I was ready to take a break from watching epic melodramatic KDramas, and decided to watch a shorter series instead. That's how I stumbled upon "Liar Game". I did hear of the story already, but never read/watched it, so I really had no expectations. After all the hype, I was not disappointed, which shows that a KDrama doesn't have to be 20 episodes long to tell a compelling story. I loved the premise, a reality game show about greed with a psychological twist, which was definitely intriguing. Plus the opening scene is filled with suspense, and made me like Lee Sang Yoon from the start. If you like clever scenarios, and brain teasers, this is the perfect drama for you. In fact, most of the episodes focus on the game, various "what would you do" scenarios, and examines how the contestants play it, but there is also a general plot for those less into the game itself. The story really revolves around Nam Da Jung, a super gullible girl with a selfless heart. Kim So Eun does a great job of playing her without making her too frustrating to watch (which was hard because I hate doormat characters). She's wide eyed, and trusting to a fault, which is the perfect opposite to Lee Sang Yoon as Ha Woo Jin. Woo jin is more my style, incredibly clever, and not easily fooled. They had a great chemistry as partners, but don't get too excited about any real romance, because it's not that kind of drama. The supporting cast is filled with memorable characters who you may love one episode and hate the next (then love again lol). All the characters are meant to be archetypal, but some minor characters came across a little too stereotypical, which is why I gave the cast a 9 out of 10. The star of this show, to me, is definitely Shin Sung Rok. He is a perfect villain, the kind I secretly root for. His expressions creeped me out without being campy. He was realistically diabolical, which made him even scarier. He was my absolute favorite character, and I think he had the best story. Anyone who liked "You Who Came from the Stars" should know that he knows how to play duplicitous bad guys VERY well. Aside from watching the game progress, which is exciting, there is the story of the characters chosen to participate, and this is where the show lost some points with me. This drama really knew how to build up my interest, but by the end I knew the supposed reason behind the contestants being there, and why the game existed, yet I wasn't too impressed with the answer (all of THAT because of THAT? Really??!). This made me start to lose interest as the show went on, and underwhelming secrets were revealed. If it was the usual 18 episodes I may have even dropped it. Still I liked the characters and the game dynamics enough to keep watching. The length also makes me more likely to rewatch, to see if I'd feel differently the 2nd time, or if I missed something in the first viewing. Overall, I would recommend "Liar Game" to people like me who may need a break from the heart tugging "feels" type of drama for something a little more "left-brain" friendly. I know I picked apart the plot, but there are more than enough things that worked well to make this show worth watching. The end also seemed to hint at a possible second season, and if I told you I'm not interested at all in watching it (even with Lee Sang Yoon's terrible hair choice), I'd be lying.