An Enjoyable Way to Pass the Time

A fun romance/crime drama that managed to keep me entertained for its 16-hour run time. It's certainly not groundbreaking but then again, it's not trying to be.

- 3 Pros -

1) The Couple
A strong couple is exactly what this drama needed and, luckily, the writers and the cast managed to deliver just that. Whilst they keep things relatively lowkey (there's no sweeping grand gestures or slow-mo gazing into each other's eyes), their chemistry is palpable in every scene they're in and the relationship itself develops in a way that feels sweet, natural, and surprisingly mature. It is very much a relationship of equals and, by the end of the drama, you can tell that their love for each other is rooted in mutual trust and respect. I feel it's still quite rare to see a truly healthy relationship in the k-drama world so it's nice to see Newbie and Chief Ko develop one that feels so normal.

2) The OST
A good OST adds another layer of colour and emotion any scene it's in and there are certainly a few of those in Catch the Ghost. Particularly memorable are Woosung's (The Rose) Feel My Heart, Roh Tae Hyun's Highlight, and ABRY's Wanted. They're on the more upbeat side and they normally made me smile and start humming along when they started playing (Feel My Heart Being an exception).

3) The Representation
Whilst Catch the Ghost isn't a particularly deep drama, I do appreciate its decision to tackle subjects like ASD and dementia. I thought both strands were relatively well handled (given SK's reluctance to address issues like mental health and neurological conditions) and I liked that the characters were allowed to be more than just comic relief.

- 3 Cons -

1) The Plot
The plot itself is really not that strong, especially with regards to the main crime. The pacing is bizarre at points (some key information gets revealed way too early) and there are leaps of logic left, right, and centre. It feels like the writers are trying a little too hard to mislead the viewer in order to fit in more plot twists but, because a lot of them feel so contrived, they end up being a lot less impactful than indented.

2) The Subplots
There are certain subplots I feel didn't get enough screentime to make their inclusion worthwhile. The Police Commander and her daughter had a really interesting relationship and it would have been nice to have seen it grow and develop. As it was, it just felt rushed and out of place, wrapped up too quickly for it to have any real impact.

3) The (Sort of) Love Triangle
This one is purely personal but I do hate love triangles with a passion so I thought I may as well include it. I personally didn't feel it was necessary or that it added anything to the story (when do they ever though?) and all it ended up doing was make me like one character a little less than I would have otherwise.

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