The Scarecrow

Some episodes show superb direction. A very gritty, hard-hitting thriller, ruthless, even. You can feel the Ringo Lam influence, with its raw, unflinching violence ; this isn't meant to be a feel-good watch. It's deliberately infuriating. It really gets under your skin. Everything is rotten to the core. A very good series, but one that leaves you seething with rage by the time it's over.

"You're just a thug with a badge." We call that a cop, yes.

The story of a sadistic serial killer, set toward the end of the military dictatorship in 1988. We see despicable cops and a prosecutor acting with complete impunity. (Those cowards) We see men behaving as a patriarchal society naturally encourages and rewards them to do. We see female victims who are considered guilty in the eyes of others. We see high-ranking officials who are full of themselves and never take responsibility for anything. We see police repression of pro-democracy demonstrations.

"The public no longer trusts the police." I think that's a sign of good health.

The acting is incredibly intense. Serious stuff. A cop protagonist who's been through the worst and is forced to work against his will with one of his former tormentors. He thinks the police protect people, he believes they bring the guilty to justice… A constant in this kind of crime series : the cops are terrible at their investigations and ruin people's lives by wrongly accusing innocent people left and right. I don't know to what extent this is intentional. It comes up so often !

Not to brag, but I figured out who the killer was right from the start. My only flaw : too good. It's a fact. (Everything screams him, right there !) The solution doesn't come at the end but along the way, so it doesn't matter and doesn't ruin anything. It's the kind of series you can still enjoy even if someone with bad intentions spoiled it for you beforehand.
The culprit is every bit as cunning as those who claimed to be hunting him down. The theme is the rot at the heart of the social order. The back-and-forth between 1988 and 2019 confirms that nothing ever changes. The killer bears as much blame as the police and the justice system.

"Admitting your mistakes and asking for forgiveness takes even more courage." And that's how we move forward. That's why people in positions of power never admit their mistakes. They don't want things to get better for others.

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The truth will set you free

The Scarecrow proves to be a really well made noir murder mystery with the performances, from the entire cast, being its strongest point.

I can’t say this is a kdrama anyone can watch as it’s deeply frustrating and infuriating. Especially when you know it’s based on real events.

Unlike the famous Bong Joon-ho film, this kdrama flips the story and delivers a first hand account on what the victims of this case went through at the hands of the police and prosecution. Even decades after the events.

There’s no justice in this story, even when the truth comes out. The pain lives on as a open wound, festering, leaving those who had to go through this terrible experience changed forever. The good are broken down by guilt and the weight of responsibility, the bad get away with murder for too long.

Still, the final scene let us know there’s hope for healing. The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.

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Some things were left unanswered

I really liked this show, but there are a few things that I didn't care for. I finished it yesterday and wanted a day to let it sit specifically because of the ending. I loved the concept of the show and loved that it kept it you guessing who the killer was the whole time.

I liked Tae Ju, Ji Won, Gi Beom, and Yeong Beom. Pretty much all of the other characters I either didn't care for or just hated. They did a good job making you really hate the characters like Si Yeong and the other couple cops.

I will say the back and forth between 1988 and 2019 felt like it wasn't really needed until the very end with the trial and everything. A lot of the stuff throughout the earlier episodes with the 2019 plot just felt pointless to me. Maybe it's also because I guessed who the killer was very early on, but who knows.

There were a few things that they never circled back to which bugged me a little bit. Why did Sun Yeong want to breakup with Gi Beom? Especially because she then acted like that conversation didn't happen. Why did they never show Yeong Beom a picture of his dad? I get why they didn't say exactly how he died, but you couldn't even show him a picture...why? A lot of it for me has to do with Gi Hwan and the killings itself that just left a lot of things unanswered. Why did Gi Hwan begin killing? Why did he change his name? Why was he even arrested? (because it was before they found out what he did). Why was the case reopened and why did it lead to him being the killer? I have more but I'll stop there. The show just had a lot of things after the finale that felt unanswered and incomplete and that's where it lost some points for me.

As for the finale...I had to let it sit for a day because my immediate reaction was that I didn't like it. After sitting with it I think it's okay but not great. To me it felt like they thought they had an extra episode or more and then didn't so they just did the best with the last episode as they could. I obviously wish Si Yeong and the cops got arrested or in trouble for all they did, but I think they were going for the angle of sometime not all justice is served. So I didn't mind it when thinking about it like that.

Overall I enjoyed the show and enjoyed the mystery of it all. I liked it mainly taking place in the 80's as well. All the acting was incredible! I watched it for Park Hae Soo to begin with and really enjoyed it. I am glad I binged it once it was all out rather than watching it weekly because I do think it's a show that's better to binge just because of all the details you don't want to miss. If you like cops and murder mystery shows than I think this one is pretty enjoyable.

