Flower of Evil (2020)

An almost perfect suspenseful thriller!

What the heck do I do now that it's over!? *cries*

This was definitely one of the best shows I have ever watched! It literally was so thrilling and suspenseful I could not stop watching - probably the most I have ever 'binged' a show.

I was eating this plot right up until the end of episode 15 - to the writers: why did you have to do us so dirty!? Why could you have let Hyeon-su be in a coma for a couple of days, wake up and be happy!? Why did you have to make him lose his memory!? This is the worst trope!! Probably my only issue with the whole show - like it really ruined the whole story after that. He couldn't remember his wife! He couldn't remember his daughter! He could remember that he loved his wife, but that was about it. The ending even seemed depressing, even though it was a shot with their whole family together.

Taking it right back to the beginning, I always suspected that Hyeon-su wasn't a serial killer/psychopath. I don't know if this was meant to be obvious to the audience, but there was always a vibe. I even predicted that it was Hyeon-su's sister that had done the killing because in every flashback and moments where he was faced with killing someone, Hyeon-su just couldn't do it. And then there was a flashback where he was in his uniform and something triggered that it could have been his sister.

Their father was completely awful - I just never understand how people like him are born and grow into something so evil, and for them to then go on and have children!? I felt so sorry for Hyeon-su being forced to be 'exorcised' and encouraged to kill.

The biggest creep in this show was definitely the real Baek Hee-sung. He was just creepy to look at, but then he would bite his nails and that sound! Disgusts me so much I found it hard to watch whenever he did that. Before we even knew he was the accomplice and we didn't have a clue why he would be, I was already thinking it was probably him because what other random person could they pluck off the street? And it was weird how the whole car accident thing panned out. Also, why did he randomly wake up when the mother took the mask off his face? Coincidence?

I don't know if this show was meant to be predictable in some ways, but I definitely got all of the vibes before it was confirmed. Except for that bombshell of a twist at the end. I don't think I will ever be able to forgive the writer's for doing that. Why!? Just why!?

There weren't any moments where the audience should be laughing at this show, but when Ji-won asked Hyeon-su for help in finding the culprit I couldn't help but laugh. It seemed so ridiculous when at the time the audience is thinking it is him.

The actors in this show are actually amazing! They did such an excellent job - so much emotion was portrayed. I was crying by the point where Hyeon-su was on the bridge and Ji-won came to find him. So many of their scenes were heartbreaking but also romantic. The chemistry between these actors was something else. I've never been more keen to see a relationship develop between a husband and wife, but this show definitely portrays that aspect.

A special mention for Eun-ha - gorgeous girl did such a good job of acting. Where are these dramas getting the child actors from? They amaze me!

The music was pretty much perfect. That music that always played at the most heartbreaking moments made me tear up every time I swear!

I just don't know what I am supposed to do now. This show has left a large void that needs to be filled.

-E

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LOVE THE ROMANCE

Phew..that was a roller coaster ride. This drama had everything; mystery, angst, bromance, heartbreaking moments and of course, romance. I love how the romance was woven into a gruesome story about a serial killer. The juxtaposition of Hee Sung/Hyun Soo romancing his wife Ji Won while he had a prisoner in his basement was brilliantly done.

I would have preferred another episode to give closure to the story of Hyun Soo and Ji Won. The ending was understandble because Hyun Soo suffered physical and emotional abuse throughout his life and it's not easy for him to erase those bad memories overnight. It would require a lot of psychiatric help and love of Ji Won to make him whole again. A three-year timelapse in the future when the viewers are treated to Hyun Soo and Ji Won basking in their happily ever after life, and maybe another baby.....that would be bliss.

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One of the Best Thrillers Out There!

This is a brilliant Korean thriller that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat—possibly literally! While it has very good writing, it’s the performances—especially from Lee Joon Gi (Do Hyun Soo) and Moon Chae Won (Cha Ji Won) that truly captivates the viewer. I am not sure I’ve seen two performers dig so deeply into their feelings and emotions, and I believe that a big reason for this is their obvious chemistry. If I didn’t know that these two were acting in a show, I’d have sworn that these two truly love each other. That is how believable they are. Now, I have seen other performances that come close, but these two may be the best I’ve ever seen in 45+ years of watching movies and shows. It also depicts the worst parents I have ever seen in all of my years. Man Woo Baek and Mi Ja Gong are unconscionable. I really don’t care if it’s their son. To knowingly help a man kill other people is absolutely no excuse. None. And I had absolutely zero sympathy for such deplorable people who turned out to be as monstrous and sick as their son.

Do Hyun Soo is a man living with a horrific past. The son of a serial killer, Do Hyun Soo is diagnosed with Anti-Social Disorder. However, after reading up extensively on Anti-Social Disorder, I will argue that he is misdiagnosed. Given the lack of empathy, prone to violence, and especially substance abuse, Do Hyun Soo doesn’t really fit the bill. I believe that due an obvious lack of love, affection, and the ability to simply interact with others, he’s more like someone who has simply cut off that part of him that is capable of those feelings. That is, until something—or someone—provokes a response. He’s unable to identify various feelings, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have them. It’s clear in his smile, his warmth, and also his love, that he’s more than capable of those feelings. He’s simply like a foreigner who can’t read or identify things. His character is captivating, harrowing, and heartbreaking. And the absolute anguish that he feels when he believes this Ji Won is dead, was raw, powerful, and conveyed everything I knew I would feel as well.

Now, the best thriller I’ve ever seen is “Stranger” which was a show a bit more taut and well-written than this one. It also deftly depicts a man who is incapable of empathy in Hwang Shi-Mok, and that actor gave a very real and stellar performance of such a person. And while Hwang Shi-Mok wasn’t diagnosed with Anti-Social Disorder, he’s much closer to being someone with that disorder than Do Hyun Soo. You really have to take into consideration the amount of abuse and trauma that Do Hyun Soo undergoes in his life to truly grasp what a person might be like coming out the other side of it.

Cha Ji Won may be my favorite female TV character of all-time. I’m not joking either. Now, it may be due to personal bias, because she encapsulates everything that a woman should be—to me, anyway. She’s strong, fiercely loyal, dependable, loving, compassionate, dedicated, and someone who is everything any man would ever want in a companion. I don't know how any sane man would ever let her go. My only issue with Ji Won is in how the writers depicted her as a police officer. Frankly, Doona Bae was far superior because she was smart, competent and held her own with anyone. Here, we find out that:

Ji Won is a terrible driver, allowing a cab driver to knock her car off the road by throwing the meter against her windshield?! Come on! Any seasoned cop would never react that way because they are trained to deal with those kinds of situations. Now, if she’d been forced off the road, that would have been believable.

Ji Won leaves a suspect alone. Now, she actually does get chewed out for that one, but it’s still a very big “rookie” mistake that someone like her isn’t likely to make.

Ji Won can’t remember Do Hae Soo despite meeting and speaking with her not long ago? Police officers are trained to remember faces. That one made no sense.

Ji Won is unable to secure a suspect. Another rookie mistake when she lets Yum Sang Chil escape and nearly kill her. Again, she doesn’t follow standard police protocol.

In episode 15, it made no sense that Ji Won wouldn't answer her phone. She knows her husband is out there and that he might try to contact her. This was another mistake on the writer's part in order to make the plot work.

I’ve said it before: never sacrifice character for the sake of the plot. The only big vice I have with the series is at the end of episode 13 when Ji Won suddenly suspects her husband of killing the housekeeper. Now, I understand that Do Hyun Soo doesn’t help his case by not telling her the truth, but Ji Won has already been through several of these scenarios, and she’s always realized that her husband isn’t capable of murder—until now? Plus, Ji Won never bothers to ask herself—what motive would Do Hyun Soo have to kill the housekeeper? None of it makes sense, and frankly, I felt deeply for Do Hyun Soo when he cries out in disbelief, “How do you not believe me? How do you not trust me?” Now, I know this was done to for the sake of the plot, but it was also a mistake because now you’re sacrificing character for plot. In other words, you’re making the character suddenly do something that goes against their character! For me, this is the only really glaring flaw of the series. “Stranger” and “My Name” had better scripts because they never deviated from or sacrificed character for the plot.

