1The Daesang for the 57th Baeksang goes to…
Shin Ha Kyun, of course! I can’t think of any other more worthy recipient of this prestigious accolade. He truly is the driving force behind Beyond Evil because without him, this drama would have ended up being Not Quite Evil. In fact this drama isn’t as much about evil as it is about filial piety (or lack thereof) and shady business ethics, with a dose of mental health issues included. In any case, I hope he gets a nomination at the very least because he is definitely deserving of the recognition for all the good work he has done here, and I have thoroughly enjoyed myself watching his performance in this extremely well made production.This drama is set in the small town of Manyang, which has a sinister history of mysterious killings and gruesome mutilation of young women that remain unsolved until the present day. Part of this local community is a close-knit group of childhood friends, most of whom grew up to become members of the police force, while the others comprise the local butcher and convenience store operator, respectively. One day, a young hotshot police detective gets transferred to the Manyang police substation and all hell breaks loose in this sleepy town.
The plot is exquisitely written, despite not being groundbreaking, and we’ve seen this premise in many psychological crime thrillers. A small town with a hideous past and its suspicious inhabitants harbouring many unknown secrets, the perfect recipe for a can of worms that would’ve been better off left unopened. Except, in this case, it gets much more convoluted than that - a decades’ long conspiracy that culminates in a scandal of the highest order. This is very much a character driven drama and represents an in-depth case study of the complicated dynamics among the central characters. This is a complex and slowburn psychological whodunnit with dark humour and suspense along with themes of friendship, familial bond, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption.
Helmed by the young director Shim Na Yeon, a relative newcomer to the industry whose recent works cover mostly youth-themed melodramas and romance, and written by the experienced Kim Soo Jin whose previous crime dramas include Mad Dog and Life Special Investigation Team. Being part of the spring drama lineup of JTBC Studios, this drama features commendable production values. The cinematography showcases excellent shots of the Manyang town landscape, including the beautifully tall grass fields where multiple crime scenes have purportedly occurred, and the scenic port city of Busan for a story arc that lasts a couple of episodes. Other than that, the majority of the drama is set in the bright interrogation rooms and gloomy holding cells of the Manyang police substation, Munju police station and the Seoul police HQ. There are countless scenes of barbequing meat and drinking at the Manyang diner-cum-butcher shop as well.
The drama’s true strength lies in its cast and their superb acting, as well as the overall quality of the dialogue. Ever the consummate pro, Shin Ha Kyun does what Shin Ha Kyun does best. For the uninitiated (and for the purpose of managing excessive shock or awe), expect visceral intensity and raw emotions conveyed via truly immersive wholehearted portrayals. For regular viewers and admirers, his execution here is even more elevated from his usual performances in Less Than Evil and Pied Piper. His characterization of Lee Dong Shik is a delicate balancing act between nuanced and downright insane, and will probably represent the standard of acting for this genre in years to come (a close comparison would be Lee Hee Joon’s characterization in Mouse, so there’s potential in this area). Depicting a flawed anti-hero complex and emotionally traumatized character shouldering the burden of a profoundly tragic past is certainly no mean feat and Shin Ha Kyun does it magnificently indeed.
Of the 2 MLs featured in this drama, the other lead is the character of Han Joo Won who is decently portrayed by Yeo Jin Goo. Those familiar with his works would no doubt witness the same signature aspects of his acting. Since Hotel Del Luna (and even earlier, The Royal Gambler) he has perfected the art of the “intense gaze”. Not many actors can pull off this trademark look. An added bonus in this show, he does a near-complete character change that lasts a few episodes at the midway point. Despite not being a fan of the character - he comes across as aloof, sanctimonious, petulant, selfish and entitled, who possesses an unhealthy and somewhat irrational obsession for solving crimes while incessantly defying his own father at every turn - I do appreciate the characterization. The chemistry between the two men, Lee Dong Shik and Han Joo Won, is on point and works very well.
They are ably supported by the rest of the cast comprising the experienced veterans Chun Ho Jin, Choi Jin Ho, Kil Hae Yeon, Heo Sung Tae, Kim Shin Rok and Lee Kyu Hoe. Their versatility truly shows in playing a mix of understated, layered, OTT and mentally unstable characters. I’m also quite impressed with Choi Sung Eun in particular, whose portrayal of Yoo Jae Yi is very powerful and convincing and she stands out as the strongest female character in the show.
