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Beyond Evil korean drama review
Completed
Beyond Evil
2 people found this review helpful
by Asmita_139
May 24, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Stellar acting from the leads, brilliantly told story, a thrill to watch!

There’s a lot to love about this show, although there are not many surprising twists towards the second half. I will try to keep this review spoiler free.

This show’s strength is not the actual underlying plot itself, which we’ve seen before, but the raw and interesting characters and the morally grey natures of almost everyone in Manyang town.

The first few episodes are a roller coaster where you can’t seem to trust anybody - even the two main leads as they all seem to be hiding something darker within themselves.

What makes this show stand out is our two main leads. Many shows have tried this dynamic of old veteran cop and new, young cop teaming up - not getting along at first and slowly partnering up to fight crime, but it just feels a lot different here.

The constant push-pull between the leads is what kept me glued to the screen until the last second. Their chemistry was excellent; the way Lee Dong Shik and Han Joo Won went from slightly trusting each other one minute to suspecting each other the next was exciting to watch. The way the story unravels around them and culminates into a beautiful partnership towards the end makes this show a must-watch.

Shin Ha Kyun is brilliant as Lee Dong Shik. I have never watched any of his works before, but I will definitely check out some of his other projects. Lee Dong Shik is one of the most exciting and interesting cop characters I have seen. Though he is shown to be a wild, fearless, almost insane guy on the outside, it’s clear to see he is rational and calm on the inside.

On the other hand, Yeo Jin Goo’s Han Joo Won is a younger, colder, thorny, and more reserved person. He is shown to be calm and has a strong sense of justice, but we see he is a lot more emotional and soft on the inside. These two characters are so contradictory to what’s on the inside instead of what they show the world that the dynamic between them works brilliantly.

I have been very impressed with Yeo Jin Goo’s recent works like Circle and The Crowned Clown. I don’t think there’s any other 23-year-old actor who has the same acting chops as him. Shin Ha Kyun's extraordinary performance may have devoured a lesser actor, but Yeo Jin Goo held his own in every scene. I wish he continues picking such scripts now as I believe he shines brightly in these kinds of darker shows and away from the mainstream rom-com type of shows.

Around the 10th episode or so, you kind of know where the mystery plot is heading, but that still didn’t deter the enjoyment factor for me. The show culminated in an emotional and more than satisfactory ending and was well worth the watch.

Also, as a bonus, the OST and background score is very well done. The music draws you in and works very well with the storytelling.

It’s a must-watch for fans of crime thrillers, highly recommended!
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