Introduction
When this drama was announced, I was intrigued to watch it because of the leading actress, Park Ju Hyun, whom I liked in the historical romcom The Forbidden Marriage ( 금혼령, 조선 혼인 금지령 ). Besides, I like psychological crime stories, as long as they’re not too complicated and don’t give me a headache trying to figure things out. Hunter With A Scalpel is a perfect match for that. In the end, the story is actually quite simple. The protagonist overcomes her past and confronts her own father. She is not a perfect heroine, because strong emotional and behavioral reactions from her trauma fight with her judgment and logical thinking as a medical professional to deal with her father.
Drama Info
Drama title: Hunter With A Scalpel (Native title: 메스를 든 사냥꾼 )
Alternative title: Dark Legacy, Meseureul Deun Sanyangkkun
Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Psychological, Crime
Aired: Jun 16, 2025 - Jul 10, 2025
Episodes: 16 | Duration: 30 minutes
Director: Lee Jung Hoon ( 이정훈 )
Screenwriters: Cho Han Young ( 조한영 ), Park Hyun Shin ( 박현신 ), Hong Yeon ( 홍연이 ), Jin Se Hyuk ( 진세혁 )
Adapted from the novel "Hunter with a Scalpel" ( 메스를 든 사냥꾼 ) by Choi Yi Do ( 최이도 ).
Where to watch: Disney+
Trailer:
Synopsis
The past comes back to haunt a forensic pathologist considered to be the top of her field. The father she presumed dead all these years has returned to threaten everything she worked for. With everything on the line, she has no choice but to face her past to save her future (Source: Canneseries).
Characters
Main Characters
Park Ju Hyun ( 박주현 ) as Seo Se Hyeon
The head of the Forensic Medicine Department at the Seoul National Institute of Scientific Investigation and a seven-year genius autopsy doctor. Due to her personality, which lacks any trace of empathy, she often clashes with those around her. However, with her exceptional autopsy skills, keen insights into criminal psychology, and relentless persistence, she has solved numerous cold cases.
Park Yong Woo ( 박용우 ) as Yun Jo Gyun
Owner of Yongcheon Clean Laundry. On the surface, he appears to be a kind-hearted laundromat owner, but behind his neat appearance and seemingly gentle eyes lies a serial killer with a mad obsession with human dissection, known as the “Tailor.” He begins to weave a web to catch her, trying to awaken her murderous instincts once again.
Kang Hoon ( 강훈 ) as Jung Jeong Hyeon
Detective Inspector of the Violent Crimes Unit at Yongcheon Police Station. As the newly appointed head of the violent crimes unit at Yongcheon Police Station, he encounters the genius forensic pathologist Seo Se Hyeon, whom he had always admired, while investigating a gruesome murder case. As they pursue the case together, he gradually becomes drawn to her, but as the pieces of the investigation fall into place, he begins to suspect Se Hyeon more and more.
Supporting Characters
This is the character chart that depicts simple connections. The characters on the left are Seo Se Hyeon’s colleagues and superiors. On the right are Jung Jeong Hyeon’s colleagues and superiors. Apart from these characters, there were also Se Hyeon’s family members besides her father. However, their initial appearances were somewhat mysterious, and their connections with her were slowly revealed as the drama progressed.
Review
First of all, before starting my review, I need to make a disclaimer that my viewing experience was based on whatever subtitle was available when the drama was airing, which was machine-translated. Although I could follow the story, the poorly translated subtitles might cause some misunderstanding of certain details, for example, Se Hyeon’s family connections.
Story and Plot
Story
The story focuses on the female lead, Seo Se Hyeon, a genius forensic pathologist with antisocial personality disorder, who discovers a connection between her presumed-dead serial killer father, Yun Jo Gyun, and a new wave of murders. To track him down, she teams up with Jung Jeong Hyeon, a detective from the local police station. Once she confirms that her father is indeed the killer in the current cases, Se Hyeon hunts him down before the police do (hence the drama title). Why does she do that, and why doesn’t she let the police just do their job? I will address her possible motives in the Theme and Message section.
Plot
Some highlights of the plot:
- Episode 1 starts with a murder and ends with another one, which gives a thrilling vibe about the drama overall.
- Her father is introduced as a harmless local who happens to watch the murder cases and Se Hyeon’s profile.
- However, the way the drama gradually let us know about what her father actually is and what he does, while keeping Se-hyun in the dark, makes the story all the more engaging. As we watch her walk into her father’s trap, the tension and thrills are higher than ever.
- Jung Jeong Hyeon’s plot is more straightforward as he leads the investigation. There are also some office politics at both Se Hyeon and Jeong Hyeon’s workplaces.
- In the latter episodes, some viewers found the plot illogical; what Se Hyeon does to hunt her father down makes no sense.
- I will put the ending of the drama as a spoiler in the Spoilers section at the end of the article.
Theme and Message
Themes
- Family trauma and betrayal: Because her father ‘included’ her in his killings in the past, and the death of her sister, she ‘betrayed’ her father by attempting to kill him and avenge her sister.
