Catch the Ghost (2019)

Dragged everything out too much, but still worth watching

I went into this drama with mostly high expectations, especially given the amount of praise the comments and fans were giving for Kim Seon Ho, and the fact that the FL also appeared to have an impressive acting career. The biggest letdown of this show wasn't the acting at all. I think both leads did a great job of delivering.

--> The biggest fault of this show is the story.

The pacing started off well, but for me at least, up to ep 8 or 9 I began skipping. It was definitely around the halfway mark of this series. Everything gets dragged out, and episode 15 has to be one of the most painful eps to watch. I skipped every 5 seconds or so, and only stopped for crucial scenes, because they just dragged this out so much.

If they dragged everything out all the way up until ep 15, what became of ep 16, you may ask?

Episode 16 was anticlimactic. The romance between the leads, who had perfectly good chemistry leading up to this, just felt like that moment had been missed. The scene in episode 2 with the water (as much as I'll say) really gave many fans hope for the romance to come...! But all of that was dragged out, and so many little, unnecessary...contrived things got in the way.

For me, once I start skipping through more than 5 episodes of a drama, i've mostly lost that passion I had for it at the start.

And this seems to be a common thing with kdramas. They always start out good, but they always have to drag out things, and for episodes that are 60 minutes at a time, it gets exhausting. Drama watching shouldnt be a chore for me :(

I always start out with the negatives tho, cause I usually write these right after i'm done watching and im disappointed :^( but! The positives to this show are:

PROS
--->The acting is great. Besides the second male lead, who imo i think was kinda........unnecessary..? OOP that sounds mean. But the entire ensemble is pretty solid. Especially the main leads, the actresses for the mothers, the subway ghost, and even a few of the actresses they got to play the victims for side stories. I actually cried during one of the stories :"( that's how moving it was, so I totally salute both the writers, and especially the actors on their deliveries for such heartwrenching scenes.

--> the comedy is pretty good when it actually tries.like in the beginning episodes, i never laughed as much as a I did at some of the scenes xD

--> The male lead
Was Ko Ji Suk a saint in his past life or something? He's been wronged by the FL so much, but he is still so selfless and, really sweet :O Also, he's cool, but he doesn't know it, and when he IS cool, he gets nervous right after cause he mustered all his courage to do it. like damn where do u find such a healthy ML character in dramaland? Also, respects women? This sounds kinda sad now XD I was half-joking there, but Chief Ko is an all-rounder male lead. 5/5 stars.

--->The chemistry
It's not so palpable that ur feeling it through your screen, but you can tell the characters had mutual respect and...admiration for the other :D it was honstly so warm. It's a shame that their romance had to be so rushed in ep 16 since the screenwriters wasted so much time trying to make twists and turns with their choppy plotline ;-;

--> the message
overall i appreciate the message this show has. It has multiple, but the ones I got were along the lines of everyone carries their own pain, sometimes people become losers (xD) and that, im not sure, there's really no black or white to things. The one thing this show DOES go a job of subverting, is the whole black or white hero mentality. Each character, even the villain, had their own motivations. You can't agree with them, but you can see why they did it. And, that depth should really be a given in film, but still i appreicate the fact that this show also highlighted different themes like family, justice, and, really, you can leave a few episodes feeling good about yourself--even though you did nothing--because there's a lot of moral fulfilment you get from watching certain scenes. :"D


----------------------CLOSING THOUGHTS------------------------


SO, THATS WHY, OVERALL, DESPITE THE CRAPPY ENDING (>:D) this show still gets a high enough rating in my book.
Even though the ending was rushed, I'm used to unsatisfying drama endings by now. They can never seem to really wrap up things that well.

Even so, this Catch the Ghost is still a show I'd recommend to friends, and to you, whoever you are reading this :D I'm a stickler for romance, but if that's not your focus, and you just want a heartwarming story, (with a tiny bit weird ending, but a charming cast nonetheless) give Catch the Ghost a try :D Make ur own judgement. I'm just being bitter abt the romance smh xD

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I'm not sure why, but I'm usually not into Korean dramas, but I find this drama to be a strangely good mix of comedy, thriller, mystery.

