Incredibly complex at times, this disturbing crime thriller goes all round the houses and then some.
I recommend paying close attention to all the various characters from the very first episode onwards, otherwise it is easy to get lost or confused about what's happening with who, later on.
Varied characters (though most are damaged through traumas), occasional humour and a dark plot with some real shocks along the way.
The story kicks off with the discovery of a DNA marker that characterises whether a baby will be born a psychopath. Testing is done on the pregnant mother and if detected a debate rages as to whether an abortion should be mandatory. It's argued that the difference between the psychopath and genius genes are so small that it's hard to differentiate.
The ethical consequences of this are very thought provoking. Where it takes the story is also very disturbing.
What isn't touched on is the fact not all psychopaths become murderers, let alone serial killers and for me, that made this drama quite judgemental.
Various tragic events in childhood tie many characters together, although they are unaware at first.
There is a lot of blood and violence at times, which occasionally felt a bit OTT or for shock value. The crimes of various psychopathic and mentally disturbed characters are pretty unpleasant, including children and animals. Not for the easily upset or squeamish.
I found this a gripping drama for the most part, but it really is very convoluted at times.
The relationships between characters are pretty realistic to a point, although how people seem able to stroll in and out of other people's homes and places meant to be secure, with such ease at times, isn't.
Very recognisable cast, who do a great job, my favourites being P.O, Jo Jae-yoon, Kwon Hwa-woon, Ahn Jae-wook, Kim Young-ok and all the main cast.
There is romance, but very low key and a lifeline in one respect.
Whilst it doesn't exactly glamorise serial killers, I felt it did try to make viewers sympathetic towards one, but given their cruelty, I honestly found it hard.
How Go Moo-chi kept his job as a detective is beyond me, to be honest, as he hits the Soju hard when grief stricken and spends a lot of time so full of hate and anger, it blinds him.
There are several times when characters are not listened to, either because of age or intelligence, which was frustrating.
I also really don't like this thing many S.Korean dramas have, of blighting children with the sins of their family ~ it's really distasteful and I see it a lot.
Some parts of the plot I just didn't get though, like why 2 mums appear to swap their babies... just couldn't figure that out at all.
Once all main eps are watched, there is an additional fun one featuring main cast members that also includes an alternative ending to the drama, plus 2 further episodes showing past scenes (in a confusingly jumbled up order though) with the unmasked serial killer's perspective central to them.
Whilst very messy at times, it's still a pretty good watch.

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Stiff (not just the corpses)

As with S1, I like the idea of the storyline, but at times, it's just too far fetched.
Also like S1, the killer is revealed slowly, before he's caught, so we know who the main bad guy is, well before the end.
I like Jang Hyuk as an actor, but Lee Jin Wook filled his shoes pretty well, with a character far more quiet and detached, with not a few personal problems.
The serial killer this time, whilst equally formidable, is not as evil or scary as Mo Tae Goo (he was the devil incarnate), but chilling nevertheless.
Again though, it gets very far fetched at times and there are real weak areas in the plot.
There were still some surprises too though and it's as violent as the first.
I did feel that at times some actors were literally just reciting the words, as on occasion their acting became stunted and kind of uncomfortable.
Unlike S1, this one will lead into S3, so I can't really comment on the overall ending, which left us in no doubt of more instalments.
I will watch the next one, but hope that the dialogue and realism will improve.

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Exactly what it says in the title

