Erika Song

have you started already? I think it will really suit your taste since you a fan of medical^^

I can care less about other ships, just give me Seok Hyeong x Min Ha!

thanks for review!!

me too!

Since you clarified that it's all your preference, I guess there's nothing to argue about that anymore. But, I just want to make this first and last argument on why the main character suddenly burst out of tears in episode 11 was not out of character at all.

By episode 4, when the male lead protected the female lead, that was already a subtle hint that his deceptions was build to preserve their family. It was by then, already subtly implied that he kept those lies because he wanted to become normal for them. In short, he did not only manipulated his wife but he manipulated himself in a way that would fit himself on the perfect husband and perfect father image so he would not be abandoned, and, everything he did around them were actually sincere. When episode 5 came, mixed emotions of being frightened and anguish became evident on him, when the culprit talked about his family especially his little daughter. At the end of episode 5, while his wife was saving him, he thought of himself that he finally understood how to be sorry and he's sorry that his wife knew him. I think that scene was a big signal that the story was headed for the melodrama. Episode 6, he and his wife got an argument in the hospital. He couldn't understand his wife because she had that new emotions on her that he couldn't decode. His facial expression was dumbfounded and in state of shocked. He was also breathing heavily. Episode 7, his wife tested him and he's tried to suppressed his emotions, once his wife was out of the picture, he had a chest pain. Also, he had a panic attack in the latter part when his wife cornered him, you can see in his expression that he was holding back and when he couldn't hold back anymore he almost strangled his wife then almost collapsed to the ground.

Fast forward to episode 9, he already noticed that his wife was being different. His wife told him that she doesn't like him anymore, she hated him and she wanted to divorce him. If you would take another look on his expression, same with episode 6 and episode 7, he didn't know what to do. His chest was rising rapidly--and that chest rising as what I can understand from the way Hyun Soo was written was due to him suppressing his emotions. Every time he was faced with a situation that's out of his control, it almost looked like he was having a heart attack; also a signal of the suspense that was about to come.

More on episode 9, he came to the conclusion that catching the accomplice is what would make his wife happy, therefore, she would not leave him. That scene was important, because it explained that his wife and his family weren't just important, but precious to him. To Hyun Soo, his family is the only thing he have, therefore, at all cost, he would try to keep that to him.

His constant text messages also signaled that he did not want to lose his family, partnered with his voice over in which he's breathing heavily. Going back to episode 8, when he came back from Moo Jin's house, he wanted his wife to face him before they go to sleep. From a psychological perspective, the male lead's life revolve around his wife and his little daughter and that if they leave, he would be extremely devastated.

Episode 10, he saw that his wife wore her ring back and because of that he was relieved. However at the CR, he was having panic attacks again for any of these following reasons: (1) he's going to meet the accomplice; (2) he did not have a full control on what's going to happen; and/or (3) he was scared he might lose his family one things got out of control. Later on that episode, he said that he wanted to be a good person for his wife. At the last scene when Ji Won called, I think he already had an idea that his wife knew about him but was still adamant on dismissing that intuition, that's why on episode 11--he was shocked, hurt and utterly devastated when he saw his wife trying to save him.

Then in a matter of seconds, his wife almost died, the reality kicked in and with every strength that he had, he wreck havoc to saved his wife to the point of almost killing a person. After that, his wife told him to go out because he was going to be arrested, etc. -- the look on his face was dumbfounded and shocked. The heaviness of the things weren't registering to him yet. But when he got grip and understood the situation, he realized that at the blink of an eye, he was going to lose the most precious persons in his life which is the family that he had for 14 years. Therefore, the sudden outburst of tears needed to be filmed like that because it represents a dam of emotions that suddenly broke. That man couldn't care less on being jailed, he already lose hope on his life but his family is the only thing that he had and that's why only kept him going.

I think, I can understand that you did not like that he suddenly turned to cried liked that and there were also few people who did not enjoy that scene that much because they think that it was overdramatic, but understanding why he needed to cried like that from his story and own point of view, I think it was the perfect outburst and the perfect momentum to introduce him on accepting this emotions that he had all along. Just like baby Eun Ha in the opening scene of episode 11, he couldn't explain what he was feeling and the only thing that he could do was to cry.

I know my explanation seem emotional, but I hope I still delivered what I wanted to say.

Anyway, I don't have a control on your opinion about the drama, it's yours. If you did not like as much as others, it's okay. No problem. I already explained my side.

