Worth the watch

If you've just started watching or are unsure whether to start because of what people say about the beginning of the series don't be and just give it a chance trust me.

At the beginning the toxicity of the relationship between the two leads is a lot and although I personally didn't mind too much because I sensed we would see a lot of character development (specifically from Tae Hyun) I wasn't certain they could turn it into a love story in only 7 episodes. Boy was I wrong though.

Pacing is really key when it comes to such short series like this (episode wise at least) especially ones with an enemies to lovers trope but this one really nailed it in my opinion. The development between their relationship and interactions wasn't rushed and felt very natural unlike some other similar length dramas. it was sweet, entertaining and also had an element of realism all at the same time.

The characters and their back stories were also incredibly strong and kept the story super interesting throughout the whole series. It was great seeing a high school drama that captured the worries of someone who has been doing one thing their whole life but still unsure of their purpose (Da Yeol) and another who has severe family issues and childhood trauma all whilst acting the bully character (Tae Hyun).

The cast also added a lot to the experience for me as it was amazing seeing Yechan and Jaehan have such an outstanding acting debut as idols themselves. Every emotion was heartfelt and real and their chemistry was radiating off of each other every minute of every episode.

In conclusion I found myself anticipating every week to come whilst also dreading the end which is of course what you want from a show that you're watching. Definitely watch this even if you don't think it's your thing because it's more than worth the time and investment!

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Surprised me in a good way

When I first stumbled across this drama on social media let's just say I was immediately captivated by the plot and synopsis of it. I thought it was a very abstract and fresh idea for thrillers and that it could potentially be addictive if executed well. As I think we all experience from dramas I did however have my worries as I wasn't sure how they might end such a drama nor how well the cast and writers would tackle such an out there plot idea. When I did however dive into the drama I was pleasantly surprised by the charisma and humour of the cast especially one of the main leads Yook Dong Sik played by the very talented Yoon Shi Yoon. I think the comedy aspect of this drama is more than you might initially expect however do not be afraid as it is something that ended up causing me to binge watch the drama in only a matter of days. It's brilliantly thought through and not overused but definitely a major part of the characters and storyline all the while not overshadowing the initial heavy plot structure.

STORY- The idea of someone stumbling across a psychopath murdering someone and then picking up their diary, getting amnesia and then starting to think they were the killer is shall we say interesting to say the least... Well okay it's slightly insane but it's incredibly intriguing nonetheless. Without giving too much away I suppose one of the best things I could say is not to be worried about the execution or whether the story holds up to the very promising synopsis. The story is exactly as promised and some might argue (me lol) even better when you actually watch it. One of my worries as previously mentioned was the ending but I loved the ending they added to this drama and it was very satisfying in my opinion after watching it for so long.

Acting- Now the cast chosen for this drama was in my opinion close to perfection with only a couple of exceptions. As much as I love this drama I don't want to lie and I think it's important I tell the truth so a couple of the side characters in my opinion left a little to be desired in their roles which was frustrating as I didn't want the beauty of the drama to be ruined by this however I was glad that most of the side characters were played well. I don't want to name names as I think just watching for yourself without premeditated disappointment will help you get the most out of it. If you see any faults with any of the side characters then perhaps you may relate to me but if not then don't worry and enjoy it. I haven't talked much about the main cast but there isn't much to say as in my eyes they were perfectly selected and did a very good job portraying not only just their characters but also the emotions fueling the characters and their stories. Bravo indeed.

Music- In a lot of thrillers the music is normally most important in climatic scenes and also typically at the end of an episode when a big event happens and they want to entice you to watch the next episode straightaway. As this is also used in this drama they also do something incredibly innovative related to Yook Dong Sik. His music is a massive part of his interests as a person and identity as a character. Music helps portray what emotions he's feeling when his as I like to call 'Psychopath Mood' is switched on. He becomes a different person and this is immaculately reflected in whatever music he chooses to switch on in his brain and for us as the OST. It was an awesome detail and hats off to whoever thought of that behind the scenes.

I think I'll wrap up my review here and if you read the whole thing I hope it is helpful in your decision about when you will watch Psychopath Diary (as I think you should totally give it a go). If it was helpful then I'm glad as I enjoyed writing about but above all else I enjoyed watching the show and so hopefully will you too :)

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Impactful, important and very heartbreaking

This series shattered my heart into a million pieces over and over again.

STORY - It's all about Koichi's realization that he cannot hold onto the world and Mitsuru forever and him feeling guilty about this and struggling to accept it until the last episode. Mitsuru's narrative really dives into what all grieving people must feel except it's even more painful for him as he has to slowly endure watching Koichi slip away from him and watch his grip on the world slowly get weaker until he has to let go. It is not just a love story but one about life and death and the crossover. It is super impactful and overwhelmingly sad and I'm sure many people endured the same but I just found myself crying along with them every episode.

ACTING - The actors did an indescribably good job at portraying the character's raw emotions and pains. It was honestly beautiful to watch and it didn't feel like I was watching a series but more like two actual people's story. I don't think anyone could have done it better and I'm grateful for that.

Music - The official soundtrack for this series went so well with the storyline that at first I didn't quite register it as for some reason it didn't feel like a soundtrack but more the emotions embodied into a song if that makes any sense whatsoever. In the final episode it really hit me hard.

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Came for the plot, stayed for everything

I just want to start off by saying that comedy thrillers are always very hit and miss for me as it's quite hard to put the comedy element into a serial killer series well however this drama genuinely had very good execution.

Story:
Did they drag out the mystery plot a bit? Yes. However did I carry on watching it anyway? Yes. The characters are very likeable, their relationships are dynamic, well paced and interesting and the thriller element kept me hooked all the way through. I did genuinely laugh while watching this drama and the cinematography is gorgeous. The storylines and backgrounds for all the characters are important and realistic enough to be relatable. The idea of a girl developing superpowers and working with a detective to solve a serial killing case sounds a bit mad but they did a good job. They worked the supernatural element in very well and this also helped the cinematography as well. The romance is also really sweet and nice however 2nd lead was my endgame.

Acting:
I want to praise the acting in this series a lot. The comedic community was portrayed very well and every actor fitted their role very well. The main leads were particularly good as they showed nice adaptability with the sad and intense scenes whilst containing their contagious cheerful personas. The male lead did his portrayal of an outsider city detective well and had a good balance of likeability but also slight annoyance when he went against our favourite side characters. The actors also all did a good job of being possible culprits which meant you could never fully trust who you thought it was. I truly love the atmosphere of this drama.

Rewatch?
Overall I would say it's 100% worth watching but I don't think I'll revisit anytime soon. In the future I may want to be able to see the cute less dramatic features of this drama again but I think parts of the plot are quite generic or forgettable. It's nice and watchable but not something I'll spend too much time thinking about.

I also want to side note that the intro and outro music is very good and I really liked it so I'm now going to go find out who sings it and what the song is haha. I know I've praised the cinematography already but it truly is amazing. Solid 8/10 for this drama as it kept me hooked all the way through :)

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