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Grim Reality in Great Production

It was a good watch. Park Hae Soo and Lee Hee Jun did a tremendous job, their acting was really great. The same could be said about the rest of the cast. Music was very fitting, especially the opening song really got you and sent shivers down the spine. The story was quite good; however, the exposition was not always the best. The camera sometimes pointed at something so aggressively that it was almost insulting, as if it were saying "see, this is the thing that was mentioned seconds ago, and it is here!!! here!!! look!!!". Two last episodes felt kind of rushed, I wish there were more shown about the present time. The characters were its strongest point. Sometimes, even the "good guys" are not that good and sometimes, nobody really wins.

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Not a Bad Watch, But I Need More Closure

I’ve seen my fair share of dramas based on the Kangseong serial murders, and, although this drama presented a different angle, I was able to predict who the real serial killer was by the second episode, even though the show tried to distract viewers by casting suspicion on several other characters. I guess it’s because I’ve watched similar shows in this genre that it wasn’t too difficult to figure it out.

My favorite part was the moment of vindication when the wrongfully accused character was finally proven innocent. It was heartbreaking to see him lose 30 years of his life, but in the end, he was finally exonerated.

Overall, it was an entertaining watch, but it felt somewhat lacking because I didn’t get the closure I wanted, since those who were supposed to face consequences for their crimes, namely the police officers and prosecutor who were meant to uphold justice, were never punished due to the statute of limitations.

This drama really made me realize how flawed the justice system can be, but also that there are still people willing to go to great lengths to ensure that justice eventually prevails.

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A Diffident Portrayal of Human Manipulation & Deceit!!

Based on the real-life Hwaseong murders, “The Scarecrow” depicts the chilling truths behind a crime that remains unpunished for a long time!!

In most instances, police are depicted as vigilantes who seek justice for victims. But what if the same justice seekers start acting like suspects? “The Scarecrow” instantly pulls us into a small town plagued by a serial killer. He acts like a scarecrow in the midst of fields and specifically targets women wearing stalkings. The police in the small town aren’t intelligent enough to put two & two together and discover that the recurrent crimes are the work of a serial killer. Things get chaotic when Sergeant Kang Tae Ju is transferred to his hometown Kangseng, and he soon realizes that a serial killer is on the hunt. While investigating those cases, he inevitably gets entangled with Cha Si Young, his childhood bully and the current prosecutor. The show becomes a mesh work of mind games as Tae Joo seeks justice for the missing women while Si Young tries to hide the truth and manipulate the situation to his advantage.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2026/05/27/the-scarecrow-series-review/

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"Even if a hundred criminals go free, we must not wrongfully convict a single innocent person"

That line from the Lawyer in EP. 10 is very true btw "Even if a hundred criminals go free, we must not wrongfully convict a single innocent person" but unfortunately they couldn't save Im Seok-Man from going jail...i think along with the victims, he & Lee Gi-Beom suffered most in this drama after being wrongfully accused. Poor Im Seok-Man, they make him confessed after torturing him so badly. his life was already hard enough with that disability but whatever little he had, he lost all. Not only he got life sentence for the crimes he didn't even commit even his parents turned their back on him when he needed them the most & most of all, listening to all those hurtful things about his disability from his own sister...that's really sad. he couldn't even revel his alibi because of his sister, thinking it could hurt her married life... it was really heartbreaking.

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Fantastic piece of art, but too realistic - good to see what to change in the law

I just heard about a real-life situation of a devout church goer who loudly wonders what kind of christian message is his pastor trying to teach him when he takes his credit card and uses it to the max limit. The pastor is a BANDIT and the devout is too dumb to see it.

The same is true in this drama. Tae Joo was wronged, but he was soooo stupid and dumb, so reactive, he is guilty of being blind.

So..... I really would like to see the acting of ML actor but I am not sure I have the patience to sit through this "dumb errors" story

I am not gonna watch this to the end, most likely. It is sad, this is a great drama and I really enjoyed watching it ... to the point that TJ mindlessly and reactively beat up someone and ended up in jail under the thumb of the prosecutor. I felt too sad to continue watching TJ's further self destruction.

From the comments here, I dont get an impression that TJ changed much, that he internally grew, and THAT is why I hesitate to watch the rest of this drama.

I might decide to watch it for the sake of learning how the serial killer was debunked and how he deceived

But really, to make this into a drama that is USEFUL, we should have seen inner growth of TJ a lot earlier

As is, the drama is good to raise awareness of needed changes in the law and of serial killers and criminal officers running around freely. So YEAH that is a great controbution of this drama

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If you're watching the scarecrow be prepared for the stress

This is my first time writing a review cause what the hell is this drama...I mean this drama is crazy and now I'm also losing my mind...and people on TikTok making edits of Cha Siyoung then cursing him on the caption then thirsting over him again cursing him on the next video 🤣🤣 it's funny also I've to mention Siyoung's actor cause the way he managed to piss us all off...his acting was really good here ....and Taejoo oh god my heart breaks for Taejoo why he has to suffer so much ...but I hate it how keeps blaming his mother for everything...also Taejoo and Siyoung have messy relationship in the drama but the actors are bestie irl so if you also love their chemistry like me you can watch their other dramas or interaction like I'm watching Chimera right now alright good bye

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well, this drama came to me.......

