Diário de um Psicopata (2019)

When I first reviewed this title, I gave it a 9. I stick by that number in the case of the first 4 episodes, however as a whole there were bound to be a few issues. Overall I loved this drama and will gladly rewatch episodes, plan on making fanart, and will probably be raving about it to all of my friends for the next few months until the finale hype wears off. Now to get onto the review.

WHO THIS IS NOT FOR:
Those expecting a deep, serious crime drama which makes them reflect on their morality. (strangers from hell)
Those who dislike exaggeration as a character trait or secondhand embarrassment.

~STORY~
If you're reading this review you've probably already heard the premise. I went into this series without it. No synopsis, no trailer, no cast list, nothing but the name of the show. The first five minutes do a really good job of grabbing your attention. And for someone who didn't know anything before the first ep it did a really good job of introducing the main characters, the premise of the show, and the overall tone.
The pacing of events needed some work and the story dragged around midway.
However, that said, it didn't neglect the build up and portrayal of certain psychological issues and injuries.
I wish I could say I was completely satisfied with the execution of this story, however there were logical issues regarding the arcs of a few characters that detracted from the narrative.

~ACTING/CAST~
Yoon Shi Yoon/Yook Dong Shik: I will never be able to say enough about Yoon Shi Yoon. This was the first thing I really saw him in and I was utterly blown away. He is very expressive which seems to be why he was cast for this role. Due to Yook Dong Shik's amnesia and flare for the dramatics Yoon Shi Yoon had to regularly go from nervously giddy, to calm and cold. If you ever get bored just look at how he moves the corners of his lips and eyes. He also has good chemistry with the entire cast.

Jung In Sun/Shim Bo Kyung: At first I thought it was just cause she was the only sane person of the main 3, but as I watched I realized her character is really not for me. The actress does a very good job of portraying officer Shim, but she can't fix the writing for the character. Out of all the things the series prepped well for, it didn't prep for an officer well. There are so many things, especially in the later half, which just don't make sense for her character. She also falls into the trap of damsel in distress. Overall, one of the weakest characters.

Park Sung Hoon/Seo In Woo: Another actor I had never heard of before this. His performance in the first half left quite a bit to be desired and he felt like he knew where he needed to be, what he needed to say, and do, but not how to make it seem quite natural. It was almost uncanny valley of acting. However as the show progressed he slipped into character better and became a real treat to watch. As for the character, he was the most consistent and easy character to understand. A bit flat in the beginning but as they revealed more about him he showed to be much more complex than hatchet swinging serial killer.

Ensemble:
The rest of the cast were pretty fun and had their own agency to them that I haven't seen from many dramas. Even though we didn't know characters well we still could get a general idea of their wants and personalities outside of the main character's life. That is other than the dishonorable mention

Dishonorable Mention:
There is one character, not gonna name names, who has almost no agency and volition of their own. They exist only to aid a single character and don't show any sign of being more than a hollow husk of a person.
I removed a whole star cause this character exists.

~MUSIC~
I JUST WANNA BE BAD!!!
Honestly I love this soundtrack and it's going on a playlist. Besides 'wanna be bad' by the rose, this series sports a few instrumentals. I was actually upset that I couldn't found the sound director in the credits (I'mma have to look for it again). The music fits the energetic dark (ish) comedy tone of the show and really adds to scenes that are already really fun. The opening is very reminiscent of a mix between bond and scooby doo mysteries inc.

~REWATCH VALUE~
The sets are a bit plain but very easy on the eyes, the script episode to episode is decent enough to make a second (or even third) viewing comfortable, and the acting is superb, you may just catch things about characters you didn't realize the first time through. And did I mention the soundtrack yet?

~TL:DR~
Psychopath diary was a pretty well written, well acted, enjoyable dark (ish) comedy. It's really enjoyable the first time through, and easy enough to rewatch. The sound design is fantastic and sets the tone really well.

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Can one gimmick sustain an entire kdrama? Almost

The progression of Psychopath Diary seems simple, characters clear the misunderstanding until the big finale, and the drama results from which characters figure out the truth and when. The back half of the drama leaves the misunderstanding uncleared for a bit too long (to be expected of Korean dramas) with a hurried conclusion. The drama relies on comedy to get through its plot shortcomings, and the comedy never lets the viewers down.

