Hello Monster (2015)

I am not one to use the phrase "kept me on the edge of my seat" since that's not my style, but this one sure did keep me on the edge of my seat, and I am not complaining.

I will start from the plot: it made me doubt most of the characters' motives, even when they seemed "obvious". The writer successfully weaved the story so that at one point or another, the main characters' stories coincided. The progress of the story is satisfying, with well-timed revelations that moved on to a stronger build up without losing the viewers' interest - well, at least mine. The one aspect that I loved was the tangible tension between the characters; they know who the other is, but they face each other, talk among themselves and drop subtle hints for the one harbouring suspicion. Many felt unsatisfied by the last episodes, including me, but leaving things open-ended is the right way. The characters deserved closure, after all they went through.

The characters had many sides to them. No back story is meant to be an apologetic defense for their crimes, and this is what I call being grey. The writer(s) was not trying too hard, which is admirable. You are made to understand how a range of circumstances out of your control can influence your decisions, the good and the ugly. The questions Lee Joo-Young asked his psychologist made you ponder - exactly what is so wrong about hurting others? I found myself sympathizing with the serial killers: in their own twisted way, were they not restoring justice that many were deprived of? You cannot truly despise someone here, but it did not steal my want for justice either. The one thing I find a little irksome is the writer's decision to dumb down other characters to show Lee Hyun's genius - they did not have to do that. But then, it is easier to see some things in third person perspective sometimes. Cha Ji-An especially struck me as written off a little clueless, but later I understood she really is smart - she understood Lee Hyun's dread without his voicing it; she put clues together with small hints; she was emotionally aware, something I admire in people.

The acting was excellent. Park Bo-Gum, Do Kyungsoo (although only a cameo role) and Choi Won-Young enraptured me with their performance. Of course, Jang Nara and Seo Inguk are worth mentioning, but the roles the first three had to play were, in my opinion, a more complex. These actors embodied their roles perfectly: Kyungsoo's line delivery, Bo-gum's slight shifts in empressions, and Won-Young's performance that confused most of us (in a good way). Seo Inguk was the perfect fit for a frustrating genius while Jang Na-ra showed us a determined, strong woman - not the ideal strong, but the relatable one. I honestly think these actors, including the supporting ones, carried the drama. One has to applaud.

The brotherhood was one of the major the driving forces of this drama. It was so bittersweet and well done. Many have elaborated on that so I won't do so. I will move to the unpopular relationship (judging by the comments): I loved the ML and the FL together. Many felt Cha Ji-An was an unnecessary character, but, honestly, had it not been for her, Lee Hyun would not have the stability he needed to come to terms to his identity. Jung Sun-Ho was too confused to have been Lee Hyun's rock. Which leads me to another point: the romantic relationship was not overdone, and was based upon mutual understanding and strength more so than chemistry that k-dramas usually rely upon; the trust and love towards each other was gradual, believable, and sweet. The small moments were endearing and made me root for the two until the end. Much of the character development Lee Hyun went through was by understanding Cha Ji-An's struggles, along with other realisations I will not mention.

The music was beautiful, if we talk about the OSTs. The first one was a tear-jerker (they always placed it on the right time), and the second one was befitting for the ML and FL. But sometimes, during the softer moments, the music switched to a more upbeat quality, stealing the vibe of the overall episode. A gentler tone would have worked better.

The rewatch value is strong in this one. I know all the twists and turns, but the beauty of the relationships and the outstanding performance of the actors make me miss the drama. I am sure I will watch it again in a few weeks.

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Very edge of the seat, fast paced and entertaining

9/10 is my rating. Also known as "I Remember You" is a 2015 South Korean drama with 16, 60 minute, episodes. Profiler Lee Hyun (Seo In-guk;Park Bo-gum) after a case he receives triggers a memory he thought long buried in the past. Detective Cha-Ji-an (Jang Na-ra) has never stopped investigating Lee Hyun as she knows that his brother disappeared and his father were murdered
and that Lee Joon Young (Do Kyungsoo), a criminal, was somehow involved. Things are not quite as they seem and the tangle seems to gain twists and turns even as they unravel it.

Spoiler ? I really liked this and it kept me engaged the whole way through. I am a big fan of the crime genre so this appealed to that interest of mine. I also like psychological thrillers and romances and it had all those elements. There were multiple serial killers and they really explore the nature versus nurture psychological concepts which I found very intriguing. I would have rated this even higher but the ending was just a tiny bit softer than I like it. Just being extremely picky but there were some elements that seemed as if it was being left open for additional episodes or even another season. But it ended well - just not with all aspects completely tied up. Some do not mind that at all so it will not diminish at all for those that like to have some pieces to ponder. It was very well acted as I have come to expect from the two leads. Their romance was "cute", heart warming and believable. I liked the interplay of the "team" that was built to track the killers. Parts were predictable but not in a bad way. But there were also a fair number of surprises. It is a great drama that I highly recommend.

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What makes a monster? Who defines what a monster is?

"Hello Monster" or "I Remember You" is not only one of my favorite kdramas but one of my favorite shows period, of any genre or country. I went into this with little knowledge or expectations- from the description of being a psychological thriller, I expected a show like "Train"- which is also very good but has a much darker tone. Instead, this show began as primarily fun, quirky, and exciting. The music, style, and pace initially reminded me of "Sherlock". It definitely delves into some darker content but overall maintains this mood. To me it was a perfect mix of touching, funny, dark, emotional, and exciting. It also raises a lot of questions about nature vs nurture, intentions vs actions, the line between good and evil, and the good and bad in all of us...it was very thought-provoking and provided few easy or "right" answers.

What really makes this drama special is the characters. The characters are layered, complex, and really fleshed out. The male lead is quite similar to Sherlock Holmes on a surface level; but once we get to know him and the other characters, we see how they struggle with the light vs darkness within. I also really loved the female lead- she's smart, persistent, awkward, reckless, and compassionate. The villains are amazing- some shows and movies provide a bit of a viewpoint from the villain, so we can understand why they do what they do- but I've never seen it done to this extent. This show makes you love all the characters, even the ones that you shouldn't love. The good characters are capable of evil, and the villains are capable of good. This show really goes into their motivations and psyches and makes each person relatable.

The acting was really great. The antagonists were dangerous and scary one moment- they literally sent chills down my spine- and relatable and fun the next moment. This was my first Seo In Guk drama and now I'm a big fan of his. While all the acting was amazing I especially wanted to comment on Park Bo Gum and DO Kyungsoo, who were only 22 years old at the time but totally matched the acting level of their more experienced costars. Park Bo Gum convincingly exuded the maturity required to play an aloof lawyer while DO excelled too (I won't say what type of role he played even though it's revealed in the first episode).

I would definitely recommend this show to pretty much anyone. While intense, it's not scary or violent. I've heard some different opinions about the ending, but I thought it was perfect. This is one of my very top shows now and it'll take a long time to get over these characters that I grew to love.

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Decided to write a review for this after watching it many years ago, so I guess I’ll keep it brief. This was one of my first Asian mystery thrillers I completed, and at the time, I thought it was well done ("smart writing with a lot of suspense and mystery" were the exact comments I left in the notes). However, looking back at it now after watching better dramas in this genre, I have to say this was not the best. I think it’s still good for beginners getting into the genre since it's not as intense and can be easily followed. Also, this was labeled as having a strong FL, but that was not the case... she was extremely weak and did absolutely nothing to advance the plot except to make googly eyes at the ML who was nothing but rude to her. The only interesting thing was the whole brother concept, but even that could have been executed better. Doh Kyung Soo (D.O.) as the killer scared the crap out of me, and for the longest time, I couldn't look at him without thinking he was psychotic. I thought he played the role extremely well. The ending was meh; I would've given it a higher score if it were different. Overall, I'd suggest this drama to beginners who prefer a lighter and less intense introduction to the genre.

(Completed: 2016)

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If your ears are sensitive beware of the music!

I just finished watching this and I will say this is why I like Korean crime dramas as well as the action dramas. I'm not big on the romance aspect so when I saw that there was some romance in this I was hoping that it wasn't the cliche romances that Korean dramas have. It was but it wasn't overly done-thank goodness!

