Snow White Must Die (2024)

Edge of Your Seat Suspense.. Thriller That Keeps You Hooked..

Undeniably the best thriller drama of 2024..

The drama boasts top notch production quality and excellent cinematography.. Though the beginning can be frustrating.. As the ML is gaslighted into a confession and his family suffers manipulation and helplessness.. It effectively sets the stage for a gripping and intense thriller..

It gets even more frustrating.. How they mistreat the ML's mother and how they try to protect the person who tried to Kill her.. How helpless the ML is.. Yeah it gets on your nerves..

The story progresses too slow at the beginning.. But that makes the eventual twists even more impactful and makes it even more interesting.. A proper thriller that slowly unravels and pulls you deeper into its web of suspense with each twist and turn... That's how it is.. I am glad I waited to binge watch it.. Because there’s no way I could have handled waiting a week between episodes.. Watching the ML spend more time in the ER than his house after getting out of prison was a bit much..

Besides the ML and SML and Ha Seol.. The rest of the characters were truly awful.. Most weren’t just bad they were outright evil.. Manipulating and feasting on others pain.. Even the detective who forced the ML’s confession was being gaslighted by the chief.. It’s a story packed with evil people.. I mean nobody felt a hint of remorse of regret for what they did..

Initially, I felt bad for Choi Na Gyeom. She stood by the ML for 10 years, visiting him in prison when even his mother didn’t. That devotion was admirable. That was quite something.. But how he kept pushing her away.. Ignoring her.. That felt bad.. But well.. She turned out to be a psychopath.. A total psychopath.. But Go Bo Gyeol nailed her role..


Around episode six the story starts coming together... Everything starts to make sense and just when you think you’ve figured it out.. Another twist drops and then another.. It keeps you hooked till the very end.

There were a few flaws though.. Like the unrealistically clear footage from a foldable keypad mobile phone.. Seriously.. how was it not grainy??

Anyhow.. Black Out delivered a satisfying conclusion.. Though I would have loved to see the ML’s friends suffer more for their actions.. They lost what they valued most and ended up in jail but they deserved even worse.. They deserved more pain.. More and more and more pain..

For the first time in a long time.. I was fully immersed in a Korean drama.. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride..

Lire davantage

Multi-layered plot, strong acting & perfectly tailored with minimalist aesthetic, up to the OST

Complete memory gap after too much alcohol - a wonderfully promising step stone for a gripping, solid, emotionally complex (psychological) crime thriller in the high-end segment. "Black Out - Snow White Must Die" is the multi-layered dramaturgical documentation of the protagonist's desperate urge to remember that particular night, that he´s bond to since then.

Life with such a drastic memory gap may be difficult enough, yet even more difficult to digest could become what emerges while looking behind shiny facades. "Black Out" is, so to speak, a study about human chasm that lurk and seduce even behind the cleanest of vestments. And then it is also a solid, multi-layered, gripping crime thriller in KDrama format. Just great.

It is based on the 4th volume of the Bodenstein-Kirchhoff series by the German writer Nele Neuhaus from 2010: “Snow White Must Die”. The setting is not the Taunus, but an inconspicuous town in the wider area around Seoul. The scenario works just as well there.

Strong acting and perfectly tailored with minimalist aesthetic, right up to the OST.

Lire davantage

A decent story that suffers in pacing, could've been better if told in 8 eps

There are a few things I like about Black Out; it nails the creepy and bleak vibes well, decent performance from protagonists and most characters constantly evokes my anger & sinister sides (Although imo these angry scenes are overdone and not always useful to the plot, it makes a good entertainment to laugh at ;P). Whenever we get new clues and revelations after long frustrations of waiting in the dark, it gets intriguing. The cliffhangers keep me coming back.

However, Black Out suffers with its’ pacing, not enough momentum to keep my anticipation high throughout the looong 14-episodes. Without momentum, I often forget what happened, who did what in previous episodes, etc... Some might find the slow-burn investigation to be appealing, but to me it felt sluggish. At some point, the case is not a mystery anymore in viewers pov, but the protagonists keep getting into too many hurdles to reach the truth. In my opinion, the reveals are also a bit dumb, they don’t give the WOW mind-blowing feeling. I still think this is a decent thriller, but would be more thrilling if told in 8 episodes.

Lire davantage

DEFINETLY ADDED TO MY LIST OF CLASSIC KDRAMA THRILLERS.

"Black Out is a classic K-drama thriller that captivates from start to finish. The story revolves around a man who is falsely accused of murdering two of his friends. Despite his claims of innocence and a lack of memory regarding the events, the evidence leads to his conviction, resulting in a ten-year prison sentence. Upon his release, he faces the harsh negativity and suspicion from the people in his village, which drives him to seek the truth and clear his name.

