K-drama Review: As You Stood By
- Very Average Joe
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
English Title: As You Stood By
Korean Title: 당신이 죽였다 [lit. you killed (him)]
Director(s): Lee Jung-rim
Screenwriter(s): Kim Hyo-jeong
Studio: Studio S, Ghost Studio, Mizi Film
Released: 2025
Runtime: 8 episodes, ~1h each.
Starring: Jeon So-nee, Lee You-mi, Jang Seung-jo, Lee Moo-saeng
Based on the Japanese novel Naomi and Kanako by Okuda Hideo that was first published in 2014, the story follows two women as they plot to kill the abusive husband of one of them.
I have not read the novel nor have I seen the J-drama adaptation Naomi and Kanako (2016) so this review is of the K-drama series only.
Jo Eun-su (Jeon So-nee) works at the VIP section of the department store. She grew up with an abusive father. Her friend from high school, Jo Hui-su (Lee Yoo-mi), is the housewife of Noh Jin-pyo (Jang Seung-jo) who brutally beats her.
The episode titles are the names of the viewpoint character(s). Typically, it is Eun-su and/or Hui-su. The plot is almost entirely linear, so scenes do not repeat from another’s perspective.
The first episode is about Eun-su. She meets Chinese businessman-storeowner Jin So-baek (Lee Moo-saeng) who “borrows” a very expensive watch. The guy is reticent and seemingly rude but, over time, one realizes he’s just a bit weird.
Through hanging around So-baek’s business, Eun-su meets one of So-baek’s employees, Jang Kang (Jang Seung-jo), a Chinese illegal immigrant who looks exactly like Jin-pyo.
The first episode, although obviously a setup for the series, nonetheless tries a little too hard by dragging out the interactions between Eun-su and So-baek as he delays in returning the watch. However, their awkward interactions do give the audience a chance to know the two.
It initially tries a bit too hard to be edgy even though Eun-su’s upbringing is relevant to the story and themes. It is clear that the script is trying to show how Eun-su is affected by her upbringing. At the intellectual level, this is understandable; everyone has been traumatized by something and certain images or situations, because of their similarities or associations to the original trauma, can act as a trigger. But for the purposes of storytelling, it tries a bit too hard.
The second episode shifts to Hui-su and her horrible situation. The two women plot to kill Jin-pyo and then get Jang Kang to use the former’s passport to go to China in the hopes of hiding Jin-pyo’s death.
The start of the series is too slow. The buildup is appreciated and there is effective suspense and tension but it takes two or three episodes to really get into it.
Of course, there are problems and the two women navigate these in the subsequent episodes, being in way over their heads. For example, Jin-pyo has a younger sister who is a cop so she tries to put the pieces together.
There are certain precautions that Eun-su and Hui-su could have taken to avoid some of the problems but that is the premise; one accepts it and goes along with it or not.
As their plan goes off the rails, they panic. This is understandable but despite So-baek’s help, they keep on making impulsive decisions which at times can be annoying. So-baek gets annoyed too, although he is surprisingly patient.
The main weakness is that the villains such as Jin-pyo are overly simplistic. The actor does a convincing enough job (for both roles) and there are hints as to why Jin-pyo is like that, but the character is just written too simply.
Thankfully, this is not a “women are all victims” and/or “all men are bad” type of work. There are all types for both men and women. If anything, it is the female villains who are more despicable.
Interestingly, the cross is featured prominently for the villains. No doubt there are plenty of hypocritical Christians who are so by merely name or association. Since the series does not elaborate on this, which is a missed opportunity to inject some complexity into the characters, it comes across as a cheap attempt at trying to make Christians look bad.
The work does look into the usual themes associated with domestic violence, from the inadequacies of the justice system to those who turn a blind eye. The distinction is made between those who do so out of fear and powerlessness versus those who do so out of gross negligence. Whilst this is appreciated, it is sometimes done crudely via dialogue; that is, the character explicitly telling their reasoning instead of showing.
Ultimately, despite being too slow at the start and the relative simplicity of the plot, it is not a bad thriller-drama. The performances are solid despite the writing and so is the production. It is shot and edited nicely enough and it is appreciated that longer-held shots are often utilized. The conclusion is too rushed, lacking details that yield a more satisfying denouement.
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