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Beyond Expectations
To start off this review with anything other than honesty would be a disservice to this drama - at first,I had no intentions of watching "Beyond Evil",despite being a huge fan of mysteries and true crime.But that all changed with the few shots of the first episode.Again,I like to begin this review by listing the positives first,as I strongly believe it takes a lot to write,direct and film any drama,whether good or bad.That goes for movies,shows and almost every form of media.It`s hard.But,with that being said,I finished this drama feeling bittersweet,since I was saying goodbye to characters I really connected with and cared for.
What this drama does right,off the bat,is setting the atmosphere and mood reminiscent of old noir fiction,right down to our main characters and their characteristics.Paying homage almost,to one of my favorite faucets of crime fiction with morally ambiguous protagonists is a huge plus in my books.Even by the end of this drama,it was cemented in my mind that all characters meant to be on the good side,still DID one or more questionable things.Simultaneously all characters meant to be on the wrong side still DID one or more positive things.Because humans are like that.So what happens when we are faced with the consequences of our own actions?
True highlights of this show are Shin Ha-kyun as Dong Sik and Lee Gyu-Hoe as Kang Jin-Mook.They just are.As much as I was a big fan of excellent bromance between Dong Sik and Han Ju Won(played by seasoned actor Yeo Jin-Goo),there were a handful of times when the latter wasn`t as convincing as I wanted him to be,so that`s the only reason why I`m not naming BOTH principal actors as creams of the crop.That said,all actors across the board did an amazing job.Still,these two are my favorites.I was amazed at the fact that I could tell by his smile when Dong Sik was truly jubilant and when he was playing a part,despite it being the same smile in almost every way visually. It was a rush and a pleasure getting to watch such an outstanding performance.Even the way his character was written kept me on my toes and it`s so seldom I see character`s motivations displayed without any holes or contradictions in drama world. I can`t shower him with praises enough and can`t wait to see what else he does in the future.On the other hand,Kang Jin-Mook was slimy,underhanded,calculated and the complete opposite,yet he kept me invested.And that`s something,considering I knew about the twist before starting this drama.And that`s another fact:I absolutely LOVED how this case had layers to it and how it wasn`t just one person carrying the brunt of the whole act.Because in that sense,it`s so much more realistic.Not everything about this show works in terms of crime building,but this does to almost every extent. And I also liked all employees of Munju Police Station,especially Oh Ji-Hwa and Nam Sang-Bae.I actually shed a few tears during his death,but I was,in the same way,pleased with how everyone chose to honor his legacy.Through clever character placement and world building,it wasn`t hard seeing how and why all these characters cared about each other,despite their poor decision making.It was a complete,yet broken family whose members might all have something against each other,but when push comes to shove,they`re there to defend their own.And it was beautiful. Not to be forgotten,Heo Sung-Tae`s acting in this(as flamboyant and short fused Lee Chang-Jin)was exceptional and I was genuinely pleased they didn`t kill him off.Man`s clumsy,but he really won me over.
I liked the uncertainty of pinpointing character`s motivations.It was fun trying to put all these pieces together,along with our `heroes`.The OST was a masterpiece in its own right and,as I`m listening to it,not only is it different,but I note influences from shows like "Jessica Jones" and "Daredevil" weirdly enough.And I love every second of it.It`s understatedly powerful and poignant in more ways than one.
Set designs also range from good to amazing,with managing to evoke that silently dangerous charm of villages and counties.I hadn`t seen anyone commenting on it so I had to mention it regardless.
