Rato (2021)

One of my favorite kdramas of all time

First for those who've seen my list, yes I'm bad at giving rates, but for this drama I genuinely want to give it a 10, I just loved it so much, which is also the reason why I wrote this review for it.

I should start with saying that this drama is not for everyone, its very complex and confusing at times. Its also an R-rated drama with some 19+ rated episodes and it can take an emotional toll from you, so do take this into account before watching.

Story
I watched the show from the start when it was streaming and I must say I never could wait for the next episode, which is a good sign as it means I was very intrigued by it. As I said it can be confusing and complex at times, but for me this only made it better as I loved to speculate, theorise and read theories from others. There is a lot of mystery in the drama, but I've to point out that this is not a mystery thriller. So certain things may seem quite predictable, but thats because its a psychological thriller that focuses on the characters and emotions. Certainly the first part of the drama can be a bit misdirecting about this. The drama contains also a lot of twists, at certain times I wasn't sure how they were going to stretch the story till episode 20, but the twists always surprised me and eventually I didn't find the drama stretched at all. Important to mention also is that there are certain things in it that are still considered science fiction. Personally I didn't mind this, but I saw a lot of people who had problems with it. My advise is even if you don't really like this, don't give up immediately it's not as problematic as it looks at first. And for me it made the story all the more interesting and actually quite unique. There is also minor romance in it, actually more than I expected for a drama like this. For those who don't like this don't worry it doesn't feel out of place and it isn't cringey at all. I actually really liked it, but of course also don't watch it for a happy romance. Finally the ending is very satisfying, which I was very happy about as a lot of good dramas have a problem with the ending.

Actors
This was my first drama with Lee Seung-Gi and I must say he did a phenomenal job. It does take some time before he's able to show his acting skills, as his character only becomes more prominent and complex later into the drama. So at first he may not seem that impressive, but later when he's able to he's fantastic.

I loved Lee Hee-joon, I had seen him before like in "Legend of the blue sea", but although I like him there also, it was here that I was very impressed by his acting skills and became a fan of him. The way he was able to portray emotions was phenomenal, he certainly deserved the nomination he got for his acting skills here, really hope he wins next time as he really deserves it. I really can't wait also to see more of him.

I loved Park Ju-hyun also, she's actually the reason I found out about this as I was looking for other dramas with her. As always she did a fantastic job and I'm certain she will become a big star if she continues to impress like this. Not everyone seemed to like her character, although this is a minority and mostly I found the reasons they had for bashing on Bong-Yi quite unreasonable. I've to admit I also hoped that Bong-Yi maybe had a bit more prominent role and maybe I'm a bit biased about her, because I really like Park Ju-hyun. But overall I was really satisfied, really loved the character and felt quite an emotional connection with her.

Like many other people, Kyung Soo-jin character was probably my least favorite of the main characters. She also did a really great job and it's certainly not that I disliked her character, but I guess I just felt the least connection with her character, which isn't her fault. I liked her the most in the beginning of the drama, but later on she disappears a bit to the background, which is probably the reason.

I really liked the rest of the cast also, certainly Kwon Hwa-woon and Ahn Jae-wook. And the acting of the famous child actor Kim Kang-hoon was very impressive to say the least.

Music
The music was great and certainly did set the tone of the drama. I absolutely love the instrumental song at the end of every episode. I'm also very happy that they released most of the instrumental music, as they often don't do this. The vocal songs were also great, certainly "It's alright" and "Too late".

Overall this drama is a must watch, although it's not for everyone, so do take some of my points into consideration before watching it.

Leia Mais

unpredictable plots

honestly, the drama is really a good thriller, mystery and crime drama and the best part I liked about it was the plots and so many serial killing cases, I mean if you are a crime genre lover like me then definitely you should go and watch it now 'cause this drama doesn't evolve on only single case. and I also liked the way of choosing next prey on some basis not like psychopath who kills any one they see, lol.

this drama also conveyed a kind of message that be aware of every one, just because they seem nice and gentle it doesn't mean they actually are.

