The Karmic Red String Weaves a Web of Misfortune & Revenge
TL;DR - This is story telling at its finest, go watch it. This is a 10/10 drama - Believe It!From the moment Karma 2025 was announced, it firmly secured a place on my 2025 watchlist. When it finally premiered on April 4th, 2025, I eagerly headed to MDL to check out the reviews, only to be taken aback by its modest 7.1 rating (so glad it is improved by the time I am typing this). Ordinarily, such a score might dissuade me from diving in, but thankfully, my instincts and excitement overpowered any hesitation. I began binge-watching this drama late at night—and here I am, writing this in the early hours of the morning, utterly captivated. It was impossible to stop!
The storytelling here is simply masterful. The narrative threads are intricately woven and interconnected in a way that feels as though the fabled Red String of Fate itself is at work. Credit where credit is due: the writer, director, and cast have all outdone themselves. Karma 2025 is a dark, raw, and enigmatic drama that will keep you guessing right until the end. Each story blends seamlessly into the next, with no gaps or jarring shifts. The format is exquisite—a tapestry of individual tales that interconnect into one larger, breathtaking narrative.
The main characters are delightfully unhinged, each to varying degrees, and watching their individual arcs collide with others is nothing short of mind-blowing. Their stories are fascinating in isolation, and they elevate the drama to greatness when they converge.
In every aspect—storytelling, acting, suspense, background music, cinematography, pacing, and even its concise format—this drama is a perfect 10/10. I wholeheartedly urge you to watch Karma 2025, especially if this genre aligns with your interests or if you're looking to explore something new.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
it’s not even karma but a forced “connection” between random strangers who happen to share a cheesy childhood connectionI do think this did the “what villain is the worst villain” theme better than hyper knife but it was all repetitive trying to show what’s going on in so many bits and I do wish it was more focused on the drs
It’s one of those overdark type with a huge great cast but first ep was snoozing
and overall it was all so frustrating, honestly you’d think they’d try to be different but they keep repeating the same moves
Everything just screams “dejavu”, I've seen a handful of movies with the same exact plot and same exact results
It was good that kwangsoo was smart, but he should’ve driven away
Also he should’ve also sused her, like who the heck kisses someone driving at that exact time
And what were the other two in the other car doing? Cuz I thought they were the planners not the “eyewitness”
And the first ep was so boring, I thought the debt guy’s dad was killed by the debt collectors not that he planned it
Also every single nice looking person is either killed or he’s not nice?
Like if this was eyewitness’s plan with the gf, wouldn’t he know kwangsoo wouldn’t have that money anymore?
A dr that steals organs to pay for his student loans and his upcoming wedding becomes a hero when faced with a rapist who scams ppl for money and “ruin” their lives by pushing the smaller “grey” characters to become villains too
Now I am confused on the high schoolers, cuz if GYS is minas “enemy” and both the girls bfs were witness and debtor, so both were rapists? So one gets karma for the rape and murdering his dad for money, and the other thinks he’s getting the better life but ends up in another karma loop
atleast all the bad guys died xD
Was this review helpful to you?
SIMPLY SUPERB! A 9+/10 drama!
An Amazing Crime Thriller!✨A STORY OF SIX PEOPLE:
6 Strangers with Different Backgrounds,
6 Individual Stories,
How they Meet,
How they are Connected to Each Other,
How their Lives Intertwine,
How Everyone is related to One Major Incident,
How One Incident leads to Another, Connecting all 6 and Changes their lives,
How One Person's Actions have Dangerous Consequences leading to the Destruction n Changing the Fate of others,
How one Mistake is carried forward, leading to another n even more bigger mistakes effecting everyone,
Who is good n who is bad,
Who is a sinner n who is a victim
& finally, Is their Meeting Accidental, just a Coincidence or Planned or Destined?
***** STORY:
The Story is Simple but the Storytelling n the Non-Chronological Narration creates that TWISTED MYSTERY n so, makes this AWESOME.
U can see concepts like Butterfly Effect n Domino Effect in this plot.
***
I like Themes and concepts of Destiny / Fate / Karma.
U can't really fight against it.
It's like fighting against an "Invisible Ultimate Force"!
KARMA is Real! 🔥
And its "Hunting" is Real, here in the story, even after 20 years😂.
No one can ever escape from it.
***
As shown in the MV of the Opening theme, the "Threads" (Threads of Sins) are passed from one to another in each episode 😂
Those TWISTS n TURNS in the Plot are Cool👌🏻
All of them are like Knots of a Single Long Thread.
