Magical
Fab-u-lous! I loved everything. The casting is perfection, with so many good actors (both female and male) and unforgettable characters. I can't even pick favourites. Lee Rang really touched my heart though, especially the scenes of him as a young Gumiho half breed. His feelings of abandonment were palpable. Kim Bum is so good.The myths included are wonderful, as ghosts and devils are battled.
The child actors are so good too, especially Kim Tae-yul as the young Imoogi, Lee Joo-won as young Lee Rang and Jung Shi-yool as Kim Soo-oh.
The pace of the drama, whilst having exciting scenes, is relatively gently paced, which fit for me; a central romance spanning 600 years can't be rushed!
The ending didn't disappoint either.
I loved the BTS episode 17 on Viki, with the delightful Hwang Hee (Gu Shin-joo) and lovely Kim Yong-ji (Ki Yoo-ri) ~ these 2 seemed to genuinely get on and have fun together.
A must watch and one I know I'll return to more than once. Magical.
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Disturbing
First off, great cast and very good acting. I'm a big Woo Do Hwan fan, but all the leads wete excellent, as were supporting cast.I found the first few episodes quite disturbing and not an easy watch. I really hate bullies and those that treat physical disabilities as though that makes a person less or stupid.
S.Korea is so often portrayed as a country where those with power, position and/or money, can get away with just about anything. This drama is no different in that respect.
The friendships that are tested and the struggles to "do the right thing" are well portrayed... blood is often thicker than water, as they say.
The story got a bit far fetched at times, but the tension and feelings of threat were well written, directed and acted.
It would need a long time before I'd watch this again, mainly because of now knowing what happens.
I kind of enjoyed it, but watching was also unpleasant at times. Means it's a well made programme though.
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Complex
I loved series 1, but enjoyed this follow-up even more.Whilst a completely new story and set of intriguing cases to be solved, there are references to the suicide and scheming of season 1.
Both Bae Doo-na and Cho (Jo) Seung-woo are excellent and I love their chemistry, together with the relationship between their characters; she just gets him and he seems to have actual care and cocern for her, something he usually struggles with, having impaired emotions from his childhood surgery.
From the outset the pace and intrigue never let up. There was stuff I thought I was figuring out, only to be slapped off course, as the story within stories twisted its way to the final episode.
This series, like the first, is intelligently written and well directed. It needs concentration and isn't a 'light' watch that can be dipped in and out of, although in truth, if you're like me, you'll be desperate to watch one after the other.
Great cast of characters so well portrayed by a great set of actors ~ not a weak one amongst them.
I know it's not a romance, but I'd love for Shi-mok and Yeo-jin to get together.
Quietly hoping for a season 3 🤞🤞
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Gritty Drama
Perfect casting of great actors, added to a well written script, really make this drama a cut above the rest.It is very hard hitting, with many of the crimes portrayed being distressing and brutal.
The lives of the rookies this story follows, from jobless to serving police officers, is so good.
The stressful, unappreciated and abused role they fill is at the fore, countered by the few corrupted members on the force, who sadly tarnish them all. Couple this with internal politics and an establishment happy to throw those with less power under the bus to meet their needs, makes me wonder how anyone would choose policing as a career.
If this drama is based on the reality of the Korean police and legal system, it is damning. However, it also shows the closeness of a team, of partnerships where they see more of each other than their own loved ones at home and the impact of betrayals on the moral of everyone associated.
The toll the job takes on personal lives is also touched on, with not just the case stories, but those involving the main characters' families being played out too.
Whilst disturbing, incredibly frustrating and upsetting, it is also funny at times and uplifting at others.
I am so pleased I watched it and would recommend this drama to others.
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The storyline at the start of the drama got completely lost. The plot suffered due to this as well, with Fighter & Tutor's episodes completely overshadowing Zon & Saifah's.
That aside, the stories were good, especially F&T's, which felt quite realistic.
Sometimes the actors didn't seem entirely comfortable in their roles (a little wooden), but that may have been due to the series' problems or lack of direction. The last ep felt very rushed. Such a shame, as would otherwise have been a 10 rating for everything!
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Touching.
May 2026.I so looked forward to these episodes dropping each week.
Very much a 'feel good' drama, with a soft and gentle natured lawyer, who can see and communicate with ghosts, after moving into offices formerly occupied by a Shaman.