SPOILER: I don't know but am I the only one who knew from the starting that Jung ba-ram is going to be real killer however they showed song yo han so suspiciously, I guess I have a good hunch?


so, overall I loved the storyline, plots character as well as cast, for me this is the one of the best crime, thriller and mystery kdrama I've ever watched.

Leia Mais

Incredible story

Psychological and criminal dramas are usually not my foreplay, despite having a fond interest in these topics, but Mouse has definitely been the drama that challenges that. It has a mixture of suspense, tension, thrill, and mystery that will get you hooked and for you to binge on. I thoroughly enjoyed joining in on solving the mysteries with the cast.

Mouse is not that average mystery drama where the plot's focal point is to find the "who" is the mastermind behind the criminal acts, but rather the events and revealed mysteries that lead up to the capture of the mastermind. It is a drama that is based around psychopaths that pose a lot of moral questions: can psychopaths really be healed? Can one turn out to be a good human being despite psychopathic genes? Can they be detected before birth through mutated genes? And finally, can psychopaths be revealed in advance? These questions are what embodies this whole series, which makes for an all-around captivating show. It also enables you to question a lot in your life and what type of people are out there (though as the drama states, nothing is to be taken seriously). I can tell the writing has been well thought out and planned strategically through the marvelous crime stories and the connection between one case to another. The main plot of Jung Ba Reum, was very intensifying as his story develops, with a number of phenomenal plot twists and heart-racing scenes that bring the viewer immense angst. Everything to the progression of the story was marvelous and outstanding.
I loved the connections with the main characters and how they were indirectly involved in this whole case.

Despite the fact that I enjoyed the many subplots and how they connected to the other stories, it felt overwhelming in the sense that there is a lot to remember, leaving me bamboozled at times about the events that happened in the previous episodes. At some point during the show, I just stopped thinking about the who what when, and why in the criminal acts and just went with the flow of the show.
On the other hand, whilst the ending made a massive reveal in connection with the purpose of the show, the sudden twist in the ending really downplayed the acts of the main villain throughout the progression of the show, leaving me feeling bewildered on whether the main should actually be the one wholly to blame, which should not feel that way.

Generally speaking, I enjoyed this drama very much and it was lovely to have connected with the characters and see how this crazy and twisted story unravel. The mind is really amazing.
If you have the time to invest in this, this can surely be recommended to anyone. If you love psychological concepts, then this is the one for you.
Do be warned, this drama will toy with your emotions and leave you feeling somewhat traumatised. i would say do not binge on this and take your time with this show, haha

Leia Mais

mousterpiece

i rarely give 10/10 rating to shows, they really have to tingle my brain in a perfect way for me to do that and "mouse" did exactly that.

the plot seems very confusing at first, i thought it was a me-problem so i dropped it 2 times until giving it a final try. throughout the first episodes more and more questions arised and nothing gets answered for a long while, only after watching a big part of the drama it all slowly gets explained. i have to say i started this show knowing who the culprit is after accidentally seeing a tiktok edit.. that didn't stop me from being shocked by all the following plot twists and situations! the tension is immaculate, i was sitting at the edge of my seat, all stressed and anxious about what was happening. i thought knowing the "main plot twist" will spoil me the entire drama but turned out what i thought to be the main plot twist - wasn't main at all.

i specifically love the crime/thriller genre but rarely find anything that would actually scare me, this one was really unique with atypical, unexpected story. there was no unnecessary romance or comedy subplots, everything that was happening was absolutely necessary and well fitted. i really loved the found family trope between ko moo-chi and oh bong-i, it was probably the only wholesome thing around all the brutality and suspense.

the rewatch value is 10/10 for me as well because it would be really interesting to analyse the plot all over again while already knowing what actually happened. i hate rewatching shows because i feel like i'm wasting time while i could be watching something else but "mouse" is absolutely necessary for me to see again!
i recommend everyone to give this drama a chance. not everyone end up liking it because of the complex plot, and that's okay, but if you're a crime/thriller fan who loves plot twists - don't miss out on this gem!