Now, the series is masterful in how it makes you suspect Do Hyun Soo for the first few episodes. You aren’t sure of what to make of him. This was genius! Then, you began to wonder, who is the “other accomplice” in the next set of episodes. And finally, you wonder how they are—not only going to catch the accomplice but do so where Do Hyun Soo is not only exonerated but can finally live a real life.

Outside of “24”’s Jack Bauer, I can’t think of another TV character who’s put through so much suffering and torment. Jack gives his all for his country, and Do Hyun Soo gives everything for his family. And perhaps that is also why I wasn’t entirely enamored with the ending. First of all, using the whole “killer grabs the policeman’s gun” ploy is a plot device that has been overused so many times in so many movies and shows, it should literally be retired and never used again! And I didn’t like the gimmick it used to suddenly rob Do Hyun Soo of his memory. How much more does this guy—and Cha Ji Won too!- -have to endure?! It felt like one step too many. However, the writers did their best to give us “hope” for Do Hyun Soo, that he might ultimately learn how to love his wife and daughter again. Except for Jim and Pam from "The Office" I don't think I ever cheered so hard for an on-screen couple more than these two!

This series is unforgettable. There’s no question that once you start, you can’t stop. It also has unforgettable songs and music—the track “Flower of Evil” is something that I’ve listened to so many times, that it’s literally in my head when I go to sleep. Don’t get me wrong. Despite the few issues that I have with this series, it’s still a great watch! And if I could ever personally meet Lee Joon Gi—and Moon Chae Won especially—I would give them my utmost thanks for giving us one of the best “couple” performances I’ve ever had the pleasure to watch. When they smile, you smile. And when they begin to shed tears, you can’t help shedding a few yourself. That is what true art as an actor is: making us feel what you feel. I will look for these two in future shows to watch!

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A tough combination of melodrama and thriller.

When they were telling it is a combination of thriller and melodrama i thought it was a tough combination to get a good result but they did a very good job in showing both.
Story: The story was amazing it was a very unique plot but the problem with this drama is that there weren't proper cliffhangers for example if one episode had a really good cliffhanger but the episode that aired the next day wouldn't make an impact but this drama is good watching.
Acting:It was splendid there was no place for bad acting in this drama everyone portrayed their characters very well and the cast was perfect too i personally don't think anyone can replace this cast.
Music: Just like how the drama gives you chills the OST also gives you the same vibes and would get chills the OST for this drama was perfect.
Rewatch valuse: You can watch it as many times you want and still be scared and get chills its a very well mad drama.
Overall: It was a top tier drama but the onthink that was lacking was not giving good cliffhanger which might not keep viewers anxious for the next episode other than that it was amazing and it is worth your time they made the combination of melodrama and thriller very interesting.

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Never mind the plot, feel the production values…

There’s a ton of reviews for this show, so I don’t want to write another - wow, amazing, watch-this-show review. With that in mind I’m going to focus on the direction and production values, because they are totally awesome. If you have not already seen this show, widen your eyes and ears when you watch it. If you are re-watching, hopefully you will have enough spare capacity to take more notice of some of the stuff I’m going to talk about.

In a drama like this, where the plot is complex and there are a lot of characters with conflicting motivations, first time round it was as much as I could do to just keep up and I popped out at the other end wondering why I found this show soooo amazing. Because let’s face it, the plot is not brilliant. Yes it’s got some great twists and continually finds inventive ways to keep the tension going, but it’s horribly clichéd and frequently stretches credulity like knicker elastic. Sometimes I found myself laughing when I should have been chewing my nails—not good. Whilst I was busy following the plot and being mesmerised by LJG,'s performance, all the production values were impacting me at a subliminal level creating the context for the story to come alive. I may not have always directly noticed it, but if they weren’t there, to be honest, I’d have been watching an average thriller. So I’m still going to give this show a 9 because everything but the plot is exceptional.

