Heavy and Dark : The end justifies the means..
Can I just say that after watching a lot of crime thriller dramas, this would be the most unique one because of how the narrative of the series was masterfully relayed from start to finish.. This drama is definitely a psychological thriller at its finest.. With its melodramatic and slow burn pacing that will surely enthrall the viewers / audience, you'll get to only understand the whole picture of the plot once you've finished watching it.. And truly, this is worth the watch..The complexity of the characters, how they were introduced in the series as well as their major developments are outstanding..
In addition to that, can I just say that the soundtracks are daebak! (amazing). Each soundtrack fits the characters as well as the theme of the series so well, most especially when we're feeling the emotions being portrayed by the characters.
Although I have to admit that Beyond Evil took me a while to finish because of its slow burn pacing but at the end of the series, I now completely understand the relevance of its pacing... Some viewers may find this drama to be dull or monotonous.. Furthermore, I actually find the twists in the series to be predictable for it did not shook / surprise me that much..
However, Give it a Chance if you're not into the slow burn type of drama.. Each characters in the series had their own time to shine and I find that to be much appreciated.. Also, the interactions of the main characters most especially Lee Dong Shik and Han Joo Won are unforgettable... From start to finish, we get to see the intricacy of their relationship : Their Conflicts and Doubts turning to Trust and Respect for each other.. **applause**
In conclusion, Beyond Evil is one of those unforgettable psychological thriller dramas of 2021 which is definitely on par with Mouse : Both dramas have its unique take on the complexity of the characters and plot.. I highly recommended these shows if you're looking for a heavy and dark plot.. I actually finished watching Beyond Evil first before Mouse then I posted my review for Mouse first before Beyond Evil (lol) and no words can best describe these two series for both of them are really good in their own way...
Indeed, Beyond Evil is a brilliant show in which the end justifies the means...
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This review may contain spoilers
THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN'T BE LEFT FOR THE LAW TO HANDLE
Watching Beyond Evil is the equivalent of being handed a very frayed and old yet warm quilt, sewn together colorful patches and scraps collected from the past. The kind of quilt you wrap around on a cold, rainy day while you read your favorite book or a movie from your childhood, while also slowly picking away at the fraying ends of the quilt until the entire quilt unravels over time and all your left with are the strands of the past. Beyond that, there aren't many words I can use to describe my feelings for this beautiful drama, but I will try my hardest. Also, I did mark this review as containing spoilers but I feel like the ones I do mention are very small and insignificant, and I don't think they give away too much.First, I want to begin talking about the two main leads of this drama, Lee Dong Shik (Shin Ha Kyun) and Han Joo Won (Yeo Jin Goo), because quite frankly, I don't think there would even be a story here to tell without them. At first, they appear to be another iteration of a common dynamic we often see in detective shows: an older detective who is probably been demoted or is considered a loose-cannon, or even both, and then a younger detective who has a strong sense of justice and is perhaps more mild-mannered compared to their partner. In this case, I would say these roles can still be applied to the two main leads of Beyond Evil but also...not quite, only because Beyond Evil really subverts your expectations for these characters and everyone else in the drama, for that matter. Keep in mind that one of the most important messages of Beyond Evil is that everything is not as it seems. Yes, Lee Dong Shik is considered to be the loose cannon of the substation, but at the core of his character is anger: white-hot and unyielding, all because of the injustice he and his family, especially his sister, have gone through. There's also a kindness within him, too, as he tries to prevent anyone else from getting hurt as he and his family did. (I don't want to call Lee Dong Shik the mom-friend but I also do want to call Lee Dong Shik the mom-friend. Sorry.) And yes, Han Joo Won is calculating and cold and seems to be almost willing to do anything for the sake of justice, but his character is slowly unpacked as the show goes on and we see that there is a fear that holds him back from being anything more than emotionally distant.
