Black Out (2024)

Edge of Your Seat Suspense.. Thriller That Keeps You Hooked..

Undeniably the best thriller drama of 2024..

The drama boasts top notch production quality and excellent cinematography.. Though the beginning can be frustrating.. As the ML is gaslighted into a confession and his family suffers manipulation and helplessness.. It effectively sets the stage for a gripping and intense thriller..

It gets even more frustrating.. How they mistreat the ML's mother and how they try to protect the person who tried to Kill her.. How helpless the ML is.. Yeah it gets on your nerves..

The story progresses too slow at the beginning.. But that makes the eventual twists even more impactful and makes it even more interesting.. A proper thriller that slowly unravels and pulls you deeper into its web of suspense with each twist and turn... That's how it is.. I am glad I waited to binge watch it.. Because there’s no way I could have handled waiting a week between episodes.. Watching the ML spend more time in the ER than his house after getting out of prison was a bit much..

Besides the ML and SML and Ha Seol.. The rest of the characters were truly awful.. Most weren’t just bad they were outright evil.. Manipulating and feasting on others pain.. Even the detective who forced the ML’s confession was being gaslighted by the chief.. It’s a story packed with evil people.. I mean nobody felt a hint of remorse of regret for what they did..

Initially, I felt bad for Choi Na Gyeom. She stood by the ML for 10 years, visiting him in prison when even his mother didn’t. That devotion was admirable. That was quite something.. But how he kept pushing her away.. Ignoring her.. That felt bad.. But well.. She turned out to be a psychopath.. A total psychopath.. But Go Bo Gyeol nailed her role..


Around episode six the story starts coming together... Everything starts to make sense and just when you think you’ve figured it out.. Another twist drops and then another.. It keeps you hooked till the very end.

There were a few flaws though.. Like the unrealistically clear footage from a foldable keypad mobile phone.. Seriously.. how was it not grainy??

Anyhow.. Black Out delivered a satisfying conclusion.. Though I would have loved to see the ML’s friends suffer more for their actions.. They lost what they valued most and ended up in jail but they deserved even worse.. They deserved more pain.. More and more and more pain..

For the first time in a long time.. I was fully immersed in a Korean drama.. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride..

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Multi-layered plot, strong acting & perfectly tailored with minimalist aesthetic, up to the OST

Complete memory gap after too much alcohol - a wonderfully promising step stone for a gripping, solid, emotionally complex (psychological) crime thriller in the high-end segment. "Black Out - Snow White Must Die" is the multi-layered dramaturgical documentation of the protagonist's desperate urge to remember that particular night, that he´s bond to since then.

Life with such a drastic memory gap may be difficult enough, yet even more difficult to digest could become what emerges while looking behind shiny facades. "Black Out" is, so to speak, a study about human chasm that lurk and seduce even behind the cleanest of vestments. And then it is also a solid, multi-layered, gripping crime thriller in KDrama format. Just great.

It is based on the 4th volume of the Bodenstein-Kirchhoff series by the German writer Nele Neuhaus from 2010: “Snow White Must Die”. The setting is not the Taunus, but an inconspicuous town in the wider area around Seoul. The scenario works just as well there.

Strong acting and perfectly tailored with minimalist aesthetic, right up to the OST.

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A decent story that suffers in pacing, could've been better if told in 8 eps

There are a few things I like about Black Out; it nails the creepy and bleak vibes well, decent performance from protagonists and most characters constantly evokes my anger & sinister sides (Although imo these angry scenes are overdone and not always useful to the plot, it makes a good entertainment to laugh at ;P). Whenever we get new clues and revelations after long frustrations of waiting in the dark, it gets intriguing. The cliffhangers keep me coming back.

However, Black Out suffers with its’ pacing, not enough momentum to keep my anticipation high throughout the looong 14-episodes. Without momentum, I often forget what happened, who did what in previous episodes, etc... Some might find the slow-burn investigation to be appealing, but to me it felt sluggish. At some point, the case is not a mystery anymore in viewers pov, but the protagonists keep getting into too many hurdles to reach the truth. In my opinion, the reveals are also a bit dumb, they don’t give the WOW mind-blowing feeling. I still think this is a decent thriller, but would be more thrilling if told in 8 episodes.

