Monster (2021)

Dong Sik and Ju Won make this drama what it is.

I'm going to keep this review relatively spoiler-free, but in order to make character references and because a big draw of the plot is whether or not the leads are involved in the murder, I'm going to use a spoiler tag as talking about their characters in-depth will reveal whether or not they're involved, so keep that in mind while reading.

It's really hard to write a detective thriller that works. We've all seen them, dozens of them. A fair amount of the most popular dramas over the years have fallen into this category. With so many to choose from and another 1-3 cropping up each season, it's hard for any individual title to leave its mark on you. You've seen it all before, all the twists and turns. And buddy cop dramas? They're a dime a dozen. Every dynamic has been tested, all the tropes are set, so the moment that you see a new title following the same formula, unless it has a gimmick, you don't bat an eye.

Beyond Evil is just like all of those other thriller detective stories. Except where it isn't. There's something different about this drama that really struck a chord with me. The setting of a small town with a history of murder where everyone knows each other and they all have secrets? That's nothing new. A 20-year-old-murder that's never been resolved is suddenly brought back into the spotlight when the killer kills again? It's been done to death. What about two very different police officers who are forced to partner up to solve the crime? That's one of the most popular dynamics in the genre!

Except, it's not. What really fascinated me about this drama wasn't the mystery, the setting, nor the plot. There was something different about the relationship between LDS and HJW, something that I couldn't quite place in the early episodes. When I started watching episodes 1 and 2 I had predicted the turns their relationship would take right off the bat. On one side we had an unconventional older cop who's been around the block and whose past is always hanging over him. He's bitter with the world, angry at himself, and is known to fly off the handle when provoked. Only... that's not really accurate. We can make assumptions about LDS before we really get to know him that can lead to those conclusions because that's typically how these characters go. And, honestly, he looks pretty unhinged early on, enough to make you wonder if HJW is right, if LDS has been the killer all along. The further the story goes and the more you see of him, you come to understand that what's on the surface isn't all there is to his character. Despite going off when he's angry, he can also be extremely rational. In those fits of brash action that he takes, he knows what he's doing, where it will go and what will happen because of it. He laughs like a madman not because he's unhinged but because of what he's been through. When fingers are being pointed at him, when he notices other cops making the same mistakes now that were made 20 years ago when he was named a suspect, he laughs at the absurdity of it, of knowing it was exactly those leaps in logic that ruined his life all those years ago and that, even after no evidence could be found and he was released, he's the first suspected when something goes wrong. LDS is a very thoroughly thought-out character, and I was honestly shocked by that as detectives don't tend to be that fleshed out in these types of stories - often their main character trait is 'the family/friend of victim A who wants to avenge their death'. LDS is no exception to this rule; he's a cop with a murdered sister who wants to find her body and catch the murderer, but there was more to him than that. Take that fleshed-out character and add the phenomenal actor Shin Ha Kyun and you have an amazing performance.

HJW is a little different. At first, I was sure that he was a badly written character. No matter what happened or how his logic was challenged, he was dead-set on LDS being named the murderer. In the first few episodes, he only vaguely considered other possibilities. Even when other characters tried to rationalize with him or let him into their lives, he just pushed them away. He didn't want anything to do with them. All that mattered was that LDS was the killer and that HJW was going to arrest him. But just like LDS, he's a character with a lot of layers. We get to see glimpses of his past, the grudge he holds against his father and how completely alone he's been throughout his life. The closeness of the Manyang police officers is foreign to him. He's not good with that sort of environment because he had never experienced it before. When someone shows him compassion, he pushes it back. He doesn't need it. He can't grasp the feelings behind it. Everyone has always wanted something from him, everyone always had expectations of him, and if they show one bit of kindness then they must be the same. To a man who doesn't believe in sincerity, it's easier to be alone. And honestly, before you know really know him, seeing him acting like this is frustrating. You just want to take him by the collar and shake him. Yeo Jin Goo plays this role perfectly as well. I honestly couldn't imagine another actor in his place, and even when you want to punch him, you can't quite hate him.

What really stands out about Beyond Evil is the relationship between these two characters. Now, I like detective thrillers. Even despite how much flack I give them, I still try out almost every one that comes around, I give them all a chance. I'm only so critical of the genre because of just how many I've seen and how a lot of them blur together. A drama doesn't necessarily need to have a good plot or production for me to like it. Usually, the first thing I look at is characters. If the characters are good then I've even enjoyed dramas that have very low ratings or little popularity. If a plot is really good but I hate seeing the characters, it's hard to get through. What surprised me about LDS and HJW's relationship is that it's not a typical enemies-to-friends dynamic. It isn't just two different people learning to depend on one another. For most of the series, these two clash. They butt heads every episode, they bait each other every chance they get. Compliments are backhanded insults and there is no trust between them. Half the time you'd think they hate each other. Half the time, they do. There's no bonding session 4 or 5 episodes in that makes them get along or work together better. It just doesn't happen. Every time LDS reaches out, HJW slaps him in the face. Again and again. But despite how terribly they get along, they start to worry about each other. They look out for one enough even while pointing figurative (and literal) guns at each other's heads. The way LDS talks and reacts to HJW reveals just how little he actually blames HJW for his actions. He sees him as a young, naive boy who doesn't have much experience with the world and lets him get away with a lot. You realize how tolerant he is. At the same time, HJW begins the long, slow journey of learning more about the world and himself. He opens up. Even if he has a sharp tongue right up until the end, he starts to ease up and let people into his life.

Beyond Evil is great. And these characters are just two of the rich cast we're given. Each character has their own secrets, their own stories and trials and everyone has their place. And the plot, while a little too messy at times, does a great job of bringing those characters together in a unique and interesting way. For me, this was the only drama this season that was consistently good from the beginning right until the end. It was the one that left me the most satisfied, and looking at where we started to where we are at the end has made me appreciate it even more. This is a classic in the making and I really hope more people give it a shot because it's worth your time.

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