i was expecting a lot more from joongdunk
as much as i love joongdunk, this show was just not that great. the foreshadowing was extremely obvious, the second they introduced the killer's character, i knew it was them. and the plot line was quite cliche - at least ive read/watched quite a few murder mysteries with similar plot lines.as far as acting goes, joong always does an amazing job. he's such a good actor. dunk did really well too.
however, the show barely touched upon the severity of the things that took place (im talking about the murders and the methods) and there are SO MANY plot holes.
the two of them barely did any actual "investigating", they left everything to the lieutenants and forensics and did nothing substantial themselves except point guns around and get hurt (sorry to be harsh but its kinda true 😭).
they treated a lot of the things in the show lightly which are not to be treated lightly.
on a lighter note, the show was fun to watch if u don't take anything seriously - the humor was good. but none of the side characters were developed properly AT ALL. we barely got any depth into the main characters' personas as well because all the show focused on was romance and murders.
all in all, it had a lot of potential. i still think the heart killers is joongdunk's best performance so they could've done a lot better with this plot. the writing was pretty average and the romance scenes were kinda weirdly placed.
i wish this show worked better because it's not even on youtube so i was expecting high production quality if u have to pay to watch it.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I was so excited from the trailer but the show is...
I love Joongdunk and normally tbh my love for them as people probably clouds my judgement a little on their shows. I'm sure realistically the Heart Killers wasn't a 10/10 but to me it was. So when a drama trailer dropped with Joongdunk that fit right up my alley I was so excited waiting for it to come out and was even more excited and proud for them when I noticed it was on Netflix but once I started watching, it took me months to finish because I was just having such a hard time getting past the plot holes and writing and just strange whip lash of emotions. I held on hope that maybe the final would be better but after now having watched fully it just made me more mad. Joongdunk played their characters very well in my opinion and the cinematography in some shots was gorgeous but the script and seemingly thrown together plot just did not highlight them how it should've and I wish a better series of theirs ended up on Netflix (opening them to a more widespread audience) instead of a show that makes the company seem incompetent at writing.Spoilers ahead for anyone still planning to watch because this is no longer a review and rather a long winded rant about the final episode.
When making a mystery thriller like this it is quite important to actually properly plan the plot twists and how everything is going to play out because its supposed to make sense or else the impact from any emotional scene is completely drained away. In this show it seems like they wrote the script in one take and didn't review it a single time. In the last episode when Jay was knocked out by the doctor after Kamin woke him up his immediate reaction was to tell him they're upstairs. How did Jay know that they would be upstairs when its implied he was passed out before they moved the hostages up stairs? Idk psychic I guess but whatever. Later Jade comes out from hiding from the doctor and somehow Jay is now inside and tied up despite the doctor never having enough time to have gone outside. brought Jay inside, tie him up, cover him with a sheet and then gone back to what he was doing because Jade was actively surveying him. Then the doctor proceeds to threaten Jade with a "oh choose him or Kamin" while Kamin was nowhere near him, armed and frankly perfectly safe at the current moment. You cannot have a "choose" moment when you are not actively threatening both parties or Jade could have just chose Jay, moved him away from the threat and followed the doctor up to Kamin to help Kamin so there was no weight to this scene it just seemed stupid. Now lets move back upstairs to Kamin and the hostages and evil girl (I forgot her name mb). I know Champ was a bad person the whole time but is it not irrational that he continued to kill Chareen even when Kamin was there to save them both and had a gun to the evil girls head? He was no longer fighting to survive, he just killed her cuz why not I guess even though killing her in front of a cop made it certain he'd just go to jail after this?? They then walked through the completely engulfed in flames house with no issues or burns despite fire being visibly everywhere while carrying Champ but go off I guess.
NOW this is the worst part about it all to me, somehow even though Kamin just witnessed multiple young adults kill/try to kill each other, already failed to save several others and been in great danger himself, he has no sense of guilt, shame, grief, not an ounce of any mental pain. SAME WITH JADE, his brother was almost killed right in front of him, he failed to save several young adults lives, and he almost died, yet light work no reaction. THEN EVEN WORSE JAY, Jay essentially had the blame of all of his friends deaths placed on him because he was a bystander in their crimes which was said to him by the girl that they harmed the most who he also seemed to be the closest with (and he also almost died and had been mentally tormented for awhile) AND WHEN HE WAKES UP FROM THE HOSPITAL HIS ONLY REACTION IS A SMILE TOWARDS KAMIN AND JADE BEING FLIRTY! You can't have a thriller where nobody feels ANY weight from ANY of the horrible horrible things that happened. It was already bad whiplash when they'd go on a romcom esc date while these kids including his younger brother are being actively hunted by a murderer (with no sort of police protection btw) but the absolute slap on the face that was a 20 minute vacation scene after the most climactic and traumatizing events of the show happened was absolutely CRAZY. The scene in The Heart Killers of Fadel breaking down and crying to Style because he could no longer withhold his pain from the person he loved was so impactful it almost made ME cry but then I watch this and nothing means anything and nobody cares about anything and it was just sooo disappointing knowing what JoongDunk can and has done. The potential was there but the impact was non existent, its hard to even care about their relationship when it often felt just so out of place. Anyways ill leave it at that because frankly I doubt anyone is reading this far in to my rambling.
