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dwarvencraftsdirectfromorzammar · 2 years

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okay, fuck it. I made this post while ago and i haven't been able to stop thinking about it. i am going to be coherent in any way? Not really, some of them feel very deliberate, while some of them dont make much sense to me, maybe im reaching with this but what fun is in being normal about a show??? also i poses no brain cells so dont expect some deep shit from me (expect some shitty screenshot tho)

So we start with this:

"monster" hanging above the city, nice neutral backround as we just got introduced to the story and the characters, we have very little information overall but it hangs above menacingly ready to land on our first candidate.

We find our first monster (expectedly) in Lee Dongsik

Epiodes 2,3 and 4 greet us with these (very pretty) title cards and of course its Lee Dongsik. Playing the role of monster for us and also for Han Juwon (and rest of manyang) is essential to his character and the story. He was the one the say "If you want to get the monster, you should become one." On subsequent rewatch these feel somehow flippant, like a part of the play he keeps up. He welcomes the label, he often meets it head on like he is aware it's there. They also feel very different to another title card we get with Dongsik.

Episode 7 flashes the title across Dongsik with the sound of gunshot, and it feels very accusatory, like the show itself pointing it's finger at him "see? he is a monster after all, look at what he does." This isn't part of the play, this is just him exposed and vulnerable. Then we get the scene where he smashes that guys head on the pavement. This is also last time he is branded as such.

As we go further along and we uncover (at least partial) truth we get another monster branded.

Episode 6 gives us this duh! kinda moment you can see from miles away but nonetheless its very satisfing to see it. True monster is finally exposed and identified. But then we get episode 8 and it kinda boggles my mind.

Feeling like for sure i have been thinking too much into the whole thing, because this doesnt make much sense. Han Juwon is next to be marked as a monster as he's leaving right after arresting Kang Jin Mook. Looking back at Dongsik who is kneeling in front of body of Kang Min Jung quoting his earlier words "No one is going to die from today." And maybe this is a brand he puts on himself, maybe he thinks of Lee Geum Hwa and maybe he thinks about how he treated Dongsik, maybe its a reminder for the audience that he is not without fault here.

Nontheless the killer is found, the case is closed, we can start with a clean slate:

Title card for episode 9 and 11 is the same and they kinda represent the lull in the investigation, no new leads, no new characters to be accused, starting from zero so to say. What's interesting to me that in between these, in episode 8 we get this:

This is actually my favourite, it feels like a callback to the whole "if you want to catch a monster you have to become one". Han Juwon just had THAT conversation with Kwon Hyeok about how he, a sheltered boy can never catch Lee Dongsik. His response - "i have to be reborn". I have to become someone like him, i have to play by his rules.

Episodes 12, 13 and 16 are pretty straigtforward, as we learn more, we get more suspects. I really like that mother of Park Jung Je is in that frame with him, holding him. That last episode really driving it home for me that these have meaning.

on the other hand there are episodes 14 and 15. Mother of Han Juwon being dragged away, Han Kihwan saying "now our lives will be perfect" and little Han Juwon standing on the balcony watching the whole thing.

and again Han Juwon walking away after listening to the whole confession of his father, what he is capable of sacrificing for perfection, what he already destroyed in his pursuit of perfection.

If i had to reach and i probably was this whole time, i think that in every instance Han Juwon puts that label on himself. Eveytime we see that word flash across him he bears it with guilt. It feels like his internal struggle with things he considers he did wrong made visible. He never bears it like other characters, its thing of shame and sin. He never meets it head on, even in that instance when he wants to be reborn, because thats just not who he is. He can never use it as just a label that can have its own uses, not like Lee Dongsik did.

Also i really like that in case of Han Kihwan, Lee Chang Jin and Kang Jin Mook, our "true" monsters, just as they are branded we get to look them in the eyes. It feels very matter of fact, they know it and they dont care. There is no regret, no remorse. (In the very begging Lee Dongsik also looks us in the eyes, he bacame what he had to, to do what he has to.)

Overall, its interesting how the show uses it, its like this multipurpose tool for the characters, the show itself and the audience.

#Please be gentle I don't like doing this kinda of post because Im not smart and I can't articulate anything for shit #I don't like presenting my interpretation of any media because I just feel dumb as fuck #But I really like beyond evil and I keep thinking about it so I want to share my thoughts #Beyond evil #han juwon #lee dongsik #han joowon #Lee Chang Jin #Han kihwan #Kang Jin Mook #Also sorry it's little bit long

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goyurim · 2 years

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if i had a cent for every time yeo jin goo's character in a drama walked into a town where everyone seems like they're in on a murder i'd have two cents. which isn't a lot but it's weird it happened twice

#also the murder happened like 20 years ago also maybe its a murder maybe not #either way the whole town looks like they're involved and oh!#there's kang jin mook here too! looking sus as usual :))))#link: eat love kill #link #tvn link #beyond evil #moon talks

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katierosefun · 2 years

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seeing those asks about jin mook made me think of how this whole time that man has been helping take care of dong sik's mom and how fucked up that is. This is the man who had every intention of killing yu yeon and even though he didn't he buried her in their house??? and i just ugh the emotions that dong sik must be going through when he thinks of that on top of everything else.

right? when i tell you i always feel a ridiculous amount of sadness for dong sik and when i tell you i also just feel infinitely more sick whenever i think too long about everything that kang jin mook and his relation to the lee family i want to throw something at the wall and i turn into joo won during that one specific scene in episode 8 because how dare he

#answered #anon #beyond evil #like . . . .. . . . . i'm just . .. . . !#kang jin mook . . .. when i go to hell #the first thing i'm doing is asking where kang jin mook is! WHERE IS HE

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mizldrizl · 5 months

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What is where in Beyond Evil?