Aside from the acting, one aspect that probably doesn't get enough appreciation and recognition is the music for the drama. Kudos to the music director, the hugely experienced and prolific Ha Geun Young, who has done a fantastic job of arranging the original score with an infusion of contemplative jazz performed by a big band ensemble. There's more than a hint of cabaret and the vibe of classic film noir that somehow perfectly captures the essence of the drama. In addition to the music score, the accompanying original songs are terrific as well:
1. Choi Baek Ho - The Night
2. BIBI - Timeless
3. Car The Garden - Empty
4. SunWoo JungA - The Road
All things considered, Beyond Evil has been a hugely satisfying watch and certainly went beyond my initial expectations. I sincerely hope this drama and Shin Ha Kyun will be part of the nominations to be announced next week for the 57th Baeksang Awards this year. They absolutely deserve it!
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The Most Formidable Bromance of 2021 that will bring you to your knees
Where do I even begin? This is the best detective thriller drama I have ever watched. There, I said it.How many of you have grown tired of watching crime shows that just don't feel exciting anymore?
So many times, crime dramas get lost in the 'next big moment' and finding the thrill factor that they stop connecting with the watcher.
Beyond Evil is a beautiful mix of emotion and supense. It's a blend of heartbreakingly slow, full of feeling moments and bone chilling darkness. It's not a super fast show. It takes its time as it unravels, develops and comes to fruition gorgeously- like a well simmered pot of stew.
The drama's biggest strength is its unforgettable characters and the mindblowing acting by the cast.
In the beginning it induces your trust issues in a gut punching manner by introducing its two seemingly morally grey and unreliable protagonists and then slowly but surely brings to light one of the best friendships the Korean cinema has ever seen.
Both the main leads are phenomenal, each holding their own and being a massive force to be reckoned with.
Shin Ha Kyun put out acting worthy of a Daesang. His reckless, passionate, wildly fearless and courageous detective with the biggest smile and eyes full of pain doesn't take long to cement his place in your heart.
Yeo Jin Goo, on the other hand, while young, owned his role phenomenally. His character Han Joo Won, a prickly, seemingly cold catlike man with heart of platinum and a strong sense of justice is extremely easy to fawn over.
Together, these two are a storm- infinitely badass with balls of steel; a dynamic team that you can't help but fall in love in with.
Aside from the two, all the supporting characters bring their own flavour to the screen. While their little self-proclaimed 'Avengers' police team brings instant warmth to your heart, the antagonists are blood boiling-ly good in equal measure.
The music is fantastic- sombre and dark at times; sometimes cheeky and playful and other times enough to wreck you. There are a lot of stunning shots and the drama is both extremely well written and directed.
The character development is amazing and the bonds these characters form among each other is a powerful thing to witness. There's so much nuance in these relationships and it's hard not to catch feelings and let go of your heart when it comes to a show like this.
Honestly, for me a good psychological thriller is hard to come by and this was by far one of the best. I was so invested in it that some of the scenes made me bawl my eyes out, while others made me laugh, giggle, swoon and shout HOLY FUCK at the top of my lungs.
They nailed both the emotion and the 'whodunnit' aspect in a way that's very unique to the genre.
It was a wild, crazy, full of thrill and heart ride that I almost don't want to get off of.
Surely, a must-watch. Highly reccomended for fans of psychological thrillers who like their dramas with a little extra oomph!
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Brilliant acting, but goes around in circles
I started watching this series due to all the hype and awards. It's a psychological thriller (not a mystery) so you do need patience and the willingness to understand the motives, behaviour patterns and relationship connections for all the characters. It's a very intricately woven story, with a lot of nuance and some phenomenal acting from all the cast members.However, I found the pace inconsitent from episode to episode, and it was annoying to have a lot of the story told with flashbacks ranging from months to years to days to hours! It also had a gimmicky approach towards some of the characters, making you suspect this character and the other character quite randomly, and then the story heading in a completely different direction. They could have done without these gimmicks.
Overall, it's a good, though slow, watch and worth it purely for the performances of all the cast members.
