The Murderer and the Toy (2024)

UNEXPECTED GEM

Wonderful storytelling... This title had a whole lot of unexpected twists and turns *without* it being too "tropey"...

I really enjoyed the 'backtracking'..for example, one will be presented with some of a small part of the story then be surprised with more of it expounded upon later. I enjoyed seeing "Kevin" from Parasite, as well. Everyone did such a great job!

I didn't really pay attention to the music too awfully much, but it did seem quite fitting to me. I think the end wraps up nicely, but I would certainly not mind to see a second season of this show if it is in the cards someday. This is a relatively short 8 episode series that is perfect for a lazy Saturday. :)

Leggi di Più

Same issue with so many dramas, first episodes are great then it plummets in plot quality

I'm getting so annoyed with high-budget shows like this that just end up being too typical after the first three episodes. I was seriously hooked in the first couple of episodes, I felt like I was watching a thriller with new plot elements, and then it fell into a typical vigilante sort of story, which isn't bad per se. but when it repeats the same cliches (good people killing for justified reasons) I'd rather there be more depth somewhere else, and I found that it lacked a certain character depth to establish that. I did love the main character, and they built him up well, but everyone else around him felt so insufferable and flat, they weren't as well-rounded. Most of the background info, of the main antagonist (the cop) arises in the last episodes. They should have established the motives sooner. I also wished they played more into the bromance between our main character and Roh Bin, instead of killing him off and having him betray him, I wanted them to be more like brother who relied on each other when they had no one left to turn to, but of course the writing falls short in that relationship too.

To be honest I lost interest after the main villain appears, the previous 'hero' who turned rouge. After that point, it became a boring chase and lost its lustre. I'm getting so frustrated with kdramas becoming a disappointment after the first few episodes. They have phenomenal acting, cinematography, and music, only to ALWAYS fall short in writing. It's so annoying, they have the opportunity to make a well-rounded plot, yet choose to go the easier and safer route by not delving into more nuanced plots. It's always so predictable.

I do want to mention the cut scenes though, whoever the editor did an amazing job, they were so beautiful to watch. I wish I could find a drama that actually keeps up the initial pace they set in the first episodes.

Leggi di Più

A Korean work with Tarantino-esque signs

This is one of those dramas that were built piece by piece, a drama where there was care from the selection of the cast, as well as in the purchase of the rights to the Webcomic it is based on. The entire plot up to the final moment of the drama is well tied together, and everything that happened in the drama was developed meticulously by the screenwriter. We must note the well-directed scenes and the quality of direction and characterisation of all the characters.

Choi Woo-Sik, although surrounded by some controversies outside of his profession, is a complete actor and knows how to convey the most varied emotions in a dense drama, but at the same time with a comedic and irreverent tone. A work that mixes murders, blood, and comedic elements, in proper proportions, strongly resembles Tarantino's films Django and Kill Bill, where violent humour and blood go hand in hand.

The villain Song Chon, portrayed by the excellent Lee Heen-Jun, was literally built with seven hands, the environment and the people around him made him into this bloodthirsty and ruthless monster. My favourite character was Roh Bin, also played by the excellent Kim Yo-han, who brought life and charm to a heavy drama surrounded by violence. He was another character who life and environment made become this way, a nerdy vigilante who loved Lee Tang fraternally until the very end. His death left me saddened, but I saw it as necessary for the direction the drama took.

Although the ending was slightly open-ended, I understand that the drama fulfilled its purpose and the story does not need any continuation.

Leggi di Più

Great Actors, Lousy Writing

The show couldn't bring me to care about ANY of the characters. ML's character is weak af, the police officer didn't do much, and Roh Bin was so badly written. Only the psycho had something going on for himself lol.

Not to mention, the show treated all the women like plot devices who didn't matter at all. Not a single good female character is a bad look for them. The ML's family doesn't count.

The "supernatural" in the synopsis set the expectations too high for me and the show didn't deliver at all.