What stands out about 'Black Out' is its exceptional writing. It skillfully combines intense thrills with emotional depth, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats while also tugging at their heartstrings. The narrative unfolds gradually, revealing critical information piece by piece, which only heightens the excitement as the story progresses. The pacing of the story is decent—not too rushed and not too slow—allowing everything to be revealed without leaving anything out.

The acting in 'Black Out' is nothing short of amazing. Byun Yohan, in particular, delivers a powerful performance, showcasing a wide range of emotions that truly resonate with the audience. The female lead also won me over with her acting; the character she portrayed suited her perfectly. The supporting characters, including the detective and various villagers, contribute significantly to the story, even if some are intentionally irritable and may make your blood boil. Each did well in their roles as they were written.

The ending felt like therapy after the roller coaster of emotions this drama put me through..I had tears in my eyes the entire time...it was all worthwhile!

Overall, 'Black Out' was an interesting thriller and mystery drama that kept me at the edge of my seat as I waited for the story to unfold. Prepare some stress-free pills on the side because the characters, minus the male lead and the detective, are sure to test your patience. Do I recommend 'Black Out'? Definitely! It's a classic, and I would add it to the corner of my favorite K-drama thrillers right next to 'Mouse,' 'King of Pigs,' 'Big Mouth,' 'Beyond Evil,' 'Flower of Evil,' 'Signal,' and more."

Lire davantage

Will you kill for your kid?

I was watching an insta post about that question, and people were shocked someone would say no
but it's all about the context right?

would you kill for your kid,

as the drama starts, a boy is accused of killing two of his friends, he goes to prison for 10 years and comes out hoping to find the truth and try to live happily with his mom

Sim Bo Yeong's dad, seeing that, got angry, and tried to kill Go Jeong U's mom.. is that revenge? no
as the drama goes by in a spiral of continuous draggyness, Sim Bo Yeong's dad does find out the truth and in a fit of anger goes to shoot that person, is that revenge? yes


Sim Bo Yeong's murderers, in a raging revelation, it turns out she was raped by two of her friends, she falls after the third friend tries to help her cuz he's another guy and she feared more
Choi Na Gyeom walks in, and instead of being scared it’ll happen to her or be fully sick beyond words, she says.
“Hide the body or your future will be ruined”??
The f is that? It’s not even about girl supporting girls but it’s a plain a human protecting humanity?

And they all listen to her? to call their dads, so 3 adults walk in
and protecting their sons’ future is more important than protecting the truth?
Honestly they could’ve been proven innocent anyways cuz yeah humanity sucks and would’ve said it’s consensual and she slipped and died anyways
Cuz a boys future is worth more than a girls

but, she didn't die, so one of the dads kill her cuz they're in too deep now...................
and gang rape and they’re like “she was bound to marry one of them”




Park Da Eun, the snowwhite. she's cheating on Go Jeong U with an older guy, Choi Na Gyeom who's obsessed with Go Jeong U, after witnessing the rape and murder of another girl, stays silent and films the murder of Park Da Eun
becasue once the two girls are out of the picture, Go Jeong U would be hers...............

honestly revealing that Park Da Eun was a cheater was enough.. so yeah all are crazy but Choi Na Gyeom was worse.....

anyway, she stays quiet for 10 years because she didn't think he'll be convicted, but I'm sure she just enjoyed him being so outcasted and out of loop thinking he'll run to her once she shows kindness
she literally also used the second murder to blackmail the murderer's wife to gain a chance at fame....




anyways, if that isn't enough melodrama, Hyun Su O and Hyun Guno are, twins, and each one is involved in 1 of the murders..
guno, in 10 years didn't tell his dad "you crazy old dude covering up for 4 psychos, cuz you thought i was involved for standing there, but i wasn't", he didn't say he wasn't involved, but he had time to go and collect evidence, the evidence that would've proved his innocence and made his dad stand with him....................... agh...........


suo, had a disability, and once he saw the beautiful "snowwhite", Park Da Eun, die. he carries her to his "hideout" and preps her grave...
now literally, no one knew about that hideout? that was on their property.. where he'd go to draw, and the dad never knew about it? but the snowwhite murderer knew







so yeah, even now, writing all of that out, it's so basic, so simple, and that's to say, Go Jeong U and No Sang Cheol, trying so hard to detective, they were so slow and so dumb
they didn't find any clues without guno's confession, they didn't know where to look without someone spoon feeding them
and, it goes to the point, "nobody knows" the whole truth, but the first case had 7 people involved, and the second had 5, so eventho a couple were involved in both cases, it took a whole village to hide the truth, but that was one too many people in on the secret that they had to go spilling it out
it's a surprise it lasted 10 years
if that wasn't enough suo/gunho's dad was cheating with Sim Bo Yeong's mom.................. like "yeah I hid your daughter's 7 murderers. but like you"
and Go Jeong U's dad just happen to die, when the 4 fathers of the real murderers were happy knowing what they did




would you kill for your kid?
even if your kid is the rapist and murderer?

