The moment I set my eyes on this movie and its synopsis, I knew I wanted to watch it, and soon.
An underdog story about an epic friendship between two individuals who complement each other’s weaknesses with their own strengths? And with Shin Ha Kyun and Lee Kwang Soo starring, no less?
YES PLEASE, SIGN ME UP! 🤩
Gosh, how had I even managed to let this one fly under my radar?
Psst: Links to watch are at the end of the review!
THE SHORT VERDICT:
A tightly written, multi-layered crime thriller that manages to engage both the heart and mind, Beyond Evil lives up to its Best Drama reputation and then some.
Show is amazingly consistent and efficient in its writing; it not only manages to keep episodes compact yet compelling, it also manages to keep up the suspense for its full 16 episodes, which is No Small Deal.
Our cast is very competent all-around, but the stand-outs are undoubtedly Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo, who both put in outstandingly nuanced performances, and who bring equal amounts of skill and presence to the screen. The OST is interesting and well-applied, and adds a good amount of value to lift the watch experience.
Well worth the watch, even if you’re not typically a crime thriller fan.
THE SHORT VERDICT:
A tongue-in-cheek, satirical unveiling of what really happens behind the scenes of our beloved kdramas.
Populated by a large ensemble cast of likable characters, King of Dramas paints a dramatic yet believable picture that is in line with all the BTS drama news that we get off the grapevine.
PPL wars? Check. Scripts delivered to the set in a piecemeal fashion? Check. Madly rushing the final tape to the editing room minutes before the episode is due to broadcast? Check. Such a fascinating peek into the world that doles out to us the dramas on which we subsist.
The show starts out meaty and strong, and even manages to be insanely hysterical at points, buoyed by strong performances and often-cheeky writing. A huge pity, that the ending was more whimper than bang.