Forgiveness Is Not Always the Answer--Broken Systems that put Abusers First

As a victim, the abuser becomes your entire world--you remember their face, their expressions as they hurt you, and the torment you suffered. School bullying is not only a reality for many across the world but a deeply rooted issue in Korean schools. The extent of school bullying, in The Glory, was truly an eye-opener. The Glory delves into how one case of bullying becomes a deeply rooted seed that grows and rots within a person, affecting the individual’s life completely.

With the metaphor of the game Go as the background within the plot, we as the audience are given a foundation of Dong-Eun’s revenge--surround your enemies and tighten your boundaries around them, in a battle of silence. Once you’ve completely surrounded them you can close in on them. In essence, Go, and Dong-Eun’s revenge is to surround her abusers before they even know that they’ve been surrounded. A strategy that is meticulous and clever.

One of the main plot elements that the drama delves into is that a bully, after all the trauma they’ve committed towards an individual, can move on with their lives in blissful and willing ignorance. The show questions the justice system and how to deal with corrupt authorities at all levels. Dong-Eun was not only failed by the police, but she was failed at every institutional level: by her family, her teachers, her school supervisors, and the police. So, when those authorities, that are supposed to keep justice in check, fall apart, then what’s to stop bullies from doing harm?

While the abusers move on with their lives, Dong-Eun is forced to live a life where she is stuck within her high school era where she was physically and verbally abused. The show wants the audience to understand that in a world where there is systemic corruption on all levels, how can one simply forgive their abusers and allow them to continue their cycle of violence?

Dong-Eung was abandoned by everyone, society failed her--as it does for many victims. Societal justice is in favour of the abuser rather than the abused. In Dong-Eun’s school, her friends can’t speak up because they’ll be targeted. There are no repercussions, from authority figures, towards the abusers.

If society will not keep them accountable, nor the police, nor the people around them, then who is left to stop these cycles of violence?

If Dong-Eun had not gone through with her revenge then each of the abusers would have continued to bully those around them. We can see this in the way Yeon-Jin treats her co-workers, Jae-Joon treats those below him, and Myeong-oh treats his employees. Every one of the abusers does not mature and continues to spread their violence--hurt people, hurt people.

My favourite aspect of The Glory is that it portrays revenge from a different perspective, where forgiveness is not the answer. Forgiveness doesn’t solve everything. If Dong-Eun forgave those around her they would’ve continued to hurt others, just as she was hurt.

One scene that really articulates this thought is when Da-Yeong and Yeo-Jeong are playing Go. Da-Yeong asks Yeo-Jeong if he genuinely wanted to help Dong-Eun, why does he not encourage her to forgive? Yeo-Jeong responds that for some people taking revenge is the only way for them to begin the next chapter of their lives and finally live for themselves. To reach their own Glory some victims must take revenge. The way I interpret this is that without a sense of rightful justice, individuals are stuck within their trauma. The helplessness that a lack of justice create stunts an individual's ability to move on with their lives and so they must turn to their own means of pursuing such justice, for Dong-Eun that is in the form of revenge.

The ending is one that makes the show truly one of my favourites. It is a satisfying ending that is well deserved, After all the turmoil and abuse Dong-Eun has been through we as the viewer desperately root for her to win. Dong-Eun uses the selfishness and narcissism of those around her to create the downfall and domino effect of revenge toward her abusers. Dong-Eun puts the foundation into play, controlling the pieces on the board, and effectively commits to her plan.

Dong-Eun spent a decade planning her revenge and acquiring the funds to see it through, she used the weakness of her abusers to take them down and found a partner in crime, her executioner, for her revenge. It is a harmonious ending that gives me hope that Dong-Eun will finally be free from her high school years and begin to find her own Glory in life.

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Phenomenal Acting & A Story that Makes You Root for the Main Character

I didn't realize the actor and the main character's names were so similar but I need to start off by saying that the actor Kim Soo-Hyun, played Kim Hyun-Soo AMAZINGLY. This boosted him up to one of my favourite actors, I didn't realize he had such a wide range. When he started crying I would cry too because it felt so raw and real. Especially near the end, during the trials, where he says "I didn't kill her' he's so desperate to have people believe him that I was tearing up. JUST BELIEVE MY BABY PLS.

