The drama to me is more on the bromance/brotherhood. The remember me/you part is not really for the romance arc, rather it's the mystery part.
Its not a perfect thriller romantic drama because I did find myself skipping some parts. The acting is on par. I've always love J Na Ra. She's usually doing cutesy character so her character here as a detective is refreshing. And I have to say I love her hair here. So pretty. And as a detective she wears really sensible shoes (sneakers) unlike a previous HK drama where the detective wears fancy stiletto boots. And hello Chun Hee nice to see him on the small screen. I also enjoy Min character, he was both cute and creepy.
What I did not enjoy. Sometimes the flow seems disjointed. Not sure if it was the editing or what. And I get they try to focus on the cases and the mystery of what happen 20 years ago so didn't have as much Ji An and Lee Hyun moments as I wanted. Lee Hyun character needs some warming up to. He starts off as a smart Aleck, know it all, rude and indifferent person. But as he Butts against Ji An and his story unfolds you do warm up to him. I also have to mention poor Ji An she's been attacked so many times I almost lost count. It's interesting to watch and find out the truth but not typical enjoyment cause it's slightly dark. I won't be rewatchin for sure
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This show is in Mystery Suspense genre and also has some great action scenes along with some romance, But if you are looking for steaming rom com this is not what you are looking for.
Masterfully Shot:-
As soon as I started first episode first thing that was evident was that, this show has some great camera work and high post production effects value. The level of shooting work is on par with mainstream movies.
Story:- Story and set pieces are well written and meticulously crafted, the Godly logic is present in every aspect of the story, nothing feel out of place and every aspect comes together well.
Acting/Cast:- Characters were well designed and thought off. The cast performed very well to support the thought behind the characters, even supporting cast was excellent in portraying their character very well.
Music:- No stand out track was their, but dont take me wrong the music is well designed and well placed in instances to amplify the over all efect.
Overall:- An excellent show in mystery genre and has a bit of romance in between but if your are looking for steaming romance show then this is not the show you are looking for.
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Had Great Thriller Plot Potential but the Romance Ruined it
Where to start with this drama? Plot wise this drama could have been one of the best thrillers but it failed due to....several reasons.Honestly confused on what genre this was supposed to be. It played out like someone created a bad romance and decided to add a thriller aspect to it but it was too complicated of a plot to be kept as a background plot to a romance.
Pros - acting of all the characters besides the FL and ML was phenomenal. Child actors were the stars of this drama. D.O and Park Bo Gum is reason enough for a lot of people to watch this. I heard the Thai version of this drama had less romance so normally I would have gone for that version instead but these actors stopped me ( also, I found out after I nearly finished this drama). I will probably see if that version is better when I can wipe this one from my memory.
The plot - Had an interesting plot that could have been one of the best psychological thrillers if it focused more on why they did it, their lives and their relationships with each other rather than the romance. Very unique.
Cons -
The romance - There I said it - the romance sucked. The FL was one of the worst characters I have ever seen as a lead. The ML wasn't anything special either, but compared to the FL he looked leagues better. First of all, how are we supposed to get behind not only a romance where one of them is an actual stalker ( and not to mention a detective which means she knows everything she was doing was absolutely WRONG) but how are we also supposed to like her as a person, let alone as a romantic partner towards the one she was stalking? And before anyone says something like "well she wanted to know what he knows because of her father" bullshit, I would just like to say that she was a detective who could legally investigate and literally should have approached him and not repeatedly break into his house and follow him around. That literally accomplished nothing. I don't know what's with South Korea and having at least 1 detective being an absolute asshole (usually a male MC) that breaks laws/protocol and is never punished for it, but kudos to having that law breaking detective be a women this time I guess. Plus, the stalking - this must not be scene as a horrible crime in SK because I've scene no less than 3 women in dramas pull these stunts and end up with the guy and apparently no one sees it as a huge breach of privacy? Sorry, I just can't get over that.
The FL - She had no redeemable qualities. Besides stalking, she was a hypocrite and was a badly written 'strong fl' that was actually a damsel in distress. Brags about knowing police academy fighting abilities, yet gets the crap beat out of her after the first episode nearly every other episode and she never even gets a hit in. Tells ML he shouldn't be alone because its dangerous, then proceeds to do everything alone, never calls back-up and talks to people she knows are literal serial killers by herself because why? So she can get almost killed every episode that's why. Does not have one braincell. Please take out the genius detective part in the drama summary because she is dumb as hell.