The relationship, too, between Lee Dong Shik and Han Joo Won is so incredibly important to me; I will be keeping the two of them close to my heart for a while. I think they have the kind of relationship where actions speak louder than words and the fact that they gave up so much for each other, that Lee Dong Shik broke down Han Joo Won's walls in a matter of months just makes me feel so crazy. There was SO much attention to detail given to their relationship, things like the way they addressed each other, physical contact, and how they would parallel or mirror each other's actions. Especially that scene at the end, where it is revealed that Han Joo Won has been spending a lot of time combing through the mountains and other rural areas in search of people with dementia or disabilities who have gotten lost, much like how Lee Dong Shik did before him. POETIC CINEMA. Also, these two had no sense of personal space whatsoever and I love that for them. Despite the biting words and back-handed compliments between them, I think they truly grew to care for each other - I mean, telling someone to 'eat well, sleep well, and poop well' is actually something that can be so intimate - and it was this amount of care that made Beyond Evil so compelling.
Speaking of Han Joo Won, I just want to comment on a few things about his character that will hopefully help me segue into some other things I really want to talk about. For the first four or five episodes, I was really frustrated with him, as I was with a lot of characters in this show *cough cough* Lee Dong Shik *cough cough* but kind of in the way that you get frustrated with a family member or a friend as you're watching them make a stupid decision. Lovingly frustrated. At first, I wasn't really sure what to think of Han Joo Won. He kind of gave off the vibe of [standing-man emoji], and then [standing-man emoji who also gets eggs thrown at him.] Of course, I didn't know that my perception of him was about to be subverted, and for that, I really applaud the writers - I don't like static main characters. And then, of course, there were those moments towards the beginning when Han Joo Won started going around suspecting and accusing everyone, which is when my frustration with him hit its peak. Basically, the first four or five episodes went something like this:
Han Joo Won: I've connected the dots.
Basically Everyone in Manyang: You didn't connect shit.
Han Joo Won: I've connected them.
However, I think the fact that the writer - Kim Soo Jin - chose to have Han Joo Won go around suspecting everyone really connects to another sentiment expressed by the police officers of Manyang, and that is the idea of suspecting everyone in order to no longer suspect them, which really helps to demonstrate how Han Joo Won is able to acclimate to living in a rural area after living in Seoul and is able to make these connections with some of the townspeople and his coworkers. I absolutely love the concept of exploring differences between rural and urban life, and I think this show would have been a whole lot different if it had been set in Seoul instead of Manyang, especially because it really helped to draw in all the characters together.
Another concept/theme of the show I liked was the concept of food. It is one of my deepest beliefs that the action of serving another or making another food is in itself a love language and that it can definitely be used as a metaphor for love. There are so many examples of that here in Beyond Evil that I don't think I even have time to write about them all. There are just so many tender and touching moments where characters are reminding each other to eat well and sleep well and just in general lots of great moments where we can see them taking care of one another (the absolute found family of it all.) Also, I really loved the idea of the characters gathering around the Manyang Butcher Shop in times when they needed each other. (Yoo JaeYi, my beloved.)
Finally, the music and cinematography were both stellar. I loved the colors in this show, and that one scene of the reeds field during the daylight was absolutely breathtaking.
Okay, so, this review got really long. As far as things that I didn't quite like, I will be brief and just say that one particular subplot was not as satisfying for me to watch as everything else in the show, and I wasn't totally happy with how the subplot was wrapped up, but oh well. I don't think it impacted that enjoyment of the show too much.
Obviously, I have lots of thoughts and feelings about Beyond Evil. I will say that this is a show I could easily see myself re-watching again, almost in the same way that you can listen to a family member tell the same story over and over again, a story that is forged with love and sits in the bottom of your belly like a good meal. If you're in the mood for an excellent detective show with unique characters that break the mold and will leave a lasting impression on not only your memory but also your heart, then I definitely recommend giving Beyond Evil a chance.
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A Slow-burn Masterpiece
Beyond Evil captivated me from start to finish. It was as close to perfection as a drama could get and deserves all the Baeksang awards it got and was nominated for.If you are thinking of watching this, please note this is a psychological thriller. It's not a fast-paced, crazy chase to catch a killer or high stakes to save lives. It explores the minds of those left behind in missing cases and the motives that drive people to do evil or morally questionable things. It respects its viewers by not laying out every answer plainly for us to see, rather challenging us to make the connections ourselves. Beyond Evil places the spotlight on its characters, and you learn to appreciate the moments where they focus on each one - it is not a drop in pacing, it is a purposeful insight into the reasons behind their behaviour and how that contributes to the plot.