I always wondered where certain locations in the show actually are and how far each of them is apart from the others. Thankfully, the scriptbook has some addresses -- partially fictional, of course -- I can work with.

1. 문주시 (Munju-si) - 파주시 (Paju-si) (*si = city)

In one of the Blu-ray features, they mention that they filmed Dong Sik's neighborhood in Paju.

문산읍 (Munsan-eup) is part of 파주시 (Paju-si) (*eup = small town). It is easy to guess how they came up with the name "문주."

문산천 (Munsancheon River) = 문주천 (Munjucheon River)?

Trivia: The house used as Dong Sik's family house is actually in 용인시 (Yongin-si), which is about 100 km away from Paju. While filming the scene where Joo Won and Dong Sik are on their way to arrest Kang Jin Mook in Ep. 8, the actors momentarily thought they should take Joo Won's car because Manyang Supermarket is in Paju. They realized, soon after, that it is only a few minutes' walk from Dong Sik's house in the show.

2. Han Joo Won's apartment

The scriptbook says Joo Won's apartment is in 서울시 마포구 (Mapo-gu, Seoul-si) (*gu = district).

According to the Naver navigation service, it would take 35~50 minutes from Joo Won's place to Manyang by car. Mind you, I enter a city hall or its equivalent in "from" or "to" for the cities that are not familiar to me, and that's what I did here. Still, it would be safe to say that it takes about 45 minutes commuting for Joo Won, maybe an hour, tops, when the traffic is bad.

3. Han Ki Hwan's house

서울시 강남구 (Gangnam-gu, Seoul-si). The scriptbook says "청암동 (Cheongam-dong)" as well, which is clearly a little tweak from 청담동 (Cheongdam-dong) (*dong = town); it is in the northern part of 강남구. It takes about an hour from here to Joo Won's place by car, but thinking of Seoul's traffic, it might take a bit longer than that depending on the time of the day.

4. 서울경찰청 (Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency)

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is in 서울시 종로구 (Jongno-gu, Seoul-si). It takes 25~35 minutes from Joo Won's apartment, and 45~55 minutes from Han Ki Hwan's house by car. But again, it's Seoul, so you can never be sure.

5. 옥산군 (Oksan-gun) - 옥천군 (Okcheon-gun)

옥산군 (Oksan-gun) is where Chief Nam's lakehouse is (*gun = municipality). The actual location is called 옥천군 (Okcheon-gun). It would take 3~3.5 hours from Manyang by car.

6. 부산시 (Busan-si) & 울산시 (Ulsan-si)

In Ep. 8, Dong Sik says he and Chief Nam once arrested a culprit in Ulsan and went to Busan together to have pufferfish soup before going back to Seoul.

It takes 4.5~5 hours from Seoul to Ulsan, and another 1.5 hours from Ulsan to Busan by car. From Manyang to Busan, it would be about 5 hours by car. If you take a KTX train from Seoul Station to Busan Station, it takes about 2.5 hours.

7. 강원도 (Gangwon-do)

In the last episode, it is mentioned that Joo Won is working at a station in Gangwon-do (*do = province).

You can see that it is a fairly big province. As of November 2023, there are 17 police stations in Gangwon-do. Meaning, Joo Won can be anywhere 80~250 km from Manyang. Because I am a shameless JWDS shipper who hopes that Joo Won can go see Dong Sik both in Manyang and Oksan easily, I would like to imagine Joo Won is working at the station in 원주시 (Wonju-si), which would be about 2.5 hours from either Manyang or Oksan by car.

(*All estimated times are based on around 4 pm on a weekday. Of course, if one drives at dawn or in the middle of the night, it would take a much shorter amount of time.)

#Beyond Evil #괴물

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citrinekay · 1 year

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watching episode 5 basement scene is so fascinating and nuanced upon rewatch knowing that Dong-sik is making a conscious effort to steer Joo-won towards the conclusion that Kang Jin-mook is the killer. In an emotional outburst, Joo-won inadvertently names Lee Guem-hwa among the other known victims, a slip-up Dong-sik immediately teases him for by saying, "you revealed your own secret by telling me this name you meant to keep to yourself." Joo-won proceeds to attempt to force the killer's name from Dong-sik’s mouth, and Dong-sik responds by listing off almost everyone *except* Jin-mook (his secret.) When Joo-won becomes further enraged, Dong-sik says, "I'm not like you. I don't just spit out answers when asked" ...... now if Joo-won had stopped being so flustered and focused on his own frustrations at that moment, he might have realized that Dong-sik was telling him a riddle about who the killer is - the one name he didn't say the way Joo-won did, absence of a name. Dong-sik's secret!! It was right there for Joo-won to put the pieces together. This is closely followed by the next basement scene when Joo-won demands a name and Dong-sik literally hands the phone to him to speak to Jin-mook directly. always so close yet so far,