I don't know how this is topping the Netflix global charts atm, this was garbage. The first few episodes were good, but it kept getting worse progressively. They spent all the money on good actors and artsy transitions and forgot to pay the writers. Or maybe ChatGPT assisted with the writing.

I hope they don't come out with a season 2, but the ending made it seem like they would. I'm definitely not tuning in again.

Leggi di Più

a disappointing mess

maybe it’s because i’ve had kind of high hopes for this drama, but i was left disappointed from the very beginning. while the story was okay in the first few episodes and i was actually enjoying myself even though it was nothing revolutionary, the directing style and storytelling left me so lost on multiple occasions. when it jumped from a memory to a dream to a character’s imagination to the past to the present in the span of 30 seconds and no indication as to what was what you can’t really expect the audience to follow along easily. even the part that i was most excited for (choi woosik) left me a bit disappointed. i love his acting and always find his performances to be the highlight of anything he’s in, but i think the lack of depth to his character just made it impossible for him to showcase anything. i’m not even gonna say anything about the second half of the show because i don’t think there was much that i enjoyed there at all.

Leggi di Più

Choi Wooshik slays as a killer

Okay so I’ve really got no complaints over this kdrama, i really enjoyed it!

Especially now in 2024, it feels like every kdrama that has released this year or in 2023, was a little boring so my standards have lowered, I’ve been waiting for a show that has the same vibe as My name Kdrama for example, since thats genuinely one of the best shows I’ve watched.

And though I can’t really compare this show to My name, they have nothing in common except for the crime aspect of it, but its been hard to enjoy anything and this was a perfect kdrama for a quick watch.

But, while there is nothing for me to complain about, there is only one thing that I found a little stupid and its that it felt like the plot got a little lost as it progressed. I thought it would turn out like Vigilante maybe, since this story did focus on Lee Tang (Choi Wooshik), but after like maybe episode 5-6(?), Lee Tang was barely a main character and they focused on the other antagonist and the detectives backstory. Which wasn’t bad per se but I did want to see more of Lee Tang and his entire arc about getting goosebumps when he meets a bad person shouldve been more shown because i found that the most interesting. Everything else just kind of felt like it came out of nowhere, like why do we all of a sudden care about the detectives past and the villain? And why did they need an entire episode to themselves? I feel like it couldve easily been revealed sooner and shorter and the rest filled with Lee Tangs journey.

Overall, I didn’t really get what the last few
moments of the episode meant but i’m guessing they’re setting up for a second season. If the show ends up getting another season, i WILL be seated. Still, such a great show!!

Leggi di Più

Captivating

Feb 2024
I watched this in one sitting and my goodness, what a watch it was.
It has a real-life feel in terms of Lee Tang's (Choi Woo-shik) day to day routines, plus his lack of both direction and motivation. Consequently, there are slower paced episodes, but these still manage to both captivate and unnerve.
Detective Son Suk Ku (Jang Nan Gam), is weary, somewhat arrogant in attitude at times and fixated on a happening in the past.
The cat & mouse interactions between these 2 is often tense and occasionally amusing.
Supporting characters veer from weird and unsettling, to just unsettling.
LT's family are supportive, but at the same time wrapped up in their own lives. The mother seems to talk at, not to him, quite often. His relationship with 2 friends felt to me to be more one of convenience than care, even though long-term.
SSK's police partner is a rookie and lacks judgement. Others in their department are a mix of older and jaded, with one showing a more investigative mind, but at the same time lazy, not wanting to lead on his thoughts. Overall, as is so often the case in K-dramas, the police are portrayed overall as inept, cutting corners, lazy and corrupt.
LT's luck in evading proven involvement in murders is pretty funny. The overall effect of his lifestyle on his personality, especially after meeting another character, is noticeable.
There are adult themes/scenes, violence (of course) and clever dialogue.
A further key character is strangely charismatic, but completely irrational and very formidable. Seemed to have a head made of steel too.
I really enjoyed this and it kept me entertained from start to finish. I laughed out loud and at one point, felt terrible for doing so, because it was inappropriate for the scene, but it was hilarious.
I really enjoy watching CWS act and he has the ability to keep me invested in a drama, even if it's not as good as this one was. Would happily watch again.
There are scenes of/references to, sexual assault/rape, suicide and bullying, for those who find these a trigger.

Leggi di Più

Good Enough

Korean Drama '' A Killer Paradox '' is an edgy drama that explores the morality of murder, when the victim is a killer themselves.

The drama does a great job presenting the main character's journey from guilt, remorse, fear, and acceptance. On that front, the drama escapes from the basic crime dramas and gives its main lead a more humane act.

On the other hand, the rest of the characters weren't as deeply explored. They were left as cells of their descriptions and nothing beyond.

Also, the story, though initially impressive, failed to keep the momentum. The cinematography was enjoyable and original, yes, but, in the end, left a lot of things unsaid, as the shift from one scene to another had a few moments playing off-camera. This technique was nice at first but got tiring in the end.

Also, the sci fi element wasn't explored at all and it was left as a thought.

Finally, the performances were all enjoyable and the relationship between the characters was sweet.

So, overall, six out of ten.

Leggi di Più

A chronicle of an atypical killer.

The summary doesn't do this series justice. At first glance, you might think it's a series like "The Vigilante", with a dark protagonist who punishes criminals by playing a game of cat and mouse with the police. However, here I think that the way they went about it is really intriguing and original.

It's about Lee Tang, a young man who doesn't really have any prospects in life. He is in a sort of slump, work part-time situation, lives in a small unsanitary apartment and receives little attention or consideration. He is typically the archetype of a "loser", and the characters around him make no secret of telling him about it. He will unwillingly become a murderer, and from there it will turn into a descent in hell where crimes will accumulate, cases, witnesses and he will be chased by the police. Plus a bigger game is being played behind the scenes with someone pulling the strings.

Now, keep in mind that this is a series with supernatural elements, and in this, inexplicably, he always finds himself getting away with it, without even wanting to. For example, during his first murder, he forgets the weapon at the crime scene but a dog retrieves it and takes it away before the cops arrive or the time when the dog licks the blood, and at the same time the prints he left which makes his DNA untraceable or a fly lands on the video camera preventing the police from seeing that he is holding a hammer. The chances of that ? It's hilarious how they interweave such a dark themed drama, with a protagonist who can't bear the weight of his actions yet always gets away thanks to "coincidences", it's like the universe is working in his favor.

It's not even a comedy series, I mean there's really no writing of characters made for comic relief, it's just tension and ambient darkness. It's a dark thriller, but in addition to being entertaining, it's not too much (like "Big Mouth"), it's realistic while keeping that supernatural flair. Emotionally we are not connected to the protagonist because it is clearly not that kind of series, apart from the pity we feel for the victims, it remains a fast-paced thriller which is engaging.

I really admire the writers and directors, honestly. If you had told me that a dark thriller could mix these elements while remaining credible, I wouldn't have believed you because I'm stingy with thrillers, I haven't come across one before. Speaking of the production, I want to add that the storytelling said through editing, like the superposition of scenes which enhances the action of the protagonist or his imagination, it is really a feast for the eyes or even the music which adds to the intensity like in a horror film. It reminds me a bit of "King of Pigs" in the way that the flashbacks add pace and suspense to the story.

I absolutely recommend this series, if you like thrillers, this is for you.

Leggi di Più

Un poco confundida, un poco decepcionada...

