Son Suk-Ku And Kim Da-Mi Gather Clues In K-Drama ‘Nine Puzzles’

When E-na is questioned by the police about her uncle’s death, she can’t remember anything. So, she becomes the prime murder suspect in the Korean drama Nine Puzzles. There’s no evidence to indict any suspect except for a puzzle piece that E-na found on the floor. Her uncle, a former police chief, was everything to her after she lost her mother and father. Is it trauma that erased her memory? Or is she guilty? E-na, played by Kim Da-mi (Itaewon Class, My Beloved Summer), seems oddly detached for someone who lost her only surviving family member.

Detective Han-saem, played by Son Suk-ku (A Killer Paradox, My Liberation Notes, Heavenly Ever After), is convinced she’s the killer. Ten years later he still believes she’s guilty. E-na, who now works as a police profiler, helps to identify likely suspects and motives, but she still can’t remember anything about finding her uncle’s body.

She likes to live life in the fast lane, repeatedly bungee jumping from a bridge to experience the “thrill of almost dying” and speeding around Seoul in her car. Therapy has not helped her uncover any memories of the murder night. She occasionally visits Han-saem at the police station to see if he’s solved her uncle’s death and finds his dedication admirable.

One day a mysterious messenger delivers another clue, a single puzzle piece that fits neatly into the original puzzle piece, revealing even more images. Will this new piece of the puzzle convince Han-saem that E-na is innocent? That would be helpful since they need to find out the truth behind her uncle’s death, as well as solve other cases that may or may not be related. Son and Kim are a great choice to play this oddball cat-and-mouse duo. Son’s character sports a mysterious tattoo and has little patience for his co-workers. Kim’s character can be flippant about murder. Both well-conveyed characters inhabit their own perplexing worlds, but share the ability to intensely focus when necessary. Together, they could solve the puzzle.

The drama also stars Kim Sung-kyun, Hyun Bong-sik, Jeong Man-sik and Lee Joo-young. Nine Puzzles is directed by director, actor and screenwriter Yoon Jong-bin. He previously directed the films The Spy Gone North and Kundo: The Age of Rampant, as well as the series Narco Saints. The screenplay for the 11-episode Disney series was written by Lee Eun-mi, who wrote the dramas Navillera and Tunnel. The series airs on Hulu in the U.S.