Let’s start with the directing. I loved the innovative way in which Kim Chul Gyu gave the viewer insight into Do Hyeon Su and elicited our empathy for him. This take on psychopathy is pretty unique and none of the usual things are going to work here. I can imagine that a lot of time and thought went into working out a way to do it. And in the end it was brilliantly achieved through close-up camera work, subtle facial movements (LJG was simply awesome here); slow motion and lack of normalising sound. Without these techniques, Do Hyeon Su would have been just another closed up, leading male and it would be difficult to credit why Chae Ji Won loved him. Kim Chul Gyu enabled the viewer to get inside Hyeon Su’s head. Sometimes, in those extreme close-ups, you could actually see LJG’s thought processes going on behind his eyes. And the sequences, particularly in the first couple of episodes, were cleverly designed to show cause and effect. In Ep 4, first date, we are encouraged to see Ji Won through Hyeon Su’s eyes, by utilising slow motion for her face and turning up the soundtrack, so that as viewers we were forced to register her facial expressions in a way that we normally wouldn’t. The effect was to share the process with Hyeon Su of working out what she was feeling and responding in kind. Brilliant!

The constraints of the plot early on worked well to curb the release of emotions and increase their intensity. This underplaying is magic and such an achievement can only be realised when a great director works in total harmony with capable actors. I don’t need to say much about the career-highlight portrayals by Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won, just read other reviews for that. However, when the constraints of the plot are lifted about two thirds of the way through, imo things get a bit out of hand and there is a bucketful of crying, which is a pity. I’m such a great believer in less is so very much more. LJG has said in interviews that he felt that the melo took over at the end and the impression I got was that he wished they’d pulled it back a bit. I must admit that the whole portrayal of the antagonist Baek Hee Sung was simply too OTT for me. And the scenes involving the Baek family were the least convincing in the drama.

Moving on to the cinematography. Park Seong Yong has been involved in a string of smash hits, and that can’t be accidental or just luck. There is no doubt that he has played a part in their success. In Flower of Evil he relies heavily on photographic composition. In the first two thirds of the drama he frequently lingers on beautifully composed set shots that are lit and framed to perfection. There is a scene in Ep 8 between Hyeon Su and Hae Su set in a derelict indoor fishing facility with extensive walls of now broken glass. The scene, at night, is lit primarily from one bright, gold light-source set externally. It creates a breathtaking atmospheric beauty for this very moving scene. I mean, who would have thought to do that? Wow! And that is just one example of a thread of innovative and exquisite shots that meander like a necklace of pearls through all the earlier episodes.

The richness of the colour palette is another gem in this production. The whisky bar in Ep 9 utilises deep reds and gold, in a set that glories in chiaroscuro: hidden motives and black deeds hide in the shadows. Scenes where we see the calculating side of Hyeon Su are often filmed in blue-tinged lighting, emphasising the hard lines of the faces and bringing a sharp coldness to the overall mood.

The cinematography everywhere enhances and reveals the emotional impact of the action. The phone conversation at 10pm in Episode 10 is a beautiful example of this. When after a deeply difficult and moving scene there is a static long-shot of Ji Won alone on the wide, bare expanse of the office rooftop, with a blurred backdrop of skyscraper lights: so very small and alone with all her desperate feelings.

Throughout, the lighting echoes one of the themes of the drama; that light can be born from darkness. The overall tone of the production is shadowed, with frequent highlights of warm tones, even occasionally used for the antagonists.

The soundtrack is a masterpiece of creativity as well. Not smoothed to the point of blandness, it has a gritty, exposed texture. It reflects the dichotomy of the story from the pulsing beat and rising scale of “Psycho” to the unforgettable, haunting falsetto of “Feel You”. Often, the string section in contemporary film and game music is used for hackneyed, swelling melodies and I loved that the titles music utilised slightly grating arpeggios from the strings and layered soaring voices above them.

Overall, even with all its faults, Flower of Evil is an unique drama that offers up a feast for the eyes and ears as well as some really notable performances from all of the leads. Lee Joon Gi was beyond good and his performance alone is enough to recommend this show.

What my rating means: 9+   A drama I totally fell in love with and is endlessly re-watchable. It ticked all the boxes and had some serious wow factor. It would go on my personally recommended list.

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This one really takes you on a journey with the twists and turns that are woven into the plot. The first few episodes of the drama appeared to suggest that the plot would become messy, and given the vagueness of the plot, I thought things would go wrong very quickly, but I was wrong. First off the story was executed so well. Its very hard to write a compelling show about a protagonist that may or may not be a good person and keep the audience's attention at the same time, so hats off to the screenwriters.