.... well, there's more than 1 to be honest.
Staple backbone of bribery, corruption and law enforcement breaking their own laws to convict someone of murder.
A decent drama with a team of detectives that bond as they take on the higher ups, establishment and a wealthy businessman, to find the real killer, after Kang Do-chang has to face the fact he ended up party to convicting an innocent man.
The consequences weigh heavy and spur him and his team on to revealing the truth.
They are joined by Oh Ji-hyuk, something of a loner who does things his own way and has a close link to a real perpetrator (proper psychopathic character) involved in their investigations.
Joining the fight for justice is a principled reporter, Jin Seo-kyung, who also ends up having to choose between those principles and loyalty.
The story has some interesting twists and a few lighter moments, which kept me engaged.
There are some very uncomfortable scenes with weaker, powerless victims and younger criminals.
There are several sub plots that I didn't really think added anything to the story; Ji-hyuk's tragic childhood trauma being one ~ this lingered within the series, yet never got fully explored, or satisfactorily concluded, given the seriousness of the incident that the plot eluded to. Then there's Do-chang's very irritating and mostly very unpleasant sister, with her personal problems, which lent nothing to the storyline at all.
If the script had ditched the latter in favour of focussing on Ji-hyuk's side story, that would have been far more engaging and fulfilling.
Most disappointing for me, was the chemistry between Seo-kyung and Ji-hyuk, which grew as the series unfolded, but again, was never expanded on, with a subtle romance only ever flirtingly dangled before being whipped away.
Convicted murderer Lee Dae-chuk's daughter, Lee Eun-hye, well played by Lee Ha-eun, I really felt for. Her maturity and ability to rise up from such mistreatment and pain, made for a strong young female character not often found in dramas.
Overall a good watch, but it could have been even better. With a series 2 seemingly in the pipeline, it will be interesting to see whether Ji-hyuk's past is revisited, or what new story awaits.

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Epic

Magnificent Chinese drama and whilst there are 50 episodes, the story is split into 3 and some supporting characters change with the timeline, so it never drags or gets dull. For me it went really quick and I totally got into it.
The acting is very good and the main characters are so likeable. It's a bromance between Wu Xian and Wang Ji ~ 2 total opposites who have a huge amount of respect for and belief in, one another, which becomes stronger through their adventures and experiences.
I've read the novel and their relationship is a lot steamier in that, but considering China's censorship laws and views on homosexuality, it could never be portrayed.
There is familial love, betrayal, competition, plotting, tragedy and fun too. Add to this supernatural and Wuxia content, and it = one heck of a show!
The locations, costumes and actors/tresses are stunning.
I laughed and cried, sometimes in the same scene!
Some of the SFX are a bit low budget, but personally, I could overlook it because the story gripped me so much. Also, there are several scenes, especially near the end, which are a bit wordy and, therefore, feel a bit drawn out; however, they are few in comparison to the total number of eps though.
There are a LOT of characters, so I found having an online cast list open, helpful.
The early transmigration scene was a little confusing after, mainly because facially the characters were the same, but it all becomes clear... we 'see' Wei Wuxian as he always was.
My favourites were Wei Wu Xian, Lan Wang Ji, Wen Qing, Jiang Yan Li and Wen Ning, who frequently plucked at my heart strings.
Definitely worth watching... more than once

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What a beautiful, compelling, moving and often witty drama.
The acting was a little wooden in early episodes, but as this wonderful story progressed, the actors became more comfortable with their roles.
Pharm, character becomes very emotional, but considering what he's going through and the fact he has no apparent control over the memories that activate those emotions, it's not surprising.
Win and Team were adorable. The former was certainly persistent. I felt the latter could never seriously reject him; it was more like rejection of feelings Team was afraid of.
I absolutely loved it; not perfect by any means, but I adored the actors and the characters they portrayed, the plot, plus had a few good cries and will really miss it.

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Film highlighted some flaws, over the series.

I watched and rated the series a 9.
Strangely, seeing it edited together and viewing in one sitting, made some aspects of the character's interactions a little perturbing.
I got that that Sang-ha possibly didn't want to share his troubles about the marathon with Jin-won before it, in case it affected his concentration, but directly after?...
Jin-won lacked empathy with Sang-ha and could be quite selfish, whilst the latter seemed to like him so much, he either overlooked that, or was ok with it.
The actors are very good, however, and portrayed their characters well.
Being a very light drama, the more realistic issues of their relationship, with the type of father Jin-won was intimated as having, couldn't be touched on, but it raised that question for me.
Life would be better if parents accepted their kids for who they are, but we know it's sadly not like that. Maybe one day gay relationships won't be viewed as different, lesser or wrong. We can only hope.

