~Shin Ha Hyun’s acting chops is mind-blowing! He gives you the creeps, makes you hate him, cry for him, pity him and love him.
~The plot is nothing new to serial murders and crime thrillers but the execution and plot reveal bits by bits adding psychological point of view and a touch of dark humor is what has made all the difference
~Yoo Jin Goo and the remaining cast are able to deliver emotionally raw performances as well with the best of the dialogues at hand
~The push and pull between the two male leads and the character growth by the end of the drama is really wholesome and surprising
~The portrayal of mentally unstable characters and untrustworthy POVs is another high point as well
~Props to the jazz music OST that fits perfectly with the eerie vibes of the drama
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
impeccable and *muah* chef's kiss
OK, let's go.This drama is really going to be one of the best of the year.
First of all, I just love police dramas, police investigation and even more, police dramas set outside of seoul. I think my favorite dramas aren't set in seoul.
I admit I started this series just for the sake of it, I didn't think it was going to be really that great.
The setting and characterization of the characters was something that really got to me, throughout the drama I kept asking myself "why is he protecting them like that?" "why do they do that?" and that made it all that much more meaningful. At first you are a foreigner watching from the outside, but then you become one of them.
Speaking of the characters, Lee Dong Sik has all my love. I never distrusted him, not even when he was really suspicious LOL, I really trusted what he was doing and feeling, he's just my protégé. Now… Han Ju Won, he really pissed me off. In the first few episodes I really questioned why they chose such an annoying protagonist, he was unbearable, but after a while... he was still annoying as hell. I admit that I only stopped hating him in the last three episodes, but I started to understand why he was so annoying.
Dong Sik's friends, each of them was significant in their own way, Nam Sang Bae, Ji Hwa, Ji Hoon and Jae-I were my favorites, although I liked Park Jeong Je.
I managed to get attached to the characters but was still able to let go a little bit when something bad happened. And the complicity of all of them was very interesting.
I should also say that: even though Ju Won bothered me with his inconvenient ways, I thought it was very good how he, even upset, stood up against his father when necessary and did not get in the way when Dong Sik pointed out that there was something strange.
Cop dramas make me itch with anxiety, but I really enjoy it.
Now, about the plot, I thought it was really cool how they showed what happened several times, but every time with new details. Besides, even if the objective is "who killed Dong Sik's sister?" they still put it in a way that it didn't get tiring from it. All the deaths, all the connections were really surprising, all the ends were tied up nicely. I found the "villains" really motivated, they had a goal and that's what they wanted.
In the end, I liked how they all received punishment for their actions, even Dong Sik who didn't "do it out of malice" and Jeong Je who wasn't entirely guilty. I thought it was really cool how they didn't solve all the problems with suicide and how all the characters had a direction.
I really loved the experience of watching Beyond evil, each episode was emotional and the feeling of existential emptiness will take time to leave me ( ಥ_ಥ)
Oh, I need to add that Shin Ha Kyun's acting really was one of the most impeccable things I've ever seen. He really shows several performances with mastery, really a perfect actor.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Mixed feelings
I just finished the series and I truly don't know how to feel about it.I'm going to start with the positive stuff - the cast, acting and soundtrack are all perfect. I especially applaud the actors, who played Juwon and Dongsik - outstanding performances from the both of them. The soundtrack flows beautifully and is just perfect for this series.
However, the story is quite messy and I questioned a lot of the characters' actions. The show falls flat after episode 8, but gets better again after episode 13. Episodes 9-12 were painfully boring to watch. The plot in general is quite hard to follow and confusing, that's why I'm rating the rewatch value at a 10, because then you can rewatch it and try to piece this confusing story together with the context of the characters' motivations and goals. The plot got predictable at times to the point the plot twists could be seen coming from a mile away. The show also left me with some questions, but the most common word in those questions was why. Why did dongsik say nothing when he realised who killed minjeong? Why do none of the characters trust each other? Why did kihwan not stop when he saw yuyeon on the road?
