Reviews

Brilliant but Heartbreaking

This was such a great watch! I honestly regret not watching it when it first came out, but that’s adult life, I guess! 😂

Anyway, the storyline, character development, plot, and acting were all amazing. You definitely have to give it a chance, though—the first episode starts off quite confusing, but trust me, it gets SO good!

I loved all the characters. I mean, I came for Trin and Tawan, but my heart was completely stolen by Nara and the Colonel! And honestly, even the villains were incredibly well done.

I also loved the film music and, oh my god, the costumes! The clothes they chose for each character were unbelievably good-looking and fit the characters so well. The whole visual style of the series was just beautiful.

There were, however, a few things I didn’t like. I feel like Nara and the Colonel were done dirty, and I’m still not over it. 😭 But at the same time, the wife as the true villain was phenomenal. I was crying and completely in awe at the same time!

One other thing that bothered me was the amount of smoking. For some reason, literally everyone seemed to be a smoker! 😂 I know the story takes place in the 60s and that smoking was very common back then, but the sheer amount of cigarettes felt like a bit too much.

All in all, this was a really great watch! Brilliant, emotional, beautifully acted, and absolutely heartbreaking. Definitely a series I’m glad I finally watched!

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12 episodes. 6 weeks. And somehow, it’s already over. ??

Looking back, I honestly have to say that I’m leaving this drama with both a smile and a tear in my eye. From the very beginning to the very end, Dream to You was absolutely perfect. I loved every single bit of it, and I already know that this drama will stay with me for a very, very long time.

My male lead is played by one of my absolute favorite actors and I simply adored him in this role. 🥹 And the female lead? I loved her just as much. Their chemistry, their story and the way their relationship developed had me completely invested.

And can we talk about the couples? The second couple had something truly special about them and even though the third couple didn’t get nearly as much screen time, I still really enjoyed them. 🥹

This drama made me feel everything. There were beautiful moments, emotional moments, heartbreaking moments… it really had it all. It was such a complete, heartwarming experience and honestly felt like the perfect little package.

There are dramas you enjoy, and then there are dramas that become a memory. Dream to You is definitely the latter for me. ❤️

I’m genuinely sad that it’s over, but I’m also so grateful I got to experience this story.

Absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend. 10/10. 🥹❤️
One of my favorite dramas of the year.

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Trust, Secrets, and The Cost of Catching a Killer

I have watched a lot of crime thrillers over the years, and I have developed a certain resistance to them. I know the beats, the red herrings, the episode-six twist that recontextualizes everything, and the tearful finale where justice is served and everyone learns a valuable lesson about teamwork.

So when I sat down to watch Beyond Evil, I was prepared for competence. I was not prepared for what I actually got, which was something far more unsettling, far more beautiful, and far more human than I ever expected. This is a drama that does not just ask who did it; it asks what it costs to find out, and whether the pursuit of justice can ever truly leave you intact. It is a slow-burn masterpiece that lingers in your bones long after the final credits roll, and I am still not entirely sure I have recovered from it.

The drama is set in the small, sleepy town of Manyang, a place that looks picturesque on the surface but carries the weight of a twenty-year-old unsolved serial murder case. At the center of it all is Lee Dong-sik, played by Shin Ha-kyun, a detective who was once the prime suspect in those very murders and who still carries the trauma of his missing twin sister like an open wound. His life is upended by the arrival of Han Joo-won, a young, elite detective from Seoul played by Yeo Jin-goo, who transfers to the Manyang police substation with a single objective: to solve the cold case and prove that Dong-sik is the killer.

What follows is a psychological chess match between two men who distrust each other completely, forced to work together as a new series of murders begins to mirror the old ones. The premise is familiar, I will admit, but the execution is anything but. This is a character-driven drama through and through, and it uses its crime thriller framework to explore something far more profound: the nature of evil, the fragility of human morality, and the devastating effects of grief and guilt on the human psyche.

Let's chat about the performances, because I genuinely do not know where to begin without sounding like I am exaggerating. Shin Ha-kyun, who won the Baeksang Best Actor award for this role, delivers what I can only describe as one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen in any medium. His Lee Dong-sik is a man of impossible contradictions: he smiles constantly, often at the most inappropriate moments, and there is something deeply unsettling about that smile. But then he cries, and you see the decades of pain and guilt pouring out of him, and you cannot help but want to believe him.

