WATCHER (2019)

It’s an ambitious detective drama, because the main theme is the corruption in the police and moral boundaries. But this is also a good thriller with psychological background.

We are not used to uncertainty and hesitation about who is the good and who is the bad guy. It’s easier to watch something simple, black and white. That’s why probably some people think that something is missing in the drama. But complicated plot, labyrinth of possibilities and mysteries characters are strong point in this show and build a good crime story.

We get to know characters slowly. They hide more than we can read from their words. Truly I was fascinated of actors’ skills and how they portrayed subtle differences and nuances in characters’ mind and soul: the fear of lawyer Han Tae Joo, the rage of young policeman Kim Young Goon, Do Chi Kwang belief in his omnipotence.

I like this drama very much, although the plot is really complicated. The director is consequent and he created the show with the same pace and the same quality in all episodes. Actors are great. The emotions are great. The gray colours of filming are great. Sometimes the good script is enough for handsome Seo Kang Joon to shine.

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OCN shown once again that is the right network to choose if you want to watch a good crime/thriller.
In my opinion this drama was more characters driven than plot driven, and the cast did an awesome job in portraying a plot that was unnecessarily over complicated. The writer took us on a very long detour to keep us engaged but at the end he failed to delivery the “twist plot” we all were waiting for.
When you take down one enemy after another, but there are still episodes to air, it is very easy to see, between the suspects, who is still standing.
I really would love to give this an 8 but despite the great acting, the wonderful soundtrack and some thriller/dramatic moments, I didn’t appreciate how the writer play with us.

Plot: unnecessarily complicated, full of thrilling moments strategically placed to grab the viewer, but the overall consistency of the story was lacking, the ending was predictable. Most of the plot focus on the corruption within the police/justice SK society.

Characters: well-written, the story was characters driven, each member of the team has his own story, all of them show the true colors of human kind, the trauma they suffer affected them not only psychologically but also physically, and bring them to make decisions that not always are the rightful one.

Acting: superb, the cast did an awesome job and save a lot this drama.

Soundtrack: wonderful and perfect to give the thriller vibe and dramatic vibe when necessary.

Personal opinion: I am more into pure thriller where the enemy is a psychopath than into corruption plot, but this can definitely be added in the OCN best work.

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Literally the police version of Stranger. If Stranger was about prosecutors investigating higher up corruption in the prosecution office, WATCHER is about the Corruption Investigation Team of four people investigating corrupt police officers who not only take bribes but also harm others, which most likely also involve corrupt prosecutors in some cases. They are highly character-centric than being more plot-centric which explains that you may easily get lost if you don't pay careful attention to many people's names and the complex nature/motivations of their greyish character. It can be slightly difficult to follow, but the psychological pay-off is extremely high if you bear with it.

I have to agree that way the story was presented to us was a bit messy. They started off with a murder of a young child's mother to a traffic violation case to a harming of police officer on-duty, to misuse of the firearm by a police officer to organ trafficking to bribery ledger involving higher-ups of public officials and a conglomerate chairman, to an illegal drug distribution network involving corrupt officers and finally the implied future investigation of powerful politicians and business people. However, this drama is in no way procedural, and the sub crime-cases are only introduced to question the true morality of some characters or bring in new characters to add to the bigger investigation trails. In this way, the transition of one case to another is quite smooth, but I see some real problems with the execution, or more precisely the way the dialogues were written to help the viewers connect the threads along their investigation trails. E.g. there are multiple instances in the show where it is not very clear how Do Chi Gwang makes the investigative deduction to implicate the higher-ups in some cases. As I observe this, the problem here does not necessarily lie in the way the whole puzzle is brought together to create a cohesive story, rather the way small details and threads are supposedly connected (or rather, told) to reduce plot holes.

