Completed
Dazzling
21 people found this review helpful
by Hee-Jin Flower Award1
23 days ago
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

One word: "Princess" (ifukuk)

Alright, so we’re four episodes into Dazzling (耀眼), and honestly, it feels like MangoTV crafted this show just for folks who are all about that yearning, emotional healing, and those slow-burn seaside romances. You’ve got Guan Xiaotong’s character, Qing Ye, who tumbles from her big-city life into the dusty little town of Zhazhating after her family kind of falls apart. And right from the get-go, it’s clear she’s not just adjusting — no, she’s like a whirlwind shaking up everyone’s carefully miserable existence, especially that quiet island boy, Xing Wu (played by Li Yunrui). You know the type, right? He looks like he’s always just a moment away from either throwing a punch or falling head over heels.

The first four episodes really nail that balance between youthful warmth and deeper emotional themes. Take, for example, Qing Ye sleeping behind that thin curtain while Xing Wu is fixing things on the other side. There’s this awkward tension between them, mixed with subtle class differences, and the way she starts to see through his tough exterior — it all feels so real, you know? Not like it was just slapped together.

What’s got everyone hooked already? The chemistry! They barely say anything outright, but every glance, every moment of silence, every little act of care — it’s like they’re shouting. Episode 4 really digs into how Xing Wu softens around Qing Ye, and that whole “I can change his path” vibe? Yeah, it's practically a warning that this drama is gearing up to hit us right in the feels. Also idk why but him calling her 'princess' in the first two eps, got me giggling bro....like Gongju, ahhhhhhh

Visually, it’s stunning too — those warm island sunsets, the sticky summer vibes, and the nostalgic cinematography really bring it all together. It reminds me of other healing youth dramas like When I Fly Towards You, but with a bit more melancholy and emotional repression thrown in for good measure.

And you know what? Even with just four episodes out, it hasn’t felt slow or draggy at all. The character dynamics are doing all the heavy lifting. Right now, Dazzling’s biggest strength is its restraint. The romance isn’t rushed, the angst isn’t over the top, and it totally trusts the audience to soak in those little moments that make first love feel so achingly beautiful.

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Completed
A Splendid Match
2 people found this review helpful
by misty
23 days ago
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

it's like finding a gem

No expectations, did not watch the main lead's series before. I haven't been watching cdramas for a month because nothing is getting my interest. I really just started this because everyone is saying that this was the lead's second collab and I'm curious. 

Now I finally found another gem!!! ONE OF MY TOP 3 CDRAMAS!! I do love it when they do the romance with such care. One of the most well executed parts of the series.

The first 5 episodes was, a torture to watch really. I was so close to dropping this, I even 2x speed some parts. But it picks up. Again, the romance is what made me stay. I definitely did not like some execution and acting/plot direction. Some of them are hard to watch with plot holes and unnecessary details. Because what the fuck was that with Jiyao and Yexian?? I had to look away from my screen lmaoooo. Director, please keep making romance but leave the aura farming scenes alone. Cisha was saved because of his face card, the rest were a victim 😭 also, they should've flesh out Qinglan and Yexian's storyline, the girl became a nuisance. Yexian's death would've been more impactful if there was a deeper story behind the two. Even if they still went to that one sided love route. Poor girl, she'll think she's cursed. Also, making Yanyun's sister-in-law suspicious but they didn't fully execute it and just made her fade away, tells me THIS SHOULD'VE BEEN 70 LONG EPISODES THEY CUT SO MUCH SHIT I JUST KNOW IT.

Gu Jinzhao. I love how fearless you are. You did everything I wanted you to do. Slapping tf out of his brother, choking her sister and not afraid to speak out. Plus, the sneaking and making out with Yanyun when you two are not yet married. Girl, you are bold af. I love you. The fact that she still helped her sister after everything she did to her mother, tells me everything about her. I'm just disappointed that they did not properly talk about that incident.

Chen Yanyun knowing his feelings early on, confessing first AND TWICE. Did not pressure my girl but waited and still helped her. A TRUE HUSBAND MATERIAL.