In her quest to solve the mystery behind her sister's disappearance, Yoo Ryung becomes a police officer and manages to get herself transferred to the subway police department because she believes that her sister has been the victim of the subway ghost, a serial killer who has killed people and dumped bodies in the subway.

Fueled by empathy for the victims and their families, she goes after criminals with a passion, turning the otherwise mundane world of the subway police department upside down. The comic situations are rather funny at the start. However, the series does not go light on the crimes: some of them can be rather violent, and the series does not hesitate to show some violent scenes.

I wasn't expecting it, but the blend of light-hearted comic elements with more serious thriller elements and some heartwarming scenes is splendidly done. They do not feel out of place. There are even a few nice twists that do not feel labored. By the end of Episode 13, I was wondering how the series could have another 3 episodes, but it did and it was done well too. The last episode feels like it has some filler moments so that it can become a full episode, but it's still not a significant problem.

The series also manages to highlight social issues like the struggles of the poor and caregiver stress. There is also a recurring theme of parental love and the lengths (sometimes touching, sometimes frightening) to which parents would go for the sake of their children.

The series is not perfect, of course. There are some slight plot holes and the depiction of dementia in the series seems a little unrealistic. But these flaws do not compromise the quality of the series.

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I fallin for the supporting actors!

This is the first time for Kim Seon Ho play as a male lead, but the character is not as strong as Geun Young , i think. Maybe this isn’t popular but ji_seok — yoo ryung romance is not so well developed. Yoo ryung is too selfish for Ji Seok, and Ji Seok is too selfless! man that is toxic! 😜

The best part of this drama for me is the relationship between Ji Seok and his Mom! Kim Seon Ho is really an emotive actor, and everytime he did something for his mom, my heart fluttered, imagining myself having a great son as him. The climax scenes between them is so emotional so its torn my heart. What dissapointing is, the female lead, Yoo Ryung, seems didn’t care at all about Ji Seok mom. Reversely, Ha Ma Ri, the sad girl, was care so much, and really tryin to understood Ji Seok condition.


the other supporting role that i admire is the villain ___ the victim of people ignorance. He played his role perfectly, i almost thought that he was innocent! wow, because he is only a man with full of love to his daughter, oh i cry again for this man while write this review.

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Overly annoying FL

BIG WARNING TO ALL KSH FANS WHO WANTED TO ENJOY THIS DRAMA
The female lead got me all worked up
I'm normally a good guy that strongly condemn violence against female
BUT THAT FL made me feel like I wanna slap her every time she did things her own way without caring about the consequences on other people
The story might wanna write her as that "Strong female with unshakable sense of justice" but it just didn't work
She ended up being that "Self-centered person that only care about what she wants"
I stopped watching at ep 9 or 10 after she decided to not follow a case that the team was set up to, and drag her boss (KSH) into trouble cz she just feel like doing other case
That was the point where I was like "That's enough, she really deserve some big backhand smash"

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A victim's family ignored by an ambitious career woman

I dropped the series because of how ridiculous it was getting. Also I couldn't bear the mental abuse the FL had to go through because of the law enforcement officers. FLs request to include her sister got denied by investigator but when proven right, the investigator decides to rub it on FLs face that the FL is to blame.
-
The plot isn't overly complicated.
A serial killer and a serial train thief is on the prowl and our passionate FL is determined to go above and beyond her orders in order to apprehend the criminal.

While labeled as fiction the neglect, limitations and lack of empathy from the police officers and their drive for results based on what they think is right in order to meet their qouta and obtain for themselves and their superiors the glory of "solving or closing" the case is definitely spot on. It cannot be denied that this happens in real life as well.

With this fact in mind you will be less frustrated watching the police officers and their bureaucratic red tape in this series.

