Such a Close Traitor

The plot is very good, however, perhaps with the intention of adding more drama, the director presents us with excessively long scenes, so long that they even look like still shots, which makes the development a bit slow and boring. Despite this detail, the characters seem to adapt very well to this slow style of telling the story, where the performance of the suspicious daughter and the profiler stand out in an outstanding way, even giving the impression of having worked with this director in other opportunities. Describing the style as slow is not intended as a negative criticism, on the contrary, given that this is a drama and suspense series in which each episode gives us more questions than answers, it may be of interest to that audience that loves to be kept on the edge of the couch without a single clue about the outcome.

Doubt as a series is not a psychological drama, but an unnecessarily stretched-to-the-max attempt to a thriller. The profiler character is a police officer who sometimes paces away with -or utters- a clue (we will never know how he got to his conclusions, but he is a profiler so why question his methods). The daughter (who is a suspect) is someone who refuses to explain her actions to anyone. But is perma-angry that she is a suspect. The series pace is painfully slow, I fear that this is what some confuse with psychological. It completely ruined the story for me. I found myself skipping parts, skipping episodes and still very much able to follow the clue in the last part. So: poorly worked-out characters and motivations, super slow pace, nonsensical attitudes. The best actors to me are officer Gu Dae-Hong (played by Roh Jae-Won) and criminal Choi Young-Min (played by Kim Jung-Jin). I found the rest utterly forgettable.

What an amazing production.

Writing which gives you the idea that you have figured it all out, and then pulls the rug from under you. Multiple times. And then again for good measure.

The production values are amazing. The dreary atmosphere that is being set really works with the story that is being given. And the scenes look beautiful. I almost thought this was a horror series from some of the scenes in the first episode.

Acting is superb. None of that over the top acting in this one, this one plays it deeply serious from start to end. And everybody does an amazing job. Really good casting here.

I can understand the criticims that some scenes take long yeah, but they do look amazing and some of them also give the impact they are trying to generate because of taking that extra pause.

I can easily overlook that though, because I really enjoyed this production. Very much recommended if you like a dark mystery.

Doubt is so much more than just a mind-bending psychological thriller. It's a deep dive into the messy, heartbreaking complexities of family relationships. As much as the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat, it's the emotional weight behind the characters' struggles that really hits hard.

And then there's Han Suk-kyu. I can't even begin to express how amazing he is in this role. Every scene is a masterclass in subtlety, whether he's showing the weight of his character's guilt or the raw emotion of someone trying to salvage the wreckage of his life. His acting is so layered & nuanced that you can practically feel every bit of pain and longing he's going through.

The directing, cinematography, and BGM make this drama a cinematic experience. A solid 10/10!

I started watching this drama because I heard that my favorite actor, Han Suk-kyu, was appearing on MBC, where the original drama was aired, for the first time in 30 years.

I think Han Suk-kyu is one of the best actors in Korea in terms of acting skills, and the directing, story, and acting skills of the other actors who appeared with him are the best among the dramas I've seen this year.

The tension and directing in each episode are outstanding, and it makes you wait for the next episode every time.

I recommend that you don't approach it too quickly, but savor each scene and enjoy it.

The best Korean drama of the year is currently airing on MBC on Saturdays and Sundays, and can be seen worldwide on Netflix, so I'm looking forward to the upcoming episodes.