Karma isn't just another crime thriller-it's a slow descent into the darkest corners of fate, choice, and consequence. Director Lee Il-hyung (also the writer) crafts a lean, six-episode experience that wastes no time, offering tension-drenched storytelling and character work that hits harder than expected.
Adapted from the webtoon Ill-fated Relationship, the series weaves together the lives of six people, all trapped in a tangled web of past trauma, financial desperation, and irreversible decisions. Park Hae-soo leads with a quiet intensity, playing a man who makes a morally ambiguous choice after witnessing a strange accident. Shin Min-a gives one of her strongest performances as a doctor haunted by childhood scars, and the supporting cast-Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo, and Gong Seung-yeon-deliver equally raw, nuanced performances.
This show thrives in its atmosphere. Everything from the cinematography to the pacing feels calculated but never cold. It doesn't spoon-feed you emotions or moral answers; it just shows you what people do when they're cornered by life-and lets you sit with it.
Brutal. Thoughtful. Unforgiving. That's Karma. It might not be for everyone, but for those who appreciate grounded, character-driven thrillers that respect the audience's intelligence, it's easily one of 2025's standout series. Don't sleep on this one.
