As a romance fan who loves a good mystery to theorise my way through, it is unfortunately slim pickings when it comes to finding a show that perfectly blend the two genres together. Enter: Flower of Evil.

Great writing on the crime thriller side of things is paired with a gripping and emotive story about romantic and familial love. Amazing performances by MCW and LJG, both as a married couple and in their individual storylines, make the plot come alive. I often find it difficult to rewatch crime dramas as I feel the magic is gone once you've unlocked the mystery; this is not the case for FOE. Every rewatch (and there's been a few) leaves me wanting more; the writing and performances are that good. While the plot is interesting in itself, I believe the magic of the show is in its humanness, largely due to the main two actors. The characters feel real, both their pain and their love. It's a wonder to watch time and time again.

My only critique I've been able to find over the course of my rewatches is Moon Chae Won's character - specifically, why would she insist on chasing after a boy who showed absolutely no interest in her, even at times contempt? Did she never really question his intentions in over a decade together when he seemingly changed personalities over night? If not, what in her own history could have made her so oblivious to some pretty obvious initial red flags? In a perfect world I would've loved a deeper exploration of her character and her past before Do Hyun Soo. But, usual time constraints of a Kdrama considered, I still think they did an amazing job overall.

If any drama can make me feel as I did the first time I watch FOE, I'll take it now, please.