#beyond evil

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themthistles · 1 year

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BEYOND EVIL TIMELINE

for writers, rewatchers and curious people

It’s hard to keep track of the dates in Beyond Evil with all the plot twists, reveals, intentional omission of information and the narrative jumping back and forth. Having to go through the entire drama to figure out its timeline can be a pain. So I put it together in one post.

note: some info is taken from script book 3 translated by yeoyuo on twitter. however if dates found in the book are weird/questionable, i won't include them and if they happen to contradict confirmed dates in the actual drama, i will prioritize drama dates

Order:

year day.month | event (time)

if there's no confirmed date/month then there'll be ? instead of a number

Name abbreviations:

DS: Dong Sik JW: Ju Won JY: Jae Yi JH: Ji Hwa OJH: Oh Ji Hoon MJ: Min Jeong YY: Yu Yeon BJS: Bang Ju Seon LGH: Lee Geum Hwa JJ: Jeong Je NSB: Nam Sang Bae CGG: Cho Gil Goo HGY: Hwang Gwang Young KJM: Kang Jin Mook DHW: Do Hae Won HKH: Han Ki Hwan LCJ: Lee Chang Jin JCM: Jung Cheol Mun

1985

| DS & JH meet at the taekwondo academy

1988

| DS & JJ become friends

1998

?.?

| JJ's father dies and leaves the deer farm to him

2000

?.2

| JH, JJ, DS & YY graduate Munju-si Gwanghyo High School

?.?

| JJ & YY start dating

15.10

| KJM murders BJS & cuts off YY's fingers

| YY runs away while KJM is dragging BJS's body into the reeds

| HKH hits YY with his car

| JJ runs over YY’s body, believes he killed her, calls DHW (3.40 a.m.)

| DHW comes, calls LCJ to get rid of the body and JJ's car

| While LCJ is moving the car KJM takes YY's body and DS's guitar pick that JJ dropped

| KJM places guitar pick at BJS's body to frame JJ, places YY's fingers in front of DS's house

| DS's mother finds YY’s fingers (5 a.m.)

| BJS's body is found

16.10

| DHW forges the forensic report with JCM's help, CGG gives it to NSB

| DS is arrested

22.10

| JJ provides an alibi for DS, DS is released

23.10

| DHW comes to DS's house, threatens to make JJ take back his statement

?.11

| JJ leaves to ‘study in the States’

?.11

| JH leaves town with LCJ*

?.11

| DS enlists in the military

2001

15.1

| JJ is admitted to Hansong Mental Hospital for alcohol induced psychosis (remains there for 4 years)

?.2

| KJM gets keys to the deer farm from DHW

10.4

| JW’s mother commits suicide

16.4

| HKH closes YY & BJS's cases

?.9

JW is sent away to study in the UK (Westminster Under School)

2002

?.?

| JH divorces LCJ

2003

?.1

| DS’s father dies. DS’s mother has a mental breakdown

?.1

| DS is discharged, holds a funeral for his father

2004

?.11

| JH graduates Central Police School (unit 167)

2006

?.?

| JH & OJH's father dies, their mother remarries

?.9

| JW enrolls at Eton College

2007

?.11

| DS graduates Central Police School (unit 206)

20.8

| JY’s father gets into a car accident and goes into a coma

2008

?.11

| JJ graduates Central Police School (unit 224)

2009

?.?

| JW comes back to South Korea

2010

?.7

| JH is transferred to Violent Crimes Department

?.?

| JY’s father dies

3.11

| KJM murders JY’s mother

?.?

| Hyuk becomes JW’s live-in tutor

2011

?.5

| DS is transferred to Violent Crimes Department

2012

?.2

| JY graduates Munju-si Gwanghyo High School

2013

?.2

| JW graduates Seoul International High School

2014

?.2

| OJH graduates Seoul Hanlin Arts High School

2015

?.5

| DS is transferred to Seoul

2017

23.2

| JW graduates Police University

?.3

| JW begins working for Department of Foreign Affairs

21.11

| Lee Sang Yeop is murdered

| Culprit shoots DS in the leg, DS kills him

?.11

| NSB takes the blame for the incident & is transferred to Manyang Substation

2018

?.1-12

| DS takes leave of work

?.? (summer)

| JY & DS become friends

29.7

| Jin Hwa Rim's body is discovered

2019

16.3

| Wi Sun Hui's body is discovered

?.8

| OJH graduates Central Police School (unit 297)

15.11

| Yeo Chun Ok's body is discovered

2020

?.1

| JW figures out a connection between murders, begins investigating, identifies DS as the prime suspect, his team doesn't believe him

?.?

| JW sets up a sting operation using LGH

20.3

| KJM murders LGH (5.22 p.m.)

11.10

| JW arrives in Manyang

18.10

| DS & JW become partners

| JW gets invited to Manyang Substation get together, comes to JY's shop for the first time, meets JH, JY & JJ

19.10

| DS & JW find LGH’s body

23.10

| MJ runs away from Manyang Substation, JJ meets her and takes her home (7 p.m.)

| KJM strangles and buries MJ (8 p.m.)

| OJH comes to the store, OJH & KJM leave together (8.33 p.m.)

| DS finds and steals MJ’s fingers, phone, towel and LGH’s phone, hides them (9 p.m.)

| DS comes back to JY’s shop (9.40 p.m.)