He runs on impulse, he does questionable things, and he keeps you guessing about his true nature until the very end. One moment he is the most sympathetic character in the room, and the next you are genuinely wondering if he is capable of something terrible. That is the whole engine of the show, honestly, and Shin Ha-kyun plays it with a kind of quirky brilliance that makes it impossible to look away.

For me, this was my first real introduction to Shin Ha-kyun's work, and I absolutely fell in love with his craft. Consider what his character is carrying: for twenty-one years, Lee Dong-sik has been walking around with an unresolved wound, surrounded by the same people, the same memories, and the same circumstances that are tangled up in his sister's disappearance. That is an impossibly heavy burden, and when the truth finally starts to come into focus, the emotion that spills out of him is not clean. It is not simply grief. It is not simply rage. It is not even relief. It is all of it arriving at once, a tidal wave that has been building for over two decades.

And Shin Ha-kyun does not tidy those emotions up for the audience. He does not give you a neat, conventional breakdown with pretty tears and a clear catharsis. He lets Dong-sik crash. That is the word I keep coming back to: crash. His breakdown hits harder than any melodramatic crying scene because Shin Ha-kyun has spent the entire drama teaching me to pay close attention to this man's face. Dong-sik rarely gives you the straightforward emotional response, and that is what makes the moments when he finally breaks so devastating. Shin Ha-kyun employs everything I value most in the actors I love: masterful facial muscle control, microshifts in expression that speak volumes, the powerful use of negative space in his performance, and so much information conveyed in the silences between his lines. He tells you everything without saying a word, and then when he finally does speak, every syllable carries the weight of years. It is a revelation, honestly.

With this single performance, Shin Ha-kyun has easily joined my SSS-tier of actors, a spot that has been held solo for quite some time by the incomparable Shin Hae-sun. They now share the throne at the very top of my personal ranking.

And then there is Yeo Jin-goo as Han Joo-won, who is the perfect foil to Dong-sik's chaos. He is buttoned-up, precise, and seemingly without flaw, but underneath that polished exterior is a man carrying his own secrets and his own deep-seated trauma. Yeo Jin-goo embodies this righteous restraint with absurd skill, and watching these two actors play off each other is genuinely one of the great pleasures of modern television. Their dynamic shifts from rivalry to reluctant partnership to something deeper and more complicated, and every confrontation and reconciliation between them feels hard-won and earned.

The final interactions between Lee Dong-sik and Han Joo-won are, quite simply, some of the most heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes I have ever seen in any kdrama. It is a feat that feels almost impossible to achieve, bringing together two characters who exist on completely opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, one chaotic and wounded, the other restrained and guarded. Yet Beyond Evil manages to knock it out of the park. When these two men finally reach a place of understanding, when all the suspicion and tension gives way to something resembling trust and even affection, it hits you like a freight train. You have watched them tear each other apart and slowly piece each other back together, and the payoff is so deeply earned that you cannot help but feel your heart swell. It is the kind of resolution that reminds you why you invest in characters in the first place, because when they finally find their way to each other, it feels like a victory for everyone who has been watching.

The plot of Beyond Evil is constructed with a terrifying precision. It is a complex, slow-burn psychological whodunit that unfolds over sixteen episodes without ever feeling like it is dragging or rushing. The killer is revealed fairly early in the drama, which might sound like a spoiler but is actually one of the show's greatest strengths. The real mystery is not who did it, but how the characters react when the killer is right in front of them. They are faced with impossible decisions, handed the power to kill or not to kill, and the drama forces them to confront the inherent good or evil within themselves. This is where the title comes into play, because evil, as the show suggests, cannot be controlled by humans; it is beyond human comprehension.

The Korean title, Monster, is equally fitting, because the drama explores the monstrous potential that exists within every character. Everyone is guilty to some degree, and everyone carries a shadow that brings them closer to what they condemn. The show abandons the traditional moral dualism of police dramas and instead plunges into ambiguity. It constantly asks who the real monster is, and leads to the realization that evil is rarely an external entity; it is a latent possibility within the human being. The themes explored here are rich and varied: grief, guilt, betrayal, forgiveness, redemption, and the devastating effects of selfishness and collective silence.