Indeed one of the best parts in the drama. :)

However, the reason why my rating is not that high, because although it delivered as a light medical drama, I think there is some mediocrity in it, especially in the first two episodes. The first episode was a bit over the place. There are some stories of the patients in those episodes that I just felt like kind of force. I mean, the stories are sad and I cried, but the directing and acting on some of those first emotional scenes weren't delivered very well as I expected. The humor is also there, I laughed but did not buy me off. The editing of the first scene in episode 1 did really seem mediocre in my opinion --but, wait hold up!! Don't be discouraged because episode 3 got me attached to it and have warmed up to their friendship and by episode 4, I am really vibing the drama.

I also want to talk about the romance as its sub-plot, although I enjoyed the ships especially Min Ha and Seok Hyeong, I think this drama would've been really impactful not it almost turn into a shipping club. But, for what it is, I enjoyed its low-key romance!:)

The likes:
- Jun Wan and Song Hwa best food buddies
- Yang Seok Hyeong, the sweetest teddy bear!
- Min Ha x Seok Hyeong ship (they are my absolutely OTP in this drama!)
- Gyeoul's character development and her motivation of becoming a better doctor!
- The friendship, it is lovely
- Chae Song Hwa best teacher, best girl, best prof
- Ik Jun being the best PR, doctor and a father
- Uju moments (I hope to see more in season 2 hehe)
- Jun Wan and Jae Hak friendship development!
- The touching finale
- Its nice OSTs!!

The dislikes (major spoilers ahead):
- Ahn Jeong Won's shallow character development.
Let me explain! He's a sweet nice doctor, I commend his character for that. But, I don't buy the way he was 'obsessed' of being a priest, maybe not really 'obsess', but the drama did not give a backstory or the main reason why he wanted to become a priest, the whole plot was just there to become some comic relief. It was really shallow for me. I also thought that at least at the end of this season he would realize that God's calling for him is to become a doctor, but he realized mostly because of some 'romantic' reasons. I know not just because of Gyeoul, but let's admit that she is the biggest influence.
- Ahn Jeong Won treatment on Gyeoul that doesn't feel right
- The lowkey jokes about Catholic priests and nuns
- Some transitions of scenes on the drama's first part
- Choi Young-Joon role as the gossip doctor (I really liked him in Flower of Evil but here his only job is to be a gossip doctor, if he's going to be cast again in season 2 I hope to see more involvement in the medical cases^^)

So, that's it. Of course there are things I did not like but you see, there are more things that I liked. I enjoyed the drama, got refreshed by it and appreciated our medical staffs! :) So if you are in for some medical drama that is light, good, simple with some good friendships and nice music, hop in and this drama might be for you!


-- Please do note that this review is highly subjective!:)

I just finished the season 1 and here are my personal thoughts about it!

First things first, this drama is a big appreciation for our medical staffs especially now that we are in the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, this is so light and it's perfect as a stress-reliever. If you are tired, overworked, bored, sleepy, you can watch atleast one episode then after that continue whatever you need to do. For my case, it really worked. A few times, I only watched half the episode then continued later. It's not because it is not engaging but it was just really light compared to the ones that keep you in the edge and that's its beauty. There is no major plot, the drama strive no masterpiece, it is just meant to make you smile a little, laugh a little, cry a little and just there to refresh you. The medical aspect is close to reality, not dramatic, just right and some of the stories just hits you naturally especially those in the finale.

But, I do believe that our medical friends will much more appreciate this drama, since, there are technical terms that might be really helpful for them especially to those that are med students. And there are med jokes I'm sure they'll loved. Overall, this is really nice, I also learned a little on what the doctors do on certain cases.

I'll put this at 8.5/10.
Will be watching for season 2!

The drama first garnered attention with its shocking premise: “What if you start to suspect the husband you’ve loved for 14 years might be a serial killer?” Yoo Jung Hee said, “I was thinking through various concepts and I came up with the idea of a husband who pretends to be noble and pure and a wife who loves with an innocent heart. I liked the irony in that.”

She continued, “I also thought it was interesting to ask this question: if someone does their absolute best for their partner in order to take their own dark secret to the grave, can you really say that they are living a lie? I wanted to beef up that story, so I raised the stakes in making the couple a serial killer and detective.”

About the title, Yoo Jung Hee explained, “While creating the character Do Hyun Soo [played by Lee Joon Gi], I thought of Charles Baudelaire’s book of poetry called ‘Les Fleurs du mal’ [‘The Flowers of Evil’ in English]. His poems were about the chaos and anxiety that arises when societal values, which should be clear-cut and black-and-white, become ambiguous and borderline. I thought that was similar to the character. I wanted people to think about the beauty of a desperate life when they thought of the drama.”