And now we have to get a bit nitpicky.And mention the shortcomings of this drama,which aren`t plenty,but are a bit more glaring when they`re placed against all these positives.And now,I fancy myself as John Wolfe of dramas(if you don`t know about him,check out his YT channel,he`s great)in that we both have to catch some inconsistencies and/or issues,even when no one else clocks them.And in this case,it`s the final few stages of case building,coupled with some smaller plot holes or deus ex machinas,if you will.I have to admit,I really wasn`t a fan of what ended up happening to Dong Sik`s sister in the end.And I was vocal about it whilst watching the show.It was just a very roundabout and clumsy way of including everyone(namely Han Ju Won`s father) in this crime scene.It was cluttered and considering the rest of this awesome drama, lackluster.It should`ve been sat on more in the writing room.Basically,the victim stumbled across a killing after a small fight with her boyfriend(Dong Sik`s best friend),had her fingers chopped off,in Jin-Mook`s signature style,managed to escape,only to be hit once and then again,after Chang-Jin couldn`t be bothered to be a real gangster and do his job.After this,she was snatched away by Jin-Mook and shoved in the wall of Dong Sik`s house.That last part was done great and the realization of your dead sister being near you all these years was also top-notch.Anything related to Jin-Mook`s part of the case I had no issue with.But they were really pushing it with involving everyone else in this one instance.Not only that,but they managed to create a big plot hole in the process.Yung-Je mentioned that he hit a deer and we are shown a shot of him hitting the victim while she was standing up.This is from his perspective,mind you.He later states that he hit her while she was laying down,which was the way they managed to crack the case.However,this understanding then negates all Yung-Je`s deer drawings as he was reminded of deers whilst looking into her eyes before hitting her.Another thing I wasn`t really a fan of is how Chang-Jin was called to the scene to clean it up TWICE,where he was just walking to and back from the road...it was a mess,that whole creative decision.Another character I wasn`t really sold on in terms of criminal acts tied to this case was Ju Won`s father.I didn`t really care about him outside the relationship with his son.And this is a small nitpick but,since the whole case swept up police stations basically,we see not one case outside of it.I can understand for Munju,as it`s a small substation and not much happens.But outside of it,I`m not so sure.
Overall,"Beyond Evil" is a gem in its genre,and even outside of it.Despite some bumps in the road(no pun intended) it`s by far the best crime drama I`ve seen so far.And I`m so glad I was given the opportunity to experience it in full. I`d recommend it to anyone except hardcore romance watchers(if they have such expectations going in). It`s a drama that deserves more hype and deserves every bit of praise and mention coming its way.
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ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS I'VE SEEN TILL DATE IN MY LIFE
WOW where do I even start with this masterpiece of a show? It isn't even a show, it's an EXPERIENCE, it's goddamn cinematic poetry, it's an absolute DELIGHT in every way, and I'm going to try my best to describe exactly why. The acting, the story, the build-up, the chemistry, the MUSIC, the cinematography, everything was AMAZING.But the main reason was the SIZZLING and intense and VISCERAL chemistry of the two main leads.
Lee Dong Shik and Han Ju Won, two names I'm likely to never forget as I desperately search for fanfiction and You Tube edits of this pair, because the reality is, I can't let this duo go just yet.
They were always colluding behind everyone's back while pretending that they hate each other, making FERVENT declarations to each other when they're alone, that NEVER ENDING eye contact, HJW willingly touching LDS whenever he gets the chance and even seeking out to be close to LDS physically and emotionally, being truthful only in front of each other, seeing each other at their weakest points, a ready-to-die-for-you attitude, two sides of the same coin, promising each other to be safe, ready to sacrifice their life to right a wrong in the other person's life, a strong sense of trust, pride, belonging and understanding...and where do I even BEGIN with that last 10 minutes T-T
SO MANY TIMES throughout the show, I replayed their 'moments' and observed each and every single expression, every single detail of their interactions, simply because I wanted to keep them in my memory because of how much satisfaction it gave me.
SATISFYING is the best way to put it, because after every revelation, after every reveal, every breathtakingly BEAUTIFUL and haunting soundtrack behind each new discovery, I was completely taken with this couple and their flow of the story, and even though it's supposed to be a slow burn classic thriller, it kept me on the edge of my seat, but I still saw and absorbed each and every single character's tale. The two leads have such an intense push-pull development and their characters compliment each other TOO well.
Despite of the lead couple's stellar chemistry and connection, it is truly remarkable how the other characters also manage to carve out their space in the audience's mind, each character displayed a uniqueness which makes them all memorable in my eyes, and the emotional and psychological trauma was portrayed BRILLIANTLY by each and every single one of them. The baddies were all a delight to watch as well, although the initial 'killer' gave me creeps like never before.
TLDR; WATCH THIS SHOW ASAP AND THEN THANK ME.
