of them being a 'found family'. Even when there were no dialogue exchange between the two on the last few minutes of the show, it's evident that Sehyeon has healed as she now trusts someone who's always been there consistently (risking both his life and job) without asking for anything in return - Jeonghyeon.
I also refuse to believe that it's all for the sake of doing his job, as that line began to blur when he puts her first before his duties. He knew about the omission on the forensic report but didn't do anything to her harm, instead he rather gave her a chance to tell him the truth. When he stole the case files to investigate alone and ended up almost losing his life? That isn't passion for is job but care and love in the most raw and gentle form - love not in the typical way we're accustomed to in dramas.
In the first few episodes, we see her recoil when Jeonghyeon reaches for the fan in the car, ignore his offer to help her across the field, and even resist wearing the watch unless forced. But slowly, she begins to open up — like when she asks for his help at the hospital, or finally tells him about the threat her father made. Her growth may not be linear, but that’s exactly what makes it real. People with trauma often regress after progress, and that’s what makes her character so raw. Her decision to confront her father alone might seem like a step back, but it speaks to the tangled, painful way we all heal — especially when we’ve been taught not to trust.
We've seen that as a child, Sehyeon was brought up to believe that she is only safe when she would not show her emotions nor connect with people. Her banter with Seeun and Jeonghyeon being there ganging up with her against Sehyeon (albeit jokingly) shows how at peace they are. Seeun gets a new last name, with Jeonghyeon putting one of the name tag on her backpack and also puts it on her, not to mention the stolen subtle glances Sehyeon and Jeonghyeon had towards each other proves that the ending perfectly ties up all the build up and it is a definite proof that grand romantic gestures or confessions isn't a requirement to make a beautiful ending.
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Stupidity With A Scalpel
I enjoyed only the first 5 episodes. Last 2 were decent. And I cursed the female lead for 7 episodes straight.The show revolves around a forensic doctor, a police officer and a serial killer. Unlike most thriller dramas involving serial killers where there is a cat and mouse game along with the suspense of who the killer could be, this drama decides early on to tell us exactly who the killer is. This was a big drawback for the show to lose it's biggest mystery element. Worst is the female lead who is an expert in forensic analysis leads to leave all common sense behind and go after the killer on her own. This of course leads to disastrous results because she is in no way or form equiped to handle him. Her lack of judgement leads to the delay in catching of the suspect and she gets herself and others hurt in the process. Her actions were so senseless and frustrating that it took away any joy I had when I first started this show.
I wish I could blame the lack of good subs for my poor perception of the drama but nope. It was Dr. Seo Se Hyeon, the female lead. I truly hate when dramas make a lead female character incompetent for no understandable reason. The female lead is supposed to be the hunter with a scalpel but sadly she fails in her attempts every single time because she cannot calculate nor plan for multiple factors. She is supposed to be unfeeling yet her actions are driven by pure emotion rather than a sense of self -preservation or justice.
I genuinely struggled to watch the middle episodes and had to resort to 1.5x speeds.
The male lead playing the cop was decent. But again, his team leader is dumb and an obstacle to any progress he tries to make at solving the case. Maybe they didn't want to make the case easy to solve but it was ridiculous.
The only other positive I can think of the opening theme which I quite liked the graphics of.
Not something I would ever consider rewatching,
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Started with promise, ended in frustration
If you're someone who truly appreciates a solid psychological thriller — the kind that twists your mind and keeps your eyes glued to the screen — then sadly, this might not be the right drama for you.“Hunter with a Scalpel” starts with immense potential. The initial episodes are crafted with attention, suspense, and intrigue. They really pull you in and make you think you’re in for something deep, intense, and mind-bending. But as the series progresses, the disappointment slowly creeps in.
Once you understand the direction the plot is taking, things begin to fall flat. Unlike some thrillers where knowing the killer adds tension, in this drama, the predictability kills the suspense. The excitement fades. There's no compelling psychological grip — just frustration.
Let’s talk about Dr. Seo Se Hyeon, played by Park Ju Hyun. Now this is subjective, but her portrayal didn’t work for me. I get that the character is meant to have layers, but all I got was a lot of wide-eyed expressions without emotional depth. It didn’t feel like she became the character — more like she was just acting it, and that disconnect really hurt the immersion.
Then there’s the bizarrely relaxed police chief, who treats a string of gruesome murders as if they were minor pickpocket cases. That totally breaks the realism. A psychological crime drama demands intensity — but here, the tension is barely there because the response from the law enforcement side is so dull and casual.
