Park Min-young And Wi Ha-joon’s ‘Siren’s Kiss’ Starts Off Slowly But Successfully Builds Up A Sense Of Intrigue: Streaming Review

Talking about best Korean thriller dramas, the name that instantly comes to mind is “Flower Of Evil” directed by Kim Cheol-gyu. So, once you realize that “Siren’s Kiss’ is his directorial, the expectations automatically shoot up. This time he is joined in the directorial department by So Jae-hyun who helmed Gyeongseong Creature (2023).  

“Siren’s Kiss” is set against the premise of insurance frauds. Minutes into the series, we are introduced to Cha Woo-seok (Wi Ha-joon), a former police detective who is now an insurance investigator. While he has quit the cop business ages ago, Woo-seok does not hesitate from using his fists or his instincts to hunt down those who indulge in insurance scams. Walking down the well-curated corridors of a top auction house is Han Seol-ah (Park Min-young), the chief auctioneer. She commands everyone in the room with her poise, drop-dead gorgeous looks and demeanour. There are few who can resist her or the art she puts up for auction worth in millions and billions of Korean won.

The shocking death of her colleague Kim Yun-ji (Lee Elijah) leaves Woo-seok with a tip-off on what could be the real persona of Han Seol-ah. Is she a serial killer bumping off one partner after another or an insurance scammer constantly looking to prey on the elite to fund her rich lifestyle? The first two episodes of “Siren’s Kiss” have set us up for the upcoming drama in the most tantalizing manner.

Park Min-young is in fine form as Han Seol-ah. The actress’ aces the ‘icy vibes’ of her role, which is great as every raise of her eyebrow or flick of the hair gets noticed by the viewer. You can feel that secrecy, intrigue and danger through the screen, which is excellent. Wi Ha-joon gets a multi-dimensional role and he seems to be enjoying it. Woo-seok is a man on a mission to cleanse society of insurance scammers driven by a personal tragedy. The two actors are excellent in the confrontation scenes with near-perfect timing and dialogue delivery. They are filmed in smaller spaces as the makers build on the developing tension, intrigue and attraction between them. 

“Siren’s Kiss” given its premise of high net-worth individuals, an auction house and insurance is shot luxuriously. Artworks, mirrors and elite-designed spaces remind us of shows like “The Penthouse: War In Life,” and the recent release, “The Art Of Sarah.” Park Min-young’s styling is also top-notch with the actress looking ravishing in every frame. The cinematography is excellent, building up the tension in every frame especially in the auction house scenes. 

Just like “Flower Of Evil,” the director uses the first episode to build up his characters, the premise and the setting to unfold the story. It picks up pace by the second episode and by the end of it, you wanted to be seated for more. There are a few sub-plots like Woo-seok’s relationship with a small child who is also the victim of insurance fraud, but that’s done more to establish his character. 

If “Siren’s Kiss” continues with this momentum, then it could well be on the way to be one of the best thrillers of the year.