Some of you viewers might be like us where you can’t get enough of serial killer shenanigans. But for those of you who only want one murder show at a time, you might be trying to choose between the two current airing crime dramas, Beyond Evil and Mouse. So to help you out, Kmuse and Drama Geek are going to debate which one is best.

We will start off chatting about our impressions of both the dramas and comparing different categories and who we think did the better job. Concluding, we will give our choice on which show you should try ASAP. So, let’s start!

*UPDATE* This post was a first impression post over the first 6 episodes. We will be doing a second post in the upcoming weeks now that we are concluding both dramas and will let you know our final thoughts and whether our feelings changed.

Mouse Synopsis:

A suspenseful story that asks the key question, “What if we could identify psychopaths in advance?” A crazed serial killer’s ruthless murders have left the entire nation gripped with fear, and chaos reigns. Justice-seeking rookie police officer, Jung Ba Reum, comes face to face with the killer. While he survives his dangerous encounter with the psychopath, Jung Ba Reum finds his life completely changing before his eyes. (MDL)

Kmuse: I feel that this synopsis is a tiny bit misleading. This really is an ensemble cast drama and is much more then your usual Lee Seung Gi project.

Drama Geek: I agree, this synopsis is very misleading. You could delete Lee Seung Gi’s character from the story and you wouldn’t feel a different at all. The focus is on the original serial killer and everyone he effected during his killing spree.

Beyond Evil Synopsis:

When a string of gruesome killings occurs, a pattern takes shape that is oddly reminiscent of some cold serial-murder cases from 20 years prior. Dong Sik and Joo Won team up, vowing to stop this vicious culprit in his tracks. As their investigation proceeds, they are forced to look far deeper than what the evidence suggests, questioning the culpability of all those surrounding the case, including their own. (MDL)

Kmuse: I am a huge fan of both Yeo Jin Goo and Shin Ha Kyun, so I was very excited to check out this drama. And while I do have some issues with the pacing, their performances did not disappoint.

Drama Geek: I haven’t watched enough to get to where they team up. For the first 5 or so episodes they suspect each other and butt heads. Both deliver excellent performances though.

Character Development:

Kmuse: This is a hard one. At the start, I was feeling Beyond Evil’s character’s a bit more, but then the story eventually went around and around. And then got really strong again. But that middle part where I wasn’t sure if the story would go anywhere was a bit hard to push through. Mouse was the opposite. That first episode made all the characters seem one-dimensional, but they gradually started getting layers. How is a Fangirl supposed to choose? I will go with whatever Drama Geek picks…. no pressure, kbestie.

Drama Geek: Hahaha. I wish I’d watched more. In Beyond Evil I think they both presented great characters, but I haven’t gotten to where they’re changing and evolving into police officers willing to work with others and not just accuse one another. With Mouse, I’m also not as sure. The detective is very one note. His eyes are always very wild and he’s always about to explode. Lee Seung Gi’s character is happy go lucky and always wanting to please, and I sit there HOPING he’s actually cold and calculating underneath because on the surface he’s boring. So… I think it’s more about what type of characters you like.

Better Performances

Kmuse: Beyond Evil wins this hands down.

Drama Geek: Agreed. Though, if Lee Seung Gi ends up being evil AND can pull off making me chilled to the bone, then it might go to him. My money is still on the two guys from Beyond Evil.

Best Creepy Serial Killers

Kmuse: Mouse has some really terrifying serial killers, and there were several of the murders that had me gasping and rechecking that my doors were locked. Beyond Evil also has a few really startling moments, but they are more towards the middle of the drama and don’t have the same impact. When it comes to scares and all-around creepiness, Mouse wins by a large margin.

Drama Geek: I have a mud room and the door doesn’t always stay closed because of the cold weather making it expand. We keep the animal food in there because our new puppy will eat though just about anything when she’s hungry, and our cat wakes me up in the middle of the night and wants food. You see where this is going. Mouse made me very freaked out just to go inside there after I watched it before bed. Both (all three?) of the serial killers in this one are creepy as hell. The reasoning behind why they’re doing the killings and how they go about them, just gives me shivers.

Best pacing/writing

Kmuse: Both dramas have some issues with the pacing of the story. So… I will rate this by stating which one I am enjoying the most right now (caught up on both.) So the winner in this category is Mouse! It really is starting to get interesting, and a lot of threads have started coming together. Hopefully, they can keep this momentum.

Drama Geek: I have to agree. I felt the pacing in Beyond Evil is part of what made me stop watching.

And our pick for what your should be watching is….

Kmuse: I think after looking at both dramas that they are pretty evenly matched. But, when it comes to which one I think about throughout the week and sub-stalk, Mouse wins. The twists have just been better, and the serial killers have been hotter. Beyond Evil is also really good, but you have to put a lot more viewing time for the story to start coming together. So really, you can’t lose with watching either…or both.

Drama Geek: Here’s the thing. There is one really big reason I keep watching Mouse. I NEED Lee Seung Gi to be a killer. I know it sounds odd, but the way they’ve set it up, I’m sitting at the edge of my seat biting my nails hoping he’ll do something creepy all the sudden. With Beyond Evil, I never got invested in the characters or their story. Maybe if I’d lasted to where they team up, and starting acting a little more realistic, I would be on board. But with the cops all covering up for one another, and not really acting like police should, I just wasn’t game.

So which one are you tempted to watch, or actually are watching? Let us know in the comments and feel free to follow us on Twitter (@amberkmuse & @kimchidramageek) where we are discussing these and other dramas as we watch.

Til the next great drama,

Kmuse & Drama Geek

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi