"Flower of Evil" withers, re-blooms

I fully realize this isn't a popular stance on this drama but it's mine.

When this drama first started I was so excited for the crazy! I needed it. I even said that I wanted to see this crazy through all the way to the end and I didn't want any kind of "falling in love crap" redemption. Unfortunately, that's exactly what we got from the main character.

They framed the lead to be psychotic. He even had to learn how to smile and would practice it because he was emotionless and portrayed as soulless. He was ruthless in his abduction and torture of the reporter. I get the point of showing that to only show that he wasn't the serial killer after all. It was subterfuge. I just really didn't want it to be a fake out.

I would have preferred a main lead to have been the accomplice killer and for the wife to have been betrayed and dismayed to the end and for her to have to build her life back up after hunting down her husband and arresting him. Instead, we got a redemption story and the wife pretty much overlooking all his betrayals and sins.

That being said...I totally bought the amnesia bit and the starting over. I think maybe if they had introduced that part earlier on and built that up more I would have liked the last half a lot more.

Every actor played their parts well. Special shout out to the little girl that played their daughter. She was adorable and I can't wait to to watch her grow up over the years in dramas. And Lee Joon Gi and Kim Ji Hoon who played evil so convincing. And to Ji Hoon's hair...may you never cut it.

So I'm waffling on my rating. Parts of it I really loved. Parts of it disappointed me and the end made me come around again. I give it a 3.5/5. Halfway between "just okay" and "loved it but had some issues".