The biggest issue, though? The writing. The plot idea is actually strong, but it’s let down by weak execution. In a genre that thrives on psychological complexity and mental chaos, this drama gives you neither. It just follows a straight line after the reveal, without taking the viewer on a real emotional or intellectual journey.
I watched it live as it aired, which is probably the only reason I stayed until the end. The first few episodes did give hope, and that kept me going. But looking back, there are far better psychological dramas out there that I’d recommend over this one any day.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Compelling cat-and-mouse Game
I just finished watching it, and if you are into psychological thrillers with a dark edge and a compelling cat-and-mouse game, this one is an absolute must-watch. The plot is where this drama truly excels. It centers on Seo Se-hyun, a brilliant forensic pathologist portrayed with chilling intensity by Park Ju-hyun. Here is the twist: she grapples with an antisocial personality disorder, immediately establishing her as a profoundly fascinating and unpredictable character. Her life takes a brutal turn when a routine autopsy unearths undeniable evidence linking her own father, Yoon Jo-kyun, played by the masterful Park Yong-woo, to a series of gruesome murders. The shocker? She believed him dead. Now, to safeguard her deeply buried past and dangerous secrets, she embarks on a relentless race against time, determined to apprehend him before the police can. It is a high-stakes, visceral game of hide-and-seek, where both the hunter and the hunted are locked in a desperate struggle for survival. The show brilliantly weaves intricate forensic procedural details with a raw, unflinching dive into psychological tension and escalating crime. You are relentlessly compelled to question every motive and loyalty, as the suspense ratchets up with every single episode.The characters are not merely complex; they are meticulously crafted and expertly portrayed. Seo Se-hyun defies the typical protagonist mold; her antisocial personality disorder injects layers of unsettling unpredictability and profound ethical ambiguity into her every action. You will find yourself simultaneously captivated by her sheer brilliance and unnerved by her ruthless methods. Park Ju-hyun delivers an utterly incredible performance, embodying this intricate character with a chilling precision that exposes both her cold detachment and her underlying trauma. Then there is Park Yong-woo as Yoon Jo-kyun, the father. He is terrifyingly effective as the serial killer, a truly menacing presence that fuels the drama's relentless tension. And let us not forget Kang Hoon, who embodies Jung Jung-hyun, the detective initially collaborating with Se-hyun, only to slowly, agonizingly, begin to suspect her. His performance introduces a crucial layer of external pressure and moral scrutiny to Se-hyun's desperate, dangerous quest.
The actors do not just bring these roles to life; they inhabit them with remarkable depth and authenticity. Park Ju-hyun's portrayal of Seo Se-hyun is an undeniable standout; she perfectly captures the character's detached brilliance and inner turmoil with flawless precision. Park Yong-woo is genuinely unsettling as the antagonist, his performance a masterclass in quiet menace, and Kang Hoon provides a strong, grounded counterpoint as the detective ensnared in this twisted web. The chemistry between the leads, particularly the subtle, simmering tension between Se-hyun and Jung-hyun, is palpable and adds another compelling layer of intrigue.
At times this was not an easy watch, given its dark themes and intense subject matter. Still, the compelling performances, especially from Park Ju-hyun, and the truly unique premise made it an undeniable standout. Will it win awards, maybe not but I liked it nonetheless. What I liked best was the episode release format of four episodes a week, rather than the standard two, which maintained a consistent, high-energy pace. However, with that said, the drama would have delivered an even more potent impact if it were a tighter 10 or 12 episodes, avoiding any unnecessary plot dragging. Despite this, if you are looking for a drama that will keep you on the absolute edge of your seat, delve into profoundly complex characters, and offer a truly fresh take on the crime genre, then you absolutely must check this out. It is a fantastic binge-watch for anyone who craves a gripping mystery with a sharp psychological twist.
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Intense, Brutal...
Intense!Brutal... absolutely devastating!
But, a great source of entertainment. There’s no denying that.
I liked the casting choices... I loved everyone's performance.
Don’t get caught up in prejudices—the story is heavy, but compelling.
I loved Kang Hoon’s character: intense without losing tenderness.
I loved Park Jun Hyun’s character: brutal without losing hope.
I hated Park Yong Woo’s character: monstrous, yet overflowing with talent.
Don’t miss the chance. It will definitely pull you in from beginning to end.
Really good, seriously!
