but you guys , don't it make you laugh sometimes ? at how good these villains are portraying their roles .. i…
Couldn’t agree more. I mostly see this series as pure entertainment, without really digging into the deeper story - just enjoying the mystery and the acting. The real killer feels a bit bland to me, honestly, but the prosecutor is absolute fire. Incredible.
What makes this series so gripping is how disturbingly realistic it feels. Some viewers are shocked by the behaviour of the police or the prosecutors, but honestly? This is exactly how systems often work — not just in one country, but practically everywhere. People who build careers inside rigid institutions tend to protect the system, their status, and their future long before they protect some random vulnerable person. Sad, but painfully believable.
And the series understands something important about power: many people in law enforcement, medicine, high management, politics — professions constantly dealing with stress, trauma, or authority — become emotionally desensitised. Otherwise they simply wouldn’t survive psychologically. Some of them learn to suppress empathy; others never had much to begin with (as the prosecutor for example). So they literally develop psychopathic traits.
The prosecutor’s priorities and total indifference actually feel completely believable within that environment. His biggest problem isn’t even cruelty — it’s that he isn’t nearly as smart or strategic as he thinks he is. So he makes mistake after mistake. His brother, on the other hand, understands the rules of the game much better and knows how to appear controlled and respectable on the surface. That kind of person is often the bigger evil.
As for Tae Ju, I like him, but emotionally he’s often out of his depth. He rushes forward, takes everything personally, and lets anger cloud his judgement. In a situation involving dangerous and influential people, pure sincerity is not enough; sometimes survival requires subtlety, manipulation, patience. He lacks that strategic instinct, and that’s partly why his situation becomes so tragic.
Another thing the series gets absolutely right is workplace dynamics. Anyone who has worked inside a stressful organisation will recognise it immediately: people compete, undermine each other, report each other to superiors, can barely stand one another — and then still have to sit in the same office the next morning and continue working together as if nothing happened. That part felt painfully authentic.
So yes, I genuinely love this series. Not because it romanticises corruption or abuse of power, but because it strips away comforting illusions and shows how institutions, ambition, fear, and human weakness actually interact in real life.
What can I say? Toxic relationships at their absolute finest. And yes, before anyone comes for me — I know this is not a light watch at all. The series deals with genuinely grim material: abuse of power, forced confessions, innocent people being condemned, systemic corruption. And yet somehow the relationship between Tae Ju and Si Yeong completely overshadows the tragedy for me. Their dynamic feels less like a conventional friendship and more like some deeply dysfunctional, codependent marriage.
Si Yeong honestly reminds me of a volatile spouse with zero emotional regulation — impulsive, hysterical, possessive, incapable of reading the room. Meanwhile Tae Ju feels like the exhausted husband who is now dangerously close to a nervous breakdown himself. And honestly? I find this kind of messy relationship far more compelling than the polished, saccharine “friendships” or couples you often get in other dramas. These two have friction. They have spunk. Their scenes feel alive.
I know some viewers are annoyed by Si Yeong, but for me he is absolutely the highlight of the series. Not because he is a good person — he clearly isn’t — but because he is psychologically fascinating. He very obviously has an underdeveloped emotional sphere and strong psychopathic tendencies. Yes, the traumatic childhood matters, but honestly, part of it also feels hereditary. Just look at his father and brother — people who are chillingly indifferent to violence, and even death. And yet Si Yeong still has traces of humanity left in him. And almost all of those limited emotional capacities are somehow tied specifically to Tae Ju. He genuinely admires him — not only personally, but professionally too. And I think Lee Hee-joon does an incredible job portraying that contradiction. You can constantly feel Si Yeong’s frustration — this sense that he truly cannot understand why Tae Ju keeps being difficult.
As for Tae Ju, he actually started losing it, and I think he was slightly unfair when he snapped at Si Yeong for “smirking.” Honestly, I do not think Si Yeong was mocking him there. At least not intentionally. I think he was genuinely concerned about Tae Ju — as concerned as someone with his emotional limitations can possibly be. And after the handcuff scene, Si Yeong looked genuinely offended, frustrated, and miserable. Everything had finally started falling into place from his perspective: they reached some compromise about the new suspect, he got his recognition. So when that collapsed, I actually felt sorry for him. Maybe I’m in the minority there, but still.
