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This gripping drama follows An Yun Su, an art teacher whose peaceful life collapses when she is accused of her husband’s murder and sent to prison. There, she forms a tense and dangerous alliance with Mo Eun, a mysterious inmate rumored to see into people’s minds. As their hidden secrets begin to surface, principled prosecutor Baek Dong Hun investigates the case, testing his morals and sense of justice, while Yun Su’s tenacious lawyer, Jang Jeong Gu, fights relentlessly to uncover the truth and prove her innocence. The Price of Confession is a flawlessly crafted crime mystery drama that challenges our perceptions of others while exposing the prejudices and assumptions held by those in authority.

This drama takes you on a journey to uncover the truth, where everything is connected and every detail matters. From the very beginning, you may find yourself forming your own judgment of one of the main characters, An Yun Su. The way she responds to her husband’s death, how she behaves at the crime scene, and how she dresses and reacts during questioning all shape your perception of her, much like they shape Jang Jeong Gu’s view as well. It was also interesting to see the scene at the end of the first episode, which serves as a visualization of what Jang Jeong Gu, and perhaps the audience, believes happened during An Yun Su’s husband’s murder. I initially tried not to form any biased judgments about her, but after seeing that scene, it almost convinced me that it might reflect the truth of what happened.

Then come Mo Eun’s crime and interrogation scenes. At first, they made me perceive her as a sadistic, cold-blooded, psychopathic killer. Yet her decision to surrender made me question her true motives, and I found myself genuinely curious about her. On top of that, her attempt to approach and communicate with An Yun Su in prison completely caught me off guard—everything seemed so well planned, it was surprising! Moreover, the way the show repeatedly focuses on that particular scene during Mo Eun's flashbacks suggests that she didn’t start as a psychopath but became one as a result of a very traumatic past.

I found Jin Yeong In's role to be quite suspicious from his very first appearance. That’s because he seemed too good to be true. Compared to Jang Jeong Gu, a nameless lawyer with a clear reason to defend An Yun Su, Jin Yeong In’s background and motives for defending Mo Eun felt almost unreal in today’s world. That’s why I wasn’t too surprised by how the story progressed. I was, however, surprised by his motive. I had been expecting a huge conspiracy or cover-up, but it turned out to be something so trivial—so trivial that many of us might have experienced it, yet never taken it to such an extreme. I was honestly mindblown by the ending; it really shows what can happen when a mental illness is enabled. That said, this well-written, complicated story wouldn’t have achieved its success without the well-developed characters and the excellent performances of the actors portraying them.

Jeon Do Yeon as An Yun Su
As a renowned actress who has portrayed diverse roles, I couldn’t imagine a better choice to play the quirky and eccentric An Yun Su. Beyond her overall appearance, which suits the artistic An Yun Su perfectly, Jeon Do Yeon delivered an excellent performance in bringing out her emotions. Her grief, the way she tries to stay strong for her daughter, her fear and confusion upon entering prison, her desperation to prove her innocence, her anxiety—everything was perfectly conveyed through Jeon Do Yeon's facial expressions and body movements.

There is one question I still have about her character—maybe it was unanswered, or maybe I missed it.

[Spoiler]

Baek Dong Hun said that when An Yun Su was a child, she intentionally pushed her friend, causing injuries, simply because she didn’t like how her friend smiled so brightly in a photo for milk packaging. Is that story true? Was it just an impulsive mistake that children sometimes make, or does it suggest something darker wired within her?

Not to mention the scene where An Yun Su is looking at paintings made by her students. One painting, in particular, stood out: it showed her as if she were about to devour smaller humans. That scene made me suspicious of An Yun Su. However, I realized I might have brushed it off if I didn’t already know she was a convicted killer. As an artist, it’s perfectly normal to pause and take in a painting—but in this case, my knowledge of her past made me form a biased judgment.