Psychopath Diary brings in two successful main leads, Yoon Shi-Yoon (The Nokdu Flower) and Jung In-Sun (Terius Behind Me) and focuses on their interactions with third lead, Park Sung-Hoon. Their delivery really brings Psychopath Diary together and makes it a solid kdrama in 2019.

Story:
Nothing about the premise screams “new” in kdramaland: murder mystery, amnesia, nice guy taken advantage of, etc. Instead, it throws these concepts into a blender to create the nice guy who believes he is the psychopath killer with amnesia. The opening scene shows a male lead with conviction but that facade is ripped off for the viewers quickly, and the viewers are omniscient of the entire plot from the get-go.

From there, you would think the show revolves around how to resolve the misunderstanding, but Psychopath Diary dwells on all the hilarious scenarios of mistaken identity. The main male lead, Yook Dong Shik, tries to live up to his “killer” identity and to turn his pushover life around. Even with all the creative snafus, the gimmick starts to tire, and the comedic genius behind Psychopath Diary does not translate to the mystery/thriller aspect of the show. All-in-all, Psychopath Diary is a comedic gem under the guise of a mystery/thriller.

Acting:
The casting of the main leads is exceptional. Psychopath Diary showcases a group of actors with comic chops. Jung In-Sun is equally fun and funny in her previous role in Terius Behind Me. I remember Yoon Shi-Yoon from King of Baking in the 2010s. There are countless scenes where YSY’s character hilariously behaves more psychotic than our psychopath killer.

The supporting cast also has a strong resume in comedic dramas. Shout out to Kim Ki-Doo, who continues to score rolls as the comic relief (even in a comedy). The entire cast can be depended on to bring laughter to even the most dire scenes.

Music:
Music is an area that cable dramas struggle to keep up versus their major network counterparts. tvN is able to pull together an awesome ensemble, as evidenced by Hotel Del Luna, but that is more an exception than a rule. Still, the music does not take away from Psychopath Diary in any way. The overall viewing/listening experience remains pleasant throughout all the episodes.

Rewatch Value:
I cannot help but compare Psychopath Diary to Terius Behind Me again. So many of the things said in this review can also apply to Terius, and Terius is just a hair better in my eyes. Both casts are stellar, but Terius Behind Me does not trip up as much with the mystery/thriller plotline. On the other hand, Psychopath Diary never let down on the laughs, and that is what will be remembered about Psychopath Diary above all else.

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Good but meh

I both love and hate this drama. The plot is unique and acting is amazing. I loved the fact that everytime Donk Sik would quote a movie there would be a vhs tape next to him . But I think that this drama could’ve gone another route. Although he had amnesia, why was he so keen in embracing his psycopathic tendencies. In my opinion it would’ve been great if he actually turned out to be a psycopath. Secondly, too many plot holes with Seo In Woo. Those random clips of him as a child, and then Donk Sik’s mention of his mother right before the big fight left me wondering. I wanna know what happened to Seo In Woo’s mother, rather than focusing on the superficial side of this serial killer the drama should’ve explained more his background. Again it would’ve been amazing if Seo In woo and Donk Sik teamed up and became killers together. Like Strangers from Hell , dramas don’t need happy save the day endings. It would’ve so awesome.

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A Diary that Changed the Lives of Three People (and more)

A pushover employee. A police officer. A psychopath. Their lives become intertwined by a little diary. As dark as it may sound, the idea of turning their story into a something the viewers can laugh at was quite unexpected and somehow brave.

I have came across promotional media for this drama prior to its premiere and while it captured my interest because of Jung In-sun (I really liked her in Terius Behind Me) it wasn't enough to actually make me watch... That is until I ran out of dramas to watch (LOL). I think watching it was a good choice.

STORY
Like I mentioned above, the premise of this drama is quite unconventional (at least for a K-drama newbie like me) and though I wasn't curious enough to watch it from the time it premiered, when I did begin to, I wasn't able to let go. The pacing was just right in most of its episodes. However, at the beginning, I did have some thoughts about it being better off a movie than a drama (just so I could see the end of it in two hours time, haha), but later on I was able to appreciate its story line precisely because it is a drama. It was not as predictable as I expected it to be, which is a good thing. But myself being a fan of CSI and Sherlock, I found their investigation procedures a bit lacking in sophistication. And also, what I found a bit disappointing was how the female character, which started off projecting a strong and independent image, ended up being rescued at some point in the drama.

Generally though, it was a happy drama trying to convey hope and strength for those who seem to think they are useless and weak.

ACTING
Yoon Shi Yoon - It was may first time to see him and it wasn't hard to appreciate him as a comedic actor in this drama since he already gave off a Ryan Bang impression on me. He was really good at shifting from a weakling to a predator in his 'psychopathic' moments but I feel a bit awkward when he starts to cry really hard or shout really loud, not sure why. But basically I find his charm and comedic skills a plus.

Jung In Sun - I began to admire this actress in Terius Behind Me and this drama made me admire her even more because I never saw a hint of her previous character in Shim Bo Kyung. The teasers gave me an impression that her character would be clumsy and awkward, but it turned out differently and I appreciate that.

Park Sung Hoon - He carried out his role very excellently and I hope he gets more challenging roles in the future. It's my first time to see him as well, and what marked for me in this role of his is his creepy yet funny laughter. And yet even though at times his character's situation may be funny, he was very consistent in projecting his role as a coldhearted psychopath.

Support Roles - Among the support roles, Kim Myung Soo and Heo Sung Tae were the most unforgettable.

MUSIC
I like how the intro music reminds me of Kill Bill, since that helps set the mood for the murders that could happen in the drama. Aside from that, The Rose's "Wanna Be Bad" was the most catchy among the OST. If I'm not mistaken, "Stay The Same" was the song that plays during Bo Kyung and Dong Shik shipping moments; it sounded too romantic for me.

REWATCH VALUE
I personally would watch this again for basically two reasons: I want better understand the scenes and catch some significant details I may have missed, or I want to have a good laugh.

OVERALL
It may not be as grand and sophisticated as other related dramas, but I could say that watching this won't be a waste of time, especially if you are into crime and comedy.

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It’s a comedy, so if you are looking for a serious execution of the premise, you’re at the wrong place. But if you are someone who wants to see a character with a severe lack of self-identity that it’s almost painful in its humour, like getting mercilessly tickled – this is a drama for you. Because going into it with the wrong expectations can kill the experience.

The plot is almost like a cat and mouse chase, with a twist: an innocent man confuses himself as a serial killer, leading to a series of events that will help capture the true psychopath. What makes the story a 9/10 though? The characters, smart writing, and a great pace (mostly).

The writer tried to be meticulous. It is an almost absurd premise – before it aired, I dreaded that the whole drama would fall in on itself. Yet the situations that led to the mistaken identity – the mental state of Dong Shik, the people surrounding him, and the little intrusion of happenstance – made me see the possibility of it happening to some poor soul in the real world. After all, it is not all that absurd for someone with a poor mental health (thus low self-esteem) and little emotional support to latch on to an identity that isn’t theirs after losing their memories if it makes sense to them. If the writer can make you accept that, the rest of the story flows really well.

The characters were very fun. Yoon Shi Yoon pulled off Dong Shik so convincingly, it’s beautiful. His expressions, internal monologue, infamous psycho eye-shift, frustration, and – good God – sheer stupidity was a pleasure to witness. Dong Shik was funny without trying; he was so caught up in his identity of a psychopath, he created the most exasperating, slap-your-knee hilarious scenarios. Then there was Bo Kyung – Jung In Sun (the actress who plays Bo Kyung) is small, but she makes you believe she is a police officer who is more than capable of catching criminals, which she most certainly was. She is intuitive, smart, and funny in her own little ways. Then there is Mister Psychopath himself – Park Sung Hoon is so good a playing psycho characters, it’s scary (until I see the reassuring behind the scenes where he is an absolute sweetheart). His psycho laugh is my favourite. He is not a character that has much to add to the comedy, but he most certainly adds to the intensity of the drama by making it darker, which gives it the balance it needed. The ones whose antics and unexpected heroism will make you laugh the most, all while being crucial to the plot, are Dong Shik and Bo Kyung’s sidekicks, arguably one of the best I have seen: Taek Soo and Chil Sung. They did not disappoint. At all.

I want to commend the writer again for giving the characters little eccentricities which were not cheesy and were not wasted (thankfully). For example, Dong Shik’s obsession with horror movies kicked his imagination in various places; Bo Kyung’s hallucinations (which were induced whenever her subconscious detected she was doing something wrong) gave us insight into her thought process and how intuitive she was while using it to move the plot along, and so on.

The only reason I deducted a point from the plot is because it dragged a bit around episode 9 and 10. Furthermore, the last two episodes were enjoyable, but I still feel that they lacked something, though I cannot pinpoint it. Still, the rewatch value is high in this one! And the BGM really gives it a character of its own.

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One of the best dramas i have seen in a while.
First of all, the story itself is really interesting, pretty cliche but everything makes up for it.

As you can expect, there’s a lot of plot twists, turns and surprises and is just absolutely unpredictable. Although the outcome of the whole situation is obvious (as show in the beginning), you can’t help but get nervous whenever something significant happens and start wondering whether this is the the situation that leads to the outcome? It was nerve racking, for me, in certain moments.

Yoon Shi Yoon makes the main character absolutely lovable, despite trying to be the bad guy, and portrays the character in such a way, that every episode left me in awe. On a side note, Yook Dong Shik is relatable, in a peculiar way.

Overall, this drama did not disappoint me in the slightest - it exceeded my expectations in every possible way and I will definitely come back to it.

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I know I'm in the minority here and you don't have to agree with my opinion but for me the biggest let down of this drama was Shi Yoon. And honestly nothing against the guy I just think this role just wasn't for him. Honestly that hoodie and hair style made him look like a Yang Se Jong reject. It's like someone told him to channel the actor and somehow he'd get it right? And when he did finally did start having his own personality toward ep 10 ish it was all still pretty disastrous. But I will say this, the reason I kept watching was definitely Sung Hoon and also the writing, while nothing special, provides for an entertaining watch at least. And the violence is done rather well but while the idea itself of a psychopath dairy was intriguing enough, the rest of the story was a very typical plot -- main lead gets framed for crimes he didn't do and then the villain is found guilty and gets his comeuppance blah blah.

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I wasn't going to finish this drama after watching the first episode but someone suggested that I should finish watching because it gets better.

Well, to be fair I stuck it out because I was hoping as nice as the main ML was he wasn't going to go by the actual psychopath's diary.

I'm not going to go into a whole spiel about this drama. I'm just going to talk about the takeways that happened throughout this series.

First the comedic scenes. There were a lot of comedy scenes but I only laughed a few times. It was because 'in my opinion' some of the comedic elements were too over the top. The constant yelling, screaming, whining, and crying by the main ML didn't help much.

The dumb skills of the two constable officers. The fact that a lot of the times when the main ML did something off the wall these two cops thought it was just adorable when in the real world that person would be evaluated for mental issues or got arrested.

The private detective who'd been a police officer for 20 years which turned into 15 close to the end of the series was horrible at blackmailing. You would think someone with a 20 year skill would be a master of their craft but they made this guy look like a amateur blackmailer.

The second ML was just too creepy. He was the only one that was more believable throughout the series but he did stupid stuff too.

There was one scenario in one of the episodes where the main ML was stuck in a car with charcoal bricks. I guess that's commonly used for suicide purposes and the main ML could've rolled down the windows, or he could've slid to the passenger's side of the car and unlock the door-because the driver side was blocked, but no he just sat there, screamed, cried...did everything but the right thing in order to survive.

The last episode was the reason why my rating is the way it is. It didn't have that closure that I was hoping for. It dragged and it just seemed like the writer didn't know how to end the series so they just put in a little of this and put in a little of that but left out things that I thought would be the icing on the cake.

There were a lot of people who stated that this was the best drama ever. No offense but I've seen better.

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I found out about this drama recently and fell in love with it immediately, however, while I was watching I noticed that most episodes went by very slowly which made it somewhat boring to watch and just felt like a drag. Would've been better if it ended on episodes 8-10.

I found the characters okay, I feel like Yook Dong Sik would've had so much potential if he teamed up with Seo In Woo and didn't act like a total dimwit most of the time... There were times when I just couldn't bear watching Yook Dong Sik at all due to all the idiotic stuff he kept doing.

I found Bo Kyung a really smart and intelligent character but there were times when she would take so long to notice an important piece of information that could've saved her and the viewer SO much time, and watching her going back and forth with all the investigations over and over again made me really tired and disinterested sometimes.

