A Killer Paradox
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A Killer Paradox |
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Promotional poster |
Also known as | Murder DIEary |
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Hangul | 살인자ㅇ난감 |
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Hanja | 殺人者o難堪 |
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Literal meaning | The Murderer's Toy |
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Revised Romanization | Sarinja-ng-Nangam |
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Genre |
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Based on | A Killer Paradox by Kkomabi |
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Developed by | Son Seung-ae (planning) |
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Written by | Kim Da-min |
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Directed by | Lee Chang-hee |
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Starring |
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Music by | Dalpalan |
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Country of origin | South Korea |
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Original language | Korean |
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No. of episodes | 8 |
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Executive producer | Kim Ji-soo (CP) |
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Producers |
- Jung Soo-jin
- Kim Soon-ho
- Kim Ji-yeon
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Cinematography | Park Se-seung |
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Editor | Kim Woo-il |
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Running time | 45–63 minutes |
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Network | Netflix |
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Release | February 9, 2024 (2024-02-09) |
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A Killer Paradox (Korean: 살인자ㅇ난감) is a 2024 South Korean crime thriller dark comedy television series written by Kim Da-min, directed by Lee Chang-hee, and starring Choi Woo-shik, Son Suk-ku, and Lee Hee-joon. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kkomabi, it tells the story of a man who accidentally murders a serial killer and a detective who pursues him relentlessly. It was released on Netflix on February 9, 2024, and received generally positive reviews.
Synopsis
Lee Tang, who was discharged from the army six months ago, struggles with his life and dreams of visiting Canada. He works at a convenience store and relies heavily on his parents for support. One night, he is assaulted by a customer, leading to a violent confrontation and the subsequent murder of the customer. Tang is guilt-ridden and prepares to turn himself in, but discovers his victim was a serial killer. Dutiful detective Jang Nan-gam, remains uncooperative and keeps investigating. It is unclear if Nan-gam is onto him, but Tang continues to kill, revealing his hidden talent for detecting and killing previously unpunished evildoers without leaving any traceable evidence. The story explores the question of whether Tang is serving justice or evading it.
Cast
Main
- Choi Woo-shik as Lee Tang: an ordinary college student who realizes that he has the ability to identify evil people after his first accidental murder.
- Son Suk-ku as Jang Nan-gam: a detective who pursues a murder case committed by Lee Tang.
- Lee Hee-joon as Song Chon: a former detective who hunts down Lee Tang.
Supporting
- Kim Yo-han as Roh Bin
- Kwon Da-ham as Yong-jae: the youngest detective of Violent Crime Team 1 at Daejeon Northern Police Station and Nan-gam's junior.
- Hyun Bong-sik as Park Chung-jin: a detective of Violent Crime Team 1 at Daejeon Northern Police Station and Nan-gam's marksman.
- Jung Yi-seo as Seon Yeo-ok: a murder witness.
- Jo Hyun-woo as Kim Myeong-jin / Yeo Bu-il: a customer at the convenience store where Tang works who turns out as the suspect in a serial murder.
- Roh Jae-won as Ha Sang-min: a sweet boyfriend who spends sweet time with his girlfriend looking through old diaries.
- Lim Se-joo as Choi Gyeong-ah: a woman who is living a hard life after being betrayed by her trusted lover. She changed her name and face after her private video was distributed by her ex-lover.
- Lee Joong-ok as Kang Sang-muk: a father who struggles after losing his daughter in an unexpected incident.
- Seo Jae-kwon as Kang Jae-jun
- Baek Yu-sung as Lee Jin-seong
- Choi Sun-woo as Kyung-hwan: Tang's friend.
- Moon Young-dong as Lee Gwan-hun
- Lee So-won as Yeon-seo
- Lee Joo-won as Jang Gab-su: Nangam's father and a former detective at Daejeon Northern Police Station.