She further explained, “I wanted to share the message that even where evil has been buried, flowers can still bloom. ‘Flower of Evil’ represents Do Hyun Soo’s image, which cannot be defined as black or white or red. It also represents Cha Ji Won [played by Moon Chae Won]’s image, who has to learn to accept a new world after breaking down the barriers inside herself.”

Yoo Jung Hee thanked viewers for supporting the drama and said, “The show is created through the hard work and passion of many people. I’m grateful that fans have felt our sincere intentions. I hope that it can become a drama in which people wonder what happens to the lead characters after it’s over. I want them to think once in a while, ‘I wonder how they’re living now?'”

link: https://www.soompi.com/article/1422955wpp/flower-of-evil-screenwriter-talks-about-her-inspiration-for-the-drama-and-explains-meaning-of-title

This is one of the interviews of the writer behind the drama title, "Flower of Evil". I really wanted to share it here, so, viewers who enjoyed this drama may appreciate it and the characters even more!

I don't think the viewers are the main reason why LJK is not a serial killer. From the interviews of the writer, her interviewers are mostly certain that flower of evil is a drama that tests the questions regarding the morals in society and that this drama is headed towards the journey of healing. Had Lee Joon Gi have been a serial killer, it would've been a different drama.

She actually got the inspiration of Flower of Evil from Les Fleurs du mal (The Flowers of Evil). This is her interview from soompi: https://www.soompi.com/article/1422955wpp/flower-of-evil-screenwriter-talks-about-her-inspiration-for-the-drama-and-explains-meaning-of-title

---start of the interview excerpt

She continued, “I also thought it was interesting to ask this question: if someone does their absolute best for their partner in order to take their own dark secret to the grave, can you really say that they are living a lie? I wanted to beef up that story, so I raised the stakes in making the couple a serial killer and detective.”

About the title, Yoo Jung Hee explained, “While creating the character Do Hyun Soo [played by Lee Joon Gi], I thought of Charles Baudelaire’s book of poetry called ‘Les Fleurs du mal’ [‘The Flowers of Evil’ in English]. His poems were about the chaos and anxiety that arises when societal values, which should be clear-cut and black-and-white, become ambiguous and borderline. I thought that was similar to the character. I wanted people to think about the beauty of a desperate life when they thought of the drama.”

She further explained, “I wanted to share the message that even where evil has been buried, flowers can still bloom. ‘Flower of Evil’ represents Do Hyun Soo’s image, which cannot be defined as black or white or red. It also represents Cha Ji Won [played by Moon Chae Won]’s image, who has to learn to accept a new world after breaking down the barriers inside herself.”

---end of the interview excerpt

The parallelisms laid out in its overall narrative also vouch that she already had the overall story in mind. I just think that the synopsis posted by Viki is misleading for some who mostly came for the thriller. I was mostly sure that when the drama reached the ending of episode 5 it's headed for a melodrama.

"...this is a rating site, the ratings have a meaning and express the superiority of dramas through those ratings."

The ratings are important, yes, and while they express the superiority of dramas, one should also understand that this superiority does not always mean 'all' viewers who stumbled upon it will like it afterwards. And it doesn't mean that if there are viewers who did not like it, it automatically becomes overrated. It's okay if that's your opinion about the drama, but, let other people counterargue.

With that, one should also keep in mind that ratings in mydramalist are mostly a product of what the majority votes -- and that majority, most of the time, is its target audiences and these audiences will not always cater all kind of MDL viewers. The genre of the drama and the majority of the type of users registered on this site also highly contribute with the ratings of every dramas posted here. Romcoms are loved by many and have many viewers, however, these days romcom are getting a relatively lower to average ratings . Fans of crime and procedural dramas are not that high (as oppose to romcom) and have many critical viewers who will continuously look for perfection, therefore, their ratings aren't that high even though some dramas of that genre are critically acclaimed. Timeline is also a factor in ratings. Commonly, popular and also critically-acclaimed historical dramas of the past did not even get past 9 here, if mydramalist was developed in early 2000s and many people were fan of kdramas during those time and internet was already fast maybe those dramas would get 9 or even higher. And lastly, it also boils down on promotion, a good promotion stand a higher chance that the drama will be known by many and therefore reach its target audience who will appreciate it and therefore give it a high rating they think it deserves. However, sometimes, over popularity can be negative as others may rate it lesser.

Now, back to Flower of Evil, majority of its target audience (fans of melo and suspense) loved this drama a lot that it managed to get 9.2. Majority of its voters loved the drama a lot, therefore, the high rating.

