A chaotic opening sets the tone for Reverse, throwing viewers straight into a mystery filled with fear, memory loss, and unanswered questions. Episode 1 wastes no time introducing danger, but whether it succeeds in building tension is another story.
A frantic escape and a deadly explosion
The episode begins with a man in dark clothing entering a house, immediately creating an uneasy atmosphere. Moments later, Myo-jin appears, running in panic with blood on her hands and clothes. She keeps repeating that everything feels out of control, as if trying to steady herself while escaping something terrifying.
As she drives away, the tension escalates. Back at the house, a man discovers Hee-su lying on the floor, severely injured. When he turns on the electricity, a hidden trap triggers a massive explosion. At the same time, Myo-jin, shaken by the blast, crashes her car and is rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
A life erased and a relationship in question
When Myo-jin regains consciousness, she finds herself beside Jun-ho, a man who claims to be her fiancé. The problem is, she has no memory of him, or even herself. Her condition is complicated by recurring nightmares of being attacked by a faceless man in a tunnel, along with frequent blackouts.
Jun-ho tries to reassure her, explaining her accident and expressing hope that her memories will return. However, Myo-jin feels no emotional connection to him, which creates an early sense of unease between them.
Outside the hospital, Jun-ho is shown navigating his professional ambitions. His meeting with Myeong-ho hints at a larger corporate storyline involving a museum project and the legacy of Chairman Choi. Despite his confidence, Jun-ho appears conflicted, especially when the topic of the chairman’s death arises.
Fragments of memory and disturbing clues
A month later, Myo-jin is still struggling. Her doctor, Hyeon-seo, explains that trauma likely caused her memory loss and that recovery will take time. Yet, her nightmares persist, violent, vivid, and deeply unsettling.
After two months, she is discharged and returns home with Jun-ho, who remains attentive and supportive. Still, something feels off. Even familiar spaces fail to trigger recognition.
Small moments begin to break through. A sudden flare of fire during a barbecue sparks a disturbing memory of a woman engulfed in flames. Hypnosis sessions reveal more fragments: fear, pursuit, and repeated attacks. Myo-jin becomes convinced she may have done something terrible, even if she can’t remember what.
Meanwhile, a mysterious man, possibly connected to her nightmares, watches from afar, clearly afraid of her. His declining health adds urgency to whatever history they share.
Collisions with reality
Trying to regain some normalcy, Myo-jin ventures out and encounters a boy attempting to rob her. The situation escalates to the police station, where an unexpected accusation shakes her, she is called a murderer.
Jun-ho quickly intervenes, urging her to ignore it, but the damage is done. Doubt begins to take root.
At the same time, side characters like Ri-ah and Woo-sik are introduced through a blackmail subplot, hinting at a broader network of secrets that may eventually connect to Myo-jin’s story.
Back at home, two detectives question Myo-jin about the villa fire. Skeptical of her amnesia, they press her for answers she doesn’t have. The interrogation overwhelms her, triggering pain and frustration, forcing Jun-ho to step in.
Pieces that stand out, and those that don’t
Several scenes aim to leave a strong impression: the explosive opening, Myo-jin’s recurring nightmares, and the police station confrontation. These moments are designed to build suspense and deepen the mystery.
However, their impact feels limited. The emotional weight doesn’t fully land, and the tension between Myo-jin and Jun-ho, arguably central to the story, remains underdeveloped. Even the hypnosis scenes, which should feel intense and revealing, come across as repetitive rather than insightful.
Questions that linger
Episode 1 raises more questions than it answers, but not all of them feel intentional.
- Who is the man in Myo-jin’s nightmares?
- What really happened at the villa that night?
- Is Myo-jin truly a victim, or is there truth behind the murder accusation?
- And perhaps most importantly, can Jun-ho be trusted?
The presence of multiple side plots, corporate ambitions, blackmail schemes, and hidden past connections, suggests a complex narrative ahead. The concern is whether these threads will come together coherently.
Final thoughts
Reverse clearly aims to be a suspense-driven mystery with psychological depth, but its first episode struggles to find balance. The storytelling feels scattered, with too many elements introduced too quickly and without enough clarity.
Instead of pulling viewers in, the episode risks leaving them confused and emotionally detached. Myo-jin’s journey should be compelling, yet her characterization feels distant. Similarly, the lack of chemistry or tension between her and Jun-ho weakens the emotional core of the story.
There is still potential here, especially if future episodes tighten the narrative and give more weight to character dynamics. But as a starting point, Episode 1 feels more chaotic than intriguing.
Rating: 5/10