Overall the story was gripping and the main character was someone you just had to root for, he goes through a perfect development through the episodes as he learns to cope with the injustice of his ordeal. We know that he made a mistake, and initially, when I saw the first episode, where Hyun-Soo was leaving the crime scene, and cleaning the mess, I kept screaming NO JUST CALL THE POLICE! But then again, put yourself in that position, your mind would shut off, and you'd have no time to think it through. If you'd stolen your dad's car, your family was in poverty, had a one-night stand with a girl, and woke up to her dead--and not just dead but brutally murdered. Then of course your mind would run wild. He knows he did wrong by leaving, but it's very realistic to how a young college student may act in this situation. Just because he made a mistake doesn't mean he should lose his whole life.

That was the main thread in the plot, mistakes were made but that should not blind the police and make it so that they stop investigating just because there is a clear person to blame. Even in true crimes, we see this a lot, where there is evidence that points to someone, and instead of fully investigating, police instead cut corners to frame the suspect because it'll make the case tie up neatly. It's easier to blame it on someone who was there than to do your job and investigate, putting aside all biases to find only factual evidence. This is what Hyun-Soo faces, the chief police, from the beginning does not listen to the facts, he listens to only his hunch and then pieces all the evidence to support that hunch. In this way, Hyun-Soo is framed and a perfect murder case can be closed as fast as possible.

This drama wasn't perfect, some parts bothered me, like when Hyun-soo began to doubt himself and was becoming too much like Do Ji-Tae, but I think the drama dealt with that well by killing Do Ji-Tae, as to remind Hyun-Soo not to get too comfortable because living in prison means losing your life at any time. So although I had my gripes, they tended to resolve themselves or made sense to the character.

I actually liked how quick the ending was, a lot of people say it was rushed, and maybe it was, but I think the ending makes sense (although it could've been better, could've gotten 9 stars). In cases like these, that's really all it takes, a single piece of evidence that comes to light, one confession. After having his whole life ruined, Hyun-Soo is proven innocent in a matter of minutes. It's ironic and sad at the same time. He will never be the person he was in episode one, he's now filled with trauma and yet the whole time the person who did it was living freely.

Had the murderer kept silent, Hyun-Soo would just have easily stayed in jail. It shows how random these cases can be, but highlights one important factor: the police will construct a story based on what they want the public to believe happened, not based one evidence and it then takes a person who is willing to go above and beyond, like Shin Joong-Han, to find evidence, and for the suspect to wholeheartedly believe in themselves.

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So wholesome and fun, while also dealing with deep issues

I finished this drama very quickly, with its short episode lengths it's a great drama to watch when you're in the mood for a good quick show. I loved the chemistry and dynamic of the main couple, we have the young lead who fell first, and the older lead who ends up falling harder. Nose ends up understanding that age doesn't restrict one's ability to let loose and have fun. Together the couple try new things and Nose discovers that, despite aging, he can always have a youthful heart. Togawa is perfect as the younger lead because he sees everything in Nose, that initially Nose doesn't see, it's a type of love where they appreciate the little things in each other that most people don't notice about them.

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Average Movie that Could've Been Better, Overall good romance

This felt like an average romance movie, I did like the romance initally but felt that the main lead was annoying, Kawano was always so open and vulnerable and it bothered me that Itsuki was in a pity party, it didn't make sense to me because he had been disabled for 6 years at this point, but still held on to feeling like he couldn't be loved, which is the main problem that the couple face, so it was frustrating to watch. Even the surgery felt random to me and pathetic because Itsuki should've said this to her earlier and to her face, not through a note. I'm glad they both are together in the end but it was annoying to get through.

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Great Show with no Unnecessary Fillers: Loved the Characters

I love when kdramas are 8-10 episodes, I feel like it's a sweet spot for kdramas, they tend to get straight to the point. To be honest when I saw that the dad died in episode one, I was actually going to stop watching, thinking it was another cliche drama, but I'm glad I continued because the death was meaningful and is a huge part of the plot as the story goes on. This is a very character-driven plot, and I LOVE plots like that, I loved Geu-Ru, the uncle, and nam-u they are such a fun cast and perfectly balance each other out. The amount of times I CRIED in the show is unreal, it hurt me so much to see the uncle realize that his brother always loved him and never forgot about him, it seriously was so beautiful.

My only drawback is that I do find the 'genius' disability character to be one that can be tricky to balance since people with disabilities should be accepted, and not judged, whether or not they are geniuses. I find that they try to 'justify' disabilities by making the character a genius, when in reality, no matter the intelligence level an individual with a disability should be respected. I also was annoyed at the random scene at the end, it felt so unnecessary.