To me some episodes were slow so at times I took a break from watching but sometime after the sixth episode I found myself binging.

I'm American who sucks at names and the characters names in this series had me so confused because there were too many Lees in this. Even the main character played Lee somebody. So whenever they said something about a Lee I had to try to remember who they were talking about.

I will try not to give away what the series was about but my favorite character was Min Sung Wook who played Son Myung Woo. I don't know how this series would've made it if it wasn't for him. My second was Choi Deok Moon who played the friend. Yes, people I'm copying and pasting these names as we speak. The team leader-Lee Chun Hee seemed like he shouldn't have played that character. I thought team leaders had strong leadership skills but his skills seemed so lack luster that I wondered why they made him a team leader.
The first bad guy-Do Kyung Soo-played his role exceptionally well. I was shocked they didn't keep him as the main bad guy. The second guy who played as the first bad guy had me at a meh.
The little kid who played young Min was just too adorable for words!

I loved the brotherly banter as well.

Throughout the series I figured out some scenarios before it was revealed which I felt the writer didn't do well in trying to keep the mystery going. Also there were some things that were left unfinished. I hate that!


The chemistry between the whole specials team unit was what made me binge. I love crime dramas like this because everybody is treated as equals.
I'm never a fan of female Korean actresses because of how they're portrayed but I liked the female officer.

The music-oy....I had to mute the volume on a few occasion because some of the songs came in at times that made the scenes seem cheesy at best. Plus there were times when the tones became severely high pitched. My ears have become sensitive to loud noises and this one almost did me in.

Once again Korea struggled with the last episode. It left me speaking like when a Korean actor gets confused in a scene. It was all over the place. Sometimes they just need to end the series at 15 episodes because the last episode is always a downer.

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love with MLS

story__________ is__________ new
leads___________ are______________ amazing
there__________ is _______a____ many______________ conspiracy
I_______________ wish ______________there __________would __________be___________ a_____________ season 2
ACTINGS ___________________ARE______________ALSO_______________AMAZING
MUSICS _______________ ARE _________________NICE__________
I____________have_________________watch__________________3-4___________________times
you ____________________won't_____________________find____________any ____________age ______________diffrence__________b/w ____________leads

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APARECIDA BARÃO

Terminei de assistir hoje, adorei a série. A atuação do elenco realmente impecável, a música belissíma e emocionante, me emocionei diversas vezes e fui as lágrimas. Só uma duvida persiste em minha cabeça, qual a escolha do personagem do Bo Gun. O que realmente ele escolheu, pagar por seus crimes e viver ao lado do irmão, ou assumir uma nova identidade e começar uma nova vida, mesmo tendo de separar-se defitivamente do irmão que ele tanto ama. Sinceramente fiquei em dúvida com relação ao final desse personagem. Então se alguém entendeu melhor que eu, poderia por favor me explicar.

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When your heart cries for a psychopath, the writers have done a good job !!!

Far beyond the thriller and profiling, Hello Monster is the story of a journey undertaken by two brothers to find each other against the backdrop of a police investigation, to ultimately remember their past and take the time to forge a bond that may be ephemeral but is so emotionally powerful.
All along the viewing, I kept asking myself this question: Are we born psychopaths or do we become them? And a sentence in the drama came back to my mind: Evil hide in a normal person. To act like a normal person, there must have been mimicry so we know what is negative or positive right? To be honest, I don't have the answer to my question. What I have learned though is that no matter what path we follow, we will at some point face the consequences of our actions.
What I like about this drama:
Park Bo Gum's very cold and at the same time very vulnerable acting as Min, he is the one who impressed me the most, an ethereal and cold beauty with an unhappiness that has been eating away at him all his life.
Cha Ji Ahn, the female lead, is straightforward in her words and actions.
I like Lee Hyeon's Cartesian mind. I like how he solves the puzzle of his past and relates it to his present. I like his notion of guilt without it becoming maudlin.
The story doesn't push us to any unnecessary twists and turns in the search for the truth and the criminals. The investigations are linear without frills and above all rational. Sometimes simplicity is the best possible plot.
What I don't like:
I understand the point of the romance but in the end even without the story would have been fine.
I recommend the drama and the OST, it's just perfect.
So far I haven't given it a 10/10 for a drama but this one is almost perfect for me so a well deserved 9.8/10.

