Starting to watch this because of the interesting premise—and of course, because the leads are my favorites. 11 Epsiodes only. It begins with Yoon Ena (Kim Dami), a high school student who has just come home to find her uncle lying dead in the living room. Her uncle was a police officer.
Kim Hansaem (Son Sukku), a rookie detective, is assigned to handle the case. Ena is in complete shock and can’t remember anything when the police question her. All she finds is a puzzle piece – something that, at the time, seemed meaningless, but she still held onto it. Hansaem suspects her as the killer, but ironically, Ena only trusts him as a detective.
Ten years later, Ena has become a profiler, still haunted by the mystery of her uncle’s death. She continues to keep an eye on Hansaem, believing in him – though he still suspects that she may have killed her own uncle.
Ena still looks like a teenager in an adult’s body, even though she’s a genius and a little unhinged. I think it’s because she’s still in shock from finding her uncle dead and feels guilty for not remembering what happened at home that day. But as a profiler, she’s sharp and capable, and she wraps up her cases well. She has no parents and no real support system, which makes her fragile but also brilliantly unstable in the most fascinating way. To cope, she regularly consults with a trusted psychiatrist, someone who helps her stay grounded while she faces the darkness in others and in herself.
One day, another murder occurs. And after ten years, Ena receives another puzzle piece – one that connects to the original piece she found in her house. It definitely holds meaning regarding her uncle’s death. More murders follow, and each time, Ena receives another puzzle piece. Eventually, Ena, with Hansaem’s help, tries to uncover the meaning behind each puzzle and connect the dots to reveal what really happened in each case.
If you’ve watched KARMA, I think it’s similar—the deaths in this drama are like a chain, each one linked with a deeper meaning. Eventually, you realize—spoiler—they all deserved to die. There are many suspicious moments during the investigation. People around Ena – like her housekeeper, her psychiatrist, their chief, and their staff – can’t be trusted. Ena and Hansaem realize the culprit(s) may be closer than they thought.
I love it. It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun watching a crime thriller. We had Signal, and more recently, Vigilante, Shadow Detective, and maybe Karma.
To be honest, I love the chemistry between Sukku and Dami in this drama. They totally suit each other as a couple, haha—but here, they’re just colleagues. There’s definitely some subtle flirting from Hansaem toward Ena, but that’s about it, and I like it that way. The focus stays on connecting and understanding each piece of the puzzle. When they complete all nine puzzles, they’ll finally know the truth. The ending is kind of expected, but I’m still satisfied with it.
Sukku was once asked to describe this drama in one word. He answered: Fashion. And yes, I think the director didn’t just want to make a gripping, cinematic crime thriller with moody visuals and dark tones, but also something stylish. Ena is truly a fashion icon in this drama, while Hansaem consistently wears his signature coat and beanie. The beanie becomes part of his character – it’s cool! This drama is also visually pleasing and aesthetically well done, in my opinion.
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Pictures: hancinema | Trailer & promotional content by disney+ singapore