My Name delivers a brutal and emotionally charged take on the revenge thriller, following a young woman’s descent into the criminal underworld in search of justice. This review explores how the series blends raw action, psychological depth, and complex character dynamics to craft a gripping narrative about identity, pain, and the blurred lines between loyalty and betrayal.
Review
My Name is a relentless and emotionally gripping crime thriller that transforms a classic revenge narrative into a visceral, character-driven exploration of identity, loyalty, and the cost of vengeance. The drama tracks Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee), a high school student turned undercover agent, as she infiltrates a powerful crime syndicate to avenge her father's murder.
From the outset, Ji-woo’s evolution—from traumatized teen to disciplined fighter—seizes your attention. Han So-hee delivers a powerful performance, embodying Ji-woo's fury and anguish with raw internality. Her bodylanguage in the gym scenes is especially striking: "insults are hurled her way, and she even faces sexual harassment... her eyes are focused on the target".
The action here isn’t merely spectacle—it anchors the narrative. The hand-to-hand combat and bloody confrontations are choreographed with precision and impact. One reviewer noted that "the action was and still is the biggest surprise… punches and kicks… convincingly real". The gym training montage and prison brawls aren’t just adrenaline moments; they chart Ji-woo’s internal transformation.
Park Hee-soon’s role as Choi Mu-jin, Ji-woo’s enigmatic mentor-turned-adversary, imbues the series with moral complexity. His character oscillates between guiding father-figure and calculating crime boss, delivering tension and emotional depth. Meanwhile, Ahn Bo-hyun’s Jeon Pil-do offers genuine warmth and moral counterbalance, grounding the story amid its escalating violence.
Visually and structurally, My Name employs a sleek, noir-inspired aesthetic. Its palette—rich reds, deep shadows—mirrors the story’s emotional darkness.
That said, the narrative is not without flaws. Certain twists are telegraphed early , and a few subplots—like the romance—sometimes feel underdeveloped or forced. Yet these weaknesses are overshadowed by the series’ strengths in performance and intensity.
My Name reinvigorates the revenge thriller genre with raw emotional stakes, powerhouse action, and layered performances. Han So-hee anchors it as one of the more compelling anti-heroes in recent K-drama memory, supported by a strong ensemble and slick production values. Fans of dark, vengeance-driven narratives will find this series unforgettable—even amidst predictable arcs and narrative shortcuts.
Information
My Name is a 2021 South Korean action-crime thriller series directed by Kim Jin-min and written by Kim Ba-da. Released on October 15, 2021, the series is a Netflix original and consists of one season with 8 episodes. It stars Han So-hee as Yoon Ji-woo. Co-starring Park Hee-soon and Ahn Bo-hyun. It is available exclusively on Netflix.
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