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DEFINETLY ADDED TO MY LIST OF CLASSIC KDRAMA THRILLERS.

"Black Out is a classic K-drama thriller that captivates from start to finish. The story revolves around a man who is falsely accused of murdering two of his friends. Despite his claims of innocence and a lack of memory regarding the events, the evidence leads to his conviction, resulting in a ten-year prison sentence. Upon his release, he faces the harsh negativity and suspicion from the people in his village, which drives him to seek the truth and clear his name.

What stands out about 'Black Out' is its exceptional writing. It skillfully combines intense thrills with emotional depth, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats while also tugging at their heartstrings. The narrative unfolds gradually, revealing critical information piece by piece, which only heightens the excitement as the story progresses. The pacing of the story is decent—not too rushed and not too slow—allowing everything to be revealed without leaving anything out.

The acting in 'Black Out' is nothing short of amazing. Byun Yohan, in particular, delivers a powerful performance, showcasing a wide range of emotions that truly resonate with the audience. The female lead also won me over with her acting; the character she portrayed suited her perfectly. The supporting characters, including the detective and various villagers, contribute significantly to the story, even if some are intentionally irritable and may make your blood boil. Each did well in their roles as they were written.

The ending felt like therapy after the roller coaster of emotions this drama put me through..I had tears in my eyes the entire time...it was all worthwhile!

Overall, 'Black Out' was an interesting thriller and mystery drama that kept me at the edge of my seat as I waited for the story to unfold. Prepare some stress-free pills on the side because the characters, minus the male lead and the detective, are sure to test your patience. Do I recommend 'Black Out'? Definitely! It's a classic, and I would add it to the corner of my favorite K-drama thrillers right next to 'Mouse,' 'King of Pigs,' 'Big Mouth,' 'Beyond Evil,' 'Flower of Evil,' 'Signal,' and more."

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Will you kill for your kid?

I was watching an insta post about that question, and people were shocked someone would say no
but it's all about the context right?

would you kill for your kid,

as the drama starts, a boy is accused of killing two of his friends, he goes to prison for 10 years and comes out hoping to find the truth and try to live happily with his mom

Sim Bo Yeong's dad, seeing that, got angry, and tried to kill Go Jeong U's mom.. is that revenge? no
as the drama goes by in a spiral of continuous draggyness, Sim Bo Yeong's dad does find out the truth and in a fit of anger goes to shoot that person, is that revenge? yes


Sim Bo Yeong's murderers, in a raging revelation, it turns out she was raped by two of her friends, she falls after the third friend tries to help her cuz he's another guy and she feared more
Choi Na Gyeom walks in, and instead of being scared it’ll happen to her or be fully sick beyond words, she says.
“Hide the body or your future will be ruined”??
The f is that? It’s not even about girl supporting girls but it’s a plain a human protecting humanity?

And they all listen to her? to call their dads, so 3 adults walk in
and protecting their sons’ future is more important than protecting the truth?
Honestly they could’ve been proven innocent anyways cuz yeah humanity sucks and would’ve said it’s consensual and she slipped and died anyways
Cuz a boys future is worth more than a girls

but, she didn't die, so one of the dads kill her cuz they're in too deep now...................
and gang rape and they’re like “she was bound to marry one of them”




Park Da Eun, the snowwhite. she's cheating on Go Jeong U with an older guy, Choi Na Gyeom who's obsessed with Go Jeong U, after witnessing the rape and murder of another girl, stays silent and films the murder of Park Da Eun
becasue once the two girls are out of the picture, Go Jeong U would be hers...............

honestly revealing that Park Da Eun was a cheater was enough.. so yeah all are crazy but Choi Na Gyeom was worse.....

anyway, she stays quiet for 10 years because she didn't think he'll be convicted, but I'm sure she just enjoyed him being so outcasted and out of loop thinking he'll run to her once she shows kindness
she literally also used the second murder to blackmail the murderer's wife to gain a chance at fame....