I loved Seo In Woo's character, he was absolutely perfect from top to bottom. When he found out that Yook Dong Sik had his diary in episode 4 I knew that if he wanted to he could've ended him right away instead of just messing around and creating some long plan for 12 episodes straight. I feel like he would've been better off as the MC instead of Yook Dong Sik for several reasons.

In my opinion, this drama did a semi-good job of balancing thriller and comedy together. I found the jokes very funny but there were a lot of times when a scene could be dark and have a lot of suspense but then would get absolutely ruined by some joke. Like I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for something interesting to happen and BOOM a joke comes and destroys the whole moment
Overall I really liked it, and would definitely recommend it to other people !! would've given it a 9 if it wasn't for all the jokes and long meaningless scenes.

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" Psychopath diary " blended the genres of comedy and thriller so well that the drama was entertaining till the very ending.

First of all, kudos for not adding romance in this one. The relationship of the main character and the leading lady was pretty great, with nice chemistry and amazing dynamics. Their pairing was pretty clever and entertaining.

The performances were fantastic too. Especially the leading actor was phenomenal, and probably one of the reasons to watch this drama.

Also, the cemody elements were plenty and they kept them up till the final episodes, although, I have to admit that they were less and less as the drama progressed. The thriller and action scenes were really good too, especially the mystery-criminal case was very entertaining.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

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I enjoyed every minute of this drama for its colourful cast of characters, its stupid humour and its unique premise. But not everyone will, and it's important to go into Psychopath Diary with a very clear mindset if you want to enjoy it.

I'll skip an overview of the premise and jump straight to the meat of the controversy: the plot. Psychopath Diary is, essentially, a black comedy. It's really important to keep that in mind as you watch it because if you go into it expecting a dark, psychological thriller or a fascinating take on the premise, you're going to come out of this show having watched something you weren't looking for. This show is a comedy. It never wants to be more. There's character growth, there are heartwarming moments and a lot of really fun, engaging interactions within a cast that somehow managed to keep me, personally, loving every character. But the gritty psychology that a lot of people went into the drama looking for is not here.

I do agree that, had the writers taken a different route, the drama could have been so much more interesting. The plot plays it safe, for the most part, especially at the end. But if the drama went down a darker path, it wouldn't have been the story they were going for. Yoon Shi Yoon is an actor that relies on comedy and exaggeration. I think he plays his 'psychopath mode' role very well, but he's not the actor that would have been chosen had they intended the series to be a dark thriller. He's too bubbly, too likeable for a role like that. But for what the drama IS, a cute, heartwarming comedy with a thriller premise, they couldn't have chosen anyone better.

The cast is amazing. Everyone played their roles well, I fell in love with all of the characters, and even when the writing takes a few dips here and there in quality, they manage to make it enjoyable enough that I don't care. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any actor that felt jarring or any performances that were done poorly. This drama introduced me to Yoon Shi Yoon who I've found to be thoroughly enjoyable in the other roles that he's played. It was also the first time I saw Park Sung Hoon in a drama and he was amazing as a serial killer, so I'll definitely be taking a look at his other roles. Jung in Sun as Bo Kyung was the perfect compliment to the trainwreck that was Dong Shik. But aside from the main cast, everyone did a great job too. My favourite part of this drama is by far the amazing actors that brought it to life.

The plot, with its interesting premise, is both a strength and a weakness. It promises a lot of things at the beginning that it doesn't deliver through to the end, which I know is the biggest complaint that people have and I fully agree that it's an issue. But what it does give us, so long as you're able to go with the flow, is a fun story with a lot of long-standing jokes, character bonding, and a good look into who this pushover salaryman Dong Shik is and how he grows into a stronger person. So, I'm able to somewhat forgive its faults in favour of the enjoyment that I got out of it.

TL;DR: Psychopath Diary is a fun, engaging comedy with thriller aspects. It is NOT a psychological thriller. Going into the drama knowing that is critical to your enjoyment of it. The writing is nothing revolutionary, but it's enjoyable. The cast is amazing, everyone is fun to watch, and the soundtrack is perfect. But if you're looking for a drama that tackles tough issues like what makes a person who they are, how pressure and misconception can change someone, or a good man's slow descent into murder, you'll have to wait. The drama you're looking for isn't here yet, but maybe with Psychopath Diary paving the way, we'll see it in the future.

Until then, enjoy watching this stupid, pushover salaryman as he tries to keep his life together.

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