Beyond Evil (Korean: 괴물) is a 2021 South Korean television series directed by Shim Na-yeon, and starring Shin Ha-kyun and Yeo Jin-goo. It aired on JTBC from February 19 to April 10, 2021. It received seven nominations at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards, winning three: Best Drama, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor for Shin Ha-kyun. It was also selected as one of the final candidates for the Baeksang Arts Award Grand Prize – Television.
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Synopsis
Beyond Evil follows the story of two fearless policemen from the Manyang Police Substation of the Munju Police Station (located in the western part of Gyeonggi Province), Lee Dong-sik (Shin Ha-kyun) and Han Joo-won (Yeo Jin-goo), who break the law to catch a serial killer. In the course of uncovering the culprit's identity, they question the innocence of everyone involved in the case, including themselves. "Who is the monster?" "Is it you?" "Is it me?" "Is it us?"
Inspiration
While the plot appears to make some allusions to Korea's Hwaseong serial murders case, the show is not based on a true story and is solely a work of fiction. The similarities can be explained by inspiration drawn from Memories of Murder (2003) by Bong Joon-ho.
Cast
Main
Shin Ha-kyun as Lee Dong-sik
Lee Do-hyun as teen Dong-sik
Kim Hyun-woo as young Dong-sik
An impulsive and eccentric sergeant at the Manyang Police Substation. Once a capable detective, he has been demoted to doing largely menial and tedious tasks. He seeks the killer of his sister.
Yeo Jin-goo as Han Joo-won
Jung Hyeon-jun as young Joo-won
An elite detective from the International Crime Investigation Team at the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency transferred to Manyang Police Substation. Good-looking and capable, he has great influence due to being the son of the next-in-line Police Commissioner, Han Gi-hwan. He is determined to prove Lee Dong-sik guilty of his sister's murder.
Supporting
Choi Sung-eun as Yoo Jae-yi
Nicknamed the "Master of Knife", the owner of the Manyang Butcher Shop and Restaurant.
Chun Ho-jin as Nam Sang-bae
The soon-to-retire Chief of Manyang Police Substation.
Son Sang-gyu as Cho Gil-gu
A sergeant at Manyang Police Substation.
Baek Seok-kwang as Hwang Kwang-young
A police officer at Manyang Police Substation.
Nam Yoon-su as Oh Ji-hoon
The youngest police officer at the Manyang Police Substation and the brother of Oh Ji-hwa.
Choi Dae-hoon as Park Jeong-je
Choi Chan-ho as teen Jeong-je
Seol Woo-hyung as young Jeong-je
The lieutenant of the Investigation Support Team at Munju Police Station, Lee Dong-sik's best friend, and son of congresswoman Do Hae-won.
Kim Shin-rok as Oh Ji-hwa
Nam Ga-hyeon as teen Ji-hwa
Lee Ye-bit as young Ji-hwa
The team leader of the Dangerous Crimes Division, Lee Dong-sik's classmate from elementary to high school, and the former wife of CEO Lee Chang-jin.
Shim Wan-joon as Kang Do-soo
Others
Cha Chung-hwa as Lee Geum-hwa
Kim Bi-bi as Han Jeong-im
Jang Sung-bum as Lee Sang-yeob
Kang You-seok as Reporter Lim Gyu-seok
Nam Mi-jung as Fish market lady
Park Ji-ah as Neighborhood woman
Jo Ji-seung as Yoon Mi-hye, Kang Min-jung's mother
Production
Shin Ha-kyun and Yeo Jin-goo previously appeared in the film No Mercy for the Rude (2006) where Yeo played the younger version of Shin's character.
Original soundtrack
Awards and nominations
Remake
Beyond Evil has recently landed the J-drama adaptation, with no further news on which broadcasters nor the airing date was publicly announced.