The directing, cinematography, writing and music all combine to foreshadow events, parallel scenes in previous episodes, and beautifully set the tone. The OST is a real winner here, it's a bit unusual at first (compared to most dramas) but it is really fitting and similar to a film OST where specific soundtracks are written for specific scenes. What are plot holes? You won't find them here, and if you didn't understand something, you weren't paying enough attention (me for real, had to rewind and piece things together a few times which is half of the fun tbh!). Even now after just finishing, I can't wait to rewatch and pick up on all the little hints that I missed on my first watch.
And the acting, oh the acting... The entire cast was amazing, there was no weakness. But Shin Ha Kyun won that Best Actor Baeksang for a reason. I've never seen someone use their face to convey emotions like he does, his eyes were truly a window to Dong Sik's inner turmoil and I was mesmerised by his performance. Even if this drama isn't for you, watch a few of his scenes and you'll understand why he beat out his heavy competition to win.
Now excuse me while I try to get over my post-Beyond Evil sadness. It was truly a masterpiece.
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Why you should watch Beyond Evil
My reviews is going to be short and I'll try to keep it spoiler free because I want people to check it out. This drama has affected my viewer's experience in a big way. I didn't go in with a lot of expectation but that was before I knew who Shin Ha Kyun was. I was aware about Yeo Jin Goo. But all in all had never watched either of their works. AND I have literally discovered these amazing actors in this drama. Is the story complicated like other crime thriller ? No. It isn't. It's easy to follow. But the best part of this drama is exactly that. You'll know exactly why i said this once you start watching.The acting. The leads are obviously phenomenal. But the supporting cast is soo good that they feel like main cast. Emphasis is on every character in this drama. Nobody is left out. Consistent drama. Tightly packed plot. Every action of a character has consequence. It's not shown for shits and giggles. You'll be on the edge of your seat throughout the whole drama. From start to finish. And as a fan of the drama, The direction, the OST, the production. You'll miss out on quality drama if you don't give this a shot.
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Interesting but draggy and a bit predicatable.
For me this series is a 8.5/10.Firstly, seeing Yeo Jin Goo in the cast means, this drama would be worth watching, as he never picks normal scripts, his drama's are always interesting.
Secondly it's my first time watching Shin Ha Kyun, I had no idea who he was, but from the first episode onwards, I am blown away by his acting skills. His acting is phenomenal! Definitely one of the best actors in Korea, and his performance deserves accolades.
Third, it's obviously a thriller, with a plot that spans 21 years back, a small town involved with a lot of central characters, unfortunately for me, a thriller is not a real thriller if the plot is predictable at times. The drama definitely had it's twists but certain key plot points were predictable from very early on, hence the reason why my rating is 8.5 and not higher.
Forth, the strong point of this drama definitely is the unique bromance/relation between Yeo Jin Goo and Shin Ha Kyun's character. This relation is what drives this whole drama and makes this worth watching.
Lastly, the OST! was mind-blowing, kudos to whoever did it, brilliantly placed background music. I usually finish thrillers in 1 or 2 days max, but unfortunately as I found the plot a bit draggy, I took quite a few days of break in-between the episodes.
Definitely worth watching once, for the 2 ML's connection and the superb acting.
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Greed is beyond evil
I started late watching beyond evil because I joined the Vincenzo trend but because I can’t ignore the good reviews about this drama and so I started watching it..At first the storyline was very complicated and it seemed very intense. I was afraid that it might take a wrong turn just like some dramas but as the story progresses the problem zoomed in.
It was just a simple struggle for survival. A mother protecting his son because of her greed for power and it may not seem but it was also out of love. A gangster and a police officer doing everything to feed their greed. A wrongly accused man trying to make out of what’s left. An abandoned son justifying the acts of her mother. A rookie police officer wanting to prove himself..
Beyond evil is a complex yet a very simple story and it’s nicely done.