My point here is that a corruption-investigation series is bound to be heavily character-centric which may explain why some people are voicing dissatisfaction over the (unnecessarily) convoluted way of the story being told. Instead, I believe making it confusing and going round in circles is likely the most plausible way to tell a story of this genre in a way that makes it episodically engaging. Thus the path the writers took should not be deemed unnecessary, rather a logical one.

Other than the weakness in the way small threads are being somewhat loosely connected to one another, I do find that the pacing of this drama is A REAL PROBLEM. I watched this drama in parts initially only for Seo Kang Joon, and only managed to finish this in entirety after working out a way to increase the playback speed, LOL. So if you have been looking for that magic tool, install Video Speed Controller on your Google Chrome extension. You're welcome.

Aside from this, I do have to say that I am very invested in all the lead characters in the show. I came here mainly for Seo Kang Joon and Kim Hyun Joo, and must say they totally nailed their characters! Kim Young Goon is a tortured character who's also a bit naive but is plain good-natured. It's amazing to see his portrayal of emotional breakdowns and rage when facing the confusion of not being able to trust anyone around him, most especially his own father. Han Tae Joo's character is a selfish one, who only cares about achieving her goals and is always ready to switch sides as long as the choices she makes brings her closer to goal for revenge. Jo Soo Yeon and Hong Jae Shik are interesting characters to look for as well, and they really do add intricate nuances to an otherwise a very dry, corruption investigation series. Do Chi Gwang is the anti-hero in this drama, which is an interesting deviation from Hwang Shi Mok in Stranger who is a straight arrow and only pursues justice and upholds integrity in his choices. Jang Hae Ryong and Deputy Commissioner Park were also the interesting ones, and I am satisfied with the plot twists they gave us in the final two episodes. In fact, compared to Stranger, I am much more invested in the most recurring characters in this drama because the way all these complex characters are written is just exceptional, and is truly the biggest strength/stand-out of this drama for me.

They also concluded this drama nicely while also hinting away at the possibility of a second season. In fact, I am eagerly waiting for the day it comes, because the upgrade to the investigation trail this time would be to investigate corrupt politicians, business people and high-ranked public officials which would make it even more interesting, like the anticipation that builds for Stranger 2. When that happens, I do hope that the writer/director managed to secure the same lead casts because they have successfully built the momentum and the right anticipation for this first season, and the way the story was written is so expendable that it's only up to the writer's skills to give that to us.

If not for some of the missed executions, MDL rating for this drama should be as high as Stranger. Enjoy your watch!

Bonus: My ranking of corruption-investigation or psychological thriller series:
1. Doctor Prisoner (10)
2. Confession (9.5)
3. WATCHER (9.0)
4. Stranger (8.5)
5. Trap (8.0)

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It's has good plot. They try to makes sense all the plot and clue they create that the writers forget of how to give a room to each character Narrative, make them to find an engaging emotional ride . lack to give real emotional of this narrative what make experience watching this drama boring . Their trauma and their past is just a background. Instead, They try to expand the remaining hours to add unecesary detail in each case and can't figure out how to give room to creating an engaging emotional depth, which left me never engaged to the story. The cast sell this character emotional conflict and make them interesting.

I have to give them credit for giving the audience a change viewing each character point of view. Also, little tonal shift, stay true to the genre , generally well constructed plot, and a good cast. And
I'm happy though Seo Kang Joon choose another solid drama twice in a row and with solid production and a good cast.

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Angels and Demons

There is a reason why so many watchers of Watcher enthusiastically endorse it as worth the watch.

(If the repetitiveness in this first sentence grated on your nerves, it’s by design: it foreshadows being subjected over and over again to the same tricks of the storytelling trade, even when not absolutely necessary.)

The most frequently used techniques you will encounter in this show: swift turns in loyalties and alliances, constant use of the moral grayscale, motivations and character traits that invert from clear-cut to murky. It's compelling. Could become tiresome, when done solely for the sake of maintaining viewer interest.