- Yang Mal-bok as Nan-gam's mother
- Oh Hye-won as Lee Yoo-jeong: a profiler at the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Department who is known for her sharp analytical skills and beauty.
- Park Kyung-geun as Chief of the Criminal Division at Daejeon Northern Police Station
- Nam Jin-bok as Prosecutor Ji
- Lee Ji-hoon as Chief Moon
- Kim Min-ju as Lee Yeong: Tang's sister.
- Oh Min-ae as Tang's mother
- Heo Sun-haeng as Tang's father
- Jang Joon-hui as Violent Crime Team 1 leader
Episodes
Production and release
The series were directed by Lee Chang-hee, who has worked on the film The Vanished (2018) and series Hell Is Other People (2019), and written by Kim Da-min, who won the grand prize in the 2019 Gyeonggi Scenario Planning and Development Feature Category. Showbox and Let's Film managed the production. The filming began in the second half of 2022 and took place in Daejeon. Choi Woo-shik, Son Suk-ku, and Lee Hee-joon were cast for the series.
Netflix confirmed that the series would be released on February 9, 2024.
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. Pierce Conran of South China Morning Post rated it a 3/5 and wrote that the series' "eschews moral introspection in favour of something more troubling" and "about a layabout male youth of questionable character, whose violent urges are forgiven thanks to the story's fantastical conceit". Kate Sánchez of But Why Tho? rated it a 9.5/10 and wrote that it is "darkly humorous, violent, and never boring, A Killer Paradox is a morality thriller like no other" and "what begins as a comedy of errors and morphs into a deep detective thriller, it's one of the finest series on Netflix". Joel Keller of Decider wrote that "while A Killer Paradox seems like a pretty straightforward show, it should have a lot of tense moments" and 'maybe will also be some twists along the way". Jonathan Wilson of Ready Steady Cut rated it a 3/5 and wrote that "some will think it's great" and "others will find the conceit too trying" but "both will be right in about equal measure". David Opie of Radio Times rated it a 3/5 and wrote that it is "tighter focus and keener sense of the message behind this conceit could have elevated the series more" but "there's still tons of fun to be had when it comes to Killer's sheer ambition, not to mention the wish fulfilment of it all". Rhian Daly of NME rated it a 4/5 and described the series as "far from a typical offering in the genre and adds flashes of other styles, like fantasy, into the mix" and "worlds apart from the usual murder and retribution fare", while Choi Woo-shik, in particular, is "phenomenal as the unlikely avenger". Pallavi Keswani of The Hindu wrote it "as a product of smart writing, supported by some stellar performances, emerges as slightly disturbing yet deeply intriguing watch". Melissa Camacho of Common Sense Media wrote that "overall, A Killer Paradox is an interesting thriller that requires close attention to fully understand what's happening".
Viewership
A Killer Paradox ranked second in Netflix's Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) category after three days of its release and received a warm response in 19 countries being listed in the Top 10 including South Korea, Bolivia, India, Qatar, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam. The following week, the series topped the chart with 39.5 million hours watched by 5.5 million viewers, and remained on the chart for the next two consecutive weeks.
Accolades
References
- ^ Yeo, Gladys (August 22, 2022). "Choi Woo-shik, Son Suk-ku and more to star in new Netflix thriller series 'Murder DIEary'". NME. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Yoon, Hyo-jung (May 25, 2022). 최우식·손석구 대세배우들 만날까...'살인자ㅇ난감' 출연 검토 (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim, Hye-sun (May 10, 2023). 그렸다 하면 영상화... 웹툰작가 '꼬마비'의 심오한 세계 (in Korean). Ilgan Sports. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t A Killer Paradox. Episode 1. February 9, 2024. Netflix.