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Short and sweet

It's a real shame that all BL dramas from S.Korea are so short. I would like to see a commitment to the genre, rather than feeling like it's slightly half hearted.
This was a good watch. I like the characters and the actors seemed pretty comfortable together, making them quite natural. For short and few episodes, the story is also good and made me feel concern for Sang-ha; I also wanted to see them happy.
A sports setting for a change, with the unusual backdrop of marathon running. I do think they would have looked somewhat sweatier in 'real life' though! 😊 There were also good 'threat' elements, adding another feel to the drama.
It really was a story that could so easily have been further developed into a full 15/16-episode drama.
A compact and enjoyable series I'd happily watch again.

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Ahead of its time.

First off, seeing so many actors now in stronger supporting roles, taking bit parts appx 13 years ago, is brilliant! Ji Il-goo, Jo Hee-bong and Ko Chang-seok - I couldn't help smiling. A very young Yeo Jin-goo as the young Jin-hyuk too, was so good, as was a teenage Yoo Ah-in. I love the quirky charm of this drama - it has humour and at the same time, even by today's standards, is pretty brave in its portrayal of homosexuality as being more main stream (which it should be), even if not accepted (which it also should be). I just love Kim Jae-wook's character of Sun-woo - so confident and at ease with himself. His acting in the more intimate scenes with Andy Gillet (Jean-Baptiste), were so natural and the kisses were to die for. Far more relaxed than many actors in current BL dramas. Joo Ji-hoon (Jin-hyuk) was also great - again, seeing him between his roles in Goong (aka Princess Hours) and Kingdom, is quite special; he is really versatile and certainly didn't become pigeon holed, as many do. A joy to watch.

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Ending doesn't disappoint, but I was confused by it!

I love, love, love the cast. Big fan of Jo Seung-woo and Park Shin-hye, neither of whom disappointed.
Seen a few complaints about age difference, but it's only 10 for goodness sake and their chemistry/interaction is far more important. I thought they were great together and came across very natural and comfortable ~ I could really imagine them having fun making this.
It's a different role for JSW and I liked seeing him as a cockier, livelier character, for a change.
None of the supporting cast disappointed either; although when an actor more often than not plays the baddie, it can kind of give it away a little, the minute you see them walk 9n set!
The action was great and the time travel story a little different; not so complex that it makes one's head spin.
It is a fantasy, so some debatable parts of the story just have to be accepted; for example, just how long does the atmosphere remain dangerous from nuclear fallout and would you drink rain water? Not to mention living years cooped up and the general logistics / mechanics around that.
The romance side was integral to the story, but not fluffy; it was more about trust, reliability, loyalty and then love. Much more practical 😉
Not a few surprises and some interesting friendships, relationships and family drama.
I thought the ending was good up to a point, but didn't get the 'how' at all, never mind how much I thought about it (perhaps I'm dim). Quite moving too, though.
Not sure I'd watch it again, but I'm glad I picked it and enjoyed the ride.
I am just a little smitten with the character, Sun, and actor Chae Jong-hyeup.

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I have mixed feelings about this drama; there were some excellent, gripping scenes, emotional ones and humour too. A great cast of actors I really like who give us a mix of characters. Many have extremely questionable morals, others are selfish and others still sweet, cowardly, positive and irritating.
What let down a potentially great thriller were the times it slid into being ridiculous. From how clean people and their clothes were, to characters wandering around on their own once a killer was potentially back. The amount of beatings some could take, together with surviving drowning whilst badly wounded, on more than one occasion, was eye rolling.
I liked the resilient character of the main female too, who was also pretty independent and capable.
There is also the usual shady prosecution service, most of whom are more interested in finding the path to increasing their position and wealth, than to the actual guilty party.
We find out who the real culprit is, but trying to prove it is difficult and the cat and mouse episodes are very watchable.
If only they'd kept that momentum going, instead of including some very lazy scenes instead.
The end of the final episode was just bizarre and I have no idea why it was included. It was almost like the ending to a children's story, where the kids are told the moral of the tale, although how a mass murderer got to be included was beyond me.
The deaths of several characters was often brought up, but one in particular was noticeable by their absence. It wasn't until that odd last scene, that they suddenly got a mention. Months stranded, months back and episodes later, it was like a quick add-on; "Oh and we won't stop searching for xxxx".
If you can forgive these shortcomings (which to be honest I could), then it's not a bad watch.