Leia Mais

Anyone who like spectacular twists will enjoy this drama!

Surprisingly, it exceeded my expectations since this drama was nominated in some category internationally (?) Just correct me if I am wrong.

The plot flows smoothly from the start, with no problems in the protagonists' situations or the cases that the leads take that are related to them. Everything was turned upside down in the middle, especially when it was revealed that Yohan's brain had been transplanted to Bareum. Still, I think everything is in place. Every scene from the beginning to the middle is still in sync, but as the drama reaches its finale, I'm lost! I questioned myself about certain moments that didn't match up, such as Bong-yi's grandmother's death and the scenario at the television station. Thankfully, someone pushed me to keep going because they claimed all of these events will be explained in later episodes, and they didn't let me down! Everything has remained clear in my memory to the point where I can still remember the events of the drama. Everything in this drama bothered me, starting with the proposed bill, which requires the government to determine whether or not to murder possible psychopath killers in order to avoid killings. I was first opposed, but this drama will persuade you that they deserve it at some point.

If I could only list the characters' names, I would! There are a lot of them, yet they all play important roles without overshadowing the drama's main characters. Compliments goes to Lee Seung-gi, whose acting completely tricked me! His reputation had been utterly turned upside down. I went from adoring him to despising what he did to attempting to forgive him despite not being one of his victims.

I don't think this drama is for someone searching for something light and fluffy. None of the episodes were uninteresting, thus I can certainly claim that it is one of my top-tier dramas, with Sky Castle, The K2, and Save Me, all of which genre and narrative compatible.

Leia Mais

would have been perfect if they fix some misleading info

Starting the first episode feeling a little bit "off" with the way they are discussing about "psychopath = serial killer" thus making the controversial bill of aborting fetus with psychopathic gene in order to create a "utopia". This is very misleading and such stereotype should be banished from media. Logically speaking, even normal people could commit murder so I find the idea ridiculous but I will let that pass.

The first half was intense, mysterious, and cruel. They made us questioned a lot of things with its ambiguous flashback of the child whom we are not sure who he actually is. I absolutely enjoyed the 5th episode the most.

The second half is slow as they reveal the truth one by one and the relation between the protagonist & each characters. I enjoyed his journey of memorizing what he had committed and the how it made him living in agony & regrets.

"Did God do that to save him or punish him?"

I had the exact same thought while seeing the main protagonist in his final state. Very conflicted.

Leia Mais

Stranger Things.

Mouse is one giant science experiment gone humongously wrong. There is no other way I can describe it. The only factor that kept me going was the powerful performance of the leading cast. The story, after the first six to ten episodes, was a mess. Introducing Sci-Fi is a good idea, if you know what you are talking about. What the heck was the purpose of this drama?
Psychopaths are demonized in this. This is so not the case in reality. I'm sorry, but I fail to see any signs of the writers actually doing any research on the topic prior to sketching it into a story. I would've let it pass, but the "psychopath = killer" was purposefully shoved on my face more times than necessary.

This is also my very first time coming across a drama with so many dumb adults. It's as if nobody had an ounce of intellect or humanity in them.
I'm even more enraged how the very wrong message of "a killer's son is a killer" is the built in idea of this plot.

"Flower of Evil" is one drama that dealt with this topic. Do Hyun Soo is far from a perfect character and he does several questionable acts that makes the viewer's hearts stop - particularly at the end of episode one, where we truly begin to question his identity. He is not a fluffy bunny and he is definitely not 100% in his right mind, faking his entire identity.

Jung Ba Reum is a filthy character. But, he and Sung Yo Han were just plot devices at the end of the day. If there is anyone I would love to imprison, it would be Daniel Lee. Dude preached all about psychopathic genes and then turned into a hypocrite -- he used Jung Ba Reum as a murder machine, knowing well that he was the actual killer. Every single (adult and not from police station) person in this drama needs to have their heads examined. And Miss Choi Hong Ju?! Don't even get me started, yes, she was scared and traumatized, but literally egging someone else into killing others for her own personal reasons? She could've gone to Detective Ko Moo Chi and tipped him off. Instead, she played behind the scenes.
The Head-Hunter doesn't have brains to begin with, I would've smashed his head with a hammer the moment I met him, had it been me.

