A Comprehensive Look at Nine Puzzles 2025
Dive Into the Dangerous world of 'Nine Puzzles"
Explore every aspect of ‘Nine Puzzles’ in this comprehensive review. Dive into character insights, strengths, and weaknesses. If you haven’t seen the drama yet and are looking for a spoiler-free review, check out the link below.
Spoiler Alert
Please be advised that this review contains significant spoilers about the plot and characters of ‘Nine Puzzles’. If you have not yet watched the drama, we recommend viewing it first to avoid any spoilers.
Series Details
General Information
Air Dates: May 21 – June 4, 2025
Episodes: 11
Where to Watch: Hulu
Genre: Crime Thriller
Starring: Kim Da Mi and Son Suk Ku
The Story
10 years ago, a high school student is the only witness and prime suspect in the brutal murder of her beloved uncle. And although she has no memory of anything from that night, the rookie detective working the case is sure she did it. But he never finds enough evidence to prove it.
Now, the woman has become a skilled criminal profiler. When she is called in for a recent murder, she finds herself working side by side with the same detective. And her presence makes even more of a stir when she identifies the new case as a serial killing, connecting it to her uncle’s death. But if they are going to work together to find this murderer, she will have to convince the detective that she is innocent and can be trusted.
“How do I figure out who the culprit is with just puzzle pieces?”
– Yun I Na
Meeting the stars: Kim Da Mi and Son suk ku
Kim Da Mi as Yun I Na
Yun I Na lost her parents when she was young. After that, is raised by her uncle, Yun Dong Hun, the former police superintendent. Her life is turned upside down when she becomes the only witness and main suspect in her uncle’s violent murder. Unfortunately, I Na doesn’t remember anything about the events surrounding that day.But she does have one clue that she kept a secret, even from the police investigating the case. She finds a strange, hand-painted puzzle piece next to the body.
Now, 10 years later, I Na has become a crime profiler, working with the local police department. She has spent years in therapy, but has never been able to recover her memories from the day her uncle was killed. When she is called in for a current murder case, she is surprised to find herself working side by side with Detective Kim Han Saem, who still believes I Na was the culprit in her uncle’s murder. And when another puzzle piece shows up, I Na realizes they have a serial killer case. But the cases can’t be connected if Detective Kim still insists she was the one who killed her uncle.
Yu I Na is a quirky genius, known for her ability to get into the mind of criminals just by observing a crime scene. She is driven by the fact that the only case she has never been able to solve is the one closest to her heart. Kim Da Mi was so fun in this role. Her quirkiness never overshadows the genius of I Na’s mind or the scars that cover her heart and eat at her peace.
Son Suk Ku as Kim Han Saem
When Kim Han Saem was a rookie detective, his first case was the murder of former police superintendent Yun Dong Hun. Han Saem had plenty of circumstantial evidence that pointed to the superintendent’s niece, Yun I Na being the killer. But he could never prove it.
It’s been 10 years since Han Saem became a detective and he has become hard and effective at catching criminals. But when I Na shows up as a profiler for Han Saem’s most recent case, he is reminded once again of his most frustrating unsolved case. But when I Na presents him with a secret piece of evidence that connects their current case to her uncle’s, he begins to wonder, for the first time, if he has been wrong about her all along. And if he can find a way to set aside his doubts and trust her, they may both finally get answers to the case that has plagued them for 10 years.
Kim Han Saem is a loner who spends most of his time working undercover. He has become a seasoned detective who is good at what he does. But he has never gotten over the sting of not being able to solve his very first case. Son Suk Ku is a charming actor who seems to excel at playing men of few words. His straight, dead-pan delivery seems to speak volumes and I love to watch his moody character portrayals.
Supporting characters
Park Gyu Young as Lee Seung Ju
Doctor Lee Seung Ju is I Na’s therapist. Over the years, the pair have developed a relationship that closely borders a guarded friendship. Dr. Lee is good at listening to I Na and letting her work out her feelings and ideas through conversation.
Kim Sung Kyun as Yang Jeong Ho
Yang Jeong Ho is the team leader of the Violent Crimes Unit Han Saem is on. He seems to be connected to the murders in some way. We later find out that he spent years working for Dr. Lee’s mom and looked for Dr. Lee after her mom’s death.