One major plus of this show is that the writer has a good grasp of where the story is going. Minimal meandering, plot holes, fillers. A blessing in K-drama world. Each episode is tightly written, and advances the plot coherently. It’s an example of very good writing. What keeps it from being great is the decision to focus more on the twists and turns in unlocking the secret rather than the inner workings of the characters. The way the puzzle is revealed is too convoluted for its essential simplicity. At its core, the show is a study of the blurred lines between good and evil, of how easy it is to fall from the grace of justice into the damnation of crime. It makes more sense to build it as a psychological rather than a mystery thriller.

By design, the characters are formulaic: The Ambiguous Key Figure, The Stonefaced Bitch, The Bitter-Yet-Idealistic Youngster. The actors are wonderful in fleshing them out and giving them depth.

Han Suk Kyu as Do Chi Gwang maintains the character’s mystique to the end while inspiring in the viewer a deep desire to not end up resenting him.

Seo Kang Joon has a string of strong performances under his belt, and he doesn’t disappoint as Kim Young Koon. In the final stretch of the show it is immensely satisfying to see his character display serious fighting skills, and practically demolish a swarm of attackers.

Kim Hyun Joo deserves serious praise for her turn as Han Tae Joo. It seems to be a trend in K-drama world that strong and competent female characters have an inexplicable drive for acting underhanded, unfeeling and cruel. It is a great compliment to the actress that she manages to avoid turning her into the focus of the viewers’ hatred.

As a catalyst for the majority of the sharp veers in the narrative, Han Tae Joo deserves to be mentioned in more detail. Her moral standing and motivations are the least understandable: she wants revenge so passionately as to be a serial sell-out, yet she backs off from pursuing it to the root cause; when threatened with torture, she chooses herself over her husband, yet years later in the same situation is selfless on behalf of a person who is external to her life; she flip-flops so many times that “when is Tae Joo going to turn and bite you” becomes something of a drinking game. Essentially, her character is the sacrificial offering at the altar of the plot: her decisions provide the twists and turns to the story, while psychological consistency becomes less and less discernible as the show progresses. A fail for the writer, an achievement for the actress.

For those familiar with the relationship between the term “watcher” and biblical angels: if you wonder whether the show’s title references this connection, the answer is – yes. The Watchers—observers and sometimes helpers of mankind—are evoked as both holy, like in the Book of Daniel or either holy or fallen, like in the Book of Enoch. Some watcher-like characters start with pure intentions to bring forth justice, and end up ushering in even more violence and cruelty as they fall into crime. Sometimes, as the reveals pile up, their brutality is so seemingly random and exaggerated that it hurts the logic of the narrative.

The “angels and demons” leitmotif is obvious and becomes explicit in the finale. It is stated verbally in one character’s newly found mission: to become “a Watcher of the Watcher,” someone to openly keep vigil over a brother in arms who is constantly teeter-tottering on the edge of a metaphorical abyss. It is also stated visually: as The Ambiguous Key Figure is giving an official statement, cinematography gives the answer whether we are looking at someone on the side of good or on the side of evil. The solution is offered through a slow vertical span of the camera, which repositions the way the mascot on the coat of arms projects behind the character, either as horns or as wings, ending on… well, you will have to see. It is enjoyable to watch – the show as a whole, and especially this last vignette.

In short, if you are wondering whether to become a viewer of Watcher: it’s worth the time at least to start.

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there are character driven stories, and plot driven stories.. but this drama made me realize there's a 3rd type "acting driven story"... this show had neither plot nor deep characters... but the acting from everyone (especially from kang joon and his intense eye acting) were fantastic, the ost also was the most "thrilling" part :)

for me personally, it's been a long time since a crime thriller drama grabbed my attention every second of the drama... and here we just had 2 plots, who killed the mom/cut the fingers, plus the whole dragging mess of the ledger and the secret society.. I have to say it's really predictable.. it's not really spoiler to say, the 1st people you'll doubt are the "bad" people, so I don't get how it took them 16eps to finally "uncover" the truth...
honestly, the first 4 eps and the final 2 eps are everything you need...


there are also "good vs bad" dramas and those who don't want to be that simple so they make their "heroes" the bad guys, and here they walked a fine line right in the middle... it way literally walking on the edge that it seemed as if their characters had "dark" qualities just so they are not completely good, but they also didn't want them to be bad...


my rewatch values are a 1 or a 10 so ;)

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From its first trailer to the last minute of it.WATCHER is masterpiece brought to life by people who know how to do their work at its best.