And his wife… oh boy. I feel not an ounce of sympathy for her. She destroyed Sung Yo Han's life. She literally exchanged her own son with someone. It's as if nobody knew what to do with children who are seemingly troubled. The teacher suggested having him taken for therapy, yet his father hit him. (He deserved a good beating, yes, but his adoptive mother knew his condition. She should've tried different methods to coax his self isolation or taken him to a psychiatrist.)
They are labelled as monsters from the very beginning. They know that there are eyes on them. (I sniff a few plot holes, but seeing where the actual purpose of the plot lay, I'll let it go.)

Jae Hoon/Ba Reum, desperately needed to get taken away from his environment, to someone who knew how to be with him. Instead, he was taken away and awaited upon as a sacrificial lamb for someone's political gain. I hated seeing the moments where his "aunt" just sat back and watched as he killed animals. His entire life was built around a lie. Yes, he was undoubtedly a psychopath. But, he would've definitely turned into someone better had he been properly taken care of. Instead, his killer instincts were purposefully awoken. And every single person involved watched the whole thing happen.
This was never addressed in the drama, particularly during the final episodes where every storyline was hastily getting wrapped up.

And Sung Yo Han… why the heck did they film the entire 6 episodes with him in plain sight? He knew that Ba Reum was the killer, knew of the organization, and never once attempted to contact the cops "directly". I knew that he definitely wasn't the killer right from EP1, when Chi Kook's body appeared in the box. But, he kept tailing Ba Reum, if what was shown in the drama had any form of truth. And Nepo dude should've just taken him in for questioning -- that would've made the drama about 8 episodes long and the case closed much faster.

Operation OZ. Damn. This is not Area 51 or Hawkins. It was lame. The Chief Secretary of the President was as horrible as Han Seo Joon and his wife. And the people with her? And the Bill? I don't even know what to say.

The drama dragged on longer than necessary. But, I guess the Sci-Fi aspect was the very main focus rather than the actual characters. Detective Moo Chi, Ba Reum and the police gang were my favorites.

My History teacher had recently mentioned her experience while working as a trainee in a school and it kept floating on my mind whenever I watched Jae Hoon. The boy in her experience, too was someone whom everyone were terrified of.

Jae Hoon was showing all signs of becoming a highly anti-social individual, but everyone easily assumed him to be a monster right from the get go. His adoptive mom apologized for not believing him, too late though.

All I could remember was how everyone in this drama were wronged. It was supposed to have the Sci-Fi tag as the very main one, since the 'killer' part was very easy to crack. I could not believe why nobody suspected Ba Reum in the Chi Kook case, however convincing he was. Or maybe I'm too spoiled after watching Saiai -- Dai-chan, the detective, literally kept his own first love and his friends as the suspects.

They should've removed all the scientific aspects and spent more time on developing the characters, the psychopath's past and the story. All in all, it was a wild ride. But, it's too frustrating.

Leia Mais

Miserable and complicated psycho drama

I actually lowered my rating for this drama after I've completed it from 9 to 7.5
It started really strong ,, really good and so complicated as it moved along the episodes
it became layered of complications and confusions ,, my head hurt every time I wanted to figure out what's going on to the point I didn't care anymore
I'm the kind of person that when things gets really difficult and really annoying to understand I just let it go and go with the flow but the ride in this one was so rough ,, bumpy ride .
I reached episode 10 and I was praying for it to end ,, just put us of our misery and end this complicated puzzle with all it's flashbacks and all the pain from the live victims and the new killings
the most painful death for me was the doctor that lived a miserable life and died wrongful death while trying to save a child , became enemy no1 in the whole country then after his death his baby even suffered to the end .. A baby abuse
this drama was so miserable , so complicated , so violent that it caused me depression state
I want it to end badly and I felt sorry for the actors playing such complex miserable characters
it was A grade drama but really not my taste at all
that's why I lowered my rating ,, I didn't enjoy it ,, I felt sick through it and because of it
I don't recommend it to any one just the people who needs a very sad detective drama

