I (and my mom) ended up watching Flower of Evil and I totally understand why it got such great reviews and ratings. I wasn't sure what to expect from the drama except that it would deal with some mysterious secrets and thrillers but wow, I didn't expect to cry almost every episode. Despite being a true thriller and keeping you on your toes, Flower of Evil is a story about losing and finding yourself and the unbreakable bond between husband and wife above all. I certainly did not expect to get so many emotions and stories that are so gripping on all sides. While I watched Lee Joongi's The King and The Clown, this was my first k-drama and I think I couldn't have chosen better. Here comes the real review.
From MyDramaList: Although Baek Hee Sung hides the dark secrets surrounding his true identity, he has built a happy family life and a successful career. He was a loving husband and loving father to his young daughter. But his perfect facade begins to crumble when his wife, Cha Ji Won, a homicide detective, begins to investigate a series of serial murders from 15 years ago. Ji Won notices Hee Sung's change in behavior and starts to wonder if he might be hiding something from her.
Flower of Evil is very layered. It uncovers secret after secret and it's almost like you never know what will happen next. However, deep down, it really is a story about a man who has never had a life of his own and his wife who doesn't care what fights for him. It can be really hard to avoid spoilers when it comes to drama, so please know that I'll be getting into the main plot-twists here. The story is so gripping that I ended up finishing this in less than a week and I have no regrets. I miss my family now.
The best aspect of Flower of Evil is the cast and the characters they play. Lee Joongi's range here is absolutely phenomenal. He portrayed every emotion through this drama and he portrayed it perfectly. You can feel his pain, his happiness, his fear, his uncertainty, his love for his wife, daughter and sister. He really is the star here and choosing him as the troubled Hee Sung was the best choice. Now, since I can't avoid spoilers without talking about a few things, I'd like to say that the pain he feels being torn between the two identities is all too real. She tries to build a life with an identity that doesn't belong to her, struggles with her past and then sees it all crumble as these two worlds collide makes me cry every episode. I was devastated when his daughter was involved – who, by the way, stole the show all the time – and of course, his wife.
Cha Ji Won is the female character I need. Her loyalty and dedication and trust in her husband was insane. It's refreshing to see someone who doesn't jump to conclusions all the time and who wants to see for themselves what's real and what isn't. Flower of Evil wouldn't be so great if it weren't for 1) the amazing chemistry between Ji Won and Hyun Soo and 2) their trust in each other and It's hard to get mad at Ji Won when she wants to be morally right and when she's mad at Hyun Soo for her lies because it makes sense. It's hard to accept that a lot of things are lies, but the fact that he goes to great lengths to uncover the truth is admirable. I love him till the end. They both make me cry so much and seeing Hyun Soo realize that he can actually love is heartbreaking. They run into each other whenever one of them is in trouble… yes, I want that for me. Another highlight is that they try to fool each other but always really know what's going on.
The supporting characters are also good which surprised me. The focus is not only on Ji Won and Hyun Soo but also on his sister, Kim Moo Jin, the real Ji Won and Hee Sung colleagues and his family. I loved Kim Moo Jin's character development throughout the drama and the fact that he and Hyun Soo went from friends-HyunSoo kidnapped me-friends again is everything. Hee Sung and his family are really crazy. They scared me a lot because I thought they were just going to carry out a massacre. The casting for them was brilliant and Kim Jihoon as Hee Sung was everything – he scared the shit out of me while also looking good. Just found out he is 40 years old and I was amazedt. Mom and I are trying to guess how she will connect to this mess, but I don't expect her to be the main villain. Imagine us with surprised pikachu faces because that's what we were for the last few episodes. Another shout out goes to Ji Won's wonderful colleagues who truly care for her and help her regardless of the situation. Refreshing all around.