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Love the Female Lead
I love the storyline and the overall dark theme. I love love love the female lead actress and I think they perfectly paired her with the male lead. The father’s character was so evil and the actor was amazing.There are a few things I disliked. Why were the episodes so short? They needed to be longer. Why did her fingers have to be cut off when she needs those for her job? They could have injured her in a way that didn’t affect her entire career.
The story wasn’t perfect, but it was close to it. Overall, one of the best shows of the year for me.
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Great thriller and suspense drama, good chemistry between the leads despite no romance.
Putting the bad AI-generated subtitles aside, this is a great thriller and suspense drama. It's much better than Park Ju-hyun's previous work, "Perfect Family", and we can see that her acting here is much improved.Kang Hoon also shines in this drama, and his chemistry with Juhyun in this drama is amazing, despite there being no romance involved. From their eyes' expressions, how they talk to each other, the chemistry is spectacular.
The best acting would come from Park Yong Woo. His interpretation of a serial killer AND a father who "loves" his daughter -- up to the point that he wants her to be with him and to be like him -- is stunning, amazing and scary.
The child actresses -- Shin Yeon-woo as Eun-seo, Shim Ji-yu as little Se-hyun (past Se-eun) and Kim Kyu-na as present Se-eun -- are also amazing.
Plot moves very fast, yes, it was a bit repetitive in the earlier episodes, with Se-hyun kept on making mistakes and always being overpowered by her father, but it gets better, especially in the last 4 episodes.
The ending is satisfying and is crafted nicely to avoid an "abrupt" ending, which usually happens in most KDramas.
Highly recommended.
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A promising story arc but poor script, choice of cast and direction.
Watching the first few episodes was interesting and good. But things become illogical with the characters. The behaviour and traits were way off and stupid. Soon you can guess where the plot will lead. Even the actions of the characters become predictable and exhausting. Because they don't learn from mistakes. People can argue that police and doctor are also human beings who are not perfect. But police team leader cannot handle dangerous criminal professionally is an insult. Supposedly genius doctor cannot anticipate the danger of dealing with a cunning dad also makes the character laughable. Well don't take my work for it. Just watch and judge yourself.Was this review helpful to you?
Family is not blood!
Dangerously addictive, mostly because of Park Jun Hyun's character. I mean, she held this whole show on her back and never gave in thoughout all 16 episodes of complete madness. She fit the character of a daughter of a serial killer so well, she even looked the part. Her appearance, expressions, and actions made her look like a born like psycopath just like her father.Kang Joon must be a rookie, or he looked like one to me because he wasn't that good, but he did his part fine.
Now, Park Yong Woo, that's a scary man.
It's heavy, terrifying, sad, but it's also so emotional and symbolic.
That last scene was what we all needed as little girls.
You too can save your inner child when you became an adult.
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Good criminal drama
It is a good crime drama that will keep your attention as the events slowly unfold. It has a good storyline, even if saying one word to the police would end the game. The acting is good, and they have good chemistry as well.It is a shame that it is not available on any streaming platforms, so I had to watch it in bad quality with terrible subtitles, and because of that, the experience was not so great.
Overall, it is a good thriller that will keep you seated.
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Great plot but hurried ending, so unclarified questions.
Always into this genres of Kdrama. But this seemed to me less of an discovery and more of mouse and cat game. I thought it'd be something like that of Mouse and cat play. Thought it'd be something like that of "Mouse" Although the story and plot was good, but I think it needed a more suspense. Besides some questions are unclear and the subtitles are to be blamed for that. I don't know how the mother survived and why her father acted that way, why he always gave his younger daughter a blue bucket? though one of the scenes showed it was an intestine but was it always that parts? so many questions and the ending was a bit hurried.Was this review helpful to you?
A good Psychological Drama.
Didn't expect to be this Good. The Suspense and Mystery of this drama is literally killing me. The twists are so smooth. The soft dark cinematography is on top.Love the cast. Never expected kang-hoon in a crime drama but he's not disappointing me He's so charming. Ju-hyun is giving very dark feminine vibes with such a cute and pretty face. Also Young-woo is scaring me haha his acting is so nice.🫶🏻
I'm here after watching 4 episodes I'm so hooked but why all good drama have short episodes. 🤧
Well well I won't give you any spoilers but if you're a softhearted person some scene can be lil tough for you to watch but still I'll say just give it a try.
Go for it. 🙌🏻
Here after finishing the drama it's good and recommended.
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