"What about you?" OH MY GOD IF I WAS THERE I WOULD'VE FAINTED I WAS SCREAMINGGGGGG
He is so sure and calm, he even helps Yexian even though he knows about his feelings for his wife. My man was secure. They also did a good job of executing his character. Those moments where you can feel his authority behind the screen. When he was staring at his nephew and confronting him in Episode 33. I was scared for Xuanqing tbh. I do love to commend Xuanqing's actor, acting so good his face is pissing me off.

The angst in Episode 33-34. Such a delicious arc. I love how emotional and intense all of it was. I totally get both Jinzhao and Yanyun's sides. My girl needs assurance that Yanyun understands, and Yanyun needs a bit of space not to redirect that anger towards her. My parents. UGHHH THIS SHOULD'VE BEEN A LONGER DRAMA.

Some directions I'd like to point out: Making Jinzhao's family find out that CYY likes her and is involved with her WAS MESSYYYYYYY. I like the court plot where they replaced the kid to get the traitor prince. Also, the villains being good and understanding to their wives is their only redeeming quality. I was surprised Fu Hailian did not take concubines and was okay with not having children. I do believe he was good before but the taste of power clouded his mind.

I also like the ending. Yes, it would've been better if we got a more romantic end. But ending it with a bigger fire when it started with one? Poetic. They should make a season 2 I SWEAR TO GOD I WOULD TUNE IN SO FAST

ALSO!! RUGGED EPISODE 38 CHEN YANYUN SHOULD'VE STAYED LIKE THAT FOR ONE WHOLE EPISODE!!! MISSED OPPORTUNITY I TELL YOU

hopefully we do get a special episode this friday!!!!!!!!!

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Completed
The Scarecrow
0 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

A Diffident Portrayal of Human Manipulation & Deceit!!

Based on the real-life Hwaseong murders, “The Scarecrow” depicts the chilling truths behind a crime that remains unpunished for a long time!!

In most instances, police are depicted as vigilantes who seek justice for victims. But what if the same justice seekers start acting like suspects? “The Scarecrow” instantly pulls us into a small town plagued by a serial killer. He acts like a scarecrow in the midst of fields and specifically targets women wearing stalkings. The police in the small town aren’t intelligent enough to put two & two together and discover that the recurrent crimes are the work of a serial killer. Things get chaotic when Sergeant Kang Tae Ju is transferred to his hometown Kangseng, and he soon realizes that a serial killer is on the hunt. While investigating those cases, he inevitably gets entangled with Cha Si Young, his childhood bully and the current prosecutor. The show becomes a mesh work of mind games as Tae Joo seeks justice for the missing women while Si Young tries to hide the truth and manipulate the situation to his advantage.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2026/05/27/the-scarecrow-series-review/

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Completed
The Princess Royal
1 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Frustrating

Watching this made me forget I like dramas. There was no subtlety, everything had to be spelled out in long, pedantic conversations and inner monologues. The story dragged out with a 'will they won't they' that I very quickly stopped caring about and the acting of the FL felt contrived. It's one of those shows where I actively started rooting for a death just so something interesting would happen. The miscommunication trope was so tiring, the stakes felt underwhelming and undeserved. Maybe if they'd spent more time talking or acting and less time staring at each other the plot might have developed in a more interesting way. It felt like immature storytelling for an immature audience.

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The Scarecrow
0 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Not a Bad Watch, But I Need More Closure

I’ve seen my fair share of dramas based on the Kangseong serial murders, and, although this drama presented a different angle, I was able to predict who the real serial killer was by the second episode, even though the show tried to distract viewers by casting suspicion on several other characters. I guess it’s because I’ve watched similar shows in this genre that it wasn’t too difficult to figure it out.

My favorite part was the moment of vindication when the wrongfully accused character was finally proven innocent. It was heartbreaking to see him lose 30 years of his life, but in the end, he was finally exonerated.

Overall, it was an entertaining watch, but it felt somewhat lacking because I didn’t get the closure I wanted, since those who were supposed to face consequences for their crimes, namely the police officers and prosecutor who were meant to uphold justice, were never punished due to the statute of limitations.

