It’s fair to say that Psychopath Diary is perhaps one of the few Korean dramas out there which actually dares to tackle a genre not often seen in South-Korea called “ Dark Comedy”. Naturally this isn’t a theme which interests everyone out there, however, Psychopath Diary is outrageously funny and equally morbid within its tackling of our Male lead Yook Dong-Sik ( Yoon Shi Yoon ) believing he is a psychopath over the course of the drama.


When viewers are first introduced to Dong- Sik, he is an unlikely male lead. Although respectfully Shi Yoon has taken on some quite suave roles as the “leading”man in dramas such as Hit The Top and My Cute Guys, his drab outfits and curly perm help him to blend into the role as the “ everyday” and “ meek” office worker by appearing in his role as Yook Dong-Sik.

To put it into simple words, Dong- Sik is the embodiment of a “ scapegoat” and a “ loser” ( at least in the beginning of the series); a “ nuisance” to his colleagues and family ( particularly his austere father), depressed and someone who certainly wouldn’t even say boo to a ghost. Ironically his fate changes when a failed suicide attempt leads to him developing retrograde amnesia in the same sight when a serial killer ( Park Sung hoon) left behind his own diary after a murder around the same time . By being given the diary which is mistakingly believed to “ belong” to Dong- Sik, he is ironically led into believing he is a ruthless psychopath.

As you can imagine, this leads to a series of many misunderstandings and dark humour within scenes from Dong- Sik trying to “ remember” his talents by watching a bunch of serial killer movies ( such as American Psycho) to miserably failing at remembering how to lie out some coverings to cover up blood when he attempts to carry out one of his plans. However, as the series progresses, there’s also an added level of surprising progression around some of our characters in particular with our female lead and Police Officer Shim Bo- Kung ( Jung In- Sun) not as a romantic interest, but an intelligent cop in her own right with quite a heartbreaking revelation about her family life , as well of course , Dong- Sik revealing his intelligence when he begins to pursue a cat and mouse game with our charming killer Seo In- Woo ( Park Sung-Hoo).

Yet there’s no denying that whilst Psychopath Diary was a morbidly enjoyable watch, it isn’t a flawless show. The pacing of episodes in addition to the progression of storyline sometimes felt disjointed and a little dragging in addition to the comedic element ( sometimes pushed a little too far in scenes ). In addition to this the cinematography could have been more progressive and intriguing ( specifically lighting) as well as perhaps some more depth into our brushed antagonist Seo In- Woo and what made him actually tick as well.

On the other hand, Psychopath Diary was an undeniably satirical, witty and a social commentary upon many elements of Korean society ( e.g. work , drama cliches and lifestyle). Although not flawless, it is certainly enjoyable for those who are looking for something with edgy comedy, an intriguing plot and of course characters as well.