24.10

| DS places MJ’s fingers in front of KJM’s house

| DS & JW discover MJ’s fingers (5 a.m.)

| DS returns YY & PJS files

| JW & DS are questioned

25.10

| NSB erases footage of DS placing MJ’s fingers (1-2 a.m.)

| DS leaves LGH’s phone on mount Simju (7 a.m.)

27.10

| JW is questioned about LGH’s phone found the night before

28.10

| JW gets footage of DS on mount Simju, finds blood in DS’s basement

| DS is arrested

29.10

| JY's shop is searched because of JW

| JY eggs JW

| JW figures out that JY's mother is one of the victims

| JW visits DS in jail

30.10

| KJM comes to visitation room to see DS

| JJ provides an alibi for DS, DS is released

| Basement confrontation

31.10

| JW tells the reporters about serial murders

| Basement confrontation part TWO

| HKH discredits JW's statement

1.11

| DHW's rally fight

| DS, JW & LCJ are arrested, DS agrees to settle

2.11

| Basement confrontation part THREE

| KJM asks JW to conduct his own investigation

| DS & JW go to KJM's house

| JW questions JY

3.11

| Dash cam footage is leaked, OJH arrested

| DS sends a message to KJM from MJ’s phone

4.11

| JJ turns himself in

| JY sends two more messages to KJM from MJ's phone

5.11

| KJM leaves JY a note with the location where her mother is supposed to be, JY goes there, calls DS

| DS tells JW everything

| KJM is arrested

6.11

| MJ’s funeral

| KJM requests to be questioned by DS & JW

?.11

| JW & DS go to Busan

10.11

| LCJ gives KJM a fishing line (5 a.m.)

| KJM commits suicide

| NSB comes over to see KJM, JY comes to kill KJM, sees NSB

21.11

| JJ & DS are promoted

?.12

| JW & JY are in Busan

| NSB is looking for JY

2021

5.1

| JW acquires dash cam footage showing JY on the night of KJM's death

31.1

| JW blackmails JY with the dash cam footage

2.2

| JW returns to Manyang substation

| JY turns herself in

3.2

| JW plants a fishing line & report in NSB's safe (2.50-3 a.m.)

| Bodies discovered at the deer farm

| DS finds YY's body in his basement

| NSB is arrested

4.2

| DS figures out what happened and confronts JW at his apartment

5.2

| NSB is released, JW bugs & follows him

| NSB goes to meet HKH, then LCJ

| LCJ murders NSB

?.2

| NSB's funeral

| DS & JJ go to the house NSB bought (Chungcheong Province)

| NSB's wake at JY's shop, JY tells JW where to find DS

?.2

| JW goes to find DS, asks to work together

| JW, DS, JH, JY, OJH & JJ team up to investigate NSB's death

13.2

| JY & OJH tail HGY

| JJ gets CGG's phone records

| JW questions HKH in his office

| DS, JY & JW question CGG in JY's shop

| DS & JW confront DHW & JCM at a restaurant, JJ is taken away in an ambulance

15.2

| JJ remembers what happened 21 years ago

| Basement confrontation part FOUR

| HKH is nominated for Commissioner General

16.2

| HKH asks DS to work for him at Inspection Inquiry in Seoul

26.2

| DS & JW stage an arrest at HKH's hearing

| JW bugs HKH's car

| LCJ is arrested, released by JW, goes to meet up with HKH

| JY, JH, DS & JW tail HKH & LCJ

27.2

| JW hears HKH admit that he killed YY (12 a.m.)

| Some type of angsty homosexual rain event

5.3

| DHW sends JJ away to a mental hospital

| DS visits his mother at the nursing home

| Soup time

7.3

| JCM is murdered

| HKH & LCJ attempt to frame DS, JW figures it out & goes to JCM's house alone, tries to take the blame

8.3

| LCJ is arrested

| JW & JY get JJ out of the mental hospital

| JW arrests JJ

9.3

| DHW arrest warrant is issued

| LCJ gives up HKH

| JW releases the recording

| Confrontation at HKH’s house, HKH is arrested

| JW arrests DS

2022

5.2

| Manyang Reunion

*there's no actual confirmed date for when Ji Hwa leaves Manyang but november of 2000 is when it probably happened (could also be december but november more likely)

Birthdays

24.3.1981 ◦ Ji Hwa

30.5.1981 ◦ Dong Sik & Yu Yeon

16.11.1981 ◦ Jeong Je

17.6.1993 ◦ Jae Yi

13.8.1994 ◦ Ju Won

14.7.1995 ◦ Ji Hoon

10/11.7.2000 ◦ Min Jeong

I will update the post if there are more relevant dates to add. If you notice a mistake or some wording seems confusing, please tell me and I'll fix it.

here's the google doc for ease of use

#beyond evil #beyond evil timeline

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cuthalions · 2 years

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Who is it? You got a text from the chief, then called the Deputy Commissioner three times, and then a burner phone three times. Lee Yu Yeon. Kang Jin Mook. Nam Sang Bae. Who killed them? Was it you, Officer Cho Gil Gu?