Was this review helpful to you?
If only they solved the case, instead of making out
I love JoongDunk, and I want to start by expressing that. Their chemistry, intense intimacy, and beautiful relationship are always a delight to witness in any series featuring them. Unfortunately, I’m sad that this particular series turned out to be such a disappointment.The plot has an interesting premise – an unsettling series of murders shakes a group of university friends, while a deadly game of truth or dare unfolds behind the scenes. I was really excited about this one and had high expectations, but it didn’t even come close to meeting them.
While the murders were portrayed well, and the gore and suspense kept me engaged, I felt the motives behind the killings needed more development and connection to the overall plot. I was left with many questions regarding how everything tied together. The relationships among the friends were also shrouded in mystery, making them feel quite superficial – the conflicts were revealed too quickly, leading to an underwhelming experience since the buildup to these conflicts wasn’t substantial enough to grip me.
And then there’s the romance. Why does it feel so forced? Joong and Dunk have an incredible ability to convey emotion through their eyes – you can feel their connection and feelings just by them looking at each other. That’s why it’s disappointing that the script made their interactions seem awkward and contrived. Additionally, while I understand there’s a rom-com element, why were they making out while kids were dying? Going out on dates while they had a string of murders to solve made the plot feel superficial and weak, especially when it had such a strong start.
The ending was good, featuring enough gore and twists to add some excitement to an otherwise lacklustre experience. However, it didn’t save the plot. It had great potential but fell flat due to weak execution.
Overall, while I adore this couple, this series left me disappointed. I’ll still recommend and promote it because Joong, Dunk, Chimon, Ohm, June, Earn, and the rest of the cast deserve recognition for their efforts. I just wish the execution had been better.
P.S. The OST! I've been playing Dare You to Love on repeat – Joong’s voice is so addictive!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Decent BL but great thrill and mystery
I ahve a few things i want to comment on this show: first the storyline captivated me with the somewhat with its unique premise, especially in a BL, and as we progresses and the story kinda unfolded itself, various elements of the show tied in really well to create a conclusion and thrill that had been building up throughout. The plot twist however, was somewhat predictable, yet it still manages to deliver an exhilarating surprise that keopt me on the edge, the whole ending of the show wherew the twist unfolds was amazing to watch. The buildup to this twist is executed with such intensity that it heightens the overall experience, making the moments leading up to it feel genuinely suspenseful and engaging. And this is something i really enjoyed about the show. The THRILL. Its a very plot driven show but it just works well when it came to all the things that happens. I dont want to spoil. But the thrill of what will happen and to who was just super engaging and well written.ON the other hand though, one of the most significant shortcomings of this drama lies in the imbalance between its romantic elements and the VERY central crime storyline. Given that the narrative of the stopry revolves around serious criminal events, including multiple fatalities and intense, perilous situations, I anticipated a greater degree of tension and emotional depth from Joong and Dunk. The stakes felt high, but the execution of those tense moments sometimes and often missed the mark. I expected the characters to respond with more authenticity and gravity to the circumstances they found themselves in, reflecting the severity of the events around them. Instead, the crime elements came across as underdeveloped, and at times, they were eclipsed by the romantic plotlines. This overshadowing not only diluted the potential impact of the crime storyline but also undermined the overall narrative tension, leaving the viewer with a sense of unfulfilled potential.
Was this review helpful to you?
This was a tough review to write because the show had all the ingredients to be a hit. I love crime dramas with mysterious murders and smart investigations, and this one started with a really intriguing premise. I haven’t read the novel it’s based on, so I can’t judge how faithful the adaptation is. But honestly, the writing is just bad, clumsy and poorly put together. It feels like they tried to recreate the dynamic from The Heart Killers, but here it just didn’t work.
