DramaAjumma

I understand what you're saying but saying that "everyone is dirty" is somewhat of a giveaway. Not that it's completely true either.

For me it's best that nothing about the plot twists (if we can call it that) should be mentioned at all.

There are some good moments in this but I persevered to the end because of Namgoong Min. Episode 11 was definitely a head scratcher -- so obviously a waste of time.

All in all it's an okay superhero origins story.

The part where you said that there was a change in focus. It's much better for people not to know a single thing about what the bad guy plot is.

This is easily one of the best things I've seen all year. The script is pure class from start to finish and the acting is superb all round. The plot is intricate but not convoluted. More importantly the drama respects the intelligence of the audience. It isn't just a really good police procedural but a fantastic cautionary tale of how destructive systemic corruption is in the long run.

This should be in spoiler tags.

Fast paced.

This is my problems with makjangs in general. They're generally plot driven and they often devolve into a tailspin of absurdities. They are inherently manipulative so it usually ends up all about playing with the audience's emotions and how much they buy into the experience.

2022 is the year I fell in love with Wi Ha-joon. Choi Do-il was a great character.
The ending was very disappointing -- it felt incomplete and rushed at the same time.

Right out of the blocks, the script screams quality. It's top-notch storytelling and the cast is pretty good. Tight meticulous plotting. Everything about it feels cinematic.

No cliffhangers. Yes, it ends quite well.
There are rumours of a S2.

Are you asking if this is a complete story? Yes, it is.

Personally I don't find the romances that compelling in this show. And to be honest I didn't really care for the inclusion of Pei Xujin initially. There's something a bit off-putting about the way she went after Lu Lingfeng that put him in a predicament. But I think they wanted a woman on the team with artistic expertise and she sort of calmed down after they got to Nanzhou. Whether I like it or not, she is used in the narrative very specifically also for Lu Lingfeng's character development. I certainly agree that both women didn't need to be romantic interests for them to be included as members of the team.
All that said, I found the women less and less objectionable as the show progressed.

Don't I know it! :D

I don't think the show was underrated because of the fillers. I think it was always underrated because the cast aren't big name celebrities.

I agree totally that the romance was not needed but they put it in and for me at least I didn't find them too objectionable. At least Pei Xijun came in useful here and there.
I'm not sure why C dramas think that it necessary to have romances in many of their crime dramas.

I'll definitely check it out regardless.

Oooh thanks for the tip. Sounds exciting. Hope the script is as good as this one.

The kindest thing I can say about this show is that the actors gave their all to this over-convoluted script. I was especially impressed with the youngsters and the lad who played Yoon-jae. The leads pulled their weight and powered through to the end. The last half hour was good even moving in parts but not enough to redeem the entire drama.

But the storytelling itself was a misuse of a potentially powerful exploration of an important human rights issue. By turning the revenge plot into a puzzle box about the present day murders, the narrative focus shifts and diminishes the moral power of what the revenge scheme sets out to do. In the end the core issue becomes scarcely more than a footnote in the story. Even the revenge scheme is nothing to write home about.

No worries. Thanks for reading.

Miss Truth most definitely. He's great there. Some people didn't like the female lead but I didn't mind her.