This drama really made me realize how flawed the justice system can be, but also that there are still people willing to go to great lengths to ensure that justice eventually prevails.

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Completed
Love Untangled
0 people found this review helpful
by Kii
23 days ago
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

the story was good but could've been better

love untangled – my first k-movie!
description :
story of a girl who has curly hair and she was not so proud of it and wanted better hair(straight hair) and wanted to get straight hair to impress her crush so, she found out a way where she can fix her hair but how? (the story begins)

opinion : honestly didn't expect it to be much good but it was rlly a nice movie but i think the story could've been more better if it had more things to add but as it was a movie it was enough for it, overall it was (8.5/10) for me
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Completed
Jack & Joker: U Steal My Heart! Special Episode
0 people found this review helpful
by Sun
23 days ago
1 of 1 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 1.5
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

This never happened

Once I recovered from all the emotional damage, I will erase the existance of this episode from my memory forever. I thought "Paradise of Thorns" had given my emotional damage, but this was a whole other story...

WHAT THE ACTUAL FFFFF?
I thought they would maybe tie up some lose plot ends and give some development/back stories to the underdeveloped side characters or just some more quest but with happy JackJoke (yes I went in blind, my fault, I guess), but NOOOOOOO. Who ever thought this was a good idea?
Like you wanna emotional damage me? Sure!!! If it makes sense, I will be devasted for my darlings. But this? Why? The delusion? The wedding? Everybody supporting that shiat after denying him before? Yeah yeah noo... sorry. And then for 1 minute after the credis you tease a season 2 that will probably not even happen? Naaaaaaaaah...
Thanks for 12 episodes of Jack & Joke. I loved them very much. There never was a special epsidoe for them, how sad.

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Completed
Wonderful World
0 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 7.0

Don't judge, just watch

It's a convulated revenge thriller and a melodrama not for the faint hearted ones. A tragic tale of 3 families with one kid each, losing family members and in search of peace within their lives around the fact they were killed unjustly & the perparators show no remorse.

THE leads were fabulous and extremely gut wrenching portrayal of pain. I wish no one can relate to their stories in real life coz it's that PAINFUL.

From writing point of view it was cruel to see the little kid being murdered like that. Honestly too brutal & without a strong reasoning. They could have brought him to a hospital. He was alive.

Second issue was adultery. The story would have worked without it too. She forgave her sister but not her husband.

I watched it for Cha Eun woo & find this one very heartfelt.

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Dropped 1/12
Perfect Crown
9 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
1 of 12 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 1.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 1.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

I can't finish watching perfect crown

Definitely worst drama of 2026 no good scripts and and chemistry, the couple look forced and there facial expression is horrible, this drama is no for me, i try to watch it and fell asleep, don't you thnk is wast of cast? We can't see what we where expecting. And is disappointing, so i don't recommend it at all. Wook seok acting make it worst.
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Completed
When Destiny Brings the Demon
1 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
33 of 33 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Their chemistry could shake the three realms!

What amazing chemistry between the leads! I instantly fell in love with both the ML and FL from the very first episode. This was my first time watching them, and they completely exceeded my expectations. Their acting, emotions, and connection felt so natural and beautiful. I was hooked right away and couldn’t stop watching. Even now, I’m rewatching it again because it’s truly one of the best Xianxia dramas out there. I absolutely loved the leads and their unforgettable characters. 🔥💗
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Completed
Dual Stars
0 people found this review helpful
by estar
23 days ago
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 3.0
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 3.0
Music 2.5
Rewatch Value 1.5

ima be the odd one out

this was ok - nothing to write home about - as the one that carried this to the end - was the actor playing Xu Xinlang.
it took me until ep 3 to start getting interested in the plot/mains, as the acting left a lot to be desired & i get that Jian Mo was an introvert that (maybe) cause of the initial sexual harrasment & almost assault, was more weary then the average introvert. but most of the time he just didn't emote & even at the end (his last declaration of love) was dead faced (for want of a better description) & given everything he & Xu Xinlang had been through - it was ridiculous acting - sorry.

so Xu Xinlang was the one that carried this drama to the end & did much of the heavy lifting throughout - IMO & if this was a Chinese BL i would somehow understand the end product, but given this a Taiwanese BL, my expectation's r higher given the level of acting & production i usually encounter.... the standard's r higher & this fell short on every aspect.

so i don't get others giving this above 5 stars let alone more. this was short & ok for a 1 off, heck i am being too generous giving this 3 stars. the actor playing Jian Mo needs more experience or better direction. the actor playing Xu Xinlang did a better job playing his role & he was more comfortable in the NC scenes. will be happy to see more of him in BL's or anything, but wish better luck to all in their future projects.