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Beyond Evil -- Beyond Well Done and Deserving of its Awards
I knew from the intense start of this drama that it would be a memorable one. And if anyone watching it has any doubts about the kind of drama Beyond Evil is, the opening scenes clear it up pretty quick. I was quite thrilled to have Shin Han Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo in a drama together. The last drama I watched Jin Goo in was The Crowned Clown, and he was excellent. Shin Ha Kyun, well, he's a beast of an actor and more than deserving of his best actor award in how he portrayed the tormented Dong Shik, but I think the best part of this drama was how Yeo Jin Goo and Shin Ha Kyun played off each other in their respective roles. Their chemistry on-screen is absorbing, and the fact that the drama is shrouded with mystery and hidden secrets added to its enjoyment. And as they say, a good actor is only as good as a well-written screenplay and direction, and without a doubt, Beyond Evil had that in droves. It's what made the drama as captivating as everything worked perfectly, from the dialogue to the storytelling and directing.But as much as I loved both Shin Han Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo, I would be remiss not to mention Choi Dae Hoon in the role of Park Jung Je; his character that touched me the most, and it's probably in the way Dae Hoon portrays him and in the sadness that seems to always be in him, with him, and around him. The credit definitely goes to Choi Dae Hoon (I love the way he talks) for portraying Park so effortlessly, for making me care for him as much as I did. I felt his hopelessness every time.
All the important characters within this drama go through so much, and the best part is that they each had great development throughout the show, especially Dong Shik and Joo Won (Shin Han Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo). They go from practically hating each other to having complete trust in one another as they each lay their lives for the other, and in the process, learn the toughest lessons from each other. That punishment is not for revenge but to lessen crime and reform the criminal and that children are not responsible for their parent's actions. I love a drama with a message, and this one's major in it that out of adversity comes opportunity and sometimes the best of relationships and that one must stand up to the truth no matter who steps on it. Beyond Evil is beyond well done and is one drama worthy of the watch over and over again -- a perfect ten. I am not surprised this drama won best drama and screenplay of the year nor that Shin Ha Kyun won the best actor -- it was in the writing and the acting already. A standing ovation and thousand congratulations.
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WHAT THE HECK!!! THIS IS PERFECT!!!
Look, this drama was basically everything i like all in one package, in other words, it left me in a emotional mess when it ended. I started watching it on a whim and IT WAS PERFECT! I can't stress how good everyone's acting was, pls the two leads deserve awards for this or ima throw hands. The osts were SO beautiful, i downloaded many of them nd been listening on repeat, it really blended well with the scenes, making them super full of suspense nd excitement. Episode 7 felt like almost last episode material in how hyped it was nd from episode 7 onwards, i had no idea how but it kept getting better and better and the last episode was the pinnacle of perfection. This drama was confusing, exciting, thrilling, sad and heartwarming all at the same time. I kept on guessing coz everyone looked suspicious nd then each reveal, till the very last episode had me screaming 'omggg thats itttt holy shittt'. AND the relationship between the leads was just so adorable ;-; im weak to this kinda relationships, i love them so much. This drama showed how small, seemingly insignificant mistakes nd error in judgement can have devastating consequences and attempts at hiding it can pile up nd go on to ruin ur life nd also that of those around u. Throughout the 16 episodes i felt like i had also become one of the manyang residents nd im missing them like crazy now TT gotta rewatch.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Balancing Everything
Development has been long delayed in Munju located in the western part of the Gyeonggi Province due to blood-curdling incidents of the past; it is here the story of Beyond Evil has been set and the inhabitants have been close-knit community. Lee Dong Shik, once a victim to these incidents now works as sergeant at Manyang police substation of Munju police station. Despite his "crazy" work style, he is one of the well trusted persons of the community. Enters Han Joo Won, an elite officer, transferred as inspector who is diametrically opposite to LDS in character and work style. Upon his arrival, multiple events occur, people go missing, bodies are found, reminiscent of the past and reopening the scars of Munju.HJW struggles with fitting in the community and workplace; some are hostile, some allege him to stop "acting up" and some make him accept their ways of doing things. This is a well-thought-out imagery as the viewer is also similarly taken through multitude of events and fitting into this drama feels a bit struggling. The reason for this being one might wonder what events to be taken seriously and what not; In retrospection, every minor event contributes to the big picture. It is truly mind-blowing to note how some random events tell something about the character and their way of thoughts, actions and reactions.
It is just fascinating that Beyond Evil has the perfect balance of smartly crafted characters and wittingly woven story which keeps the viewer on the edge of "What Next?" It is even more fascinating that "theme of two" contrasting and sometimes similar elements are constantly shown throughout the show, two contrasting characters -LDS and HJW- and their principles, their work styles, their past and present, their parental figures, their best friends, and much more; and how all these aspects contrive the story more complex and enticing to watch.
