Choi Woo Shik’s ‘A Killer Paradox’ is a Korean drama which was recently released on Netflix much to the delight of fans. Based on the Naver Webtoon of the same name, it centers on Lee Tang who accidentally murders a serial killer. Following this, a detective who pursues him relentlessly.
One of the most intriguing things about the show is the main character’s graph. He starts out as a normal person living a mundane life, which one can relate with. However, he eventually becomes a murderer who kills “bad” people after he lands in an unconventional situation. This makes him an “anti-hero”
The K-drama also features police officer Jang Nan-Gam, played by Son Sok-ku.. Normally, in Korean media a police detective smokes a cigarette especially to display his emotions. However, here the character chews gum. This makes him a little unpredictable.
Then there is Kim-Yo han, who plays Roh-Bin. This character is inspired by the famous sidekick Robin. The show went in a weird direction after his introduction. However, his dynamic with morally ambiguous characters like Lee Tang or Song Chon (Lee Hee-joon) worked well on the whole..
The Korean entertainment media is obsessed with the characters of serial killers. ‘I Saw the Devil’ was an interesting look at a serial killer being hunted by a person whose wife he murdered..
Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Memories of Murder’, which came out almost two decades ago, is a crime thriller based on the real murders in South Korea. The movie is more about identifying the serial killer than the actual horrifying murders.
Fascination with serial killers is nothing new for other industries but there are certain themes of justice and revenge that are emphasised in them.
Recently a show called ‘Vigilante’ starring Nam Joo-hyuk was released where our protagonist kills criminals because of his shattered faith in the law. ‘A Killer Paradox’ is a little different from that since it’s more about ‘Anti-Heroes’ who believe that they are heroes. It doesn’t try to give viewers any clues about who they should cheer for.
Son Sok-ku is a police detective who thinks out of the box but isn’t a flawless individual.
Song Chon is like Lee Tang but crazier.These dynamics make the show interesting.
However, the ending is unnatural and does not blend with the tone of the show.
To sum up, the series makes for a good watch despite its shortcomings because of the layered characters.