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Completed
My Girlfriend Is an Alien
0 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
28 of 28 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 3.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

What a disappointing nonsense

I watched this show because of the high ratings and are now wondering how this mess got such high ratings?
I love rom coms/fantasy comedy genres but I honestly can't tell what this is supposed to be. My rating is strictly based on my opinion of this C drama.
The whole storyline and supposed romance lack even the smallest grain of believablity. Gorgeous, hot, successful CEO and his cute, talented brother both deeply fall in love with a not so attractive, without personality or charm FL who is dumping both guys multiple times during the show. Seriously? Terrible casting for the FL role as her character is childish, ridiculous and stays exactly the same without any character growth or development throughout the whole show. The script writers have created a truly unlikeable messed up, lying, female character who supposedly has superpowers which manifests in one scene as she freeze time and space but in the next scene she is afraid to cross the street. Then with all her strength and superpower, she lets a human tie her up and beat her, etc. Then .. the FL is all over men and is totally and shamelessly turned on,,, and yet.. when it comes to the hugging scenes, she is faking "a deer in a headlight" reaction totally out of what the reaction should be for a romantic encounter. What a terrible performance/acting! The whole thing is ridiculous. The kissing scenes are probably the worst part, they are awful, and fake with the FL open eyes and the close ups make it even worse. The storyline and dialogues are repetitive and boring. The same love you, don't love you, breaking up, making up, now I don't want you, now I do.....on and on and on it goes in a loop. Same exact thing. Even the dialogues are exactly the same in many scenes. Boring and very uncreative. Thank God for fast forwarding.
Music is nice. Wardrobe has some nice pieces but the actors mostly wear the same garments over and over.
It appears that whoever wrote this may never been in a relationship ever and have no idea how to portray a real romantic relationship. Honestly, I consider this drama, (supposed romantic comedy) a huge waste of time and if it wasn't for the talented, hot ML who at least tried to save this mess, I probably wouldn't had the patience to finish this without a total brain freeze. Waste of production budget. And finally, .....we have 21st Century technology and superb special effects technology to portray superpowers in an interesting way, which would have probably saved this production if applied .

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Completed
The Scarecrow
5 people found this review helpful
by Ifa
23 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Everyone Needed Someone to Be Guilty

The Scarecrow feels like the kind of crime thriller that understands the most terrifying thing about violence is not the blood itself, but the memory of it. The way it lingers long after the crime scene is cleaned up. The way it quietly reshapes everyone who came too close. Inspired by true events, the drama moves with the cold patience of an old wound reopening itself. It is less interested in cheap shock value and far more obsessed with guilt, obsession, fear, and the unreliable nature of truth itself.

At the center of the story is Kang Tae Ju, a retired criminal profiler dragged back into a case he thought time had already buried. There is something deeply unsettling about a serial killer demanding the presence of the very man who once hunted him, insisting he will only confess after Tae Ju recounts his story of what happened in 1988 Kangseong City. Then there’s Cha Shi Yeong, an ambitious prosecutor tied to Tae Ju through a fractured relationship that clearly never healed properly. Their dynamic gives the drama its emotional voltage. Every conversation between them feels less like dialogue and more like a courtroom cross examination layered with resentment, guilt, and unresolved history. Nobody fully trusts each other, yet everyone is forced into proximity to catch the scarecrow, even if their reasons for doing so are completely different.