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This review may contain spoilers
great characters horrible mystery
I was a huge fan of this but after ep12 I was severely disappointed. if this tried to be more like Nobody Knows (ie if they told us "this is the villain(s), it's not a surprise") then this would've been a 10/10 BUT, it's like the writer was desperate to "outsmart" the viewers, they had so many red herrings (which I didn't mind) and worse the never ending twists that were so predictable..now to the spoiler part, there was this scene in The Neighborhood where the 3 guys find a mystery novel that didn't have an ending so they went to the writer and he told them "it's the butler" ie the most obvious not obvious answer, and those 3 didn't like it cuz each of them had their own "villain" and by the end they wrote that all 3 villains killed, so basically long story short that's what happened here
Jin Mook was "the butler", though I do admit till his revelation everything was perfect, he was such an obvious "no way it can't be him" that it was a good "twist" but then things started to get messy
now I never suspected our two mains, and I loved how both were the "anti hero" type, it created a beautiful and unique parring (usually it's good cop/bad cop), and those this drama felt perfect but
we go back to the three idiots and the 4th suspected that we end up with 5 people involved in the murder, and 4 atleast personally hurt her, that's TOO MUCH. and zero twist. from the start DongWon kept mentioning all villager names saying who is is it all, and it was all.....
one hurt her, one hit her with his car, another hit her with his car (how many drunk drivers do they need) and the 4th finished it off while the 5th made her son think he killed her while she knew the 1st person was the evil guy...
soo, where did it go wrong? making Joo Won's dad involved so he has a breakdown? making Dong Shik's closest friends involved? killing his sister, "niece" and boss?
I say all of the above. maybe not much of the last part, they had a serial killer, a corrupt cop, a business dude and a politician... and they always had to go out and eat together while nagging on and on and on...
in Nobody Knows there was the big rich evil guy and his minions and it was such a great show. sometimes the chase is better than the revelation
so basically, the writer gets a -10 and the actors saved this drama, I also loved the ost and I never rewatch stuff
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Story line is just a lit i can't wait for the next episode
This is something i really wanted to see ❤️because i m bored with love triangle n all stuff so finally this drama gives me goosebumps🔥🔥💣 and i m really enjoying this drama and the leads are just killing it 🔥🔥🔥 so i suggest this drama to everyone who really want some thrill and want something different i really love thriller suspense so i approach this drama and i am really really curious about this drama my words can't explain i love this drama ❤️This is something i really wanted to see ❤️because i m bored with love triangle n all stuff so finally this drama gives me goosebumps🔥🔥💣 and i m really enjoying this drama and the leads are just killing it 🔥🔥🔥 so i suggest this drama to everyone who really want some thrill and want something different i really love thriller suspense so i approach this drama and i am really really curious about this drama my words can't explain i love this drama ❤️
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A thriller that didn't feels like a thriller
I read the reviews before watching this and i was expecting a masterpiece but this wasn't even close to be one.The first part of the drama wasn't that bad but the second part was so slow, predictable and it gets boring. It has very little suspense, we could discover and imagine what happened already in the first episodes and for the remaining 6 episodes we were basically waiting for them to discover and arrest the villains, it didn't feels like a thriller.
Dongshik's character's was good, i loved that he was unpredictable and creepy sometimes.
Jungje was my favorite and he was the most interesting character, you will probably hate him at first but trust me you will root for him in the end.
Jihoon was so cute and lovely, i wished they could 've write him as a more interesting character to know better in the second part of the drama but at least he was a breath of fresh air during the boring and unnecessary long episodes.
I liked Jaeyi, she was pretty and caring but her character wasn't that special for me, especially the unnecessary interaction with Joo Won? I don't know how to explain this but they made it look like there might be something between them, i'm not a fan of romance in crime drama but maybe it would've made things less slow and boring in this case.
Special mention to Changjin that was the only villain that caught a little bit of my attention.
I couldn't see the big family they were bragging about, they didn't look like they cared for each other at all.
Same for the bromance i had high expectations for it but the main leads kept pointing fingers at each other and arguing for basically 15 episodes with some little glimpses of affection in the last one.
The city was deserted and it was really weird and the others cops have been very forgettable for me.
The ost was good same for the acting but i really can't understand all the people saying it was a masterpiece.
The plot was weak, it was predictable and didn't have suspense, the villains weren't that good (usually they are my favorites), one of the main lead was annoying and had a little character development only in the very last episodes. It should have had no more than 10 episodes in my opinion.
If you want a good dark, psychological and super intriguing thriller that keeps you on the edge then this is not for you.
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I have no strong opinions. You won't hate it. You might not love it.