And by the way, even Si Yeong’s fiancée feels weirdly similar to him, which makes their scenes hilarious. I also really enjoyed Si Yeong’s brother, who seems to observe this bizarre “friendship-not-friendship” between Tae Ju and Si Yeong with almost amused understanding.
And despite the spoilers and reveals later on, I’m still deeply invested in the mystery itself. I honestly would not be surprised if there turned out to be more than one killer involved. The story still feels layered enough for further twists.
So yes — this series is dark, morally ugly, emotionally toxic… and incredibly compelling.
"Free school" concept is basically Totto-chan, which is famous book read all over probably up to genX/Y.
Ah, I see where they’re coming from now. It does have that almost nostalgic “dream school” feeling: freedom, understanding adults, creativity, and a peaceful safe atmosphere instead of constant stress and competition.
Such a delight to watch. The prosecutor is absolutely adorable — clingy, arrogant, and indignant all at once. And the best part is that he genuinely has no clue he’s in the wrong or doing anything questionable. He’s completely sincere in his attempts to win the police officer back, which somehow makes him even more funny. Their chemistry is insanely good. Honestly, at this point I barely care who the real culprit or serial killer is — the dynamic between them is the real reason to watch. The whole series is just ridiculously entertaining. Highly recommend.
I kept thinking… what was Jung Tae-eul actually there for in The King: Eternal Monarch? The show really builds her up like she’s key to everything — emotionally, plot-wise, timeline-wise — all of it.
But when you look at what actually happens… she doesn’t really change anything. Young Lee Gon is saved by himself, then later it’s Jo Yeong doing the crucial part. They’re the ones moving things forward, fixing the timeline. And Tae-eul? She’s kind of just… there.
It’s strange, because the story keeps telling you she’s important, but the plot doesn’t back it up. You take her out, and honestly, not much would change.
After the first episode, I’m a little conflicted. The core idea — that if a child doesn’t want to go to school, you simply let them opt out — strikes me as somewhat naïve, even if it’s clearly rooted in some psychological framework. It comes across somewhat detached from reality.
That said, I’m still very much on board — largely thanks to Machida Keita. He’s as compelling as ever. He plays a young art therapist — all soft smiles, pink hoodie, almost overly “nice” to the point of feeling slightly cartoonish. But there’s a hint of something darker underneath, some unresolved anger that hasn’t quite surfaced yet.
And that’s what makes it interesting. If the show actually leans into that tension — lets things unravel a bit, allows the character to crack — it could become far more engaging. Machida has the range to bring real depth even to a role that initially feels two-dimensional, and I’d be very curious to see him handle a more conflicted, unstable arc.
So, yes, even if the plot feels a bit shaky for now, I’ll definitely keep watching. At the very least, I’m curious to see where — and how far — it goes.
You put into words how I felt about this drama. After watching it, I was so absorbed by the story, I couldn't…
Thank you so much 🫶 this is exactly how it felt to me too. I really appreciate how you picked up on those quieter, more natural moments. Glad it resonated with you as well.
Sun Yeong (the sister) literally shares the same genes as Si Yeong (the prosecutor), and we all know what kind of person he is.
Would Sun Yeong really have chosen her brother over her child’s future — the wealth, status, education, all of it? I seriously doubt it.
Tae Ju made a deal with Si Yeong and tried to screw him over at the same time.
And Tae Ju sacrificed Seok Man for the child’s body. He wasn’t distracted or confused — it was intentional. That was the price he paid to Si Yeong.
And the series understands something important about power: many people in law enforcement, medicine, high management, politics — professions constantly dealing with stress, trauma, or authority — become emotionally desensitised. Otherwise they simply wouldn’t survive psychologically. Some of them learn to suppress empathy; others never had much to begin with (as the prosecutor for example). So they literally develop psychopathic traits.
The prosecutor’s priorities and total indifference actually feel completely believable within that environment. His biggest problem isn’t even cruelty — it’s that he isn’t nearly as smart or strategic as he thinks he is. So he makes mistake after mistake. His brother, on the other hand, understands the rules of the game much better and knows how to appear controlled and respectable on the surface. That kind of person is often the bigger evil.