The ML - He was an ass to genuinely nice people, and liked the one he should have been an ass too. He was bland. Could have been redeemable after he found out about Min - his brother - and was officially reunited because he did get depressed form knowing his brother blamed him, but he wasn't because the PLOT DID NOT FOCUS ON THE RIGHT THINGS! Also, not a genius because he missed a lot of these in front of him for no reason. Hated him for saying he wanted to find his brother like his life depended on him yet didn't do anything to suggest that he actually wanted too. It took murder to get him to finally start looking. If he actually cared he would have searched for him himself rather than depend on his guardian even after he became an adult that could get access to the case materials. He also made his name famous to the point where he would be easily findable, yet, he was never in Korea so how was his brother supposed to approach him even if he became free? For this reason I thought he was poorly written.
The plot - The plot should have focused on why they turned out the way they did (the serial killers) and it should have focused on their relationships with each other. ML found out about his brother too late and barely had any substantial conversations with him, like what it was like for him growing up etc. Tell me why he had more scenes with a girl he only officially met not too long ago than his brother who he supposedly wanted to find for 20 years?
The ending - I never understood why people were complaining that the serial killers got away and "what about justice?". What about it? I understand SK tends to have all their dramas advocate for justice so viewers don't get the wrong idea, but people need to realize that this actually happens. Serial killers are not caught, people help etc, and you can condemn actions but still like the story/character even if realistically you wouldn't. I like American shows for this reason. People don't watch thrillers/crime like Hannibal and go "this drama can only end if he's caught!!" No, viewers are okay with him always being free because its FICTIONAL which why them being free in the end was fine for me. Plus, I did pity them for having childhoods that would contribute to them turning out like that.
However, what I didn't like in the ending was Min. I'm a bit confused on how he is going to be living, and considering no one knew he was a killer (besides the MCs and there's no proof anyways) why did he have to go into hiding? Wasn't it enough for Lee Joon to start over? Why did ML go back to the FL when his brothers situation is unclear? Especially with her wanting Min to pay for his crime, realistically, their relationship wouldn't work bc ML wants to protect his brother while she didn't. That's a pretty significant difference of opinion.
I truly believe this drama could have been an amazing drama if the romance was taken out and it focused the the psychological aspects of the secondary characters and their relationships with each other than the romance and the side killer plots that took up half the drama.
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Oxymoron
So as someone who's OBSESSED with serial killers, I had to watch this. I wanted to know how you could possibly have "comedy" and "serial killer" in the same story, but somehow they pulled it off. From the start I really enjoyed it, even though it was a little shaky in about the first 2 eps but definitely got better. There was just enough fluffy romance to be cute af but not take over the main storyline. The acting was convincing and there's definitely some 'love to hate' characters. There wasn't a bunch of plot twists, which was nice. The story maintained it's consistence even when bringing in new drama/characters. The ending seemed a bit last minute but overall well worth the watch. There's room for another season but I think the creators leave you with a more of a decide for yourself the ending factor. You won't regret seeing Min smile, that's for sure!lolWas this review helpful to you?
The mystery kept the drama going from the beginning and it kept me interested until the end. I kinda already guessed who was who but i was rooting for the other characters to find them on their own.
There were so many intense scenes that i had to cover my face with a pillow at 3 in the morning. The plot totally draws you in,the writers did a good job on being so meticulous with the details,and the kickass cast was AMAZING. I didn't like Seo In Guk in Shopping king Louie but freaking hell,his character in this drama was to die for. I loved him to pieces.
The romance tho...i have to be totally honest,it was a bit dry but i didn't even cared. The writers made the romance subtle and focused more on the thriller part.
Also i have to talk about the bromance,PARK BO GUM,you freaking made me cry. It was so funny to see all the characters mix together.
The ending left me with a couple of questions that i think everyone that've seen the drama knows about it...and it's been 3 years,so a second season it's likely not gonna happen,and that makes me sad. I'll miss the characters.
Definitely it's a must watch. 10/10!!
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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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What can I say, the rest of the drama is pretty solid too. I guess it is never a bad idea to cast Seo In Guk in ANY role. He is an actor who has the skills to portray the inner conflicts Lee Hyun is facing in a believable manner while not coming across as the stereotypical intelligent cold guy. I enjoyed his character a lot during the first ~12 episodes but later found myself a little annoyed by his indecisiveness and the way he slightly opens up to the twisted morality of evil.
Which brings me to Jang Na Ra and her character Cha Ji An. Lovable but unforgiving Cha Ji An. She was my second favourite in the drama. Cha Ji An does not question the line between good and evil, she has always known where it is and she will always know. In my opinion she is the most relatable person in the story (ignoring the weird part about her past that feels out of character) and I loved her to bits.