What makes this drama compelling is that it is not really structured like a traditional whodunnit. The mystery matters, but the story is more interested in exposing how flawed, outdated, and deeply frustrating investigations were in late 1980s Korea. The pressure placed on investigators is constant, and you can see how desperation leads to rushed conclusions, violence, and irreversible damage. The parallels to the Hwaseong murder cases are impossible to miss. Countless suspects investigated, innocent people destroyed, reputations buried alongside the truth. The Scarecrow painfully illustrates how institutions meant to protect people can become the very thing that ruins them instead.

Ironically, Kang Tae Ju is a good person but not necessarily a good detective. His tunnel vision becomes one of the most frustrating parts of the series because his desire for justice repeatedly blinds him to other possibilities. Park Hae Soo portrays him brilliantly as a man whose outdated methods and rigid instincts slowly sabotage the very justice he wants to uphold. At the same time, Tae Ju keeps giving Cha Shi Yeong chance after chance, almost relying on old friendship and personal morality to correct itself somehow. That trust becomes increasingly difficult to watch.

Cha Shi Yeong, meanwhile, is probably the most fascinatingly hypocritical character in the drama. Lee Hee Joon captures his instability with frightening precision. Shi Yeong is torn between finding the correct suspect and living up to expectations placed upon him, both professionally and personally. The more pressure mounts, the more he resorts to violence, intimidation, and forced confessions. What makes it worse is how normalized all of it feels within the system around him. Innocent until proven guilty barely exists here. Instead of proper profiling, deduction, or evidence, people are beaten until a confession appears. The realism of it becomes genuinely maddening.

The first half of the drama keeps its grip through uncertainty. The question of who the real killer is hangs over every episode like cigarette smoke trapped inside an interrogation room. Earlier episodes focus heavily on character dynamics, especially the uncomfortable victim bully relationship between Tae Ju and Shi Yeong. At times, it was difficult to watch and I kept wondering whether certain aspects were truly necessary or simply there for additional dramatic weight. Still, their frenemy relationship becomes important to understanding the emotional collapse surrounding the 1988 case. Misunderstandings, fear, regret, and traces of genuine friendship all bleed together until it becomes impossible to separate sincerity from manipulation.

The title itself is clever. A scarecrow is designed to resemble a person without actually being one. Human, but not humane. A decoy pretending to be alive. That symbolism quietly infects the entire narrative because almost everyone in this drama hides behind constructed identities, selective memories, or false certainty. The deeper the investigation goes, the more the line between hunter, witness, and suspect begins dissolving into something morally indistinguishable. Persona non grata everywhere.

The second half expands the story in a way that makes everything feel heavier and far more tragic. Seeing events unfold from different perspectives adds tension while exposing how cruelty exists on both sides of the investigation. Surprisingly, the killer’s evil becomes less terrifying than the hypocrisy of the people chasing him. Different motives, same madness. Watching how far people are willing to go while disregarding the collateral damage left behind becomes one of the drama’s strongest points. Once the killer is revealed, it becomes obvious that the drama intentionally spent episodes misleading viewers through carefully planted clues and assumptions. Looking back, many scenes feel entirely different in retrospect. The timeline jumps between past and present already hint at wrongful prosecutions, so the real mystery becomes less about who committed the murders and more about why the truth was allowed to remain buried for so long.

Seo Ji Hye also delivers one of the most emotionally memorable performances in the series as Kang Sun Yeong. One particular scene in a dimly lit setting stayed with me long after the episode ended because the emotions felt painfully raw and restrained at the same time. Kwak Sun Yeong was equally enjoyable as Seo Ji Won, Tae Ju’s journalist friend, who honestly would have made a far better investigative partner than the endless parade of yes men surrounding him. Tae Ju desperately needed someone willing to challenge his thinking instead of simply following it. Unfortunately, he keeps brushing her off. The unnecessary family drama, however, was one element I could have done without entirely.

What makes The Scarecrow linger is that the narrative is not simply about revisiting an old case. Tae Ju is excavating his own memories along with it. Thirty three years may have passed, but the past here never truly stays buried. It festers. Nietzsche once wrote, “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster,” and this drama feels completely fascinated by that slow moral corrosion. Not through exaggerated theatrics, but through the quiet erosion caused by staring into violence for too long while convincing yourself you remain untouched by it.

