A Killer Paradox - Full Review
Welcome to A Killer Paradox - Full Review. A young man discovers a gift for recognizing those who have committed terrible crimes, and becomes a vigilante serial killer. If you haven't watched this drama yet, I recommend checking out my unspoiled review here.
A Killer Paradox
♥ Aired: February 9, 2024
♥# of Episodes: 8
♥Where to Watch: Netflix
♥Genre: Crime Thriller
♥Starring: Choi Woo Shik and Son Suk Ku
The Story
A convenience store worker loses his temper and kills a stranger on the street on the way home from his job. But when he later learns that the man was actually a dangerous serial killer, the man taps into an unknown superpower which allows him to know when someone he meets or passes is a seriously bad person. With this new knowledge, he becomes a vigilante who kills those who have escaped proper punishment through the law. But an astute detective with experience with this kind of vigilante becomes suspicious of the man when he begins investigating the mysterious murders.
The Leads
Choi Woo Shik as Lee Tang
Lee Tang dropped out of University and is working as a convenience store clerk. He has no motivation or goals, but he dreams of traveling and getting lost in the wilds of Canada. One night, on his way home, a violent stranger threatens him on the street and, in a fit of anger, Tang kills him. But the next morning, he learns that there is no trace of him at the crime scene and the man was a dangerous serial killer. And as he processes the implications of all this information, he is approached by a "free-lance" profiler, Roh Bin, who believes Tang has a supernatural gift for finding and carrying out just punishment on the wicked. The pair enter into a partnership where Tang seeks out their victims and Roh Bin helps him get rid of any evidence. But a suspicious detective who has worked with Roh Bin in the past is hot on Tang's tail. And when Roh Bin's former partner, a former detective with a similar ability, shows up on the scene, Tang walks a thin line between the law and a crazy like-minded vigilante.
Lee Tang is apathetic and disenchanted with life in general. He lacks purpose and is drifting through life when he meets Roh Bin. It's not that he suddenly found a passion for life, but it was something to do and there was a thrill to it. I love Choi Woo Shik and he has a flair for this dead-pan sardonic humor. I can't imagine a better actor for the role. But I wish we had seen more of his character and development in the second half of the drama. The shift in focus away from him to other characters was disappointing for me.
Son Suk Ku as Jang Nan Gam
Jang Nan Gam is an easygoing detective. He is investigating the murder of the man Tang killed. Even though there is no proof or motive for Tang to have killed the stranger, Nan Gam feels something suspicious that he can't seem to let go of. And as more cases pop up with similar, details he is reminded of Roh Bin, the skilled profiler. He starts putting the pieces together, but every time he gets close some crazy "coincidence" ruins the evidence. When he tries to pressure Roh Bin into making a confession, the man live-streams the investigation and when the questioning gets out of control, Nan Gam is removed from the case. But of course, Nan Gam is too stubborn to walk away without a fight. And now he is more determined than ever to find out the truth once and for all.
Jang Nan Gam has a troubled past and a broken relationship with his sick father. He became a detective to show his father that you can do the job without becoming abusive to the ones you love. But his last shred of professional respect for his father is shattered when he finds out his father was a dirty cop, taking bribes and hurting others along the way. Son Suk Ku is amazing in every role I have ever seen him in. He plays this kind of gritty, determined character especially well, and I thought he was fabulous in this role.
Supporting Characters
Lee Hee Joon as Song Chon
Song Chon is a former detective who has a similar "gift" to Tang. He also spent some time working with Roh Bin before they went their separate ways. But Chon is still in the vigilante business. And he is fascinated with the idea that Tang may be "like him". So he begins stalking him and observing Tang's work, but he also has to be careful to avoid Nan Gam's watchful eye.
Kim Yo Han as Roh Bin
Roh Bin is a superhero fanatic who runs an online group called "Only For Heroes". He sees himself as a warrior of justice. He is also a skilled hacker and criminal profiler. He sees Tang's ability before Tang does, and contacts him with an offer to work together. Although most of Tang's early crime scenes were cleared of evidence by some strange coincidence, his later murders are aided by Roh Bin to get rid of any evidence.
Jung Yi Seo as Seon Yeo Ok
Seon Yeo Ok is a blind woman who was on the street during Tang's first murder with her aid dog. But when she contacts Tang later, he discovers that she is actually not blind at all. Not only did she see everything, but now she plans to blackmail him with the information. But when Tang loses his temper and kills her, he finds out she had her own dark, violent secret.