More concerning is a sometimes side effect, of which he'll have no memory.
I loved the different clients he gets, none of whom can remember who they are. To enable their memories to reconnect, they must first remember their name and d.o.b. ~ something I-rang helps investigate and then whatever issue is keeping them from crossing over.
So many things start to be revealed as having links to I-rang, and a personal injustice his family have been carrying.
There are some really touching scenes and I thought the final story/2 episodes were excellent.
I also loved the cast and characters.
Occasionally choices made were somewhat implausible, and the writing 'hicupped"; still one to watch ☺️
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A classic feel in its style.
April 2026.I really enjoyed this. Nice cast, usual sageuk characters, and a 'classic' style.... apart from the body-swapping twist!
Unusual choice of actress for the FL, I thought, given the character's scenes when in their hidden identity. I do like the actress, however, and it didn't spoil my viewing; just something I contemplated at the end.
FL character is the type I often like; positive, pragmatic, sharp and clever.
I found the ML character interesting, and open.
There's wit, action, romance and a pace that fits. An engaging watch.
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OK, but not a memorable story.
I watched this as it aired ~ definitely not pne I could binge watch, and tbh, it hasn't been memorable.I didn't dislike it, but I wasn't wowed either.
Nice cast, and an interesting twist on the usual Gumiho stories.
I found the second Gumiho storyline (and character), to be weak and somewhat pointless in its extent.
I didn't find itge drama particularly funny, moving, or gripping.
Not bad, certainly not perfect, but worth a look, perhaps as a filler.
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Gripping
March 2026I got into this pretty quick and had to force myself to stop watching.
I'm late to the party, so with no hype or spoilers, didn't know how the story would unfold.
Initially I found the character of police woman Cha Soo-young to be somewhat insipid, especially given her unique talent.
However, whilst she wasn't always adept at defending herself, her character did grow.
I found the arc for Hwang Hwa-young to be a bit odd, and I honestly didn't get her sometimes.
The push from above to get cases resolved at any cost, isn't new in dramas, but it sure came at a price in this one.
Some characters were loathsome, and I liked that they paid for it.
Jang Hyuk as Oh Hyun-jae was excellent and there was no over acting or unnecessary shouting, which seems to sometimes be written into his characters.
Some lighter moments, but mostly drama and action.
I found the storyline for Soo-young a little disappointing; there was a lot of mystery around the event that drove her, but I felt its culmination a bit lacklustre. It felt very much like it took a major back seat.
The main plot, however, was well done. Twists, turns and surprises.
I'd readily watch this again some time.
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Engaging and pertinent.
Feb 2026I really enjoyed this, at times gritty, drama ~ more than I expected to.
Wanting something light to watch, there was actually more to it than I anticipated!
KJY is another actor who plays characters in a more understated way. He doesn't go OTT and can convey a lot purely with his eyes.
The story twists and turns, as Maeng Si-na (CSY) battles to clear her Idol, Do Ra-ik/Laik (sorry, but a very weird stage name, I thought), of murder.
Of course a romance blossoms, but it didn't overshadow the rest of the story, for me.
A mix of characters, nice cast; Kim Won-hae has been in a lot lately, and I liked him in this ~ he's a huge favourite!
Most characters looked like the culprit at some point, which I liked.
Some characters were awful; one redeemed themselves; another kind of did, but was still impossible for me to like.
It got very cheesy at times, and the way Si-na continued to fan over Laik, even though her boyfriend, was too silly for me.
There were actually some very pertinent messages in this drama, too. Mainly, how Sasaengs can ruin an Idol's life, never mind their mental health. Also, how the family of a celebrity cannot be chosen, and their behaviour / activities are beyond the control of any star. How Idols are pushed, controlled, restricted and basically abused in some cases, is also well highlighted. The effects of any/all these issues, really do lead to tragedy, in too many cases.
I just wish these issues were taken more seriously, and could get through to those with the power to change things. Let's hope one day they will.
I was kept engaged, looked forward to episodes and would happily watch again sometime in the future.
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Mayhem
January 2026.I do love the cast, and my goodness did they have to put themselves out there.
It's a while since I watched S1, but it's a favourite... what happened, Disney+?
OTT I can handle. A little slapstick, dry humour, silliness to cut through the suspense & more visceral scenes ~ all that I can happily handle; but this totally lost its foundations compared to S1.
