i was really bummed when i first found out kang ji hwan was only in a few films (after loving him in Rough Cut), just like i was bummed to find kim ok bin wasn't in that many either (as adult), after falling for her truh The Villainess.

but then u go and tell me that the both of them starred in a kdrama together?

as detective duo?

literally magic.
i refuse to believe better casting is possible.

this blessing of a show starts as a whole rollercoaster of tones and genres, and for the most part remains true to that, even as things take their turns. always a light just around the corner even in its darkest moments. it exists on its own terms yet is married to the fabric of reality moreso than the kdramas i've seen up until now. this stuff has turned out to rly be a science, and i can't believe that i almost gave up on trying to get into them not long ago.

it's a a technical marvel too, of course. in its lowkey way, score carrying all the things, camerawork grand and simple at once. they did that thing of blending a dark fairytale with real life in a seamless manner that i don't think you could replicate in this form with merely western sensibilities. (which is to say that this show does incoorperate some obvious western tropes, but in a very playful, almost meta way, as compliment to the rest)

when kdrama peaks, it rly does peak.

(once again, i don't rate rewatch value - so neutral 5. tho with this one i can definitely see myself wanting to dive back in some years down the road.)