Nine Puzzles is a gripping psychological thriller from Hulu that follows a brilliant criminal profiler as she reopens the chilling case of her sister’s murder. As she pieces together a trail of hidden clues, secrets begin to unravel—challenging everything she thought she knew. With sharp storytelling and dark twists, the series pulls viewers into a haunting puzzle of truth, trauma, and justice.
Review
In a saturated landscape of polished crime procedurals, Nine Puzzles doesn’t just invite comparison — it defies it. This Disney+ Korean original dismantles the serial killer genre piece by forensic piece, only to reconstruct it into something jagged, disorienting, and utterly compelling.
Blending psychological suspense with stylistic flair, Nine Puzzles unravels a mystery that is as much about buried memories and fractured identity as it is about murder. At its heart is Jo I-na (Kim Da-mi), a prodigious — and profoundly damaged — criminal profiler, who was once the lone suspect in her uncle’s unsolved murder. A decade later, when a new string of killings mirrors the old case — complete with puzzle pieces left at each scene — she is pulled back into a spiraling investigation. Opposite her is Detective Han-saem (Son Suk-ku), who still harbors lingering suspicions about I-na’s past.
Director Yoon Jong-bin doesn’t aim for gritty realism. Instead, he crafts a surreal, stylized world where trauma stains every corner of the frame. The show veers from haunting to borderline absurd, from grim to darkly comic — a tonal spectrum that feels intentional and oddly addictive. It’s what might happen if Mindhunter collided with Twin Peaks, then raised their offspring in Seoul’s neon-lit backstreets on a steady diet of grief, guilt, and unresolved memories.
Visually, the series is striking: stylized yet restrained, never sacrificing clarity for flourish. The fractured chronology and shifting perspectives keep viewers off balance, creating a constant sense of unease. Rather than relying on cheap twists, Nine Puzzles builds tension through character and atmosphere, and it never sanitizes its subjects. Everyone here is flawed, wounded, and hiding something — and that makes every revelation feel genuinely earned.
 |
| Kim Da-mi in Nine Puzzles — holding a piece of the puzzle, a clue that could unlock the mystery. |
Kim Da-mi and Son Suk-ku deliver riveting, nuanced performances that elevate the series far beyond its genre roots. Their dynamic — more a reckoning than a resolution — simmers with suspicion, obsession, and a reluctant empathy that lingers long after the credits roll.
Ultimately, Nine Puzzles doesn’t hand you answers. It dares you to search — and warns that you might not like what you find. It’s not just a crime thriller; it’s a psychological labyrinth where truth is elusive, memory is unreliable, and trust is a luxury no one can afford.
Information
Nine Puzzles is a South Korean mystery thriller series directed by Yoon Jong-bin and written by Lee Eun-mi. The 11-episode series premiered on May 21, 2025, on Hulu and Disney+. The first six episodes were released on the premiere date, followed by three more on May 28. The final two episodes were released on June 4, 2025. The main cast includes Kim Da-mi as a criminal profiler and Son Suk-ku as a detective.
From Kim Da-mi to K-Drama Love: I started watching Korean films and series through one of Kim Da-mi's movies, and I quickly became a fan. She played a significant role in sparking my interest in the Korean entertainment industry.
Thumbnail Image Source: NetflixPost Image Source: South China Morning Post{alertInfo}
Post a Comment