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I finally managed to finish watching this drama and was happy that it turned out to be good. This drama was pretty enjoyable when you can just marathon watch it in one go, cos if you watching it as it air you may end up losing interest in the middle as the tension goes down. This drama was yet another good show featuring a detective with a supernatural telepathic ability to read minds and to my delight, the drama made good use of the plot idea while also showing realistic reaction of how the public would respond knowing that such a person existed. If anyone had seen He is Psychometric, the story had a similar tone though Memorist had a much more darker and sinister cases and mystery.
I've watched quite a number of dramas by Yoo Seungho and grew to really like his character Dongbaek in this drama. As always Seungho was able to bring out the sincerity of the character and the anguish felt by Dongbaek, enough to make you care about him to keep watching the drama. You just can't help rooting for Dongbaek as he continues to push forward to save lives while also being cornered into unfavourable situations.
That said, at first I wasn't really taken in with Lee Seyoung as the profiler character, Han Sunmi. Though that probably also influenced by my initial impression of the actress from her character in Korean Odyssey, to which I had some mixed feelings about. But once I set that bias aside, I was able to like the character as Han Sunmi's pasts and motivations were unveiled.
The cases featured in Memorist were written quite well. And while there were some pretty hard cases that involved implications of rape as well as religious cult stuff that may be a bit unbearable, the rest of it was pretty fine. The mystery elements as well as supernatural were pretty balanced with the normal detective stuff so it was good enough to draw you more into the story without making it too unbelievable. And I love the fact that as much as there were a lot of corruption in the drama like the many abuse of powers by people of influence, the drama still had a lot of hope for things to become better. And the writing of the Eraser and Executioner character was done so well that it didn't feel out of place when those characters started to be redeemed. Only thing I regret was that I wished the drama could be longer because Dongbaek was really such a lovable character.
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Ripetitivo, pasticciato, elefantiaco
Iniziava così bene... I primi episodi erano così tensioattivi, adrenalinici, ti tenevano sul bordo della sedia con gli occhi incollati allo schermo. Riuscivi perfino a tollerare che fosse quasi sempre tutto così scuro, buio, tanto che spesso non si capiva cosa stesse succedendo e si era costretti a rivedere alcune scene più volte. I personaggi acquistavano spessore a poco a poco, i misteri si dipanavano uno dopo l'altro e tutto sembrava un gioco a incastro particolarmente ben riuscito.Certo il fatto che gli attori fossero in gran parte così belli e bravi giocava la sua parte, e che la musica e gli effetti sonori fossero così adatti e contribuissero al crescere della suspense contribuiva alla riuscita dello spettacolo.
Solo che, a un certo punto, la storia ha cominciato a diventare ripetitiva. Matrioske, o scatole cinesi così numerose, alla fine, ti stufano. Ogni volta seguono una pista e sono sempre 10 passi indietro. Ogni volta credono di aver trovato il colpevole e invece no, è sempre qualcun altro. Ogni volta c'è qualcuno ai vertici che interferisce con le indagini. Ogni volta presentano qualche personaggio nuovo, e hanno tutti nomi simili e facce simili! Sono di media intelligenza, ma evidentemente non basta: non ci capisco più niente e, quel che è peggio, non mi importa nemmeno più di capire. Ad un certo punto, l'accumulazione è tale che si arriva non più alla noia, non più al fastidio, ma alla vera e propria esasperazione!
Sono arrivata a metà dell'episodio 12 e ho deciso di arrendermi. Ho dei sospetti, ma ormai non mi interessa più di vederli confermare o scoprire che mi sbagliavo. 4 episodi e mezzo... non ce la faccio più, né voglio saltare all'ultimo. Semplicemente, abbandono. Vado a cercare qualcos'altro, con buona pace di Yoo Seung Ho, carino finché si vuole, bravo finché si vuole, ma in definitiva non stiamo parlando di materiale da oscar che giustifichi da solo 4 ore abbondanti del mio tempo.