HJW X LDS: One is an elite who studied at the police academy and another is recruited by the local police station. One is stickler for following rules, principles and another gets work done by any means. One is calm externally but internally in chaos and one seems emotionally hyper but perfectly rational in mind. One makes elaborate plans and one makes plans on the go. One is affected by the scars inflicted by his parents and one has ill-fatedly affected and without intent, inflicted wounds on others.
At outset, these two bicker, banter, hector and coerce suspecting one another. This might induce either the viewer to laugh at the over-the-top actions of both or to pick a side. Honestly, both are sometimes right and wrong, they too realize their fallacies. Consequently, they finally come together for the common goal to know the real truth. This partnership takes a while to happen unlike mentioned in the summary but totally worth the wait. Their tongue-in-cheek work chemistry is hilarious to watch.
Not everything comes easy. At the cusp of rebooting of the development projects, the recent proceedings unleash the protective nature of the biggies. Do Hae Won, a congresswoman and aspiring mayor, and Lee Chang Jin, a hitman turned businessman, of the Munju who would go to any ends. Is it simply about money or genuine care for social development, one wonders? Along with them, is Han Ki Hwan, next police commissioner general of the country and father of HJW, who has "perfected" his life for this position of power and least afford to err. These characters stealthily direct the happenings to their advantage and hinder the police investigations. Aside from them, are many minor and well-defined characters, who pull and push the events of the Munju city.
Beyond Evil is well-paced story starts with a shower of events and slows down to give viewers half-time. This interval both serves as point to reorganize the thoughts and gives more team-bonding moments for the characters. Similar to how inhabitants warm up to HJW, metaphorically the viewers too warm up to the drama. Followed by, its pace quickens. In turn, BE gives a perfect and unpredictable closure to the story and characters provided that viewers too proactively catch up with its pace by observing and interpolating the events. At this juncture, the temptation to rewatch is high.
Shin Ha Kyun X Yeo Jin Goo: SHK's portrayal of LDS is on point and his countenance defines the idiosyncrasies of the character and deepens the character's appeal. Sometimes, it is hypnotizing to drown into fathomless depths of the character. Meanwhile, YJG's portrayal of HJW conceives the character's rigidity, and exudes cold-nature outlook. His expressions look like he is the naivest person but in reality, he is quite the opposite.
Other actors have made the characters stand out. Kang Min Ah's Kang Min Jung comes as the carefree hip person and parallelly manages to draw out our empathy. Chun Ho Jin's Nam Sang Bae treads the fine line making one wonder, if he is good or bad. Choi Dae Hoon's Park Jung Je makes us believe in his dreams, drawings and delusions. Every actor and their character have made fabulous job. Individually appreciating them would spoil the moment for future viewers.
The music is really good. It heightens the viewer's thrill, draws out empathy, and makes the experience more real and sometimes, surreal. Songs like Timeless, The Road, Empty makes the viewers feel virtually the inhabitants of Munju and invest ourselves in its predicaments. We too want the justice to serve in best possible way and closure to be given to the victims. The music makes final message resonate louder; the message being "any clue or info regarding missing person should be reported to police how so ever infinitesimal." The message creates awareness, feels affirmative and assuring.
Undeniably, Beyond Evil has best of everything.
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It was okay/-
The acting was really good and yeo Jin goo looks soooo gooood he was dressed in all black the entire time he was always cold and cool which I loved. His voice is soo sexy.The other actor his acting was really good and they both made such a good pair.
This drama was not mind blowing and it was not bad either it was somewhere in btwn good and bad it’s an ‘okay’ drama bcuz the title, poster and trailer was soo cool so
I expected a lot.
The story was very easy to guess and nothing was like ‘woahhhhhhh’ everything was like ‘hmmm mehhh’.
They were keeping a lot of secrets and dragging the ep which was really boring and frustrating to watch.
It was mysterious but in a boring way and nothing gave me chills or butterflies and I was not eager to watch the next ep either I just wanted to watch it to see how they trap the bad ppl.
The first 5 ep was sooo boring and from the 6th ep onwards it started to be interesting and I was just watching it for yeo Jin goo.
at first he was making me feel soo frustrated bcuz his role was smart, arrogant, rich and passionate but he was not living up to it he was smart in the book way and he was not smart in a sly way and I was getting soo annoyed bcuz he was just standing there telling the book stuff and the other dude was making a fool out of him but later he picks up all the dirty tricks and does cool stuff.
The butcher shop girl looks soo pretty.
This drama was a nice watch.