Lire davantage

Interesting premise and great acting; awkward characters and flawed story

The story itself had a very interesting start, opening up with a gruesome case with a mysterious perpetrator, with all clues pointing to the main lead as the culprit. The drama did a great job of peeling apart the layers of this event, starting off by presenting us with a colorful cast of villagers and close friends of the ML, but slowly melts off their facades to reveal the gruesome truths of that night and the evils within them. I have to give Kudos to the actors/actresses as they did a great job of playing the roles of innocent, friendly villagers at the start, to transforming into some of the most hatable, blood-boiling characters I have seen on the small screen.

Along with the acting, I also thought the pacing was pretty good for a 14 episode drama. While there were moments that could have been sped up here and there, the writers did a good job of revealing the truth piece by piece throughout the story, keeping me invested without making the truth easy to guess until the final episodes. The atmosphere of the setting was creepy and keeps us at the edge of our seats. Dark lighting and multiple camera angles of the same scenes kept suspense up and truths hidden. These were a few of the things I liked about this work and kept me watching until the end. Now for the negatives.

The main character was not interesting... I think his acting was fine, but he didnt have much to work with. He doesn't really have any standout moments for me throughout the story. The ML gets trounced on over and over and over again the whole show, and while this did drew pity from me and made me root for him, I don't think the resolutions the main character reached in the latter parts of the show are satisfying in comparison. In moments where he is supposed to stand out, like when he approaches the people who framed him, the lines are neither memorablr nor impactful. This mostly ammounts to something along the lines of "Don't you feel sorry to (victim name)?" or "why did you do it? which gets pretty old when you see this sequence repeatedly for each person who framed him (which happens to be almost every character). I think this ended up making the main character a kind person with a really uninteresting personality that could've been much more interesting if they had either more badass in his scenes like the second main lead, or made him a more flawed complex character. As he is, it feel like he doesn't add too much to the story other than being a plot device for finding the truths of the murders.

Go Bo Kyeol, while she acted well, I felt like her character was not fleshed out well enough to be worth including in the story. It seemed a little awkward how they spent the premise developing her as this superstar who was the only one to stay by the MLs side at the start, but then stopped really developing her as a character until later, where she is revealed to be some psychopath mastermind who had planned out for the ML to be put in prkson. I don't think they explained her backstory well enough for me to fully accept that she went from having a simple, albeit jealous c
Highschiol girl crush for the ML. to becoming a sociopath lover of the ML, framing him and happily visiting him in prison for 10 years. Even when her truths are revealed to the ML, the resolution for her seemed forced and really unnecessary for the overall story.

I also think there were too many plot holes for me to really ignore throughtout the drama. I think it was weird seeing how conveniently easy it was for witnesses throughout the story to clearly recall small details from events from over 10 years ago, like the details of a random car crash they saw and the exact voice of the killer they heard over a 2g cellphone. But sure, let's say they did recall these events because they were so traumatic; why was it so easy for this to become credible evidence for the police? Especially considering these same police had brushed off other, more concrete evidence from the day of the incident, like DNA samples on the clothing of the victim. This drama is about a case from over 10 years ago, which in real life would be almost impossible to solve, so I understand that these plotholes would exist for the convenience of the story.. .but they did make the story significantly less immersive for me.

Overall, I think the premise and buildup of the drama were interesting enough for me to push along and finish it, but the negatives of this drama did exist and made me give it a lower score than I would otherwise. In the long list of Korean thriller mystery dramas that exist where Signal stands at the top, I probably wouldn't recommend this to others. But if you especially like the cast and have time to spend this was overall entertaining. 6.5/10