Purtroppo bellezza e bravura sono state messe al servizio di una sceneggiatura per certi versi troppo ambiziosa, ipertrofica, ripetitiva, senza alcun senso della misura. Come se non bastasse, alcuni personaggi si comportano ripetutamente in maniera idiota senza alcun motivo apparente. Il continuo susseguirsi di colpi di scena e un cast elefantiaco han fatto sì che l'attenzione, inizialmente calamitata dalle vicende, scemasse progressivamente, fino ad arrivare al punto di non ritorno. Abbandonare un drama simile dopo averne visto 3/4 è anomalo, ma indice di profonda insoddisfazione e di un problema di fondo. Rinunciare a scoprire il colpevole significa essere esasperati intollerabilmente. Pazienza.
So che molti non saranno d'accordo con me, ma non posso farci niente, io per prima sarei stata ben felice di veder finire questo drama con lo spirito di scoperta e l'entusiasmo con cui l'ho iniziato. Non è andata così.
Lascio comunque la sufficienza perché fino a circa metà era veramente tutto quello che mi aspettavo da un thriller soprannaturale. Hanno voluto strafare. Peccato.
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One of the things Seung-ho is known for is choosing projects with sensitive, multi-layered male leads and strong, three-dimensional female leads with their own arcs. No female lead in a recent Yoo Seung-ho drama has been there merely to propel the male arc's lead or serve as an accessory. Strong female leads are almost a part of his brand.
The Memorist continues this trend by having a good mutual partnership between Seung-ho's telepath Dong-baek and the profiler, Han Sun-mi. Capable, intelligent, respected and extremely competent, Se-young's character has her own connection to the plot independent of Dong-baek and serves an equal role in the text to his own. This is extremely rare for this genre (and for kdrama generally). And, if it wasn't for the weaknesses of the plot, direction and editing, it would almost be enough for me to persist with the show.
These are two excellent actors doing their best with the material. It's just the material itself that's the problem.
Unfortunately, The Memorist just isn't that interesting. The show is dark - so dark sometimes that you can barely see what's happening - and badly edited, with things moving from action frame to action frame as though it's still a comic book and not a live action version. The characters remain undeveloped at episode 8, with little time given to them as people. To some extent, this is deliberate as Dong-baek's ambiguity is required for several plot points. But it doesn't add to the show's watchability if we can't connect or feel invested in these people as characters.
By episode 8, the show consists of our protagonists chasing a smirking psychopath around in the dark. And while I would usually persist just for Seung-ho and his badass female lead, I am unfortunately bored. Worse even than that, the show has a voyeuristic violence against women problem - a common issue with this genre. It's unfortunate for it that I am very tired of crime shows torturing women for their viewer's pleasure, or for them perpetuating the myth that it's strange psychopaths in the street we need to be concerned about. The real threat to women is men they know and it's about time dramas started acknowledging that.
Having a single strong female lead is not enough to overcome the victimisation of every other female character and by episode 8 this is becoming a real problem.
And so I am dropping the show and hoping Seung-ho's next endeavour is more to my taste.
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In the sea of K-crime dramas, Memorist tries to be a blue whale but ends up being a fluke- the most abundant fish in the waters. It's generic, follows a pattern already used by many others, unoriginal and unfortunately boring by the end of the day.
In order to be apart from the norm, a mystery/crime show has to bring its own color to shine through. Stranger did that with the unique characters, Voice did that with its powerful antagonist, Defendent did that with the brilliant acting but Memorist, unfortunately has nothing that stands out.
Trouble with over powered protagonists (like the ML here, can read memories, is a kickass fighter, super smart, handsome , has a fan base) is that you're less forgiving of their stupidity. The ML's reckless actions and punch first, think later idealogy was less charming and more idiotic to me. It kept him from doing what matters and unfortunately, that meant I'd be stuck with more episodes of the same running around in circles with the plot I have no interest in.
Yoo Seung Ho is good here. He knows how to act but does not have the wow factor to make you connect with him (unless you're already a fan), the FL's character is well written but the actress's portrayal of her is just bland enough to make it meh.
Sure, there's mystery and the whodunnit factor and the frustration of not being able to catch the murderer but to me personally, it felt like I was seeing more of the same thing. And the idea of watching the same thing for the umpteenth of time, digesting all of the info dump with a mediocre setting and characters for 16 hours straight does not sound appealing to me at all. Some people say it got better, others say the plot just became messier as the episodes progressed, I for one don't have the patience to find out.