The main this I love about the show is how they deal with grief. I hate when shows gloss over death, and make the main character easily forget, so I loved that this drama made it show just how devastating loss can be and how you never truly move on.

Would highly recommend the show if you're in need of a good cry, and love character-driven plots.

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Amazing Show, Took me by Surpise with the Tone shift--Highly Recommend

Wow I just finished this show and it was very well done, I'm quite surprised I haven't heard of this show before. If you're someone who hates slow-paced dramas and instead wants action, friendship, and deep topics then this show is perfect. With only 6 episodes, it gets right to the point and develops the characters so well, making the story gripping with each episode.

As we know, Korea has a severe issue with bullying, with scales of bullying that aren't really seen here in the West (bullying becoming torture) and it always shocks me to my core when I see how severe bullying can get, this drama sheds light on bullying in the mandatory military enlistment. So many of the deserters, the Koreans who run away from their military service but are forced to come back, are victims of severe bullying. However, they are treated like predators, when in reality they are the victims running away to save themselves from the torture they face in the military. The drama shines a light on how, especially in Korean society, the bullies are put at an advantage and the victims are villainized. What change can happen, when the system itself ignores and favours bullies? If bullies are seen as 'strong' and the victims are blamed for being too 'weak' to deal with their issues, then change can't occur. It's a sad truth, but the cycle of oppression for bullying victims is too true of a reality.

I loved the ending, despite how sad it was, because it really enhances the theme and struggles that victims face. Their lives are ruined to the point that death is a better option for them, how can they live when they now have to deal with this trauma while also watching their bullies live their lives without any care or consequences? It's a hard drama to watch, but one that gives such an important message to viewers. Unfortunately, change never occurs until someone loses their life, and even then it's sometimes not enough.

What I liked about the show was the writing and how the writers were able to shift tones so smoothly, it would go from serious to lighthearted naturally and it made the show more digestible. The bromance between the main characters was perfect, and both Jun-ho and Ho-yol were perfect to be D.P. soldiers because of their humanity and empathy.

Overall this is a hard show to stomach, with its graphic and violent bullying, but the message is very well executed and overall the show was wonderfully done.

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Such an Entertianing Dystopia, with character you will love!

I LOVE plots that are character-driven, I'm willing to watch any plot as long as the characters are written well. For me Sweet Home did just that, I can't begin to explain how much I adore the main character, he's just a loveable person who's also mentally strong and goes through so much trouble that you have to love him. It honestly hurt watching a lot of my favourite characters die, because I really started to feel a connection to them and the relationships they had with each other. To be honest, I did find some deaths unnecessary (especially the death of the leader at the end). I was also confused as to why two characters turn out to be working for the government at the end?? So the plot definitely can be confusing, but I loved the group so much that I was willing to forgive them for that.

I also did find the CGI a little funny at parts, when there was too much lighting or the monsters were too big, the CGI looked quite awkward. But for the most part, it was okay. And oh my god I hate that stupid Warriors song they use, it did not fit at all. I wish they had used another song.

Aside from the CGI bits and the weird music at times. I really liked the pacing of this show, I love a good 10-episode story because it means that each episode is exciting--and it really was! I found that each episode kept me hooked and made me want to keep watching. Even in the short span, the characters are developed really well. I found that each character changes, mostly positively, through each episode as the audience gets to see them interact with the group. It really felt like everyone wanted to help each other, despite the struggles.

Overall I would say this was such an entertaining show, it's definitely sad and gorey, but the acting and the pacing are exceptional.

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One of the best-written female characters I've seen in a kdrama--Strong, Charismatic, and Powerful

This drama left me speechless with its effective, and beautifully written, plot. It’s always a treat when I finish a drama that I genuinely feel had the perfect amount of pacing and character development. Each character is flushed out and has a story of their own that adds to the overall plot. This drama excelled in its depiction of strong, powerful, and charismatic female characters, telling a story through the lens of women.

Most dramas, unfortunately, succumb to toxic female relationships, which is a shame; female relationships and friendships can be life-altering and empowering and Mine displayed that perfectly. To me, the epitome of a healthy female friendship is that of Hi-Soo and Seo-Hyun, both wives of Chaebol sons. The drama could’ve easily been written with a lazy woman rivalry, where the two sister-in-laws are jealous and resentful of each other, thankfully the plot delves below surface level and tells the story of sisterly love through these two characters. This is a friendship that goes beyond petty emotions and displays pure trust without any doubt. The trust that Hi-Soo and Seo-Hyun have in each other becomes the pillar of their relationship.

Each character is flushed out and given a brief history of their past. We have Seo-Hyun, who from the outside holds a facade of an emotionless businesswoman, however as the drama progresses we see that the mask she wears is to protect Hyowon Group, rather she is a multi-layered woman. For her whole life, she’s had to hide her sexuality; Seo-Hyun struggles with her past relationship, a painter whom she loved but broke up with to keep the Hyowon Group from controversy and societal backlash. As the show progresses she is able to let go and accept that her sexuality, as a lesbian woman, is not something she should fear, but that it is hers and part of who she is, it does not take away from the woman she is. She also uses her own struggle to reform the withered relationship, she has with her son, who she allows to have a love marriage, something he gave up and regretted, but is able to pursue at the end of the show. Her charisma is a main factor in her personality, because despite her struggles she takes care of many tasks that would normally be for the Chaebol men of the Hyowon Group. She not only deserved the position of CEO, by the end of the series, but she earned it. Without her, the plan to take down Ji-young would’ve never gone through, she is the backbone of the Hyowon group.


Hi-Soo displays countless times that you don’t have to be related by blood to have a deep-rooted love for a child. Whenever Hi-soo doubted her status as a mother, I wanted to reach into the screen and give her a hug, because she displayed powerful and operative forms of motherhood. Her love for Ha-Joon was real. One of the developments in the plot is exactly that--Hi-Soo accepts that she is a mother and that Ha-Joon is her son. Everything that Hi-soo did was calculated and put Ha-Joon at the center, to Hi-soo it didn’t matter if it caused her discomfort, as long as it brought relief to her son. I love to see dramas that depict motherhood in this light, it's a certain glee I get when I see a mother-son bond that is as strong as Hi-Soo’s and Ha-Joons, an unconditional love with no strings attached. A pure motherly love.

Many forms of motherly parenting are touched on in the drama, and the drama displays the efficiency of Hi-soo’s mothering. In the first episode, we even have a disagreement between Seo-Hyun and Hi-Soo about whether to send Ha-Joon abroad for school, Hi-soo is clear and determined that she will not send him because she knows the importance of having a motherly figure during these essential childhood years. We see the lack of mothering from Seo-Hyun for her stepson (but later on mends her relationship--lots of credit to her because I love her, but she too admits that she was distant in mothering Soo-Hyuk). We see how the grandpa didn’t acknowledge Ji-young as a son and treated him with no love or respect growing up, and of course, the mothering of Mi-Joo was an abusive one. The forms of mothering and how they directly affect a child are well-written and become a backdrop for each character’s personality. It displays how important a motherly bond is for a child when they are young. Hi-Soo’s knowledge of this importance makes her strive to raise Ha-Joon in the best manner. She is a fantastic mother and I’m glad she comes to this realization by the end of the drama.

Our final powerful woman in the drama is Hye-Jin, who is written with a redemption arc that made me love her by the end of the drama. Initially introduced as Kang Ja-Gyeong she disguises her identity and remains a tutor for Ha-Joon, her biological son. Throughout the drama, we see the juxtaposition of the status of ‘mother’ between Hye-Jin and Hi-Soo. Hye-Jin was forced to leave her son, after carrying him for nine months and raising him for 18 months, when he got sick. Without the means to cure him, she went to the Han family, where her baby was taken away from her and the family forged her death. Extenuating circumstances forced Hye-Jin to devise her plot, to retake Ha-Joon. Hi-Soo, who did not birth Ha-Joon but raised him for six years, begins to question the validity of her status as Ha-Joon’s mother.

The question of, who deserves to be called his mother is brought into play. As this question floats throughout the drama, the ultimate conclusion is that both Hye-Jin and Hi-soo are fit to be his mother, they are both valid in the forms of mothering they did. Both women are victims of Ji-Young, who deceives both of them. Hye-Jin’s motherhood status is not invalidated, because of her lack of raising, and Hi-soo’s is not either because of her lack of pregnancy. Ultimately Hi-soo is the one who raised Ha-Joon, but throughout the show, the development of Hye-Jin makes it clear that she too would do absolutely anything for Ha-Joon. What connects Hisoo and Hye-Jin is their motherhood, and their love for Ha-Joon, both characters are willing to sacrifice their entire lives for the betterment of Ha-joon.

Seo-Hyun, Hi-Soo, and Hye-Jin make the ultimate team, coming together to take down the man who deceived them all--Ji-young.

My favourite aspect of the show is the way the villain shifts throughout the drama. Initially, we are led to believe that Hye-Jin is the ultimate villain, however, as the plot progresses so does Ji-Young's sinister nature. This drama took itself from good to excellent with its shift to a bigger and more intense villain. The pacing for this shift, of villains, also makes it entertaining to watch as it unfolds; the audience is made to dislike Hye-Jin because, after all, she is the one that enters the house and causes a rift within Hi-soo’s family. I remember thinking that this character, Hye-Jin, is irredeemable with no way of empathizing with her, however when the villain shifts to Ji-Young and we find out that the actual victims are not Ji-Young and Hi-Soo, but rather Hi-soo and Hye-Jin the story becomes even more gripping. This is not to excuse Hye-Jin’s actions, in the beginning, but to demonstrate how well they developed her character, by making her remorseful and open with Hi-soo. When Hye-Jin shifts to side with Hi-soo, she later apologizes and repents for her actions. Another wonderful example of the show's ability to display intelligent women teaming up against a powerful male. Had Hye-Jin remained stubborn and adamant in her revenge, over the entire Han family, she would have ultimately failed, however, because she is a well-flushed-out and realistic character she puts her anger aside and taps into her empathy and intelligence to realize that her other option, and the best option for her son Ha-Joon, is to let go of her resentment for Hi-soo and to help protect her in order to protect her son. The shared love for Ha-Joon allowed Hi-Soo and Hye-Jin to come out stronger and clearer about their plans.

With Hye-Jin we are left with a feeling of understanding for her and as such we root for her in the end. Ji-Young too, despite being a villain, is flushed out in his motives. Had Ji-Young been evil for the sake of being evil, he would’ve been a boring character. The drama displays how the lack of a healthy childhood environment, due to his abusive mother and neglectful family, directly moulded the man he became. The drama does not justify his actions but rather seeks to understand how an individual can get to that extreme point. The hatred I had for him also made him a better villain, I truly wanted to see his demise and when he finally does fall, both metaphorically and literally, it feels satisfying and justified. In the end, although Ji-young truly thought he was doing the right thing, Ji-young was a selfish man who let his greed and trauma justify his evil actions. Once Ji-Young had accepted that he was abandoned by everyone and loved by no one, despite being previously loved by Hi-Soo, he succumbed to his own cruel narrative to ease his mind about the crimes he committed.

Each episode of this drama is intentional and adds to the overall plot, with many thrillers and mystery kdramas there is too much wasted time in between the episodes, and although Mine isn’t completely free from that, it does an overall good job at maintaining a suspenseful pace. This drama has become one of my ultimate favourite dramas, for its beautifully written female characters and intricate plot I will definitely rewatch this drama in the future, it was an excellent revenge drama.

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Great Combo of Comedy and Mystery!

The chemistry between Su Yeol and K made this drama so much fun to watch! Honestly, I loved all of the characters, from Lee Hui-Gyeom, Yang Jae Seon, and Oh Kyeong Tae the whole team had such amazing chemistry and I’d even love to see a second season that focuses more on the interaction between the team members and their teamwork in solving the cases.

The drama-comedy aspect of the show made it even more entertaining to watch. The show went from comedic to serious in a very smooth way. They really used the dynamic between K & Su Yeal and the split personality aspect to enhance the comedy.

I usually don’t like when dramas have the Disositive Identity plot, since most of the time it's used cheaply and as a cop-out, but this drama did a good job at incorporating the two personalities into the plot. Especially the physical actor change, to represent K, was one that made the drama more immersive and created some really fun scenes and banter between the two characters.

In the second half of the drama it switches to a very serious tone, but still manages to keep the comedy balanced within the episodes, so I enjoyed the deeper plot elements in the second half, but also enjoyed the main case in the first half. I like how the drama is centred around two major arcs. Overall the pacing of the drama, within the two arcs, is done in a way that kept me wanting to continue watching to find out how it resolves. This drama had me belly-laughing and gripping my seat at the same time.