In the end, Karma pulled out all those knots, giving everyone what they deserve n punishing the sinners.
***** EPISODES:
6 eps - Short, Crisp n Right to the point👌🏻
First 3 to 3.5 eps show Non Linear events narrated in a Non chronological order.
Individual stories of all characters are shown n how they are centred around one major incident.
Last three eps show events in a chronological order with a linear narration.
***
Initially, the Mystery n the consequences of every action of each character is ENTHRALLING n looks like all those happened by chance, just a coincidence.
Only later, it is revealed that few characters met, not by chance (like the characters revolving around the murder case)
***
Also, in the first 3 eps, New Characters n New Scenarios are introduced in each episode. All new individual stories introduced in these eps are all related to the same incident.
So different timelines are shown here.
From half of ep 3, the connecting dots of the Main Story - the connection among all characters is revealed, merging all timelines into one Main Storyline.
*****
Cinematography is Neat n Good.
Production is Good.
Direction, Screenplay n Editing are Very Good.
Very Well Written.
The Main Plot and individual stories are Written Well
But the Screenplay is even more better written in an intelligent manner to confuse the viewers with the timelines n the mystery🤭
Pacing is lil slow at times but it didn't effect the Story Progression.
Overall, it's Good n Right to the point.
***** ACTORS / CHARACTERS:
Every Actor performed very well, can't really choose a fav character here👌🏻
Oo aa, Hae Soo's TWIST, those variations in his character are Wow🥰
Hae Soo's Eyewitness is the Destiny's harsh victim!
Poor him!! 😂
But he got those troubles n punishment all by himself with his sins.
His decision about Identity n the related track is the concept "butterfly effect".
While the other characters' actions explain the "domino effect".
Hee Joon's Debtor, he looks scary n silly at the same time..
Hee Joon suits well to bad guy roles👌🏻
Doc lady, whatever happened to her in the past n her trauma are very sad😑
Kwang Soo's Glasses looked very naive n innocent with the gal, trying to pamper her in first eps but later revealed that he is cheating on his pregnant wife, so he deserves that punishment 👍🏻
Sung Kyun, I can't take him serious after "The Fiery Priest", Even his serious thug face here, looks funny to my eyes🤭
My sweet gal "Song" from "The First Responders" is a bad gal here!? 😲, Cool 👍🏻
Nam Gil is a sweet surprise to me! 🥰
(Have no idea that he is in this drama)
Special mention:
"Harmless" Agency🤭, harmless to everyone, is cool👌🏻
***** ENDING:
In the end, Karma "hunted" down every character (every knot in the thread, every connecting dot in the game) and pulled out all their threads 😂
Every character has its own share, good / bad n got what they deserved in the end.
Ending is Satisfactory!👍🏻
*****
Opening instrumental theme is very apt to the Mystery setting of the drama.
*****
My RATING is 9 / 10👌🏻
Lil slow paced at times, else would be 9.5 or 10.
Crime Thriller Genre Lovers, DON'T MISS TO WATCH THIS!
Was this review helpful to you?
Nice and twisty
Karma does not unfurl itself along a straight path. Rather, it bobs & weaves, goes up and down hills, and around the bend only to come back to the beginning. The entire story takes place in a month. Within that month thee is ....well alot. And it's all tied together with a big red box.The story is creatively done and well written. I enjoyed guessing. To me the biggest reveal came almost at the end. My mouth dropped because I couldn't believe I had forgotten and didn't put it together. At first I was a little annoyed if not put off by the filming technique. I'm not sure it needed to look old school, but I think it looks vintage and gritty, but to me it just looks like Korean movies from the late 90's early 00's. That's my only production complaint. The cast was excellent. They worked like a well oiled machine. They were a true ensemble with no one sticking their head up far above everyone else's.
The music was suspenseful and pushed the episodes along. I don't really re-watch and I don't feel the need to re-watch this even thought it's only 6 episodes. I'm not the type to sit and analyze to see what I missed. If you are, have at it. I'm sure it'll be worth it.
Overall, I'd give Karma an 8.5-9. Yeah there are dramas that are better, but there are hundreds in similar genres that are worse. I enjoyed it. nuff said.
Was this review helpful to you?
A TRUE PLOT TWIST DRAMA
Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!🫢 KARMA IS REALLY A BITCH!!
I actually watched it when it dropped and I was mesmerised by the plot twist!! I never expected things to turn out the way it did in this drama!!