Things I Liked
♥ Cinematography
So much of this drama is cinematography. The camera angles, jerky motions, and dreamlike hallucinations. And did you catch the "deep-fake" photography that turned a picture of Son Suk Ku as a young person into a flash back of Nan Gam's character. Fascinating stuff! Add to this the well-placed background music that creates just the right emotional vibe. There are plenty of things that frustrate me about Netflix and kdramas, but lack of budget and production are not on my list.
♥ Dog
The use of this poor dog as a comparison for Tang was intriguing. Like Tang, the dog becomes aggressive and violent due to instinct and environment. They were both used by misguided people to serve their own selfish purposes. Neither one chose their complicated fate. And it's Nan Gam's realization of this that saves both of their lives. Seeing the dog in the car with Nan Gam is a foreshadowing that he will also spare Tang in the end. Nan Gam has chosen to fall on the side of moral ambiguity.
♥ Anti-Hero
Lee Tang is the absolute opposite of a hero. At his best, he is pessimistic and apathetic. At his worst, he is delusional and violent. And through the course of the series, we see him fall deeper into his dark tendencies. But is he a purveyor of justice or a criminal as dark as those he professes to fight against? This drama embraces themes of true justice, personal morality, and the ambiguity of evil. And it leaves you with a choice of your own. How do you feel about Tang and his actions? Where do you draw the line on morality?
Things I Didn't Like
Superpower??
This drama keeps everything just vague enough to leave you wondering. Was Tang's ability to see evil people a true superpower, a coincidence, his imagination, or a little of everything? I mean, it wasn't a superpower that made a fly land on the security camera. Or was it? The drama offers no concrete explanations of what is really happening and Tang proves himself to be a very unreliable narrator. So should his version be taken at face value? While I love a drama that plays with your mind in this way, I'm still left wondering what the answer is.
Gaps and Twists
This drama is meant to keep you off balance with it's shifty camera angles and jittery shots. But sometimes all that brilliant photography made the story confusing or hard to follow. Many fans seemed to find this aspect of the drama frustrating. And again, I do feel like part of that is intentional. We are as confused as Tang is in his own mind. But artistic flair is no excuse for shoddy storytelling. And I feel like sometimes they used this technique to cover over plot holes and irregularities in the story.
Song Chon
I liked Song Chon's character and I understand his role in the story. But I can't help feeling that this drama didn't have enough episodes to introduce another main character. And his story takes over the second half of the series, leaving little time for Lee Tang's journey. I would have rather spent that screen time observing the continued transformation of Tang from mild mannered to brave, confident vigilante.
The Ending
I think a "happy ending" would be too much to hope for in this drama. But we can be satisfied that most of our loose ends get tied up before the story opens the door for a second season. Chon finally gets revenge on Nan Gam's dad by killing him. Bin plans to escape the country, but first he joins forces with Nan Gam to try to bring Chon to justice. When Tang realizes that Bin is in danger, he rushes to save him. They all chase Chon to an abandoned warehouse for one last showdown. In the end, Bin is killed by Chon and Nan Gam, in turn, kills Chon. With just Nan Gam and Tang still alive, Nan Gam makes the choice to let Tang go free, with a warning that some day he is going to get caught. A time jump shows Tang living and working in The Philippines. But he returns home when he finds out there is no warrant out for his arrest. We learn that a fire in the warehouse destroyed any evidence of their fight with Chon. The final scene shows Nan Gam seeing a case on the news that matches Tang's previous pattern and it is obvious that he thinks Tang is at it again. This leaves an open door for a season 2, although no news of another season has been announced.
Should I Watch
"A Killer Paradox" is a crime thriller with dark humor and superhero elements. At some point I am going to have to stop saying that these kinds of crime noir dramas are not typical kdrama, because they are becoming increasingly more common. But like many of its kind, this one includes graphic crime, nudity, and excessive swearing. I'm not saying this is necessarily bad, but for some, they became kdrama fans to escape this kind of sensationalized programming. So this warning is for them. While the superhero aspect of this series was unique and interesting, the story was confusing and jumbled in parts. On the other hand, I love these leads and their clever cat and mouse game was entertaining to watch. And the cinematography and background music created the perfect moody backdrop for this exciting story. I give "A Killer Paradox" an 8 out of 10 ramen.
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