By the end, The Scarecrow creates this suffocating late night atmosphere where everyone looks exhausted and every truth arrives carrying collateral damage behind it. The mystery itself matters, but what lingers afterward is the heavier question underneath everything: how much of our identity is built upon the stories we choose to believe about ourselves? The drama understands that truth, especially in old cases, is rarely clean. Trauma distorts memory. Institutions protect themselves. People rewrite history to survive it. Sometimes the scariest possibility is not that the monster escaped justice, but that everyone involved needed the wrong person to be guilty.

The ending itself leans into a kind of realism that is hard to ignore. There is a quiet acceptance that not everything can be fully resolved, especially when time has already done its work. Statutes of limitation, buried truths, and cases that slowly fade out of reach all come into play, leaving behind a sense of justice that feels partial rather than complete. It reflects a reality where justice is often only possible for what can still be fought for, not for what has already been lost to time. In that sense, it feels painfully aligned with real life cases as well, where answers do not always lead to closure, and accountability sometimes arrives too late to matter in the way we expect.

Bleak, intelligent, and deeply atmospheric, The Scarecrow feels less like a conventional thriller and more like being trapped inside a long winter with people who have spent decades lying to themselves. Veritas filia temporis. Truth is the daughter of time. But this drama also suggests that time can make the truth almost impossible to survive.

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Completed
The Scarecrow
3 people found this review helpful
23 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Emotion worked out but Thriller faded away in that emotion

After a long time we got a proper period thriller, especially at a time when the Korean crime thriller genre slowly got pushed back from the mainstream. We already knew this drama was like a bigger version of Memories of Murder, which is one of the greatest Korean films of all time, based on the real-life serial murders by Lee Chun-jae that happened in places like Hwaseong, Gyeonggi from the 1980s to early 1990s. So imagine how much effort the writer and director put into crafting this drama.

Screenwriter Lee Ji-hyun and director Park Joon Woo said, “Our story is not about how the killer got caught or failed to get caught. The system failed to catch him, but we are trying to show how the victims’ families were affected by those crimes.”

Chapter 01 — Story & Screenplay

After the real killer was caught in 2021, writer Lee Ji-hyun met the victims’ families, heard their side of the story, and decided to tell this story from their perspective.

Like the writer said, the story runs between past and present timelines. The original Memories of Murder movie only runs in the 80s timeline, but since the real killer was finally caught in 2021, Lee Ji-hyun carefully crafted the drama between both timelines. She reportedly worked on this story and kept making changes for almost five years, and we can clearly feel that effort in the writing.

One unique aspect of the storytelling is how the story gets narrated through both the killer and the protagonist Park Tae-joo. It’s a smart storytelling choice because from the very first episode the viewers immediately connect to the mystery with the question, “Who is the killer?” After some episodes we can guess who the killer might be, but later we realize that’s not even the main point of the drama. The real focus is on the victims’ families, the police authority, and how this crime emotionally destroyed people around it.

The main conflict of the drama is family emotion. The writer created a fictional family and connected it to the real case. Even though Park Tae-joo is a fictional character, the emotional core of the story runs through him and his family. That layer adds emotional depth, but at the same time it also makes the drama feel like a family melodrama instead of a crime thriller in some portions.

The investigation itself slowly gets sidelined and by the end it simply becomes more of a family story. The emotional layer works, but sometimes it feels overused. Also, director Park Joon Woo reportedly wanted to kill Park Tae-joo’s character at the end, but the writer refused it.

Chapter 02 — Characters & Acting

Like Memories of Murder, this drama also has two dynamic lead characters, but both have completely opposite character arcs. I don’t want to say much more about that.

The drama explores every side of its characters so deeply that our opinions on them keep changing. The subtle psychological emotions of every character feel very real.

Park Hae-soo is the pillar of this drama. His acting goes to another level here. The emotional and psychological depth he portrayed was perfect. There’s one scene where we literally cry along with him.

Another pillar of the drama is Lee Hee-joon. His role is multidimensional and not easy to portray, but actors like Lee Hee-joon make difficult roles look effortless. His performance is almost equal to Park Hae-soo’s and honestly one of the best performances of his career.

