The Length of the Beard Measured by Han Seok-kyu · Changing Expressions of Chae Won-bin…A Script That Adds Fun to Mystery
“A Family Torn Apart by Distrust, Reconsidering Its Meaning”
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(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Myung-eon = Jang Tae-soo (played by Han Seok-kyu), one of Korea’s top profilers, knew that his daughter Jang Ha-bin (played by Chae Won-bin) was different from other kids from a young age.
She wasn’t like a typical child who laughed out loud often, and even on the day she went missing in the mountains at night and was found hours later covered in blood, there wasn’t a tear on her face.
Tae-soo’s suspicion that his daughter might not be normal evolves into uncontrollable doubt. On the day Ha-bin returned alone after being missing with her younger brother Ha-jun, Tae-soo locks her in a room and questions her. In the end, he extracts the response “I did not kill” but still cannot rid his doubts while his daughter avoids eye contact.
The MBC Friday-Saturday drama ‘Such an Intimate Betrayer,’ airing since last month, portrays a father’s struggle between belief and doubt in his beloved child as he seeks the truth.
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After the passing of his ex-wife, Tae-soo lives with Ha-bin, now a high school junior, for the first time in over a decade. He vows to be a better father, but when a murder without a body occurs and all clues point to his daughter as a suspect, his promise quickly becomes meaningless.
Han Seok-kyu went as far as noting days he didn’t shave on his schedule to depict the father breaking down from doubting his child, even calculating the length of his beard for the role. His brief lines and wavering eyes perfectly convey emotions, enhancing immersion.
If Han Seok-kyu grounds the drama with seasoned acting, the newcomer Chae Won-bin impresses through robust acting, leaving a strong impression. Her expressionless lying makes her seem psychopathic, but at times, her expressions reveal the loneliness of a simple love-seeking 18-year-old girl.
The movie-like cinematography is an undeniable factor in the show’s popularity. Following the emotions of the inscrutable characters, it builds tension by often capturing their backs instead of close-ups on their expressions, and adds sophistication with sensuous mise-en-scène (screen composition).
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The tightly structured script also provides the fun of deduction. Selected through the MBC script contest, rookie writer Han Ah-young increases immersion with unexpected developments and skillfully recovers the foreshadowing dispersed throughout.
By focusing on the showdown between the profiler father, whose job is to doubt, and his daughter, who has refined her lying under such a father, the series even prompts a reconsideration of the meaning of family.
Yoon Seok-jin, professor and drama critic at Chungnam National University, stated, “This drama, while distinctly genre-based, fundamentally makes one rethink the meaning of family.”
He continued, “It showcases how distrust, a growing issue in modern human relationships, even extends to the family, the last stronghold. It compellingly illustrates how mistrust can destroy a family beyond mere communication breakdown.”
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‘Such an Intimate Betrayer’ started with a rating of 5.6% in its first episode and climbed to its highest rating of 7.6% by the sixth episode. While not high compared to competitors like tvN’s ‘Retirement Age’ or SBS’s ‘Judge from Hell,’ which exceeded 10%, its topicality matches that of any popular drama.
Online, comments such as “The quality of acting and direction stands out among this year’s dramas,” “I’m saving it to binge-watch because I’m curious about the ending,” and “Looking for someone to solve mysteries with” were consecutively posted.
In online video services (OTT), it maintained a high ranking. As of the 5th, it ranked first in Netflix’s domestic Top 10 series, and second and fourth on Coupang Play and Wave respectively.
Popular culture critic Jeong Deok-hyeon commented, “Thrillers often grab attention as they unravel tangled threads, but this drama builds power as it progresses, enjoying a ratings boost. It’s a well-made thriller that keeps viewers engaged until the end.”
He added, “Unlike typical thrillers that offer catharsis as truths are uncovered, this series uniquely and refreshingly presents dilemmas faced by the protagonist as truths come to light. The latter part of the series holds promising potential.”
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