Leia Mais

A Flawed Masterpiece

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Mouse is an excellent crime thriller! You expect Mouse to be one thing, but it mutates into something else. It starts like any other crime thriller: two justice attaining detectives team up to catch a serial killer. Ko Moo-chi, a veteran detective, and Jeong Ba-reum, a rookie detective, have their eyes set on Seong Yo-han. They believe he is the serial killer that has brutally killed innocents because of his hatred toward God. When Ba-reum confronts Yo-han, he is struck in the head, and Moo-chi kills Yo-han. Ba-reum ends up needing brain surgery, which rids Ba-reum of all his memories. Believing they have caught the killer, everything seems to go back to normal; however, around 6 to 7 episodes in, the show shifts to focus on Ba-reum, whose personality has changed tremendously. A part of Yo-han's brain was transplanted into Ba-reum's head, and so it seems that Ba-reum starts to have memories of Yo-han and his killings. However, along the way, Ba-reum realizes he was the psychopathic killer all along. Because of the brain transplant, Ba-reum can now feel guilt and remorse. He now wants repentance for all the crimes he has committed.

Mouse is definitely a roller coaster full of mysteries and twists. You'll come up with a theory, and by the next episode, it gets torn to shreds. The possibilities in this show are endless, which keeps you coming back to the show wanting more! I will admit, I knew who the killer was before watching the show, yet the show still remained exciting and unpredictable.

While Mouse is indeed a masterpiece, it does not come without faults. But first, I want to start by listing the reasons why Mouse is a fantastic show, and then I will get into the problems I had with the show.

Likes:
- The concept is fascinating! I've never really seen anything like it. Memoir of a Murderer is the closest film I can think of that is somewhat similar to Mouse. If you haven't seen it, definitely check it out!
- Lee Seung-gi plays his character so well! Honestly, if it weren't for Lee Seung-gi, who plays Ba-reum, the series would've fallen flat. Seung-gi was able to seamlessly switch from the good cop that everyone liked to being confused about who he really is and then to murderous and finally wanting repentance for everything he had done. His flow from these different personalities was top-notch!
- The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. There were so many times when I should shout, "RUN!! OMG GOOOOO!!!"

Dislikes:
- There's too much yelling. Honestly, it kind of stressed me out. I feel like the yelling is typical in Korean crime shows, though.
- Everything is TOO connected. A couple of examples:
1) Ba-reum saw Bong-yi below the bridge where Kang Deok-soo left her to die. Mouse isn't the first drama to use a past connection, but it does get old always to see how two characters are connected.
2) When Bong-yi is being attacked in her house, I thought it was Kang Deok-soo because he had been stalking her as soon as he got out of prison, but it wasn't. It was another psychopath. Out of all the people he could've attacked, he choose Bong-yi??
3) Choi Hongju is connected to the Head Hunter, Han Seo-joon.
These connections lead me to my next point.
- Basically, the whole town where Mouse takes place is a mess. It felt like everyone in this town was a psychopath. I get it's a TV show, but I wish the writers could've made Mouse somewhat realistic.
- The psychology was not researched or done right. The writers try to portray all psychopaths as serial killers when that is not true. Sure, psychopaths can't feel empathy or guilt, but that doesn't mean they are all murderers.

Overall, Mouse is one hell of a ride! Though there are many ridiculous subplots, Ba-reums's character kept me watching, and Lee Seung-gi's phenomenal acting as Ba-reum makes up for these minor dislikes. I highly recommend watching this show if you're into thrillers, especially when the main character is a serial killer. The only main thing I would recommend is not to google anything about the show because there are countless spoilers.

Leia Mais