The drama also explores the loopholes and injustice of the legal system, and the way that one person's selfishness can have a knock-on effect that turns everyone into a monster. It is a story about what it means to be a family, and about the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love. And remarkably, despite all of this darkness, the drama manages to feel like a healing show at its core, one that explores what it takes to catch monsters without becoming one yourself.

So here is the thing about Beyond Evil. It is not a fast-paced, crazy chase to catch a killer; it does not rely on cheap twists or high-stakes action sequences. Instead, it respects its viewers by not laying out every answer plainly for us to see, challenging us to make the connections ourselves. It is a drama that requires patience and attention, and if you are not paying close enough attention, you will miss the little hints and details that make the whole thing click into place. But that is half the fun, honestly, and I cannot wait to rewatch it and pick up on everything I missed the first time.

This is a drama that makes you think a lot and gives you profound feelings, especially during a second watch. It is a remarkably well-rounded production that manages to feel amazingly intense while never resorting to cheap tricks or being too fast. Each element of the production helps build up the intensity and emotions, leaving you with a solid contender for best mystery, crime drama, and psychological thriller of the year. It is a rare masterpiece in the psychological thriller genre, one that breaks and constructs many layers of its central concepts while keeping the plot moving. And it does all of this while exploring themes of trust, family, and the thin line that separates justice from monstrosity.

I think this drama is something that defies easy categorization. I think it is a drama that will make you uncomfortable, challenge your assumptions, and leave you staring at the ceiling long after you have finished watching it. I think it is the kind of story that reminds you why you fell in love with Kdramas in the first place, not because of the romance or the action or the polished production values, but because of the depth of emotion and the sheer humanity that Korean storytellers are capable of bringing to the screen. This is not a drama that tells you what to think or how to feel. It trusts you to sit with the ambiguity and find your own answers.

So what is the verdict, then? After all of this analysis, after dissecting the performances, the plot, the cinematography, and the music, what do I actually think of Beyond Evil?

Go watch it.

I have spent years building a vocabulary for explaining why stories matter to me. I have used every part of that vocabulary on countless dramas, dissecting their writing, performances, themes, emotions, and everything in between. For this one, I have nothing more useful to tell you than to experience it yourself.

Even if you are not a fan of serial killer thrillers, Beyond Evil is more than its genre. It is something I genuinely believe every kdrama viewer owes themselves the chance to experience at least once.

That is it. That is the review.

Go watch it.

Extended review is available at byrei.ink

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This drama is significantly underrated. It remains perplexing to me why many viewers reacted unfavorably to the series or the lead couple. For me, this drama served as a breath of fresh air within the romantic comedy genre.
I eagerly anticipated its premiere. Hwang In-yeop and Lee Hye-ri form an exceptionally attractive and compelling duo. The visual of the drama was equally enticing and a narrative centered around two directors offered a novel and refreshing concept.
This is a highly commendable drama, and the inclusion of two secondary couples alongside the primary storyline served as a substantial asset to the drama.
I genuinely enjoyed the plot, the cast's performances, the chosen locations and also chosen music. However, the ending felt overly convoluted. I sympathize with Yi-jae’s decision, as going abroad for her studies was indeed necessary, yet severing ties with Soo-bin appeared remarkably inexplicable. While I understand that she felt overwhelmed by his hyper-fixated care and complete focus on her, I generally dislike such abrupt plot twists in a finale.
Hye-ri delivered a delightfully vibrant and playful performance—an archetype in which she truly thrives. Hwang In-yeop’s portrayal was equally impressive and represented a novel direction for him. The lead pair demonstrated outstanding onscreen chemistry, embodying their respective roles to perfection.

A standout highlight of this production was the relationship between Yoo Gyeom and Oh Ha-na, portrayed by Lee Yeol-eum and Son Chae-ryeong. Their magnetic dynamic and the intensity conveyed through their subtle glances made every scene deeply captivating. I’d have greatly welcomed seeing them on screen more frequently.
As for the pairing of Sa-rang and In-wook, they possessed immense potential; regrettably, the production chose to accord them minimal screen time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of their school years, filming scenes, grow of their relationships, and every nuance in between. From start to finish, the drama maintained my complete engagement, with every narrative arc receiving thorough resolution. There is simply no reason to overlook this drama!

