My Name is a crime-action TV series directed by Kim Jin-min and stars Ahn Bo-Hyun, Han So-hee, Yull Jang, and Kim Sang-ho, alongside other cast members.
Netflix describes the series as:
Following her father’s murder, a revenge-driven woman puts her trust in a powerful crime boss — and enters the police force under his direction.
– My Name review does not contain spoilers –
My Name does not waste a minute to suck you into a story that is well-paced and superbly acted. Ok ok, before I go too far into it without context, the series, consisting of 8 episodes, is rife with techno beats and the brilliant Han So-hee being an absolute badass. Her gangster father’s disappearance has put a damper on her life with her getting bullied relentlessly at school. But what happens when he is murdered?
Well, she teams up with a crime boss and the police and seeks revenge, of course.
My Name is an absolutely thrilling ride. The episodes are thrilling, grungy and feature a narrative style that keeps you on the edge. It’s a revenge thriller, so of course, expect all the usual tropes that come with a story like this. However, even with the tropes, the series never feels old or boring. If anything, the creators have done an excellent job at moulding these tropes to fit a storyline that will make you go to the next episode the moment one is over.
It’s not just the thriller aspects of it though. My Name is just so deeply emotional at all times. Ji-woo’s sadness and heartbreak are apparent and the emotional upheavals that she goes through before and after her father’s death give her story the much-needed ammunition and reason.
In some scenes that are difficult to watch but are moments for Ji-woo to grow, it’s Ji-woo’s resolve that we see throughout. The gym scenes are by far the most heart-wrenching because Ji-woo is the outside – she’s a woman in a man’s world. She’s insulted and sexually abused, but she comes out of it like a phoenix.
Also Read: I Know What You Did Last Summer Review (Ep 1-4): Teenagers in Trouble
Her growth can be attributed to Park Hee-soon, who is every part sinister and nurturing to the orphaned Ji-woo. In another gruesome scene in a cage where the recruits all go against each other, Ji-woo, in spite of being the youngest, holds on to her own. It’s gruesome, it’s horrifying and it’s a great watch. The violence can get to some and you might just be a little nauseous, but there won’t be a moment you won’t cheer for Ji-woo.
My Name also looks absolutely splendid. The cinematography is excellent and the scenes are bathed in dark reds, oranges and shadows. It looks absolutely splendid and makes this revenge story all the more thrilling and exciting to watch.
Han So-hee, who was so different in Nevertheless, is an absolute badass here. She is a cannon waiting to go off to avenge her father and ease her guilt. Underneath all of her rage, though, is a person who is vulnerable, scared and heartbroken. Han So-hee embodies all of those emotions effortlessly. The pain of losing her father and the determination to murder his murderer come upon her face and through every action of hers.
The action sequences, too, look absolutely great and are realistic. At no point does it seem like So-hee is beating people to a pulp. It’s so absolutely thrilling that it makes watching this a charming affair!
Also Read: Netflix’s The Four of Us Review: Experimental Love
Summing up: My Name
My Name is a horrifying watch – it’s good because it’s so horrible and hits so close to home. If you’re easily disgusted by blood and violence, then steer clear. For everyone else, this one is a must-watch.
My Name is streaming on Netflix.