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This is good but not great. The story is interesting enough, serial killer dramas are always interesting. Examining what makes people good or bad and why some people kill and how serial killers are made is something society in general is interested in. My issue isn't so much with the story or the acting, but the justification of the serial killers. (And there seemed to be an inordinate amount of serial killers around these people.) It felt as if we were being lead to have pity and understanding for the bad guys. The question of whether serial killers are born or made was asked at a basic level. They could have gone a lot creepier. But because it didn't go darker it made it a little easier to watch but possibly a smidge less interesting. It was a bit boring to me in places and didn't necessarily keep me desperate for more. But it was engaging.

The acting was a mixed bag. Seo In Guk did a great job of portraying realistic growth. His character is cold, intelligent, and brutally arrogant. The love story is very small but it seems an important part to the development of the ML's character. At first, the one-sided love of the FL is a little painful and a lot awkward. It's obvious that Lee Hyun has no feelings for Cha Ji An. I wasn't sure how it was going to develop but before I knew it I believed in the romantic relationship. Jang Na Ra did fine as Cha Ji An, she didn't blow it out of the water but she didn't stink up the joint either. Ironically, the creepiest and best portrayal for me was D.O. as Lee Jun Yung. I've only seen him in 100 Days My Prince and I hated it. But this was the perfect role for his stoic and handsome face. He was so creepy and completely believable as a psychopath. Choi Won Young's character is more pathetic and way less scary than D.O.'s which is a bit of a bummer. I'm not sure if that was a director's decision or the actor's choice. Between the two, I preferred D.O.'s characterization. Choi Won Young's facial expressions had me rolling and I don't think I was supposed to be laughing.

Music was meh. I don't remember it and I just watched it so neither good nor bad.

People are hating on the ending but it seemed like they were leaving it open for a second season. But since there hasn't been one yet, it feels like a nod to the end of Silence of the Lambs but less creepy. The ending wasn't really a problem for me; it seemed to suite the attitude of the show in general towards the bad guys.

It was enjoyable and I don't regret watching it but it isn't one that you have to go watch right now.

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I am a complete sucker for any crime/investigation dramas that has a Sherlock Holmes vibe in it and the moment the first few minutes into the first episode, the vibe it gave me was exactly that, I was immediately hooked! Safe to say that the rest of the episodes towards the conclusion gave me the same chills and excitement as when I first began watching it. The writing of each episode is incredible as they give us cases that eventually connect to the arc of the main story, so in terms of the consistency and quality of the story, this is very enthralling. Another drama that successfully deploys this method is Voice, and I haven't actually watched that many crime thrillers yet.

Seo In Guk (Lee Hyun) who carried this show as the genius criminal profiler who as I have mentioned above, gives off that Sherlock Holmes super smexy vibe is just way too irresistible for me, and I was actually devouring him way past this drama ended. This was the first drama of him ever that I watched, and although I read he had a hard time filming this, his acting looks for the most part very natural as if the character was written exactly for him. Some people say that the character of Cha Ji An (played by Jang Na Ra) was annoying and stalker-ish for the most part, but I actually wasn't bothered by her in a bit because when the two leads work together, their opposite characters and chemistry obviously blended well. Lee Hyun is someone who's really ice cold on the outside, so it makes sense that only a woman who doesn't really pay attention to personal space can break the ice with him. She also has a quiet emotional strength which complemented Lee Hyun's rational intelligence a lot. Park Bo Gum was exceptional in his role as the shady lawyer, as well as the actor who played the psychopath. I also enjoyed every moment of bickering between the detective team members.

The music was fantastic and I particularly loved the OST played in the background of the two brothers scenes. It accentuates the tragedy and longing that both of them have for each other.

Rewatch value for this is a perfect 10 for me because I have already watched this thrice, and if not for anything else definitely for the bromance.

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