I didn't enjoy this as much as the community seemed to but they set a really high bar. Nothing bad to say about the acting. Everyone was top-notch and deserves the accolades. Should have been shorter, the storyline could've been tighter and there were a few 'mr screenwriter i see what you're trying to do but im not buying it.' subplots but overall i gave it a 9. You won't feel you wasted time seeing it through.I feel bad. I felt like i had clocked this ending by episode 7-8 and spent the rest of it waiting for the twist that never came.
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This review may contain spoilers
Accidental queerbait happy times for every one
Beyond Evil is a compelling thriller, aptly once described as a combination of Hannibal and Sherlock. Which feels like a very good description. In BE the two main characters creep you out - they both are suspicious as hell in the beginning and you're also getting gaslit into thinking they're murderers. Rather than Hannibal where the murderer gaslights the detective into believing he's innocent and then frames him in BE both detectives manipulate each other into believing the other one is a murderer - or rather, they let the other one think it in order to achieve their own goals.Lee Dongsik whose sister had been killed 20 years ago is working in the police to catch the murderer and bring justice to victims of similar crimes. Of course his best idea of doing this is incredibly fucked up and an incredibly dangerous plan to incriminate the actual murderer and force him into revealing himself and enough evidence to get himself arrested. He knows the law well - if there's no body, there's no case. On the other hand young(er) Han Juwon, the son of the next police general comissioner, is convinced Lee Dongsik is guilty and killed his sister and all the other victims. And his primary drive here has also become guilt because by inducing a sting operation on his own, he had caused the death of one of the victims. They both find out each other's secrets and dig around for evidence and their relationship goes from Han Juwon suspecting Lee Dongsik to the horrible realization that Han Juwon's own father is the one guilty for the death and disappearance of Lee Dongsik's sister 20 years ago. Han Juwon then decides to abandon all his usual strategies and incriminate his father at any cost.
But that's enough about the plot. The obvious elephant in the room is the tension between the two leads. In not giving either of the male leads a female love interest (as k-dramas love to do) and making the whole series about their relationship, an accidental queerbait was created. And was it delicious to watch. Now don't get me wrong - I, like any other respectable gay, like to watch explicitly gay stuff. Queerbait is like... so 2012 and yet it's so rare to see between two main characters with no other romance obstructing it in Korean media that I'm actually happy. If this means that Korea is catching up to these trends in western shows, in a few years we might actually get high-production dramas with gay main characters. Maybe even a kiss. Let me dream. Also there's something so delicious about queerbaits where the "will they won't they" makes you wonder until the last moment.
There's an easy explanation as to how they accidentally made it gay. I'm sure that by making the two main characters be 12? 13? years apart in age they thought the vibe we get from them would be more of a "son-father" thing... I mean they really underestimated the hype for DILFs. Plus the age difference is really not that much considering Han Juwon is almost 30 years old.
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The Perfect Thriller
Do you like mystery and psychological thriller? Then welcome, sit down and enjoy the story of this mysterious village where a serial killer strikes.Beyond Evil never disappointed me, every episode pushed me to the edge of my seat. In the beginning, we kinda suspect every character because all of them are so mysterious and suspicious. They all got secrets and step after step we start to unravel the goal of each one of them. The dynamics of the main leads is like a mouse and a cat, they hate each other but can't be separate.
They have such chemistry together that's so good we can't remove our eyes from them. Every time they talk, we notice the closeness of their body, their sharping eyes looking at each other, the teasing and both have the goals to have to upper hand at the end of the conversation. But at the same time, the flow of their conversation is always deep and meaningful.
I truly believe that they play better together as a duo than most of the mains of rom-com dramas. They are both in equation even though they'll never admit it. Every episode kinda leaves you dumbfounded, you’ll ask what did you miss? Who's the monster between them?
It's a very well written drama, the screenwriters made a great choice to not tell right away everything but to leave the viewers made up their theories.
They’ve written the character in a realistic way that no one would find grace or sympathy in your eyes. No more perfect mains lead with a hero complex! Nope!
Every dialogue and micro expression of the characters is very important, you have to pay attention otherwise you’ll end up lost.
I started the drama because of Shin Ha Kyun and what a wonderful performance he gave me! Both him and Yeo Jin Goo played their characters like a perfect symphony and they carry the drama to another dimension.
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