Lee Joong Ki is riveting as Baek Hee Sung. He's really such a great actor. The way he was able to portray an emotionally detached individual with a complicated past. He added dimensions to the character that added to the experience of the show and prevented it from becoming predictable. I loved both the husband/father side just as much as the psychotic side. LJK was truly something to watch. Moon Chae Won as Detective Jiwon was amazing in her own right. The level of emotions she was able to deliver, from happy to angry to resentful, was great to watch. 10/10!

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If you're looking for something to keep you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns this is the one for you! There were so many scenes and times that my heart was beating so fast for the main character and watching the mystery unravel had my jaw on the floor. This drama is half police/detective, the other half a criminal trying to hide his secret from the people he cares about most. Very good mystery and I couldn't see the ending coming at all.

-- Spoilers Below --

Lee Joon Gi does such a good job at playing Do Hyun Su and bringing his character to life. Hyun Su suffers from a personality disorder where he doesn't feel any emotion and is diagnosed young in life after news breaks that his father is a serial killer. He's running from the cops and has been for years due to the village leader being found murdered and him being the only person to blame. His wife is a detective with the police and hiding his secret is the biggest thing in his life. While spending time in his workshop, he learns that murders are starting up again and that the killer is looking for him. He begins playing a game of cat and mouse with this killer, trying to figure out who helped his dad commit his crimes. Eventually, it comes to light that Hyun Su is living out his life as Baek Hee Seong, due to being involved in a car crash and the family taking him in. Everything slowly unravels getting closer to the end as he reunites with his sister and they begin to search their minds for the accomplices face. Hyun Su over the course of the show realizes that he actually does have feelings towards his wife and their daughter and cannot live without them.

Ji Won, or Detective Cha, started to notice things were off with her husband pretty early on into the show. She puts a GPS on his watch that she finds after a scuffle with "Hyun Su" and follows his every move without him knowing. While following him, she realizes that he is indeed Hyun Su after overhearing a conversation between him and his sister. She begins to help him live out his life as Baek Hee for the sake of their daughter and helps divert police attention to others. Detective Cha even helps him at moments where she'll give him information without letting it be known that she knows who he really is. She struggles with wanting to love him for him, but hate him because she thinks he's a murderer. There were a few points in the show where I found it super hard to like her, but towards the end she becomes more likable as she learns and realizes that Hyun Su isn't all he was made out to be all these years.

My faults with this are that it moves in a pretty fast pace with Detective Cha learning her husband's identity pretty early. An upside to this drama is while I thought I had figured out the twist, I had guessed wrong and I feel like it really catches you off guard when it's revealed. Learning that the real Baek Hee is evil and a psychopath, and was actually their dad's accomplice was something I never saw coming. I had originally guessed that it was Baek Hee's father who helped. There were many twists in the story, another being Hyun Su had never killed anyone at all. He had actually been covering up for his little sister who had been attacked and killed the village leader in self-defense, but because their father had just been outed as a serial killer felt nobody would believe a word they said. I wish that the show had went more into the exorcisms the village had forced on Hyun Su and how much this affected his mind and emotions. It played a huge part in his and his sister's secret (being that she killed the village chief after trying to confront him to stop the exorcisms) you don't get much info or flashbacks to them. Even the mystery about his mom going missing and leaving the tape was a huge plot point that didn't get answered or tied up fully.

I rated everything a 10 besides the rewatch value because personally, I think once you know the twists that it wouldn't hit as much or hard as it does the first time without knowing! I still think you could get a good rewatch in if you really loved the characters.

Overall, the ending of the show helped make it a little better for me. I was worried that Ji Won was going to be hard-headed and that Hyun Su wouldn't realize that he can emotionally feel things and care towards people. The ending with him crying and seeing his daughter was a happy solution to this wild adventure.

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"JI WON MUST BE VERY PRECIOUS TO YOU." "YES. SHE'S VERY IMPORTANT." "NO, SHE'S SOMEONE PRECIOUS."

"Ji Won must be very precious to you, Hyun Soo."
"Yes. She's very important."
"No, she's someone precious. For something important, after time passes you realize it wasn't such an important thing. After a precious thing leaves you, it really hurts."

Wow, this drama is a real hard hitter.