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A raw and outstanding depiction of characters drenched in their pain
!! This review contains some spoilers (nothing too specific though) !!Rating this drama with the highest mark and calling it a masterpiece would make me sound like I’m overreacting, wouldn’t it? I gave this drama the highest mark not because it’s perfect – other reviewers pointed out some of its flaws although what makes a drama perfect and worth the highest rating is something over which not everyone agrees – but because it was truly outstanding. I wish I could write a close reading on every character and the way each actor/actress portrayed them… That’s how strong and phenomenal the acting was. Each character shone in their own way which made them all relevant to the story, no matter how “minor” they were. Obviously, I was amazed by the two main actors’ acting but they weren’t the only ones who left a strong impression on me. Choi Dae Hoon’s acting was beautifully heart-breaking. I feel like the key element of his performance was his voice: the way it cracks, weakens, quivers… I’m glad he was nominated for best supporting actor at this year’s Baeksang Arts Award. Also, Choi Sung Eun, given how few acting experiences she has, was remarkable! I’m looking forward to seeing her in other dramas/movies.
Now allow me to praise Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo’s acting. I wasn’t familiar with any of them. I had heard of the latter but I had never watched any of their dramas (if anyone wants to recommend me their favourite dramas/movies featuring either of them, please feel free to do so ^^). As a consequence, I can’t compare their performances with any of their previous works’ but I don’t think it really matters… They were simply amazing.
Dong Shik and Joo Won’s dynamic, the way their relationship develops as the story progresses, it was so well-written! As I see it, what makes this drama worth watching is – among other things – the complexity of the characters and their developments. Kim Soo Jin, the screenwriter, did a tremendous job with the screenplay. The plot got me hooked as early as the first episode and not a single one that followed bored me. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next although I did not binge watch this drama since I didn’t want to finish it too quickly. This is the kind of drama that should be savoured.
Anyway, back to Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo’s acting.
What moved me the most about Yeo Jin Goo’s character, Han Joo Won, is how his composure is gradually shaken up and how it eventually breaks – the result of which is the breath-taking scene which happened in episode 16. I loved how expressive his eyes – and frowns – were, how Yeo Jin Goo uses his hands to convey whatever his character feels, how his lips trembled as anger, sadness and/or frustration descended on him, the way he conveyed his frustration whenever Lee Dong Shik saw right through him and outsmart him etc...
Shin Ha Kyun is… something else really… It’s hard to put into words what I felt while watching his portrayal of Lee Dong Shik. His micro expressions are everything; I’ll develop this point a little further on alongside with my thoughts on the OST. The way Lee Dong Shik lets his arms dangle along his body, his hunched back, the way he folds in on himself as if the weight he has been carrying on his own for 21 years is physically crushing him, his controlled, watchful and careful gaze… His eyes but also his whole body speak VOLUMES! To be honest I could write on and on about Lee Dong Shik but I’ll just end this review with a specific point I’d like to address.
Although I didn’t fall in love with the OST right away, I was certainly in love with it by the end of the drama. Every song just fits so well each scene in which it is played… Aww it will move you to the verge of tears.
I was not a fan of the song “10 fingers memory” at first – because it seemed to me that whenever it was played it broke the dramatic tension and the seriousness of the scene – however I learnt to appreciate and acknowledge its importance as the story progressed. This song is just so well-thought. It succeeded at capturing Lee Dong Shik’s raw and complex emotions in only 1:14 minutes. As I see it, this song is the very embodiment of Lee Dong Shik’s smile and laugh and, more precisely, the emotions they hold in. It’s stunningly painful to listen to. It’s as if you could hear his laugh, as if every note mimicked and echoed his every peal of laughter. Truly outstanding.
I think I can safely say that Lee Dong Shik’s smile has left a strong impression not only on the characters – such as Han Joo Won – but on the viewers themselves. Lee Dong Shik is used to being referred to as the “nut case” of the town and so he knows very well that his smile is perceived as yet another mark of his so-called craziness. But his craziness isn’t sheer craziness if not the consequence of everything he had to bear alone for the past 21 years. The song “10 fingers memory” is usually played whenever a twist occurs. It really emphasises the hopelessness that Lee Dong Shik may have felt whenever the situation got even more ridiculous than it already was because of how never-ending and unsolvable it appeared to be.