- ^ a b c Moon, Ji-yeon (August 19, 2022). 최우식·이희준→손석구..'살인자ㅇ난감' 제작 학정 Choi Woo-shik, Lee Hee-joon→Son Suk-ku..'Murder DIEary' Production Confirmed] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim, Hyung-joo (February 12, 2024). 지루한 일상...악인 처단할 능력 생긴다면 (in Korean). Maeil Business Newspaper. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim, Bo-ra (February 15, 2024). '살인자ㅇ난감', 손석구 후배 권다함 눈길 끄네 (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Ahn, Byung-gil (February 13, 2024). '살인자ㅇ난감' 섬뜩·섬세, 정이서가 떴다 (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ a b Ostby, Ingrid (February 9, 2024). "A Killer Paradox: What to Know About the Korean Crime Thriller". Netflix. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ Lee, Yoo-min (February 14, 2024). '살인자ㅇ난감' 재활용 불가! 나쁜 남자, 노재원 (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ a b c Nam, Hye-yeon (February 10, 2024). "손석구와 최우식만 보인다고? NO!" 알고보면 더 깊이빠지는 인물열전 ] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Park, Jung-sun (February 13, 2024). '살인자ㅇ난감' 신예 이소원, 차태현 소속사와 전속계약 (in Korean). JTBC News. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Hwang, Jeong (October 25, 2022). 최우식·손석구·이희준, 넷플릭스 '살인자 O난감' 확정 . Star News. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Naver.
- ^ Moon, Ji-yeon (May 26, 2022). 최우식·손석구 '살인자o난감'에서 만난다..연기 대결(종합) Choi Woo-sik and Son Seok-gu meet in 'Murderer: Confusing'...Acting showdown (Comprehensive)]. Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Yoon, Hyo-jung (August 19, 2022). 넷플릭스 '살인자ㅇ난감' 제작 확정...최우식·손석구·이희준 주연 (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Yoon, Hyun-ji (January 11, 2024). "최우식X손석구, 기묘한 추격전...'살인자ㅇ난감' 2월 9일 공개" (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Ziwei, Puah (January 11, 2024). "Choi Woo-shik, Son Suk-ku face off in 'A Killer Paradox' teaser". NME. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ "A Killer Paradox". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Conran, Pierce (February 9, 2023). "Netflix K-drama review: A Killer Paradox – Choi Woo-shik embraces his dark side in stylish vigilante thriller with a hokey twist". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Sánchez, Kate (February 9, 2024). "REVIEW: 'A Killer Paradox' Is A Must-Watch Morality Thriller". But Why Tho?. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Keller, Joel (February 9, 2024). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'A Killer Paradox' On Netflix, Where A Regular Guy Becomes An Accidental Serial Killer And Is Pursued By A Tenacious Cop". Decider. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Jonathan (February 10, 2024). "A Killer Paradox Season 1 Review – A brutal vigilante thriller with a questionable gimmick". Ready Steady Cut. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Opie, David (February 12, 2024). "Netflix's A Killer Paradox takes a stab at flipping the serial killer genre on its head". Radio Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Daly, Rhian (February 14, 2024). "'A Killer Paradox' review: retribution rules in this anti-hero tale". NME. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ Keswani, Pallavi (February 24, 2024). "'A Killer Paradox' series review: Bloody K-drama thriller wastes its potential to be a compelling character study". The Hindu. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ Camacho, Melissa (March 11, 2024). "A Killer Paradox TV Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Kang, Sun-ae (February 14, 2024). '살인자ㅇ난감', 공개 3일만에 글로벌 2위...19개국 TOP10 등극 (in Korean). SBS Entertainment News. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Lee, Ji-an (February 21, 2024). "'A Killer Paradox' slays it on Netflix charts". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "Top 10 Non-English TV Show on Netflix Right Now". Netflix. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Hwang, So-young (April 8, 2024). 60회 맞은 '백상예술대상' TV·영화·연극 후보 공개 (in Korean). JTBC News. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 16, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Lim Jae-seong (May 29, 2024). "올해 서울드라마어워즈 역대 최다 출품...48개국 346편" (in Korean). KBS. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
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