I started to watch this series because of the art in the posters(YES THERE IS ART THERE) that gave me this vibe i get from western thriller tv series, and as a big fan of this genre i let it be the first OCN thriller i've ever watched;little i knew it's going to turn into one of the best kdramas i've ever and i ever will be.

The drama starts with a scene from the past and when it comes to show the current time,three minutes after,for maybe more than the half of the episode the story might be confusing.What kept me watching you ask?the brilliant talent of the actors and the amazing work of the director that keeps you captivated to get more of it.
what i should tell now is that i started watching this series not having watched any previous work from the actors,so it was a pleasant surprise when i saw the great work of the whole cast team.
(Han Seok Kyu is such a big talent that you'll gonna stop in the middle to just ask yourself if he is even acting or this is him being himself...give the man all the awards that exist!!)

The plot is complicated.the amount of information that you get in every episode is a lot.This isn't a story where the main characters go to beat up the bad guys,most of the time you have to collect the information and have the brain to know how to use them.but don't worry cause we do have action too.
a question asked a lot during this drama is "what makes someone human?" and i think this is a great hint to the work of the writer,writing his characters in the most humanly way showing all of its complexity.
what it's needed to be said is that during the show there are some flaws in the script,but they are little and i think it does not ruin the whole good thing.

The background music and OSTs are so beautiful and catchy and it bonds so greatly to the atmosphere of every scene they're played.no need to say i'm listening to the songs in repeat.

All in all i loved this drama and i adore the fact that it gives you the vibe that maybe they will make a second season of it,what i know is that my brain and soul are ready to devour endless number of seasons of this LOL

(sorry if the review is not great,it's my first time and i'm just so full of emotions :D)

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From my point of view, it is the classical thriller drama, it's the typical one but it works perfectly fine. It is the type of drama I like : thriller like this. It does not take risks but it works very well.

The cast is absolutely great. The main actor Seo Kang Joon is absolutely good, his acting skill is very strong and solid. I am impressed. The music is georgous as well, I truly like the osts they are all so great they goes perfectly with the drama. I'm not surprised anymore with OCN they knows whats good for their drama when it comes to osts. I also like a lot the story, which involves corruption, politics as well as crimes. Furthermore I really like how the main character should seek truth and finally revenge, it is the kind of story that always work for me, there is no boring scenes at all. It is captivating from the begining until the end, as you are discovering things along with the main actor. Let's not talk about the numbers of twists... there are too many which makes you feel like you knew nothing after all.

I really recommend it !

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The writers did alright with this drama. I mean it was full of suspense but I guess most of it. The only thing I didn't see coming is the actress who played... Nah, you have to watch it and see for yourself.

Seo Kang Joon did absolutely everything he was born to do with his great talents and that is act the part of the story. I loved his fight scenes. I'm so glad that this story for Seo Kang Joon was not about revenge but finding out the truth so thank you, writers. Han Seok Kyu, I'm afraid of you, you played your character very believable... *shiver*. If that was reality, I would be more fearful of you than the ones actually being so dang evil.

Police Corruption is no joke! There suppose to protect and serve the community they work in. That part...