The story should have focused on solving the crime, not on the romance between Jade and Kamin, which often felt forced and completely out of place. Some scenes were downright bizarre. (Seriously, who flirts in the middle of an investigation where victims are being brutally murdered and your own brother might be one of them?) I still don’t understand how they managed to catch the killers. This show should have been serious, laser-focused on the crime and the mystery, not on romance.
Joong and Dunk are fantastic actors, and their chemistry is undeniable, they’ve proven that before. But their performances, along with the rest of the cast, were dragged down by a shallow script full of plot holes. They didn’t have much to work with in terms of character development, and they definitely deserved better writing. Still, it was nice to see Dunk in a more serious role. (He looks insanely good in a suit!) I’m excited for their next project, just please, let it come with a decent script this time.
Was this review helpful to you?
Great story not so great characters
Overall I would say this story was a good one to watch but I had a couple of issues with it. Number one is how bad Kamins character did not develop, what I mean by that is how he fell for Jade. To put it simply he just didn't. There was no concrete reason why he decided to get with Jade now I get there doesn't have to be a solid reason for it but there at least has to be signs of admiration, which did not happen. This left it feeling very awkward to me because in mind it didn't make sense how they even got together. They did it for Jade, tho it is cliche, we saw that he fell for Kamin at first sight. Kamin did not have a similar scene instead he went from being the cold harsh boss to being soft and warm within an episode without any explanation. It really did just throw me for a loop I've seen this problem with Zees characters whenever he is working with Nunew but I never expected Dunk and Joong especially since their last series together was so good and did well in that aspect. The second problem is the fighting scenes. I know that you can usually tell with GMMTV their fighting scenes are fake but usually it's only a little off. However this time it was really easy to tell like painfully so. This might be because the cameras were higher quality this time around but if that is the case I feel like they should've played around with it and made sure the show still turned out okay. Lastly the ending, it felt out of place in the story especially running on the beach part I don't know why they felt the need to do that when they could've just ended with Kamin and Jade being comfy in their own home and having a wholesome moment to show that they are finally past everything. I feel that would've been more fitting than going on a vacation right after they saw several colleges kids die horrific deaths.Was this review helpful to you?
A strong premise built a game of Truth or Dare with a high surprise factor but messy storytelling
Recommended for: Fans of deduction-based mysteries, psychological thrillers, and high-stakes games who don't mind an uneven story execution and a rushed conclusion.ONE-LINER QUICK THOUGHT:
A strong premise built around an intense game of Truth or Dare with a high surprise factor, but the messy storytelling and uneven pacing made me reach for the 1.5× speed button.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT: 3.5/5
STORY SETTING: Modern city • Law & police
Immersion: Very immersive and atmospheric.
CINEMATOGRAPHY: 4/5
GENRE: Mystery/Horror/Suspense/Thriller/BL Romantic Drama
VIBES / MOOD:
⚔️ Intense
👀 Suspenseful
🎲 High Stakes
🩸 Gory (4/5)
🧠 Psychological
🌑 Dark / Ominous
REWATCH VALUE: 3.5/5
PACING & EPISODES: 10 episodes | 4/5
The pacing starts off slower with a lot of buildup and scattered story threads. The mystery keeps you curious, but the finale feels rushed compared to the amount of groundwork laid earlier.
CHARACTERS:
Overall: 4/5
Likeable protagonist 4.5/5
Supporting cast 3.5/5
Character development 3.5/5
Best supporting character Jay
STORY QUALITY: 3.5/5
ANGST FACTOR: 1/5
CUTE / WHOLESOME FACTOR: 1/5
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Watch it for JoongDunk
Watching this was enjoyable. Unfortunately, I probably wouldn't rewatch. They had a great storyline. The idea being outside the norm for bl dramas was refreshing. There was a lot that was left to be desired. Joong and Dunk played their roles amazingly. Flirty Joong with a much less flirty Dunk was cute. It fit Joong well because it matches his real personality imo. Stern no nonsense in the beginning was also very nice. But being smitten with Jade was absolutely adorable. The side actors needed work. The horrible "crying" scenes were almost unbearable to watch. The delivery was there but the execution was lacking. NOW Jades tattoo situation was horrible! You could see the less straightened lines in some scenes. The last episode in the pool you could see it running and fading. I have seen the kids stick on tattoos look and stay on the skin better and longer than his. The production team must have had a budget of $3 usd between that and some of the other actors. The sound team also needs some work with some scenes being louder and some quieter to the point where it's hard to hear. The OST was meh and the rest of the music was the same.Was this review helpful to you?