And most importantly, how did they get yuyeon's body in the wall without dongsik knowing? (not a why question but still).
Although this series was frustrating to watch at times, I will happily return to it to give it another chance.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Came for the actors and stayed for the characters!
I watched the entire show in 2 days. That says a lot for me because I take my time when I watch Tv shows. I mostly just let the story unravel itself as the characters slowly weave their way into my heart but with 'Beyond Evil' I couldn't bring myself to wait.1. ACTING- The actors are the biggest strength of this show and I don't just mean the main leads.
The MLs though, on top of being ridiculously handsome, the way they played their roles is what made me swoon over them and excitedly wait for them to appear on the screen. I would smile wide everytime and then when they were on together, don't get me started! The tension and vibe *everytime* (which is kind of the key word here) got me jumping and clapping like a seal. (No exaggeration).
Every character holds a place in your heart and all the credit goes to the casting! It really was an amazing bunch. Their "FRIENDSHIP" is really heartwarming to watch, the way they care for each other and come together, you cannot help but fall in love with them.
2. BROMANCE- It's kind of all that I need in a show sometimes and this show gives you all kinds of feels. The relationship between the two MLs starts off as a storm, definitely makes you question your choice and wonder whether there is any bromance in the show at all but as the episodes progress, its unravels very beautifully and then makes your heart melt. It easily was one of the most angsty bromances I've watched and I cannot explain the emotional rollercoster they put me through together.
There is one more pair in the show, mostly in the background, but it surely pulls your strings in a different way.
3. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT- I REALLY loved the characters- if it isn't already obvious. And I'm a sucker for character development and this show definitely gives you some major turns. It kind of becomes the base of the show.
4. MUSIC AND PRODUCTION- It's very believable and really pulls you in, especially the parts where the puzzles start to fit in place.
5. STORY- It's not particularly the best story, sure there's suspense and some emotional and shocking components but it's not that unpredictable. The serial killer trope is what I came for but the show halfway through loses that concept. I'm not complaining. I don't even consider it as a big disadvantage, like I said the characters totally manage to make you forget all about the plot issues and just make you want more.
A few episodes are messy- not the best but no show is ever perfect. There are no filler episodes though, each moment is important to the story but it gets a little messy half way through. Maybe 2 episodes somewhere in the middle but it's still enough to keep your interest hooked.
6. Shin Ha Kyun. His eyes. I'm just putting it there. You'll know when you watch the show. His character is extraordinarily selfless.
SO, YES! It's an amazing show. Definitely worth a watch. Just continue watching even if it feels slow because the characters really don't let you drop the show and just make you want more.
Have fun!
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deserve the Baeksang Award
I can't asked for a better crime thriller drama. Beyond Evil, honestly exceeded beyond my expectations. Both Yeo Jin Goo and Shin Ha Kyun gave their best performance. Not only that, I love the flow of the storyline. The show had two parts divided equally and perfectly. Episode 1 to 8 contains the first part while episode 9 to 16 holds the 2nd part. And how they relate both parts so perfectly is really amazing. Would have give them a 10 if only they didn't hinted the loveline between Han Ju Won and the girl (can't remember her name) towards the end. I just think that it wasn't necessary for them to put it in but nonetheless it was really good and amazing.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Superb thriller drama of 2021!
After all the cheesy romance kdramas, this one feels like a breeze of fresh air.The story can be divided into 2 parts: part 1 is who-done-it type of show and part 2 is about how to catch the culprit(s). I find part 1 is wonderfully made with slow pacing at first and then when it hits climax it's perfection, like a symphony. Part 2 is when the "teamwork" (which is build up in part 1) is finally paid off and it's beautiful to see these stubborn characters work together. However, I find part 2 leans a bit much on stereotypical tropes of evil chaebols/people in power and therefore predictable as well. Moreover, the drama also sometimes heavy-handed its message that bad people must be punished by the system (even if it's the same system that enables them, in this case they only point out the "few bad apples" in the Korea justice system w/o seeing the pattern of abused power). Overall, there was storytelling magicality to the screenplay, the choice of music for each scene makes it more whimsical. Suspense builds up at the end of each episode. There is subtleness to the dialogues spoken by characters which is crucial to the plot & overall aesthetics. It was aesthetically pleasing drama with black, gray & brown color schemes mostly.