Now, onto the next argument, you said, "it is important to show the appropriate amount of praise for something that is worthy of that praise." I absolutely agree with you on that, however, people have different criteria on what they constitute worthy of their praise. The criteria of viewer A is not the same with criteria of viewer B.

Also, as far as mydramalist programmers and developers are concern they are only showing the overall rating per dramas because it just proves something of what the majority thinks and it only shows the higher chances of the drama being enjoyed or disliked by many viewers. However, mydramalist is wrong on not creating a personal recommendation list therefore the higher the anomaly some of the drama ratings can get. There is also a debate here in MDL, comparing two dramas with a similar theme however of different genres which I believe is also irrelevant.

Now, maybe the reason why you said Flower of Evil is overrated because you might have been misguided, you thought Flower of Evil is alone a thriller, therefore, when it turns out to be a suspense melodrama with the melodrama taking a larger part, you thought the writing suddenly swayed. But that is just my pure opinion. Actually, it's funny because the majority praised the melodrama part, however there were those who only came for the thriller and said that it should have been avoided, and there were also people who thought that the melodrama should have been intensified even more.

So that's it...lastly, I'm not here to fight so I was dismayed with your first statement on getting of the high horse. As far as I know, I did not throw bad remarks with my previous comment. If others would criticize this drama and argue about it being overrated, it's only fair that other viewers who particularly enjoyed it may also counterargue the reasons why they don't think it is so. That way, critical potential viewers may carefully decide on their own whether to watch it or not. I myself do that, I search for the argument in the comment section that talks about if it is overrated or not and decide for myself if I should watch it. Also, let people counterargue, especially if they are not attacking anyone.

"Baek Hee Seong and Cha Ji Won are happily married couple for 14 years. One day, Cha Ji Won starts to see suspicious circumstances and suspects her husband, Baek Hee Seong of being a serial killer. The more she becomes questionable about her husband, the more she gets eager to find out the truth. Their love story suddenly turns into a mysterious thriller once Cha Ji Won gets to see an unfamiliar and different side of her loving husband. This is a story of truth, trust, and love and being on the brink of losing all those values at the same time. What’s the story behind Baek Hee Seong and will Cha Ji Won finally get to see the true nature of her husband?"

I think this synopsis from Viu better fits the plot rather the one posted by Viki.

The brain-dead patient got involved in a traffic accident the day after he was discharged.

I'm not being rude but I cannot get why people in mydramalist would start calling a high-rated drama overrated just because the minority did not like it as much as the majority. Are the ratings of the majority irrelevant?

The drama delivered a lot with the suspense and melodrama. The main lead's character who I thought is nothing but a psychotic serial-killer proved to be complicated male lead who is in desperate need of salvation, and while that troupe seems common, the writing and acting was excellent and very touching. I've also learned a lot about ASPD because this drama kept me on the edge, hence, I researched for more because I wanted to know more about it. The portrayal of romance is also the best one I've seen in years. The whole acting is top-notch. Why wouldn't others who enjoyed this drama for the following reasons I've stated rate this drama as high as 10?

Like you, I've enjoyed other dramas that are underrated and I believed are deserving of the high ratings, but I would never invalidate the ratings of the majority just because in my own preference it is 'overrated'. ^^ Peace.

Melodrama is the main genre of Flower of Evil although it was mostly promoted as a thriller and talked about as a thriller (by other viewers). If you can read my review, I was mostly certain that Flower of Evil delivers as a melodrama for the overall narrative they've got. So, as a person who loves deep, mature romance and dramas that play with the viewers emotions, I can vouch that Flower of Evil is a good one. If you will compare Flower of Evil with dramas with main genre as a thriller or that are of crime and procedural, you may say it is overrated. But, looking from the melodrama and suspense perspective, it delivered very well. I myself truly enjoyed it for those following reasons. Like others, I came here a gruesome thriller but was highly satisfied with the plot they've got. Although there are convenient drama troupes used on the latter thriller part, the writing remains solid with the parallelism and metaphorical messages that the writer planted all through out the episodes. The ending of episode 1 and episode 16 ending's parallelism is also an evidence. The high enjoyment / appreciation of 'many' people should not be dismissed as overrated. Others who did not really vibe with the melodrama part tho may rate it as low as they want and it will still be valid.

EDIT: Not to mention their plot about ethics and morality.

sir is cute!

please let lee joon gi get that daesang or best actor award at 57th baeksang arts awards!! his acting on Flower of Evil is on another level!

I just read this comment now and this made me laugh lol hahahha

This is already finished so you should definitely binge-watch. It is not "too" dark. It is 20% suspense and 80% melodrama, but they blended well. The plot is solid and the overall narrative is executed well.