There was an attempt
The beginning was unbelievable boring, it took about halfway through the drama before it started to be "decent" enough. I miss the days when thriller/mystery didn't feel the need to pad itself with side cases to keep viewers attention. I always find this structure to be flawed even when these side cases are slightly related to the main one. In the case of this drama, I would prefer if it was a constant confrontation with the main villain instead of sprinkled hints and tons of flashbacks. Speaking of villains, none of them interested me, was kinda disappointed after 16 episodes of teasing of the masked villain. Low-key kinda like an anime villain. The villain identity felt like a last minute decision instead of a calculated one. The young leads were fine but a bit bland, I would prefer more rigid actors which would suit the drama better.Was this review helpful to you?
Story: 9.5/10
The thing that I love MOST about crime/thriller dramas is the unpredictability and suspense. The ability of a drama to keep me hooked and on edge till the very last minute and let me tell you, Memorist has that.
The story, is complex. I won't sugarcoat this. So complex that if you're not into it by episode 4 or 5, this drama is not for you. What I loved most about it is, the way the pieces from all the cases connected to form ONE GIANT picture and it wasn't totally what I didn't expect, really. And the identity of Eraser which kept me suspecting each and every face on the screen and still, was shook down to my core at his/her real identity when it was revealed in the last episode. In short, this drama had all those things that I want/like in a drama except....except romance. And that's where I won't give it 10/10. Honestly speaking, this drama is a gem without romance in it but a girl can expect, right? I mean, I would've loved something other than very subtle hints (Hey, even if they might not be, I'd take them as such).
Then there's main theme: Punishing the evil by becoming evil. I kinda don't hate our main villain here. I mean, what else are you supposed to do if the government itself is ruled by criminals? But then again, its a strong reminder why governments are formed in the first place. Because regular people are not meant to pass judgements and because justice exists but you need to find it. This, is the main theme.
Characters: 9/10
Okay, I loved the characters and their chemistry is no joke.I'm talking about the avengers, as Captain Goo called themselves, which consist of Captain Goo, Our Dong Baek, Superintendent Han and precious Se Hoon. I swear, these four are the best thing in the entire drama and their friendship is so adorable. We can see how they love each other in their arguments and teasing on the guys' parts. Where I do feel something lacking in the characters, I'd ignore it because its a crime/thriller drama where the story focuses more on the cases than their personal lives. Again, if you're into romance+action then this drama ain't for you.
Acting/Cast: 9/10
Here I'd say something I've been itching to say since I started this. YOO SEUNG HO NEEDS TO KEEP ACTING IN ACTION/CRIME/INVESTIGATION/LAW etc DRAMAS. HE'S MEANT FOR THESE. I've not enjoyed his simple dramas as he's been awesome in action/crime/investigation dramas. He's so badass, I swear. He's WOW. Like, I have no words.
And I've loved Lee Se Young in other dramas of hers but action/thriller was a first of hers that I watched and let me say, she aced the role. Damn, she also needs to work in more such dramas.
Music: 8/10
Originally I look forward to music in such dramas but music in this one wasn't as compelling as I'd expected. It wasn't bad but it wasn't PERFECT either. It just was good.
Re-watch value: 7/10
Dramas such as Memorist are not meant for re-watching because the whole story rides on the mystery that are the killers or the main plot. Once you've seen it all, I suspect any one would want to go back to it again with no suspense or anything to keep them there except for our talented actors and coooool characters.
Conclusion: 9.5/10
I LOVED IT. I loved it enough to ignore a bit of things and here. AND I feel sad on finishing yet another drama of Seung Ho's!! I WANT MORE OF HIS WORK!
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The background story might be the similar to most of the crime-thriller dramas but what makes Memorist special is the element of supernatural powers which keeps us guessing all throughout the drama who the villain actually is. Each time you make a theory, the very next episode throws all that into bin making you ho crazy and invested in the story. The execution of the drama was really made well. And what makes it unique is it stays original to its genre and delivers a convincing, satisfying and real story.
Another major asset of this drama is the perfect casting. Yoo seung ho and lee se young totally rocked. And all the supporting actors also did really well and made us feel connected with them. I've already seen lee se young in doctor john (which is also another gem) and she is really a great actress. What a performance!!! And yoo seung ho, again was perfect as the jerky detective who deals with these bastrads in his own way. And the trio of old man, se hoon and DB totally stole the show. I'll be missing these AVENGERS a lot!!!
