Latest news with #Han-saem
The Sun
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Nine Puzzles delivers gripping psychological thriller
DISNEY+ continues to cement its place as a hub for quality K-dramas with Nine Puzzles, a gripping psychological crime series directed by Yoon Jong-bin and penned by Lee Eun-mi. This 11-episode thriller packages emotional trauma, criminal profiling and unresolved mysteries into a layered narrative that keeps viewers guessing. At the centre of the story is Yoon E-na, played with haunting intensity by Kim Da-mi. As a teenager, E-na stumbled upon the lifeless body of her beloved uncle with a single puzzle piece ominously left at the crime scene. Although the case never led to charges, E-na became the prime suspect in the eyes of detective Kim Han-saem (Son Suk-ku). The stigma stuck and the case went cold but the emotional scars remained. Years later, E-na has transformed into a profiler for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, working to understand the minds of criminals while struggling with her own unresolved trauma. When a new murder emerges with disturbingly similar characteristics to her uncle's case, E-na is forced to reopen old wounds. She is also made to partner with Han-saem, the very man who once believed she was a killer. Their dynamic is at the core of the drama. Da-mi portrays E-na with restrained fury and calculated calm, while Son delivers a subtle performance as a detective grappling with guilt, doubt and professional duty. Their uneasy alliance is less about redemption and more about recognition of each other's pain and shared obsession with the truth. Visually, Nine Puzzles leans into darkness. Jong-bin's direction favours long silences, dim lighting and slow reveals, crafting an atmosphere that is as unsettling as it is intriguing. Composer Jo Yeong-wook, known for his work on Oldboy and The Handmaiden, heightens the mood with a chilling score that creeps in at the right moments. The pacing is slow in the first few episodes, but purposefully so. Each scene, line of dialogue and expression is loaded with significance. What might feel like a lull is actually the show laying down the emotional groundwork for the twists and turns that follow. Viewers who stick with it will find themselves rewarded with a thriller that values psychological realism over flashy dramatics. Supporting performances from Kim Sung-kyun and Hyeon Bong-sik add balance and weight to the cast, helping ground the series in procedural reality while E-na and Han-saem pursue a more personal kind of justice. With just enough questions answered and more still unresolved, the first half sets the stage for an intense escalation. Nine Puzzles is now streaming on Disney+. The final two episodes will air this Wednesday. E-VALUE: 7 PLOT: 7 ACTING: 8
The Review Geek
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Nine Puzzles – K-drama Episode 8 Recap & Review
Episode 8 Episode 8 of Nine Puzzles begins with Cheol-jin heading out on his yacht in Jeju. It cuts to him dozing in the middle of the sea. Someone shows up and he freaks out. At present, the Hangang cops are told about I-na's arrest. She refuses to say anything and is her nonchalant and playful self which frustrates Han-saem. Even Captain Yang and Chief Hyun show up and try to help her but she finds it odd that Yang is vouching for her innocence. Surprisingly, Dr. Hwang and Dr. Lee are in Jeju for the former's seminar on darkness and retaliation. Han-saem reaches out to them and they show up as well in hopes that I-na will talk to them. I-na simply gives the latest puzzle piece to Lee to hand to Han-saem. The piece shows a man in a burger-eating competition. Han-saem asks Yang again why he didn't mention the puzzle at Reporter Lee's crime scene. Yang claims he didn't trust Han-saem since he is close to I-na. And Yang still insists that she is hiding something. At his wits' end, Han-saem begs I-na to help him understand her motives but she continues to goof around. However, she gives him a lead for her alibi – the taxi service. The murder took place between 5 pm and 8 pm and I-na left the yacht at 5 pm. While at a red light, the puzzle piece was delivered. Once I-na is cleared, she tells Han-saem her plan. The killer has been leading her and for once, she decided to call the shots. She framed herself for Cheol-jin's murder as she knows the killer wants her free and alive for his game. That means whoever tried to help her is the killer or the accomplice. The suspects include Chief Hyun, Captain Yang, Dr. Lee and Dr. Hwang. Han-saem comments that he also brought Choi San to Jeju with him. Back in Seoul, I-na questions Dr. Lee about her presence in Jeju. Lee realises she is a suspect and plays along. I-na finds it odd that Lee stuck with a difficult case like hers for 10 years. Lee simply claims that she wanted to one-up I-na's previous therapist, Dr. Hwang who failed to help. Before I-na leaves, she snoops around Dr. Hwang's room. Meanwhile, Han-saem starts looking into the suspects, the first one being Captain Yang. He speaks to Yang's former partner at Mapo precinct. Apparently, Yang was mysterious and unfriendly. The one time they had drinks, Yang ran out, claiming his sibling was in trouble. But he doesn't have a sibling as he comes from an orphanage. It was the night Dong-hoon died and when Yang returned, he was wet from the rain. Matters worsen as the bar they were at is Jinhui Bar, the one at the crossroads to Dong-hoon's house. Han-saem realises Yang could have taken the shortcut and reached Dong-hoon's before I-na. Officially, Chief Hyun puts up a task force for the puzzle killer case and has Dong-su lead it. I-na briefs them about the six puzzle pieces, how the murders are connected and that three more murders are left to complete the puzzle. After work, Han-saem and I-na drink while discussing Yang and how he may be the puzzle killer. Han-saem cites LA Confidential, his favourite movie and banters with her as she has not