I was 100% sure at the end of episode 15 that this was going to be a perfect 10, even if he died. Unfortunately, amnesia was not under my consideration. And that ruined it. The ending of any series is the most important in wrapping up a story, and if you do it wrong, the amazing story pales in comparison. Just like Game of Thrones. I hate amnesia arcs. And I might've actually been okay with it, but adding that in in the final episode when it's supposed to wrap up didn't feel like enough time to truly believe that Hyun Soo DID in fact realize the him before (and the him he wants to know again) loved Ji Won. But the body remembers even when the mind doesn't. I love that. I get why they did the amnesia thing (I think). It gives Hyun Soo a chance to be his real self—with his real name, real personality, and real emotions. It was like starting over again without the expectation to (fake) smile. But, in my opinion, even though he had to fake a lot of things, when he found out that Ji Won knew he was Hyun Soo, it seemed like he faked smiled less (I don't know if this is actually a fact or if I was just imagining it). Or if he fake smiled at all (maybe they were genuine) because I recall not seeing him smile as much as he did before when his identity was still a secret, and this enough shows me that he DID start acting like his true self again and that the "starting over" in the last episode was unnecessary. And that's how the ending "ruined" the perfect 10. Actually, you know what? After a week of consideration, I don't care about the fucking ending. This was straight up one of the best dramas/shows I've ever seen—and even though I didn't LOVE the ending... everything before it was SO. FUCKING. GOOD.

Now we can talk about Queen Ji Won. When I saw the tag "Smart Female Lead", I snickered. I would be the judge of that. I have bad experiences reading books with that tag and pointing out all the reasons why the main chick was not. Let me say... Ji Won turned out to be one of the best female leads I've ever had the experience of experiencing. She was hella fucking smart. I could list off ALL the incredible things she did, but that would take too long. One of them was keeping it a secret that she knew who her husband really was. Even though the evidence of him murdering that village head pointed directly at him, she chose to believe he didn't do that. She protected his deep secret without him knowing, keeping him safe from the shadows.

I wish we got more scenes of the husband and wife tagteam. Even though we didn't get much, it was still badass. Especially when they showed up at the doctor's home (at the start at least, we all know how "well" that visit goes). I love these two together; I don't know what else I can say except that. They're just incredible together. So much chemistry, in all departments: romantic chemistry, ass-kicking chemistry, and everything in between.

Music-wise, none of the songs really caught my eye (ears), but they did in fact fit with every scene. I may just listen to the OST playlist later.

Re-watch-wise... I'm not sure if I'd ever re-watch the whole series front-to-back again anytime soon. So many things made me so tense; I'm not sure I want to experience that anxiety (and pain!) again. But you know what I WOULD re-watch? That scene when Ji Won shows up to save Hyun Soo. That was a "holy shit, YES" moment. And honestly, any sweet scene with them together is worth a re-watch. And any scene with Hyun Soo and Eun Ha. Damn. But you know, some great shows just aren't "whole rewatch" material. And that's okay.

This show pulled a "they're not really bad, but let's make the audience think they are". Same as they did with Ko Moon Young in "It's Okay to Not Be Okay". They tried to make it seem like Hyun Soo was a psycho. I mean, he may be a sociopath, but he's no psychopath!

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This show was amazing!

