I went into Flower of Evil not knowing a ton about it, not really knowing the main leads, and expecting a typical action or mystery drama. FoE so far surpassed my expectations and it might be the first drama that I had to keep binging and stayed up into the early morning hours on a weeknight to keep watching.

What I really did not expect from this show was to get such a beautiful epic relationship from the main couple. Part of it is definitely due to the amazing performances from the lead actors, especially Lee Joon Gi who poured every ounce of himself into this performance, but the characters were also so well written. It was a really interesting dynamic that the woman was the cop and she was the one investigating her husband and constantly protecting him. The character Ji won was so strong and she trusted her own instincts about her husband and their relationship, while still making sure to verify, in the face of so much doubt. I have seen criticism of her character, but I can’t say that I agree. All the scenes of her rescuing him were so nerve wracking but beautiful to watch because of their connection. I didn’t know what to make of the male lead for the beginning of the show, which is obviously by design. His character is so obviously showing his love and affection for his family throughout the show, but there are seeds of doubt, and his belief that he is incapable of those emotions was heartbreaking to watch.

One of the highlights of the show is when Lee Joon Gi’s character realizes that his wife knows everything and is still there, always protecting him. The emotion in that scene has me going back to watch edits of it every so often. Ji won’s belief in the good in her husband brought both him and me to tears. The little girl who plays their daughter was absolutely precious and her relationship with her dad made it so that I could never believe he was truly evil because no one who loves their child like that could ever be all bad.

I’m a sucker for a good sibling story and I really liked getting to see the relationship with his sister, and it would have been great to get even more of it. Her character felt so broken in a lot of ways but she was also willing to give everything for those she loved. This show did a really great job with their female characters and they all felt so complex.

The action and mystery in the show always kept me guessing, as there were a lot of times I wasn’t sure how things were going to go for the leads. The plot line with the cops looking into his past was anxiety-inducing because you never knew when he might get caught. The part of the story with the male lead’s parents started with a lot of tension because their relationship felt so off but you don’t know why. By the end of the show, that part felt a little frustrating because their decisions were really bizarre and there were a lot of plot holes around their story. The serial killer did end up being extremely creepy and I think the actor did a great job pulling off the character.

I think what kept this drama from being one of my very top favorites was mainly the ending. If they had added on another couple minutes to the penultimate episode, it could’ve ended there and probably been more enjoyable.

Watching Flower of Evil for the first time was such a great experience and I still would highly recommend the show. The acting performances and relationship between the leads was done so well that it makes me overlook any small issues I might have had with the plot. This show is the first one that put Lee Joon Gi on my radar, and I will absolutely be watching more of his work!