Maybe more suited for watchers that are new to the genre and fans of the cast but for a seasoned watcher? A hard pass.
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So this is my first time writing a review for a show on this site and I have to say that The Memorist is becoming one of the best dramas that I have watched so far. I know that we have only had 14 out of 16 episodes, but the show keep you on the edge of your seat wonder "What is his connection to this?" "I thought he was a good guy who was trying to redeem himself."This show while dark, also has it funny moments that show you the human side of all characters, it shows in the bonding of ML with the FL and SCs. I have to admit that while I am use to dramas I am not use to seeing such human emotions brought out, but this is a reflection of life in general.
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First of all... wow... amazing story.. amazing cast.. great ending.Although there are some similar drama like this... but I find this drama very interesting.. and each episode made me curious and wanting to watch the next one as soon as possible...
The plot twist in the end was really good.. Tho some of my predictions were right but I never imagine the plot twist.. which is good... I love dramas like this.
The cast.. was super amazing.. their chemistries are amazing. Yoo Seung Ho really delivers the characters well (knowing he played mellow characters a lot), love seeing him in this drama.
Lee Se Young's acting and character portrayal was great as well.. the chemistry between them was really great...
I will miss their bickering a lot.. as well as the trio (Dong Baek, his chief and Se Hoon).. without the trio... the story line will be too serious...
Yoon Ji On's portrayal of his character (Se Hoon) was really great.. I think without his character and the chief... there won't be much comedy in the drama...
Overall... the story was great... I really enjoyed the drama very much.. will re-watch it later on...
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If you're into thriller and suspense with good plot and spectacular acting then this drama is for you.
I started this drama because of Yoo Seung Ho. We all know he is such a brilliant actor. The actress Lee Se Young didn't disappoint at all either. I could feel the chemistry between them, making the already good drama better. Plus the behind the scenes proved how good the chemistry was between them.
The drama was well written in my opinion and many people didn't find the ending satisfying however that wasn't the case with me. The ending was good enough and with all the twists, i wasn't bored even once while watching this drama. I watched this drama in one go after it was finished since i can't wait an entire week.
Those who want romance, this isn't for you. I'm happy there wasn't any romance in it. I mean, come on, we all know this drama doesn't need romance. It's an action thriller, no need for romance to ruin it.
In short, if you're fan of mystery, action, thriller then this is for you. I thought it would be like he is psychometric but IT IS WAY BETTER THAN THAT. Memorist will always be in my top list of thriller dramas.
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It’s a rollercoaster ride.
This story has a very detailed plot. There are a lot of people to remember the names of and it can be a little hard to follow at times. However, it was very interesting and worth watching because of the plot. This isn’t some thing you can just half ass watch and not get confused. I appreciate the plot and the Details throughout the storyline. Events in the plot really did piss me off and it is violent but nothing like the US TV shows I watch. Some of the story seems like it’s straight out of criminal minds to be honest because of how many curveballs your thrown.I really like the cast and there acting and I appreciate that it’s not a romance centered storyline. It really does keep you guessing and I had a lot of WTF moments because I was surprised. It’s definitely worth watching if you want an interesting, detailed show to watch
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I just finished watching this. I cannot write my thoughts completely spoiler-free but obviously I won't reveal anything major. This is a story of a police detective with a supernatural power and a genious profiler trying to catch a serial killler that has something to do with their past. Have we seen it again? Of course. It was interesting? Absolutely.When you came across a mystery-police thriller you wanted to be unpredictable with suspense, action (a bit) and a good case. And this drama has everything. A good case with suspense from the first episode (and it is torture when you watch it week to week) and really clever way of building and revealing the mystery. Nothing is like it seems and it can trick you. And that it is the best part. He has superpower and she is a genious but they misunderstand and lead themselves to wrong paths. As the plot was reavealing I really enjoyed the whole theme with the power abuse (from the police, prosecution, rich etc) and how they used the power their positions seems to hold to hide their mistakes.