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ABSOLUTELY MIND-BLOWING & MUST-WATCH!
so i’ve never written a review on here before, in-fact i just got into kdramas within the last month and have only watched a handful so forgive me if this isn’t the most “together” or intellectual review but all i have to say is WOW.STORY — i can’t speak highly enough about the story. the fact that this was written and directed by women!! heck yes!! i typically get bored with things extremely quickly and tend to go on my phone and this didn’t happen once with this drama. every single scene meant something. there was nothing added just to fill up time. everything was important. everyone was important. every single character was vital to what went down throughout the sixteen episodes each in their own unique and intriguing way. the way the writing, directing, and acting showcased everything perfectly is absolutely mesmerizing. there wasn’t a single weak point in the show. i also liked how even though there were subplots with side/supporting characters, as i said, they weren’t there to just fill up time, but ending up playing a huge part into the overall story in the end. the parallels that ended up coming together in the episodes (especially the first few episodes versus the ending) were MIND-BLOWING.
ACTING — i could go on and on and on about the acting in this show everyone did phenomenal but there were four people who specifically stood out to to me:
shin ha kyun: as i said im new to kdramas but did this man blow my mind??? oh my goodness. the emotions he portrayed as such a tortured man dealing with so much. he delivered every line perfectly. AND THE SMILE. you know the smile. insane. i heard he got nominated for a big award. so deserved.
yeo jin goo: another mesmerizing performance by the other lead character. absolutely phenomenal i loved to see how much his character evolved as the story went on and how different circumstances changed the way he ultimately ended up. his acting in the last 3/4ish episodes some of my favorite in the entire drama. he killed it.
choi dae hoon: i’ve watched this actor in CLOY and FOE and if i’m being honest he didn’t stand out in those to me - i barely noticed him if im being honest. however, in BE he blew my mind. genuinely one of the best performances of the show. he had so much he had to do and the role was such a heavy one and the way he portrayed a character dealing with all of the emotions he was and making you sympathize with him was so crazy and he deserves all the praise!!
choi sung eun: she was phenomenal. another actress i’ve never seen before but her whole demeanor was amazing. i loved her character a ton and i want to say its all thanks to the actress. each emotion came across perfectly and i felt like i could somehow relate and understand every single one of her actions. i hope to see her in more projects!
special mention to lee do hyun he was great in his few scenes and as a fan of his, it was nice seeing a familiar face!
OST — im quite new to this but i loved the soundtrack. i loved the whole vibe and it fit extremely well. left me unsettled and intrigued as if i was one of the characters.
REWATCH VALUE — i can guarantee once this has sat for a little bit i will be rewatching. the plot-twists were great and i can’t imagine how cool it will be knowing everything ahead of time. i might have to make someone watch this with me and then i watch their reactions for the first time because i was a mess on multiple occasions.
OVERALL: i’ll put it simply. if you are on the fence about watching this - WATCH IT YOU WONT REGRET IT!
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Not Perfect, But Still Above the Average of Most Kdrama
I find the episode 1 quite good, nice story background, character background, Shin Ha-Kyun acting, etc, rate it 8/10Then in episode 3 and 4, quite draggy, it could be compressed into one single episode.
The best episodes are episode 7 and 12, I would give those episodes a solid 9/10
The rest episodes quite weak and draggy. Sometimes they just confronting each other while the evidence still not enough which becomes repetitive. And then the kept secret for later episodes, makes the earlier episode quite draggy because they can't talk about it yet. So the story building things not quite good.
And the last episode is quite nice closure, not great, but still good, I give it 7.5/10
Shin Ha-Kyun's acting the most shining one. On those episode 7 and 12, there are also some great scene throughout the series.
If only they can maintain the interesting things on each episode, I would have rate it higher.
For overall series, I would give this 7/10
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It's been a while
SPOILER FREEEveryone can appreciate some aspects of this drama, like the acting or the OST, but plot-wise this is not a drama for everyone. Beyond Evil is a character-driven drama, that some may find slow paced. Anyone who likes multilayered and morally gray characters will appreciate it. The acting (especially from the two main leads) is probably one of the best I have seen.
SPOILERS
It's been a while since I saw such an intriguing series. Was it perfect without even a single flaw? No. However the flaws were minor, so I didn't really care about them.