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Despite our Limitations we can All Soar-Inspirational Drama

Our lives are filled with limitations--mental and physical boundaries each individual possesses that they cannot change, however despite these limitations we still have a differing range of control within our lives. In our life, although we may not control the outcome, we can control the present actions we take toward reaching a goal.

There are those of us who are forced to give up on prior dreams. No matter the reason, whether it’s money, age, or health, we’ve all faced struggles and limitations that have brought us back to a tragic reality. In the Drama Navillera, we are told that, yes there are harsh realities, but as long as we are still alive and breathing there is still time to pursue our goals. The only limitations that truly stop us from achieving a goal are the ones we’ve set up for ourselves, within our minds or societal expectations about pursuing certain skills

The drama Navillera is a metaphor for life. Through the sport of ballet, we can take the teachings of the show and place them into any of our real-world situations. Although I have never done ballet, this drama struck a chord with me and the hobbies and careers I have chosen in life.

The fact of life is that we are all bound by our limitations, but the biggest limitation is not the physical, but the mental boundaries we place on ourselves about what we cannot achieve. In the present, we can still carve out our future with persistence. We can set small but realistic goals to build our future and fight against our limitations. In Navillera Deol-Chul’s is to soar, but he knew that to do so he would have to put in the effort to learn the fundamentals of ballet, and so through the help of Chae-rok, but more importantly through Deol-Chul’s own perseverance and persistence towards achieving his goals, he is able to learn ballet.

Freedom of expression can take forms in multiple fashions, but in a world where there are boundless opportunities for self-expression, it begs the question: what defines success? Is it following one’s passions, reaching fame and stardom, and earning a lot of money? Navillera explores the open-ended nature of success and how each individual has to come to their own definition of what success means to them.

Here is one of the main questions that the drama wants the audience to ponder: is a 23-year-old ballerino successful and a 70-year-old amateur ballerino unsuccessful? It becomes clear that the answer to this question is no and that ballet, whether it be professional or amateur, is meaningful to individuals despite age and skill level. Success becomes something that isn’t measured by age or skill level, but by the meaning, it has for each individual and the amount of effort they are willing to put into their desired goal.

Time is a limitation that we all have to face. On the adjacent side of time, is inevitably regret. The regret of not starting early, or not putting in more effort, of living with the fact that you cannot go back in time to pursue something you wanted to. However, despite this tragic reality, we can still hold onto our present and future. If we set past our own limitations of society and what it has deemed as ‘silly’ or ‘unattainable’, we can accomplish our goals.


The reminder for all of us, after watching this drama, is that limitations and struggles are inevitable--a part of life. Just like a Nabi (Butterfly, 나비) we can also soar towards our individual goals.

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The characters can be SO annoying

Genuinely I cannot finish this drama because I'm fed up with Soo Ah and Yi Seo. I find them both really annoying and it soured the plot for me. And as much as I love Sae-Ro-I as a character I find that his love for Soo Ah ruins the plot, I get that he wants her to be true to herself, but she's literally working for the man who is responsible for Sae-Ro-i's misery, I find that inexcusable. I know they're trying to show that everyone has their own way of fighting for what's right, but I can't stand it.

Yi Seo is so annoying too, although smart she's rude and tries to play it off as being witty. Every time I find myself trying to like her, she'll say something annoying and I go back to hating her. I think the main issue is making her have a crush on Sae-Ro-I, I think it takes away from the plot. It just seems so unnecessary for her character. I find myself getting too fed up with the romance aspects and everyone's crushes, then the actual revenge aspect.

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Why Jae-Hyo is the Perfect Villian and How Poverty can make Individuals into villians

I enjoyed this drama more than I expected, what made this show so entertaining was how serious the tone was and how desperate the main characters were. I liked the pacing of the plot: where we go from 'let's just pretend to kidnap' to 'let's kill our friend' to 'I'm going to be the only one left alive'.

I read a lot of criticism about Song Jae-Hyo's character and that his backstory wasn't powerful enough to make him the villain that he was, however, I completely disagree with that take and think the writers did a fantastic job with both Jae-Hyo and Jun-Song. I'll explain why. Typically, the audience would think that Jun-Song, with debt collectors after him and his family, would turn to crime, however, it's actually Jae-Hyo, whose motivations come from being expelled from his medical school, that does.