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Slooooooooow

Liked the idea / story, but sadly, for me it was poorly executed.
Mike He and some supporting actors carried the story, but otherwise I found the lines delivered far too slowly and the acting wooden. The lead female seemed to mumble most of the time and conveyed little emotion, even when crying. This made it hard for me to connect with many of the characters.
The story seemed to twist and turn more to extend it than enrich it. When some characters were having a tough time or their personalities changed, it often went unnoticed by those closest to them, which I found odd.
I didn't find it at all gripping or exciting, but did like Mike He, Anson Chen, Johnny Yang and Amanda Chou.
I liked the music too, especially the title song.

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Twists and turns part 2

We're back with Eun-sol and Baek-beom, whilst there are several cast changes, with 2 central characters having moved on and been replaced, plus some additions.
The plot is thickening as we pick up on the corruption and cover ups that were being brought to light in series 1, together with some additional side stories. Familiar villains resurface and crimes overlap again as things begin to come to a head.
I found series 2 to have a better pace than the first and Eun-sol really comes into her own.
I really couldn't warm to Sally Kim at all though and thought the interaction between her and Eun-sol was over the top.
I just loved actor Noh Min Woo in this series and I really felt for his broken character, who is so badly manipulated.
There are more unpleasant crimes and the spin on what seems obvious, that the post mortems uncover, shows some really clever story writing.
Many questions are answered, but the conclusion is far from favourable and whilst there was no "We'll be back" or "To be continued" (like the end of series 1), there is a definite door ajar for either a series 3 or even some kind of spin-off.
The rewatch value is pretty good just because there was a lot going on.
I really hope we see Eun-sol, Baek-beom, Do Ji-han, Yang Soo-dong, Jang Chul, et al, again in 2021 (fingers crossed).

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Magical

Fab-u-lous! I loved everything. The casting is perfection, with so many good actors (both female and male) and unforgettable characters. I can't even pick favourites. Lee Rang really touched my heart though, especially the scenes of him as a young Gumiho half breed. His feelings of abandonment were palpable. Kim Bum is so good.
The myths included are wonderful, as ghosts and devils are battled.
The child actors are so good too, especially Kim Tae-yul as the young Imoogi, Lee Joo-won as young Lee Rang and Jung Shi-yool as Kim Soo-oh.
The pace of the drama, whilst having exciting scenes, is relatively gently paced, which fit for me; a central romance spanning 600 years can't be rushed!
The ending didn't disappoint either.
I loved the BTS episode 17 on Viki, with the delightful Hwang Hee (Gu Shin-joo) and lovely Kim Yong-ji (Ki Yoo-ri) ~ these 2 seemed to genuinely get on and have fun together.
A must watch and one I know I'll return to more than once. Magical.

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Complex

I loved series 1, but enjoyed this follow-up even more.
Whilst a completely new story and set of intriguing cases to be solved, there are references to the suicide and scheming of season 1.
Both Bae Doo-na and Cho (Jo) Seung-woo are excellent and I love their chemistry, together with the relationship between their characters; she just gets him and he seems to have actual care and cocern for her, something he usually struggles with, having impaired emotions from his childhood surgery.
From the outset the pace and intrigue never let up. There was stuff I thought I was figuring out, only to be slapped off course, as the story within stories twisted its way to the final episode.
This series, like the first, is intelligently written and well directed. It needs concentration and isn't a 'light' watch that can be dipped in and out of, although in truth, if you're like me, you'll be desperate to watch one after the other.
Great cast of characters so well portrayed by a great set of actors ~ not a weak one amongst them.
I know it's not a romance, but I'd love for Shi-mok and Yeo-jin to get together.
Quietly hoping for a season 3 🤞🤞

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