Sarinja-ng-Nangam

"A Killer Paradox" is Netflix's latest Korean crime drama series. It features a protagonist with a unique crime-fighting ability. Some are approaching this with high expectations due to the caliber of past roles by the two leads, Choi Woo Shik and Son Suk Ku, but it might be best to temper your expectations. It's mostly entertaining, exploring ethical dilemmas related to justice, guilt, and innocence, but seems to be missing the extra something (maybe emotional impact) that the top shows in this genre possess.

The show is generally fast-paced and combines suspenseful storytelling, psychological thriller elements, and grimy action. The narrative is at times non-linear and gradually unveils layers, keeping the audience engaged and guessing. It is more plot and mystery driven and doesn't invest as much into character development as many Korean dramas do. As a result, it's not as easy to sympathize with the characters.

The production quality stands out, with meticulous attention to detail in set design and cinematography. The cast delivers compelling performances. This is a thought-provoking addition to the crime drama genre.

This show is really worth watching. The plot is super unique and interesting. It keeps me hooked, with lots of exciting, intense, and also some dark comedic undertones. Although, I'll say, the story kinda dragged in the middle and it got somewhat dull for a while before getting back on track.

The cinematography is also well done. Particularly noteworthy are some scenes that are captured in long one-take shots. The editing choice to sometimes cut back and forth between different times also makes it more fun and engaging to watch.

The actors are great. They play the characters' emotions well, especially the two male leads.

While there are some predictable moments in the story, they don't detract from the overall experience. Extremely recommended.

How do I explain this? It is supposed to be a crime drama but it was really funny! Seriously, brilliantly written and directed! 5 stars 💫 from me!

If you love crime shows then you will love this series. I absolutely gobbled it and binged it without a break!!!

Elite level of screenplay and edits.

There's language options so you won't be missing anything.

Woo sik's baby face is such a contradiction to his character. You won't be bored. Every scene has something important. You will get attached to the characters and simply cannot resist the episodes. I binged it and I am in awe of the writers, there better be a season 2!!!!

A Killer Paradox starts off with a bang, but ends with a whimper. The first two episodes are really engaging, and keep you guessing to see what will happen next. The cinematography and storytelling is also top notch. The acting throughout is also very good.

Unfortunately, after that the quality quickly falls off and we are left with a run-of-the-mill vigilante origin story.

Episode five deserves commendation. Here, we are shown how an ordinary person suddenly commits a fatal crime of passion, and thus becomes target fodder for our vigilante. It would have been nice to see more episodes like this one.

The series is unique to me because the main lead isn't even the center of the story. Most of the time, we were in the point of view of Jang Nan Gam (Son Suk Ku). At the beginning of the episode, we were in the perspective of Lee Tang (Choi Woo Shik). After being chased by the police, we were mostly in the police's point of view. After that, it became more mysterious with the introduction of Song Chon (Lee Hee Joon), who drove the series until the end. For me, that was a unique way of writing the story, and I love it.

The plot is very fresh and interesting. I can't recall when a series or movie had such a refreshing plot, especially in Korean drama or movies where characters can sometimes feel repetitive. The switching of the point of view is truly lovely and unnoticeable. Lee Chang Hee (Director) also directed "Strangers From Hell," and it's no wonder this series turned out to be good. He really did a good job. Additionally, the first few minutes of this series have to be the best-directed sequence of all time.

The transition, THE TRANSITION. It is insanely addictive to watch how they transition from 1 scene in the past to the current scene, or from hallucination scene to reality. And how they project the future character into the past. And they did it multiple time flawlessly.

Furthermore, one aspect that many didn't talk about is the use of background music, which was really good. On top of that, the gorgeous cinematography adds to the overall experience. Let's not forget about the acting; every actor performed a marvelous job, especially Song Chon, who, in my opinion, shone the brightest in this series.

Some say that the pace became stale in the middle of the series because of the addition of two new questionable characters in Busan who were having a crisis, which I understand why it became boring. However, it picked up its pace again after that. Nonetheless, I definitely recommend it.