Of course, both Choi Won Young and Park Bo Gum deserve praise too, as well as the rest of the supporting cast. The acting in "I Remember You" is superb, enabling the drama to live up to my generally high expectations (I don't go easy on bad actors).
The problem I saw with the writing is that it is not very subtle which can be the death for a mystery show. Now, I was pleasantly suprised after two episodes (where I felt every question I originally had was already answered) that "I Remember You" is less about having a mystery than it is about the mind games between Lee Hyun and his nemesis. Both actors shine the most when facing each other. What Do Kyung Soo started in the first episode, is smoothly picked up later on and creates some thrilling plotlines.
Overall, "I Remember You" is a drama I enjoyed a lot. Plotwise it has its weaker moments (I'm still dissatisfied with the ending) and I disagree with some (improper) psychological insight they are trying to give. But then, it is better researched than a lot of other dramas, so there is no real reason to complain here.
Definitely worth watching! Best if you go watch it right now!
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This review may contain spoilers
epic Seo In Guk rewatch timeeeeee
so this is actually my second time watching this - and wowwwwww still amazed by the story and the acting. brillianttttt. the first time I watched this was I think about 2 years ago. I was obsessed with Seo In Guk's face so I binged everything he'd starred in. I remember going into this show with extremely low expectations. why? idk even though it had Jang Nara (literally one of my favorites, she has never let me down) and yet I did not expect much? I was incredibly happy to be proven wrong. It was the first time I was introduced to the amazing that is Park Bo Gum and his incredibly emotive eyes. (I don't know how he does it, but literally I die when he gets sad, like why baby boy.) Also Choi Won Young, really? I'm sorry, but I know some of dem boys be evil but I kind would have loved a spin off of psycho detectives hunting other psychos? because the three of them kind of made the best team ever.I was really impressed with Seo In Guk, the majority of dramas I'd seen him in around the time I'd watched this - they'd been light bubble gum sugar sweet romcoms. so I was kind of bracing myself because I didn't know if he had the range?And honestly he did amazing with this character but I was still hesitant with him playing that older brother role. Even halfway through this show I didn't know how he was going to pull that older brother character but damn if I wasn't wrong again. He and Park Bo Gum really played off each other so well - especially the final reveal. Literal chills.
I am huge on romance and there is definitely romance in here, however it is the minor part of the drama and honestly I wasn't even mad about it because you get CONSUMED by the plot. which is the best way to go for real.
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-Story - The story was riveting. It sucks you in from beginning to end with the main plot and then there is nice little side plots.
The show is heavily based on both morals and the perception of good and bad.
Despite being noted as a romantic thriller, I would say it's a thriller with some romance permeating through. There is no love triangle (although there is few crushes about in my opinion).The romance is slow and is not overbearing so if you were thinking that you don't want to watch a love story with some crime thrown in - this show is perfect.
The ending is well, a little open-ended which allows you I suppose to draw your own conclusions.
-Acting/Cast - I loved the cast choice in this show. I didn't realise this until I finished watching the show however. It was some of the best acting I've seen in East Asian television.
Park Bo-gum and Seo In-guk had great chemistry.
I'm not even going to lie, I struggled to dislike teen Lee Joon-young because he was too handsome, it was distracting. Do Kyung-soo played the part brilliantly.
I liked that Jang Na-ra's character Cha Ji-an was full of heart but she could be a bit of frustrating character. She does come across as a little annoying and reckless at times. I think the writing of her character was little hit and miss because I felt as if she could have been written to be a better detective - she seemed a bit clueless at times to be part of a special investigation team.
-Music - The music was great and I have listened to Remember by Dream Cloud on Youtube on numerous occasions.
-Rewatch - This is has a lot of rewatch value despite myself not every really rewatching a series. This is because there are so many bits towards the end that you do not expect that come together.
-Overall - One of the best East Asian shows I have watched.
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This review may contain spoilers
I marathon-ed this drama and love it to bits. But I'm giving it a 9/10 just bacause it was open-ended and I felt like for this type of drama, if there won't be a second season slated, they should have gave resolution to the JoonHo issue. There is just no closure for everything and nobody paid for their mistakes. Romance is not necessary to make the story exciting. But the bromance between brothers Hyeon and Min is so beautiful. I kinda understand Min's devotion to Hyeon, his hyung has protected and taken care of him like a parent does when they were younger. I kinda wished my sons' relationship is that close.
Although the story arc is about serial killer Joon Ho and Min, I felt like they were not necessarily evil, but they do have a twisted sense of justice. Makes me think of Dexter (from the serial killer US series Dexter), but unlike Dexter who kills evil people just satisfy his nature to kill. Killing is never be justified. It's always wrong. But you will feel a sense of pity for MIn, maybe because Park BoGum acted him so well. I think that if he stayed with his hyung, he wouldn't have turned out as bad as he is. I do feel sorry for Cha JiAn, she was always getting beat up. Anyway, I think 16 episodes are not enough. Ep 1-15 are really great, plot wise, but ep 16 towards the end felt rushed.
****SPOILER****
I was feeling very crappy when I thought Min has died, but I'm glad that he didn't. I would really feel terrible and regretful if he died. Mostly because I think that he has a potential to change. He was not the type of serial killer who kills to satisfy his bloodlust, but someone who takes justice into their hands when they see people who abandoned their children because he thought he was abandoned and left in the clutches, plus brainwashed that his hyung left him. But he did show that he can restrain himself as is the case of the adopted parents who left their adopted son to die in the hands of bullies in one of the episode. And his promise to his hyung not to kill anymore.
****SPOILER****
I think that JoonHo is the catalyst to most of the trauma in Hyeon's life. He made Hyeon's father doubt his son, making him out to be a future psychopath, when even before when he already has suspicions, he never acted on them. But upon Joon Ho's goading, he locked up his son "to protect him and protect the world from him." which is twisted in a way, when all he could have done is talk to his son and guide him and shower him with love and understanding, Meaning, his dad is stupid.
Joon Ho, I think felt the need to belong to a family, that's why he is so obsessed with Min and Hyeon. Thinking of them as his children in his own twisted way, when he was the one who killed their father. Unlike other series with necessary evil, the main antagonists here are not annoying, makes you think about choices and morality.
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The sweetest serial killers ever
This drama was really fun to watch though it may not has kept me on my toes as much as other dramas in this genre it had some pretty sweet moments as well as interesting twists.I love the complexity of the relationships in this drama as well as how they manage to humanize some serial killers making me want to give them a big, big hug instead of dooming them to hell. This drama does a great job in showing how every little choice matters and how lack of responsibility as well as selfish acts though they may seem insignificant may just lead to a whole lot of chaos.
The acting here was flawless Bo Gummy did an amazing job playing a villain that may or may not be a villain so hats of to him!
Seo In Guk did a great job hopping between icicle and sweetheart and the child actors acting was extremely impressive. I would definitely say that the casting for this drama was well thought of. The side characters here where both well casted and had interesting personalities with very few annoying traits.
The couple in this drama is adorable but I felt that their romance did not get the attention it deserved which is one of the reasons for the score not being higher. Another reason i s the ending, since I do not want to spoil it I will just say that it was not to my taste but others may like it. I just found it confusing, and not in a good way (otherwise I do love getting confused). Thought the drama showed the complexity of relations and decisions it barely scratched the surface on the important issues it seemed to try to portray such as child abuse, corruption and bad parenting.
All in all definitely worth watching
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the Best Dramas About Psychopath
I have mixed feeling about I Remember You ending. While I’m glad they didn’t kill Min, I was kinda disappointed with how the writer chose to write the ending. I actually get what the writer trying to do – they didn’t exactly show what is Min’s decision in the end. They just wanted to show to the audiences that he chose to live the rest of his life as his Hyung’s brother rather than hiding like Lee Joon Young. The writer decided to let us do our own interpretation about the ending.But I’m pissed with how they decided to write Cha Ji An in the end. She was actually likable throughout the whole drama until that last talking scene where she becomes manipulative and selfish. What make me mad the most is that she made the decision for Hyeon by asking Min to confess. She just come out from the room where Hyeon cried when he remembered that he is the reason why Min became a psychopath and she, after seeing how heartbroken Hyeon is regarding his brother made THAT DECISION for him to let Min spent the rest of his life in prison. I hate it when she hugs Min and told him ‘It hurts for me to say all these’ but after that use Hyeon to make Min feel guilty. Being manipulative towards the already broken and vulnerable child by using his brother is just dirty imo.
The writer should use Kdramas amnesia cliché for the ending lol. It would make a better ending for everyone. Min waking up not remembering anything and can start his life all over again is actually a much better ending to end a drama like this. :P
But still, this drama is the best drama of 2015. It made me discover the hidden gem that is Park Bo Gum. And I love the fact that how the drama is promoted (or even the posters) is totally different from the actual plot of the drama. I like it when Kdramas give you surprises like this. It’s like only people who actually give this drama a try could understand how truly awesome the drama really is.
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