It has one of the most intelligently written plots that one can ever come across. It's psychologically heavy and demands a mature audience. The drama chooses to look at its theme in a very philosophical manner; it chooses to take its audience to the core of a damaged human soul, and then slowly analyzes its each and every layers. As each layer unfolds, the audience learns more and more of the truth.
To put it simply, this drama is about mistakes. However, what it focuses on is not the act of making a mistake itself, but rather its effects on both the person who's made the mistake, and the people who've been hurt by it. This might seem very simple, but in actuality it is profoundly complex.
We watch the characters suffer as they fight their inner battles, the battles between love and hate, good and evil, right and wrong. We watch them as they crumble and still try to find their footing. Even though at times it seems futile, we still hope as hard as we can that they will survive this, that somehow everything would turn out to be ok. And I have to add this: what was very impressive was how in the midst of all this, the most humane feeling started to shine ... love; not necessary a romantic love, but the love that one can have for oneself, for the people around him/her, and for the life itself.
The music was simply AMAZING, I cannot think of a better choice of music. Moreover, the acting was outstanding, specially the leads. Before this drama I didn't know any of the male leads, so their breathtaking acting took me off guard. There were times that the slightest change in their expression would make my tears drop or my heart to skip a beat.
I recommend this drama to people who like to dwell in psychological mysteries. People who enjoy brilliantly written stories with meat to chew on, the ones that will leave you thinking not only for hours, but for days and months to come.
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OK I am not 1 that goes all 10's on any drama. There is usually something that I don't like, but this drama just hit my top 10. I was so blown away by how it kept me guessing the whole time. It was amazing. I loved every part about it. The acting totally killed, the music was exactly right, loved the story, & I will watch it again just b/c it was that good! There is a big red tip here that says not to post spoilers. So I won't, but man let me tell u I was soooooo not disappointed by any part of this drama. I enjoyed all the main actors & loved the ending. It was exactly how I would have ended it. I think that even if u don't like melodrama's that this 1 would change how u think about them. It was totally killer.
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The synopsis for this drama doesn't even begin to tell the story. It is dark, but somehow gives hope. The story is very detailed and all the characters are intricately combined. The imagery as well as the references to Dante's inferno and Rodin's Gateway to Hell etc. trigger so many emotions and elicit so many thoughts. The use of the tarot cards throughout gives answers and brings questions. I was blown away by the way each character’s story is told. The cinematography was so well done. There were so many scenes that I thought were perfectly portrayed. There are very few times in this drama when I knew what was going to happen next. I watched this ***with my sister, finally someone to watch drama with*** in a few days because it was hard to stop due to the perfect pacing of the drama. I almost felt desperate to know what was going to happen next. The ending is one of the best that I have ever seen. I would give this drama a 10 for the ending alone. This isn't a romance and there is no fairy tale. If that is what you want to watch, then this is not the drama you are looking for.
The acting is beyond great. Uhm Tae Woong plays Kang Oh Soo who is the detective of this drama. I won't try to tell his story, because it is too complex. I have liked Tae Woong as an actor for a long time, but his portrayal of Kang Oh Soo’s good, bad, and ugly emotions is perfect. It is hard not to find this character pitiful and lovable. Joo Ji Hoon plays Oh Seung Ha. This character is so multifaceted. He is cold but just by using Ji Hoon’s expressions, I knew there was more to him. There is no way that I could not be sympathetic to his character. I have seen Ji Hoon in Goong and Antique Bakery. I liked him in both, but I really had no idea that he could pull something like this off. It makes me want to watch Five Fingers next. I love Shin Min Ah. She is one of my favorite actresses. I don’t know why she isn't in more dramas. I’m really enjoying her in Arang and the Magistrate also which is airing right now. I hope she does many, many more. Her portrayal of Seo Ha In is so good. She IS the light in this drama. There are so many more characters that make this drama worth watching. Usually I get annoyed with secondary stories and lots of secondary characters, but for this drama every character had his/her place and the actors did a great job of bringing those characters to life.
Honestly, I couldn't tell you what music was played in this drama. I can say though that it wasn't annoying like some music in a melodrama can be.
I will rewatch this at some point.
I recommend this to anyone who likes revenge and psychological dramas.
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I expected the show to deliver twists and thrills. I did not expect it to break my heart. I did not expect a piece so steeped in vengeance to become a story of forgiveness. Not easy forgiveness or safe forgiveness or cheap forgiveness, but the kind you buy with flesh and bone and blood. There are supernatural elements built into the plot but there is nothing magical in the way the characters wrestle with their demons. Uhm Tae Woong is solid as a scruffy detective and Shin Min Ah is radiant despite a somewhat underwritten part. However, the show ultimately belongs to Ju Ji Hoon, whose ferociously controlled performance as Oh Seung Ha is simultaneously terrifying and deeply moving.
Shows that succeed within the conventions of their genre are rare. Shows that transcend those conventions are rarer still. The Devil does both. It holds a mirror up to evil, but finds sparks of grace reflected in the dark.