I will gonna express my experience and 'Deja vu' that i encountered thought of series.

What i mean to say from subject is that, I opened the app looking for something to watch, and this drama came across my home page and catch my eye (i really loved the poster).

As i love loved poster where 'Park Hae Soo' as 'Kang Tae Ju' and 'Lee Hee Jun' as 'Cha Si Yeong' standing beside a car and clearly visible at background where cop were searching for something in farm like. I instantly clicked it as some what related to the case around movie 'memories of murder' and as the series went on and when i saw that 'scarecrow' and read the city name 'Hwaseong', i got confirmed it is inspired form 'Hwaseong serial murders' and my intersect spiked instantly.

And when i am at 10th episode and more yet to come, it feels like story has gained so much of momentum as whenever we looked back when detective 'Tae Ju' got to know this series of murder is serial murder, never though that we will reached into this place where everyone has lost so many things that it can't be recovered. I personally like both story and performance a lot though out the series.

And i got deja vu many times like (and its not good),
When 4th victim's (school girl) best friend (school girl) died and it shows doctor find particles (chocolate here) inside her private part, likewise in 'memories of murder' doctor find pencil (i guess) instead of chocolate .
when serial killer, 'Jung Moon Sung' as 'Lee Gi Hwan', choose '8 year old girl' as a target instead of 'Tae Ju's' sister, likewise in 'memories of murder's' serial killer choose school girl as a target instead of Detective's wife.

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The Weight of Thirty Years

Scarecrow is more than just a k drama, it feels like an entire lifetime packed into one series. I had been looking forward to this drama for months and deliberately waited until it finished airing so I could binge-watch it. Thankfully, it did not disappoint.

Since this drama is based on a true story, I don't think it's fair to judge the plot as simply "good" or "bad." These events actually happened, and countless innocent lives were affected. Instead of criticizing the story, I'd rather appreciate how the drama chose to tell it. It reminds us that real life isn't always like fiction. Not every case is solved because of a righteous protagonist, and not every person in authority chooses justice over their own interests. Sometimes the people who are supposed to protect the truth are the very ones who bury it. That harsh reality is what made this drama so impactful.

Kang Tae Joo was the character I felt the sorry for. He did everything he could to be an honest detective, yet life was never truly on his side. Some secrets are kept not because people are guilty, but because exposing them could put everyone they love in danger. Unfortunately, that was exactly the burden he had to carry. Imagine living with guilt and unanswered questions for 30 years. Thirty years of wondering if you could have done something differently. That alone was heartbreaking.

Cha Si Young, on the other hand, was one of the most complex characters in the series. One moment I hated him, and the next I found myself understanding him. He wasn't purely evil nor completely good. Whenever his father wasn't around, you could see the decent person he wanted to be. But the fear and control his father had over him pushed him into making terrible decisions as a prosecutor. His internal conflict made him one of the most interesting characters to watch.

I also have to mention Seo Ji Hye. Her portrayal of Kang Sun Nyeong in 1988 was absolutely wonderful. If you haven't watched My Perfect Stranger, I highly recommend it. I became a fan of hers after that drama, and once again she proved why she's such a talented actress.

Then there's Kang Sun Young and Lee Gi Beom. I honestly lost count of how many times I cried because of them. I won't spoil anything, but their story was one of the most heartbreaking parts of the entire drama. Even after thirty years had passed, the pain they carried never truly disappeared.

There were so many moments where I wished this drama had a Tunnel-style time travel plot. I found myself desperately wanting someone to go back in time and stop everything before it happened. Especially the Kang Min Ji case, please that case just broke me as a whole. That's how emotionally invested I became in this story.

The final two episodes were an emotional roller coaster. One moment I was crying, the next I was furious, and then suddenly I felt a sense of relief. The emotional pacing was incredible, and every revelation hit exactly when it needed to.

I'm especially grateful that Kang Tae Joo still had Seo Ji Won by his side, even after three decades without communication. When Seo Ji Won said, "After 30 years, am I supposed to lose you again?" I completely broke down. That single line carried the weight of everything they had endured. It honestly felt like I had lived those thirty years with them, carrying the same guilt, longing, and hope.

What impressed me most was that this drama wasn't just about finding a serial killer. It was about the failures of the justice system, corruption, abuse of power, and the painful reality that justice isn't always served when the people at the top care more about protecting themselves than protecting the truth. That message stayed with me long after I finished the final episode. This is easily one of the best k dramas I've watched this year. The performances were perfect, the characters felt incredibly human, the cinematography was beautiful, and every emotional scene landed perfectly. More importantly, it never relied on cheap twists or unnecessary drama. It trusted its story, its characters, and the audience and that confidence paid off. Even after the credits rolled, I found myself thinking about the characters and the real people behind this story. That's when you know a drama has truly left its mark.

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