Hyun Bong Sik as Choi San
Choi San is a rookie detective who works with Han Saem. San shows up at one of the current crime scenes, raising suspicions about his involvement. As an older officer, he is eager to learn the ropes and gain acceptance from his fellow detectives.
3 things i loved about ‘Nine Puzzles’
1.
Yun I Na:
Again, I have to praise Kim Da Mi for this role. I Na is such an interestingly complex character. She is both charming and tragic, efficient and yet a major pain. From her jaunty clothing choices to her brutally honest words, I loved everything about her.
2.
Lead Chemistry:
This drama did a nice job of developing a deep and interesting chemistry between the leads. It is never quite romantic, although there seems to be small glimmers of a possiblitity. But more than that, there is a deep understanding of the other’s unconvential attitudes and actions.
3.
I Na/ Dr. Lee Connection:
I Na and Dr. Lee also share a striking understanding. In all the years I Na has been going to therapy, she has become the closest thing to a friend Seung Ju has. It seems obvious that Dr. Lee has been silently trauma bonding with I Na this whole time, even though I Na is totally unaware of their similarities.
3 things i didn’t love about ‘Nine Puzzles’
1.
How:
We get a lot of details on who and why for these crimes, but the drama really glosses over the how of it all. How did a small-built woman physically manage to overpower and kill these people without ever seeming to break a sweat. It’s all kind of left up to us to fill in the blanks of how Dr. Lee managed to pull off flawless crimes all by herself while leaving absolutely no clues (except one small handkerchief!).
2.
Dr. Hwang:
I’m not sure I’m buying Dr. Hwang’s character. I mean the man is a trained therapist. Not only did he work with Dr. Lee day in and day out but they even lived together. Yet he never figured out that she was a total psychopath or turned her in for 10 years? I get loyalty and all, but he can’t be this dumb and this irresponsible about mental health.
3.
The Aftermath:
Poor I Na really goes through it by the end of this drama. First is the obvious, she lost someone she had trusted in Dr. Lee. But also, she finds out the uncle she admired was taking bribes on the job. And as an added bonus, her deceased parents also seemed to have some role in it all. And to top it all off, Dr. Lee tells I Na that she waited 10 years because she didn’t intend to finish the killings since no one seemed to care. But then I Na brought the puzzle piece and reignited her revenge. Couldn’t we give the girl a bit of a break??
The Conclusion of 'Nine Puzzles'
The Ending
‘Nine Puzzles’ neatly ties up our serial killer story and gives us a nice, if not slightly overdue, explanation for why. With the help of Dr. Hwang and Nam Na Ri, our detectives are able to “piece” the mystery together. Unfortunately they do not make it in time to save the final corrupt victim, who falls to his death as Han Saem arrives at the scene. And with the puzzle now complete, the last step is to find Dr. Lee.
I Na arrives at the amusement park first, to find Dr. Lee has already poisoned herself and is just waiting for the final effects. They rehash the story of Seung Ju getting lost, how The One City came to be, and who was responsible. I Na begs her to turn herself in and accept her punishment, but Dr Lee says she can’t even live with herself anymore. Han Saem shows up and tries to arrest the doctor, but she lights the ferris wheel on fire and sits inside as she burns to death right in front of their eyes.
The final scene shows Han Saem arriving at a new crime scene. The profiling group is already on-site, and Han Saem looks around hopefully, but I Na is nowhere to be found. And just as we see disappointment fully set in, I Na appears, back on the job and ready to work. And just in case we get a season 2, she has a new puzzle piece from a fresh puzzle. Obviously, Dr. Lee is dead, so it’s unclear who the new killer might be, but that is a question for another season.
My Personal Thoughts and Ratings
‘Nine Puzzles’ is a gritty crime drama with a dark noir feel. Kim Da Mi is amazing as the quirky criminal profiler. I loved the general mood and the complex characters. They throw in enough red herrings and plot twists to keep the story interesting and the audience engaged.
But this is a crime thriller, so you can expect some dark tones and violence. Also the drama ends without explaining some of the important details to the case, which was frustrating for many fans. Also for a short 11 episode drama, there are a lot of flashbacks to the original murder without revealing any new information. But I thought the cast created some fun characters and I enjoyed the intricacies of the plot. I give ‘Nine Puzzles’ a 9 out of 10 ramen.
🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜
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