anyways, if that isn't enough melodrama, Hyun Su O and Hyun Guno are, twins, and each one is involved in 1 of the murders..
guno, in 10 years didn't tell his dad "you crazy old dude covering up for 4 psychos, cuz you thought i was involved for standing there, but i wasn't", he didn't say he wasn't involved, but he had time to go and collect evidence, the evidence that would've proved his innocence and made his dad stand with him....................... agh...........


suo, had a disability, and once he saw the beautiful "snowwhite", Park Da Eun, die. he carries her to his "hideout" and preps her grave...
now literally, no one knew about that hideout? that was on their property.. where he'd go to draw, and the dad never knew about it? but the snowwhite murderer knew







so yeah, even now, writing all of that out, it's so basic, so simple, and that's to say, Go Jeong U and No Sang Cheol, trying so hard to detective, they were so slow and so dumb
they didn't find any clues without guno's confession, they didn't know where to look without someone spoon feeding them
and, it goes to the point, "nobody knows" the whole truth, but the first case had 7 people involved, and the second had 5, so eventho a couple were involved in both cases, it took a whole village to hide the truth, but that was one too many people in on the secret that they had to go spilling it out
it's a surprise it lasted 10 years
if that wasn't enough suo/gunho's dad was cheating with Sim Bo Yeong's mom.................. like "yeah I hid your daughter's 7 murderers. but like you"
and Go Jeong U's dad just happen to die, when the 4 fathers of the real murderers were happy knowing what they did




would you kill for your kid?
even if your kid is the rapist and murderer?

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Interesting premise and great acting; awkward characters and flawed story

The story itself had a very interesting start, opening up with a gruesome case with a mysterious perpetrator, with all clues pointing to the main lead as the culprit. The drama did a great job of peeling apart the layers of this event, starting off by presenting us with a colorful cast of villagers and close friends of the ML, but slowly melts off their facades to reveal the gruesome truths of that night and the evils within them. I have to give Kudos to the actors/actresses as they did a great job of playing the roles of innocent, friendly villagers at the start, to transforming into some of the most hatable, blood-boiling characters I have seen on the small screen.

Along with the acting, I also thought the pacing was pretty good for a 14 episode drama. While there were moments that could have been sped up here and there, the writers did a good job of revealing the truth piece by piece throughout the story, keeping me invested without making the truth easy to guess until the final episodes. The atmosphere of the setting was creepy and keeps us at the edge of our seats. Dark lighting and multiple camera angles of the same scenes kept suspense up and truths hidden. These were a few of the things I liked about this work and kept me watching until the end. Now for the negatives.

The main character was not interesting... I think his acting was fine, but he didnt have much to work with. He doesn't really have any standout moments for me throughout the story. The ML gets trounced on over and over and over again the whole show, and while this did drew pity from me and made me root for him, I don't think the resolutions the main character reached in the latter parts of the show are satisfying in comparison. In moments where he is supposed to stand out, like when he approaches the people who framed him, the lines are neither memorablr nor impactful. This mostly ammounts to something along the lines of "Don't you feel sorry to (victim name)?" or "why did you do it? which gets pretty old when you see this sequence repeatedly for each person who framed him (which happens to be almost every character). I think this ended up making the main character a kind person with a really uninteresting personality that could've been much more interesting if they had either more badass in his scenes like the second main lead, or made him a more flawed complex character. As he is, it feel like he doesn't add too much to the story other than being a plot device for finding the truths of the murders.

Go Bo Kyeol, while she acted well, I felt like her character was not fleshed out well enough to be worth including in the story. It seemed a little awkward how they spent the premise developing her as this superstar who was the only one to stay by the MLs side at the start, but then stopped really developing her as a character until later, where she is revealed to be some psychopath mastermind who had planned out for the ML to be put in prkson. I don't think they explained her backstory well enough for me to fully accept that she went from having a simple, albeit jealous c
Highschiol girl crush for the ML. to becoming a sociopath lover of the ML, framing him and happily visiting him in prison for 10 years. Even when her truths are revealed to the ML, the resolution for her seemed forced and really unnecessary for the overall story.

