New year, killer role. We’re talking about Choi Woo Shik who has now become a household name in the K-drama industry with his roles in Parasite and Our Beloved Summer. He’s the protagonist in the new Netflix thriller A Killer Paradox. We’ve got the details about the cast and plot.
And if you’ve already binge-watched the whole thing, skip down to the end of the article for our review plus everything you need to know about the ending.
A Killer Paradox on Netflix
‘A Killer Paradox’ is out on 9 February. (Photo from: @netflixkcontent)
K-thriller fans are in for a treat with a new Netflix thriller on its way to the platform. Entitled A Killer Paradox, it stars Choi Woo Shik Son Suk Ku (D.P.) and Lee Hee Jun (Miss Baek).
A Killer Paradox is based on the award-winning webtoon of the same name by Kkomabi. It tells the story of Lee Tang — played by Woo Shik — a university student who accidentally kills a serial killer. He eventually transforms from a regular student to a murderer. Meanwhile, Suk Ku plays Jang Nan-gam, an intuitive and relentless detective who faces internal conflict while chasing Lee Tang.
Fans of Woo Shik are excited to see the actor back on screen, while followers of the webtoon are waiting to see how the Netflix adaptation will live up to the hype and detailed storytelling of the original work.
wooshik is coming back to save cinema im so excited for a killer paradox i can't breathe pic.twitter.com/4lR7n2RSkn
— ً (@goldenmelodist) January 11, 2024
The series is directed by renowned director Lee Chang-hee whose previous works include Hell is Other People and The Vanished, and written by Kim Da-min.
A Killer Paradox review
The good
Choi Woo Shik playing the accidental serial killer who unintentionally leaves no traces of evidence behind? It’s not something you see everyday in the K-drama realm, so it isn’t much of a surprise for us to learn that the intriguing A Killer Paradox landed the fourth spot globally on Netflix. It also became the top show in countries such as Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and more.
The cat-and-mouse chase you don’t want to miss. (Photos from: netflix.com)
Many people are praising the storyline, the suspense, and the top-notch performances of the cast. It also has a bit of fantasy in it, which wasn’t part of the promotions of the show, but we felt that it was a cherry on top and added to the show’s unique nature.
Choi Woo Shik does not disappoint in A Killer Paradox. While watching him land deadly blows and turn into a serial killer, you’ll wonder if this was the same “green flag” that stole our hearts in Our Beloved Summer. His convincing portrayal of Lee Tang gave depth to the character and proved that he could take on the action genre too.
As he keeps getting away with murder, the show will keep you wondering if his luck will ever run out, and so you’ll find yourself engrossed in its wild world. Son Suk Ku’s performance as Detective Jang Nan-gam also adds another interesting layer to the story as he seems to get what’s going on in Lee Tang’s mind but can never pin him down.
With the “cat-and-mouse” theme of the series, we wondered if it would be repetitive and boring, but other characters will keep you engaged throughout the show. We have the villainous and unpredictable Song Chon (Lee Hee Joon) and the geeky “Roh Bin” (Kim Yo Han) to thank for that.
The not-so-good
Despite successfully raking in numbers, the show also got criticism for explicit scenes, since they didn’t seem necessary. If the makers intended to fuel discourse surrounding the show, then it hit its mark. We do hope that viewers will go beyond the show and be vigilant when it comes to crimes like sexual harassment.
A Killer Paradox: ending explained and will there be Season 2?
After eight episodes, Choi Woo Shik’s character Lee Tang was still free and hiding away in a rundown neighbourhood in… guess where? The Philippines. He then finds out that he actually still has a clean slate and ironically, his only crime was having a fake passport. He then flies back to Korea, and the show seems to be hinting that he’s resuming his vigilante acts.
But let’s backtrack a bit. Before we get to the show’s ending, Lee Tang was supposed to run away from it all with his “sidekick” Roh Bin. But Roh Bin wanted to catch Song Chon along with Detective Jang Nan-gam and hid his real plan from Lee Tang. The detective who at first opposed the vigilante ways of Roh Bin and Lee Tang now passionately wanted to satisfy his vendetta against Song Chon after the death of his father.
Lee Tang burst into the scene and when the bullets were flying, he was unscathed, while Roh Bin and Song Chon died. Lee Tang wanted to kill himself, but the detective’s gun had zero bullets left. It was like he had nine lives, and it’s like this is also part of his newfound powers. Detective Jang Nan-gam begrudgingly told Lee Tang, “You can do whatever you want, but someone will catch you, even if it's not me." But it doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon, as we see Lee Tang walk the streets free and back on the move.
Roh Bin and Song Chon got all the blame for all the killings that have occurred in the series. Plenty of evidence was found in Roh Bin’s home — documents, murder weapons, you name it.
Will there be a season 2? The final shot shows us that Lee Tang still has his powers, and there’s room for brand-new stories in this unconventional series which blurs the line between genres. Netflix hasn’t announced anything yet, but keep an eye out on this space for developments in the future.
Where to watch it in Singapore
A Killer Paradox is now available on Netflix.
(Cover photo from: @netflixkcontent)
This article was first published on 11 January 2024. Last updated: 16 February 2024.
Are you a fan of thriller series? Check out this K-thriller starring Nam Joo Hyuk!
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