From the main characters to the supporting characters did absolutely great!!
Karma is really a bitch and it was served with cold beer at the end!!
The drama is so short that I felt they should have given us more but I’m not a selfish person😃
The end was my fav twist about the doctor, till this day, I’m still thinking about the whole drama 😭.
Was this review helpful to you?
Karma
The story is about a man who wants to get money from the insurance of his father. But to get the insurance, his father must be died by accident. So he's hiring a killer to kill his father. Later on, it's become a trouble since it's not going well because a lot of variables and people are involved in that case. All of them get their own karma after what they have done. It's quite interesting to see how the karma is becoming real.Was this review helpful to you?
Intertwined by Fate
Karma is a 6 episodes Korean thriller series that revolves around six lives, each navigating their own personal battles with past mistakes and the weight of their decisions.Every episode has a tense setting, characters with a past and a top-notch storytelling that keeps you guessing till the end. What makes Karma stand out is how these individual stories intertwine, building a larger picture of fate and consequence. The theme of karma is ever-present, with characters’ wrong choices haunting them in often tragic ways. The acting and emotional depth is on point.
Karma is not only an intense but thought-provoking watch. It wasn’t just the twists and suspense that kept me hooked—it was the deep dive into human nature and the exploration of how even small decisions can alter the course of our lives.
My Rating : 4.5/5
Was this review helpful to you?
Hard start but Twists everywhere
It took 3 episodes before the thrills and Twists come around. The beginning was all to build the back story. There were times I paused to figure out who was doing what. In subtitles there were character names instead of people names so, know the characters. I liked having to try to figure out all of the kinks throughout the story. I had to think. The title is the ending.The characters were played well by all. They were well developed. All got what they deserved.
I don't think it would be a good rematch since you already know the ending.
I don't think the review ratings are as good as it really is.
Was this review helpful to you?
The lord of plot twists
The incredible amount of depth and madness all connected in one multi layered situation intertwined by deadly impeccable fate, the plot arrangement is extremely twisted yet still works flawlessly like the lord of plot twists, the writers really have done the impossible work here. Cinematography is classy and gritty, acting performance is powerful and effective, this is one insane cinema grade experience right here.Was this review helpful to you?
Lots of twist
Karma” presents a complex narrative that intertwines the lives of its characters through themes of fate and consequence. While the series boasts strong performances and a thought-provoking plot, opinions vary regarding its execution and complexity. Viewers seeking a deep, character-driven thriller may find “Karma” engaging, though some might perceive it as convoluted.Was this review helpful to you?
I really wish that the world works like this move
Initially i did not enjoy that much watching this, as i hate how the criminals keep doing bad things, and i kept reminded how dark and evil the world is. Also could not cope with how crazy one character in this story. But in the end its very satisfying. I wish the world works this way, all the evil people will get their karma.The show is very dark, so you should be prepared watching this. It’s full of twists and can make you feel confused at the beginning. But it will ravel what happens from mid episode, so yeah, it’s pretty interesting. It’s also only 6 episodes, so it’s pretty fast.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A thriller that will churn your belly
Karma has been stirring the audience for the past few weeks ever since it dropped its curtain. The reason behind its impeccable popularity is because of its gripping storyline and jaw-dropping plot.The series' inception ignites the catapult as a firefighter is rushed to a hospital in a flammable state. A pair of doctors saved his life. The scene swiftly shifts to a rented apartment where a man is dragged out by the goons of a loan shark. He gets saved before his organs are chopped apart from his body. The hunting does not end here as a son kills his father to earn insurance money and save his ass.
This six-episode miniseries is drenched in love and hunger. The craving more more and fear of losing cripples human more than they expect it. It's a truth that we all are driven by our lust for survival. Nothing can get in between the need. And when our needs get threatened, our power to make decisions gets clouded.
A witness to a serious crime finds his life turning upside down. Park Hae Soo, in the shoes of a tentative witness, breaks the stereotype and carves a snowball through multiple shades.
The director does not even use the name to bring characters alive. They are called debtors, loan sharks, and witnesses when they arrive on the scene. To reflect on the intricacies of life, the name holds no importance. The story kept on getting darker with the passing of each episode.
Korean dramas pay extra care when they build a thriller. Karma, just like its meaning suggests, is a dark tale laced in life’s sarcasm. It is bitter and gruesome, but intriguing more than ever.
Was this review helpful to you?
`