I never saw him as someone crazy. His smile was heart-wrenching to watch because it never missed to reveal what he truly felt – that’s why the smile he gave Han Joo Won at the end was so beautiful and heart-warming because it was a smile that expressed a state of peacefulness. His smile displays his distress in such a genuine and raw way, showing us that he is a character shattered by pain, anger and helplessness… It’s one of the saddest smiles I’ve ever seen. Those emotions and the way they mingle together are what prevents him for being rational and careful at all times (hence people thinking he is crazy). This song highlights all of those emotions. “10 fingers memory” is the song of Lee Dong Shik’s pain and, paradoxically, the somewhat “comical” feels you may get from it makes you ache for Shin Ha Kyun’s character even more than you already were.
This song gives me mixed feelings and I think it’s in keeping with Lee Dong Shik’s complex personality.
I’ll end this review here. This review was more about me wanting to express the feelings I have for this beautiful drama than a proper review but I hope that, after reading it, you might consider watching it if you haven’t yet.
Thank you for taking the time to read this review till the end!
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100% Worth Watching, Truly Recommended
My review is gonna be so long.Don't get me wrong, I rate the story for you who don't believe in a 10 rate. It's good to start the series without expectation and it's up to you if this show deserves a higher rating :3
If you expect this as much of action-thriller scenes and intriguing cases drama, it's not, BUT it's more than that.
(Honestly, I would rate this drama as a perfect 10/10, but sadly I have to be realistic though)
This is mindblowing, for real. Every aspect of this drama is well made!
- {1. The Story} -
First, the drama feels like a super well-executed big movie because the storytelling is magnificent. Every dialogue has its purpose, comically or theoretically. The story is getting better. Each episode's ending always has a great cliffhanger, so it will make us want to watch it more and more. (I feel envy for those who can binge-watch this after the drama ends. Because the end is satisfying!)
Second, every character is necessary. It's not just like a random person passed by as a killer, get caught, and one case is done (so we won't see the character often). But not here. Every character has its nature, and we empathize with most of them, especially the main leads. The support characters appearance has meaning too to the story.
Third, it is unpredictable! Everyone can be a suspect of the crime. When you suspect someone, your reaction will be: "It's him. Eh, actually not. No, it's him definitely. Or is he?" It really plays with your mind!
And when the drama reveals some of the truths, you will be shouting out loud, "OMG! IT'S HIM ALL THE TIME!" or "YES! I KNEW IT!"
It's well-paced and so fun to watch :D
Last, it's fun but also VERY DARK. Some of the episodes are rated as 19. As we know, the story is about serial killing, but not a brutal random slaughter. A dead person is a crucial issue because the victims have their own roles. And the killing method in this drama always makes me shivers. It's beyond creepy, and dark means no one's innocent. Even I feel irritated about the main leads! So much dirt but so cool.
THE MINUS:
Like I said earlier, the story is not about action scenes. It's more about manipulating emotionally and psychologically with dialogues and expression. So if you want to watch this, you can feel bored with the lack of action (but you should give it a try, please)
I think there's a difference between watching it when ongoing and binge-watch. The mystery is a slow-burn, so it is pretty slow. One of the reason is to build up some trusts and tensions. And sometimes I skip some scenes in the drama (especially when the higher-ups, people with power and money, speaks)
There's a tiny bit about political talks in the middle of the series. It's understandable because it's for the sake of the story. Though, it still bore me :'D
- {2. The Acting} -
It should've been Unlimited/10.
More than perfect. Even I didn't know that Choi Seung Eun as Yoo Jae Yi is a rookie actress! This is her first drama, yet she's so good!
Yeo Jin Goo is one of the greatest young actors. I really appreciate him. His way of conveying his character is very fluid. When he looks angry and desperate, we empathize with him as if we all feel the despair he feels.
And for more, he can tell us what he thinks without a word. The character cannot be matched with other actors but him. And honestly, at first, I originally watched this drama because of him. Thank you, Yeo Jin Goo, for introducing me to this spectacular drama!
Then there's Shin Ha Kyun. If he doesn't get any reward from Baeksang or Daesang in acting, I will be really devastated. The delivery of his emotions is very extreme, and every inch of his body speaks. I instantly felt scared when I saw him. And annoying too when the character is irritating at that time.
His intonation is unique, and even his sweet smile and laugh can look absolutely terrifying. But his sadness is his ace card for me. I suddenly felt concerned when I saw him crying. As it's so miserable that I want to embrace his character who has been soaked by suffering. I fell in love with Shin Ha Kyun's acting now.