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Whew, what can I say about this drama other than, objectively speaking, it's pretty much a masterpiece? If this had been a Hollywood film, I can dare say that it would even win an Oscar for Best Picture and earn Best Actor nominations for Joo Ji Hoon and Uhm Tae Woong. Every aspect of it was done well, from the plot, directing, to the production and acting. I like revenge thrillers like "Green Rose" and "Time Between Dog and Wolf" but hands down, The Devil is the BEST revenge melodrama ever. Why? Because it shows perfectly the tragic consequences of wrath and hatred. It shows how a man can be so consumed by thoughts of revenge that he becomes ENSLAVED by it with no hope for escape except in death. Some revenge dramas end up justifying the actions of the main characters and even grant them some sort of consolation that they deserved the "happy ending" they got after all the suffering they went through in the hands of their "victims" who did them wrong. But the thing is, it does not work that way. The cancer of hatred and vindictiveness can and will catch up with you. It will devour you until you and the lives around you get totally destroyed, leaving nothing in its wake. There is nothing but darkness inside the soul. No hope for love to redeem it. The writer was able to convey this well, with symbolism from Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" and Rodin's art for re-enforcement, and I commend her for it. Furthermore, the actors gave unbelievable performances, notably veteran Uhm Tae Woong and pretty boy Joo Ji Hoon. Yes, that same Joo Ji Hoon who played the wooden, cold prince in the hit "Goong". He was outstanding! I never knew he had it in him and I'm glad he took the risk and accepted this role because he was able to stretch his acting skills and successfully proved to us that he is more than just a cute face.
So, after all that, you would think I'd recommend this drama right?
Actually, no. I'm going to be honest and say Mawang is the type of drama that is NOT for the faint-hearted. It's not for everyone. It's utterly dark, tragic and sinister. From the title alone, you can deduce how the storyline will unfold. The manner in which the revenge plot is executed is analogous to how the devil uses people to cause pain and even kill others...without them really being aware of it. Like a puppetry where the actual person out for revenge manipulates innocent people into committing crimes which he himself wants to do without the fear of being "caught". Thus, the methods can get unpleasant and even downright cruel. It can be hard to watch at times. But like I said, the drama is very well-executed. So if you can withstand the bleakness of the story, go ahead and see it for yourself. Just don't say you haven't been warned.
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The OST has some beautiful songs too, I especially love "Saranghi Marayo".
I really recommend watching this drama, but I think it loses a lot of interest if you rewatch it, because it loses the mystery of the first time, which is particularly important in this kind of dramas.
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This drama is quite different from all other revenge dramas I've seen. It seems to take more the point of view of the initial murderer turned cop. (That's not a spoiler as you quickly learn this in the beginning.) You don't ever get much of a feeling of compassion and sadness for the initial young victim because little time is spent on that storyline. This drama reminds me of a war: there are no winners. Indeed, I never found any of the characters likeable, so I never had strong feelings about the consequences. As in real life, everyone is held accountable for their evil deeds.The beginning seemed long and tedious. Things were revealed as the plot developed, however, I never felt there were any big surprises. Joo Ji Hoon did a great job as a cold loner, but his character was too zombie-like. It would have been better if he found some more awareness like in the revenge drama Sorry I Love You. The best thing was the acting here. The actress Shin Min Ah was in A Love to Kill a revenge drama I liked better.
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The drama is a thriller from start to finish, with no dragged and out of place parts at all.
If you've loved Resurrection, and generally enjoy plot-based, action-thriller dramas, this is for you.
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I could go on and on about the ethical dilemmas, the oh-so-human character weaknesses and the depths to which this story begs us to consider forgiveness. In the end, I just wanted everyone's pain to be soothed, for them all to find some peace of mind and some healing for their hearts. I ached for every single one of them. They were all so exquisite.
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I'm writing this right after watching the last episode... I've been repeating the last scene for more than an hour now nonstop... Let me just say that I'm deeply in love with this drama, I'm so in love and attached to the point my heart hurts now that it's finished...Story: The story from the start to the end never ever failed me, the more you watch the more you WANT MORE !! It's the kind of story that touches your heart continuously and keeps your mind busy all the time. This drama is really special and unique, it so different from other dramas that I've watched before. My favorite theme is "revenge" and I have watched so many revenge dramas but they are absolutely nothing like this one. I would gladly explain why I loved the story so much but that would mean mentioning spoilers so I'll just say this "when you watch you'll understand why this drama is one of the best".
Acting: UHM TAE WOONG no matter what I say about him it won't do this guy any JUSTICE !! I loved his character the most he has done an amazing job and gave me an unforgettable performance. What makes this drama even more special is that EVERYONE did a WONDERFUL job and I do mean it when I say EVERYONE (guest characters, supportive characters and main characters they all did great). For once it's not only the main characters that shined others did shine too, each character managed to grab my attention not just the main ones. The characters in this drama are the most complex characters I have ever seen, you don't know who to hate and who to sympathize with, who is the victim and who is the devil.
Music: I loved the OST of this drama, it went so well with the story. The music contributed so much in the story it made it more real and intense. I loved 2 songs the 1st one is "Don't Love Me" (Saranghi Marayo) Sang by Uhm Tae Woong and the 2nd one I don't know what is the name of it so here is the link to it: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RJa1zpHSPQ&feature=relmfu).
Rewatch Value: I think I would watch it again I'm even thinking of watching the Japanese remake of it (and I'm no a person who would watch remakes but in this case I will). However, since TD is a mystery drama it might not be a rewatchable drama to some of you (cus the mystery part will be gone).
OVERALL: The Devil in one word? a MASTERPIECE. To everyone who hasn't seen this drama yet, what are you waiting for?? start watching it now... FYI this drama is the 1st K drama that got adopted into J drama (it was always the other way around Koreans adopting Japanese mangas/animes/dramas) but in this case no and that says a lot doesn't it?
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