[Spoiler Ends]

Despite her well-written character, she wasn’t without flaws. As someone who watches a lot of CSI, I found that her attempts to investigate and go unnoticed were sloppy at times. She wears an electronic ankle tag and knows its purpose, yet she doesn’t even manage to cover her tracks, making it seem like she’s just revealing her alliance with Mo Eun to the police. Also, burying evidence in her own backyard was a questionable choice. Maybe it’s sloppy writing, or maybe it’s the writer showing us that despite An Yun Su being an avid CSI watcher, she’s just a careless woman and mother who wouldn’t hurt a single fly.

I do give credit to the hair and costume stylist. Her long, curly hairstyle and eccentric look really bring An Yun Su's personality to life! Additionally, the large tattoo of her husband on her back was such a nice and artistic touch.

Kim Go Eun as Mo Eun
Wow! For such a complex character, Kim Go Eun delivered an outstanding performance. Beyond her appearance, which somehow complements Jeon Do Yeon's look, her facial expressions were top-tier. She perfectly portrayed a good and selfless girl who develops a deep grudge and a strong motive for vengeance against those who wronged her family. I particularly applaud the scene when she is lying down, seemingly helpless, yet her heart is raging with fury—you’ll know what I mean when you see it. I honestly felt like aiding her.

I do wonder about the reasoning behind her hairstyle, though. Okay, the short hair I get—maybe she cuts it to mark the next (and final) chapter in her life: revenge. But I don’t understand why she approaches the Ko family with her original long hairstyle. Then again, this doesn’t really affect my experience; it’s just a curiosity.

An Yun Su and Mo Eun's chemistry is something to anticipate! I even find An Yun Su's chemistry with Mo Eun stronger than her chemistry with other characters, including her husband. That’s not to say romantically—just chemistry in general. An Yun Su’s grief over the loss of her husband felt somewhat casual to me; she seemed to bounce back quickly, treating it as if he were just out on a trip. Yet with Mo Eun, there’s more than just loss—there’s regret, sympathy, and even a sense of holding onto Mo Eun in her memories as she moves on with her life in the end.

Park Hae Soo as Baek Dong Hun
Park Hae Soo delivered a great performance as Baek Dong Hun. Baek Dong Hun is an upright and persistent character who only believes what he sees. Throughout the series, Park Hae Soo did an excellent job bringing out the annoying side of Baek Dong Hun—almost making me want to smack him on the head to get a grip and put the puzzle pieces together. Honestly, at first, the romance-lover in me thought he might develop romantic curiosity toward An Yun Su, but I was proven wrong. He was just curious about her as a person. However, I admit that if I were in his shoes, I would also relentlessly pursue An Yun Su, perceiving her as the killer because all the evidence and my observations point to her.

Jin Seon Kyu as Jang Jeong Gyu
Jin Seon Kyu was perfect as Jang Jeong Gyu. He brought the character's persistence and upright personality to life. Honestly, if it weren’t for Jang Jeong Gyu, An Yun Su's life would have been much harder. Unlike others, Jang Jeong Gyu consistently gives An Yun Su the benefit of the doubt despite evidence pointing toward her. He is like her loyal sidekick who always has her back. Jin Seon Kyu's expressions and overall presence were perfect for this role.

Baek Dong Hun and Jang Jeong Gyu are like polar opposites in their opinions and behavior toward An Yun Su. While Baek Dong Hun always believes she’s a killer, Jang Jeong Gyu believes she is innocent and wronged. Baek Dong Hun is persistent in proving himself right, while Jang Jeong Gyu is persistent in proving An Yun Su’s innocence. Their chemistry is interesting, to the point that it occasionally comes off as humorous.

The Price of Confession is a series that will keep you hooked. You become fully involved in the characters’ pursuit of the truth. This is a well-written work with twists and turns that leave you genuinely mindblown. It is not a light watch, as it will keep you thinking and questioning throughout. Highly recommended if you want a gripping crime-mystery drama!