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Don't write this drama off because of the bad reviews

I watched everything in one day, which allowed me to experience the series in a different way than the watchers who waited every week for new episodes. Many people write that one of the main drawbacks mentioned at the end is the breakup of the main couple. In my opinion, it was a perfect move, making ML feel what the FL felt. If she was abandoned for many years, why couldn't he wait two years? And it allowed her to fulfill a dream she put on hold because of him. I think it allows them both to start over and are equal emotionally and professionally. Plus, after seeing their kisses, I can definitely say they had chemistry! The supporting couples had interesting stories, and I don't think they took up too much of the main characters' time, but there was enough time to develop their stories.

Another point viewers disagreed with was the cancer subplot. It did appear out of nowhere, but the father-son relationship was touching for me. It shows viewers how, in the pursuit of goals, we often forget about our loved ones, only to realize how important they are to us when it's often too late.

In my opinion, the storyline of ML's father and mother should have been more developed; the father should have been punished for his violence against both his son and his wife. The overall story should also included ML's feelings, some form of therapy, etc. The topic of ML's biological mother leaving should also be addressed. In real life, it's impossible to remain as indifferent and stoic as the main character was about this.

I think that not having to wait for episodes each week influenced my reception and interpretation of this drama. I don't think it's as bad as some people think. In some places, something was missing, and in others, there was too much. The drama's pacing was good, without dragging on unnecessary plot threads. I'm glad we didn't spend too much time in the past, but the characters' motives were perfectly presented. The story was original, but it could have been better executed. All in all, a good drama to watch one time- 8,3/10

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There is nothing scary at all in this series

The plot of this series is quite interesting. The visuals are beautiful and grand, and the CGI is excellent. Unfortunately, they added so many extra elements that the plot became disappointing, boring, and lacking in interest, and the overall story turned into a complete mess.

Many of the actors did a good job. Nam Joohyuk looks really cool in this role whenever he’s in the underworld. Roh Yoonseo is very beautiful and cute here, but her acting in this drama confuses me a little. In some scenes she performs very well, while in others she comes across as stiff, emotionless, and as if she’s just reciting lines. The underworld itself is vague and complicated — they don’t really explain much about it. What I really dislike is that almost none of the villains face any consequences for their past actions. It’s like Gu Cheon and Saeng Gang are stopping the evil spirits just to protect characters who are even worse. The only scenes I actually liked were the fight against the shaman’s guardian spirit, the ancient spirit scene, and the protagonist’s little spirit pet — that one was cute.

Overall, this series has an interesting plot, beautiful visuals, and excellent CGI. If you’re a fan of Nam Joohyuk, you can definitely watch it because he looks really cool in the underworld scenes. Roh Yoonseo is also very beautiful and cute. However, the story is messy, boring, and disappointing, with a lack of consequences for the villains. For me, this is definitely one of the worst Korean dramas of the year. And most importantly, there is nothing scary at all in this series.

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A shop for killers Season 2

Well season 1 for much better (or it is nostalgia) but I still like it a lot and it is still 10/10 of drama (once again either nostalgia or this amazing acting). My main problem was that as far as I was so f...cking hyped for it, I started watching after Love sync which I loved and have not fully moved on - so bad timing. But as I stated before acting for so freaking good - Lee Dong Wook and Kim Hye Jun were amazing,.
LDW actions scenes were top tier. Well all in all we knew he would give amazing performance
KHJ - why she lost so many people close to her?!! poor girl, but she carried. I can totally see her playing Park Bo Young's younger sister.
Jung Yun Ha - she was amazing as a villain, she annoyed me and I was waiting for her ending.
Everybody acted perfectly - and that alone deserves a high rating.
LDW and KHJ relationship reminded me of Joel&Ellie from The last of us (in general it reminded me a little about it, minus zombies) which for sure make me like it more.
All in all, I like season 1 more but this one was also really amazing.

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Slice of Life with a Side of Mystery

The story is very slow. As one reviewer noted, the plot is largely flat, focusing instead on the slow-burn relationship between the main characters. While Ye Li’s revenge and the Lishan Mountain storyline exist, they remain in the background of the romance, their everyday lives, and court politics.