I enjoyed this because of the different types of cases they got to handle. It's disgusting how the showrunners tried really hard to push the romance envelope between the leads and it was so cringe, uncomfortable and unnecessary - they should have just focused only on the investigation side and removed the romance element.

ML and FL did not look good together. I have to say MGY has not aged well and the way she smirked the whole time made it worse. Her acting is still top of the line of course but I think she should just stick to non romantic roles.

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Interesting concept

Concept: Catch the Ghost had an interesting concept as it was my first time watching a series on the Subway Police. The cases shown in the drama was entertaining too. I also liked how the drama weaved in real life problems, which made the drama relatable.

Characters: Yoo Ryeong (FL) was not a character that one will like right from the start compared to Go Ji Seok (ML). However, things turned out better at the story progresses and at some point, I start to relate to her and the reason behind the things she do. Character aside, both the FL and ML looked quite cute as an on-screen couple with their small bickering and chemistry as partners at work.

The other police in the Subway Police force also added their weight to the drama, be it at serious scenes or comical parts to liven up the drama.

Recommendation: For people who like to watch crime genre dramas with some romance involved, this is a pretty good series to watch.

Where I watched it: VIU TV

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The romance is sweet but doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat, although the whole care-taker and family-protector aspect of the leads is interesting because it tries to show that nobody can be perfect and strong at all times while facing the illness of a family member.
I found the plot kind of interesting for 2/3 of the drama, even though there were some inconsistencies, especially in the fact that the unit initially in charge of the case was doing a TERRIBLE job.
But once the solution got clearer, it really made no sense. The ending took 5 episodes that were really badly written in my opinion.
If you have nothing else to do, the drama is relaxing and fun but dont expect a good ending.

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a pretty decent watch

i decided to watch this one because of my new found love for kim seon ho and i dont regret watching it...
the drama is set in the subway station and showed the kind of cases the subway police has to deal with... their job was pretty much calm and quiet with some petty cases here and there until the FL joins them... she is extremely reckless and will do the exact opposite of the rules and regulations a police officer must follow...

i liked the overall story and the villian and the mystery... there are only two things i dont like... the way the FL's character was written and the length... the drama could have been tightly packed without any romance and focusing mainly only on the cases... by the end, it felt like the police was unnecessarily playing cat and mouse with the villain just to reach ep 16...
the FL and her reckless behaviour came out as irritating rather than badass... dont know whether its the writer's fault or the director's, i just couldn't connect with her or sympathize with her... its not like moon geun young is a bad actress who cannot portray her role properly as she was amazing as the 2nd character... the fault lies with the makers... there is a fine line b/w being badass and annoying... the FL crossed that line when she put the ML in difficult positions repeatedly and unapologetically for her own personal reasons... also they made the entire police department dumb and ignorant just so she can shine... thats quite unreal... it would have been fine if she was shown as this super-smart go-getter kind of character before she joined the police force but they show her to be just a very ordinary girl who was leading an average life... suddenly after just 2 years she is smart enough to put an entire group of experienced police officers behind... its not even like she was in the force for 2 years... the FL remembering the entire subway blueprint is the only thing that seemed real as she was overly obsessed over it for 2 yrs... the makers overdid her character to the level i didn't sympathize with her when she was desperately looking for her mentally challenged sister... on the other hand i actually felt bad for the SFL even though she was rude and arrogant because what the ML did to her was unfair... he broke up with her for his own good and then moved on to another girl right in front of her without giving her a proper closure... her rudeness, jelousy and lack of empathy wasnt overdone to the level i felt irritated with her...

i liked how they showed what people who look after mentally challenged people go through... the way the ML looked after his mother is heartwarming... also they shed light on how women are violated in the metro stations and how men get away with it by hiding behind the crowd...

this drama is heavily underrated even though it has few flaws... i guess if kim seon ho did this after startup, it would have been more popular...

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"Catch the ghost" is a quite fun and enjoyable ride. It's a blend of romance, comedy at times with a political theme that doesn't bore you. And this is coming from someone who rarely ever watches crime fiction dramas.