- The nature of a serial killer
- Justice and revenge: the drama explores Se Hyeon’s dilemma between pursuing justice by letting the police catch her father, and the desire for personal revenge by killing him.
- Identity and self-discovery: there is an unsettling possibility that Se Hyeon inherited the cold-blooded gene from her father, that she might be more like her father than she realizes
- Forensic science and human psyche
Messages
- Confronting one’s past, especially traumatic family history, is essential for healing and moving forward.
- Encourage viewers to contemplate on the concept of justice. There is a multifaceted nature of justice, and the consequences of pursuing it outside the bounds of the law.
- Trauma often overrides logical thinking because it primarily impacts the brain’s survival mechanisms and emotional centers rather than logical reasoning. When faced with a traumatic event, the brain shifts into a state of fight, flight, or freeze, prioritizing immediate survival over rational thought. This can lead to a disconnect between what a person knows logically to be safe and what their body and emotions are telling them.
Pacing and Editing
Pacing
The show maintains a high level of tension and suspense, with short, impactful episodes that keep viewers engaged.
Editing
In the first few episodes, Se Hyeon’s childhood is hinted at with quick, eerie flashes, enough to instill a sense of suspense and creepiness.
Characterization and Acting
Seo Se Hyeon and Park Ju Hyun
Se Hyeon, who is an ace at her job but otherwise cold and aloof to other people. She also clearly has a darker, more psychotic side, as we see in Episode 1, from her picturization of the murder in the club to her death stare towards the woman who asked her to stop feeding the cats.
Despite her coolness, Se Hyeon’s actions when dealing with her father don’t feel very well thought out, particularly compared to her father’s meticulous preparation in framing her for the murders. These confusing behaviors are due to her trauma that overrides her logic.
Park Ju Hyun’s portrayal of Seo Se-hyun draws viewers into her character’s emotional turmoil and moral struggles. The actress could express a wide range of emotions through her characters, particularly the expression that the viewers see during her visit to the hospital to see her mother and her behavior towards her younger sister.
Yun Jo Gyun and Park Yong Woo
As a psychopath, Jo Gyun’s character delves into more nuanced and unsettling aspects of the human psyche. His obsession with dissection and the human body plays a crucial role in the story, influencing his actions and the way he commits his crimes. His feeling towards his daughter, Se Hyeon, is twisted obsession rather than genuine parental love, suggesting a psychological disturbance.
Park Yong Woo also does a great job showing us the nice Mr. Choi, who was your neighborhood cleaner, going to Mr. Choi with darker sides.
Jung Jeong Hyeon and Kang Hoon
At first, Jung Jeong Hyeon’s primary motivation is that of the typical young and idealistic police officer: to catch criminals and bring justice to victims. However, he gets entangled in Seo Se Hyeon’s personal quest to apprehend her father before the police do, suggesting a degree of personal connection or dedication to her cause.
After he suspects Se Hyeon’s connection to the serial killer, Jeong Hyeon’s character has more depth, rather than simply conducting an investigation. They are brought together in one major murder case and interact in a more meaningful way than they have before, which is also a good move, as they haven’t had much of a connection before this.
Watching them go from butting heads with each other to taking huge risks and working together has been pretty delightful.
Cinematography and Visual Effects
The cinematography aims to evoke a feeling of dread and psychological unease, mirroring the dark themes and disturbing subject matter of the series. The use of close-ups, sharp focus, and precise framing draws attention to the details of the crime scenes and the characters’ emotional states.
The visual effects focus on detail, clarity, and a cold, clinical aesthetic that aligns with the forensic aspects of the story. And considering all the uninhibited views of the corpse and its internal organs, you’re going to need a strong stomach to get through this drama.
Original Soundtrack
Conclusion
In conclusion, Hunter With A Scalpel is compelling because it not only blends crime, mystery, and psychological thriller elements, but also the heroine, Seo Se Hyeon, is a grey character, as she doesn’t neatly fit into the categories of “good” (like Jung Jeong Hyeon) or “evil” (like her father). Viewers might criticize what she did, as she pursues her own goal to catch and kill her father, defying traditional justice and morality. Her traumatic past explains her motives to act against her father.
Spoilers
Is there romance plot between Seo Se Hyeon and Jung Jeong Hyeon?
No.
What is the ending?
Happy ending
What happened to Seo Se Hyeon?
As she tried to kill her father by dissecting his body, the police came. Her attack on her father was regarded as self-defense. She went to the hospital, and her adoptive mother recognized her. She went to her older sister, Go Eun Seo’s, grave as closure. Later, she adopted her sister, Yun Se Eun, and her name was changed to Seo Se Eun.
What happened to Yun Jo Gyun?
He was arrested after his daughter’s failed attempt to kill him, convicted of serial murders, and sentenced to the death penalty. He had a hallucination that his daughter had come to visit him and laughed maniacally.
What happened to Jung Jeong Hyeon?
He no longer worked for the crime division but local police. He then met Seo Se Hyeon and her adoptive sister, who were buying school uniforms. He seemed close to both of them.