The acting of all characters are amazing throughout, of course especially Dong Shik (now I understand why he won best actor). Yeo Jin Goo surprises me because he's so young but very talented as well and doesn't get outshined by Shin Ha Kyun. The characterisations of the 2 main leads are wonderfully executed with satisfying conclusion arc, when they finally find peace within themselves (I'm so glad none of them die). However, I wish we got to see more of Joo Won backstories which hopefully explains his strong moral code (because it's the main drive of his character but he definitely doesn't get it from his parents). I also find it a bit unrealistic that the show implies that both of them seems to do fine (mentally) after the culprits have been caught which is kinda unrealistic with how erratic they behave throughout the show for a long period of time (they should both get therapy tbh).
The music is memorable which is rare for me with a thriller kdrama. I'd def rewatch my favorite scenes sometimes.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Tinha expectativas, e o primeiro episódio me prendeu bastante, de cara já gostei dos personagens e suas personalidades. Das boas atuações e da trilha sonora também.Porém o enredo se arrasta demais e parece não sair do lugar, quase peguei no sono em vários momentos, e olha que sou do tipo que tem paciência para desenvolvimento lento.
Fica naquele clichê de: Quem será o assassino? pois têm vários suspeitos, mas no fim é quem menos esperávamos...
Só que a partir da revelação do culpado é que o enredo enfim começa a caminhar e se tornar deveras instigante. Porém não consegui engolir a conveniência de roteiro em que o pai do Joo Woon que segundo o próprio filho não confia em ninguém, gosta de perfeição, é da polícia e não ter sequer pensando em procurar alguma escuta no carro, e ter revelado o seu maior segredo, pois pelo que se conhece do personagem ele deveria ser muito, mas muito cauteloso MESMO, ao meu ver.
O que pude tirar de mensagem é que: as coisas estão muito além do que imaginamos, e a ganância e vingança podem nos tornar o pior do ser humano.
Enfim, com paciência e ignorando algumas falhas, é ok.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Good Enough
Korean Drama '' Beyond Evil '' is a psychological thriller with a duo of detectives that aid the success of the drama.The two main leads are great, nailing their performance, and their chemistry was enjoyable. It was also nice to watch their relationship changing from enemies to friends.
The criminal case was, in addition, interesting to follow, even though it got predictable in the end. The final episodes actually weren't as good and as strong as the first part of the drama.
Finally, the action scenes were nicely handled and the side characters were also entertaining.
So, overall, seven out of ten.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Brilliant crime/mystery similar to "Broadchurch"
I watched this series after watching Flower of Evil. I thought Lee Joon-gi was superb in the series but was puzzled that he lost to Shin Ha Kyun. So I watched Beyond Evil to satisfy my curiosity.Beyond Evil is highly recommended if you are looking for crime/mystery with brilliant writing and phenomenal acting. This drama is in my top 5 kdrama list.
What I like:
1) Sublime acting by Shin Ha Kyun. I was mesmerised by his performance (various facial expressions - he even once fooled me!) and and handsomeness. I sound silly but my gosh, he was very handsome in this series.
2) Brilliant writing - there were many twists & grey areas. It's hard not to side with Dong-sik despite some of his dubious decisions. This series reminds me of British drama series called "Broadchurch" because of the similar premise (murder in small town). Supporting characters were well-written too,
3) Han Joo-won's characterisation - I enjoy seeing his character development and conflicts that he faced,
4) The score - one of best scores for a drama series regardless of country of production. I love 'Who is Monster', 'Beyond Evil opening theme', '2000 Mayang' very much that they are in my music playlist.
5) I love the interrogation scenes. Interesting to see strategies deployed to get statements or info.