Could have had it all
It's such a shame that this series had a lot of potential yet was ruined because of the lack of GMMTvs effort to actually make a BL crime thriller. Still a good show to watch but the bar was set too high since pilot and they definitely didn't meet it.The plot was fantastic but it couldn't be shown properly in the series. The plot twists were 50/50 predictable however when it actually happened my jaw dropped. This was the perfect dark plot for GMMTVs suppose pivotal crime BL but it lacked depth. The screenwriting was filled with so much of side quest than the actual murder mystery which ruined the thrill for those who wanted this to be more than just a romance BL. The characters lacked depth which made them just a plot machine. I couldn't feel bad for any victim, I couldn't feel much anger either when the truths started to come up, for any of the characters for that. The screen writing really failed the murder mystery.
The direction was not fit for a dark themed BL. The focus went too much on the couple rather than the case. The romance should have acted more like an envelop to the murder mystery and should have been integrated more in scenes where they were investigating rather than always having completely separate scenes. Jade and Kamin were supposed to be co-workers first and then fell in love. Their falling in love should have happened parallelly while they work together. The cinematography was not bad, that being said the color grading and sound engineering did save the "mystery" aspect of the drama. Even though it should have kept the darker essence we saw in the pilot.
Acting wise this is second best to Style for Dunk's career. He actually improved a lot and this is coming from a complainer. He actually became Kamin. Joong always slays his role with his versatility and facial expressions. Pahn is such a stunner. She will go far. I just love bad boy Chimon character so much. He is one of those actors in GMMTV that can be a villain or a victim any day. Especially have to mention Ashi for his incredible acting. Made me want to punch his face. Aungpao, with less screen time left an impactful show. I have always loved Earn's acting. She really brought her character to real life. For Sing, really nothign to say, a veteran indeed. And lastly June, her eyes talk, brilliant acting. The acting really saved this series for me.
Honestly it's not bad, there are worse mystery series than this. It's just disappointing because this should have been Joong Dunk's break through to the world if the show was done correctly. Still worth giving it a try
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Poor story and development
I'm going to write a review without being biased because my fav actors have acted in this series, the plot and acting is total shit, I honestly like the Avengers group acting better than jade and kamin's.if u just wanted a cringey romance story, why direct a thriller story, all this series has is cringey romance and stupid sulkiness, I mean police are allowed to have a personal life and dating life, but in this case the person in danger is literally jades brother but he couldn't care any lesser about it, even if his brother ends up dying all jade will care about is running behind kamin like his dog
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I tried!!!!
As a thriller fan, i am disappointed. How can you call this show a thriller when all there is romance rather than actual solving of case. I loved the chemistry and actors but the plottt, LET ME ATLEAST GET INVESTED IN THE PLOT BEFORE JUMPING TO UNNECESSARY ROMANCE. I was so excited for this series but i know how i have managed to complete. Initial investigation of victim's room didn't uncover the hidden cameras but one random house just did.What were the officers doing when it was obvious that the killer will attack everyone in the group, was Jay the only one that needed protection? and trust me Jay was not all cute AND fluffy, HE FUCKIN' KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO FAI STILL DID NOTHING LET ALONE SPEAK UP ABOUT IT AFTER HER DEATH. I tried so hard to like this series and i know this is just work of fiction but this series missed the obvious points. The poor balance of romance and thriller made the series go from wow to meh
I love the pair, but i just don't like their kissing scenes mainly due to dunk (I am not a hater) I feel like he should go with the flow rather keeping his lips tight and reserved and all the warmth a hug holds but with this pair in this series, i didn't feel anything from dunk's side. Joong was enjoying the hug (i don't know how to explain) but it didn't look the same with dunk which made the hug feel weird to me.
AGAIN I LOVE THE PAIR SO PLEASE DON'T COME AT ME
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I love Joong and Dunk but this series is not highlighting their talent/chemistry
This story could have been amazing but the amount of genre swapping in terms of tone throughout the series made it really difficult to be invested in. Serious murders are happening but Jade and Kamin are off being romantic instead actually taking anything seriously.The characters could have been interesting but they didn't have enough time to develop, having loved series' like manner of death this attempt at that genre is poor.
They really needed the investigation to be at the forefront rather than the back and let JDs chemistry do the romance building through a few (like literally a few instead 200) flightatious remarks and lingering glances. The runtime could have been extended to increase the investigation sections or just half of the romance bits could have been shortened and that would have made the series a least somewhat better.
At times the colours and lighting was also very off and looked rather awful making their skin look sallow and jaundice.
I don't want to say but this is probably the only JD series I'll never rewatch.
Was this review helpful to you?