Lire davantage

Not a pleasant watch

First of all, this is a copycat of Beyond Evil. In both series we have a small village, a murder of a teenage girl(s), a friend group of teenagers, a young guy who gets blamed for the murder, a corrupt police chief, an involved higher political figure. Sure, there is the difference, that in this series the boy was convicted and went to jail. In Beyond Evil they said, that regarding Korean law, no one can be convicted of murder if there is no corpse. In this series, it wasn't the case. He got 10 years without ever finding the dead bodies. I have no idea which series got it wrong, but that was one big difference. Sure, in Beyond Evil, the one who was accused of the murder became a cop himself, but overall, those two series are very similar. So I knew pretty fast that the police chief wasn't trustworthy at all, and the crime involved adults with higher social status and wasn't done by young boys on an impulse.
Well, my issue with this series, though, and I know this review is a mess, the characters were extremely annoying, even the mother of the wrongfully accused boy. In Beyond Evil they managed to make all the character likable, even the villains and the mentally ill friends. It was such an emotional roller coaster, while this series just got me annoyed.
I liked how the rather brute cop was fair enough to listen to the wrongfully convicted murderer and helped him solve the case. I liked their "bromance", but I also have seen better ones. Nothing really got me attached to those characters or their pain.
The main character did a terrific job with his acting, but that doesn't save much if every other character is just lame. Him crying about his dead friends got me emotional, just to find out later that those two girls were some annoying b*tches. The friends were rapist. The other one was sitting for 10 years beside a decomposing body.
Ugh.
I regret watching this, sorry guys. I still try to be fair with my rating.

EDIT: Apparently, this is based on a German novel. I know the author, since I am German, though I didn't read the book. Still, this is very similar to Beyond Evil in so many aspects that's the comparison is justified. I'm also sure they changed many things to fit the Korean police system and politics.

Lire davantage

Finest Mystery Thriller

Black Out: Snow White Must Die

This was one of the finest mystery thrillers i have watched this year. It started off with a bad impression due to its low production quality but the tightly woven mystery plot kept pulling me in more and more, to the point where i forgot about the cheap production. The story just kept getting better with each passing episode until the end.

The show also made my blood boil with its infuriating characters. What made it even more frustrating is how real they felt. They werent inherently evil like the typical psychopaths in crime thrillers, instead they were ordinary people trying to cover up one crime, only to commit more and more in an effort to save themselves.

Byun Yohan's acting was stupendous. He is an actor i usually dislike or at least he doesnt draw me to his projects but here his portrayal of a man falsely accused and unjustly punished for 10 years was outstanding. The way he conveyed the pain and suffering through his performance moved me all the way to the end. Even the supporting cast did so well that i wanted to jump into the screen and punch them.

The show started with a modest 2.8% rating and ended with 8.8%, which says a lot about how it grew on the audience. Like many others, i was initially disappointed but the script and story changed everyone's perception of the drama.

I loved this show and im really looking forward to the director's future projects. Hopefully, he gets a better budget for his upcoming work.

I would have given an extra 0.5 points if the production quality were better but i will still give a solid 9/10 to this excellent mystery thriller.

Lire davantage

Black Out es otro drama más de " thriller & crime ", sin momentos memorables ! .

Le tenía altas expectativas al drama ,pero terminó siendo no memorable .

Al menos esperaba que después de superar todo lo que había pasado en la cárcel , Junwoo sea más rudo y activo en la búsqueda de justicia por su cuenta . Pero él seguía sintiendo pena por aquellos que lo traicionaron que era gente sin escrúpulos que arruinaron su vida y no merecían su empatía .

Además que el detective tenía más protagonismo en resolver el caso ,aunque le tomo demasiado tiempo .

Otro punto es la actitud de la madre, es que no me puedo creer que no haya ido ni una vez a visitar a su hijo ,al menos debía confiar en como era y si antes no mostró actitudes agresivas ¿ Por qué mataría a su enamorada y a su mejor amiga ?? Luego cuando supo todo solo le dice que lo supere y sigan adelante .Todo bien pero al menos pídele perdón ?

Ni hablar de los demás personajes , todos confabulados y ninguno era de confiar solo buscaban sus propios intereses, el tío resultó bien manipulador , es que ya desde el ep 1 fue sospechosa su manera de llevar el caso . Lo que es poco creíble es que en todos esos años no se haya dado cuenta del lugar secreto de Su o y lo que había allí !

En fin , si desean ver algo que los enganche de principio hasta el final con buenos plot twist y un protagonista que no le tenga miedo a nada , definitivamente BLACK OUT NO ES EL DRAMA que yo recomendaría .

Lire davantage

Masterful but painful

I seriously don't understand the low rating for this show. What is it about this website and murder/gory shows? This show has strong Lee Joon Ki vibes in Flower of Evil.

The drama is masterful - the story pulls you in with the careful telling of the story as it unfolds. It's like peeling back the layers of an onion as the characters are complex in their motivations and hidden agenda. Byung Yo Han is in his element again, this time as the conflicted murderer who cannot remember what happened. Did he do it? Did he not do it? There are a few red and blue herrings and you can probably guess the culprits. I look forward to the rest of this drama as it unfolds.

Update: I've now completed it. My original impression stands. It was roller coaster ride. It was very difficult to watch initially because the ML could never get a break but around halfway through, things starting looking up and it became bearable to watch. My advice? Binge watch. Watching each episode as it was broadcast was simply painful!

Lire davantage