As for Tae Ju, I like him, but emotionally he’s often out of his depth. He rushes forward, takes everything personally, and lets anger cloud his judgement. In a situation involving dangerous and influential people, pure sincerity is not enough; sometimes survival requires subtlety, manipulation, patience. He lacks that strategic instinct, and that’s partly why his situation becomes so tragic.
Another thing the series gets absolutely right is workplace dynamics. Anyone who has worked inside a stressful organisation will recognise it immediately: people compete, undermine each other, report each other to superiors, can barely stand one another — and then still have to sit in the same office the next morning and continue working together as if nothing happened. That part felt painfully authentic.
So yes, I genuinely love this series. Not because it romanticises corruption or abuse of power, but because it strips away comforting illusions and shows how institutions, ambition, fear, and human weakness actually interact in real life.
Si Yeong honestly reminds me of a volatile spouse with zero emotional regulation — impulsive, hysterical, possessive, incapable of reading the room. Meanwhile Tae Ju feels like the exhausted husband who is now dangerously close to a nervous breakdown himself. And honestly? I find this kind of messy relationship far more compelling than the polished, saccharine “friendships” or couples you often get in other dramas. These two have friction. They have spunk. Their scenes feel alive.
I know some viewers are annoyed by Si Yeong, but for me he is absolutely the highlight of the series. Not because he is a good person — he clearly isn’t — but because he is psychologically fascinating. He very obviously has an underdeveloped emotional sphere and strong psychopathic tendencies. Yes, the traumatic childhood matters, but honestly, part of it also feels hereditary. Just look at his father and brother — people who are chillingly indifferent to violence, and even death. And yet Si Yeong still has traces of humanity left in him. And almost all of those limited emotional capacities are somehow tied specifically to Tae Ju. He genuinely admires him — not only personally, but professionally too. And I think Lee Hee-joon does an incredible job portraying that contradiction. You can constantly feel Si Yeong’s frustration — this sense that he truly cannot understand why Tae Ju keeps being difficult.
As for Tae Ju, he actually started losing it, and I think he was slightly unfair when he snapped at Si Yeong for “smirking.” Honestly, I do not think Si Yeong was mocking him there. At least not intentionally. I think he was genuinely concerned about Tae Ju — as concerned as someone with his emotional limitations can possibly be. And after the handcuff scene, Si Yeong looked genuinely offended, frustrated, and miserable. Everything had finally started falling into place from his perspective: they reached some compromise about the new suspect, he got his recognition. So when that collapsed, I actually felt sorry for him. Maybe I’m in the minority there, but still.
And by the way, even Si Yeong’s fiancée feels weirdly similar to him, which makes their scenes hilarious. I also really enjoyed Si Yeong’s brother, who seems to observe this bizarre “friendship-not-friendship” between Tae Ju and Si Yeong with almost amused understanding.
And despite the spoilers and reveals later on, I’m still deeply invested in the mystery itself. I honestly would not be surprised if there turned out to be more than one killer involved. The story still feels layered enough for further twists.
So yes — this series is dark, morally ugly, emotionally toxic… and incredibly compelling.
Highly recommend.
Kim Bum though? Brilliant. Absolutely carried the series.
Their chemistry is insanely good. Honestly, at this point I barely care who the real culprit or serial killer is — the dynamic between them is the real reason to watch. The whole series is just ridiculously entertaining. Highly recommend.
But when you look at what actually happens… she doesn’t really change anything. Young Lee Gon is saved by himself, then later it’s Jo Yeong doing the crucial part. They’re the ones moving things forward, fixing the timeline. And Tae-eul? She’s kind of just… there.
It’s strange, because the story keeps telling you she’s important, but the plot doesn’t back it up. You take her out, and honestly, not much would change.
That said, I’m still very much on board — largely thanks to Machida Keita. He’s as compelling as ever. He plays a young art therapist — all soft smiles, pink hoodie, almost overly “nice” to the point of feeling slightly cartoonish. But there’s a hint of something darker underneath, some unresolved anger that hasn’t quite surfaced yet.
And that’s what makes it interesting. If the show actually leans into that tension — lets things unravel a bit, allows the character to crack — it could become far more engaging. Machida has the range to bring real depth even to a role that initially feels two-dimensional, and I’d be very curious to see him handle a more conflicted, unstable arc.
So, yes, even if the plot feels a bit shaky for now, I’ll definitely keep watching. At the very least, I’m curious to see where — and how far — it goes.