So if you're debating on whether to watch or not, no doubt just watch it.. its a rare gem and not to be missed one. Beginning 4 episodes might be slightly a drag but thereafter it takes you on a roller-coaster ride which you'll surely enjoy if you are a fan of crime thrillers.
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This review may contain spoilers
A good crime thriller
I really enjoyed watching this drama though it lacked a way to put things! Acting is great, i really was pleased and equally surprised with satisfaction as both of the leads were my fav and seeing them together was good.As for the story it was really good to some extent i gotta admit it was intriguing and the plot twists in the drama were just another level....it's not something you can predict...i was so curious i ended up pulling an all-nighter for this! If you want to watch you can go for this.
For me i wished there was more of the story on leads like a lil more about their past...just had few glimpses of but it really would have connected it a bit more....and the story was really lagging in between they kept dragging just to simply end things in a hurry and show everything in the last few eps.
Anyways it's a good thriller crime drama no romance at all don't go in expecting!! So yeahh thats it hope you have a great time watching.
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Hope there's a second season
Even though this series was enjoyable to watch I'm being generous with my ratings.The first 10 episodes were awesome but somewhere after the tenth episode the original plot got lost. It went in a whole new direction! The original plot didn't lose it's twist so I don't know why the sudden change happened. The second twist did. It left me scratching my head.
Usually Kdramas lose their focus and starts going in another direction and this was one of them. It made me angry that it did that. Plus the whole reasoning behind why the ML's skills were the way they were was just thrown into the very last episode. The FL to me was just a waste. I don't get why I never like female Korean actresses but I try to like them I do. To me they're just there for looks I guess. I'm not for the looks, I'm for the skills and the FL didn't have it.
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Story:
As mentioned he ML got the superpowers and he used those powers to catch the criminals. Now a question arises why only the police department when he can use his powers in many other ways and this story is revolving around this question. maybe the beginning of the show somehow disturbs you but is you like REmember - then please bear with it for some time as this drama is of the same genre. it is not a typical romantic drama where ML aways try to protect FL. FL herself is a very strong person with the story ideology that she believed in. some parts of drama may disappoint you but most of the parts are well connected and well written. Twists are surprisingly well managed, unlike other thrillers. TBH I am not a Korean thriller fan but this story is a little better than others.
Acting:
Of course, we are aware of both the leads and both are amazing in your job. This is Yoo Seung genre how can he even skip a beat. on the other hand, I feel Yee see Young is getting matured and her acting is now improving. The rest of the cast is doing good and they kept you guessing who is the murderer with their mysterious expressions and there will be a point where you will suspect each character in each episode.
Music:
As it is a thriller so music is not as pleasing as I expected. I guess the only thriller I watched with amazing music is RONDO a Korean-Japanese collaboration ( if you have time must watch it).
Overall:
not so good as I expected not so bad as I thought if you have nothing particular to watch give it a try as Yoo Seung is truly eye candy.
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!! Unpredictable plot , must watch this underrrated masterpiece don't hesitate!!
I will make it simple & short :-♡ unpredictable plot which will make u hooked up to this till the end .
♡ yoo seung hoo & Lee Se-young acting skills will blow your mind .
♡ great team work on both side , here I'm taking about the police team of han su mi & baek dong (ML&FL)
♡ you will think this is the villain but end up getting clueless till the end who the real villain is
♡ each episode is unpredictable like u think u guessed it but u know u are clueless , this is what I loved the most in the plot
Ps : I tried to make it short & didn't included any spoilers . I must say this was the masterpiece for yoo seung hoo acting career . No romance , no music still at its best.
" you can always make a right path to bring justice so choose it wisely "
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Must watch!
It is a great drama with a lot of twist and comedy. No cheesy romance and all fun. I liked how they give depth to each character, and you'll always be asking who's side is this character on. A lot happened but as you watch each episode everything makes sense, it feels as though each episode you're unlocking a surprise and can't get enough of it. A must watch if you're into fun and thrill. Anyways that's it for this review. Hopefully it'll help you decide. Worth your time! *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************~Erick†
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This review may contain spoilers
Carefully scan your memory before choosing the culprit
First of all I like the action thriller mystery genre with supernatural powers but I'm less familiar with South Korean dramas so far. After going through many reviews I give it a try and was hooked up in the story and the acting.Dong Baek is a famous police officer, who has the ability to see people's memories through touch. Along with many fans, he has also many foes and many people who don't want him to touch them. Besides his special ability Dong Baek don't know anything about his childhood past, but can vaguely remember someone is murdering his mother. Han Sun Mi a genius profiler, is the daughter of a man who was murdered by a serial killer who seems to have come back 20 years later.