#beyond evil #beyondeviledit #kdrama #kdramaedit #mgifs*#lee dongsik #yoo jae yi #han joo won #les amo <3

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whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst · 5 months

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Unbury the Bones: a Beyond Evil x Detroit Become Human fic

Prologue:

The first android police officers had been active in Seoul, and they largely stayed there. Everyone in Manyang knew that. They also knew that Lee Dongsik’s partner, some young kid who’d managed to stick it out with that lunatic, had gotten killed during a hostage situation one wet August night while Dongsik was still stuck in traffic. In his absence, the order was given to send in a negotiator, and that negotiator had been an android. No one really liked to talk about what had happened next.

Still, it wasn’t like Lee Dongsik had to worry about any of that now he had moved back to Manyang amidst dubious welcome. Androids weren’t a common thing around here. It seemed inconceivable that people in town would want—or need—that kind of assistance in their lives, which was what androids were supposedly for. It wasn’t just the cost (although with the increase in models and popularities, cheaper ones were coming on the market all the time), androids risked a hostile welcome in their little town—the damn androids took jobs, even farm jobs, and lucrative work was hard enough to come by around here. They didn’t complain, didn’t organize unions, could work for days with no decline in their job performance. And they looked so lifelike. It was creepy.

The exception proving the rule was the early-model, battered-looking android that had worked at the grocery store for years, and there were still those who gave it a wide berth—although general consensus was that this was a good thing for Kang Jin-mook, to have some reliable help at the store—what with that loud, flighty daughter of his spending her teens messing around town before swanning off to school in Seoul.

It was concern for Jin-mook that caused Park Jeong-je and Chief Nam to chip in for an RSAA90 for the grocer’s birthday the year that Min-jeong started high school (“this should count for at least the next ten birthdays,” the chief had joked), and despite his obvious initial apprehension, Jin-mook and “Helper” had settled into business just fine. RSAA90 models were built for customer service and light manual labor along with basic cleaning skills, and within a few months the bot’s cheery round face (Jae-Yi claimed it resembled Shindong from the early years of Super Junior) had become such a familiar sight making deliveries around town that older residents often forgot Helper was an android and urged it to stop in to have a drink during its rounds.

No one had dreamed the police in Manyang would get an android. For one thing, why would they need one? The station was over-staffed for the crime they didn’t have, as the most recent case had involved a drunk bar patron instigating a fight after someone had tried to turn down ahis favorite trot song on the radio; this had ended in a broken chair, some tears, and the bar’s new rule (made entirely in petty spite) of playing idol music only.

How would a programmed police android, destined for the violence and population of a city, even know how to deal with the quirks of small-town life? It sounded like a burden, rather than a gift. But Han Kihwan had been insistent in bestowing the HAN1020 on Manyang, where word had it he’d once lived briefly.

Even if the townspeople hadn’t largely disowned their former son twenty years ago, it was unlikely anyone would have dared to tell Lee Dongsik that an android was going to be his new partner on the force.

#whomst #beyond evil

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theadusa · 3 months

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Everything I watch in Jan 2024

I was going to post my annual everything I watched in 2023 post but I feel like I missed my opportunity, so here is my everything I watched in January 2024... (Be Warned there are some spoilers, I do try to mark them throughout the review)

My Lovely Boxer (2023, Kim Min-joo)

Main leads: Lee Sang-yeob, Kim So-hye, Park Ji-hwan, Kim Hyung-mook, Kim Jin-woo, Ha Seung-ri, Chae Won-bin

Country: S. Korea

Run: August 21 to Oct 2, 2023 (KBS2, Monday and Tuesday @21:45 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 70 min

Thoughts: Lee Kwon-sook (Kim So-hye) is a boxer who is forcibly thrown back into the world boxing that she has retired from by a sports agent Kim Tae-young (Lee Sang-yeob). I really liked how they balanced the characters. Lee Kwon-sook is a cheerful girl who is constantly haunted by her past. And she is allowed agency to do what she can do, despite the efforts of others. And the relationship between Lee Kwon-sook and Kim Tae-young, though slightly toxic, works in an odd way. I did have problems with how they reconnected her with her father.I personally wouldn’t have forgiven him. However, I loved the relationship with Han Ah-reum, and just how that story ends. I thought it was done very well. Overall I have really enjoyed this drama. Rating:

Unlock My Boss (2022-2023, Kim Hyung-min)

Main leads: Chae Jong-hyeop, Seo Eun-soo, Park Sung-woong

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 7, 2022 to Jan 12, 2023 (ENA, Wednesday and Thursday @21:00 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 60 min

Thoughts: Oh wow, this is more enjoyable than I imagined. Chase Jong-hyeop as Park In-seong is so fun. He is adorable, down to earth but capable. Jun Se-yeon (Seo Eun-soo) was amazing and I loved her complexities as a character. And the trio of Kim Seon-joo (Park Sung-woong), Park In-seong, and Jun Se-yeon, was so fun and I loved the little family they formed. I literally cried so much during this show for no reason. Like the zoom into the phone literally made me sob each time for no reason. Rating: Who knew electronics can have that much range?