If I find something negative is that at some points the plot was too complecated with no reason, just to be complicated. And I was a tiny bit disapointed from the final ending and the "true villain". I understand their motives and their use in the envolve of the plot and Dong Baek's character but I think was a bit random. That's the reason I give it 9.5. As for the rewatch value, I don't rewatch mystery series a second time because I know the end and I cannot enjoy them. But you can see new perspectives the second time.
Also, really nice cast with special credits to Ko Chang Seok and Yoon Ji On, with their great characters that confirm that the sidekicks are always the best.
(Sorry of any mistakes, English isn't my first language)
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It's super amazing drama of my life
Great cast and performance is fantastic
Cast killed audience with their performance
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Une enquête prenante où le suspens est maintenu jusqu'à la fin !
J'ai adoré ce drama pour de multiples raisons. Chaque épisode que l'on voit est de plus en plus prenant. On s'attache énormément aux personnages et ce, très rapidement, on a peur de ce qui peut leur arriver, on s'intéresse sincèrement à leur passé que l'on apprend à découvrir petit à petit. Et surtout l'enquête... Une enquête tellement prenante. On se demande jusqu'au bout qui est "L'Effaceur", et à chaque fois que l'on pense avoir trouvé, on se retrouve sur d'autres pistes.Le pire dans tout ça, c'est que même les personnages "méchants" ont une histoire et un passé vraiment prenant également. Un cercle sans fin, on se retrouve plongé dans un thriller dans lequel on a à la fois envie de démasquer le criminel, et en même temps pas envie que tout cela s'arrête.
Si l'on mêle à tout cela des questions de réflexions sur l'influence et l'impact des médias sur les opinions publiques qui étaient très prenantes aussi, et en plus une équipe d'acteurs vraiment géniale, on a un super mélange ! Vraiment l'équipe formée par le trio Dong Baek, Han So Mi et les deux coéquipiers de l'inspecteur, on a une équipe d'enfer (ils se surnomment même les Avengers) et super attachante !
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First of all I'd like to say that I normally watch a drama when it has fully aired, but with the Memorist I watched it as it aired. It is a different experience and to be honest, I don't think this is a drama you should binge through. I enjoyed watching two episodes back to back and then coming to this site and read everyone's comments and join the discussions... it somehow became a special drama maybe because of it.If you are expecting a drama that shows you where it's heading and hints heavily on the culprit from the first episodes, you will be sorely disappointed! This drama is a rollercoaster and for the most part, a very thrilling one.
Analysing the main characters of the show, I will start from Dongbaek, the memorist detective. He is a little firecraker who ends up more times than I can count in the hospital, he's cocky and comes across as arrogant but hides a painful past. What I liked about how the show approached his powers, was when they spoke about how scanning people's minds can actually be violating someone's human rights... and honestly it is a valid point. Therefore, for his scans to be considered as evidence, like with any other type of evidence, they have to be collected legally and with a warrant.
Han Sunmi is the female lead and a great profiler. She is cold and smart and determined to find the culprit for her father's murder. I found at the beginning of the show that her personality was a bit inconsistent but eventually the writers seemed to have found the balance and made her a more solid and likable character.
Both main characters are surrounded by various side characters who don't have much space in the story, but are well written. My favourite characters being DB's team members who, as the story progresses, grew in me a lot.
The story also features plenty of evil characters, but by far the most important is Jaegyu. Mysterious at first, you eventually get to know his whole life story, and to be honest, I ended up sympathising with him. His character was by far more interesting than the eraser, which brings me to what I DIDN'T like of the show
The Eraser:
Few times a show introduces a character that truly terrifies me, but in the memorist they did a great job with the eraser. This evasive character full of hatred and insight. I had never thought before that erasing people's memories could be such a strong weapon until I watched this show. From beginning until the final episode, his identity is never revealed, and once we find out it is Dongbaek's sister, it kind of makes sense... it couldn't really be someone else and yet... it left me feeling really disappointed. I'm sure if I re-watched the series all over again, I would find a million reasons why it doesn't quite fit right, and the series had been so good until then that my expectations were maybe too high.
All in all, I was going to give the show 10 points, but the last two episodes dropped it to 9. It is a VERY different and enjoyable drama whether you like crime shows or not, and it does make you think much more than I am used to.
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