I also think there were too many plot holes for me to really ignore throughtout the drama. I think it was weird seeing how conveniently easy it was for witnesses throughout the story to clearly recall small details from events from over 10 years ago, like the details of a random car crash they saw and the exact voice of the killer they heard over a 2g cellphone. But sure, let's say they did recall these events because they were so traumatic; why was it so easy for this to become credible evidence for the police? Especially considering these same police had brushed off other, more concrete evidence from the day of the incident, like DNA samples on the clothing of the victim. This drama is about a case from over 10 years ago, which in real life would be almost impossible to solve, so I understand that these plotholes would exist for the convenience of the story.. .but they did make the story significantly less immersive for me.

Overall, I think the premise and buildup of the drama were interesting enough for me to push along and finish it, but the negatives of this drama did exist and made me give it a lower score than I would otherwise. In the long list of Korean thriller mystery dramas that exist where Signal stands at the top, I probably wouldn't recommend this to others. But if you especially like the cast and have time to spend this was overall entertaining. 6.5/10

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Not a pleasant watch

First of all, this is a copycat of Beyond Evil. In both series we have a small village, a murder of a teenage girl(s), a friend group of teenagers, a young guy who gets blamed for the murder, a corrupt police chief, an involved higher political figure. Sure, there is the difference, that in this series the boy was convicted and went to jail. In Beyond Evil they said, that regarding Korean law, no one can be convicted of murder if there is no corpse. In this series, it wasn't the case. He got 10 years without ever finding the dead bodies. I have no idea which series got it wrong, but that was one big difference. Sure, in Beyond Evil, the one who was accused of the murder became a cop himself, but overall, those two series are very similar. So I knew pretty fast that the police chief wasn't trustworthy at all, and the crime involved adults with higher social status and wasn't done by young boys on an impulse.
Well, my issue with this series, though, and I know this review is a mess, the characters were extremely annoying, even the mother of the wrongfully accused boy. In Beyond Evil they managed to make all the character likable, even the villains and the mentally ill friends. It was such an emotional roller coaster, while this series just got me annoyed.
I liked how the rather brute cop was fair enough to listen to the wrongfully convicted murderer and helped him solve the case. I liked their "bromance", but I also have seen better ones. Nothing really got me attached to those characters or their pain.
The main character did a terrific job with his acting, but that doesn't save much if every other character is just lame. Him crying about his dead friends got me emotional, just to find out later that those two girls were some annoying b*tches. The friends were rapist. The other one was sitting for 10 years beside a decomposing body.
Ugh.
I regret watching this, sorry guys. I still try to be fair with my rating.

EDIT: Apparently, this is based on a German novel. I know the author, since I am German, though I didn't read the book. Still, this is very similar to Beyond Evil in so many aspects that's the comparison is justified. I'm also sure they changed many things to fit the Korean police system and politics.

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A Suspense Thriller At Par With the Best

I started this show with zero expectations so it was pleasant surprise and also shocking!

Adapted from the novel “Snow White Must Die” by Nele Neuhaus, the show dives headstrong into two murder cases right off the bat. Before you gather your wits and question the inadequacies in the investigation, our protagonist is sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Starring an ensemble casting which includes Byun Yo Han, Go Jun, Go Bo Gyeol, Kim Bo Ra in lead roles, the show is a crime thriller which is simply egregious. The show circles around the main lead, Go Jeong U. He as someone stuck by circumstantial evidence, doesn’t remember anything about the murders that he supposedly committed; as he was drunk and the psychiatrists tagged his scenario as a “Blackout”. The show leads us through a journey where Go Jeong U retraces the steps through the murders that he was accused of. Shockingly bizarre truths unfold as he discovers that he was betrayed by his near and dear ones, people he trusted implicitly. Let’s dig deeper and learn more about his story!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/10/06/black-out-series-review/#more-1237

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Masterful but painful

I seriously don't understand the low rating for this show. What is it about this website and murder/gory shows? This show has strong Lee Joon Ki vibes in Flower of Evil.

The drama is masterful - the story pulls you in with the careful telling of the story as it unfolds. It's like peeling back the layers of an onion as the characters are complex in their motivations and hidden agenda. Byung Yo Han is in his element again, this time as the conflicted murderer who cannot remember what happened. Did he do it? Did he not do it? There are a few red and blue herrings and you can probably guess the culprits. I look forward to the rest of this drama as it unfolds.

