The Culprit (2019) ~ Someone Has To Be the Killer

“The Culprit” is a 2019 Korean movie, categorized as Crime, Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense, streaming on Tubi TV and Apple TV.

• Memorable Quote: “Someone has to be the killer!”

SUMMARY: The police closed the case. So a grieving husband and the wife of the man accused of murdering her join forces to uncover the truth behind a brutal killing. Their investigation spirals into a web of lies, betrayal, and psychological manipulation.

♦ I Only Want to Know Who Killed My Wife

“The Culprit” is a tense psychological thriller centered on grief, suspicion, and the fragile nature of truth. The story follows Lee Young-Hoon, a man struggling to cope after the sudden and violent death of his wife. The shocking turn in the investigation complicates his mourning.  His best friend, Kim Joon-Sung, is arrested as the prime suspect based on seemingly conclusive forensic evidence.

While authorities treat the case as straightforward, Kim Joon-Sung’s wife, Jung Da-Yeon, refuses to accept the official narrative. Convinced that her husband has been wrongly accused, she seeks out Lee Young-Hoon, hoping he will help challenge the conviction. Though conflicted and emotionally raw, Lee Young-Hoon agrees to support her—but only if they work together to reexamine the circumstances surrounding the crime. This uneasy partnership becomes the driving force of the film.

The Case is Closed, So We Must Find the Killer

As the two begin digging into the past, the story unfolds through a series of shifting perspectives and fragmented memories. What initially appears to be a clear-cut case gradually grows more ambiguous. Subtle inconsistencies emerge, and new details cast doubt on earlier assumptions. The deeper they look, the more they uncover a web of strained relationships, hidden tensions, and motives that are far from simple.

Each revelation raises new questions rather than providing closure, keeping both the characters and the audience off balance. Trust becomes increasingly difficult to maintain as conflicting accounts and emotional pressures blur the line between fact and perception.

Lee Young-Hoon’s grief begins to shape his actions in unpredictable ways, while Jung Da-Yeon’s determination to defend her husband is tested by what she uncovers. Their shared search for answers becomes as much about confronting their own beliefs as it is about discovering the truth about what happened. Did the police conduct a proper investigation and convict the real killer? OR Did the real killer go free?

Main Characters:

• Lee Young-Hoon (played by Song Sae-Byeok, “Special Delivery”, “The Sound of a Flower”, “Sector 7”)
• Jung Da-Yeon (played by Yoo-Sun, “Eve”, “The King’s Doctor”)
• Park Sang-Min (played by Jang Hyuk-Jin, “Taxi Driver 3”, “Taxi Driver 2”)
• Kim Joon-Sung (played by Oh Min-Suk, “Queen of Divorce”)

Where to Watch: Tubi TV and Apple TV

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 5.9 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 7.1 out of 10 stars
• Amazon customers: 5.9 out of 10 stars
• The Movie Database (TMDB): 7.4 out of 10 stars
• Letterboxd: 3.2 out of 5 stars

My personal rating is the same as Letterboxd.

“The Culprit (2019)” keeps your attention all the way to the end. I know for sure this movie is an underrated Korean drama. There are hardly any reviews.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

[Herald Review] Good acting eclipsed by rookie directing in ‘The Culprit’ | The Korea Herald

TRAILER/TEASER:

EMK17. “The Culprit – Trailer (진범 예고편).” YouTube, 7 Jul. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIkyzKYleKY. Video.

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