Primero que nada, tengo que decir que tenía demasiadas expectativas en esta historia, ya sea por la sinopsis, los protagonistas o lo que fuera. Al principio creí que la paradoja del asesino se debía a que una vez que uno comienza a matar no puede parar, y al principio fue así, pero no realmente. El protagonista cambió de ser un chico que mataba por ira, un poco por su pasado de maltrato y un poco para defenderse, a ser una versión de "Unbreakable (2000)". Incluso el hecho de que alguien lo encontrara y resultara ser el héroe que él creía, no digo que sea malo, pero nunca se explica bien por qué lo acepta tan fácilmente. Además, tiene alucinaciones con aquellos a quienes mató como si estuviera afligido, pero en la vida diaria no le afecta nada.
Después, los policías son algo que no entiendo. Literalmente tienen los casos resueltos con pruebas o alguna evidencia de que murieron por manos de otras personas o circunstancias, pero no quieren creerlo. No tiene sentido que persigan a Lee Tang solo porque la ciega estuvo dos minutos parada fuera de un supermercado o porque los borrachos del primer capítulo fueron allí a comprar, simplemente lo quieren cazar. Realmente no existe nada que pueda conectarlo con todos los casos más que vivir en esas ciudades, ya que ni las formas de matar se parecen y no los conoce. Incluso hay un momento donde detectives de otra ciudad simplemente le hacen caso a Nam Gam porque sí, es lo que decía el guion.
Hasta el capítulo 4 me pareció buenísima. No se entienden algunas partes y otras son surrealistas; no sabes qué está soñando o qué pasó, pero está bien y tiene una fotografía increíble. Sin embargo, el 5 me aburrió terriblemente. La introducción del personaje que fue elegido como el primer "héroe" realmente me pareció innecesaria y mala. Simplemente no me importaba y quería que terminaran sus escenas. Creo que se podrían haber esforzado más en investigar la policía si no estuviera eso. Eso sí, si los episodios del 5 al 7 son malos, el 8 remonta toda la historia y le da un buen cierre. No se explica por qué el detective se da por vencido, pero me gustó.
Para terminar, solo nombré las cosas que me molestaban de la serie, pero la actuación del protagonista y del detective son buenísimas. La escena donde come chicle y casi llora dura 10 segundos y te cuenta toda una historia. Otra cosa increíble es la dirección, cómo contaron todo, la cinematografía, los colores y la música. Puedo decir que no me arrepiento de verla. Tiene todo lo que disfruto y es bastante refrescante también.

Leggi di Più

Dropped this on episode 8

Well, the Korean drama slump for me continues.

The first episode was so confusing between the flashbacks and reality scenarios that I was unsure if I should finish or not. I saw in the synopsis that the main character had a supernatural ability to 'identify bad seeds' but the way each episode portrayed, the first incident was by mere accident but the others were just a random coincidence. Then it turned into a watered down vigilante justice drama. Then it went downhill from there.

Each episode barely capitalized why the other people met their demise when they thought they would get away with the crimes they committed. Some characters were just time fillers like the MML's family...What was the point of them being in some of the episodes?? They were utterly useless and had no point in the story line.

The male who played the cop really didn't do anything but chew gum and looked bored.

The guy who played Rho Bin wasn't utilized well at all. With all that technology and smarts they sure made him look dumb and weak. He didn't fit in.

The MML looked sick in every episode which made me wonder was he OK in real life? His whole mood and demeanor was very sombersome. I don't know if he smiled even once throughout the 8 episode series.

This drama was every bit of boring to me. It took me a while to get through each episode. I thought I had capped off a lot but today I was dismayed to see I was only on episode 5. I thought I had watched the majority of the episodes but I barely managed to finish the first 4 episodes and last 4 episodes. I really didn't even finish episode 8. It wasn't going the way I thought it would so I just saved myself the trouble and just stopped it. This drama really drained the life out of me. I really have to stop falling for the high marks from reviewers.

Leggi di Più

Gripping but sensitive show

This is not a show for weak hearted or people looking for causal watch, it is in fact thought provoking and thrilling ride where you will grow to question many values you have in your own life.
it follows a very charming coincidental story but in the end it all make sense and gives you goosebumps, now this show is based on question - does murdering wrong people make our main character a murderer or a hero ?
this question is very essence of each and every episode where main character continues to gives you signs to figure out the answer, I think the acting was very natural and great.

things I didn't like as such was unnecessary dark scenes in some episodes and some plot holes.

Leggi di Più