Night Has Come (2023, Kang Min-Ji)

Main leads: Lee Jae-In, Kim Woo-Seok, Choi Ye-Bin, Cha Woo-Min, Ahn Ji-Ho, Jung So-Ri

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 4,, 2023 ( U+mobiletv)

Episodes: 12, 35 to 40 min

Thoughts: This started off really good. A class gets thrust into a mafia game to the death. You along with the characters are wondering who is the mafia among the students and who is forcing this game. It is really interesting, but the episodes follow the same pattern. The end you find everything out, and it's kind of stupied. They had a classmate who committed sucide due to a badly edited image of herself on a skimply clad woman’s body. Which is yeah bad. Then her parents take revenge on the whole class. They are placed in this mafia simulator to repeat the game over and over again. It ends with Lee Yoon-seo able to remember everything, but still trapped in the simulator. Like where their parents are. People must be concerned right. Rating: Sisphyus boulder, I guess…

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract (2023-2024, Go Nam-jeong)

Main leads: Lee Se-young, Bae In-hyuk, Joo Hyun-young, Yoo Seon-ho, Jo Bok-rae

Country: S. Korea

Run: Nov 24, 2023 to Jan 6, 2024 (MBC TV Friday and Saturday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 12, 70 min

Thoughts: This was a cute drama. It starts off with a cute romance between a progressive woman in Joseon and a sick scholar. However, it quickly becomes a tragedy and she is sent to the year 2023 with her hand maid Sa-wol (Joo Hyun-young). It quickly becomes a fish out of water for Park Yeon-woo (Lee Se-young), but luckly she meets the recacrante of her late husband Kang Tae-ha (Bae In-hyuk) and they make a deal. It is a cute drama and I loved the cast of characters. Yeon-woo is easy to root for. Sa-wol is adorable, and adapts quickly. Kang Tae-ha is prickly but has a heart of gold. It's dramatic and fun. It's nothing special, but oh is it so good. My favorite part is Yeon-woo and Sa-wol’s relationship. Literally there is a scene with those two that reflects a romantic scene in Perfect Marriage Revenage (2023) which I can’t stop thinking about. Overall I just really enjoyed my time. Rating: butterflies everytime I think about you…

Joseon Attorney: A Morality (2023,Choi Jin-young)

Main leads: Woo Do-hwan, Bona, Cha Hak-yeon

Country: S. Korea

Run: March 31 to May 5, 2023 (MBC TV Friday and Saturday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: This was a lot like Taxi Driver. In the way you have an episodic feel with a charismatic male lead seeking revenge and helping people. I had a lot of fun with this show, and I don’t use the comparison lightly either. I really had fun with it. The romance was okay, but I liked the different stories, and the main revenge plot was easy to follow along with. Woo Do-hwan is a great actor and meant to be a leading man. It's definitely not my favorite and there are a few things that needed changing but it was fun overall! Rating: Who do you call?... Joseon Attorney!!!

KBS Drama Special 14 (2023, Choi Ja-won, Yun Tae-woo, Cho Il-yeon, Choi Yi-kyung, Wi Jae-hwa, Kwon Oh-joo,Park Eun-seo, Jo Soo-yeong, Kim Ik-hyun)

Main leads: Lee Jae-won, Choi Seong-won, and Kim Kang-hyeon, Kim Won-hae, Min Ji-ah, Ahn Se-bin and Park Ji-ah, Lee Min-jae, Kim Hyun-soo, and Kang Na-eon, Moon Woo-jin, Park Seo-kyung, Park Ha-sun, Kim Joo-heon, Kim Do-hoon, Chae Won-bin, Kim Dong-hwi, Jo A-ram, Shim Yi-young, Joo Seok-tae, Ren, Park Sang-nam, Hong Seung-hee, Hahm Eun-jung, Kim Kang-min, Yoon San-ha, Baek Sung-hyun

Country: S. Korea

Run: OCT 14 to Dec 16, 2023 (KBS, Saturday 21:50 to 22:50 (KST))

Episodes: 10, 60 to 80 min

Thoughts: This is a yearly anthogolgy series that follows various characters in various time periods with various goals. I thought a lot of them were really cool and interesting. “Love Attack” was by far one of my favorites, but I also really liked “The True Love of Madam” which was shocking for me. It was also hard to find any subs for “Overlap, Knife, Knife” so I had to rely on visual cues and the small amount of Korean I know. But I thought this was a fun anthrologie series, and the stories are fun and fresh. Rating: I love getting short and quick stories like this, its the reason I love short films so much.

A Good Day to Be a Dog (2023-2024, Baek In-ah)

Main leads: Park Gyu-young, Cha Eun-woo, Lee Hyun-woo

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 11, 2023 to Jan 10, 2024 (MBC, Wednesday 21:00 (KST))

Episodes: 14, 70 min

Thoughts: Apparently it is very different from the webtoon ( which I have never read), but I found it entertaining. It is cute and lighthearted. I always like when its past lives, I think it adds a fun element to romances. Though I do think the schedule of the show hindered my enjoyment, because it would be so long between episodes. They also lost me at the end, I can not lie. Rating/Spoiler: Also I would be so angery if I found out my family curse passed down for generations was over a misunderstanding. I would want an apology, reparations, and revenge. On another note, I would also be so pissed if I killed myself to save my servant's baby; then my boyfriend finished off the dying father, then cursed the child and its offspring. I would be pissed, like my scarfice was for not. Go off mountain spirit I guess…

My 20th Twenty (2023, N/A)

Main leads: Choi Yu Ju , Jung Su Bin

Country: S. Korea

Run: April 21 to may 27, 2023 (Wavve, Friday and Saturday)