Kwak Sun-young, Seo Ji-hye, Song Geon-hee, Jung Moon-sung, and the supporting cast also delivered very grounded and well-settled performances.

Chapter 03 — Technical Aspects

One of the biggest assets of this drama is its production design. The sets, atmosphere, and visuals perfectly take us back to old Korea and make the period setting feel believable.

The cinematography is another major strength. It captures the loneliness and realism of those old days beautifully.

The soundtrack also plays a vital role in elevating the scenes. It feels like they intentionally used instrumental music inspired by the 90s era to keep the soundtrack organic and emotionally immersive throughout the drama.

Chapter 04 — Final Opinion

Korean thrillers are always great, but whether a thriller truly works or not depends on how satisfying the storytelling feels for the viewers. Some thrillers become masterpieces while some fail because of how the story is presented.

I would say The Scarecrow is definitely a good thriller, but not one of the greatest thrillers ever made.

In my opinion, the writer focused more on the fictional family emotions than strengthening the original investigation and crime aspects. The writer already said the intention was to show the victims’ side of the story, but instead of deeply focusing on that point, the drama mostly relies on the protagonist’s fictional family drama.

If those emotional elements were used just as an additional layer, it would have worked better. But when fictional family emotions start overpowering a story inspired by real crimes, it feels slightly disconnected from the original emotional weight of the case.

The investigation arc itself feels weak and underdeveloped. It stops without giving proper closure because the story shifts more into family emotions. For a crime thriller, the investigation procedures needed much more strength and depth.

I enjoyed the drama overall, but something still I felt incomplete by the end.

Still… definitely deserved to be watched

by Shinnosuke Lee

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Completed
Jack & Joker: U Steal My Heart! (Uncut Ver.)
0 people found this review helpful
by Sun
23 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Your actions have consequences... (unless you're filthy rich, of course!)

MY SHAYLAAAAAAAAAAS!!
I don't think I've ever attached to characters so quickly as to Joke and Jack. Like honestly. They're everything to me and they were everything to me from the start. Their slow burn was so well done for me personally and with everything going on around them, just made a lot of sense, too. Their chemistry had me in a chokehold, even when nothing much was happening between them yet. And I was ready to murder everyone who hurt them... If they didn't get their happy ending with their school, I don't know how I'd survived!

The plot was well... The set-up was so interesting, with Joker as the Robin Hood type thief and Jack as the poor kid who gets disappointed by the world again and again and yet never loses his hope and kindness. I think we should've stayed with that more. It would've still worked with the kind of underlying message that your actions have consequences (unless you're rich) they were trying to send. But they threw so many unnecessary layers and absurd games and whatnot on top of it, it just became... a bit non-sensical and deteriated too much from what made it good. It also leaves the side characters underdeveloped for the most part. Still, this show is a good reminder why we should eat the rich, be so frfr. The way they just play with peoples' life without a second though and laugh about it... Disguuuuuuuuuusting!!! I really, really wish they'd leaned more into it (and preferable in an even more serious way) and also the aspects of what greed and (lust for) power does to a person, but well...

I have come to terms with the fact that Thai shows almost always add stupid (and imho not even funny a lot of the times) humour and cannot stay with a serious undertone for too long even if the story demands it. I honestly don't understand why, but well... At this point, I'm just gonna look past it. You get so much emotion in exchange, it is usually worth it. I just wish it wouldn't take away important time from the plot, which it often does. Especially here, where so many plot points suddenly came up and were dropped, but instead we get Jack barking in 5 different dog breeds... What's the point?

The happy ending kinda fell flat for me, I don't know why... Maybe because the plot was all over the place, there were so many lose ends and questions left unanswered, but then boom, all good. Like don't get me wrong, they've earned and deserved it, and I'm so happy for them, but I expected it to hit differntly.
Either way, despite all of that, nobody can ever make me dislike this show just because YinWar (it was my first show of theirs) were amazing and Jack & Joke own my whole heart. (Alsoooo, give me more slow buuurns with this kind of tension, ahhhhh!!)

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