Beyond Evil is a gripping drama from the beginning. There are not enough words to express how much I loved watching this series. The plot is very well written and the characters are so interesting and complex. The acting is outstanding. Shin Ha Kyun delivered one of the best performances I have ever seen. He is an amazing actor, and Yeo Jin Goo was such a great choice to play Han Joo Won. I don't know who thought of putting Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo together in a series, but whoever did, thank you very much! This series would definitely not be the same without this great cast and the phenomenal chemistry of the two main leads.
Generally, I don't pay too much attention to the directing, since most of the times it is good or at least decent. Nonetheless, it was impossible not to notice the great directing of this series. I loved how it was like seeing the POV of another character and it led the viewers to certain assumptions to distract them from the truth. The color tones were all so dark yet not too dark, which made the series even more appealing and disturbing (especially in the first episodes). The OST fits the series in an unimaginably good way.
Did this get draggy, tiring or just not as good comparing to the first half? Kind of, but it was inevitable. This isn't a series that reveals everything on the last episode, so of course every single clue added a piece to the puzzle and when things started getting clearer it was natural for the series to not be as mysterious as it was in the first episodes.
What I really loved, is the fact that everything was revealed slowly but surely and we didn't wait till the last episode to find out who the killer is.
I loved how Beyond Evil tackled many issues like the stigma that follows a falsely accused person or the pain that people who are left behind are going through.
Am I being objective giving this series a prefect 10? Probably not, but reviews are not objective anyways and this is a series that I will remember for quite a long time, so why not?
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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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Game of suspects
I must say this show was nothing like I expected. I didn’t know what to expect, honestly, but definitely not what I got. ? One thing I will say, though, is that unlike most K-dramas I’ve seen, the show actually started out terrible but got better.Beyond evil was a perfectly serviceable “whodunit” script. I thought the way they introduced the murder of Dong-sik’s sister was very effective and it immediately set up Dong-sik was the prime suspect. After the time jump, though, it started to suck. The problem is that the writer tried too hard to make everyone seem like a suspect early on. First 5-6 episodes were wasted setting everyone up as crazies but instead of creating suspense and mystery, it only made the characters extremely unlikable and cartoonish. Even after that, the show continued to play cheap tricks and introduced distracting story threads to make the story unnecessarily complicated and confusing. This actually mirrored what two main characters did throughout the show in which they kept playing tricks on other characters to get themselves deeper into the case and find the “whole” truth. By episode 8-9, I started to not believe what’s being said and done because I knew in a few scenes, they would show a completely different version of the story than what they led you to believe. Once you realize the trick, there’s no going back. What’s sigh inducing about it was that the story itself was such a simple one. Just another cliche cover up story involving powerful people. A simple murder case turned out to be much bigger kind of story. You’ve seen this many times. Bad guys might as well have name tags saying “I’m guilty”. Although, there were some twists along the way but by then, the show already burned through too many false twists that I wasn’t moved or shocked. There simply isn’t much going on in this world they created to warrant 16 episodes which seems like a common K-drama problem. Also, I must say that what took place in Han Ki-won’s house at the end was probably the most cringe worthy scene in TV history.
As for two main characters, they went way overboard to fulfill their respective nut job roles. Dong-sik has the crazy laughs and bulging eyes with red eye make-up to go along with it. I’m guessing he was channeling the Joker??? Joo-won, of course, has to be the opposite so, naturally, he has no emotion and social skills. He basically sees suspects everywhere and flat out asks people if they committed the crime!!! It’s hard to go along with any of this because their motivations and backstories were not disclosed early on. I was constantly wondering why they were acting that way and put off by their strange behaviors.
The secondary characters did fairly well. I liked Chang-Jin, Jae-i and Ji-hwa. Chang-jin was a stand out as the former gangster turned CEO/killer/Russian quipping all around entertaining guy. Ji-hwa was great as a childhood friend turned detective who’s basically only calm and settled character in the show. I’m liked Jae-i as the sad deli owner but felt like she disappeared towards he end.
Music in this show was atrocious. What’s the deal with the weird crying/wailing music? Once again, another cheap attempt at creating a creepy, uncertain atmosphere but off putting.
Like I said, it’s not a bad show but it could have benefited by cutting out 5-6 episodes to make the story tighter and not waste viewers’ time with cheap tricks. Viewers are not as dumb as some of these writers seem to think. Just give us good stories and we can figure things out by ourselves. Hopefully, they’ll learn.
