Note: This review feels more like a general observation of the drama than a review

Screenwriter Choi Ran, is an expert on writing unique and confusing stories and she never forgets to leave traces of her characteristics in them. “Black” is mystery supernatural thriller with many elements that reminded me “Gods Gift” and “Mouse”. Some of those elements were good and some were bad.

~The main mystery and the flow of the story reminds of GG14D.

In “Black”, we have a case that is getting bigger and bigger and more people are involved and affected by it. It generally feels like that cartoon scene where the characters unzip their costumes and all these plot-twists about their identities happen but at one point onwards it is getting out of hand and flirting with surrealism.

Having a structure in such a chaotic story is necessary. But the structure wasn’t really there and that’s why the flow of the story wasn’t really good. More specifically, I didn’t find a way to divine the story in parts nor did I find (clearly) the progression that led the story to climax.

The above made the drama quite draggy and difficult to keep up with, even if the directing was good and simple enough. Despite that though, Black’s mystery is quite unique and, let aside the confusion, clever so it is entertaining and it can be likable. There were some moments in which I really appreciated the plot.

~The character development of the protagonist in “Black” reminds of “Mouse”

Both stories of “Black” and “Mouse” are a journey of self-awareness and self reflection of the protagonist. The character we met in the first episode is not the one we end up with in the last.

This way of writing is called “The Hero’s Journey” and I find it really fascinating and not so common in kdramas. Thus, I think the protagonist’s way of writing is Black’s biggest advantage.

Beside the protagonist though, the other characters didn’t have depth. In a plot-centered story like this, this is more likely, but it would have been great if the universe was moving forward like the protagonist did.

That said, the female lead, Kang Ha Ram, was a very promising character whose potential was never unlocked, fully-used and involved within the story. Unlike the male lead, Kang Ha Ram stayed in the dark till the very end, which was really sad.

~The ending reminds of GG14D

I have seen many conflicted opinions about the ending. But whatever your thoughts about it are, it is certainly rushed and somehow incomprehensible.

I’ve read in an interview (link in the comments) that there was a miscommunication between the writer and the director of the drama. The episodes were supposed to be 20, the tone of the drama more melodramatic and the ending slightly different. Maybe this is the reason why Black ended the way it is and I’m really curious to see how the actual ending would have been.

But since #ReleaseTheSynderCut movement didn’t affect Black too, we only have one ending and this is the only one I commented on.

So in my mind, I can see and understand why Black ended the way it did, but it left a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I felt something was missing and wasn’t explained as much as it should have.

In the end, I thought and made my own theory about it based on other theories I read. The final outcome made me satisfied enough. But the thing is, not every viewer is in the mood of theorizing and overthinking about an ending, especially if they don’t not have enough clues to assure them.

In conclusion, the problem with the ending is that even though it has a closure, it’s unfinished because it wasn’t well explained and executed and the final idea of it never reached the audience as it was supposed to. The production team should have paid more attention to it.


~Final thoughts~

From what I wrote, it may seem that I didn’t like Black, but I actually enjoyed watching it. There were moments I laughed, moments I was shocked and moments I was touched. It has many imperfections but its uniqueness offered me a different, from other dramas, experience so overall it was worth it.