Jae-Hyo is the perfect archetype, a villain who thinks that the whole world is against him and that he has 'no other choice' when in reality he's put himself into his own situation and cannot deal with accepting his wrongdoings. The difference between Jae-Hyo and Jun-Seong is that one shows remorse for their misdeeds while the other does not. Jaehyo's lack of drive is exactly what makes him the perfect villain, we as the audience can understand that he actually does have other choices but he himself cannot see beyond the 'injustice' of his life. It was his fault, for creating a cheating ring, that he got expelled. It was indeed unfair that only he got caught, but again he did the scheme himself. His life WAS NOT over because of his expulsion, but he was so blinded by his own 'values' and his own definition of 'ethics' that he made everything ethical in his eyes, repeating over and over again that 'he has no other choice'.

What makes Jaehyo become my favourite villain, from a drama, is the final episode where he evens sells out his friend, paying off the debt collectors to kill him, all because his friend suggested they had to leave the country. It's ridiculous, from the audience's perspective, but of course, to Jaehyo it's extremely plausible. He sees no wrong in what he does because he, for his actions to make sense, has to accept that he has no other choice-when indeed he does. He's such a deeply crafted character and people saying he's poorly written are really missing the depth of his character.

Then we see Jun-sung, the character who I had sympathy for, all along he is pressured to go through with this plan, and while yes he is also an accomplice, the way he's written really shows how desperate a human being can be. What else is he to do, except turn to crime? Owning half a million to debt collectors and having his organs donated if he didn't pay, his father even tried to pay off his son's debt by secretly donating his organs, but it didn't stop them. He truly, I feel, has no other choice. Jun Seong is someone who truly was a victim of a lack of resources in society. He even admits that it was his fault, for gambling, but that there is no way to go back in time and correct his wrongs. He made a mistake and doesn't deserve to lose his life for it.

The juxtaposition of Junseong, who has remorse but no other choice, and Jae-hyo, who has no remorse and another choice, pairs perfectly with the plot. My theory is that, no matter what position Jae-hyo was in, he would always turn to crime and would always victimize himself believing that he had no other choice. Had he become a doctor he would have found a way to make more money, illegally, to cheat. He never would've been happy. Whereas Junseong, had he not gambled, would've been a positive influence in society and would've lived an ethical life.

The drama isn't at all trying to glorify crime or to say that crime is acceptable when one is desperate, but it gives an insight into the reality of poverty and how, for some, this may be something they think about because they have no other means of living.

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A little too hopeless for me

I really like this movie, but not the ending, I honestly don't really understand why he had to kill in the end, I guess it's the only way to successfully run away, but I would've liked it if Yeon-gyu and the older brother had survived together, or that there was a twist where the killing was a set up so that they could all run away together. I mean I know the title is called "hopeless" but I thought there would be a more fulfilling ending, or at least some sort of twist. By joining the gang he really gained nothing, it would've been easier to just run away with Hyeon in the beginning if everyone was going to die at the end.

Also really loved the cast, the acting was top tier and I am a huge fan of Bibi's acting, she does so well in every role, and she did this one perfectly too.

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Deeply Thrilling Subversion of Expecations: A Must Watch Drama

In the Midst of Corruption and Death, a small town suffers from the unsolved cold case of missing women. Two policemen, one the brother of an unsolved murder victim and the other a rookie cop with rooted morals. Throughout the drama, Lee Dong‑sik and Han Joo‑won, the main protagonist police officers, have a juxtaposed methods of handling crime: one stuck in a logically strict mindset (where everything must follow a code) and the other a more open-minded emotional standpoint. One of the beauties of the show is the way they handle these two differing policing mindsets, they are not framing either protagonist as wrong or right, instead we the audience get a deeper understanding of the different methodologies and come to our own understanding of solving the mysteries.

PLOT
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This is a show that needs to be watched at least twice. In the first watch, we are taken from a perspective that audiences are able to relate to, that of Han Joo-won, who just like the viewer has entered a new town and is unaware of its rooted history and the characters within it. In this perspective, we're left just as confused, if not more confused, than Joo-won. We are made to question everyone, including the protagonist Lee Dong-sik. One of my favourite experiences in watching this drama was going through the process of literally suspecting everyone, it made me question who I could trust and who I couldn't. Everyone could be guilty and everyone could be innocent, which amped up the suspense in trying to solve the case. Both the audience and Joo-won get parts of the puzzle unfolded to them at the same time, therefore the audience is like Joo-won themselves.