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The Perfect Definition of 'Thriller'
A drama that never fails to surprise you, giving you unexpected twists and turns, to the extent that the unpredictableness of the plot becomes predictable. This would be a perfect explanation for this masterpiece. Suspense, thriller, and mystery keep you at the edge of your seat wanting more and never be satisfied with one episode. I loved it for sure! For me, it's the perfect definition of the thriller genre. The twists and surprises we get at the end of every episode were really brilliant, the ending of every episode to be a cliffhanger leaving many unanswered questions behind I guess it is its specialty.Story: It's very well written and well-executed, nothing here is draggy or unnecessary. I was hooked from the very 1st episode. Kudos to the writer for doing really great job as we don't get big loopholes in the plot and also its execution. The leads aren't perfect have their flaws but that's the strong point here. Both have a shady character which makes us suspicious about them. 'Never Trust Anyone' its motto. Having every character be suspicious, you wonder every time who might be the killer and what could be the reason. At one point you thought you are going in the right direction... but you never know what can happen next. So I guess keeping us in the dark till the moment of truth is really big astonishment as we can never predict what really happened.
Acting/Cast: Okay let the remaining cast aside coz I was just focused on our leads Lee Dong Shik (Shin Ha Kyun) and Han Joo Won (Yeo Jin Goo) they were phenomenal, I didn't even bother to look elsewhere whenever this pair was on screen. Specially Shin Ha Kyun's acting impressed me I never noticed him before but this time he truly nailed it. The acting, the emotions portrayed by both of them made this show more perfect. The chemistry and tension between them is the key point of the show. Haha, both remind me of Tom and Jerry. ;D
Cinematography: It was indeed great and beautiful, every shot was kind of perfection also the camera angle's light effect made it look shadier and perfect thriller vibes from the looks. So for me, there was nothing wrong with cinematography I also got some beautiful screenshots through some episodes.
Soundtrack: Well it does have some beautiful OSTs which makes it more perfect. I loved The Night especially, it's my favorite among these. Not just the OSTs but the background sound effects are great. Though sometimes you feel like wait... what? This is an intense/emotional scene and the background music is totally different?! But that's one of the special things about this drama!
So it nailed it in Story, Acting, Cinematography, Soundtrack there's nothing here that wasn't perfect for this show, one of the best thrillers so far. Definitely, a must-watch, give it try sure you won't regret it.
It'll make Eager to know the mystery - What happened? And why?
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The good thing, the really amazing acting from the whole cast. Everyone was really great, especially Shin Ha Kyun (he gave me the chills sometimes. )
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Watchable, but unremarkable
I don't really pay much attention to hype surrounding programs, I just watch them if they sounds interesting. I was just compelled to contribute my own review after changing status from "In Progress" to "Completed" and seeing all the 9/10-10/10 reviews.I won't rehash the premise (the MDL synopsis is pretty good, but makes it sound a lot more interesting than it is, lol), but I will say as the backstory unfolds through to course of the program, it's pretty convoluted. The pace is quite slow, there's too much time spent focusing on Korean political machinations (which I don't find particularly compelling) and the show drags on a few too many episodes (which, as your know, is par for the course!).
Most of the cast were fantastic, with a particular mention to Ha Kyun Shin, I really think he anchored the whole show. It's no mean feat to be able to get you to hate a character and find them creepy, while winning them over through the course of the story (while still having them wonder the whole time if he could be a killer).
Jin Goo Yeo I thought was just OK, although admittedly I didn't really like him in "Hotel Del Luna" until toward the end of the show. I'm not sure if this is because his character here was written as stiff, blank and unlikable; or if he as an actor just takes a while to settle into a role.
Of the minor actors (who, as I said, are mostly fantastic) Sung Eun Choi as the feisty but sensitive Jae Yi was a standout for me - I hope I get to see her in more programs.
I usually hate when a show gets bogged down in romance, but I have to say it would have improved the show here if there was some..... it's a bit sad that all these people are single at the start of the series, and in the finale "one year later" flash forward they're still all single?
Oh, and don't be fooled by the other reviews stating this is a great bromance - there's hardly any bromance here either :P
All in all, I don't regret watching it, I just wish it had been more to the point, easier to follow, and had more character development (beyond just revealing the character' back stories).
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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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