The weak and childish plot had everything thrown into it... cheap laughs, awful toilet humour, the cast made to act like clowns, drag (though KMG looked weirdly pretty 😆), novelty 'musical' scenes (not uncommon in some American shows), plus pops at S.Korea's seemingly woeful legal system, with a liberal dose of strong violence for good measure.
The constant, and weird, American dialogue from character Park Gyeong Sun (Lee Ha-nee), really irritated me, too.
The look of it was more polished than S1, but that's the only thing that's an improvement ~ the rest didn't come close.
The violence was still pretty strong ~ a drug Lord (the straightest acting in the series, from Sung Joon playing Kim Hong Sik), who didn't mess about with his philosophy of a life for a mistake.
Then there was the torturing of a female intelligence agent, featuring a mallet and lots of screaming... the outcome of which was funnier than a lot of the so-called humour.
That was this drama's biggest problem ~ it swung from violent and trying to be an action plot, to all out slapstick comedy. It did not work. If it's an action drama, any comedy needs to enhance the story and be a little more subtle, or clever, but this was far from either.
I did get the feeling the cast probably had a great time making this (Lord I hope so), but for me it was pretty awful. Sadly.
Can't believe it's the same script writer, and the Director was Asst Director, for S1. A let down.
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Great balance
Dec 2025This felt very like the time period it was set in.
Detective series of the 50s had a similar vibe, with characters having the same energy, nuances and a humour that was often tongue-in-cheek. There's a definite hero here.
It was OTT at times, but that oddly fit rather than hindered.
I liked the different stories and the central theme, which was raw and pretty emotional.
One I'll happily watch again.
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Disappointing
October 2025I felt that most of the cast totally carried the story, to be honest.
There were some great moments, but overall I honestly found it pretty lacklustre.
How it missed the mark, I just don't know.
Possibly there were too few episodes in which to fit what was set up to be an epic story, so it became messy and lacked depth.
For 2 characters in particular, I expected to feel more, but couldn't. My emotions were never stirred to tears, unlike in some dramas, and yet I believe they were supposed to be.
I felt no attachment to any of the characters, really. At times I even felt the actors were simply going through their paces.
My least favourite character was Mi Reu, but I'm not sure whether was because she was played like a wet fish by Lee Joo Bin ~ zero believable emotions and no chemistry with PHS at all, which I never thought would be possible!
It's still worth a look for the cast, and as said, there were some great moments, but sadly not nearly enough.
Many of the wigs were AWFUL, too!!! I could not get passed that at all 🙄
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Pretty clever.
October 2025This drama started well; I was fascinated by the story and the questions that hung over the deaths of the FL character's family.
There was a definite slump towards the half-way mark, but then it picked up again.
There is a pretty dark and unsettling backstory as well, which kind of threw me. It didn't always make sense, or it lacked purpose ~ I'm not sure which.
Characters were linked in ways that slowly get revealed, which I liked.
There's a fair bit of action, it's a pretty intelligently written script, and a number of characters feel suspect, which I also like.
Overall, not a bad watch. The LM character, whilst challenged by his personality, was likeable, and I thought KDW portrayed him well. I like this actor ~ he is pretty understated in his approach to roles.
The FL character I found very hard to like, especially early on ~ she grew on me a little towards the end. Pretty well portrayed by an actress I'm not that familiar with.
A mix of quirky, selfish, troubled, guilt-ridden, annoying, horrid, and sweet characters.
Not sorry I watched.
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Enjoyable.
Aug 2025.Overall an enjoyable watch, although I thought Seon-chaek's hair when in period costume, was weird at the front ~ it always looked messy. For some reason, once seen.... 😬
Some very irritating characters. OTY was his usual cool self, and his character was one I felt a lot of sympathy for. It felt a bit like he cruised this part though, as compared to some of his other roles, it wasn't exactly challenging. That isn't to say he wasn't good in this... I don't think I've ever seen him act badly, in any drama ~ even weakly written ones (he's often carried them).
Another character, that I'd rather have seen get some kind of punishment for their actions, again got off with no reprisals, which always irks me. Another mean character was at least a WYSIWYG ~ rarely bothering to conceal it!
Nice ending.
I doubt I'd watch this again, but I never considered dropping it. It made me laugh as well, which I like!
Worth a look.
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