Last but not least, the other support characters are so terrific (Choi Dae Hoon omg u have all my respects!). Even the cameo that only shows up in one scene can make me angry. Thus, the conclusion is, don't underestimate the supporting actors too! They deserve to be the main leads as time goes.
- {3. Music} -
Very beautiful, incredible, and spectacular. The Night is my favourite song in this series. A mixture of blues, jazz, and noir kind of music? Why not! It fits perfectly with the drama.
And the background music, *chef kiss* It's delicious and so unique!
In every scene in the drama, I feel goosebumps. The BGM emphasizes the intense atmosphere. Like, when something big will happen, it's so thrilling! It makes me want to rewatch the scene all over again.
I also believe one thing. Maybe if you heard the BGM after finished the drama, you would automatically reminisce saying, "Ah, The Manyang Town." like an old man.
So great, even one of the BGM song (10 Fingers Memory) has been my alarm sound to start the day.
- {4. Is it rewatchable?} -
Obviously! I'm sure most of us will rewatch it even though it's just for the scenes they like.
Not only from some impressive scenes with good acting and cinematography, but I might also even rewatch it from the beginning without skipping. (because at first I usually pass the boring part, but now I regretted it).
I wish I could watch it again with zero memories.
LAST WORDS
Again, this story is not for everyone.
Maybe some people prefer the drama to be a lot of action-thrillers between life and death. Or maybe not watching this drama because of the lack of romance (though there's bromance with such intimate interactions).
10/10 I recommend this to people who like dramas with heavy stories, lots of thoughts, and focus more on how good the actors' acting is than watching it because of how good-looking the actors are.
But for those of you who want to try it, I'm sure it's worth it as long as you don't watch it patchy!
Thank you for joining my TEDtalk :D
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All he wants is to resolve his deep sorrow!
I was waiting for this drama since they announced it, and I wasn't disappointed! In FACT, It became one of my all time favorite drama ever. It's such a spectacular 'humane drama', narrated as a mind-blowing psychological thriller!Psychological Thrillers are always a treat to those who love suspense and making things out in your mind before stuff happen on screen! To top that with a heart-wrenching emotional ride isn't the most common stuff coming out these days, so I urge you please, DON'T miss THIS ONE!!!Without further ado, let's get to the actual review,
STORY: It's sublime and well refined with a DARK STORY-LINE. The main character (Dong Shik) who is a demoted detective, is suspected of killing his own sister, and the others on his team aren't totally innocent. The drama unfolds when a frightening murder happens which resembles ones happening in the span of 20 years to the past! And the young detective from Seoul vows to catch "Dong Shik" for he thinks it must be his doing and he must be the culprit of the serial murder case!
Acting/Characters: Lee Do Hyun gave an outstanding [tho very short] performance as the young Dong Shik.
Shin Ha Kyun's acting is stellar! Once again beyond words! His voice is so fitting, calming and apologetic, as if he have done the world wrong! Yet his laugh is so creepy, it's quite a thrill to look at him smirking. Jin Goo's character is usually cold and unwavering... yet with is amazing acting, he manages to make way into anyone's heart early in the drama!
All the rest of the cast are doing immensely great job, with their acting naturally flowing in, very realistic and never feel forced!
Special thanks to the lovely rookie actress, Choi Sung Eun as "Yoo Jae Yi", I can't possibly think of a better acting for her character! Not even if done by one with far more experience!
Much respect for the amazing portrayal of "Park Jeong Jae" by Choi Dae Hoon he really brought out raw feelings with his marvelous portrayal of a mentally unstable officer who has been living with so much guilt ever!
Music: The score is DRAMATIC, SUSPENSEFUL and very pleasant to listen to. The main theme grabbed my attention from the opening scene, with the beautiful blend of the violin and the percussion. and as for the songs. The song "THAT NIGHT" is the PERFECT music to give anyone chills watching this PERFECT DRAMA! It feels like a sorrowful man's screams and says letting out his long held grudges to be heard by someone in a corner... An absolute classic masterpiece that deserves best music awards for the year! I love the background musics, 'Who is the monster' 'Dong Shik Knows' 'Beyond Evil Opening Title' were absolutely beautiful! And I was getting goosebumps anytime I heard the first few seconds of 'Empty' & 'The Night' in the episode's ending minute!
Rest of the songs are all amazing, The beautiful and sad composition called "The Road" by Sunwoo Jung A is my favorite to listen to again when I miss the drama, especially if I miss Dong Shik and Ju Won's moments together!