seen it. And she tells him of her meeting with Cheol-jin. A flashback shows I-na telling Cheol-jin about the puzzle killer. Since he oversaw The One City construction, he is sure he is the next victim. He mentions the Yoons and she is surprised that he was close to her parents. He also comments how she was supposed to be close to his son, Yeong-hun. Before the next debrief, Han-saem tells Dong-su that he suspects Yang. During the meeting, the cops learn that Cheol-jin was choked to death. Yang notices that Han-saem is missing and Dong-su is vague. Yang knows that Han-saem is looking into him courtesy of his Mapo contact. He is not deterred that Han-saem suspects him and declares he will find the killer. He then meets I-na and asks what she saw from the rooftop when Reporter Lee was killed. She lies and he decides to wait till she comes clean. It doesn't look good for him as flight records show him in Jeju a month ago and then on the day Cheol-jin died. Desperate, Han-saem has I-na's superior attempt hypnosis on Choi San. And as predicted, he recalls Yang pocketing the missing handkerchief from Yoon-su's crime scene. At the end of Nine Puzzles Episode 8, Han-saem storms up to Yang who pulls out the handkerchief. The Episode Review Nine Puzzles Episode 8 proves that the show does its best work when focusing on the mystery rather than its characters' unique traits. I-na once again acts all quirky and different which frustrates the other characters till she comes clean that it is all an act. But it doesn't make sense for her to behave in such a manner even when she is alone with Han-saem who, by the way, she trusts wholly. It adds to the argument that her neurodivergence is a plot device and aesthetic for that eccentric and quirky tone the director is going for. It ruins an otherwise completely solid murder mystery with its dark and sombre atmosphere, the emotional music and the actors' performances. Despite not investing much in the dynamic between Yang and Han-saem, Son Suk-u gives viewers a believable and heartwrenching portrayal of Han-saem who is heartbroken by Yang's betrayal. It is just a shame that the show doesn't trust its story and its cast to give us a thrilling experience and keeps pushing for the quirky angle. Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
Korea Herald
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Disney+'s 'Nine Puzzles' is full of plot twists, stylistic flairs
The mystery series marks yet another detective role for Son Suk-ku Disney+ is set to roll out its latest Korean original, "Nine Puzzles," a stylized mystery thriller that follows a tenacious detective and a profiler shrouded in suspicion. Due to significant spoiler concerns, Disney+ and the creative team are keeping story details under tight wraps. What has been disclosed so far centers on Yi-na (Kim Da-mi), a profiler who finds herself under suspicion by detective Han-saem (Son Suk-ku) in connection with a decade-old unsolved case. The series marks yet another detective role for Son, following his turns in Disney+'s "Casino" and Netflix's "A Killer Paradox." Speaking at a press conference held Wednesday in Seoul's Jongno-gu, the actor described Han-saem as 'a very tenacious detective,' adding, 'He believes this is the one case he couldn't solve, and he's been obsessively chasing it for ten years.' Son emphasized a grounded approach to the role, steering away from attempts to differentiate this portrayal from previous detective characters. 'If you try too hard to make it different from your previous work, you can end up making a wrong move, so I just approached it in a way that suited the situation. Before being a professional, I'm a person first, so I approach each project that way,' he said. Han-saem also sports a distinctive aesthetic, most notably his frequent use of beanies, coats and visible tattoos. Son acknowledged the unconventional wardrobe choice, noting, 'I wear beanies often in real life, but it's an unusual accessory for a detective. The director even double-checked if it would violate dress code regulations. It's a unique choice that actually helped my performance, so I kept wearing it throughout.' Behind the camera is director Yoon Jong-bin, best known for films such as "Beastie Boys," "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time" and "Kundo: Age of the Rampant." With "Nine Puzzles," Yoon ventures into serialized streaming content with a project that blends mystery with stylistic flair. ''Nine Puzzle' is fundamentally a mystery drama. It is a story about two uniquely distinctive characters uncovering the truth behind a serial killer and the forces lurking in the background. It's a shame I can't reveal much due to the nature of the work,' Yoon said. 'I had a strong desire to take on a new project, and since the story itself was so compelling, I had high hopes that it would be an exciting project.' Yoon also spoke about the series' heightened visual language. 'After reading the script, I wondered whether something like this could happen in real life, or whether such characters could actually exist. From a realism perspective, those doubts are valid. So I felt the tone needed to be elevated to a world that straddles the line between reality and unreality — a more cartoon-like world. It was important to convey early on through the art direction, costumes and sets that this world is somewhat removed from reality.' The 11-episode series will premiere with episodes 1 through 6 on May 21, followed by two new episodes dropping every Wednesday thereafter. Director Yoon acknowledged that the accelerated release strategy may spark speculation among viewers. 'The release format spans over three weeks, and with six episodes coming out in the first week, people will inevitably start speculating about the culprit, and that's not something the production team can control,' he said. 'Although predictions will likely continue during the three-week period, viewers should be careful not to spoil things for others.'
