2
Coolforthesummer
This review may contain spoilers
Mystery, Mischief and Mayhem: The Intriguing World of Inspector Koo
As i was looking forward to Lee Young Ae's upcoming show maestra, so i decided to watch one of her previous dramas. I chose Inspector Koo and to my surprise, i ended up binge watching the entire series. It turned out to be much more interesting than i had initially anticipated, i can even say that i absolutely loved it.
The show revolves around a retired, eccentric Inspector Koo and a 20 something psychopathic serial killer. Despite their differences, they share a certain resemblance.
Inspector Koo, now retired spends her days playing online games, neglecting personal hygiene and eating habits. On the other hand, the young serial killer leads a stylish, charming and luxurious life. Interestingly their names are mirror images of each other, with Inspector Koo named Kyung Yi and the serial killer named Yi Kyung. However, their common trait is their intelligence and the entire series plays out like a thrilling game of cat and mouse.
Yi Kyung the college going killer, targets people who have committed wrongs & her killing methods are truly unique. She doesnt resort to direct violence. instead, she sets elaborate traps for her targets making her plans even more captivating. Another intriguing aspect of her character is that she only targets individuals who had done bad deeds in a past.
What sets her apart is her unusual method of punishing wrongdoers, she draws inspiration from various French books translating their ideas into her killing plans. Each book represents one murder.
Inspector Koo's character on the other hand, is far from the typical justice seeking detective. She takes on new cases from her junior solely because she offers her a new computer. Her motivation isnt rooted in a desire for justice but rather in the thrill and enjoyment of solving cases.
The drama also features one more strong villain, portrayed by the Kim Hae Sook, whose performance here rivals her best acting in Revenant and UTQU.
Both of these female villains Yi Kyung & Kim Hae Sook's character has very comeplx yet interesting relation which makes show even more exciting. At times they collaborate, assist one another and then turn against each other while Inspector Koo cleverly takes advantage of their enmity.
My most fav character in the series is Santa, played by Baek Sung Chul, a mute character introduced as Koo's assistant picked from an online game. Their bond isnt romantic but more like a parent and child, where he plays role like parent to Inspector Koo, they often shows him taking care of her in show. There is one interesting plot twist involving his character.
The show includes a few more interesting characters including Yi Kyung's accomplice, who happens to be gay, which i didnt expect in this type of series. What sets the serial killer characters apart is their multifaceted nature. They can appear as psycho killers in one moment and as normal individuals in the next.
Inspector Koo distinguishes itself from OCN's countryside thrillers by being a highly urban thriller set in Tongyeong, an unexplored location in Kdramas. The setting combined with the cinematography provides a fresh and beautiful backdrop for the series.
The top notch cinematography and the stylish OSTs/BGMs elevate the series to another level, enhancing the thrill of key moments. Without these elements, I might have rated the show lower.
The episodes end on suspenseful notes, leaving viewers eager for the next ones and despite some minor plot holes, i thoroughly enjoyed the series. In fact i found it more appealing than highly rated crime thriller dramas with MDL scores ranging from 8.6 to 8.8.
The show revolves around a retired, eccentric Inspector Koo and a 20 something psychopathic serial killer. Despite their differences, they share a certain resemblance.
Inspector Koo, now retired spends her days playing online games, neglecting personal hygiene and eating habits. On the other hand, the young serial killer leads a stylish, charming and luxurious life. Interestingly their names are mirror images of each other, with Inspector Koo named Kyung Yi and the serial killer named Yi Kyung. However, their common trait is their intelligence and the entire series plays out like a thrilling game of cat and mouse.
Yi Kyung the college going killer, targets people who have committed wrongs & her killing methods are truly unique. She doesnt resort to direct violence. instead, she sets elaborate traps for her targets making her plans even more captivating. Another intriguing aspect of her character is that she only targets individuals who had done bad deeds in a past.
What sets her apart is her unusual method of punishing wrongdoers, she draws inspiration from various French books translating their ideas into her killing plans. Each book represents one murder.
Inspector Koo's character on the other hand, is far from the typical justice seeking detective. She takes on new cases from her junior solely because she offers her a new computer. Her motivation isnt rooted in a desire for justice but rather in the thrill and enjoyment of solving cases.
The drama also features one more strong villain, portrayed by the Kim Hae Sook, whose performance here rivals her best acting in Revenant and UTQU.
Both of these female villains Yi Kyung & Kim Hae Sook's character has very comeplx yet interesting relation which makes show even more exciting. At times they collaborate, assist one another and then turn against each other while Inspector Koo cleverly takes advantage of their enmity.
My most fav character in the series is Santa, played by Baek Sung Chul, a mute character introduced as Koo's assistant picked from an online game. Their bond isnt romantic but more like a parent and child, where he plays role like parent to Inspector Koo, they often shows him taking care of her in show. There is one interesting plot twist involving his character.
The show includes a few more interesting characters including Yi Kyung's accomplice, who happens to be gay, which i didnt expect in this type of series. What sets the serial killer characters apart is their multifaceted nature. They can appear as psycho killers in one moment and as normal individuals in the next.
Inspector Koo distinguishes itself from OCN's countryside thrillers by being a highly urban thriller set in Tongyeong, an unexplored location in Kdramas. The setting combined with the cinematography provides a fresh and beautiful backdrop for the series.
The top notch cinematography and the stylish OSTs/BGMs elevate the series to another level, enhancing the thrill of key moments. Without these elements, I might have rated the show lower.
The episodes end on suspenseful notes, leaving viewers eager for the next ones and despite some minor plot holes, i thoroughly enjoyed the series. In fact i found it more appealing than highly rated crime thriller dramas with MDL scores ranging from 8.6 to 8.8.
Was this review helpful to you?