After the first episodes in which the characters are introduced and the daily life of the police office is displayed, the real story starts with the appearance of a serial killer, who also has a special ability like Dong Baek. He can manipulate memories and because of that he was labeled as the Eraser. Until the end you only see glimpses of him with a mask. Throughout the entire series you are left questioning who you can trust and you can't as you try and figure out who exactly the Eraser is. Almost every episodes the plot twists around and you're constantlly asking yourself who is the real culprit. The direction, screenwriting, editing, connecting plots and events and the entire plot development are really really good and you I almost binge watched the series, since I really want to know, who the culprit is.
I didn't know Yoo Seungho and never saw him in a drama, but after watching this I'm also kind of a fan of him. He plays the main role of Dong Baek really well and I enjoyed the character the most. You can feel all the personal and physical problems he has with his ability, but nevertheless he's a funny and caring character. I like Lee Seyoung and her calm and straight charakter. She displays the genius profiler with her straight rules also in a great way.
The music was also really good and absolutely fitting for the series. I really like the theme songs.
Overall I really like the series and I'll definitely rewatch it again, although the ending felt a bit disappointing.
Especially the not fitting funny last scenes....
But in my opinion this is a must watch and I recommend it to everyone, especially if you like super powers.
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Just read the comment :-)
I want to thank all the staff producing this drama. I think this is one of the best crime and thriller dramas out there. I am happy that I watched it after it aired because I don't think I could wait for the next episode each week. The drama was so intense and there were times where I had to take a break because of how powerful and unpredictable the story was. I advise everybody to watch this drama. You really won't regret it if you like murders and crime involved plots. The actors .. I just can't describe. Yeo seung ho is one of the best male actors. The female lead was also awesome.The music was great too and well matched the scenes.
Overall, I am so happy that I watched this drama.
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relentless justice. my first k-superhero!
(i dont rate rewatch value - neutral)4K
this is as far from the case of the week detective show as i could've expected when i first heard the premise. it's a straight superhero show, and the villain is pretty much the entirety of south korea.
well, the systems that drive south korea.
dong baek's power is damn near a revelation in that sense, cutting through all the noise of politics and media and what have you by forcing him to literally feel the pain of the victims he scans, causing him to act rash and promptly make enemies of pretty much the entire country. 0 f!#k mode. - because they simply can't feel the extreme emotions he feels. how is one individual expected to stay sane when mentally and physically reliving everyone elses horrors day in and out?
the poster of him in fighting stance reflects that ruthless and fun side of the show, where he kicks criminals in the face and does pretty much everything else a cop shouldn't (including using his powers in the first place), tho the bulk of that is only contained in the first few episodes, really. from then on out the tone is generally a lot more serious. you're made to be as angry as him, theres genuine scary moments, and a whole lot of trauma. everyone seems to be corrupt and nothing is quite what it seems. heck.. han su mi, who is his co-star, spends their introductory period suspecting his ass! gun rly pointed at the head.. which makes her huge smile in the closing minutes of the finale that much sweeter.
i felt cozy with this drama early on and it just kept pulling me in closer by the episode. the no-bs dedication to justice is it's heartbeat, and it results in surprisingly varied storytelling, as every element in this thing is freaking aced. where the hacking/surveillance scenes lack any real depth past convenient transition moments, the room it takes place in has so much character you just love to see it. white mechanical keyboards. same for anything. car scenes, lawyer-y scenes, journalism scenes. prosecution stand-offs, the sweet bonding scenes between characters. it's all so organic. *good* prevails in the truest sense since despite him basically being hunted down for most of the show, the people hunting him down (police force, other agencies) all are kinda hesitant from the get to even do so.. which is why they never do lol. it's the small guys teaming up to take down the top that they all know is corrupt. but it happens mostly very subtly.
then the finale comes a long and everything just perfectly clicks into place. simultaneously graceful for the payoff resolve, but also appropriately ruthless to end with the right bite. it lays the heart bare that you heard beating the whole way. only small lil issue being the the very very final like 2 minutes where the radio broadcast and the scene following it almost lowkey undo that sense of uncompromising fairness and justice that prevails truh this whole thing. it's complicated and i won't spoil, but overreaching is overreaching, and it's not like this drama aint aware that good intentions alone don't eliminate the possibility for evil!
it's pretty much perfect other than that, but it did irk me a bit. especially since they could've easily avoided it by just writing in an extra line or two.
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