Let me start by saying that I’m all about romance, and I’m a big scaredy cat. I don’t particularly care for suspense shows because they make me too nervous. That said, I thought this show was brilliant! When I started the series, I could only watch one episode a day because it was just too stressful. I don’t usually think about how I’m going to rate a show as I watch it, but during this I was wondering how I was going to rate it since I wasn’t enjoying it. It was good, but not enjoyable, if that makes any sense. As I got better acquainted with the characters, I really needed to see what happened next. This drama deals with nature vs. nurture – are we pawns of our parents and the decisions they make? Can we truly break free from unhealthy relationships?
STORY/WRITING: I didn’t particularly care for the way Cha Ji Won was written at the beginning. She was so sure that he liked her, without any reason whatsoever. She just felt a little too needy to me. However, here are so many twists and turns in this drama, I kept being surprised in each episode. I loved the relationship between Hee Sung/Hyun Soo and his daughter. It was obvious that she was closer to her dad than her mom. This was telling to me – kids are great judges of character, they don’t hold grudges and see things for what they are. The fact that she loved him so much, there was goodness in him that he wasn’t even aware of. The flashbacks were used effectively. I didn’t feel that there were extra characters/scenes just to get the 16 episodes.
ACTING: The entire cast was good, but if Lee Joon Gi doesn’t get some kind of award for his portrayal of Baek Hee Sung/Do Hyun Soo, there is no justice in this world! He was the standout for me. At the beginning, I couldn't believe I would watch a show about a serial killer. I was so sure, he was cold and calculating. Playing a person that doesn’t know how to feel/show emotions, oh my gosh, it was heartbreaking. His performance was, for the most part, very understated, but the ability he had to convey loneliness and fear was spot on. The last episode, for me, was the one that really got to me. He was doing things that he didn’t understand, he was conflicted about his feelings, and I thought he was kind of resigning himself to living a lonely life as penance. Jung Seo Yeon as Baek Eun Ha (the daughter) was just precious. She cried (a lot) but was just so sweet. Kim Ji Hoon as the real Baek Hee Sung – oh my goodness, him switching from nice to psychopath was chilling. It gave me the creeps to watch him. Now, I need to see if he’s in something else where he doesn’t portray a crazy person.
CHEMISTRY: We got some insight to the relationship between the lead couple in flashbacks. He was so emotionally closed off and I think he started liking her and didn’t know what to make of the whole thing. Some very yummy kissing scenes. There was a lot of emotional push/pull with him because of who he was and his circumstances, but theirs was a very mature relationship without game playing/miscommunication that you see in romances. Granted, he lied to her, but the unfolding of the reasons was thrilling.
MUSIC: There were a couple of beautiful love songs, and the music throughout the rest of the drama was very effective in increasing the tension.
REWATCH VALUE: I don’t think I’ll ever need to watch this again, especially since it’s a genre that I don’t care for. But that doesn’t decrease its excellence.
My only complaint, I think, was that so many of the names were so close together that I had a hard time keepings things straight at times.

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Easily one of the best dramas I've ever watched

I don't write reviews often but this time I had to. If you're not quite sure if you should watch this then take my review as a sign to do it right now. The series was amazing, especially the acting. I don't think I've ever seen such an incredible performance in a drama of this genre and I didn't have any high expectations as I've actually never watched a Lee Joongi or Moon Chaewon drama. The only reason my rewatch rating is lower than everything else is that I don't see myself watching this again simply because I usually rewatch my comfort dramas (aka fluffy romcoms), so it has nothing to do with the drama itself.

Go watch it right now, you won't regret it!

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Everyone has a secret...

Best Kdrama of 2020! *yes I am bias LOL*

I finished watching it yesterday and I feel like I need to wait for another week before watching a new one. I am overwhelmed with emotions right now. I am sad it is over because I really enjoyed it. *sigh*

Do not be deceived by the trailer. It may look like you have watched the whole series but it is really just a teaser. Because that is also what I thought when I first saw it in Netflix that they are already giving a clue as to what will happen, but I was wrong. Flower of Evil made me realize how cruel the world is but there is hope in every situation. You just need that "someone" to help you trust, love, and live again. Every episode is worth it to watch.

The actors and actresses portrayed their character very well. I wonder how Lee Joon Gi prepared for his role. He is really good in not showing his emotions and yet when he cries, I am crying too. *virtual hug* Moon Chae Won's character (Ji Won) won the Best Wife of the Year award. *applause* And the child who plays "Eun Ha" is sooo cute how I wish I can adopt her LOL! The series will not be complete without the talented supporting casts. Sometimes I try to imitate the "twitch" on their face(s) but I really can not do it. The actor who played the father of Do siblings is sooooo creepy it might give you nightmares.

The soundtrack is also good. It complements well with the series. I started listening to Feel You by Shin Yong Jae but I can not understand it. I wish there is an English version or someone can translate it for me. *sad*

I will have to agree with most if the comments from this site. Please give this Kdrama a chance. Promise you will not regret it. Hoping this wins an award. From the cast, director, script writer, soundtrack, to all the peole who worked hard to create this masterpiece, you all deserve recognition. Thank you soooo much!

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