6) I learned about makgeolli from this series. When I travelled to Busan in 2023 and saw makgeolli, I thought of this series.
What I dislike:
1) I think at one point, I thought there were too many red herrings that I was slightly lost in the plot.
Favourite scene:
The arrest scene in the final episode remains my favourite scene. Emotional punch!
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Amazing :)
I don’t often use my time to write a review because I’m not really good with words but it will be a shame not to write one about this show.First, it’s amazing! The actors really did great in portraying the roles that I always want to go inside the screen and stab them myself lol
I also like the way they drop the twists at the end of the episodes. They always caught me off guard, I was like “ohhh so he’s the one” THEN WHAT THE FUCK HE ISNT!?????!!!??
The music was good too!!!
One thing I dislike about it tho is sometimes they go in circle and like they are dragging it too much to reach 16 episodes BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO GIVE JUSTICE TO THAT. Actually on the late episode my thought was, please dont end 😭
overall this is one of the shows that is really worth your time so please go and watch it!
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
A profound and poignant series.
I have to say that Korean series excel in thriller, suspense and detective genre.Here I must say that this overall has a superb production, direction and themes are dark which goes in line with the story being told.
We discover a small town supposedly quiet but with a name attached to a bloody and heavy history.
This story goes back to a series of disappearances and murders that happened 20 years earlier.
I must say that the direction is great, we got flashbacks at the most critical moments, the tension is at its height and these flashbacks not being omniscient, they can be misleading and leave us with lots of questions for the future.
So we have a narration of the facts of 20 years ago in parallel with the resurgence of this case which has never been resolved in current day.
A young detective, not so innocent as that, takes the initiative to continue this case, which leads to an unfortunate situation and the plot becomes more complicated. Especially since it turns out that one of the suspects from 20 years ago is now one of the small town police, and he's as dark and deranged as his reputation suggests.
I'll leave the plot here, without saying more, but I must tell you that the story and script were very well written, especially to highlight the acting of the characters.
Having dark tones, the main characters are just as dark, especially those of the small town, who carry a heavy sadness, a lot of pain due to the disappearances and the questions that have never been answered.
Over the course of the series, we begin to suspect everyone - which often happens in detective series - and sometimes with good reason.
The character of Shin Ha Kyun is overwhelming, he is very complex, intelligent and raw, we can feel his pain, his hopes and doubts. He definitely deserves his Best Actor - Television at 57th Baeksang Arts Awards. His character is striking, and it is difficult to forget such a performance.
He is joined in this series with a young actor, Yeo Jin Goo, who plays the young detective ready to stir up the past. Who also delivers a beautiful performance, his character struggles a lot in the series, to know who to trust, but above all how to discover the truth. He has amazing chemistry with Shin Ha Kyun.
For the secondary characters, they are all equally mysterious, complex and their characters have been well written and acted.
To sum up, if you like good productions, plot and character driven, in very dark, mature and complex police and human tones. Then this series is for you.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Hands down best crime show I put my time into.
Sure, it's a slow-pacing story, BUT it's worth it. The plot twist is interesting too. Every action they make is essential to the story, down to the point where Lee Dongsik didn't show up to eat that night with the rest of the group and knew all along, to the point where it wasn't even Park Jung Je that killed LYY. It was all so interesting that I had binged this within 2 days' time. I was captivated, the relationship between the two main characters was also interesting, as how they were portrayed and how they acted.Han Juwon and Lee Dongsik have a relationship that I NEED. They both had gone from blaming each other to taking the blame for each other. I can never forget who or how they are, the way they act is stuck in my mind, especially in the last episode. All the episodes of this show made me think so hard. they were all definitely a 9/10 AT LEAST for each episode.
Love the characters, episode, story, and relationship. Character development is important in this as well as relationship development.
This show also displays how many risks some people would go through to not ruin their reputation. To be honest, if I could, I would erase this show from my memories just to watch it again.
(Also I love "The Night" so points for music)
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
