Disturbing and gripping thriller with masterful performances held back by it's script
First of all, I hate this pattern of shorter kdramas ending off on a cliffhanger as if they're guaranteed a S2. Anyways, I did not expect this drama to deal so heavily with domestic and child abuse. Expect lots of gore, very-detailed torture, heavy topics, despicable humans, etc. This really make you think about the justification behind killing, nature vs nurture, and how terrible those times were when the police had no authority to act. My first time seeing GHJ, but she completely stole the show as the Queen. All her little ticks in her mouth movement, the cold, empty, and desolate looks, as well as the passionate, love-blind look in her eyes when she talks about the scent of blood and killing as her “hobby” make every scene with her disturbing and engaging. I genuinely felt like throwing up, even though, my work requires me to dissect and see blood regularly. She's THAT good. Easily shifts from frighteningly cold and rational about her actions one moment, to playful, teasing, and secretive the next. There's subtle glimpses of her motherhood that make her sympathetic and pitiful the next, but you feel conflicted in her madness delivering justice, and then her story hits even harder with that final DISGUSTING truth revealed in Ep 8 that ties a lot of things up. She’s a morally grey character, and the story constantly keeps you on edge, as it’s hard to tell if she’s truly doing everything for her son or if something darker is driving her. If nothing else, she alone is a reason you HAVE to watch this drama.
As for JDY, I think he was a brilliant choice to play her son (albeit the complaints about his baby face). As always, he showed a lot of versatility, bringing out many sides of a complex character with growth. There are complaints about how he's initially over-acting and then flat in some moments, but it seems intentional. The overacting seems to be meant to drive home how his character tries too hard to present a normal persona, but then the later moments where he's flatter is for when he's emotionally distancing himself and beginning to forcefully think like his serial killer mother. Also can't imagine it'd feel good having his normal life upheaval suddenly and now he's forced to face and dig up so many hidden truths in his already miserable past. There are a couple of moments in his acting that genuinely made me tear up, and I became invested in his story. He’s also a sympathetic and pitiful character, as someone who refuses to let his feelings as her son cloud his judgment. Unlike his mother, he tries not to be consumed by madness or love the scent of blood, but you can see through his eyes and subtle expressions how his morals are tested, how emotions push him to the edge, and how he struggles to hold onto his role as a faithful cop who saves lives instead of taking them. He learns to truly face his past head-on, and I couldn't be happier for him by the end. I also enjoyed Jung Ho’s and Kim Na Hui's characters, but only LE's acting really stood out in a few moments. The rest of the police investigation team is just poorly written and acted.
On the technical side, the cinematography is fantastic. Many of the shots are framed in unsettling, creepy ways that heighten the tension, perfectly matching the disturbing performances from the leads. If there’s a downside, it’s that most of the other characters outside the two leads felt underdeveloped (more like plot devices) and some moments rely on plot convenience, which weakened the story. Overall, though, this was a great watch if you’re looking for a well-shot crime thriller with a disturbing and mature storyline, gripping twists, strong actors, and plenty of emotional punches. I think 8/10 is a fair rating for me, though I don’t understand why some individual episodes are rated so low.
As for JDY, I think he was a brilliant choice to play her son (albeit the complaints about his baby face). As always, he showed a lot of versatility, bringing out many sides of a complex character with growth. There are complaints about how he's initially over-acting and then flat in some moments, but it seems intentional. The overacting seems to be meant to drive home how his character tries too hard to present a normal persona, but then the later moments where he's flatter is for when he's emotionally distancing himself and beginning to forcefully think like his serial killer mother. Also can't imagine it'd feel good having his normal life upheaval suddenly and now he's forced to face and dig up so many hidden truths in his already miserable past. There are a couple of moments in his acting that genuinely made me tear up, and I became invested in his story. He’s also a sympathetic and pitiful character, as someone who refuses to let his feelings as her son cloud his judgment. Unlike his mother, he tries not to be consumed by madness or love the scent of blood, but you can see through his eyes and subtle expressions how his morals are tested, how emotions push him to the edge, and how he struggles to hold onto his role as a faithful cop who saves lives instead of taking them. He learns to truly face his past head-on, and I couldn't be happier for him by the end. I also enjoyed Jung Ho’s and Kim Na Hui's characters, but only LE's acting really stood out in a few moments. The rest of the police investigation team is just poorly written and acted.
On the technical side, the cinematography is fantastic. Many of the shots are framed in unsettling, creepy ways that heighten the tension, perfectly matching the disturbing performances from the leads. If there’s a downside, it’s that most of the other characters outside the two leads felt underdeveloped (more like plot devices) and some moments rely on plot convenience, which weakened the story. Overall, though, this was a great watch if you’re looking for a well-shot crime thriller with a disturbing and mature storyline, gripping twists, strong actors, and plenty of emotional punches. I think 8/10 is a fair rating for me, though I don’t understand why some individual episodes are rated so low.
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