Not only is this a captivating storytelling method, of making the audience question every character including the protagonists, but it creates a plot that never disappoints and continually increases its suspense. I remember a point in the drama where I was sure that Joo-Won was right about Dong-sik, being the murderer, only to find out later on that, what the audience had thought was Dong-sik being suspicious, was actually an understandable emotional reaction to the situation (such as the scene when Joo-won interviews Kang Jin-Mook, and Dong-sik has to leave his house). The drama wanted the audience to feel confused so that they could understand that one can never be 100% certain about anything--without evidence. This drama really put into perspective how, when a murder occurs in Korea, it really does not matter if everyone is certain who the murderer is, if there is no body found. Just as Joo-Won was certain of his hypotheses, many times they were from hunches and logical deductions that lacked physical evidence. This realistic portal of crime, and the need for physical evidence, made the plot even more captivating to watch.

ACTING
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It would be an understatement to say that the acting in Beyond Evil was truly astonishing. This was by far one of the best, if not the best, acting I have seen in a drama. One of the main reasons why, we as the viewers, question Dong-sik initially is due to Shin Ha-Kyun's phenomenal acting. He gets everything perfect--the crazy sadness of an induvial who has been through more pain than many of us will ever see. He embodies his character so well that it really feels that Dong-sik is a real human being. Shin Ha-Kyun is able to captivate both Dong-Sik's desperation and his mental instability, especially in the way he smiles. Dong-Sik has a very crimal-esc smile that is both creepy and captivating. It is the smile where his eyes crinkle, but instead of happy emotion, he displays sadness and emptiness.

Alongside Shin Ha-kyun is Yeo Jin-goo, who is especially skilled in portraying an individual slowly breaking down their outer shell. Initially, Joo-Won is a closed-off individual who does not let his emotions seep through, however as he gets more invested in the cold case, he begins to also display mental instability and craziness (rubbing off from Dong-sik because let's be honest anyone would go crazy in that town), he also has a crazy smile that perfectly captivates Joo-Won's confusion and impatience in solving the cases. Shin Ha-Kyun and Yeo Jin-goo performances go hand-in-hand to create a powerful performance of grief, confusion, and desperation.

One last thing I wanted to point out in terms of the relationship, and acting, of the protagonists, is the ability to switch from serious to playful moments. What makes a good show different from a great show, is its ability to switch from serious to comedic smoothly. There were many interactions between Dong-sik and Joo-won that had me audibly laughing. The writers knew that the major personality differences between the characters would create room for situational irony, so they used that to their advantage and has many funny-awkward moments. Using their differing personalities added comedic relief to a show that could go from 0-100 in a few seconds.

FINAL THOUGHTS
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One of my favourite elements to see in dark thrillers is when the audience is made to believe that the plot is solely a local one, but ends up being linked to a more national-wide issue. This is something that Beyond Evil uses very well, one of my gripes with mystery shows, that I have, is that many times the audience does not find out who the killer is until the last episodes. Having a reveal in episode sixteen tends to drag out the plot. However, this is not the case with Beyond Evil, the audience finds out who the main killer is about halfway through the show. The second half of the show is when the case, which we thought was only local-wide, becomes nationwide. When dramas skillfully write this local-nation shift it creates newfound suspense and more areas to enhance and upgrade the plot--this is exactly what Beyond Evil does, it amps up the suspense and grows the case so that the plot reaches even greater heights.

This is a drama that I will continue to go back to for years to come. Beyond Evil is one of those shows where the more you watch the more you unravel.

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Characters are too bland

I dropped this show by episode two because Gyu Ri was a character I really disliked, I hated how they tried to insinuate that she'll help Jisoo grow his business, at the end of episode two, but she literally ruined his business. They gloss over that, but its a big deal and I don't wanna deal with another drama that'll probably gloss over her big misstep or just ignore it. I'm tired of dramas having these nonsensical writing and then expecting the audience to side with the character.

Gyu Ri could've spoken to Jisoo, and confronted him, instead because of her his business was comprised for a few days, which is life-and-death for some of the women on the app. Then she becomes the reason for Jisoo's dad's theft. It was frustrating to watch and I felt bad for Jiso. I'm sure they fix Gyu Ri's character later, but to me her base, as a character, is flawed.

Also, I hate when dramas make me want to sympathize with rich kids, like sure Gyu Ri's parents suck, but shes is loaded and for her to think she has a life just as bad as Jisso, which is what I felt from her character, is pathetic.

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