Update: I've now completed it. My original impression stands. It was roller coaster ride. It was very difficult to watch initially because the ML could never get a break but around halfway through, things starting looking up and it became bearable to watch. My advice? Binge watch. Watching each episode as it was broadcast was simply painful!

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Best Thriller of 2024 - Every Second of Every Episode is Exciting!

“Black Out” is one of the most captivating thrillers I’ve ever seen, in any language. With just 14 episodes, it kept me on the edge with its clever, suspenseful narrative, brilliant acting, and haunting background music. It’s definitely one of my top dramas for 2024! I always say "Life’s too short for bad, draggy dramas" but believe me this one will keep you hooked every second. This is definitely going in my Hall of Fame, and going to be my Top 10 Drama recommendations henceforth!

⦿ Story & Pace:
Clever writing and direction - making you watch every second of every episode with bated breath for the mystery to unfold. The pacing is just right - not too fast or slow, and we see every character, every situation analyzed well, so when all the pieces fall in together - the end result is logical, sad but satisfying. The narrative is of the present, with flashbacks from the past. This could be obvious from the drama title and summary - given this about a man who has no memories of the crime he may have committed, and therefore trying to put the pieces together.

⦿ Acting:
Sheer brilliance - from every character: the good characters will make you root for them and hope that they triumph, the bad ones will you want to slap them from the screen and the grey ones will make you pull your hair, be shocked at the revelation and sometimes sympathize with them & their situation (as you might have guessed some lines are blurred with those good/bad characters, and therefore is one of the reasons this is such a brilliant drama)

⦿ Special Mention:
(1) Byun Yo Han (ML) playing Go Jeong U: I had seen him only in Misaeng: Incomplete Life, a drama which is iconic in itself. There too he had owned the character even though it was a support role. In this drama, he depicts a man who has lost a lot in life, but is still not able to come in terms with what he has been accused of. The frustration he shows is with all around him as well as himself, because he cannot remember whether he is guilty or not. When you watch the drama - as an audience even we are perplexed, half the time making us think he is innocent, and sometimes giving us a doubt - which is something beautifully portrayed by this talented actor.

(2) Go Jun playing Detective Noh: Oh where do I even begin with this man? I think this actor has been rightfully nicknamed "Dirty Sexy" cause he literally embodies it. He is your typical brawny cop who lives by the books, but when he meets the ML and he observes, doubts creep in his mind - on whether justice was really handed, or are there more secrets that need to be uncovered. From acting as a tough cop, to be sarcastic to his seniors, to getting his way cleverly in order to get to the bottom of the mystery - he shows a diverse range, and along with the ML, their subtle bromance/camaraderie is really great. This is my first drama technically in a main role and I can't wait to binge his other works - for the looks and acting both! (I saw him in Misty last but that was a support role, but totally sexy ;)

⦿ Overall:
If you like such genres - I'd highly recommend this show. I never waste my time in a drama if it doesn't grab my attention in first 10 minutes, and drop it no matter what if it wastes even a single second. Since Life is Too Short to Waste on Bad/Draggy Dramas. Therefore, take my word - every second of this drama is worth your time - and be warned, you'll not be able to keep it down until you complete it.

⦿ P.S.: Why 9.5/10 for some aspects in MDL Rating?
In my ratings break-up - the music and rewatch value are not 10/10 only cause - honestly I was not focused on the music as the story was enticing. So after completing the drama I just know that it supported it well, landing it during the suspense/thrills and twists as needed from a background score for such a show.

The other aspect of rewatch - this is a personal opinion, I usually never go back to watch crime/mystery/thriller/suspense shows - cause I know how it all unfolds. And since I know the ending I will never rewatch it completely. But otherwise, I would definitely watch some of the best scenes from in between.

Therefore overall the drama is 10/10, but these are some minor aspects which can be overlooked, but I thought to add cause MDL ratings ask for it. And in case anyone wonders why some factors are less than 10 but overall the drama is a 10/10 score from me.

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