Points to Note
1. The arc with the Cangbei princess, her cross-dressing romance, and the maid felt like drawn-out filler. A long-winded way to bring Mo Jingli back into the picture

2. Ye Li's sister, Ye Ying, I didn't care much for her largely because I am averse to spoiled characters who feel like they are owed something. But if her story teaches us anything, it's never to love anyone more than you love or value yourself and your safety. I am glad she didn't lose her life at the hands of or because of that man and his enemies.

3. The story loses its momentum once the divorce happens. It is already a slow drama to begin with, but once this arc hits, everything feels like it's moving at a snail's pace. I will say, I watched episodes 37–40 at 1.5x speed to finish it.
PS. I did enjoy the Lishan arc that happened in the midst of all this. While she is basically miraculously cured after being forced to confront the trauma, I enjoyed seeing Ye Li's mental health issues brought to the forefront.

Final Thoughts:
I was able to finish this because I wanted something slower. Something to help me fall asleep at night (slice of life dramas/movies/anime do that to me). Had I had different expectations, I'd have dropped it

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Messy but good messiness

So, at first, I didn’t really want to watch this series, but I eventually decided to give it a try, and honestly, it wasn’t bad at all. A revenge storyline in a GL is definitely something different, and you can tell that a lot of work went into the story, the production, and the acting. And Arisa and Lalin’s relationship… absolutely insane, but also really interesting to watch.

The plot twist was pretty predictable, but I didn’t really mind it. However, I definitely think the series should have ended at episode 6.

My main issue is the way Arisa’s past was handled. I feel like we were mostly told about what she went through instead of actually being shown it. We got a few flashbacks, but I really wish we had seen more of her suffering and everything that eventually pushed her toward revenge. It would have helped me understand her perspective and maybe even root for her, because personally, I was more on Lalin’s mother’s side.

I also wish we had gotten way more confrontation scenes from Lalin. I found her way too passive considering how serious and messed up the whole situation was. There was so much potential for more intense confrontations between the characters.

Same thing with the assistant and the journalist I really wish their relationship had been developed more.

And as for the relationship between Lalin’s mother and Arisa’s mother: psychiatric hospital. That’s all I’m going to say .

But overall, I still had a good time watching the series.

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You Need a Lots of Tissue When Watching!

Road to Success is an inspiring C-drama about ambition, perseverance, relationships, and the journey toward success. It follows the characters as they navigate career challenges, personal setbacks, difficult choices, and the realities of chasing their dreams.

What makes it compelling is that success isn’t portrayed as an overnight achievement. The story focuses on growth, resilience, friendship, love, and learning from failure—showing how every setback can become part of the road forward.

Definitely one of those underrated dramas that slowly hooks you until you realize, “Okay… I need to watch the next episode.”

After watching the last episode, this deserved a standing ovation. BTW, this is the first time I am rating a C-drama.

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Quirky & Wise

A timid girl with poor self esteem joins an unorthodox sketching club when she’s captivated by one of its members. Then an extremely confident boy, who’s equally captivated by her, also joins the group. Under the guidance of the eccentric members, will this duo find a new sense of worth as they learn to see themselves more clearly?

I found this to be a really cute coming-of-age romcom. It had lots of scenes that made me laugh from the chaos this club created. And I found other moments to be inspiring with the lessons the older members taught the duo - about being & loving yourself in the present as you journey to meet the future you. They were such supportive mentors to their new, young friends. [[ I especially loved how they verbally slayed that delulu female love rival with some hard truths in defense of their beloved friends ]]🫶🏻

While this is mainly focused on the Leads’ individual & shared journey, it also gives time to each club member to have their story told to give us insight into the why behind each of their personalities. It also tells portions of the Leads’ respective friends’ stories too. I admit, I loved the male trio more than the females simply because the boys never had any petty fights or drama amongst them (unlike the girls) - their friendship was solid from start to finish.

There are other support characters that add certain aspects to the drama, some of whom I enjoyed while others I wanted to slap. But even that is realistic as we don’t only meet people we like in life - we have to learn to accept & respect those we don’t care for as well (but that doesn’t mean we have to allow them to manipulate or abuse us in any way!)

If you’re wanting a not-new story told in a fun, unique way then I recommend watching this. Due to all the differing personalities of the members, I think everyone will find at least one character they can relate to…

PS: the secondary love line adds its own life lessons in both beautiful & frustrating ways.

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.12💋
- Together : ep.8 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp: Nope 💘

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