LAST WORDS:
This drama is GREATNESS beyond WORDS! and I'm quite bad with crafty expressions, so all I can do, to give this drama justice, is ask you to start watching the first episode RIGHT AWAY, and don't let anything get your attention till you're done with the first! The rest will be history, as a matter of fact, you won't be able to stop watching! Guaranteed!
**Unless you're the type who can't stand very dark and regretful stories!**
A MUST WATCH! If you're looking for a DEEP and FASCINATING HUMANE STORY.
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I never rewatch but this drama made me rewatch EVERY episode while airing!
This drama is an art, a masterpiece! The writing and directing is genius, and the actors are monsters themselves in becoming one with their characters. Beyond Evil is just such a treat to watch!This is definitely a slow burn, but the type where you can’t even notice how much time has already passed - a lot of the episodes left me feeling pleasantly surprised that an hour had already gone by. It is engaging and enchanting at the same time.
I will always love the buildup in this drama, most of similar style would somehow bore me but the direction here fits the narrative perfectly, I can feel the intensity of each scenes even without much visual stimulus! Just showcase the facial expressions of each characters, and you’ll know you’re in for a ride. It is evident that every detail is placed with very careful calculations, and I must say, the roller coaster ride becomes crazy once episode 5 starts, and it’s showing no signs of stopping so far with 10 episodes in. The writer and director are very effective in showing multidimensional characters and that adds so much more depth to the story. The way this drama portrays their “humanity” sets it apart from other series with similar premises.
This is indeed a PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER. The state of the characters when faced with incredulous situations matched with amazing acting makes you marvel at the grays of human choices and its inevitable outcome. We are already at episode 10 but I still can’t grasp where this story is heading...and I would gladly follow it blindfolded!
Definitely a must watch!
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Beyond Great
This drama is it! This is what you are looking for if you want a good story, acting, and keeping you on edge every episode to find out what really happened.Justice was served to the viewers who invested time watching this masterpiece. There is nothing major I would say needs improving but sometimes the viewer can get a bit confused on what's happening but don't be overwhelmed by that and all the information provided to you because if there's something you don't understand, rewatch the scene and it also could be that the scene will be better explained in later scenes so maybe that was the intention. That's the fun part of the drama; to keep guessing.
Give this drama a go. All actors portrayed their character's beautifully and the storyline was great too. I liked the partnership of the main lead detectives and it was amazing to watch a drama that was not giving me an obvious suspect because the people of Manyang were all suspicious to me eventually.
The ending was portrayed beautifully. It had such a great closure. 11/10 ..yes 11 stars.
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beyond evil? it's more like beyond standards.
First of all, it blows my mind how good this drama is.If you like thriller, mystery or suspense series you must know how difficult it is to find a good story that keeps you excited until the end: there's a lot of things that the screenwriter needs to be aware of and a lot of plot lines that needs to be added in the main plot so the watcher keeps on wanting and wanting the next episode.
Beyond Evil is one of the few dramas that this happens: I felt like I was losing brain cells every time I watched an episode because all the story kept my brain working so hard to find out what was happening. I swear it was such an incredible experience because the plot kept on twisting at the right place and at the right time. *sighs* The screenwriter did such an amazing job because the plot opens in a perfect rhythm and the development of the character is SOOOOO damn good -- I know it's also hard to find a suspense drama where the main character doesn't get lost in his own personality, but you won't get disappointed in Beyond Evil; all the characters development is 100% perfect. *chef's kiss*
And not only the great story, you also have the ACTING! I'm a huge fan of Yeo Jin Goo and seeing him as Han Joo Won was just another proof that he is an amazing actor. His acting! I can't stop thinking about it and his characters is also so great, his development towards the series was exactly what I was hoping for. And it hurt so much to watch the last episode knowing I wouldn't have anymore of this.
I usually don't feel this way if suspense dramas. I don't think I ever get attached to a suspense drama before, but Beyond Evil is just that good. You grow attached. You hope that the character you like won't be a killer because you wouldn't support the pain, you get hurt when they're hurt and you want to get revenge in them behalf.
I'm so grateful for the screenwriter and for whoever choose these actors. They did an incredible job. Their acting was always on point. 10/10.
Basically, yeah. Beyond Evil was *sobs* I don't even can't find the words to describe it. It really raise the standards I have for this kind of plots and I honestly hope we'll see more of the director and screenwriter duo in the future.
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