Agui Maeumeul Ilgneun Jadeul

Many compared Through the Darkness to the US series Mindhunter. Though they share some elements, they are completely different shows. One focuses on the mind of serial killers. This one focuses on the psychology of profilers.

They could not have found a better actor to portray an empath. And they couldn't have written a better script to profile the empath archetype: quiet, introverted, loner with few social connections. It's downright eerie how well the empath type was depicted. This personality type takes every emotion they're exposed to onto themselves. If they're not careful, their burden will consume them.

By contrast, the serial killers' stories were deliberately made crass and vulgar to underscore the banality of evil.

If you're going into this with a 'Korean Mindhunter' mindset, you'll likely be disappointed, like so many other commenters. But if you like intense psychological exploration, this is the show for you.

This series is about the establishment of a criminal profiling department within the police force. It shows the struggles the department faced in gaining acceptance within the force and the cases that they investigated which established their reputation. The teams star is an introvert with issues of his own but his brilliance is being able to enter the mind of killers and identify some of their traits. It is well acted by the full cast and the story mainly concentrates on serial killers and looking into what drives some of them. I find stories of this nature depressing as the murderers represented actually exist and random killing is so difficult to solve, therefore I am thankful people exist who can assist capture of them.

'Those Who Reads the Hearts of Evil' approaches crime genre in fresher way. Rather than focusing on thriller of catching a crime and investing time in evil's point of view, it emphasizes more on how crimes affect mindset of those who pursue the evil 'after' criminals get caught. The director succeeds in fixating viewers to stay concentrated during long takes of interrogation, making it 'feel' brief and interesting. Sometimes interview with serial killers is hard to watch not because it it is boring but because it is intensely realistic. It is so shocking and nauseous that much evil can exist in one person.

Dramas and events in the series are roller-coaster and appalling throughout, but narrative and style remain calm, organized, and controlled. It is the main reason that audience can keep watching the show non-stop without getting tired or burdened. Great balance to make a show captivating and consistent at the same time.

Also called "Though the Darkness." The name is apt for the journey the main protagonist has to undergo. Criminal profiling is quite a difficult job as this show reveals. Nam-gil Kim effortlessly carries the plot with his quiet demeanor and focus.

It's interesting to see how the relationships among the detectives grow and how their approach to investigations develop. Shoutout to the director, Park Bo-Ram, who created a crime drama set in the late 90s that is believable.

This show is definitely among the best true crime stories that have emerged from South Korea. Highly recommended.

One of his best performance! Kim Nam-gil never disappoints his fans and even non-fans. This guy is really something. He truly deserve that Daesang award. He was outstanding in this drama. And the drama, as a fan of crime, psychological thriller dramas, this is a masterpiece. Perfect casting. Great cinematography. Great work from the writers and director. I watched this drama straight and completed it in a day. Mind-blowing. It deserves a standing ovation! My second favorite psycohological thriller drama after Beyond Evil. If you are fond of those kinds of scenes, this is definitely a must-watch.