A plot with flawed characters that I considered controversial - as it is based on a bad, perhaps immoral action that leaves anyone puzzled. Its romance neither felt rushed nor ever overlapped the main crime intrigues. The performances were amazing - kudos to Moon Geun Young for playing not one, but two characters! and to Kim Seon Ho for bracing so many emotions wonderfully from start to finish. Another great thing was the timing: tvn really knew when to cut the episodes and when to switch on and off themes. I grew fond of everyone.

However, it was weak on many aspects: most osts were quite bland, there are some odd camera angles here and there; when they ended an episode on a climax, it easily dialled down in less than 5 minutes of the following one - it isn't a big problem when you're able to binge, sure! The second female lead could've had much more spotlight- most second leads in kdramas get reduced to a sample role (obsessed ex girlfriend, best friend, etc) but Ma Ri was intriguing because of her almost holy commitment to justice and rule-like personality. And there was also one particular plot decision they choose that irked me, because it felt far too fantasy-ish for a crime drama (spoiler: the mom getting her memory back just when it was needed to, then forgetting it).

If anything, the only big disappointment was the fact that there are not any real ghosts in it. :p

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I was impressed. highly recommended ?

usually, I'm not into the slow burn type of romance---but I'd make CTG an exception. This series got me hooked since the first episode until the last. It was awesome and amazing 👏👍🎉😊


The suspense, thriller, psychological and the crime theme of this series is what keeps me at the edge of my seat. The romance part is sweet and not rushed----Ryung and Ji Seok's love did not just popped out of nowhere, but it grew from camaraderie, trust and friendship. It wasn't forced, so seeing their love for each other unfold is Soo lovely to see.


about their personalities, you could compare Newbie and Chief to the classic cat and mouse; that later on became like batman and robin. the troublemaker and the one who's there for her in every trouble she will encounter. Chief scolds her every now and then but he's secretly the guy who maybe tough on the outside but is actually softie, specially for her. Chief is a walking green flag that any woman would be so proud to be with. and that woman fortunately, Newbie Ryung is that woman.



I won't say much about the series, but for me it's one of the best. I highly recommend it. 👍

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Love the subway police Ji Suk, Yoo Ryung, Detective Lee Man Jin, and Soo Ho

I like this drama. I think I'll rewatch it again next time. Di sya boring.
- I like the songs of this drama, parang narinig ko na sa ibang drama
- Ang cute ng chemistry at sweet ni Ji Suk at Yoo Ryung
- The only likeable for me is Ji Suk, Yoo Ryung, detective Lee, Soo Ho, at Chief Gong
- Yoo Ryung She always cause trouble for Ji Suk. She's not super annoying but her actions ang reckless nya talga but they give us situations na kapag di sila kikilos at pushy hindi maliligtas yung mga biktima on time ang hina kase ng hahandle sa Major Crimes.
- I like the police Ji Seok, Man Jin, and Soo Ho at Chief Gong nakaka aliw sila panoorin 🤣
- Nakakatawa c Chief Gong lagi iba iba outfit . At sobrang stressed niya ng mapartner kay Ryung 🤣.
- Di ko gusto yung ibang kilos ni Yoo Ryung na sinasarili nya muna bago sabihin sa iba it cause trouble pwede nmn kase sabihin nya mga nalalaman nya sa mga detectives at naka assign :( sa kung sino mang pwede nyang pagkatiwalaan pero she to ml. Trust is important dapat
- I like it nong sinabi ni Ji SUk na He don't pity her. He understand her. Yan yung gusto ni Yoo RYung eh
- Parang mapa lng isip ni Ryung dahil sa determinado sya mahanap sis nya
-Naiinis ako sa Metro Division detectives lalo na kay Mi Ra nilolookdown nya yung mga kasamahan ni Ji Suk eh mas matalino at skilled pangayun sila kesa sa kanila na nasa Metro na

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