This review may contain spoilers
Although I am glad I stuck through with this one and watched it till the end, I must admit I hit a slump in the middle of it and did not want to finish it due to a lot of repeated scenes. Also, I already guessed the major plot twist by the second episode, and I knew who the predator was, and also guessed the other twist involving the two babies. I will address some negatives first which made the drama a bit lackluster and a disappointment considering all the rave reviews I had read:
1) The major plot point centers around the incredible science-defying idea that you can transplant portions of forebrain from one human to another, and that there is a psychopath gene which can be overriden if you implant the forebrain of a normal human inside the psychopath's.
2) This single area in South Korea where the drama centers seems to house a multitude of murderers and psychopaths. Do you really want me to believe that a psychopath jumps out every time you turn a rock over?
3) Pretty much everyone except Moo Chi had found out who the real predator was towards the last few episodes.
4) Hong Ju as a character and actor was such a big turn off every time she came on the screen. She had bland expressions, zero chemistry with Yo Han, zero motherly instincts or any kind of attachment with her child, and seemed to be almost cruel in watching silently from the sidelines while keeping so many secrets. She was knowingly hurting so many people and I wanted to hit her.
5) Yo Han was barely explored as a character and all we know about him is through the memories of other characters.
6) Bong Yi suffocated Yong Han and somehow she has no remorse and seems to forget it entirely.
7) There were too many characters and a lot of incredulity around the fact that people kept disappearing and being murdered, but it never raised as much an alarm as it should have.
8) Everyone is connected to everyone, including the dog. It seems like only these few main characters live in this town, and they've run into each other their entire lives without really realizing it.
9) Ba Reum's birth mother was the most infuriating of all characters. How on earth did the mothers ever agree to switch babies and to what end? What was the purpose of this cruel swap? So that they would be able to kill the babies without feeling remorse? But that didn't work out very well did it?
10) The plot point to get a brain-transplanted, empathic Ba Reum to kill other psychopaths seemed to be just there to elongate the number of episodes. This in no way redeemed Ba Reum in the eyes of other characters. He is still a serial killer.
11) I am not sure how I feel about getting the audience to feel hurt and empathy for a serial killer.
The good:
Lee Seung Gi's acting is pretty much the only thing that kept me going. I also liked Bong Yi's character and acting, as well as the old grandma, she was so lovable. I like how they've portrayed the years of trauma endured by the victims and their families, and how hard it is to move on and heal and try to get past the people who hurt them. I also like some of the emotions the drama evoked, and also how it seemed like women were smarter and more rational for the most part, while the men broke down and were enveloped in rage.
1) The major plot point centers around the incredible science-defying idea that you can transplant portions of forebrain from one human to another, and that there is a psychopath gene which can be overriden if you implant the forebrain of a normal human inside the psychopath's.
2) This single area in South Korea where the drama centers seems to house a multitude of murderers and psychopaths. Do you really want me to believe that a psychopath jumps out every time you turn a rock over?
3) Pretty much everyone except Moo Chi had found out who the real predator was towards the last few episodes.
4) Hong Ju as a character and actor was such a big turn off every time she came on the screen. She had bland expressions, zero chemistry with Yo Han, zero motherly instincts or any kind of attachment with her child, and seemed to be almost cruel in watching silently from the sidelines while keeping so many secrets. She was knowingly hurting so many people and I wanted to hit her.
5) Yo Han was barely explored as a character and all we know about him is through the memories of other characters.
6) Bong Yi suffocated Yong Han and somehow she has no remorse and seems to forget it entirely.
7) There were too many characters and a lot of incredulity around the fact that people kept disappearing and being murdered, but it never raised as much an alarm as it should have.
8) Everyone is connected to everyone, including the dog. It seems like only these few main characters live in this town, and they've run into each other their entire lives without really realizing it.
9) Ba Reum's birth mother was the most infuriating of all characters. How on earth did the mothers ever agree to switch babies and to what end? What was the purpose of this cruel swap? So that they would be able to kill the babies without feeling remorse? But that didn't work out very well did it?
10) The plot point to get a brain-transplanted, empathic Ba Reum to kill other psychopaths seemed to be just there to elongate the number of episodes. This in no way redeemed Ba Reum in the eyes of other characters. He is still a serial killer.
11) I am not sure how I feel about getting the audience to feel hurt and empathy for a serial killer.
The good:
Lee Seung Gi's acting is pretty much the only thing that kept me going. I also liked Bong Yi's character and acting, as well as the old grandma, she was so lovable. I like how they've portrayed the years of trauma endured by the victims and their families, and how hard it is to move on and heal and try to get past the people who hurt them. I also like some of the emotions the drama evoked, and also how it seemed like women were smarter and more rational for the most part, while the men broke down and were enveloped in rage.
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