REVIEW: ‘Nine Puzzles’ Spins An Addictingly Twisted Tale

Nine Puzzles deserves some of the hype it’s generated since dropping on Disney+ and Hulu. This psychological mystery thriller twists and turns, leading its characters and the audience on a journey to figure out who is leaving those grotesquely illustrated puzzle pieces behind. Once the series rapidly shifts towards its end, it becomes a guessing game. Unfortunately, an underwhelming finish undermines an otherwise successful watch.

Nine Puzzles follows Yoon E-na (Kim Da-mi), a profiler haunted by the brutal murder of her uncle back in 2013. As the only witness to her uncle’s murder case, she is seen as the primary suspect, especially when she doesn’t recall any details. The only thing that sticks out is a puzzle piece with a drawing on it at the crime scene. Since then, no progress has been made on the case, and the trail has gone cold. That is, until ten years later, around her uncle’s death anniversary, when a case arises along with a new puzzle piece.

Also back on the case? The guy who has spent the past decade thinking E-na is the culprit. Han-saem (Son Suk-Ku) is back at the Force. Tatted up, obsessive, and too blunt for his own good, he is insistent that E-na was the one behind her uncle’s murder, and her playful teasing and pushing of buttons don’t help matters. However, as the cases start piling up, the two are left working together to try to solve who is committing these crimes and how they all connect to the decade-old murder case that’s been haunting them.

Part of the fun of Nine Puzzles is watching E-na and Han-saem interact with one another. Separately, the two have more in common than one would think. They ruffle feathers, are obsessive, and are too blunt for their own good. At the start of the series, Han-saem wants nothing to do with the young crime profiler, insisting that she’s a murderer waiting to be caught. However, over time and with forced bonding sessions instigated by E-na, an understanding between them is born.

The dynamic between E-na and Han-saem makes for tense fun in Nine Puzzles.

Kim Da-mi’s approach to E-na injects a childlike whimsy into a deeply traumatized character who still hasn’t wholly recovered from finding her uncle’s body. This is shown most blatantly in Nine Puzzles Episode 1, where she bungee jumps off a bridge to feel closer to death on the eve of her uncle’s death anniversary. Her memory issues and her penchant for being at the wrong place at the wrong time make it easy to believe she is a suspect. Combine that with her profiling abilities and her being caught in a stage of arrested development, and E-na is immediately a fascinating character.

As for Han-seum, he’s a little more straightforward. Son Suk-ku plays him with rightful frustration, particularly when face to face with the more disarming E-na. He’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas, and any attempts to get to know him usually fail. It becomes all the more heartbreaking when, later in Nine Puzzles, his resolve and strength crumble when confronted with a brutal betrayal. Earning Han-seum’s trust is the biggest gift, and having it squandered is like a slap in the face.

Such a statement can be applied to the series itself. Directed by Yoon Jong-bin and Kim Jung-ho and written by Lee Eun-mi, Nine Puzzles takes our characters on a wild goose chase. A wide range of suspects presents the audience with multiple options. To Lee Eun-mi’s credit, it is difficult to guess who the murderer is. Suspicions are easily quashed, with red herrings thrown out in the latter half to keep things spicy. Heck, E-na is the biggest red herring of all, with her presence at each crime scene being too convenient to dismiss.

After taking audiences for a ride, the payoff should be satisfying. A huge part of that concerns the groundwork laid down in the writing. This should manifest itself in both big and small details, so that when revelations are unveiled in the climactic third act, the audience can buy it. Unfortunately, after spending so much time getting audiences invested in the mystery, the big reveal of the murderer doesn’t hit. And that’s because the groundwork either isn’t there or wasn’t laid on a solid foundation.

A rush to the end and solving a mystery robs characters (and us) of proper closure.

The motivations behind the killer are revealed in the final two episodes. Understandably, the character’s psyche is broken, tortured by tragedy and an undeniable exhaustion. However, cramming this storytelling into the final episodes ruins the pacing, tension, and overall narrative. It’s almost as if it’s an afterthought, rushing to the finish line instead. Coupled with an indescript performance from Park Gyu-young, who tends to be more muted in most of her projects, you have a killer who flops.

Part of this could have been addressed by peppering in more hints and clues. There were a couple of moments in therapy sessions, but they could be easily missed due to Gyu-young’s delivery. A lack of focus on the killer’s process, scenes featuring the killer finishing off people, and just a little more could have filled in the gaps and added depth to what was a filler character up until the final two episodes.

Even with that, the rush to the end and the killer’s general apathy result in some arguably devastating and traumatizing moments for E-na and Han-seum. Both are made to bear witness to several atrocities committed, with the psychological damage being more present in one than the other. If there is a second season, this sets up a world of introspection and healing (or maybe, running from it) for our two main characters. So, at least, there’s a silver lining in that.

Nine Puzzles undeniably spins a twisted tale. Its mystery is undeniable and addictive, with the disturbing puzzle pieces being a hallmark of a creative serial killer. The turbulent relationship between E-na and Han-seum is unavoidable, as both aim to achieve the same goal through different means and must work together to reach it. Unfortunately, all the strength the series has built crumbles slightly with its big reveal. If the series is greenlit for a second season, a less rushed ending with more gaps filled in could help sell the killer’s identity.

All episodes of Nine Puzzles are now available on Disney+ and Hulu.