Episodes: 12, 15 min

Thoughts: This show was good for what it was. It has the vibe of a college student film with a mix of those youtube series made by middle schoolers back in 2009. And I mean that with the highest praise. The sound mixing was off, they had limited cast (background actors is what you are looking for), no interesting lighting (but very well light- i.e the student film vibes), and the actors new to the scene. I loved every motherfucking moment. It was so cheesy, the script was bad, and nothing made sense. But I knew that it was made with passion. Rating: It would be horrifying being 20 forever

Taxi Driver Season 2 (2023, Oh Sang-ho)

Main leads: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, Bae Yoo-ram, Shin Jae-ha

Country: S. Korea

Run: Feb 17 to April 15, 2023 (SBS, TV Friday and Saturday @22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: Back in action the second season is so much fun and entertaining. I actually like it better than the first. And I said this once and I’ll say it again Lee Je-hoon is made to be an action star. He’s as great as Kim Do-gi. I also liked that Ahn Go-eun (Pyo Ye-jin) had a larger role this season. I also just love the friendship in the Rainbow Taxi service. Just so fun. Rating: imagine being taken down by a taxi service…

Taxi Driver Special (2023, SBS)

Main leads: Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, Bae Yoo-ram, Shin Jae-ha

Country: S. Korea

Run: Feb 16 to March 4, 2023 ( KBS)

Episodes: 2, 60 -120 min

Thoughts: This was fun seeing the cast reflect on the episodes and their characters. Its also cool just seeing a reply of everything that happened. You could tell how much Lee Je-hoon loves playing Kim Do-gi. Rating: I am excited for the 3rd season…

Brain Works (2023, Park Kyung-seon)

Main leads: Jung Yong-hwa, Cha Tae-hyun, Kwak Sun-young, Ye Ji-won

Country: S. Korea

Run: Jan 2 to Fe 28, 2023 (KBS2 Monday and Tuesday @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 75 min

Thoughts:This show is weird. I think most cop shows are weird but this one especially. I did like the bromance in this, between Shin Ha-ru (Jung Yong-hwa) and Geum Myung-se (Ch Tae-hyun). I did think neuroscience was weird and defies logic. The only good thing about it was when they didn’t completely vilify Pyschopaths, because it tends to be more complicated than the mainstream likes to show. It still left a lot to be desired but it was there. Also when he lowkey kidnapped and torture that kid, oh my god, like he was a little punk and deserved to go to trail but my god. Rating: This is lowkey giving Minority Report tbh…

My Cuteness is about to expire!? (2022, Tanabe Shigenori)

Main leads: Yamada Ryosuke, Yoshine Kyoko

Country: Japan

Run: April 16 to June 11, 2022 (TV Asahi, Saturday 23:30)

Episodes: 9, 23 to 47 min

Thoughts: Maruya is your typical male narcissist who works in sales. He uses his cuteness to stake by in life, to make up for his average skills. One day he is visited by his future self, whom he deems ugly, tells him that his cuteness is going to expire. He decides, after relizing his crush, the only way to prevent this is to date Sanada, a robotic newbie to the sales team. It is cute and Maruya and Sanada are fun as a couple, plus if you have the time you could watch this in a day. Rating: I’m Ichinose calling every single person every 10 seconds sobbing…

My Dearest Pt 1 (2023, Hwang Jin-young)

Main leads: Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Hak-joo, Lee Da-in, Kim Yoon-woo, Lee Chung-ah

Country: S. Korea

Run: August 4 to Sept 2, 2023 (MBC TV, Friday and Saturday 21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 10, 60 to 90 min

Thoughts: I was not expecting to like this more than I did. The angst in every episode is so insane. Episode 10 was actually unbearable. I also want to take a moment and appreciate Yoo Gil-chae (Ahn Eun-jin), she is such a complicated character. She would do anything for her friends, she is willing to do the things that no other women (noble) are willing to do even during times of war. She will stab the man assualting her friend and cover it up. She would cut the amicable cord, she would stab the mother’s hand. She isn’t pure of heart, she neveer claimed to be. I love her so much. And her relationship with Lee Jang-hyun. The ending of episode 10. I was sobbing. Rating: I am trying to hype myself up to watch the next 11 episodes, people had to wait inbetween…

The Escape of the Seven (2023, Kim Soon-ok)

Main leads: Um Ki-joon, Hwang Jung-eum, Lee Joon, Lee Yu-bi, Shin Eun-kyung, Yoon Jong-hoon, Jo Yoon-hee, Jo Jae-yoon

Country: S. Korea

Run: Sept 15 to Nov 17, 2023 (SBS TV Friday and Saturday 22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 17, 70 to 80 min

Thoughts: This was an insane ride. Literally no one in this likeable except for a few, like I didn’t think Min Do-hyuk (Lee Joon) was as bad as the others but oh lordy. It is so melodramatic, which took me off graud for some reason. Going into it I thought it was going to be a serious thriller, but oh boy was I wrong. It was Makjang. Which is fine, and also coming back in style apparently. I’m sat for season 2, but not with much hope. Rating: I actually don’t know the timeline of any of these events, does it expand years months, idk…

My Demon (2023-2024, Choi Ah-il)

Main leads: Kim Yoo-jung, Song Kang, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Hae-sook

Country: S. Korea

Run: Nov 24, 2023 to Jan 20, 2024 (SBS TV, Friday and Saturday @22:00 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: I was excited for this drama. I really liked Doom at Your Service which promised to have a similar vibe. Which it did to an extent. I actually hate Song Kang in romances and only really like him in nonromance shows. However I think he did really well as Jeong Gu-won. I liked the overall Romance in the show. But I did think the revenge plot got uninteresting and confusing after a while. I do like the ending, I was pretty satisfied with where everyone ended up, which has been a long time since I’ve been this satisfied.

Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023-2024, Kwon Hye-joo)

Main leads: Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hye-sun

Country: S. Korea

Run: Dec 2, 2023 ti Jan 21, 2024 (JTBC, Saturday and Sunday 22:30 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: This was cute and was far above my expectations. I am always uneasy with Ji Chang Wook, I can’t forgive him for the Melting My Heart drama a few years back, but I would do anything for Shin Hye-sun. So I gave this drama a go, and I liked it. I loved the vibes, and I didn’t mind that revenge wasn’t the main plot. It's like the one line “my enemies will take themselves out before you get a chance to swing.” It was heartwarming and I’m glad that Cho Sam-dal was able to find peace in her hometown. I loved the feel of community. I loved all the Friendships. It was very lovely. And I’m happy at the ending. I will also give my entire heart to Cho Hae-dal and Cha Ha-yul. I loved their mother-daughter relationship. I wanted more screen time for both. Rating: I’m glad there is a little piece of heaven…

Game of Witches ( 2022-2023, Lee Do-Hyun)

Main leads: Jang Seo-Hee, Kim Kyu-Seon, Lee Hyun-Seok, Oh Chang-Suk. Han Ji-Wan, Ban Hyo-Jung

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 11, 2022 to April 14, 2023 (MBC, Monday to Friday 19:15 (KST))

Episodes: 119, 25 to 28 min

Thoughts: *Major Spoilers+ Rant ahead.* This show makes me unneccsarly angery. It is a daily drama and a Makjang to boot, so literally put any and all expectations in the gutter. Everything is nonsensical, and drawn out to reach the 119 mark. Storylines get dropped or move way too fast. It has a strange family tree and for a moment every single person was supposbly related. They have so much evidence agsaint the scheming Kang Ji-ho (Oh Chang-suk) and Joo Se-young (Han Ji-wan) but it goes nowhere. Speaking of Kang Ji-ho, he was just straight up dispicable. I would say more than Se-ypung of Ma Hyun-Deok (Ban Hyo-Jung). He was a terrible partner and father from the start. He literally tossed his entire family out the door for Se-young and eventual power. He only paid attention to his daughter Kang Han-Byeol (Kwon Dan-A) when she was able to benefit him. He was at best neglectful and at worst abusive towards her. Han-byeol was the true victim. Hye-soo (Kim Kyu-Seon) actually had a motive in the beginning. She was just pathetic and weak but once she returned they weirdly sidelined her. Also I don’t know why Kang Ji-ho never got prosecuted for trying to kill Hye-soo. Like I find that to be one of his more egregious crimes. Like that is the mother of your child. You gave your child so much trauma, for what? Power? Like when they tried to redeem him at the end I was just fed up. You can’t make hime out to be the big bad guy for 118 episodes, and then have him do one good thing. He is a bad father, and when Han Byeol grows up she will resent him. Rating: Fuck this show, like actually.

My Dearest Part 2(2023, Hwang Jin-young)

Main leads: Namkoong Min, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Hak-joo, Lee Da-in, Kim Yoon-woo, Lee Chung-ah

Country: S. Korea

Run: Oct 13 to Nov 18, 2023 (MBC TV, Friday and Saturday 21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 11, 60 to 90 min

Thoughts: More devastating than the first part. Gil-chae is probably my favorite character I have watched. Her journey in this part is absolutely devastating but she survives. I enjoyed the refutement from blame, that people who experienced the worst horrors known are somehow blamed. Gil Chae pushes back on this sentiment herself. This entire time I just wanted Jang-hyun and Gil Chea together. Which took the entire part for them to finally be happy. I do think the ending was kind of wobbly, and they only really needed 10 episodes not the 11. But who am I to say? Anyways I enjoyed the show overall. Rating: My Dear Husband…

Kokdu: Season of Diety (2023, Kang Yi-heon, Heo Jun-woo)

Main leads: Kim Jung-hyun, Im Soo-hyang, Kim Da-som, Ahn Woo-yeon, Kim In-kwon, Cha Chung-hwa

Country: S. Korea

Run: Jan 27 to March 24, 2023 (MBC TV Fridays and Saturdays @21:50 (KST))

Episodes: 16, 70 min

Thoughts: You must be wondering why did you watch this? It only has bad reviews- which is a lie, it is actually a polarizing show. And I can understand. If you go into this show with the lowest expectations imaginable and it might be fun. The scenery is pretty and they make decent use of it. Main Romance is actually not good, I felt no chemistry between Kim Jung-Hyun and Im Soo-hyang. I did like the romance between Tae Jeong-won (Kim Da-som) and Han Cheol (Ahn Woo-yeon) other than that The show overall fell flat. I did like the scenery and the setting. I thought it was fun. Also episode 16 was the most enjoyable episode, which is good for an ending. Rating: I would skip…

I am currently watching:

Marry My Husband

Doctor Slump

Because of Love

Do You Like Brahms?

The Real Has Come!

If you have any kdrama recommendations, please let me know!

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