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Dark Complex and full of twists

I never thought I would love a show more then Stranger until I discovered the masterpiece Watcher.
I didn't know any of the actors before but all of the mains became favorites of mine. The acting was excellent.
The side characters helped to lighten up the very heavy and dark plot.
I felt like the show gaslighted me as a viewer. There were so many red herrings and so many twists and false accusations that I couldn't trust myself anymore on whom I believed to be the killer. Everyone was sooo suspicious. I became so paranoid I suspected everyone in the show.
One thing I loved about the show is that at the end I didn't even care that much who the murderer was. The journey until the reveal was the true highlight of the show.
I absolutely loved the relationship between the three main characters. They felt like a (dysfunctional) family sometimes.
The characters were written beautifully because you didn't really get to know them until you watched the full show ( or in the case of the chief stayed mysterious forever). Characters like the attorney which I didn't like at all in the beginning became my favourite by the end.
I never felt bored while watching the show. From beginning till the end it stayed interesting and surprised me until the very last scene.
While it was still on the air I rewatched it because I had forgotten certain characters and this show is really complex. And I loved it so definitely rewatchable.
I really hope there will be a second season!

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They say a story is only as good as its villain.

For me, this is usually the case.

And the way to make a villain GREAT is by making them scary, because if a villain is not convincing the hero's conflict has the risk of becoming bland.

The reason we love a villain like Voice season 1, or Remember, is because we see with our own how RUTHLESS he is.

The second reason these villain's work so well is because they're not just side characters but an integral part of the story. They're given convincing back stories. They are not one dimensional.

That's how you raise the stakes.

As opposed to this kind of story telling Watcher takes the less interesting route. The perceived  danger their villain possesses just doesn't seem devastating enough so it becomes a mediocre story. And anyone could be the villain so the villain is very much one dimensional and their so called origin stories seem petty and ridiculous. 

In fact, pretty much everyone in this drama does things, that are morally WRONG, from planting evidence, to choosing a loved one to be tortured, to using a young boy's traumatic event to distort the facts but why they did it, their justification is just as petty and as ridiculous as the bad guys.

So why did I still like it?

Because of that one scene where Han Suk Kyu stands in front of the mirror and starts fixing his hair.

That. Was. Brilliant.

There were many such allusions to the Nietzsche style nihilism and I feel like that's what they should have done more of instead of falling into the trap of becoming a rather typical storyline.

And also I'm not sure if anyone noticed that Watchers is also the word for nephilim, the fallen, and they were also 'Giants' a word frequently alluded to in the script. And that's why the main characters were all 'fallen from grace' type characters.

I don't know if this last episode was second season fodder but I guess I'll try it for sure but I'm not exactly waiting for it tbh it just wasn't that good but it is entertaining.

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Must see

This show was a real gem for my us. It's one of those show that you savor and try to put off each episode because you don't want it to end.

There was so much to savor about this show, from the stellar acting to the cinematography and the writing, it's truly a work of art that should be watched at least once. Although I'm already a SKJ fan, the acting from everyone, from the leads to the supporting cast, was all mind blowingly natural and impressive. As in, this show holds some of the best performances I've ever seen in a kdrama to date. You will not be disappointed. SKJ was electric in every scene to the point you literally couldn't look away. Just his expressions alone kept you hooked. The cinematography was crisp, stunning and at times creative. The direction too was close to perfect with excellent timing, attention to detail in every single scene, and unique execution popping up here and there to keep you interested. The writing is complex but incredibly smart, and occasionally touches on current political/police issues without taking an offensive side. I would put this quality of intelligent writing up there with Itaewon Class and When The Weather is Fine (although it's not poetic like WTWIF.)

I will admit there were a few flaws, such as a plot so intricate that it did get a little convoluted and hard to follow, especially if you're not keeping track of many different side characters' names. While there was one good song throughout the series, the rest of the OST left me seriously wanting more. I didn't feel the kinda-bizarre techno style of music did anything for the rest of the genius that is this show and unfortunately, actually cheapened the experience just a little. Don't let any of this put you off from watching this masterpiece, though. Especially if you're a fan of any of the leads, it's a must see.

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